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.
Entries in EESSENCE (2)
zombie bounce
SUNDAE SERMON
A diverse sea of my people gathered recently for our beloved Summer Sunday pass-time Sundae Sermon. This week, our Bevy Smith hosted with the MOST!
And TEAM Sundae Sermon was led by two of my favorites DJ Stormin Norman and Michaela angela Davis. Here’s to more! Save my space under the tree… http://sundaesermon.com/ #ThisIsSundaeSermon #ThankYou #SundaeSermon 
UPTOWN BOUNCE
A WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN NYC!
Great to hang with my friends (and our “All Star Karaoke” team), Derrick and Bernice for – first – UPTOWN BOUNCE, a free summer series event – featuring music, Gallery talks, art workshops, breakdancing, summer drinks, and tasty food. DJ Tony Touch brought Great sounds as we learned about graffiti’s influence on hip hop through the City As Canvas Exhibition. We LOVE El Museo del Barrio.
CARLA-OKE
From there, it was CARLA-OKE TIME! 
Yep! Our ALL STAR KARAOKE faithful Carla Bone celebrates another birthday and PULSE KARAOKE was the backdrop for our industry fam to serenade her. FASHION QUEENS Bevy Smith was in the house along with a host of fab folks – including Ice T’s main groomer Brian Badie and a host of others. FUN WEDNESDAY!
LOVE FOR PASSION
What an amazing time at my friend Nathan Hale Williams’ fundraiser: Love For Passion - Film at Katra! Ant and I are thrilled that Nathan asked us to be on the Host Committee. CELEBRITY GUEST HOST - Desmond Richardson – is EVERYTHING! 
Though a Tony Award nominee & dance legend, he is must humble and generous with his talents and his time. THANKS DESMOND! So glad he graced us with his presence and gave us a hint of what’s to come with Evidence Dance Company (https://www.facebook.com/evidencedance). Industry buddies Qwynn Dolmo, Nakia Hicks, Joe Mode, Entertainer Buttaflysoul, and BJ Coleman co-hosted. Music was provided by DjPoison Ivy & DJ Audi Mansell.! https://love4passionfilmeventkatra.eventbrite.com/
FB - facebook.com/loveforpassion
Twitter - @lovepasionfilm
IG - @loveforpassionfilm
PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT: https://www.facebook.com/LoveForPassion
#loveforpassion#fathersandsons #realmendance
P.S. Did Harlem diva Tammy Ford join Ant and me for karaoke and sushi at Yuki 55 after the party? YEP! Perfect nightcap! XOXOXOXOXO
UPTOWN
LOVE UPTOWN Magazine! Always good to me! http://uptownmagazine.com/2013/12/h-list-patrick-riley-video 
AND THE BIGGEST CONGRATS to UPTOWN Editor in Chief and my Morehouse brother and friend Isoul Harris who shares: "The debut of @UptownMagazine's 10th #Anniversary #Music & #Style Issue starring @Common & model @SelitaEbanks on #AccessHollywood. Shot on location in the #penthouse suite of #TheWTimesSquare by famed photographer @CliffWatts & styled by #MicaelaErlanger (stylist for #LupitaNyongo). #Fashion #Luxury #Lifestyle #EditorsEye #Aspiration
ZERO DEGREE ZOMBIE ZONE
Last I shouted out my friend PATRIK HENRY BASS (far right), I was moderating a The Greene Space at WNYC/WQXR panel that followed a radio revisiting of Zora Neale Hurston’s celebrated novel Their Eyes Were Watching God from the point of view of Janie’s love interest, Tea Cake: http://www.thegreenespace.org/events/thegreenespace/2012/sep/17/their-eyes-were-watching-god-teacakes-legacy/. 
and excellence, the increasing need for kid books about African American children. On Tuesday, August 26,Columbia Scholastic Press - Scholastic - is publishing The Zero Degree Zombie Zone. The book, for ages 8-12 and grades 3-7 is one of the first to feature four African-American kids (three boys and a girl) in a fantasy setting replete with zombies. It's also my attempt to encourage more African-American boys to read by presenting relatable characters. I am helping spread the word about#ZeroDegreeZombieZone's publication! Please help me! 
