FASHION WEEK IS HERE AGAIN, GOD HELP ME!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, today is January 30th, 2008. For all my fellow fashion addicts and employees of Taste, you already know what that means: we are only two days away from the start of it all once again, Mercedes-Benz New York Fall Fashion Week.

I just received a call from a client in desperate need of an emergency fashion consultation for an event she is attending with a very important client she absolutely must impress. Just for reference, she called me at 1 p.m., and the event begins at 7 p.m. To be honest, it was not until that moment that I realized it was already the 30th and that the shows were just around the corner. Her call was my wakeup call. I immediately shifted into full go mode and began doing everything necessary to get her dressed to the nines to impress everyone in that room, including her client.

Yes, it is perfectly normal for me to get calls mere hours before an event, with a client expecting me to transform them into a Vogue or GQ cover model with that little time to prepare. I am very good at what I do, so this is never a problem. It also helps that this client happens to be a dear friend I love, so I want her to look as amazing on the outside as she is on the inside.

This year, however, I have not really been on my usual pre-Fashion Week grind. The weeks leading up to Fashion Week tend to be just as frantic and busy as the actual eight-day event itself—credentials, castings, fittings, client meetings, shopping, calls, scheduling, bookings, photo shoots, and pre-parties. The list is considerably longer. But this year, not so much of that pre-week hustle. I have simply been uninterested in the process.

I was unable to attend the Milan Men’s Fall Fashion Week Shows, the real fashion week for those of us who work in men’s apparel, a few weeks ago due to scheduling conflicts. That put me in a bad mood about the New York shows. I was not very impressed with what I saw on those runways back in September, nor with all the nonsense the week has become. I did not even bother booking a hotel in the area as I usually do to avoid commuting back and forth between Brooklyn, the shows, and the parties.

I am losing interest in an event that now seems to be more about the celebrities sitting in the seats than the clothes on the runway. When there are more celebrities, paparazzi, and entertainment gossip shows and magazines present than buyers, editors, fashion photographers, image consultants, and stylists, it might be time to wrap things up. I may as well wait for the online coverage from the comfort of my home or borrow my stylist and editor friends’ digital camera shots and notes.

As happens every year around this time for the Fall shows and in September for the Spring shows, I suddenly become very popular. I am sure everyone who has been reading this blog for a while remembers what last September was like for me. People I have not heard from in six months seem to miraculously find me in their phonebooks and need to reconnect. Do the math: Fashion Week is semiannual, and it is that time once again.

This worked so well last September that I have decided to do it again, the Frequently Asked Questions list.

For all those long-lost friends and for all the people who love stopping me mid-sprint as if I have an information kiosk sign on my head, I have created a small FAQ section. This is to save you any unnecessary waiting time and to prevent me from having to stop on my way to wherever I need to go, only for you to ask the same questions your coworker at Starbucks just asked me five minutes earlier.

I am sure that as Fashion Week progresses, I will be adding more answers to this list, since I expect you will be asking more questions.

Peace, love, and fashion.

•NO, I DO NOT HAVE EXTRA INVITATIONS FOR ANY SHOWS.

•NO, I CANNOT GET YOU A MEETING WITH SOME DESIGNERS, BUYERS, BOOKING AGENTS, CASTING DIRECTORS, FASHION EDITOR, AND/OR PUFFY’S BABY MOMMAS, ETC.

•NO, I CANNOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THE GUEST LIST.

•NO, YOU CANNOT BE MY PLUS 1.

•THIS IS THE TENTS FOR FASHION WEEK. IT’S WHERE TWICE A YEAR DESIGNERS SHOW THEIR NEW FALL/SPRING DESIGNS FOR BUYERS, FASHION EDITORS, STYLIST, IMAGE CONSULTANTS, INDUSTRY INSIDERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THIS SH%T, THE CHILDREN OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THIS SH%T. YES, THAT FASHION WEEK.

•NO, I WILL NOT GIVE UP MY SEAT TO THE CRACKED OUT STARLET OF THE MOMENT.

•NO, I AM NOT ANY PLUS SIZED, DARK SKINNED, BLACK ACTOR, SINGER, OR RAPPER YOU LOVE.

•NO, I AM NOT A STYLIST. I AM AN IMAGE CONSULTANT. YES, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. NO, I WILL NOT EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS. WHY ARE YOU HERE?!?!!!

•I BOUGHT IT AT THAT PLACE UP THE BLOCK, AROUND THE CORNER, AND DOWN THE STREET. NO. NOT THAT PLACE.

•YES, MODELS EAT. NO, I HAVE NOT SEEN IT, BUT I HEARD.

•NO, I DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU CAN SCORE SOME…

•NO, YOU CANNOT MEET ME AT THE DOOR FOR THE AFTER PARTY. I WILL MEET YOU INSIDE.

•YES, I KNOW WHERE DIDDY’S PARTY IS. NO, I AM NOT TELLING YOU.

•NO, OF COURSE I DID NOT IGNORE YOUR CALL. (APPLY WHICHEVER SUITS)

1. "I GET NO RECEPTION IN HERE"
2. "I CANNOT HEAR MY PHONE WITH ALL THAT NOISE"
3. "WE HAD TO TURN OUR PHONES OFF FOR THE SHOW"

•NO, YOU CANNOT SEE WHAT IS IN MY GIFT BAGS.

•YES, THERE ARE STRAIGHT MEN IN FASHION.

•YES, THERE ARE SUCCESSFUL BLACK PEOPLE IN FASHION.

•YES, THIS IS THE LINE FOR THE SHOW/PARTY. LOOK AT THE SIGN!

•YES, THOSE SHADES ARE PRETENTIOUS, BUT WHERE ELSE BUT HERE TO BE.

