There are so many September birthdays that I must start off by wishing you all the very best for the coming year, beginning on Sept. 1 with Lisa Dale, Sept. 3 with Paula Battle and Paul Raiffasin, Shirley Scott on Sept. 5, Bert Belasco and Deloris Coombs on Sept. 6, Kevin Smiley on Sept. 8, Michael Dutton on Sept. 9, Wilamenia Billie Holliday-Hayes on Sept. 10, Julia Mitchell on Sept. 13, Carol Chaoui on Sept. 15, Brad Johnson on Sept. 17, Nina DeWees on Sept. 26, Gwynn Wilcox on Sept. 30 and many more.
Congratulations to Arianna Holms, who is attending grad school at Howard University. Passing up Pepperdine University in Malibu, Fla., Holms decided to stay a little closer to home, and mom and dad, Thelma Dye and Carlton Holms, are happy.
Next up on the hit parade is Harlem Garage. Part of the new age way of thinking and doing business, Harlem Garage, located at 318 W. 118th St., is a 5,000-square-foot, converted garage, renovated to serve freelance and budding entrepreneurs or anyone looking for space to do their thing. A desk, Wi-Fi, kitchen privileges and access to the conference room are available for as low as $300 per month.
Shared office space is the latest trend in business downtown that has finally worked its way uptown. The great thing about this sort of arrangement is that it allows you to mingle with others of various trades and share ideas and services while you engage in your own pursuits. The low overhead cost and limited commitment make this a very attractive option to those operating on a small budget.
The Harlem Garage is a joint venture between MicroOffice, a provider of co-working spaces, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, with Ryan Young acting as Harlem Garage’s community coordinator. Currently, there are only 50 desks available at this spot, but I’m sure the idea will catch on like wildfire.
Condolences to the family of Al Hudgins Sr., who died of pneumonia. A memorial service was held at Aaron Davis Hall, where all those who knew and loved him were in attendance. Condolences to the family of James Perkins, who has also recently passed. Prayers also go out to Sheila Evans Trainer, whose sister, Sandra Evans, is in the intensive care unit, suffering from pancreatic cancer.
This week’s raspberry award has to go to the Chase Bank at 125th Street between Lenox and Fifth avenues. While I was fortunate enough to have been able to make a deposit, I found myself having to count my money several times before getting an accurate amount. The distraction was the music, which should be called anything but that. And if that wasn’t enough, it was playing at an incredibly loud volume. After finally getting the amount right and feeling embarrassed because it should have been a 30 second task, I finally made my deposit.
Upon turning to leave, there was no way I was just going to pass by the representative sitting at the information desk without saying something. “Excuse me,” I asked, “but has anyone complained about the music being played and how distracting it is?”
After taking a second to fully comprehend the seriousness of my question, she replied, “No.”
I thought this was really depressing because if no one other than myself had been aware of the songstress who was screaming her lungs out, it can only signal one thing: People are slowly acquiescing to a robotic state of mind. In other words, are we slowly turning into a society that hears no evil, sees no evil and feels no evil? The question then becomes, are we alive or do we merely exist?
On the other hand, while I was at Staples on Sunday, the day before school started, I was stuck standing on the longest line I’ve ever stood on since my mother use to take me to the Easter show at Radio City Music Hall (where the line used to wrap around the block), and I couldn’t have made it if they weren’t rocking the box. Having gone to the store for only some pencils and two other small items, I had no idea all the school kids would be there, preparing for the start of the new school year. Wow.
It was good to be among those so eager to be prepared for the first day back, but had I any idea that the line would wrap around to the back of the store, I would have waited until the following week. There was one song that was playing that, dare I say, mesmerized me into getting on line, only to be followed by another, which is why I stayed. Before I knew it, I was committed. However, song after song kept me patiently bopping ever so slightly to the beat until at one point, I was ready to throw down right in the middle of the aisle. After having gotten my groove on, I took some deep breaths and repeated my mantra until I was finally at the register.
The sales girl, ever so courteous, was in a trance all of her own as if she was definitely in survival mode; it had obviously been a long day. She was patient with me, even after I failed to present my Staples reward card, causing her to have to look up every name and alias I’ve ever used in order to bring up my Staples reward card account. There was success at last, she smiled and I finished with my purchase. Boy, was I ever glad to get out of there—but wait, not before that one last song.
While the kids are back to school and everyone has gotten over their summer hangover, the Multicultural Audience Development Initiative Committee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is gearing up for the annual Multicultural Gala on Monday, Sept. 23. Honorees will include Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Cookie Johnson, Estrellita Brodsky, Buffy Sainte-Marie and the Sau-Wing Lam Family. The media sponsor of the event is Ebony magazine. The evening will consist of cocktails at 6:30 p.m., a viewing of the American Wing and dinner at 7:30 p.m., with a dance party to immediately follow. Attire is black tie. More to come on this event, my lovelies, more to come.
Until next week … kisses