LA in NY and the City

Main Street - Mamaroneck, NY

Went to visit sister Lori and Pete at their new home in Mamaroneck, NY. They moved up a few months ago for Pete's work at Hitachi Metals. They bought a "butt ugly" home in this little harbor town and we were all kind of scratching our heads at their descriptions of how awful the house was.
The Butt Ugly House.... and look at their nasty expressions.
They are working on making it not so butt ugly and making good progress with some big bumps though - gas leaks and such....but once you are there and see the location and quality of life it becomes very clear why they made this choice. They've fixed up several rooms and made it a very comfortable, cool and cozy home. Course they haven't been through a winter yet!

Pete works in a beautiful building in White Plains and has a mack daddy office!
Lori just got a killer job at Sotheby's Institute of Art with an office right smack in the middle of midtown Manhattan. She works with great people and for a stellar organization.
The original RCA building is herald as one of the most beautiful art deco buildings in the city.

More on the Building

Lori's attitude about life has changed greatly as you can imagine...(notice the smile on her face)
She commutes each morning by taking a short walk to the train station and then a 30 minute very pleasant ride into Grand Central where she walks a few blocks to her office.
The park with the train station just ahead.
Mamaroneck is quintessential Americana with a lively Main Street complete with a fresh Italian pasta store, meat market, cookie bakery, restaurants, barber and other ethnic specialty stores.



It is topped off by the most lovely harbor and park. All within about a 15 minute walk from their butt ugly house.


On our first walk to the house from the train station I was a little worried that we appeared to be in the hood with the ethnicity looking entirely Hispanic and several gatherings of young men wearing hoodys....
but then it quickly felt like just another neighborhood with families and elders, churches and markets with their doors open, people shopping, smiling and living.
On our walk into town we ran into their next door neighbors, a sweet Italian couple.


One of the highlights was going into the city Saturday night to see the Broadway show Fela!,
a musical about Nigerian, Fela Kuti. It won several Tony awards and is a very hot show these days. Blew me away. West African meets pop meets Jazz meets funk! LOVED IT! The drumming and dancing felt authentic and it caught me up for sure.


Just before we left to go to the show Lori and I were looking at the cast info and I saw the name Ismeal Kouyate which is a common West African name and the name of my dance teacher that I took lessons from in Conakry, Guinea as well as a featured artist in my doc
Boloba. He is the one singing in the open of this excerpt.
We called him Bonfise when I was in Africa.
Sure enough his picture was in there and I was very excited to see that he had a pretty major dance role in the show!
The show was awesome and even though we were up in the mezzanine I could spot him right away. Loved the show, the drumming, music and dancing - the visuals of scenes being projected. I was determined to say hello to Bonfise after the show not knowing if he'd remember me.
I asked an usher what was the best way to say hello to a cast member and she told me where the stage door exit was and that I should tell the doorman there and he would tell him. Went to the stage door - nobody was there then a guy came out and I told him I wanted to say hello to Ismeal and he said "What's your name?" and I told him "Fanta Dumbiya", my African name. When you go to Africa - the Africans will usually give you an African name. He said to wait there and he would go see. After a couple of minutes two men walked in the stage door and I thought - what the hell and just followed them in and climbed a few stairs where some cast members with chatting. I asked about Ismeal and they said he was probably on the 6th floor. They did not share my enthusiasm of the moment and looked annoyed that I was there.
I was an intruder.
I was about to climb the stairs and the door manager along with a security guard came through the door and said "mam, you are not suppose to be here you need to come with me!" and the door manager said "I told you to wait outside" they were pissed. I said "I'm really sorry - so sorry - of course - I'm leaving" and he escorted me out and said "now you are gonna have to wait behind the barricade." So I slink out and Lori, Peter, Ted and Deborah are standing there laughing at me and I'm telling em what happened and I'm feeling pretty stupid then somebody said " Is that him?" I turned and saw his smiling face and ran up and gave him a big hug and said "Bonfise! How are you! do you remember me?" He said "Yes! Fanta! Fanta Dumbiya!" and we chatted about old times and friends, exchanged numbers...It was sweet. He's called me a couple of times and wants to come to SC - do some dance classes.
I knew when I met him in 2002ish that he was phenomenal and could really go places with the right opportunities. He left Guinea at the right time I guess. So glad to see he is working and in one of the hottest shows on Broadway!