•YES, THEY ARE WEARING REAL FUR. HOW DO I KNOW?! I DIDN'T DESIGN IT!

•YES, YOU MAY GET ME ANOTHER DRINK.

•YES, YOU MAY PRACTICE WALKING IN YOUR 5 INCH HEELS FOR MY OPINIONS AND CRITIQUES.

•YES, YOU MAY FLY ME TO MILAN AND PARIS TO KEEP THE PARTY GOING.

•YES, I WILL BE UP FOR THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS AND LOVING EVERY WAKING MINUTE OF IT.

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RUNWAY

GVG
~Tom Ford is still my fashion God~

P.S. I would have put up a photo of some black models on the runway, but let’s be honest – it’s New York Fashion Week – they don’t exist. Blog probably coming soon.

FOR THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY...

Yesterday, I had a thoughtful and spirited conversation with a close female friend about the complexities of dating in New York City. She is, by every measure, exceptional. A highly accomplished editor at a major, prestigious publication. She is beautiful, cultured, impeccably social, effortlessly stylish, confident, and always polished. Her passport is well stamped, her calendar filled with A list events in every major city, and she tends to attract men who are mirror images of herself in ambition, polish, and poise.

Our discussion eventually landed on a topic that has likely sparked countless debates before: what is the average amount spent on a first date in New York City or any other major metropolitan hub when a man is genuinely interested and trying to make a meaningful impression?

We considered a range of possibilities. The date might include a pre dinner drink or an experience, a proper meal with cocktails, appetizers, wine, entrees, dessert, perhaps dancing, a nightcap, or something uniquely tailored to the dynamic of the pair involved. A date, in short, that reflects effort, care, and intention.

And yet, despite being aligned in so many ways, our estimates for what such a date might cost were worlds apart. Neither of us was willing to concede ground. It became clear that one of us was either overestimating or underestimating reality, and instead of continuing to debate, we decided to bring the question to you.

So I ask:

For the men: What do you typically spend on a first date when you are genuinely courting someone? I am not talking about casual meetups or low effort gestures. I mean a date where you are showing genuine interest and intentionality, aiming to make a strong first impression.

For the women: What do you believe a man spends, on average, when courting you on a first date in a city like New York? What does that experience usually include, and what details make the date feel meaningful or memorable?

I invite both men and women to share their thoughts. Feel free to include both high and low end estimates, along with what the evening might entail to justify the cost. Let us hear what dating looks like today from both sides of the table.

GVG
~reservations required~

AUDIO FOREPLAY SUNDAYS: VICTORY

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to a beautiful new Sunday. For those of you who are new to this little space of mine, Sundays are usually reserved for what I call Audio Foreplay Sundays. Audio Foreplay is a curated sampling of the music that accompanies my seventh day, a day dedicated to rest and relaxation, or it serves as a soundtrack reflecting the past week of my life.

As you probably know, last night Barack Obama won the South Carolina primary with an overwhelming eighty one percent of the black vote compared to Clinton’s seventeen percent, according to exit polls cited by Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. Obama also earned twenty four percent of the white vote, with Clinton and Edwards sharing the remainder.

Today’s selection is not about the sounds of music but rather the powerful words of victory.

Obama delivered a speech that addressed many of the points I felt were crucial, both in terms of policy and in response to his critics. I was genuinely pleased, perhaps even proud, to see him finally show a backbone during the South Carolina primary debate earlier this week. He stood his ground against Hillary and Bill Clinton’s repeated misrepresentations of his positions and statements. It is clear he is beginning to understand that this election is not about being the nice guy. When the dog bites, you bite back to earn respect.

Below is his South Carolina victory speech. Notably missing is the particular cadence that sparked so much discussion after his Iowa victory speech.

What are your thoughts on his performance during the South Carolina primary debate and his victory speech last night?

Barack Obama South Carolina Primary Victory Speech PT 1


Barack Obama South Carolina Primary Victory Speech PT 2


GVG
~we're the warriors they write epics about~

THANX FOR THE SUPPORT

I want to take a moment to share some good news with the people who matter most to me. One of my favorite bloggers, The Field Negro (http://field-negro.blogspot.com/), a respected journalist for a highly reputable and honorable publication from which I follow much of my political news, recently named my blog, The Hidden Parts of My Soul, as his favorite blog of the moment. This recognition has more than tripled my readership.

While the increase in readers is deeply appreciated, anyone who has experienced this knows that the real value lies in the acknowledgment from someone you respect and admire within your field, passion, or obsession. That kind of recognition means far more than numbers ever could.

With that in mind, I want to publicly thank him and express my gratitude to everyone who has been reading, who has just discovered my work, and who will continue to share my thoughts, rants, and opinions. Peace and blessings to you all.

GVG
The Hidden Parts of My Soul
~we’re the warriors they write epics about~

NO COMMENT

Please stop asking me and/or forwarding me articles about Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's troubles. I will not be commenting on the matter. Other than, to say this is an unfortunate series of developments and I’m sorry his family has to deal with matters such as these in such a very public fashion, whether or not they may be by his own doing. -

THE ECONOMICS OF THE BLACK VOTE

In a Wall Street journal article from yesterday, the paper discusses the “Class Split” Amongst Black voters in this election and how it may effect Barack Obama.

“A poll this fall by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a black think tank, shows the wide disparity of support for Mr. Obama among blacks. While 75% of blacks who went to college had a favorable or very favorable view of the candidate — rising to 88% among blacks who went to graduate or professional school — support dipped to 62% among those with just a high-school degree and to 42% among blacks who haven’t finished high school. A similar pattern shows up as income levels fall among blacks. And while 83% of blacks employed full time had a favorable view of Mr. Obama, just 55% of unemployed blacks did.” Please continue to full article here


GVG
~sometimes i just want to read~

GO GO GROOVIN'

Last night I attended the Fader Magazine Wire party and had the chance to meet some of my favorite cast members — Slim Charles, also known as Gangus; Marlo Black Stanfield, played by Jamie Hector; and last but never least, Senator R. Clayton Clay Davis, famously portrayed by Isiah Whitlock Jr.

