I must admit I’m a fan of Hell’s Kitchen and Top Chef.  I love to see the drive and the creativity but are we really that critical about food? I’d like to add that I’m a good cook.  I was taught to cook and bake early for large amounts of people so it’s ehh to me.

Anyway, I’ve eaten at BBQ’s on 8th Street in Manhattan before they closed (haven’t been back since they reopened)and loved their dirt cheep mac & cheese and collard greens.  The big ass pina coladas help but to be honest their mac & cheese and collard greens were the BOMB!

I have also had a personal chef from jean george prepare an entire meal for me & my guests exclusively in my room at the Trump in Columbus Circle.

The food was amazing and the service was top notch. The desserts were woah (i don’t even eat sweets like that).

If you’ve ever seen Diddy’s assistant reality show where he asked for a cappacino or whatever at the hotel he was staying at and was surprised that it wasn’t there within seconds of him asking…i understood, cuz at Trump whatever we asked for was there within seconds and  a swift knock on the door and call on the phone.  I’m not exaggerating at all…30 seconds or less….no joke. I was spoiled.

As an example, my sis was out of newports and was going to go out to buy and we were told to call the concierge and ask them to go to the store…so she did.  30 seconds later, the cigarettes were at our door…true story….ask my sis.

But back to the food.

I’m not a foody. I’m really picky but at the end of the day if it’s good…it’s good.

So, am I wrong for saying that though I liked the attention to detail and the taste of the food from the personal chef at jean george…i could really go for some mac & cheese and collard greens from bbq’s right now.?.??…

How can this be a positive thing? Gone too far? hmmm.

I didn’t know DJ AM’s drug history.  Actually, I really didn’t know much about him except for the fact that he dated Nicole Richie and that he had gastric bypass surgery because he was way overweight.

Also, that he survived the plane crash with Travis Barker and endured painful graft surgery as a result. I’ve never heard him DJ and don’t even know the type of music he plays.

I did go to Atlantic City over the summer and on the drive to the strip there were billboards after billboards with his face and name plastered advertising some club.

I could google the club but, ehh.  I remember his name and face on the billboards because there were so many but, I couldn’t even tell you the club they were advertising.

Since my initial reaction, I’ve had a change of mind.

That change of mind has come from actually reading about him and his interviews and things he’s said about his life.  This was someone who was very open with his past, with his demons and who he really was as a person.

The one thing I gathered from his interviews was that he continually identified himself as an addict.  Even after being sober for 9 years he categorized himself as a drug addict.  In his interviews he would clearly say that despite not touching drugs for so long he knew it only took one thing and that’s why he saw himself as a drug addict.

Drug addicts, especially celebrities and those in the spotlight, tend to focus on the fact that they’ve been clean and they’re no longer a drug addict. Yet, they fall back into the addiction.  He said it was a daily struggle.

What I respect about DJ AM is that he’s never denied the fact that he was addict.  After 9 years of sobriety he still identified himself as a struggling addict.

Because of that, I think it’s necessary for the MTV audience to see this show.  Yeah, I did an about face.

I think it’s important for kids to see that he overcame the drugs and reached success but one unexpected fall back sent him back in that spiral.

He had everything he could ever want.  Shoot, he had everything anyone could ever want and I’m sure he didn’t want/expect his life to end but, all it takes is that one reckless time and the end result was he died.

Why do I think that’s an important message?

I think that it’s an important message because there’s this whole fairytale belief that the habit is kicked and you’re done with it forever when it’s not that cookie cutter cute.  I think it’s an important message to kids who’ve considered drugs.  I think it’s an important message to kids who are delving on the surface with drugs.  I think it’s an important message to kids who are far gone and think they’re invincible.

At the end of the day his mother had to bury her child and he’ll never see the fruits of his labor and will never wear the kicks he had in his closet, all because of drugs.

I just hope MTV ends the series or starts the series by pointing out the detrimental consequences of drugs.  Gone too soon.