Hootie Tribute

Great time at the Hootie tribute in 5 Points.
Oh Look the mayor IS talking to the media!

The artist and the boys in the band.

Darryl Izzard, Benedict's choir director and Les Hall rehearse before presentation.

Harriott and Tommy in the VIP reception.




Travis after a hard day's work.

I had a blast working for Merritt and the 5-Points Merchants for this event. Having an all access pass got me in the right spots for a behind the scenes and a front row look at this very entertaining evening!

Empty Nest

Denise, Molly and Tom with his empty nest dessert.

Although my baby is off at school now and I certainly miss her there are advantages....

The house is empty but its clean! I have to say it feels fine.


Sister Lori painted Kellane's room (not colors you see here) which will be the new international headquarters of LA Kornegay, Media Productions.

When my child goes away

I suppose every parent that finds themselves pondering their kids leaving home at some point starts realizing all the things that will change suddenly and perhaps all the things they did wrong.
I've starting going through this long list of things I wish I'd done different or just things I wish I had done or maybe not done.
Should have cooked more meals
Should have eaten said meals at table and not in front of TV
Should have made her fathers be more involved
Should have found a better male role model she could look up to
Should have not let her sleep so late
Should have not let her stay out so late
Should have not given her money when she asked sometimes
Should have gone over budgets and expenses better
Should have traveled with her more
Should have shared my spiritual beliefs better
Should have made her keep playing piano and balafon
Should have taught her more about kindness
Should have made her clean up more after herself
Should have explained how boys and men are mainly interested in one thing without dissing the whole lot of em
Should have explained how girls can be very cruel
Should have made more opportunities for her to know her cousins that live in other places
Should a would a could a...

I'm quite sure I did some things right but they are not coming to me at this moment......

I'm just gonna pretend she is away at camp for a while.

I've heard from several people that I will "LOVE" it when I become an empty nester.
This may be more true for people that are married or in relationships. Right now it just feels like I'll be more alone than ever.
poor me :(
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
OK - I'll think of the positives..
I won't have someone living in the house that talks back and is at times a major smartass
I won't have to hear "Mom, I'm not stupid!!" in one breath and "Mom, why won't you help me?!" in another
I won't have to think about what someone else wants to eat.
I won't have to pick up after someone else
I won't have to clean the toothpaste out of the sink
I won't have to use liquid plumber regularly to clean the cut hair out of the sink
I won't have to stay up wondering what time the said teen will be home
I won't have to hand out $20 to ensure that said teen will get out of house and not be bored
I won't have to loan out my car or have my gas being run out of car
I won't have to get into my car after teen drives it and turn down the music at full volume
I won't have to explain again that it is my car and I pick the music
I won't have to explain that it is my house and my rules

Oh but I will miss
the sweet sleeping baby girl with her blankee
the laughter
the dancing in the kitchen w friends
her friends coming over
the hugs
taking care of a vulnerable sick child
"I'm home mommy"
the genuine inquiries
having dinner out and just talking for real
playing with the dogs
walking to my moms for Sunday lunch
going to hear music
traveling to different places
finding a song we both like
having her friends over for parties
seeing her art
looking at her work
seeing her happy
having her tell me something she did that day
just knowing she is here in the house

The Start of 50 plus

My bird ready to take flight?

Rocio's going away dinner


NDD & Luke Quaranta!

Milestones

My mother's notes about me as a child. (obviously)
Pretty entertaining and mom pretty much had me pegged from the get go.

In a few days I'll turn 50. In a few weeks my daughter leaves home for college. In a few months I'll celebrate 10 years of being on my own in business. In a few years.....who the freak knows...