The event was fantastic, filled mostly with folks from Maryland and Virginia, though Brooklyn was well represented and definitely in the house. My good friend and I were especially excited about a performance by a band we both love — The Backyard Band, featuring Slim Charles himself. We promised our friends it would be one of the greatest shows they would ever see, and we did not disappoint.

Here's a clip of The Backyard Band at another show

This is me Go Go Groovin’ to the sounds of The Backyard band
Notice the indifference to anything going on around me
The closed eyes for the full sound around the body effect
The biting of the bottom lip to emphasize the feeling of the groove.

I came home to an e-mail from another good friend with an MP3 attached and a short note that read - "You need this in your life"

After hearing it - I realize you need it in yours too – enjoy

N.E.R.D. - Everyone Nose

GVG
~living a go go life~

The Giants triumphed by kicking an oblong ball

Yes, the scene really exist. GO GIANTS!!!!



GVG
~my face is going to be on some money~

IN HONOR OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

T

Today is more than just a holiday; it is the living embodiment of a dream. A dream shared by all of us—Black, White, Yellow, Brown, and every shade in between—to stand together and fight for what Martin Luther King Jr. called the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These powerful words echoed on that historic day, August 28, 1963, as he spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

This day calls us not only to remember the life and spirit of Dr. King but also to move forward in honor of his dream. It challenges each of us to act, not just for ourselves, but for those around us who may lack the strength to stand up for their own dreams and rights. Since fourth grade, I have carried one of Dr. King’s quotes close to my heart. It has served as both a compass and a source of courage whenever I was told to “sit down and shut up.” He said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

It is with these words that I leave you today, not only to remember but to inspire progress and action.

Below you will find the full and timeless text of the “I Have a Dream” speech along with a link to the complete transcript.

I HAVE A DREAM

P.S. Martin Luther Kings actual birthday is January 15.

GVG
~pushing the dream forward~

UPDATE

Jay Smooth from http://www.illdoctrine.com/, as always, has blessed us with a ingenious new Vlog post in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. that so well illustrates the force of timeless truth embodied in MLK’s words and the reason they still resonate to this day with what Jay has entitled “Ten OTHER Things MLK Said”.

AUDIO FOREPLAY SUNDAYS: THE BIRTHDAY EDITION

It feels like nearly everyone I know and love is born in January, including my mother and Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday is actually on January fifteenth. Because of this, I have lovingly renamed January “The Month the World Was Born.”

My mother embraced her Queen for the day status fully. She had me buy nearly everything on the menu at her favorite Haitian restaurant, along with almost every kind of patty they offered. We finished with a large Haitian cake from the bakery and an array of traditional Haitian beverages to wash it all down.

Last night marked the grand finale with “The Month the World Was Born” party. The event was originally meant to celebrate six of my friends—Carey, KD, Courtney, Kim, and the Thompson sisters. But when I arrived, five more friends surprised me by revealing it was their birthdays as well.

So, it became a true celebration, everyone was invited. In honor of all my wonderful friends, let us sing “Happy Birthday” together, the Stevie Wonder version of course, at the very top of our lungs.

On the count of three, press play on the video below and sing with all your heart. One, two, three! Happy birthday to you!

!

OMG! I do not believe in coincidences. I believe everything happens for a reason, and this moment truly validates that belief. I set out to find the video for Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday,” which honestly, I wasn’t even sure existed back then, for our birthday sing-along. I went on YouTube, and there it was—the Stevie Wonder “Happy Birthday” video posted above. Perfect!

Here is where it gets truly interesting. As I started to play the video, I realized something I had never known before. For those who are familiar, you might already know where I am going with this. Up until that moment, I did not realize that Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” was actually a dedication to the birth of Martin Luther King Jr. How perfect is it that the video I chose to commemorate the birthdays of so many of my family, friends, and the man himself, Martin Luther King Jr., was created specifically for him?

Please take tomorrow as an opportunity to celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday and to continue pushing his dream forward.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF YOU AMAZING CAPRICORNS—MY MOTHER, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., MY AUNT ALICE, JUSTIN, CAREY, COURTNEY, KD, KIM, DEE DEE, JARREL, RIKERS, CRYSTAL, CHRIS, REG, AND THE THOMPSON SISTERS. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE BORN IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THIS MONTH. YOU HAVE ALL BEEN INCREDIBLE ADDITIONS TO MY LIFE, AND I THANK THE UNIVERSE FOR BLESSING US WITH YOUR PRESENCE, LOVE, AND SUPPORT. MAY YOUR BIRTHDAYS BRING YOU ALL THAT YOU WISH FOR.

GVG
~celebrating life~

PROUD TO BE AN ANGRY BLACK MAN! FINALLY.

Last night I went out with a close female friend for dinner, drinks, and our latest round of Main Street news editorializing about our two degrees of separation existences. While waiting for her at a popular restaurant, I added our names to the “to be seated” list. The hostess told me, straight-faced, that the wait would be fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes? On the Friday of a holiday weekend, in a packed restaurant with at least fifty people ahead of me? I decided to wait outside with others who were told the same wait time, enjoying the unseasonably warm January weather in New York. By the way, if I hear one more person from Atlanta complain about the single snowflake they saw, I swear I might just drive down there and give them a good scolding. That last sentence probably sums up the tone of this whole post.

