Quietfire, former model turned international makeup artist who was the creative director of Black & Blue Cosmetics departed this earth, Monday, June 22, 2009 at 6:02 pm. He is survived by family and scores of friends.
He worked with many celebrities including Whitney Houston, Carol Alt, Kim Alexis and Diahann Carol. His work has graced the pages of American Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Italian Vogue, Essence and Ebony magazines. On the runway and in print advertisements, he has also worked with designers, Chloe and Mila Schon as well as on the movie “Waiting to Exhale” before entering into a partnership with Adrianne Washington.
Back in the days when I was still a struggling "newbie" model on the scene....Quietfire was the name on EVERY model's lips. He was responsible for Whitney's signature look at the beginning of her ascension from singer to superstar.
When Whitney launched her management company "Nippy Inc"...EVERYBODY wanted Quietfire to "beat their faces!!"
I had the opportunity to work alongside him as Designer Douglas Says premiered his new "Plus-U Collection" last year.
His death is a great loss to the entertainment community. He will be missed.
FFFWeek Welcome Event 12:00 - 4:00PM Thursday, June 25, 2009
Re/Dress New York 109 Boerum Place (bet. Pacific and Dean Sreets) F or G train to Bergen Street stop Brooklyn, NY
Description: Kick-off event to welcome our out of town guests. Meet FFFWeek’s organizers and supporters while enjoying premium shopping at the Re/Dress boutique. ***Re/Dress boutique will donate 10% of sales made from the event to our non profit partner, PPWAP (see below).
Target Audience: General Public/Press
Sponsors: FFFWeek, Re/Dress Boutique
Admission:RSVP List Closed
NOTE: THERE ARE NO RESTROOM FACILITIES AT THE BOUTIQUE. THE NEAREST RESTROOM IS A STARBUCKS WHICH IS A BLOCK AWAY.
Designers Showcase & Networking Event 6:00 - 10:00PM Thursday, June 25, 2009 Showcase starts at 7:30PM
Club Blvd 199 Bowery (at Spring Street) New York, NY
Description: Fashion showcase featuring designs by Ashley Stewart and en.v. new york. Networking reception hosted by X’Change Modeling
Charitable Gift Giving for Purses And Pockets With A Purpose: Meet Tracey V. Bell (Chairman and President, PPWAP) and Kim Coles (Global Spokesperson, PPWAP) and donate a modestly used Purse (or Pocket Wallet), which will be bundled with personal care products and counseling services for women/children in Domestic Violence Shelters. For all monetary donations of $25 or more, PPWAP will be gifting the donor with a free 100% organic candle made with pure essential oils. We need your support. All major credit cards and debit cards with MC/Visa logo accepted. COME AND DONATE YOUR PURSE. WE NEED YOU!!
Admission:$10.00 if you are not on the guest list which closed at 8:00 AM on June 16th. If you are on the guest list, you must arrive by 7:00 PM or pay the $10.00 admission fee. If you RSVP'd before June 16th, we have your name on the list, but you and your party must arrive by 7:00 PM.
Word on the street is that new mama Jill Scott and her fiance/babydaddy, drummer Lil John have called it quits.....she talks about it to Essence Mag....
Philly soul maven Jill Scott has been a sister-friend and sometimes mother to many through her music and robust vocals. Now, Scott is tackling the most important role in her life as mom to 2-month-old son, Jett Hamilton, while continuing to enjoy a flourishing film and television career. Word on the street is that the natural beauty might be toting an Emmy soon for her enigmatic role as Precious in HBO's critically acclaimed series "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency." ESSENCE.com caught up with Scott to talk about possibly nabbing that trophy, enduring 36 hours of labor, and life as a single mother.
Dang fam....didn't she just get ENGAGED to dude? WTH??? Make it do what it do Jill.....
“QUEEN OF THE BLUES” KOKO TAYLOR 1928 - 2009 from Alligator Records, posted: 06/03/2009
Grammy Award-winning blues legend Koko Taylor, 80, died on June 3, 2009 in her hometown of Chicago, IL, as a result of complications following her May 19 surgery to correct a gastrointestinal bleed. On May 7, 2009, the critically acclaimed Taylor, known worldwide as the “Queen of the Blues,” won her 29th Blues Music Award (for Traditional Female Blues Artist Of The Year), making her the recipient of more Blues Music Awards than any other artist. In 2004 she received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award, which is among the highest honors given to an American artist. Her most recent CD, 2007’s Old School, was nominated for a Grammy (eight of her nine Alligator albums were Grammy-nominated). She won a Grammy in 1984 for her guest appearance on the compilation album Blues Explosion on Atlantic.
Born Cora Walton on a sharecropper’s farm just outside Memphis, TN, on September 28, 1928, Koko, nicknamed for her love of chocolate, fell in love with music at an early age. Inspired by gospel music and WDIA blues disc jockeys B.B. King and Rufus Thomas, Taylor began belting the blues with her five brothers and sisters, accompanying themselves on their homemade instruments. In 1952, Taylor and her soon-to-be-husband, the late Robert “Pops” Taylor, traveled to Chicago with nothing but, in Koko’s words, “thirty-five cents and a box of Ritz Crackers.”
In Chicago, “Pops” worked for a packing company, and Koko cleaned houses. Together they frequented the city’s blues clubs nightly. Encouraged by her husband, Koko began to sit in with the city’s top blues bands, and soon she was in demand as a guest artist. One evening in 1962 Koko was approached by arranger/composer Willie Dixon. Overwhelmed by Koko’s performance, Dixon landed Koko a Chess Records recording contract, where he produced her several singles, two albums and penned her million-selling 1965 hit “Wang Dang Doodle,” which would become Taylor’s signature song.
