BROOKLYN. GOOD OLD BROOKLYN. I FINALLY DECIDED TO GIVE THE BOROUGH ANOTHER CHANCE AFTER MY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE IN EAST FLAT BUSH, AND I MUST ADMIT IT WAS PRETTY REFRESHING. IT WAS A LITTLE SLICE OF DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN WITH MUCH LESS TRASH AND FEWER CROWDS OF SLOW WALKING TOURISTS. I WAS ACCOMPANYING BRANDI WOMACK, CREATOR OF IMKEEPINGUP.COM, TO AN EVENT HER FRIEND WAS THROWING AND AFTER A GOOD 45 MINUTE TRAIN RIDE TO BERGEN STREET, WE MADE OUR WAY TO BERGEN AND 5TH AVE TO FIND THE STYLISH, COZY RESTAURANT AND BAR MELT. THE DECOR WAS MINIMAL, MODERN AND SLEEK WITH DIM CANDLE LIGHTING, OFF WHITE WALLS, AND ACCENTS OF PLUM HERE AND THERE. THE PATIO TERRACE STAYED OPEN ALL NIGHT AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE STARTED TO COME TO ENJOY THE FREE COMPLEMENTARY TRUMP VODKA MARTINIS ON THIS NICE SUMMER EVENING. (NOW I KNOW YOU DIDN'T THINK THERE WASN'T A CATCH TO ME TRAVELING ALL THE WAY TO BROOKLYN DID YOU? COME ON THIS THE "STARVING" CELEBRITY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.) THE METS VS. THE REDS PLAYED ON THE FLAT SCREEN TV, AND SOUNDS OF THE LATEST HITS SEEPED THROUGH THE SURROUND SOUND SPEAKERS. IF THE TRUMP MARTINIS WEREN'T YOUR THING YOU COULD DEFINITELY ENJOY A FRAMBOISE OR A GLASS OF SANGRIA FROM THEIR VAT OF HOMEMADE BEVERAGE THAT SAT ON TOP OF THE BAR.
THE SOCIALITE AND MYSELF WERE JOINED BY BABY PHAT'S OWN SHYAH DICKERSON, AND ADVERTISING GURU ATALIE SHORT. NOW ON OUR THIRD ROUND OF DRINKS, AND TWO ORDERS OF TUNA AND AVOCADO TARTAR AND MASHED POTATO SALMON CAVIAR ROLLS LATER I DECIDED TO PART WAYS WITH MY FABULOUS CROWD AND HEAD HOME.
SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH THE TRAIN TOOK NO TIME TO GET THERE. AS I'M SITTING THERE A YOUNG WOMAN ENTERED THE TRAIN. SHE HAD TO HAVE BEEN IN HER EARLY THIRTIES, BLOND HAIR, CANARY YELLOW TANK, JEANS, AND SNEAKERS. A LITTLE FRAZZLED, SHE QUICKLY PULLED OUT A PALE PINK CONTAINER FROM HER PURSE, REACHED FOR A SINGLE TINY WHITE PILL, AND DOWNED IT WITH A SWIG OF DEER PARK WATER. SCANNING THE ROOM, SHE NOTICED ME WATCHING HER AND QUICKLY PUT THE POUCH BACK IN HER BAG.
THEN I LOOK DIRECTLY TO THE RIGHT OF HER AND THERE IS A NEW TRAIN ADVERTISEMENT I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. IT WAS A SPOOF PRESCRIPTIONS DRUG AD PROMISING TO CHANGE WHO YOU ARE WITH A SINGLE PILL ENDORSED BY MULTI GRAMMY "YOU BETTER GIVE HIM AN AWARD OR HE'LL CRY" WINNING KANYE WEST. I STUDIED THE POSTER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY MR. WEST WAS TRYING TO SELL. DOES HE HAVE A NEW CD COMING OUT? MAYBE A CLOTHING LINE? OR AN ENERGY DRINK? NOPE. KANYE WEST HAS JOINED THE DIDDY LIQUOR ENDORSEMENT CLUB AND IS THE NEW FACE OF ABSOLUT VODKA. CONGRATS MR. WEST. I HOPE ABSOLUT GETS AN AWARD FOR PEOPLE'S CHOICE VODKA OF THE YEAR OR WE WILL HEAR ABOUT IT.