As I stood there, I overheard a conversation among four women just ahead of me. I share their ethnicities because I think it’s relevant — two seemed to be from Spain or Colombia, and the other two possibly Dominican. Their chat had shifted from men and relationships to politics, focusing on the upcoming Democratic primary. One of the Dominican women was pressed to reveal whether she would vote for Clinton or Obama.

She shook her head and repeated, “I don’t know. I’m still undecided.”

They prodded her again, and finally she said, “If it was just Obama, I would vote for him, but there’s a woman running too.”

At that, one of the lighter-skinned women, presumably from Spain, snapped back with a venomous tone, “What’s an Obama?”

They all laughed. Then, mid-laugh, another Dominican woman exclaimed, “I think I want to vote for him too. He’s colored!” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Barack Obama is colored. I swear I could not make this up.

Unconsciously, I took a few steps closer as that word left her mouth. I started to raise my hand, my mouth opening to speak, but just then the hostess shouted a name, snapping me out of my angry black man autopilot. I turned the corner before my rage fully took hold. I tend to pace when I get angry. It does nothing to calm me, but it’s what I do. My mind raced, replaying those words over and over. I tried to distract myself by planning a friend’s birthday celebration after he had been royally screwed by a last-minute cancellation, but I just couldn’t focus. Eventually, I leaned against the wall and tried deep breathing exercises I’d learned but rarely used when they were truly needed.

When my friend arrived, we went inside to wait for our table. I told her about the “discovery” from the nice ladies outside that Barack Obama was colored. She asked how I always seemed to be the one to witness such ignorance. I still don’t have an answer. That was only the beginning of the frustrations that marked our night.

I won’t go into the long story, but the short version is this: I made a reservation, added my name to the list, and yet was skipped repeatedly by the hostess. Each time she apologized and promised we would be next, only to be passed over again. After the third time, I was near my breaking point. Actually, after the second, but I’ve been trying to keep my temper in check since a not-so-great experience with my doctor and an EKG machine that falsely told me I was having a heart attack during my last annual physical. I hate being seen as “the angry black man” both on and offline, so I was trying to maintain my composure. Then she skipped us for the fourth time. That was it. I was done.

I walked into the dining area just behind the hostess as she seated two women at our fourth table. When she turned around and saw me standing there, big and visibly angry, it dawned on her what she had done. She offered an apology and a free juice as some form of appeasement. Free juice! She walked away before she could see me laugh in disbelief. Juice would not have been enough to stop me from losing it. But I thought I’d wait to be seated first and then deal with compensation for the insult, the hunger, and the frustration. The short story on that front: all she was willing to offer was juice. I told her that was not enough. She brought out the juice anyway and repeated her excuse that it was all she could do. I told her again it was not sufficient and asked to speak to the manager for the second time. She took the juice back. When the manager finally arrived, he tried to defend the hostess’s behavior and then called me a liar for the third time about being skipped four times, contradicting the hostess’s own admission to him that it was only once.

My friend sat silently as I exploded. When I realized it was reaching a point of no return, I remembered I was with someone who did not deserve to witness me unravel like this. I stood up. He jumped back like a scared child about to get a beating, and we left. Surprisingly, we were met with quiet applause and looks of admiration from the two people sitting near our table and others who had been in the fifteen-minute wait area just minutes before.

As we walked out, my friend turned to me and said something that took me by surprise: “You’re a nicer person than I am. I would have flipped a lot sooner than that.” That comment meant a lot. I have long been told I am angry by women who have seen me lose my temper over service issues. They think I am always ranting about something. One friend told me just weeks ago, after seeing veins bulge in my neck during a conversation, “Why are you so angry? You know you’re not running for office, right? You’re just an angry ass black man.”

The label “angry black man” is something I have grown accustomed to, though never comfortable with it. I have heard it enough to be used to it. The reason I share all of this is because I have been thinking about how much I hate being perceived as the angry black man and what it really means to be seen as angry when all I feel is passion. I have friends who are indifferent and calm while things fall apart around them, and I envy their emotional monotone as I nearly have an aneurysm from my outrage.

Here is the flip side and why I embrace being the “angry black man”: because I feel deeply for the bad and unjust, and I celebrate with equal passion when something good happens. When those same indifferent friends experience success, it is as if they feel nothing. To them, the good moments rate the same as the bad ones. But for me, I bask in the bright light of joy and achievement. I live fully in those moments and savor them.

I am never just angry. I have purpose and a target. When I scream or write — whether it is a blog post, a comment, a rant, an email, or a forwarded news story — it is because I am overwhelmed with passion and cannot contain it any longer. You might not agree with everything I say, but I doubt you will find anyone who questions the sincerity of my beliefs. Give me passion or give me death.

Believe it or not, this was supposed to be a one-paragraph introduction to a great post I found on the Field Negro’sblog today, which explores this very topic I have been wrestling with since last night. I guess I needed to get last night’s events out more than I realized. Below is an excerpt from the opening of the Field Negro’s post entitled Field Negro’s "The last angry black man", along with a link to the full piece.

“A friend of mine was introducing me to someone today, and for some reason he felt the need to tell her that I blog. He has a blog called Field Negro. I think he is the last angry black man left in America. Ha ha ha ha, laughs all around.”

“Of course dude was right. At times it seems that there are no angry black men left in America. I think the angry black man has been shamed into accepting his fate and his place in the American scheme of things. But there is nothing to be ashamed of. Not when your anger is driven by disappointment and not resentment. You see, it is like this: most people think that the angry black man, like yours truly, is angry because he feels left out and disappointed with his station in life. While this might be true of some angry black men, it is not the case here. Although to be honest, I could not blame any black man for being angry and pissed off at the state of his condition. The shit that some of us — and yes I say us because whatever that black man goes through affects me as well — go through, I would not wish on my worst white enemy. I am quite happy with pretty much all aspects of my life, socially and professionally, but I am still angry.” Continue reading here.