RIP DJ AM.

PS..I’m going to watch it but  it’s going  to feel weird watching someone who passed recently and way before his time…brain disconnect.

He committed a crime and dodged it for many years.

He raped a 13 year old girl.

A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL!

The sad part of it in all of this is that the poor woman has to relive it over and over and over again because he was a coward and ran from his crime.

If he had gone and faced his sentence this would have been but a blip in history and more importantly the wound of that young woman would have healed and she could’ve moved on, but NO! This pathetic punk decided to flee in fear from the horror he created.

Yes, the victim has forgiven him and has even come to his defense to have the verdict overturned.  That’s what female victims are taught to do in this great american country.

I mean, we even had a very popular soap opera have a rape victim fall in love with her attacker and then eventually marry him.

Luke & Laura, one of the most popular, fairly tale love stories/weddings in all of tv history on ‘General Hospital‘.  He raped her.  Later she fell madly in love and then they married.  Huge ratings.  Are you kidding me.

I don’t care how great his movies are or were or could be, the point is he violated a young child and he knew it.  He ran from the law and prolonged this woman’s anguish and public humiliation.

I hope he serves his time and that the memory of this is finally buried.

I hope the woman he raped all those years ago can finally find closure in him doing the time he deserved.

Disgusting.

edit on odb…Che Grand pointed out that his ‘wutang is for the children’ quote was from the grammys.

In addition to anticipating the music, one of the best parts of the MTV awards was the recaps of past shows that MTV would play continuously in the weeks leading to the new show.  The recaps would highlight all the over the top antics that occurred with artists. The premise of the upcoming show that MTV would highlight was what’s gonna happen next.

Remember when Madonna was being interviewed by Kurt Loder outside during the preview show and Courtney Love popped up drunk, falling all over the place and well…drunk!

DMX being a no show…twice.

Eminem assaulting poor Triumph the insult puppet dog?

Madonna in the early years having virtual sex on stage for all to see with, ‘Like A Virgin’.

Marilyn Mason’s speech & performance of ‘The Beautiful People’ at the end of one of the shows.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo3pLmBrJwQ

I linked Marilyn because I love that song and bought the album off of that performance.

I guess like every other business, money is the key, but I sure wish MTV would go back to their roots of music and let artists express themselves, right or wrong.

All the side promotions and bigging up artists and showing movie promos (it’s a ‘MUSIC’ award show, what does the movie Twilight have to do with that?) is all cute and good but at the end of the day it’s not what the MUSIC VIDEO awards were originally based on and artists want to/are going to express themselves.

Shouts out to Kanye for keeping it real though, it offended the masses.

Have a sense of humor people.  He was right.  I’m not even a Beyonce fan but, he was right.

Was it tacky? I guess? But not for the standards of MTV Award shows I remember.

Also, shouts out to Lady Gaga, cuz she’s over the top but cot dayum, thank you for entertaining me musically and visually.

Also, Pink. Great performance.  My favorite.  Kudos to her for giving her true opinion on Kayne’s actions.  That’s what true music artists do, express them selves without a filter.  That’s what the MTV awards USED to be about.

This PC bullshit is just that.

What happened?

PS. On a side note…I remember when they renamed the video vanguard award to the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.  Then they took the title away from him when he was in court.  The award was missing this year…why?  Hmmmmmmmmm.

PPS…i love Taylor Swift’s music.   I really do.

Soul Awakening

by Rain (10/8/08)

kiss of sunshine bliss

wakes a sleeping heart & soul

i dance in your love

Sweet Surrender

by Rain (10/22/08)

here i give 2 thee

freely deeply willingly

always yours my heart

I remember the first time like it was this morning. Everyone remembers their first time and to be able to recall it vividly means it was just that good.

I heard on the radio, Hot 97 I believe, that this man burying himself alive in Central Park for a few days. Good luck and godspeed because I remember thinking that there was no way in hell I was going to trek in the cold to see a man bury himself in central park. I know it was winter. I don’t remember when. I’m going to say October, but let me google. It was April. Brrrrrr.

