PATRICKRILEYHEADSHOT2.JPGWELCOME to "The Life of Riley" which will include periodic chronicles of pop culture and possibilities that flow out of Patrick L. Riley's day. That's me!!! Through blogging (and soon some other technological features on which I'll keep you posted as they launch), I will pull experiences from my busy life to entertain and inspire all of you. Through this site, I will share my observations and insights. 

Some features to look forward to:

1.) "PATRICK'S POP UP(DATES)" will feature stories from pop culture, music, theater, fashion, and the entertainment industry at large. 

2.) "The Life of Riley" will also introduce a "take-a-look-at-your-life" section (READ: sort of an advice column), where I will help readers come up with their own questions and answers around what "ways of being" are working (or not working) to have them acheive their respective goals and live their best lives. This section is called "WHO YOU BE?".

3.) Additonally, there will be a free-flowing, organic section called "TESTIFY" from which I will pull from my own life's journey to share and hopefully inspire. Some of the fare may be new musings and experiences. Other times, I may pull from my journals and past sharings to shed light on some uncomfortable truths that I've experienced and that may perhaps play a role in healing someone else's wounds as the real-life experience did for me. From my experience of covering 9/11 as a freelance journalist to courageously coming out (as gay) to my family, "TESTIFY" promises to move those who choose to read it.

4.) And a section titled "PR" (like my initials, but also like "public relations") will include press clips from any coverage I get. 

5.) And anytime pictures or video can support an entry (in the blog, and perhaps in the subsequent podcasts, my space, and website), those visuals will keep things aesthetically enrolling. That section will be called "MY TUBE".
PLAYING TO THE POP IN POSSIBILITIES!
Patrick L. Riley

 

Entries in AGBroadway (1)

grace is amazing


DA BOSS

Everybody KNOWS Diana Ross' THE BOSS is my FAVORITE!

And we MUST DO #THEBOSS with the #THEBOSSCHOIR every week at Billie's Black​ presents ALL STAR KARAOKE with Patrick L. Riley​ at Billie's Black Gourmet Soul​ --- EVERY TUESDAY! Even got my nephew's mom/friend Felecia Roberts to join in on the fun as she visits from our hometown of Savannah, GA: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/vb.662073736/10153126723338737/?type=3&theater. MUCH LOVE, FE! And FOLKS! with ONE MORE TO GO, WHO WILL JOIN US NEXT WEEK for #THEBOSS choir!? Reservations highly recommended or swing through and TOAST with us for a MOMENT! It's ALWAYS A BLAST! And we'll be back in the FALL and may be POPPIN' UP around TOWN and maybe somewhere out there! AS ALWAYS, THANKS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU WHO PLAY A PART – including designer B. Michael (and his business partner and husband Mark-Anthony Edwards) for stepping into our room for the first time… WHAT A BLAST!

DA BUTT

THIS PAST TUESDAY was NEXT LEVEL! WASHINGTON DC brought GO GO music to LIFE! Morehouse man Spike Lee brought GO GO music to the world via his 1988 film School Daze. Howard’s own Carla Bone’s BFF Donna Kirkland – along with the capture by her fellow CAU alum Derrick Hemphill – created ‪#‎DABUTT MANIA when this song was selected at our 2nd to the last Tuesday of the SPRING 2015 SERIES of Billie’s Black presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley. The room ERUPTED with C.A.U., Morehouse, Spelman, Howard and all the the HBCU's representing when the EU classic was chosen! OMG! LOL! https://youtu.be/YjmBDlevexQ.