GVG
Happy to be angry

P.S. I am aware of the irony of sharing this on the weekend we celebrate Martin Luther King Day, the man who urged us to turn the other cheek. I guess I am more of a Malcolm guy.

P.P.S. After we left the restaurant, the night actually turned out great. You would be amazed what a great meal, a witty friend who can make you laugh until you choke, and a huge pitcher of sangria can do to soothe your troubles away.

MEET THE VOTERS

GVG
~we're the warriors they write epics about~

MLK DAY-OFF?

I just received the e-mail posted below from a close friend concerning Pricewaterhouse Cooper's (PwC) decision to stay open on MLK day and their “reasons” as to why and below that is the response I gave to my friend. I’d like to open it up to you guys and see where you stand on the matter. Curious about this one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi All -

Please check out this email that my former employer (PwC) sent to its employees regarding MLK Day. It is quite an interesting take on why they feel their employees should work on this day, despite the fact that it is a nationally recognized holiday.

Regards,
N


----- Forwarded by H US/ABAS/PwC on 01/18/2008 09:26 AM -----
01/18/2008 09:13 AM

"Reply to All" is Disabled
To: PwC US Staff
cc

Subject: In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This coming Monday, we commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the preeminent leaders in the civil rights movement. At the age of 35, Dr. King was the youngest person at that time to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and he is widely known for his work toward ending racial segregation in public schools and promoting meaningful civil rights legislation, including a law that would prohibit racial discrimination in the workplace.

Dr. King was a remarkable speaker, and his "I Have a Dream" speech is considered one of the most impactful dissertations of all time. But there is another quote he delivered that I think is particularly important for us as a Firm:

"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

Many US companies have decided to give employees the "day off" in commemoration of Dr. King's birthday. But as you read the quote above, you realize that Dr. King believed that the efforts around basic human rights could never take a holiday. As a result, we consider Dr. King's birthday as a "day on;" a day to take action; a day to recognize that progress is not automatic.

Throughout many of our offices this Monday, we will be hosting talented high school students from our local markets. The intent of these gatherings is to introduce these students to the vast array of career opportunities that are available to them, not just in our profession, but in the business world in general. In keeping with Dr. King's passion for equal opportunity, I believe this is a fitting tribute to his work.

I'll leave you with one final quote from Dr. King; "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Equal rights cannot be taken for granted, either personally or collectively as a Firm. I hope that you will take a moment to reflect on the significance of this holiday and find some way to recommit to the equality and respect for all individuals that Dr. King talked about so many years ago.
Regards,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My response

I honestly don’t know how I feel about this. If PwC is truly sincere in their outlined motivation and desire to use the holiday as a vehicle of enlightenment and access to children whom might not have had an opportunity normally to visit a top firm and see the possibility of future career opportunities outside of blue-collar aspirations. In its actual work setting, instead of with a representative in your classroom giving a long drawn out speech, with Kings dream of progression for us as a people on all fronts – education, community, and career as the basis, than I believe it to be a good and noble action.

Honestly, how many people do you know who take MLK day as a day of reflection and self-enlightenment? In fact, how many people do you know whom take any holiday with its origins entrenched in the pain and sacrifice of a people for anything other than barbequing, partying, and drinking on a Sunday with no work on Monday? If this was a black firm I Believe, by many including myself, that it would be perceived as great idea that could work to show young children of color reflections of themselves in the work force and I don’t believe there would be any uproar over it.

Now, on the other hand, if this is just a tactic to make an extra buck instead of having to lose a full day worth of labor over “the death of some n&gg&r that deserved to die in the first place” then where are we meeting and how many picket signs do I need to bring? It’s all a matter of perception based on whoever is reading. Unless you know the intent of the author, we all just exist in a state of speculation.

~GVG

Bob Johnson + Microphone = Danger

In the post below, I shared a New York Times op-ed written by Gloria Steinem, which explored her perspective on what might present the greater obstacle in this election—race or gender.

Below is the latest vlog from Jay Smooth at www.illdoctrine.com, where he addresses Bob Johnson’s recent misguided comments about Obama’s admitted past drug use.

In my view, Johnson’s remarks exemplify how internalized self-criticism and destructive racial stereotyping pose some of the most significant challenges this election faces.

For further examples of this damaging mindset, consider figures such as Magic Johnson, John Lewis, Robert Johnson, Andrew Young, and Charles Rangel.

GVG
~wishing on a star for a piano to fall on...~

What is a bigger hurdle in this election - race or sex?

Check out this New York Times Op- Ed piece by Gloria Steinem entitled “Women Are Never Front-Runners” which gives her opinion on the matter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/opinion/08steinem.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Once you read the article check out this debate from democracynow.org with the author of the piece, Gloria Steinem, defending her position while, a professor at Princeton, Melissa Harris-Lacewell opposes her assertions about race and sex, and why way in which it plays into the election from the piece. It is a very interesting read and discussion. Enjoy.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/14/race_and_gender_in_presidential_politics

GVG
~startin stuff~

THE WIRE: WHO IS SCOTT TEMPLETON?

I’m sure if you’re a Wire addict like me and my friends you’ve been racking your brains trying to figure out who the story fabricating journalist Scott Templeton character is based on. We guessed it could have been Jayson Blair from the New York Times, Jack Kelley from USA Today, Stephen Glass at The New Republic, or even Janet Cooke from The Washington Post. Well thanx to the good folks over at PostBourgie we now know it was based on Sun reporter Jim Haner. Think some people just lost some money.

When the Wires on don’t call me for NOTHING. Get hooked!

GVG

~I'm carrying water~

P.S. One of the greatest moments for me (God there are so so many) from last nights episode and I think from the past five seasons so far was the amazing dialogue from Senator Clay Davis to Commissioner Ervin H. Burrell.

“I’m out there doing the lords work for you Erv! You know it. Who got that pay raise from the council?! Just enough for you to get that new patio, but not enough for that guy from Pittsburgh to take your place.”

“God damn it Erv! I’ve been there for you, carried water for you, and you do me like this.”

“You think I’m going down, don’t cha? Yoouuuuu uuuuu tthiiii ttthhhiiinkkk I’m done? All ya ungrateful bitches thinking you can throw me out the boat”

“AIGHT!”

“I’m going to remember this moment Erv.”

Fist to the chest “I’m going to hold on to this moment. Yea.”

The stutter and fist to the heart tap alone deserves an honorable mention. It was genius.

THE DETAILS: PLAID DONE RIGHT

People always ask me why this blog doesn’t have more men’s fashion on it. Hell, it’s what I do for a living. You’d think this blog would be overrun with all the latest trends, runway shows, and diatribes about the godliness of Tom Ford. However, that’s the exact reason why it’s not filled with fashion “stuff”, my days are dedicated to fashion, always looking for the newest thing, the best designers, client request, style on the street. I might be a bit jaded, but it takes a lot for me to truly stop and take notice, but when I do it’s worth it for you to stop as well.

There was a great qoute on the first episode from this fifth and last season of the Wire that I believe best sums up todays post "The details, Ms. Gutierrez. At the Baltimore Sun, God still resides in the details.” I’ve always believed that perfection is in the details and the photo below is the personification of that mantra. As with every morning I was doing my usual blog rounds – Politics, Gossip, news, rumors, NPR, and of course fashion when I made my way over to my favorite men’s fashion site - The Sartorialist. What I saw honestly has made my day. Check out the man below in this plaid suit which in both my and The Sartorialist's opinion is a bespoke sweater. They just don’t make them like that off the rack.

Please click on photo to enlarge so you can take note of each and every perfectly executed detail – The simple boutonnière, the juxtaposition of the pocket square and the plaid, the amount of shirt sleeve showing, The way the plaid lines up on his shoulder/sleeve all the way down the torso (you only get that from a tailor who truly has an eye and only accepts perfection from themselves. Not an easy thing to do with patterns. Trust me.)

PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS PHOTO

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

GVG
~God still resides in the details~

VIDEO FOREPLAY SUNDAYS: FOR YOU LATE SUCKAS

I believe all my day one Wire watchers, and even those who caught up over the summer with DVDs, can relate to this post and the video foreplay for the week. This is for all those people who interrupt us right in the middle of a great scene or sharp dialogue to ask questions about the show and the intimate character moments they are causing us to miss with their late-to-the-party inquiries.

Who is that guy? Why did he do that? Why is she sleeping with him? Did she sleep with him too? Who killed him? What did that line mean? Why is everyone laughing? Why does he keep saying that word? Was he important? Why did they drive off and then come back? Why does it matter that they had to sign in last time?

As my man Chris said, you never want to be the last to the party. So here is the first four seasons of The Wire summarized in four minutes for all you latecomers. Now you have no reason to bother me while I am watching my stories. Get hooked.

P.S. I realize I didn’t do a bulletin for last weeks special first edition of Video Foreplay Sundays: The Wire edition, so some of you may have missed out on the special favorites sampling I did. So for those of you who need that fix. Check it out here.

GVG
~doin my junkie lean~

UPDATE

I originally wasn’t going to add an audio sampling for today. However, a friend just sent me this Nina Simone video and where else but audio foreplay would I share musical greatness with you my peoples? It also doesn’t hurt that it sounds like the perfect song to use as a backdrop to so many moments in the Wire.

Nina Simone “Feeling Good”

CRYING IS WHAT'S HOT IN 08

Last night, Senator Hillary RodHAM Clinton won the Democratic primary in New Hampshire. It makes me wonder if we really are as naive and easily swayed as these politicians seem to believe. CRYING GETS YOU A WIN??!!! FOR REAL???!!! THAT SHIT ACTUALLY WORKED??!! What comes next? Complaining about polls showing that voters prefer Obama over her? Oh, wait, she already did that during the New Hampshire debate.

Meanwhile, Senator John McCain orchestrated a comeback on the Republican side, securing thirty-seven percent of the crucial early vote despite being widely dismissed months ago as his campaign struggled. Just six months ago, many had written off his presidential bid. His campaign was struggling financially and staff were being let go. Yet, he channeled all his energy and resources into New Hampshire, and it paid off.

GVG
~no words~

A Raisin in the Sun Trailer

Raisin
by skaybn

THE TEAR DROP HEARD ROUND THE WORLD

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about stop playing video games, Sudoku, watching porn, or whatever else has you distracted from the BS currently going on in the world and turn on a news station or whatever the most convenient way of receiving your news is – there’s a million of them. So when Senator Hillary RodHAM Clinton was asked about how hard it must be on her being on the campaign trial; she could only respond in all her democratic, political, campaign strategist, “genius” with this -



God! Is this really where we’re at in American politics?! For real??!!!

GVG
~about ready to cry my damn self~

WHERE'S BROOKLYN AT???!!!!!

Any of you who knows me or have been reading this blog for a while know I’ve been fighting a one man war against gentrification and losing for the past few years. With a doorman at my front door and a tennis court in my backyard we’re the first stop on transplants and realtors neighborhood wish list. It seems as if everyday I see someone “New” with keys to my building. Then having to deal with the stress that comes with knowing for each of them that comes one of us goes and that my time may be sooner than later to be one of the departed.