It was an absurd stunt. Who was this David Blaine?

Then I saw photos…

Dayuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum he’s fine.

I quickly forgot about him and then a couple of years later his name popped up again. This time he was going to encase himself in a block of ice in the middle of Times Square.

I was determined to see him this time. I was surprised that they let us get so close. I walked up and waved hello. He looked so helpless. Girls were screaming ‘I love you david!!!” he smiled and waved. I wanted to grab him and take him home.

I told my coworker that I went to see him and she asked if I’d go with her the next day…kool…but there were so many people because it was the last day so we only got to see him from across the street.

I also went to Bryant Park when he stood on a pole. I went to give my support but it wasn’t quite the same vibe. He was so far up that all you could do was stare. Couldn’t mouth “I love you” or anything like that.

I missed the stunt in London when he sat in a cage and fasted mainly because I don’t live in London and I think my family would have had me committed if my sole purpose for going was to go see Blaine and frankly I couldn’t think of any other reason to go. I should’ve brainstormed a little more.

The bubble stunt at Lincoln Center was great because, once again, you could interact with him. He looked so shriveled and pathetic submerged in water but I hugged the bubble and got my photo op in. I wanted to pull him out again and take him home.

So here we are again. This time he’s hanging upside down in Wollman Rink in Central Park. He’s lucky it’s not too cold this time. Just kidding. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to see him even if there was a blizzard.

I went to see him yesterday. His upper lip is all blue and swollen. His eyes are swollen, but he is still sexy as ever.

I know people are saying that the stunt has an element of BS because he is lifted upright for a few minutes every hour, but the majority of the time he is still hanging upside down and even if he lifts his head he is still hanging for 3 days.

I wouldn’t be able to that for an hour, let alone a day or three.

So David, good luck and thanks for the memories. Till next time baby. I’ll be waiting.

All my love,
R.

The Doctor checking & cleaning David’s Eyes

PS… All the photos from the “Dive of Death” are mine. The photos from “Buried Alive” are from magicdirectory.com

I haven’t written a poem in years….but I really wasn’t surprised that this one flowed out of my pen so easily. It’s pretty self explanatory…my feelings thru the course of day spent with him.

His Touch…

By Rain 7/11/08

An innocent brush of his hand on my arm

As we stand side by side

Sends a warmth

Of arousal

I blush and move closer

Thinking back to the last time

His body on mine

His arms wrapped around me

His lips kissing mine

My heart skips a beat

My breaths start to deepen

Losing track of my surroundings

I gather my thoughts

Sitting side by side deep in conversation

He leans his head back and closes his eyes

Letting out a laugh that’s all so familiar

I smile overcome with the warmth

Of arousal

I blush at the innocence and move a bit closer

Thinking back to the last time

His body on mine

His arms wrapped around me

His lips kissing mine

My heart skips a beat

My breaths start to deepen

Losing track of my surroundings

I gather my thoughts

As we part

the day weighing in his eyes

We embrace

Feels too good to let go

Just please give me one minute more

I blush and move closer

Thinking back to the last time

His body on mine

His arms wrapped around me

His lips kissing mine

My heart skips a beat

My breaths start to deepen

Losing track of my surroundings

I gather my thoughts

~FIN~

Starring:
Terrence 'tell me more about my eyes' Howard
Phylicia 'my mom and your mom' Rashad
James Earl 'luke i'm your father' Jones
and
Anika 'i was in dreamgirls too' Rose.

It's produced by Phylicia's sister, Debbie 'the original boom kat boom boom kat so u betta recognize, laurie ann' Allen.

