"... AND YOU TOO, WILONA!" ("LOOKER")
Anthony and I had a good weekend. We ran into a host of mutual friends and associates at The Pink Tea Cup in The Village on Sunday, for example. The Pink Tea Cup used to be my SPOT on any given day of the week, when I first moved here. With its down home menu and food that tastes like home, I would always find comfort there. So nice, as we broke bread with our peeps, to re-live that cuisine on my palette. (www.thepinkteacup.com/)
On another night, we did "happy hour" with our friends Jason, Marqice, Marlynn, Trevor, and Theo at Mexican restaurant (in The Village) (http://www.maracasnyc.com/). This, before a lovely dinner of Italian cuisine way uptown in Washington Heights Il Sole (http://www.ilsolenyc.com/). Friends Carl and Craig joined us there. (Craig would invite us to a "white party" that he, Anthony, Jason, Marqice, and I attended on Saturday night. It was a lot of fun!)
But I was most excited at the time we spent Friday evening at my favorite boutique N (www.nharlemnewyork.com/), a location that Terrance Russ (Chairman,President,CEO
The Russ Group of Companies) says he chose from reading "A Day in the Life of Riley: Pop Culture & Possibilities". He chose this uptown backdrop as the setting for a party he was throwing for actor, author, motion picture director Stanley Bennett Clay, whose hot new novel "Looker" (Simon and
Schuster) is - if my first glimpse of its text is a gauge - "the hot summer read of 2007". 
Mr. Clay too is a singer and songwriter, who has contributed to Ashford & Simpon's songs for the musical staging of "Invisible Life", which I've referenced in previous entries. (He and Russ are also recording a "Looker" companion album of R&B, contempoary gospel, and house music album on which Mr. Russ says I may have the chance to flex my vocal muscles, which would be a cool experience.). 
Mr. Clay has won many awards for his acting; directing stage and film; and has branded himself many ways over his years in the business. But I'm fond to tell that he was in an episode of "Good Times" in which he ran against alderman Davis ("... and you too, Wilona..."). As a big fan of the show, that distinction goes a long way with me. Meanwhile, to learn more about the book and Mr. Clay, go to: www.simonsays.com/content/destination.cfm?tab=1&pid=484697
Mr. Clay was so gracious, kind, and friendly at the party as was Mr. Terrance who I had only met electronically via many text messages. It was nice to finally meet him in person. 
And the hostess, screenwriter Tina Andrews (www.tinaandrews.com) was so present and cool. She remembered I interviewed her in the late '90s at a point where she had just completed the screenplay to "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" and was poised to begin work on "Dreamgirls", which at the time was in development at Warner Films. She hipped me to what she's currently working on, including an animated internet series on www.urbanentertainment.com ("Sistas 'N' the City") and a non-fiction book that chronicles her journey to get a mini-series produced on Sally Hemmings. It's called "Sally Hemmings An American Scandal: The Struggle To Tell The Controversial True Story". Miss Andrews and I then realized we had another friend in common: Miss Deborah Gregory, who was also in attendance. She is the creator and author of "Cheetah Girls" - the original book (http://www.cheetahrama.com/) and ever-the entrepreneur, she has many other things she sells, including her "fierce accessories" - like "Mahogany" and "Dreamgirls" business card holders - recent gifts to me from my Theo and Carl respectively.
A great time was had by all and what a perfect way to start the weekend. 
THE LIFE OF RILEY
in TESTIFY/PATRICK'S POP UP(DATES)
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