JUST WHEN MY MIND WAS PLAYING VIVID IMAGERY OF KANYE ON THE TELEVISION RANTING ABOUT HOW THE GREATEST RAPPER/PRODUCER AND THE GREATEST VODKA KNOWN TO MAN WAS GETTING "HATED ON" AND AMERICANS "NOT CARING ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE OR VODKA" I WAS SNAPPED BACK INTO REALITY WHEN I FELT A NUDGE FROM A TINY LITTLE ELBOW. I LOOKED TO MY LEFT TO SEE A SCRAWNY LITTLE KID NO OLDER THAN TEN WEARING A WIFE BEATER AND JEANS, CARRYING A WHITE PLASTIC BAG WITH BLUE WRITING FROM AN UNRECOGNIZABLE CLOTHING STORE. I GLANCED AT MY PHONE NOTICING THAT IT WAS WELL PASSED MIDNIGHT. I LOOKED BACK AT THE KID WHO WAS NOW FIXED ON THE GROUP OF TATTOOED AND PIERCED TEEN AGED GIRLS GIGGLING ABOUT WHATEVER. I DON'T PARTICULARLY REMEMBER BEING ABLE TO RUN THE STREETS AT HIS AGE OR THEIRS, BUT I GUESS-AS EVERY GENERATION STATES ONCE THEY'VE REACHED A CERTAIN AGE- "TIMES ARE CHANGING". I MEAN THERE WAS THAT ONE INCIDENT AT THE AGE OF 15 GETTING CAUGHT AT THE CLUB BY MY PARENTS DOWNING A FEW RUM AND COKES AT THE BAR, BUT I MEAN YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE RIGHT?
LAST NIGHT AT SPOTLIGHT LIVE, IN THE HEART OF TIME'S SQUARE, WAS A SIGHT TO SEE. STAR STUDDED IT WAS WITH BALLERS FROM THE GIANTS AND JETS, ACTORS LIKE TONY ROCK AND ANTHONY ANDERSON, MAJOR RECORDING ARTISTS LIKE FLO'RIDA, THE WHO'S WHO OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY LIKE KEVIN LYLES, AND OF COURSE THE JUST PLAIN OL' WHO?? LIKE FREE FROM 106&PARK.
THE INC'S IN THE BUILDING!!
OKAY SO MAYBE WE WEREN'T THE FIRST TO COIN THE INC. AS A BUSINESS..MAN!(AND WHEN I SAY WE I DO MEAN MYSELF ALONG WITH 'TRISH, SDOT, AND THE SOCIALITE B). BUT IT DID FEEL GOOD TO BE IN THE BUILDING AND HEAR THEM YELLING OUT THE INC, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T DIRECTED TOWARDS US IN THE LEAST BIT. IN FACT, IRV GOTTI OF THE FORMER "MURDA INC." WAS PRESENT TO SUPPORT HIS HEADLINING ARTISTS' LLOYD AND ASHANTI, WHO TOOK STAGE WITH THE ENERGETIC, AND LYRICALLY FLUID RYAN LESLIE, ALONG WITH NEW QUEENS BRED ARTIST GRITS. (NOW THAT GIRL CAN BLOW!!!!) LOW KEY.. [AND WHEN I SAY "LOW" I MEAN VERY HIGH, LOUD, AND BLATANT] GRITS OUT SHINED ASHANTI'S PERFORMANCE TEN FOLD!
...OH AND ONE MORE THING. WHAT'S UP WITH LLOYD? DUDE'S WEIRD.
SINCE 1877, THE FRESH AIR FUND- AN INDEPENDENT NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCY- HAS PROVIDED FREE SUMMER VACATIONS TO MORE THAN 1.7 MILLION CHILDREN FROM NEW YORK CITY'S TOUGHEST NEIGHBORHOODS, AND LAST NIGHT THE FRESH AIR FOUNDATION HOSTED ITS ANNUAL "SPRING FLING" FUNDRAISER AT TOUCH NIGHTCLUB. I, ALONG WITH Sdot, ESCORTED SOCIALITE BRANDI WOMACK TO THIS AFFAIR TO CHECK OUT HOW NEW YORK'S TOP ELITE PARTY. AND I MUST ADMIT...NOT TOO BAD! ***KUDOS TO CAROLINE CUMMINGS AND THE REST OF HER COMMITTEE FOR PULLING THIS OFF.