DA LAST TUESDAY

ONE MORE TUESDAY LEFT: Tuesday, July 14th! And if you plan to do more than a “drive by”, RESERVATIONS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: 212.280.2248. All Star Karaoke is a weekly karaoke series in Harlem, NY that I host in Harlem, NY! My blog, A DAY IN THE LIFE OF RILEY can be found at http://bit.ly/lor_blog.  ‪#‎BILLIESBLACK#ALLSTARKARAOKE #DABUTT ‪#‎DABUTTCHOIR#THEBOSSCHOIR ‪#‎THEBOSS ‪#‎thevoice ‪#‎teamkimberlynichole‪#‎schooldaze

DA PLANE

Speaking of Miss Jessie’s and their continued support of BILLIE’S BLACK presents ALL STAR KARAOKE with PATRICK L. RILEY and LIFE OF RILEY, I must note how appreciative our ALL STAR KARAOKE FAITHFULS are for the weekly giveaways. And the SWAG bags she provides everyone who walks through the door! Along with other integrations we've been able to execute with RILEY LAND GOURMET PANTRY, HENDRICKS GIN, and MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, MISS JESSIE'S has been our MAIN SPONSORSHIP DIVA - in the cut for our folks... and letting us wrap our arms around her from time to time as she's been inside a grueling year of personal losses; major professional gains; and a major book release and tour:Miss Jessie's: Creating a Successful Business from Scratch---Naturally. And - sometimes - you just want to sing some karaoke... and we do! LOL! #THEBOSS of course:

https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/vb.662073736/10152964609513737/?type=3&theater! LOL!

Though LIFE OF RILEY can be FAB, it only beats one booking and one check at a time, so when folks in my life are the difference to me (as I aim to be for so many), I have to SHOUT it out! SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to MY FRIEND, Miss Jessie's Founder Miko Branch and Miss Jessie's for SPONSORING ME to attend this year’s National Association of Black Journalists’ Convention – a bit of an off-shoot of my “Harlem open mic night” as I’ve been invited to HOST “#NABJ40 Night at the Apollo” (but it’s in MINNEAPOLIS on Opening Night of the Convention in August). Everyone knows NABJ is "my annual therapy". And my "annual therapy" is about to meet my "daily therapy" (karaoke) at the pass. LOL!  The release reads: "Battle it out on stage with your fellow NABJ members as you compete in the ULTIMATE Apollo talent competition hosted by none other than Patrick L. Riley! Bring your costumes, props, and song choice to the convention center after the opening reception. Solos, duets, and group performances are welcome! Become the 2015 #NABJ40 Apollo Night Champion!" If my NABJ fam is registered for the convention, coming, and going to be there and want to get in on the fun, PLEASE FILL THIS OUT and SUBMIT: https://thenabj.wufoo.com/forms/q1dixmwj177j5go/. #NABJ is a FAMILY REUNION and ALWAYS a good time! See LIFE OF RILEY's capture of NABJ over the years: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/tag/nabj. Once-NABJ “Emerging Journalists of the Year” Michael Feeney (NYABJ President); dear friend Mara Schiavocampo (GMA Correspondent); NBC4 Anchor Shiba Russell (and the NBC 4 crew); and one of Ant's and my favorite couples Nikita Stewart Henderson (New York Times) and consultant Brian Henderson frequent our night! Also, NABJ President Will Sutton and NABJ's own Garry Howard brought their Dow Jones Business Reporting Internship students out. And they came two Tuesdays in a row at this Spring 2015's "Billie's Black presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley". So, I’m excited to bring KARAOKE to NABJ! And to see what our FABULOUS MEMBERS are going to sing! #WEAREFAMILY 


DA GRACE

Broadway marketing/audience consultant SUPREME, Marcia Pendelton​! THANK YOU! WHAT AN AWESOME MUSICAL! Something ALL will want to experience when it OPENS next Wednesday! Anthony Harper​, Derrick Hemphill​, Herman Lee Riley III, Felecia Roberts​, RU, and I LOVED Amazing Grace, the musical. It stars Chuck Cooper. He's a Broadway legend! AND IS JUST AWESOME in this musical!I got to share the stage in Project1voice​'s Amen Corner​ by James Baldwin​: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2012/6/29/impossible-inevitable.html. My friend Charles E Wallace​ is also in it...and STUNS! The whole cast is AMAZING! But friend Charles Wallace does bring something special into the equation. He'll be understudying for Chuck Cooper as well. A MUST SEE!  #AGBROADWAY #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack