A Day In "The Life Of Riley"

WELCOME 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 DDrums Along The Hudson (1)

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Finale

COMING OFF OF A THREE-DAY WEEKEND into THE EXTENDED GRAND FINALE of #MOTOWNMAY from 7P until AROUND-MIDNIGHT at “Billie’s Black Presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley”!

LIFE OF RILEY needs a BREAK! LOL! But no time this week! Well, Ant and our family of friends did find some time to trek down to Metutchen, NJ for our “annual karaoke bash” that friends Danielle and Bernard host so generously at their beautiful home! Thanks guys!

BUT FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE AT OUR MEMORIAL DAY FETE AND MY ALL STAR KARAOKE FAITHFULS? PLEASE JOIN US TONIGHT as our TOP 6 from MOTOWN MAY perform (in the 11p hour after some of the “Motown: The Musical” cast-members wrap their Broadway show and hop uptown to Billie’s Black!). The GRAND FINALE winner will win the opportunity to attend – AND SING - in one June installment of the Broadway show with “the Diana Ross character” from Motown the Musical. Plus, DINNER FOR TWO at BILLIE’S BLACK – ALL during BLACK MUSIC MONTH!

LAST WEEK, OUR ALL STARS included: my friend and NABJ brother Don Champion, reporter for CBS 2. He brought NBC 4 anchor Shiba Russell and a host of other journalist buddies – all of whom enjoyed the night, even performing as a group to the tunes of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” and “Drunk in Love”. Don and Shiba also did a BRILLIANT “Golden” by Jill Scott.!

WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A BLAST, Y’ALL! And we’ll be up and running JOYFULLY through the end of JUNE 2014! PLEASE come one TUESDAY before our SPRING 2014 SERIES wraps! We’ll likely take a break over the summer and look to a FALL SERIES come SEPTEMBER! #motownmay #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack

Co-Host Boot Camp

WHAT A BOOT CAMP FOR CO-HOSTING A SHOW! WHEW! - http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-23-05-6482. Shout out to my friend Lola Ogunnaike and the AMAZING TEAM over at Arise Entertainment 360! They are kind to invite me in - from time to time - to do Broadway and pop culture segments! But I got a call Monday morning that would change the LIFE OF RILEY - in a moment's notice! I was given the 11th hour opportunity to fill-in for her co-host Shannon Lanier as he covered The Cannes International Film Festival... and SO IT WAS! (THANKS TO YOU, SHANNON, AS WELL!). They held my hand as I jumped right into the mix of teleprompter reads; in-studio interviews and demos; and more - including: comedian/actor Tracy Morgan (who was a HOOT and so KIND) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6jMa-V87Fk&feature=share&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ; Broadway’s Bobby Steggert from Mothers and Sons on Broadway - ; Dominic Adams from Devious Maids - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN8oFA-tGTo&feature=share&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ&index=1;

celebrity blogger Necole Bitchie.com and Barbet Smith of Lifetime's Million Dollar Shopper - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnETNj8mFqg&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ&feature=share&index=2; and so much more - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceP1AKRc640&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ&feature=share&index=3! Here’s Thursday: http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-22-05-6467. We had singer KEM on; Actor John Douglas Thompson and Gordon Edelstein – Star and Director of Off-Broadway play “Satchmo At The Waldorf” – a look at the iconic jazz trumpet player Louis Armstrong – a wonderful one-man play with music: http://youtu.be/UiIhbPlZL2c; and acclaimed author Dinaw Mengestu, whose latest novel “All Our Names” is getting raves: http://youtu.be/m-j5i5uQVIw. PLUS, I taped a MEMORIAL DAY special that will be on MONDAY and a CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL special (from the NYC studio) that was on over the WEEKEND! Here’s Wednesday’s show: http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-21-05-6449 – including a fun HOT TOPICS segment; an interview with Mali Music, my Savannah homeboy! Mali Music is promoting his new album “Mali,” out June 17th. And Mali Music performed his hit single “Beautiful” - http://youtu.be/TRjRSS8t-H4. Savannah-homeboy to Savannah-homeboy, we hit it off! http://www.malimusicofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/malimusicnote

https://twitter.com/malimusic We also did an interview with another cool brother Kofi Siriboe, who portrays the role of Tyler, a new student from Rwanda who is spending a year studying in America in MTV’s Awkward, though Kofi Siriboe is Ghanas Own Kofi Siriboe. FROM TUESDAY’S SHOW, see here: http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-20-05-6423. ARISE 360 is normally my stop for “pop culture segments”: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1TUj2SKo8ntR2D6QVDcQLwdykzvhtzbK. Now, for this fill-in run, it’s a range of segments – including a WORKOUT SEGMENT! LOL! Here’s a clip: http://youtu.be/BDSFV2hUiMQ TOSSES TO CANNES: http://youtu.be/zj5E8iLEf6U. FUN! FROM HOT TOPICS to HOT SAUCE, we’ve been having a blast! http://bit.ly/lor_arisew CentricTV will be syndicating Arise360 in Fall 2014 #Arise360

Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend is HERE!

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend on LIFE OF RILEY:

"One of the countries hottest TV personalities and producers, Patrick L. Riley, is coming to St. Croix for Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend in St. Croix May 30-June 2nd!!! Patrick Riley will be covering the event for his blog and other media outlets. Excited to have you Patrick!"

LIFE OF RILEY is EXCITED to be a part!!! #fashionlinkvi

COME ONE, COME ALL! Log on to www.fashionlinkvi.com for details!

BUT HERE'S SOME OF WHAT WILL GO DOWN:

* FVIFW is a fashion event featuring celebrity performers and models, fashion designers and the Best Plus Size Fashion Show in the Caribbean!

* The mission of FashionlinkVI Fashion Weekend is to introduce fashion tourism to St. Croix and the Virgin Islands.

* The objective of FVIFW is to showcase local fashion related talent and attract fashion affiliated businesses to America's Paradise.

* Promoting pride in our Caribbean heritage by showcasing the diversity and similarity in our culture through the art of fashion. Participants from U.S. mainland and other countries are welcome.

* 2014 marks the first year of FVIFW, a vision that finally comes to life after numerous years of tedious planning. FVIFW is a yearly event in St. Croix, and the Virgin Islands where guests will witness fashion and paradise collide.

* Along with extravagant fashion shows, guests will enjoy a variety of fashion industry related workshops, celebrity guest appearances and extraordinary entertainment. It is the goal of FVIFW to attract much deserved attention to the beautiful island of St. Croix, USVI while showcasing the brilliant local and national fashion designers involved.

* Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend is not just a regular annual fashion event, FVIFW is a weekend getaway filled with entertainment for everyone. Vendors will have an opportunity to sell products or provide service at some of the events.

* Our extraordinary Weekend begins with a press reception on Friday May 30, 2014 (invitation only) followed by a preview party; featuring local entertainers, host by a local celebrity.

* Celebrity artist and guest will have an opportunity to see what we have to offer in the field of fashion.

* Designers, hairstylist, makeup artist, and models of all sizes are welcome to register online to be a part of our preview party, with an opportunity to work alongside celebrities at the main event. www.fashionlinkvi.com

* Saturday May 31, 2014 We want you to look and feel beautiful inside and out beginning the morning with Yoga and Zumba by the sea, join us at our host hotel “The Palms at Pelican Cove” and relax to the sound of the sea with a Yoga class or rejuvenate your body with a Zumba class. Brunch will be served before our scheduled health is wealth seminar, followed by a hair and skin care seminar, facilitated by celebrity guest from Denver, California and New York.

* Following the seminar enjoy a cultural experience with local performers or take Scenic Island tour of St. Croix in a safari or jeep.

* Get ready for the main event later the evening with the best plus size fashion show in the Caribbean featuring, stateside and local plus models and actor/recording artist Leon Robinson, model Griselle Grayson and recording artist Eliah; Chenese Lewis, the first Miss Plus U.S.A. will host the main event.”

* Designers from Denver, BVI, St.Thomas by way of Orlando, St. Croix by way or New Jersey will be featured as our Divas take it to the runway.

* Last but not least, the swim wear and T- shirt fashion show is scheduled for June 1, 2014, featuring models of all sizes, followed by the after party on the beach host by “Leon “ featuring the Soca Diva “Jadine “from Montserrat by way of New York.

* Closing FVIFW until next year with a VIP cocktail party (Invitation only)

* Purchase your tickets online at www.fashionlinkvi.com

* Read more about event and featured celebrities, checkout our video on the home page showcasing a few local models with a sneak peek of St. Croix.

* Purchase your airline tickets and book your room now!!! Hope to see you there. May 30- June 1, 2014.

General Information

Log on to www.fashionlinkvi.com for details

DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON

Drums Along The Hudson is this Sunday! It’s FREE! And you know, I always sing its praises! My friend Carl Nelson was on ABC 7’s “Here and Now” to discuss it: