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The Lip Bar's Rosco Spears Shares The Hidden Gems Of Detroit
This post is in partnership with Toyota.
Rosco Spears is a do it all type of woman that can adapt to any position she's called to, and she credits that with growing up in Detroit. Known as the "motor city," this famous midwestern city has a thriving art, culinary, and nightlife scene. Rosco currently works as the creative director of The Lip Bar alongside the brand's founder Melissa Butler. Rosco and Melissa had been friends since high school. The Lip Bar has become a nationally recognized beauty brand, and the brand's corporate offices are right in the heart of the city they grew up in.
"I'm from the west side of Detroit," Rosco tells xoNecole. "Dexter and Linwood, to be exact, which is a little hood, but it's still home."
Despite the negative stereotypes that exist about Detroit, Rosco believes there is so much beauty and togetherness in her hometown. "For a while, people were making [Detroit] out to be a very dark and eerie place. But Detroit is so beautiful. I mean, I'm pretty sure everybody would say that about their hometown, but it's really such a beautiful place. The people are genuinely good and friendly. it feels like family."
As a busy executive, wife, and new mom, Rosco is committed to building a future and legacy for herself and her family. While she currently resides in North Carolina with her family, she often travels back to Detroit for business and to visit family. Reflecting on Detroit brings up many memories for Rosco, including growing up with folks that looked like her.
Her most fond memory is escaping to Belle Isle for the most scenic drives. Since the new Toyota Corolla Cross is made for cruising, Rosco recommends this offshore destination as one of the best ways to experience the city. "This is not technically Detroit, but I love the St. Clair shores. You just get to drive along the shoreline. That's like if you're riding up Jefferson, which is a very popular street downtown, you just keep going up Jefferson and you can get a scenic route. It's such a great way to experience the city.
Check out Rosco's favorite hang outs, wellness experiences, and eateries in her Detroit city guide below.
Condado Tacos, 634 Selden St, Detroit, MI 48201
"I love Condado Tacos. It's a Mexican spot. They have amazing tacos, amazing drinks, amazing taco bowls, veggie bowls. I've never had anything on their menu that I complained about. I think it's amazing."
Yum Village 6500 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202
"There's this really amazing Caribbean spot called Yum Village. I actually found out about them because they used to have a food truck right behind our pop-up store. They have the most amazing plantains and the most amazing jerk chicken."
American Coney Island, 114 W Lafayette Blvd Detroit, MI 48226
"American Coney Island is the spot that you go to after the club because that's the only thing that's open. So it's essentially the let-out, because after everybody is out partying, Coney Island is open and they literally have everything. You can get salads, you can get a chicken pita wrap, you can get chicken wings, you can get a steak. But they're known for their Coney Dog which is a hot dog with chili, onions, and mustard. I would say the Coney Dog is a Detroit staple."
Woodhouse Day Spa, 1380 H Street, Washington, D.C. 20002
"What's funny is that I work in the beauty industry, but I am the opposite of a beauty girl. But when I want to get my body wrap done or a massage, I go to Woodhouse Day Spa. They're Black-owned and the founders are very kind people."
The Heidelberg Project, 3442 McDougall Street Detroit, MI 48207
"There's this guy, his name is Tyree Guyton. He created the Heidelberg project where he essentially went to this neighborhood that was kind of impoverished, lots of abandoned houses, and created artwork everywhere. So he painted the cement, he painted the streets, he painted the houses, he did installations all around. I love visiting it and taking people visiting Detroit for the first time. I like to take them over there because it's just such a wild art installation and it's so unexpected."
BLOOM Transformation Center, 227 Iron St. Detroit, MI, 48207
"The last time I was home, I went to this spot called BLOOM Transformation Center. I went with my sister for sound therapy. We went in, we took our shoes off, we laid on the mats, and we just spent an hour having a sound bath, and it was the most amazing experience."
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Shaunie Henderson Says Creating 'Basketball Wives' Was A 'Matter Of Survival'
Before Shaunie Henderson married Pastor Keion D. Henderson, she was married to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, and they share six children. However, the former couple was officially divorced in May 2011, a year after the first season ofBasketball Wivespremiered. While the reality TV show, which chronicled the lives of women who were exes or current girlfriends/ wives of basketball players, had a lot of people tuned in, it also faced a lot of criticism. One of the criticisms was the portrayal of the women on the show who, at times, were fighting with each other.
However, in our exclusive interview with Shaunie, the Undefeated author said the show was created out of necessity.
"We just tend to tear our own people up for whatever reason. When I started Basketball Wives, it was really a matter of survival for me. I was in desperation mode. I needed the show to be successful because I had to figure out how I was going to live and provide a life for my children," she said. "Basketball Wives is a platform and it is a space for women to have the freedom to be and say and do what represents them. And what that is, is their decision, right? I just provided the platform for it to happen.
She also explained that she wanted to help other women financially by having a platform that will give them access to opportunities.
"I knew that I had lost my voice before, and I wanted to provide a space to ensure that other women didn’t lose theirs. Again, what they decided to do with the camera time and who they decided to show up as is on them, but here's the platform, and I think for many women, it has been just that. It’s boosted them into a space in their life where they're able to make money and branch out into other opportunities that they may not have had otherwise."
"I knew that I had lost my voice before, and I wanted to provide a space to ensure that other women didn’t lose theirs. Again, what they decided to do with the camera time and who they decided to show up as is on them, but here's the platform, and I think for many women, it has been just that. It’s boosted them into a space in their life where they're able to make money and branch out into other opportunities that they may not have had otherwise."
Basketball Wives: LA Cast. L-R: Jac'Eil Duckworth, Brooke Bailey, Jackie Christie, Shaunie Henderson, Evelyn Lozada, Jennifer Williams, and Brandi Maxiell
Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images
One of Basketball Wives' most infamous moments was the fight that occurred between Evelyn Lozada and Tami Roman in the second season. While it was a very explosive scene, Shaunie revealed that behind the scenes, the following day, everything was copacetic. She recalled that moment and said it was one of her most cherished memories from the show.
"It was probably the day after the infamous fight between Tami Roman and Evelyn Lozada. Evelyn had coined the “non-mf factor” phrase, and production had broken up their fight the night before. Me and her were on the beach, and Tami called to see what I was up to. I told her I was with Evelyn, and she said she was coming to meet us," she said.
"I'm thinking I'm about to be in part two. There's no security, we were off for the day and I was sure it was about to be horrible. Tami gets there. She’s already got her cigarette lit, her bob is bouncing as she walks up to us, and I just remember her saying, ‘What y’all heffas doing?’ It was just like nothing had happened at all. It was like they fought, they got it out, and she was off to the next thing."
She added, "Those type of moments I wish people could experience and see that although things happen that seem outrageous, it’s all love. It doesn't always end up perfect. But for the most part, we have had a really, really good time."
Read more from the interview here.
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Feature image by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images