SOUTHERN CHEFS
Shout out to my Spelman sister Adrianne C. Smith whose budding “Southern Chefs” TV cooking competition shot an array of ordinary self-proclaimed chefs from the South in New York City – living in one 2 bedroom apartment in Harlem for the opportunity of a lifetime by hosting a pop-up dinner for 25 guests including some of NYC’s finest chefs and restaurant owners. 
I was invited as a tastemaker, but scheduling didn’t allow. But the pix were nothing short of “tasty” and I hope to have a to-go plate the next time (or at the next round of tapings for its inevitable pick-up and re-up). Congrats, my forever-MISS-MAROON-AND-WHITE! FOR MORE INFO, https://www.facebook.com/southernchefstv.
THE LIFE OF RILEY
in Bevy Smith, Desmond Richardson, EESSENCE, Love for Passion, PATRICK'S POP(UP)DATES/TESTIFY/PR, SUNDAE SERMON, Uptown Bounce, Uptown Magazine, Zero Degree Zombie Zone
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motown family circle
My nephew Herman Lee Riley III's mom Felecia Roberts was in town just after I submitted my last entry. Her first stop on her trip from Savannah was Broadway's Motown the Musical (of course! LOL!): http://youtu.be/KK1yncqPlOQ. Was cool to see my Broadway CONNECTION Marcia Pendelton who credits Motown the Musical as one of her BIG TICKET clients this season!
Then, fast forward a couple of weeks to this past weekend…and you have MY sister (my nephew’s aunt) in town - celebrating her Big 5-0!
AND OF COURSE, MOTOWN THE MUSICAL was on her mind!
A few weeks prior, I was on ARISE ENTERTAINMENT 360 to talk BROADWAY... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDxfe-hG_aY. In the aforementioned ARISE 360 Broadway segment, I predicted the iconic Cicely Tyson would be nominated for her role in Broadway's "The Trip to Bountiful". And she was!! YAY! So, they played that clip and referenced my prediction the following day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuJEs6ruin0. (I was again on ARISE recently to talk GATSBY: the book, the film(s), the blueprint on hip hop! HERE'S THE LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBT9mSmfmCo).
I also got to introduce the Broadway season on WNBC’s COZI-TV: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Pop-Culture-Expert-Patrick-Riley-on-Black-Broadway_New-York.html. But of course, the HIGHLIGHT - of the musical kind - is being hired to do red carpet interviews on MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL's opening night for its cameras. and to host its highlight video! YAY! LOL! Here's the clip I host: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1yncqPlOQ.
AND THIS VIDEO IS LOOPING ON THE MONITORS OUTSIDE THE THEATER; on the big screen in Times Square sometimes; lots of YOU TUBE traffic; and in cabs; etc! WOW! LOL!
Other outlets picked up the raw footage of my MOTOWN THE MUSICAL interviews - including REUTERS: http://www.reuters.com/video/2013/04/16/motown-memorialized-in-new-musical?videoId=242278913&videoChannel=3. BROADWAY BUZZ also used my MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=An_r_D2HM5Q.
I asked my sister “Can you believe I’m hosting a video that is running on the monitors of the theater that is hosting “MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL” – the hottest show on Broadway right now and in a long time – an event that has brought me face-to-face with my lifelong icon Diana Ross?”
Birthday GIRL had the 1st of many slices of cake (We mustn’t compromise her recent weight-loss! LOL!): Red Velvet on deck. 
And my friend Derrick joined us. Plus, we stumbled into my dear friend Robin D. Stone's son Zachary Boyd! Zach is Ant's and my buddy.
In fact, we took Zach to see Lady Gaga a year or so ago...
and we LITTLE MONSTERS had a BLAST!
What a pleasant surprise! "Native" Restaurant in Harlem is where I once hosted 'All-Star Karaoke Thursday Night'. 