WE WALK IN AT 7:30 TO AN ALREADY PACKED CLUB UPSTAIRS AND DOWN. I'D SAY WITH TICKETS AT $100 PER PERSON, THEY DIDN'T DO TOO BAD WITH RAISING MONEY. NATURALLY WE MAKE OUR WAY TO THE OPEN BAR, ORDER US SOME DRINKS "ON ME", AND BEGIN OUR QUEST OF HUNTING FOR HORS D'OEUVRES. (AND WORD TO THE WISE, STAY AWAY FROM THE LETTUCE CUPS! EHWH! MAKES ME SHUTTER JUST THINKING ABOUT THEM.)
TWO AND A HALF HOURS INTO THE PARTY WE'RE UPSTAIRS MINGLING, ROCKING OUT TO BON JOVI'S "LIVING ON A PRAYER," AND BY THIS TIME THEY'VE ALREADY GIVEN AWAY THE RAFFLE PRIZES, AND EVERYONE IS ON THEIR THIRD DRINK AND IN A HAPPY PLACE. THE SERVERS FIRST EAGER TO DO THEIR JOB AND "SERVE" WERE NOW MAKING THEIR PERSONAL INTERVENTIONS AND AVOIDING US AT ALL COSTS WITH THEIR DESSERT TRAYS. IT WAS TIME TO GO. DESPITE MY LITTLE DEVIATION FROM "PROJECT SHED A POUND," I WILL SAY THAT THOSE LITTLE CHEESECAKE LOLLIPOPS THEY KEPT PASSING AROUND WERE AMAZING AND WORTH IT. JUST BEFORE WE GRAB OUR BAGS AND HEAD FOR THE COAT CHECK, WE SPOT A GIRL IN THIS AMAZING GREEN DRESS THAT APPEARS TO BE A VERA WANG AND AFTER CONFIRMATION THAT IT WAS INDEED THE DESIGNER IN QUESTION, I JUST HAD TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH HER, SEEING AS I THREW ON MY VERA THAT MORNING AS WELL.
ALL AND ALL I CAN SAY WE HAD A FABULOUS TIME AND AS FOR THE CHEESECAKE LOLLIPOPS...WE SHALL MEET AGAIN.
SO I ENCOUNTER SOME PRETTY IMPRESSIVE PEOPLE IN MY OUTINGS IN NEW YORK. JUST LAST NIGHT, AS I MANAGED TO DEVIATE FROM DOING BUSINESS, TO HANDLE SOME OTHER BIZZNAZ, I WIND UP AT THE UPSCALE STEAKHOUSE WOLFGANGS.
IN BETWEEN MAGICAL ENTERTAINMENT FROM OUR NOW NUMERO UNO BARTENDER JIMMY BOY FROM THE OLD COUNTRY, MY COUNTERPARTS AND I BUMP INTO SOME PRETTY NEAT PEOPLE.... ONE BEING THE PROPRIETOR Mr. Wolfgang Zwiener HIMSELF. THEN, THANKS TO OUR EVER SO OUTROVERTED AND SLIGHTLY INEBRIATED SELF TITLED SOCIALITE BRANDI WOMACK WE MEET MICHELLE OSHEN (ABSOLUTELY LOOOVE HER HAIR! CHECK OUT HER BLOG AND A CLIP OF WOLFGANG @ http://www.michelleoshen.com/wolfgangs-steakhouse-restaurant/), AND JILL JACOBSON (BEAUTIFUL ACCESSORIES @ http://www.jilljacobson.com/ ).
WHEN I GOT HOME I REALIZED THAT ONCE AGAIN I HAD NOTHING TO SHOW FOR MY ADVENTURE. IN BETWEEN HUNTING DOWN STYLISTS, ENTERTAINERS, AND ATHLETES I SHOULD BE CAPTURING THESE MOMENTS WITH THE CAMERA I TRADED MY FATHER'S X-MAS GIFT FOR.... NOW BEFORE YOU START JUDGING ME, HE BOUGHT ME A PORTABLE GPS SYSTEM AND TOLD ME THAT I COULD CARRY IT IN MY PURSE FOR WHEN I GO OUT IN THE CITY SO I WONT GET LOST. THANKS DAD I LOVE YOU.
SO MY PLEDGE IS SIMPLE.....
OH CAMERA, LOYAL CAMERA, I PLEDGE TO HONOR THY PICTURES AND PIXELS, TO UPHOLD YOUR TECHNOLOGICAL GLORY, AND SNAP AWAY IN DIGITAL BLISS. I PROMISE TO CARRY THEE EVERYWHERE I GO (STARTING TOMORROW BECAUSE I FORGOT IT TODAY) AND SHIELD IT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HARM INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO UV RAYS, AND RAIN.
