Mediums a new webseries, hosted by Lickety Splitters which will focus on emphasizing important topics and asking questions which will provide an outlet for discussions about all that is enertaining and news worthy.
This edition will focus on September 11th and the upcoming presidential election this year. Check out the videos on our FB account:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003087144277
And
I love stumbling upon super talented people!
Last week Vicki and I attended Harlem Pride. We loved the location and the musical acts and poetry were on point.
The last musical guest was Patrick Ian Polk. We watched (and listened) as he moved the crowd with sexy lyrics and a smooth voice.
After his performance he urged the audience to check out The Skinny, the newly released movie that he wrote the soundtrack for.
Vicki and I made a point to see the movie, which had a limited release and would only be showing for five more days. Little did we know, Mr. Polk actually wrote and directed the movie!
We later realized that he was responsible for the hit series Noah’s Arc as well!
We enjoyed the movie which followed 5 friends (4 males and 1 female) on their adventures during Pride weekend in NYC. The movie focused on some serious topics (infidelity, promiscuity and STD’s) but softened it with characters you want to root for and witty one-liners.
After watching the film I read a NY Times review that scolded Polk for the films level of promiscuity. We feel however it gave the film a level of realness and made it easier to tackle the importance of getting tested. What we did find unrealistic was the reactions of the lead characters when finding out upsetting news…a little too mediocre. But we do appreciate that he didn’t resort to fighting (another black stereotype). The film didn’t need the extra drama and wrapped up nicely with a running time of 1:40 mins.
NOTE: the film has been extended! And as an added treat there will be Q&A sessions with Patrick-Ian Polk after the following showings: 6/29 9:50 p.m., 6/30 3:05 p.m., and 7/1 3:05 p.m. at the Quad Cinema.
I was so excited to see Keith Haring’s exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.
I grew up as a kid in NYC and seeing his art was of profound influence. He was one of the 1st artists that I can remember identifying with in my youth and adolescence. He believed art was for everyone…
…and not being the most skilled artist I could understand and appreciate this concept. The little stick figures in a book for children that I had drawn and conceptualized in elementary school were just as graceful and important as the Sistine Chapel’s of the World, lol.
But really, I just loved his simplicity…
….and vulgarity a lot
There is a method to his madness as the alphabet key pictured below in his composition notebook dictates.
Before there was Diana or Beyoncé,
there was JOSEPHINE!
written and performed by Cheryl Howard
directed by Ian Steicher
presented by Emerging Artists Theatre
On Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 6:15 pm, Kya, her sister Khristy and I went to see the sneak peek of this one woman stage play about THE SENSATIONAL JOSEPHINE BAKER. We only got to see short excerpts of this perspective on the Queen.
Check it out @:
The Beckett Theatre on Theatre Row
410 West 42nd Street, NYC
(between 9th & 10th Avenues)
The Garden Party 29 was on Monday, June 18 from 6 pm – 10pm on Pier 46 at Christopher Street.
The 29th Annual Garden Party on June 18th is one of the most upper elechant events during pride season. It was a great time for all who ‘came out’ and supported. Food and drink vendors galore (See list below)
The president of the GLBT center addressed the crowd along with Christine Quinn, John Lui and other poised and prominent members of the GLBT community. It was a wonderful event, the view, the food, guests, the hot models, auction, etc.
_________
Garden Party kicks off Pride Week and is the only LGBT tasting festival in the country!
Proceeds from Garden Party 29 will support the Center’s life-affirming and life-changing programs and services. 
_________
Monday, June 18, 2012
6 PM
Hudson River Park’s Pier 46
West Side Highway at Christopher Street
BECOME A GARDEN PARTY 29 SUPPORTER!
Garden Party offers a taste of pride with more than 30 restaurants and culinary destinations offering samples from their delicious menus.
Join us at our new location at Pier 46 and iconic Christopher Street and kick off Pride Week with more than 1,500 Center supporters and foodies!
Garden Party kicks off Pride Week and is the only LGBT tasting festival in the country!
Proceeds from Garden Party 29 will support the Center’s life-affirming and life-changing programs and services.
If your restaurant or food company is interested in participating, please contact our Special Events Associate, Scott Young, at 646.358.1723 or syoung@gaycenter.org.
16 Handles
508 Restaurant & Bar
Amy’s Bread
Anejo Tequileria
Aria
Barraca’s
Benny’s Burritos
Brick Lane Curry House
Corner Shop Café
Dell’ anima
Donatella
Dos Caminos
En Japanese Brasserie
Esca
Fonda
Good Restaurant
Grandaisy Bakery
L’Artusi
La Cremeria
Mappamondo
Mitchmallows
Murray’s Cheese
North Square Restaurant
Peanut Butter & Co.
Poco
Presidential Caterers
Redwood Kitchenette & Bar
Rickshaw Dumpling Bar
Ron Ben-Israel Cakes
Rouge Tomate
Smörgås Chef
Sonnier & Castle
The Taco Shop
The Treats Truck
Tiffin and Thali
Uncle Paul’s Pizza and Café
Zampa Winebar & Kitchen
Pier 46 is located on West Side Highway just north of Christopher Street.
All of our weekends are full until August (and several of our week nights too). Summer brings such an abundance of activities with the added hours of daylight and we plan to take full advantage of it.
Vicki and I had made loose arrangements weeks ago to head to BK last Saturday to check out the festivities associated with Brooklyn Pride. Early last week my sister invited me to attend the 9th Annual Loving Day Flagship Celebration.
The celebration was held at Solar One on the East River Waterfront. We all really enjoyed the FREE BBQ N BEER…
Playing ping-pong with kids we don’t know (which normally would be deemed as creepy)…
The music…
…and this kid…boldly going where no man has gone before…
….Loving Day…what’s that?
I had never heard of Loving Day before last week, which to me was a big deal because my family is more mixed than conch salad! (Similar to ceviche for non Bahamians).
Loving Day (June 12th) is the celebration of the Supreme Courts decision to legalize interracial marriages in the United States in 1967. The landmark civil rights case was titled Loving v. Virginia.
Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving married in 1958 unaware that it was illegal for interracial couples to be married in their home state Virginia. They were arrested in their bedroom at night for the crime of being interracially married. They were given the ultimatum of jail time OR being banished to Washington DC, where it was legal for them to live together.
Their case went through many levels of the justice system and their appeal was denied every time. Eventually their case appeared before the United States Supreme Court. The Court decided unanimously in their favor. Finally, after nine years of struggle, the Loving won the right to live together as husband and wife in their home state.
I was astonished to learn all of this as I am multiracial (Bahamian, Jamaican, Vietnamese) and have one set of first cousins that are part Indian and another set that are part English.
I’m so glad the law caught up with the times (even though it was just finally removed from the books in Alabama in 2000!)
….Enough of the past….we had a BLAST!….
L to R: Kya, Rachel and Khristy dancing in the rain!
I ran into Malik Yoba last week both in the West Village streets and at the Questions Bridge, an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. He was one of the artists featured in this profound transmedia art project that seeks to represent and redefine Black male identity”
I have to mention how impressionable the Questions Bridge is to the Brooklyn Museum. It is so refreshing to see Black men of ALL backgrounds featured in the foreground of this canvas of conversations about what it is to be a man, a black man.
Young and old perspective on our existence as African Americans is gained. This exhibit is not to be missed.
On exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum until July 15, 2012.