We had to pop by and show Janice. Ary was most hospitable, as always! XO
This, after a fun cocktail hour at Fashion 40. I joined my buddy Jamar Dunn.
I got to toast my friend and colleague Shannon Love - also the birthday boy.
ALSO IN THE HOUSE:
John Cotton, Toyce Francis, Janet Rolle (with whom I first worked when hired to produce tribute videos for the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies), Rick Grant, and a host of fun folks who I was happy to see. DJ ENVY was on the one-twos - working it, as always!
THE NEXT DAY: Janice and Noot popped by my recurring client BET where they got to meet my many colleagues from the Creative Services department.
Here I do a number of special projects alongside - among many - Miss Micheala angela Davis who was gracious to chat my sister up - woman-to-woman on the threshold-of-50. BEAUTIFUL MOMENT!
She got some great shots. And she loved the views! Afterwards, we went and had a snack at Virgil's BBQ.
Then, we got in a little karaoke at Yuki 55 
(Our repertoire included some of the birthday girl's favorites: 
"Reasons" by Earth, Wind, & Fire. 
And I just HAD to do the Whitney Houston medley for her!
AND Jan and Noot even got in on the fun that Ant and I do all the time!
LOL!
This, before A Trip to Bountiful on Broadway – starring Cicely Tyson in her Tony-award-winning role.
She works that stage alongside Vanessa Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., AND Condola Rashad. 
After Broadway's "Bountiful", which Janice LOVED, she and I met up with Noot at Red Rooster - hot Harlem spot where JR got to meet several of my industry buddies and Harlem friends, including: 
Essence’s own Emil Wilbekin and DJ Stomrin Norman. 
Red Rooster provided a nice toast of champagne in honor of my sister’s birthday + she and my nephew got to enjoy some fried green tomatoes and other lite bites before they called in a night.
THE NEXT DAY:
Ant, my nephew, my sister, and I enjoyed BIRTHDAY brunch at Sotto 13 - tapas, wood fired-pizza, and more! 
GREAT BRUNCH!
And good time for my family (Janice and Noot) to get to know further my family here (Ant). LOTS OF LAUGHS! 
And some VULNERABLE sharing, too! FOOD FOR THE SOUL! Then, she, Noot, and I rushed to Brooklyn to visit with our dad's big sister Charlie Mae, cousins Pat and Betty Jean in Brooklyn, NY + cousin Gloria called in from VA! It was a FAMILY REUNION! 
We then headed back uptown --- popping up to Dallas BBQ in Washington Heights (Upper Manhattan) for snack. Enter: Zimmerman trial verdict. HENCE: OUR UPSET EXPRESSIONS. NIGHT WAS A WRAP!
But we recovered Sunday with the theme of the whole trip: “Motown: The Musical” on Broadway! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1yncqPlOQ
After "Motown", we popped by BFF Sidra Smith's twin sister Tasha Smith's actors workshop nearby. Our sisters HAD to meet! 
And Sid HAD to meet MY SISTER! I was so charmed as Tasha Smith rushed out of her class - exclaiming: "PATRICK!!!!!!" LOL!
From there, we wrapped Janice's 50th BDAY Extravaganza with an intimate dinner hosted and prepared by my dear friend Merrell Hollis (celebrity make-up artist and groomer for Wendy Williams, Diddy, Usher, Jessica White, etc.).
His mom was in town from Columbus, GA. Ant's cuz Shantay also joined us as well as Noot. NYC FAM! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANICE! Shout out to ALL who helped Herman Lee Riley III and me CELEBRATE my sister Janice Riley Priester's 5-0 in EXCELLENCE and with SO MUCH JOY & LOVE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BIG (and only) SIS! I LOVE YOU!
THE LIFE OF RILEY
in BET, EESSENCE, George Zimmerman, MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, PATRICK'S POP(UP)DATES/TESTIFY/PR, SIDRA SMITH, TASHA SMITH, TYLER PERRY, The Trip to Bountiful
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