"WHAT A DAY FOR A DAYDREAM..."
Hadn't blogged to you in a minute. Been a little down. Been a little busy. After Thanksgiving, was a little full. But I took notes (along the way) - so I'll bullet my last month or so - to catch you up before I leave to be with my family in Georgia (Atlanta and Savannah). Then, I will join Ant in Denver for New Year's.
(We had a great Thanksgiving, by the way, with Ant’s family in Brooklyn at which Ant prepared a brilliant banana pudding and monkey bread.
Afterwards, we enjoyed a meal with our good girlfriend Charlie T and her partner Danielle in Harlem.
Then, we joined Tata and Jules for an after-meal meal at their Newark home.
Too, we got some bowling-and-karaoke time in with Tata and Jules.
Good times for all before the Thanksgiving weekend wrapped.
ABUNDANCE AND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT IN 2009
2009 will – for sure – be about attracting steady work as I am grateful to have gotten some spot work and solid, networking feathers in my cap. I have blogged about my CN8 “Your Morning” First Lady Fashion Show segment (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/11/2/hey-i-aint-got-no-money-but-im-rich-on-personality.html). Here I can share the link so you can see it:
http://216.117.188.141/PRiley/firstladyfashion.wmv. (Just got news that now that I have been folded into CN8 “Your Morning”s repository of recurring pundits, it has been cancelled. Like many, its folks are out of work. 
By the way, “Million Dollar Password” is back with its new season - www.cbs.com/primetime/million_dollar_password/ - and you recall my moment on the show earlier this year. See it excerpted on the following link: http://216.117.188.141/PRiley/PatrickGeneralReel.wmv.
My Morehouse brother Kevin Kitrell Ross is someone I met in 2005. He is a an author, speaker (www.kevinrossspeaks.com), trainer (www.teendreamcamp.org), life and business coach (www.designyourlife.ning.com), minister (www.unitysoutheast.org), and radio host (www.unity.fm). He has invited me to be a guest on his “Design Your Life” show, which he notes is for people who are working to shape their life purposeful, passionate, powerful, peaceful, and prosperous. Kevin Ross & Friends are on every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific, 12:00 noon Central, and 1:00 p.m. Eastern. for Design Your Life on www.unity.fm online radio. Log in, tune in, and call in for real time coaching and distinctions that can make the rest of your life, the best of your life! I’ll hip you to when I will be on in 2009. THANKS KEVIN... and HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!
A few more shoots from my regular clients (to freelance field produce) have come through in the last few months – including Dr. Phil-spinoff “The Doctors”. However, I did get the chance to work on some cool, spot projects in the last month or so. My ‘platonic boo’ Carl Nelson made it possible for me to join two projects on which he was working with Harlem florist and event planner Saundra Parks ("Daily Blossom" - www.dailyblossom.com/). 
Saundra asked me to volunteer with a set she was throwing for a Susan Taylor fundraiser for her mentoring organization “National Cares” (www.caresmentoring.com).I was assigned to work closely with Ms. Taylor’s VIP guests – including Ruby Dee, Congressman Charles B. Rangel, Sean Combs, Michael Eric Dyson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Roland Martin, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Phyllis Yvonne Stickney. Yolanda Adams and Donnie McClurkin performed. And by now, everyone is a buzz about the $1,000,000 donated by a single donor who everyone knows and loves. The night started at a private reception (at Ms. Taylor's home) followed by the party and performance that took place at ESPACE (www.espaceny.com) – the lovely event space at which I attended BET’s Fashion Week/Urban World Film Festival closing night party a couple of months back (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/9/17/blue-thats-the-new-color-children.html). LOVELY NIGHT! GREAT CAUSE! GOOD NETWORKING... and face time with some of the best in the business (alerting them all of my need to get some steady, revenue-generating work popping off in 2009).
Last week, I helped produce a Paterson-for-Governor program that featured Vanessa Williams and Alec Baldwin. (www.patersonfornewyork.com). 