Turning 50 is fine with me. It is the number of years I have been in this life. 50 years of life in South Carolina, except for a brief summer of working in Charlotte at a hippie moving company.
50 summers of going to the beach, 50 years of birthdays, holidays and family. 50 years that included: college, work, 2 marriages, 2 divorces, unsuccessful relationships, a child, deaths young and old, working for myself, performing with several groups from the church choir to a West African drum and dance ensemble, establishing or running programs, events, teaching.... I'm just gushing with self importance here....not.
When I look back though it feels like just yesterday I was an 11 year old walking to school on the first day of integration or the 20 some odd years ago spent in a whirlwind, high powered ad agency.
Been some tough times -(its all relative) being alone and pregnant, raising a child as a single parent, hurtful marriages and break ups, friends that end up not really being friends, making really stupid and wrong choices, working too many hours and burning the candle at both ends....
I am ashamed to even say "tough times" when comparing to so many others I have come in contact with let alone the millions on this earth that have had so much tougher and graver experiences than poor little me. From the war ravaged or poverty stricken families I've met in Africa to folks that have lived abusive lives across the street from me...... I really got it so good.
I have been blessed with a connection to something spiritually larger than life, a strong, loving, supportive family, a healthy child that is responsible, smart and creative, opportunities for work in a field that I love, good health, great home and several wonderful friends that I've built relationships with for more than 25 years. Although building new friendships is essential for me to feel like things are always moving forward, changing and growing - it is my long lasting friendships that sustain me and remind me how love, devotion and honesty are keys to feeling fulfilled in a genuine bond with another human.
As I round this corner of a half century and as my baby girl ventures out herself to another leg of her life - I'm completely thankful for what surrounds me and excited about all of life's possibilities.

Here's to milestones!

Luke Quaranta returns for workshop and performance!

July 28th Luke Quaranta from Asheville's Toubab Krewe returns to Columbia for drum workshops and performance.
What a great way to spend my 50th birthday!

What's Love Fest 2010

What's Love Fest 2010 - Another Valentines

Izms of Art , Cedric & Mustafa at What's Love closing on Sunday.

Danielle Howle serenades the crowd while Unbound dances on and in the box.




Tony & Gene in Penthouse Playhouse
Betsy Newman and her installation.
Billy Guess's Best of Show Doors with peepholes.

Another notch in the belt of What's Love event.
Great crowd. Great entertainment.
Course my real reason for putting this on is certainly not for the money (after expenses were paid about $2 an hour each) and not for the exposure (its hard to remember the names of people I've known for years...) but because I've gotten tired if sitting home on Valentines and watching the love stories of other people or hearing about the flowers or special treats or great evenings planned from people that have dates or husbands or boyfriends....
I know - WAAAAA WAAAA ...
But hosting a party of hundreds along with some very talented and entertaining people does tend to take your mind off of it!

This year really pushed my limits of what I'd consider decent, vulgar and sexy and sensual. Never really wanted to take it too far over the top - just sort of suggest it....
I've thought a lot about what exactly is this event trying to do, trying to say. What do I want it to say? What the heck has LOVE got to do with it?
I just want people to be entertained , to make them think about how sex, sensuality and love relate and how it is perceived so differently by so many. Art on the walls, performance, music and installations - what a great way to spend a night.

Alejandro Garcia created a piece that he decided not to show. When he told me about it my gut was - holy shit (no pun intended) - that's gonna piss a lot of people off....my next thought was that it was incredibly clever, genius even and it had to be done....I was with him when he started making it along with Britt. He had taken several bible covers and cut them into 4 inch strips that showed "The Holy Bible", "New Testament" , "God's Word" and so forth. With small grommets in each corner of the strip he tied them together to make a Bible Belt, more specifically a man's chastity belt.
Brilliant and blasphemous all at the same time. An incredible commentary on Christianity's role in suppressing sexuality for homosexuals as well as heterosexuals. God's word locking in the genitalia, repressing the very organ that is the tool for reproducing life, bringing orgasmic pleasure, performing the most natural act of love... of passion. Although passion can some times be mistaken for love - it is the very juice that makes us feel alive, that drives our thirst for connection and creation.
It really scared me. It scared me because of how much it would offend some and even offended me at first a little. But when I thought about it more - I felt like it actually taught me a little about myself. When I mentioned to Alejandro how it would offend some folks - he said "Do you have any idea how many times I've been offended by people trying to force their religious beliefs on me?" Good point.
I've taken for granted this offense - that people should just brush off the assault of hardcore religious fanatics - especially Christians in the south. Myself - I sit with my family on countless occasions while they pray and pontificate their hopes and blessings to God out loud mostly before meals. This has always been ok to me because I totally believe in God - a higher power - a connectivity that is unexplainable, a supreme energy that is love and joy and good....almighty even. I don't however follow the same notions, beliefs and practices of my Presbyterian family and become more uncomfortable as I grow older to sit quietly holding hands as classic statements to "Father" are whispered up. I believe prayer is a private thing. I believe blessings are a wonderful way to be thankful and to wish well to others but as my daughter Kellane exclaimed after a particular long round table of prayers from family "why don't they just say those things to each other?" Yes. Indeed. Now that would be meaningful but I guess perhaps too hard, too personal....
Anyhooo - The Bible Belt did not get shown. In the end it was decided that it was just too much for Columbia, SC. I would argue that the crowd that came to the What's Love Fest would not have been offended or shocked, they come because they want to see things outrageous, sexy but such as it was.....
Alejandro did however show is Argentine Affair painting of Mark Sanford holding his heart and weeping for his lover....


Another thing that freaked me out was Wade Seller's Penthouse Playhouse. Graphic language,
silhouetted simulated sex......OMG. What would people think? Well - it was hilarious, campy and everyone loved it. With professional actors and Wade's wit - it was fun to just be entertained and laugh at things we have all certainly at least thought about...
Vicki Henderson from Penthouse Playhouse - n the green room.
Nick Wilson mans the Half n Half booth.

Ashley and Courtney from Sid & Nancy - one of our sponsors.

Molly Harrell (her photos on wall in background) taking home some bananas.



On the very lovely and sweet side - Melinda Register's photos of a "mature" couple kissing reminds us that love and passion transcend youth. And one of my favorites - Shannon Purvis's drawings that included a bee drenched in honey and a buzzard that had shaped a heart of roadkill intestines as a gift to its mate. Now that is love.

Billy Guess explored the naughty voyeuristic side with his doors. A wall of doors that required you to look through the keyhole where you'd see pent up girls pics with twinkling lights as nipples, some objects that are used in ways I can't mention and a shelf of books on sex tips and such.
There were 12 or so to look through. He really pulled it off well and it was a hit in the show.
His banana post was impressive as well. Dozens of bananas with penis drawings on them.
We took the leftovers to Oliver Gospel mission where they got a laugh out of it.

The music was sexy - Krajewski with his Jim Morrison way, Danielle crooning love songs and Les Paramours so suave and tight. I am so glad I got to dance a few songs at the end.


Aaron & Grant put a smile on my face with their MC routines. At one point I was at the stage looking for them to make an announcement but didn't see them till someone pointed out that they were the two ugly women sitting off to the side...I think they made about 5 costume changes...With very little direction they kept things moving easily.


Loved working with Danny of Black Tie. His professionalism and crew set my mind at ease.
I'd work with them again in a skinny second.
Izms & Mike Dixon look at some of his work on Sunday.

Shannon Purvis on Sunday looking beautiful!



WHEW. I'm glad to get through it another year. It really does exhaust me both physically and mentally. I woke up many nights thinking what in the world am I doing this for, what will my mother and client's think - why I am spending so much energy on something that is purely just for entertainment, for artists to get out there and do something a little different for this stronghold of the bible belt...The biggest reason I think this year was the fun of working with artists and friends that push my limits, that challenge me to think about my values, ideals and philosophies and that I can just laugh out loud over the zaniness of it all. Oh and cause I don't wanna sit home on Valentines.....

What's Love Got to do with It?