Gentrification is just one of those inescapable beasts when it comes to the NYC housing market (but hey, it got me sushi delivered to my front door! Just fucked when you know the reasons you can get the sushi delivered and the realization that it’s not for you) that said, few developments cause enough stir to inspire twenty authors (including some favorites of mine) to contribute to an anthology in defense of their neighborhood. Brooklyn Was Mine is a collection of essays, stories, and poems from notable authors like Jonathan Lethem, Dinaw Mengetsu and Robert Sullivan (plus a whole bunch more) was released Wednesday to directly benefit Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn—a community organization committed to fighting Forest City Ratner’s extensive Atlantic Yards development. The collection is only like fifteen bucks, and there are two readings in the coming weeks to support the organization. There's more info on the book, the organization and the readings here.

GVG
~fighting the war til the end~

VIDEO FOREPLAY SUNDAY: THE WIRE EDITION

I know many of you have grown accustomed to my usual weekly audio foreplay Sundays. However, today—Sunday, January 6, 2008—is a truly special day leading to an equally extraordinary evening, so we are going to do something a little different. For the handful of you in the United States who might not know, tonight at 9 p.m. on HBO marks the premiere of the fifth and final season of one of the greatest television shows ever created. As if I really need to say it—The Wire is back, people.

In honor of this momentous occasion, I am putting together a special Sunday selection featuring some of my all-time favorite scenes from the past four seasons of the show.

Welcome to the Video Foreplay Sunday: The Wire Edition

The package is looking real good in the streets for this season. GET HOOKED.

On a Sunday morning


Man up


Teacher pet/head of the class


The tower of flowers


Sorry for ya


Good to have friends


Shiiit


What do you get for the person who has everything


The paper bag test


Not hard enough?


You Were Very Gentle


Stand still…


What cho do


I got one more high left in me...


They saw you coming


Dream with me


You know I couldn’t do a Sunday without at least one audio selection and seeing as the wire inspired this videos concept it was a no brainer that this would be the perfect accompaniment for our clips today.

Freeway (Ft. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) - What We Do


GVG
~waiting on my fix~

PRIMARIES VS. CAUCUSES

In the summer of every presidential election year, political parties in the United States typically conduct national conventions to choose their presidential candidates. At the conventions, the presidential candidates are selected by groups of delegates from each state. After a series of speeches and demonstrations in support of each candidate, the delegates begin to vote, state-by-state, for the candidate of their choice. The first candidate to receive a preset majority number of delegate votes becomes the party’s presidential candidate. The candidate selected to run for president then selects a vice presidential candidate.

Delegates to the national conventions are selected at the state level, according to rules and formulas determined by each political party’s state committee. While these rules and formulas can change from state-to-state and from year-to-year, there remain two methods by which the states choose their delegates to the national conventions: the caucus and the primary.

THE CAUCUS

Caucuses are simply meetings, open to all registered voters of the party, at which delegates to the party’s national convention are selected. When the caucus begins, the voters in attendance divide themselves into groups according to the candidate they support. The undecided voters congregate into their own group and prepare to be “courted” by supporters of other candidates.

Voters in each group are then invited to give speeches supporting their candidate and trying to persuade others to join their group. At the end of the caucus, party organizers count the voters in each candidate’s group and calculate how many delegates to the county convention each candidate has won.

The caucus process can produce delegates who are bound or “pledged” to vote for the primary winner in voting at the national convention. In other states, some or all delegates are “unpledged” and free to vote for any candidate they wish at the convention.

THE PRIMARY

In states holding them, presidential primary elections are open to all registered voters.

Just like in general elections, voting is done through a secret ballot. Voters may choose from among all registered candidates and write-ins are counted. There are two types of primaries, closed and open. In a closed primary, voters may vote only in the primary of the political party in which they registered. For example, a voter who registered as a Republican can only vote in the Republican primary. In an open primary, registered voters can vote in the primary of either party, but are allowed to vote in only one primary. Most states hold closed primaries. Primary elections also vary in what names appear on their ballots. Most states hold presidential preference primaries, in which the actual presidential candidates’ names appear on the ballot. In other states, only the names of convention delegates appear on the ballot. Delegates may state their support for a candidate or declare themselves to be uncommitted.

As in the caucuses, the primary process can produce both pledged and unpledged convention delegates, depending on the party rules of the various states.

Source

GVG
~we're the warriors they write epics about~

THE OBAMA SPEECH FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP?

Below is a conversation that occurred between a friend and me last night right after the Obama Victory speech shown above after his historic win in the Iowa primary. This may or may not become the basis for my latest blog. If I can take some time to stop reading that reckless shit Republican Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll said here in reference to New Jersey “apologizing” for their history of slavery.

From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 3, 2008 11:12 PM


www.cnn.com

If you get this now, the victory speech is on CNN. Tune in!!!!

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 8:31 PM


Watching and reading all the feeds online now. People are blowing up my phone, text, and E-mail over this. I might have a blog coming tomorrow that’s going to piss you all the fuck off. LOL

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 3, 2008 11:35 PM


Hey never said I was def voting for him. I'm just spitting out current news, lol. I see you’re not a fan eh?

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 8:56 PM


Not that I’m not a fan, just that I don’t believe. This is a direct quote from one of the CNN political analyst just now in reference to Barack Obama’s speech “There were echoes of Martin Luther King in that speech.” WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN??!!! NOW WE HAVE WHITE PEOPLE COMPARING THIS DUDE TO CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!!! However, with all that being said I still don’t wake up in cold sweats thinking about him in the white house like I do Hillary “smiling in your face, stabbing you in the back, while killing your cat” Clinton.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:00 AM


Good point. He does radiate that whole, "let my people go" aura. Folks feel they can relate to him, have a real convo. You don't really get that with Hill, but she is a business woman. This we know. John Edwards was second, so Hill has a double defeat.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 9:11 PM


Honestly and also another point I’m bouncing around on what would be the blog if I wrote it is I think this was a strategic move on the Clintons part. They are scared out of their minds that democrats and independants are going to stay home because they believe there’s no chance in hell Hillary can lose the primary to a black man. No matter how fair skinned, cute, well behaved, and well spoken he is.