Preview performances started February 12^th and it officially opens on March 6^th. They say it's a limited run so, get some tickets, grab a meal and catch the show. **CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF WEBSITE**

I'll start with Terrence Howard as Brick. When he first came on stage there was collective moan from the audience. I wasn't a part of that chorus because I never really got into him like that...but...oh yeah, best believe there is a "but"...haha...BUT, when he lay down on the couch so cool and comfortable in the white robe and the robe opened a little to reveal his leg and thigh....I was hook line and sinker...*smh*

I can't even blame it on the Donnie Simpson-esque eyes because I couldn't really see them with all the stage lights. It was that innocent fall off of the robe. He quickly pulled the robe back up...too late...too too late.

Oh yeah, his acting...very convincing Brick. I have nothing to compare it to because I've never seen 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' as a play or movie...he was good.

Anika Rose as Maggie....sigh...was wearing. That's the first word that comes to mind. It's hard because that's the character but the first act is her and Brick...mostly her talking and I was ready to scream from frustration but luckily it ended. I think a lot of people in the audience felt the same way.

It takes a lot to make an overbearing character interesting enough for the audience to stay tuned in but she just made the character drudgingly annoying.

Phylicia Rashad as Big Mama...uhm...I love her...she can do no wrong. She was great. I do think that the sincerity of some of the things her character had to say was lost in laughter because of James Earl Jones' dominant presence and people laughing at his words largely I think, because it was J.E.J. saying them.

James Earl Jones as Big Daddy. Great performance. He definitely lit up the entire theatre with his presence. It was just magnetic. The foul language that was coming out of his mouth was surprising and funny to me.

There was an exchange between Brick (Terrence) and Big Daddy (James) where Big Daddy said something hysterical and Terrence was out of character because he was laughing along with the audience. It was great.

I did not expect to see Giancarlo Esposito in the play. I've had this weird crush on him forever and ever and never knew his name until I read this playbill. He plays Gooper, Brick's older brother.

Yooooo...Lou Myers...I only remember him from a different world. He's in this too. He plays the preacher and there are 2 very short funny moments with his character.

I think it's adorable that Terrence Howard's daughter, Heaven Howard is in the play. Keep it in the fam. She plays one of Gooper's children.

I have nothing else to add...I mean Tennessee Williams wrote a great play...Debbie Allen brought it to Broadway once again with an elite cast and I loved it.

Go see it.

….and a special shout out to Michelle for the hook up.  I love you, girl!

Peace,

r.

Wait, that really did happen, but so long ago that it feels like it was a dream.

I wanted to see Stevie in concert but I didn’t want to go alone so I never got a ticket and it sold out.

The Saturday morning of the concert someone put a post up on a message board that I frequent saying they had an extra ticket. I figured why not. I had no set plans for that night. I was either going to go bar hopping or I was going to sit on my couch and watch a movie.

I sent a message that I was interested in the ticket and just like that I was on my way to see Stevie Wonder live for the first time in my life.

I spent the rest of the day picking out my outfit.

When I got to Madison Square Garden I started to get a little anxious about my mysterious companion for the evening. What if he looked like a gargoyle or was just plain boring. Yeah, it shouldn’t matter but it did. As Wendy Williams says, it is what it is.

I started looking around wondering if he was there already. I saw a guy leaning casually on a wall and he smiled at me. I thought to myself, “oh please, no”. A girl walked up and greeted him though. Whew, that was close.

I looked around some more trying to pick out who I’d want it to be. The pickings were slim to none. I spotted a guy on the front steps in a red leather jacket. Now he would make a very nice addition to the evening indeed.

After waiting about 10 minutes I dialed my mystery man’s number to see if he had arrived at The Garden and who do I see answering his phone? Mr. leather jacket! Surprise. Surprise. He walks up to me and says hello. I do a quick glance of his 6’2″ frame and stare into his gorgeous face. This is going to be one fantastic night.

With the click of a mouse my night went from doing nothing but possibly watching some netflix movies to being at The Garden with a Stevie Wonder ticket in hand and a beautiful stranger next to me.

Life is grand.

The lights dimmed and the crowd cheered and jumped to their feet.

Stevie was about to hit the stage.