GWENDOLYN BAINES

(NNPA)—Dear Gwendolyn:
I am engaged to get married in six months. My fiancé and I have dated for six years. Last summer we broke up and we both started dating someone else. This is the problem:  For five years, his mother acted like she just adored me. During our breakup, she seems to now favor the new lady in her son’s life.  However, my fiancé came back to me confessing he loves me. He says the entire time we parted his mind was on me and not the other lady.
Just before our breakup I discovered I was pregnant.  We have a 9-month-old baby boy. His mother has nothing to do with our son.  Gwendolyn, this is the horror of it all. She is telling her son not to marry me until he knows the baby is his. I told my fiancé absolutely no to the DNA test.  It’s wrong for a man to request testing. Right?—Alice
Dear Alice:
Wrong! If men who have been married for years would request a DNA test, too many would be totally surprised when they would hear: “You are not the father.” Let me tell you this:  No mother during this new age will encourage a son to marry a woman who refuses testing. Why are you refusing the test?  You must have a feeling that your fiancé is not the father of your son. Don’t be afraid. If your fiancé loves you, then he will love you even if the test proves him not to be the dad. If that happens, your son’s first words would be mom, dad, but not—grandma.
(Do you have a son or grandson age 10-17? Help him to choose college not jail. Order DECISIONS In The Life Of A Growing Male Youth.  Send $14.95 + $4 S/H to: Nevada Publishing Co., P.O. Box 10066, Raleigh, N.C. 27605-0066. Have a problem, Email Gwendolyn at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or write to her at address above [to receive a reply, send a self-addressed stamped envelope.])

A $4 DRESS—Norrell’s Cheap Thrills

A Michele Obama-style dress for $3.49, a man’s jacket for $5 and a Wedding dress that you can wear once and take back. All of this and more were shown at the annual BASH (Black Association of South Hills) Scholarship Luncheon and Fundraiser. More than 450 attended the afternoon event at the Greentree Doubletree.
This year’s BASH fashion show was hosted by yours truly with fashions selected from my cheap thrills shopping trips and fashions courtesy of the late Wally King at DebWal in Station Square; New York, New York in Station Square; and A Woman’s Touch and Something Borrowed in Bloomfield. The show began with Casual Bling featuring beautiful embellished jackets by Christine Alexander. Scene two was “The Year of The Dress” and showcased the return of great dresses for daytime. In scene three there was plenty of evening bling and guests were invited to turn on their bling rings in the center of the table. The lights were dimmed in the ballroom and the rings blinked from wall to wall. The bling rings were the creative touch of event chair Hattie Watts. Scene four said “Yes to the Dress” and the models were all guests at a formal wedding.
The striking list of models included: Lorraine Turner, Marcia Younge, Otis Mills, Al Simpson Jr., Diane Stotts, Samantha Tyler and Sharon Burks. It was a great afternoon with a 50/50 raffle that swelled to over $1,200.
BASH was formed as an organization that serves as a welcoming committee for all new residents south of Pittsburgh, as well as a social, civic and charitable organization. For more than 30 years BASH has hosted several successful community events, which are now annual projects. The current roster of officers includes: Renee Mack, president; Willa McNeese, vice president; Waverly Nesmith, treasurer; Debra Hakeem, recording secretary; and Sheila McCollum,corresponding secretary.

I hate people who steal and especially people who steal free stuff. Last week the Cake Boss was in Pittsburgh in Market Square and gave away 10,000 cakes. When I heard this on the news I was so excited and I rarely eat cake. Well I do eat cake for special occasions, but pie is my preference. I wanted so badly to go Downtown and get in line for a free cake. They looked so pretty and they were my favorite flavors—free. But I couldn’t leave work just to get a free cake worth $27.
I tried to put the fact that there were free cakes being handed out in Market Square out of my mind until I was driving home and heard about the dust up on the news. A Black male actually tried to steal a box containing four cakes. He was pushing and shoving and reportedly he was intoxicated and not only that, he has some outstanding warrants… are you kidding me?
Why do people with those types of issues always draw attention to themselves? If he wanted a cake that bad just stand in line like the thousands of other people and get your free cake. Or was your motive to sell the cakes? Can you imagine buying a “hot cake?”

The cakes are available in Pittsburgh and there are six varieties, they look yummy. Here are the flavors so you don’t have to look them up. It’s My Party: Moist yellow cake and velvety chocolate cake layers married together by an indulgent layer of fudge filling. Oh My Ganache: Layers of heavenly chocolate cake with chocolate shavings filled with a creamy fudge filling and topped with Belgian chocolate ganache, wow. Vava Velvet: I bet you can guess the contents of this one? Moist layers of delicious red velvet cake filled with a rich cream cheese frosting and finished with cake crumbs and white chocolate shavings. Bada Bloom: Moist yellow cake and velvety chocolate cake layers married together by an indulgent layer of fudge filling. I wish I had room to show you the pictures of these beautiful cakes. There are two more. Dulce Deleche: Caramel dulce de leche filling between layers of rich chocolate cake, iced with dulce de leche buttercream and drizzled with Belgian chocolate ganache; and Whole Lotta Carrotts: Layers of moist cake with real carrots, pineapple, raisins, coconut and walnuts, married together by rich cream cheese frosting.
I want to taste each one of them. I may have a cake tasting party so I can try these cakes and share them with my friends. The only thing I want to know is where is my cake? Most companies that do this type of thing will send the press a sample of the cake. Perhaps after they see this column my cake will arrive at the office.
If you want to give them a try you can find them at Giant Eagle. I did a search and found 20 Giant Eagles that plan to carry the Cake Boss Cakes, locations like Squirrel Hill, Waterfront, Fox Chapel and Cochran Road.
(Email the columnist at deb­ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

HONOREE WITH PARENTS—John B. Woodruff, awardee, with mother, Joy Woodruff, and father, Judge Dwayne Woodruff.

A powerful collection of personalities were assembled recently at the Champion Enterprises/Five Starr Corporation’s 12th Annual Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Public Service Awards held at the office facilities of the chief executive.
The lineup of speakers were: Allegheny County Executive Richard Fitzgerald opened the evening with a thunderous welcome, followed by state Rep. Ed Gainey; Aliquippa Mayor Dwan Walker; Wilkinsburg community leader, councilman candidate, Dennis Briggs; former Steelers Super Bowl champion Judge Dwayne Woodruff; former Pitt University football star and karate champion, Curtis Smith; along with national actress/model Rita Gregory and the Allure Models. Vietnam Veteran Marine Sgt. Jacquet Bazemore brought the house to its collective feet as the keynote speaker. Bazemore is also a hall of fame black belt martial artist.
Twenty of the area’s finest public servants were honored for their willingness to protect and serve all above and beyond the call of duty in memory of 9/11, including police, firemen, EMS, military and educators. The honorees were  Denita Parrish, Rachera Jefferson, Austin Davis, Joe Luvara, Jacquet Basemore, Brother Yusef, Brother Malik Mohammad, Jelani Mohammad, Malaka Mohammad, Ralph Watson, Mark Tranquilli, Jerry Chiappinelli, Rashard Byrdsong, Koinonia Church of Pgh, Kevin Carter, John Woodruff, Tim Stevens, Jamie Holmes, Richard Venezia and  the Wilkinsburg Police Department.