The Clinton political machine want to scare them dems out of their seats. They want to show them “Hey, this nigger has a chance. Get the fuck off your ass now for the primaries and on general election day or we’re fucked for another four years” She’s giving them just what they need to do what her campaign needs done.

Same shit Bush did with the far right with abortion and same sex marriage to mobilize their vote. They didn’t go after swing voters, they went after non voters. Get those old school mothafuckas out and you can take this. There is no switching of sides to them there for their party and their meat and potatoes beliefs, but just believe their party isn’t enough for them. Watch what happens in New Hampshire. Iowa is just the beginning of a very very long fight.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:15 AM


True indeed. Do I think he's gonna ultimately beat her? Nope. But it makes for better TV.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:40 PM

Now on that point my friend we agree. I love seeing them sweat and shit their pants.

The end

*Editors note: I’m voting for Obama. Just want to believe in my vote for once.

The realest thing said so far about Obama's win in Iowa last night

Another great video post from Jay Smooth @ www.Illdoctrine.com



Agree or Disagree?

Give me your whose/why/ and what fors here

You have to speak (write) to be heard (read). You get what I mean.

GVG
~asking some questions no one wants to answer~

La Chaim and all that Good stuff: The New Years Eve - New Years Day recap

Living through one of the best 48 hours of my life and the way I’m feeling right now as I play Jay Z’s “Roc boys” it seems like it’s going for the 72 hour mark. IT'S A FUCKING CELEBRATION BITCHES! LE CHAIM!!!

I was having a conversation with a friend a few days prior to NYE and discussing our tentative plans for the big 07 send off and she said the most amazing thing to me.

“NYE is cool, for me it's more spiritual and I learned long ago that you can't put a lot on it or it'll be notoriously wack.”

I lived by those words this year and allowed whatever was meant to happen to happen and up until 5:30pm on the day of new years eve I had NO idea what my Who/What/When/Where’s were going to be for the night. A call from my homegirl D a min later and the games were on! I’m not going into a bunch of details, but I’ll give you some highlights.

• Limited edition Haitian rum

• Greatest soul food ever

• I saw stars then took them home for myself

• Pinky rings and cashmere

• The stroke of midnight with 30 gorgeous, perky, tipsy, and friendly black women and I’m one of only 4 guys in the house. That was the moment the tear came down my cheek and I was asked if I was ok. Looking into the sky and the only response I could get out was “This is the greatest night of my life!!!”

• A booty poppin tutorial with above mention 30 women against an all mirrored wall. (DUDE! I CAN’T MAKE SHIT LIKE THAT UP!!!)

• Walking in the streets looking for a cab with 20 of the women from the booty poppin tuturial masters class to hit the next BK house party hot spot with a huge cup of the best drink I’ve ever mixed and not getting a ticket

• Finding the next house party by following the sound of the DJ screaming on the mic “IS BROOKLYN IN THE HOUSE???!!!!”

• Wall sweating house party

• Soca. Roc Boys. The Good Life. The music that makes you raise your hands in the air, close your eyes, scream out the lyrics, and appreciate every blessing you have in this world and having a great soundtrack to live it to

• Watching your friend do her Baltimore Go Go dancing like she still 20 and her knees making it VERY clear to her that she's a grown ass woman. COMEDY!!! D. You too old for that shit. I love you for trying though.

• A basement filled wall to wall with empty bottles of Patron, Grey Goose, champagne, and much much much more liquor

• Patron shots at 4:30am

• Sitting on the steps with your friends (A.K.A. the cafeteria at the cool kids table. You had to be there) drinking Veuve Clicquot straight from the bottle because it’s 5am and we just don’t give a fuck about decorum

• Texting all your friends "I'M SSSSSOOOOOOO DRUNK RIGHT NOW!!!! HAPPY FUCKING NEW YEAR!!!!" at about 5:30 in the morning when you’re not really that drunk but realizing "I'M KIND OF NICE RIGHT NOW. HAPPY NEW YEAR." just doesn’t have the same je ne sais que to it

• Being that nice at 5:30 in the morning in the middle of a slamming party and texting all your friends and family because you wish they were there enjoying it with you (I guess this one wasn’t really a highlight. I sensitive. I LOVE YA SUCKAS!)

• Eating the greatest soul food left overs at 7am while doing the sleepy/tipsy headnod with each bite

• New Years day drinking lychee rum punch at a brunch/lunch (being too lazy to wake up early enough for eggs)while we have the most amazing south african food with the comedy that can only come from sitting at a table tipsy at 4pm with your friends

• Bottles of Ethiopian honey wine made special just for you and your friends to continue the party

• Continuing the drinking all day and night until 2am the next day

• No hangovers

• Going to work the next day and being brilliant, vibrant, and on point

Yep, that basically sums it up. WHAT YOUR NEW YEARS LOOK LIKE?!?!!!

P.S. I get to say Le Chaim and not look crazy in the street. Yiddish is part of my NY vocab, I didn't know Oy Vey wasn't a common English expression until I was in fourth grade and transferred to an all black prep school. (LONG STORY. LOL)

LIVE EVERY DAY LIKE YOU MEAN IT!!!!

GVG
~ridin this shit out to the end~

UPDATE

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO CLOSE IT OUT.

GET YOUR RED LIGHT SWAGGER RIGHT FOR 08