THANKS CARL FOR THE WORK AND THE NETWORK! (By the way, Carl’s best friend out of Atlanta Dwight Eubanks is known as Ne-Ne’s ‘gay boyfriend’ on ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’. Well, he’s getting his own show on Bravo in the spring. Check this clip out: www.behindthepurpledoor.com/). 
And my good girlfriend Nicole Childers and her team at Farai Chideya’s NPR News & Notes have all been alerted of their cancellation and subsequent layoffs scheduled for March. 
Their show was key in keeping the black perspective present on the airwaves. This economy is kicking so many butts (including my own). But we are all resilient!!!!
DIVAS 2008 - FEATURING TINA TURNER & LABELLE
Ant and I got to see several diva legends in the last couple of months. Miss Tina Turner showed all the young girls what longevity looks like – not just in her legs, but in her singing voice and her show’s staging. She was awesome! Ant and I secured VIP tickets which came with the luxury of sitting behind Beyonce and Jay Z at the Newark Prudential Center. (www.tinaturnerlive.com/)
Then, last night, Ant and I got our TAKE 2 with LABELLE (www.vervemusicgroup.com) at the legendary Apollo Theater (www.apollotheater.org). Patti, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash successfully did their part on Friday night – got back together with great new music, great voices for the classics, and a SOLD OUT crowd. Unfortunately, a power outage (amidst what was a fierce snowstorm in the city) caused the amps to go out 20 minutes into LaBelle’s tour de force of a performance. A disappointed and patient audience waited for the faulty system to repair but instead we got two a cappella selects from the ladies and the promise for their return last night. Though Patti was under the weather due to diabetes complications (on the subsequent night), she sang the roof off of the Apollo (just as I’m sure she did when they were on the chitlin’ circuit in the early ‘60s). Sitting nearby: our friends Karu, Kevin-Anthony, Michael, George Faison, Susan Taylor and her husband Khephra Burns, Seitu, Jean Parnell, and a host of others.
The concert provided one of many opportunities to see folks I haven’t seen in a minute and the opportunity to meet some new folks. My “Soulful Diva” guru David Nathan, for example, introduced me to Dr. Jason King (who is the Artistic Director at the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts). 
Jason is a songwriter, producer, and performer whose work behind the boards can be heard on Labelle member Sarah Dash’s next project. 
At an after party held in Harlem, I got the chance to pose with Ms. Dash (and Labelle’s music director John Stanley).
She shared with me the news of her upcoming inspirational CD – including songs written and produced by Dr. Jason. 
Amidst both days of Labelle (who you recall we also got to hang out with at their sigining a few months back), Ant and I also got to see some great folks.
Our buddy Tony was there. He is always so good to send me the pix he takes from the many parties we attend in common. 
He took all these pix of Sarah and the folks at the after-set - hosted by Collin, a Harlem businessman who always throws a vibrant holiday set in his brownstone. Tony too provided these awesome video montages of our night.
We also got to hang out with our buddy Ken Roberson (choreographer with the most). He’d just returned from Baltimore where he’d been choreographing “Caroline or Change”. 
Our mutual buddy Chris invited us to welcome him back.
The chosen location was my dear friend Brian’s spot No Parking (www.noparkingbar.blogspot.com/). We had a blast!
From there, we got to hang out with Ken and his ‘Amazing Graces’ Michelle Robinson and Karen Chilton (the Hazel Scott bio author). After the first LABELLE show wrapped, we all spent some time at the iconic Lenox Lounge. We also got to hang out with Adrian Bailey (Broadway actor from 'The Lion King' and 'Kiss of the Spider Woman', etc.). You'll recall, he suffered a near-fatal accident at a Broadway theatre before he was to take the stage in "The Little Mermaid". 
Remember the "Black 2 Broadway" benefit? http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/11/12/the-great-black-way.html. Well, he came out for LaBelle and appears to be healing well. Cautiously, but well. THANK THE LORD!
CELEBS, CELEBS, & MORE CELEBS!!!!
We’ve been running into a lot of folks (during times where we didn’t have our camera ready). We popped into Bill Murray at one of our karaoke spots in the city... and chatted him up. He was very nice.
Also, we ran into ‘Mary Mary’ while eating at Amy Ruth – www.amyruthsharlem.com (before we went to Labelle). They were eating hearty and healthy with their background singers (and admiring the sounds of Beyonce and Brandy as they played on the music system in the restaurant).
By the way, have you folks seen the “Unsung” series on TV One – featuring bios on Debarge, Phyllis Hyman, The Clark Sisters, and Donny Hathaway????? NOTHING SHORT OF BRILLIANT! (www.tvoneonline.com/shows/show.asp?sid=902)
Some other sightings of note showed up the other night as Ant, Manivone, and I accepted an invite from my friend Ra-Fael Blanco (www.2RsEntandMedia.com) whose client “Atomic Wings” is the first of the ‘wings’ franchise to set in Harlem. 
I got to meet the franchise’s owner Adam whose partners include my buddy and Ra-Fael client Devon Christopher of BLEU Magazine fame (He’s the publisher).
I ‘chicken’d’ out and went for a mild wing which was quite tasty (and still a bit spicy).
Manivone went all the way for the “suicide”, which is the hottest wing.
I didn’t touch that one with a ten-foot pole. I love spice. My intestines don’t. The space itself is awesome as it boasts three large flatscreen TVs,internet access, and a comfortable lounge area. I pitched myself as the host of karaoke night. We could have some fun there! Also, we met some great folks including Damaa Bell, publisher of “UPTOWNflavor: your online guide to Harlem” (www.uptownflavor.com) and Ian Jarrell (www.allthatsfab.com). Afterwards, Ian, Ant, Ra-Fael, Devon, and I went to “17 Below” – new hot spot in Harlem, which was having its holiday party. 
Not without sightings of great friends – including good girlfriend Eunice who graciously took some pix of me with Bree from “America’s Next Top Model” and "Tyra".
Also, she shot Nashawn Kearse, the brother in the basement the season Alfre Woodard moved into Wysteria Lane ("Desperate Housewives").
CELEBRATING LIFE, LOVE, AND HAPPINESS
Too, we got the chance to hang out with our friend Derrick Briggs. 
He just celebrated a birthday and whose new season of his web series launches on Christmas morning (www.watchadtv.com). HAPPY BIRTHDAY... and CONGRATS!
I mentioned we had the chance to see Sheryl Lee Ralph at the Susan Taylor event. Her assistant and director of all-things-Sheryl-Lee-Ralph Scott and his partner Tony accompanied Ms. Ralph to New York City for some other business. This meant Ant and I got to play with them.
On that night we ran into Bill Murray, we took Tony to our hip hop dance class with Tweetie at Alvin Ailey (www.alvinailey.org/page.php?p=fac_d&v=176&sec=aileyextension).
It was quite the work out. Ant is trying to get Tweetie to teach us Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” dance come late January 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/user/beyonce?ob=1). Tweetie, by the way, has been working a lot in Canada for “So You Think You Can Dance?” – assisting choreographer and judge Luther Brown (www.dance.ctv.ca/). CONGRATS TWEETIE! WE LOVE YOU! 
Afterwards, Scott joined Ant, Tony, and me at the karaoke spot... and I shared with Sheryl Lee Ralph (the following day) how Scott joined me on the tune “Dreamgirls” (but that it was I who channeled my inner-Sheryl to make our performance pop perfectly). 
She and her husband got a kick out of that and lots of giggles (at our expense). This was all on Ant’s and my THREE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of being together. So, we had a great time! I LOVE YOU, BABY!
MY SONGS, MY SINGERS, MY MOVIES, MY PEOPLE
Ant and I missed out on a night to meet with one of my favorite singers Deborah Cox who has a new album out (www.deborahcox.com/). Instead, Ant and I took advantage of a gift from my Morehouse brother Mario who made it possible for us to make some money and do some temp work at his current gig. 
This, while my main clients are on winter break. (Bringing in even some extra ‘pennies’ is making a difference these days not to mention the kindness and generosity of my friends - from Michael to Nat to Audrey to Chandra to Ern to Mara to Tata to Camille to Ms. Ann [etc.]. They are and continue to be the best friends a man could have. And I love them... and I thank them.). 
Soon, I will hear Deborah’s new project; meanwhile, have you seen Deborah and her fellow Canadian Tamia on this cover of Deborah’s duet with Whitney “Same Script Different Cast” (though in this version, Deborah does Whitney’s part and Tamia does Deborah’s part: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huvq1i9oVHI&feature=related). I LOVE FINDS LIKE THESE!!! LOL!
Have you folks seen Noah’s Arc yet (www.logoonline.com/shows/dyn/noahs_arc_jumping_broom/series.jhtml)? Ant and I stumbled into this clip on the actress who plays Noah’s boss Brandy in the show, Jennia Fredrique. 
She is a hoot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L0wEERk4iM. The host is Lonnell Williams (www.lonnellwilliams.blogspot.com). I stumbled into that as I was navigating through singer Brandy’s media blitz on “You Tube”. I’m really feeling her new project and pray it to be a success. I just love her...and this current single “Long Distance” is the HOTNESS! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYJXna1Z3co).
I’m so proud of my friend Ted Gibson who is the hairstylist for the stars.
See him and his clientele chronicled in Vanity Fair (http://www.vanityfair.com/online/style/2008/12/qa-ted-gibson.html). Ant and I got a glimpse of our buddy Dwayne Grayman on a Mega Million lottery commercial. LOOKING GOOD, MY FRIEND!
HOLIDAY TREAT
My boy Miles gifted me with his presence at my birthday party the other week. Too, he brought his client Darien who - as the Holiday Season and New Year approaches - has a time-appropriate, Righteous Music Media release for the fans, a brand new song called "Holiday".
Darien's New Album, "If These Walls Could Talk" will be released in 2009. And he's performing at The Blue Note in NYC on February 6th where he will be performing songs from his new abum and have special guests. You can hear Darien's Music atwww.myspace.com/DarienOnline. Log On to www.RighteousMusicMedia.com and/orwww.RighteousMusicRecords.com Holiday is written
Written and Performed by Darien. It's produced By Robert Stephens III
Another release worth mentioning is offered by my industry buddy, the Grammy-award-winning Gordon Chambers whose songwriting and vocal skills all converge on his "Love Stories" (http://gordonchambers.com). It's been great to see him through this holiday season and to know that he is continuing to share his gift of song all over the globe. KEEP SINGING PRETTY, GORDON!
IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY
Seated in the middle of the pic above, good girlfriend Camille (stylist and all-around Renaissance woman) came into town from Beijing, China where she is teaching. Sadly, she was here to bury a dear friend Cynthia who’d been killed. Camille and Cynthia were friends since college. Fortunately, Ant and I got to wrap our arms around her for a day before she headed out of town to see her family and friends in Orlando and Atlanta before returning to China.
See us above with our girlfriend Cy who hosted us for a couple of hours before we went to dinner. We laughed. We cried. We ate (vegetarian soul food - Red Bamboo - www.redbamboo-nyc.com/). We caught up. We declared. I LOVE CAMILLE. 
She's such a GREAT FRIEND! TO CYNTHIA: HONORED TO HAVE KNOWN YOU. REST IN PEACE!
I too lost a friend. His name is Mark Griffith. And he died suddenly last week. I know him through the National Association of Black Journalists – a family comprised of media professionals who since I joined in 1991 have been my industry brothers/sisters, mothers/fathers, nieces/nephews (as I’ve grown older), and friends. Mark is the big brother who ensured I (and so many others) networked with all the key people towards achieving our respective goals. And if that part was done well, he typically had a great after-set of food and cocktails for each of us to be able to play as hard as we worked. Such a presence at so many of the annual NABJ conventions, I can’t imagine not seeing him. Truth be told, it’s a bit much for me to wrap my brain around right now. But he’s for sure gone. And while he was here, he was so PRESENT. He was a PRESENT. MARK GRIFFITH! REST IN PEACE!
THE LIFE OF RILEY
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