After Chess Records was sold, Taylor found a home with the Chicago’s Alligator Records in 1975 and released the Grammy-nominated I Got What It Takes. She recorded eight more albums for Alligator between 1978 and 2007, received seven more Grammy nominations and made numerous guest appearances on various albums and tribute recordings. Koko appeared in the films Wild At Heart, Mercury Rising and Blues Brothers 2000. She performed on Late Night With David Letterman, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, CBS-TV’s This Morning, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, CBS-TV’s Early Edition, and numerous regional television programs.
Over the course of her 40-plus-year career, Taylor received every award the blues world has to offer. On March 3, 1993, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley honored Taylor with a “Legend Of The Year” Award and declared “Koko Taylor Day” throughout Chicago. In 1997, she was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame. A year later, Chicago Magazine named her “Chicagoan Of The Year” and, in 1999, Taylor received the Blues Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2009 Taylor performed in Washington, D.C. at The Kennedy Center Honors honoring Morgan Freeman.
Koko Taylor was one of very few women who found success in the male-dominated blues world. She took her music from the tiny clubs of Chicago’s South Side to concert halls and major festivals all over the world. She shared stages with every major blues star, including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy as well as rock icons Robert Plant and Jimmy Page.
Taylor’s final performance was on May 7, 2009 in Memphis at the Blues Music Awards, where she sang “Wang Dang Doodle” after receiving her award for Traditional Blues Female Artist Of The Year.
Survivors include Taylor’s husband Hays Harris, daughter Joyce Threatt, son-in-law Lee Threatt, grandchildren Lee, Jr. and Wendy, and three great-grandchildren.
Word on the street is there's gonna be a BIG but private celebration at The White House in the next few weeks....I ain't saying exactly what the theme is but here are a few clues....
Do my eyes deceive me? I just passed Ruby Foo's on 77th St & Broadway and saw that it is now closed. I am both shocked and saddened to hear of this but I'm pretty sure it's another sign of the dismal economic market.
This was one of my favorite spots....me & my homegirl Toccara usually stopped by here for cocktails and appetizers whenever she was in town.
I will miss it.....fortunately, the Times Square location appears to still be open & thriving!
Queen Latifah looks great on the cover of the July 2009 issue of Essence Magazine. This must be a dual cover because the dress she has on in MY magazine is very much a blue one.
No matter, she looks great on BOTH covers! Congrats Queen!
If you are concerned (like I am) about what's happening in a curvy girl's world...this is a panel discussion that YOU SHOULD NOT MISS!!!!Read on fam....
If you listen to the news, read the many articles circulating through the internet, the media would have you believe that the plus size woman is losing her retail options, due to the economy. They would have you to believe that we, plus size women, are now a liability to their bottom line, thus defecting us to the only options of shopping online. If you were to buy into the news, all the progress we have made in the last ten years in fashion, community pride, and confidence would all be in vain. We, as a community have already dealt and come to terms with the lack of fashionable selections when we walk into a mall or boutique, only relegated to fashion accessories and handbags.
So, what do we do with this crazy information?
In a year that we have our own Full Figured Fashion Week, Plus- Size Expos, Celebrity Role Models, and High- End Designer Fashions to celebrate our curves, what is a plus size fashionista to do? Talk about it. This year, in conjunction with the groundbreaking Full Figured Fashion Week, The Curvy Collective hosts a panel discussion, “The State of the Curvy Community.”Perfectly timed, in the midst of current news in the media, this panel discussion addresses the current state of the plus-size community and the significance of Full Figured Fashion Week, through the eyes of the industry’s leaders, bringing different perspectives from various experiences and points of view.
Miss Sharon Quinn, “The ORIGINAL Runway Diva,” moderates the panel discussion. Accompanying her in this discussion is:
• Cassy Jones- McBryde- US Director of the Fuller Woman Network http://thefullerwomannetwork.ning.com/
• Deb Malkin- Owner of Re/Dress NY http://www.redressnyc.com/
• Glen Johnson- Owner of Full Figure Plus and a Member of the Curvy Collective http://fullfigureplus.com/
• K. L. Belvin- Author of "Man In Transition" http://www.KLthewriter.com/
• Mia Amber- Model, Actress, Creative Editor-at-Large of Plus Model Magazine http://www.myspace.com/mia_amber
• Maddy Figueroa- Jones – Creative Director of Plus Model Magazine http://www.plusmodelmag.com/General/plus-model-masthead-detail.asp?directory-id=703164775
The panel discussion takes place during Full Figured Fashion Week. If you wish to attend, please RSVP at curvycommunity@gmail.com.
Date: Friday, June 26th Location: Ripley Grier Studios 520 8th Avenue (bet. 36th and 37th Streets) 16th Floor, Room 17C New York, NY Time: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Cost: Free to the public
This is great news, It's an amazing spot! I hope the new owners can make it work....
FYI....the FOOD is the key....trust me when I tell you this was a HUGE problem for the former owners....finding a great chef will make or break your business...
DAVE STEWART, ARETHA FRANKLIN, Others to Appear at NYC Mandela Day Concert
MUSIC NEWS - NYC will host the inaugural Mandela Day event on July 18, 2009 with a concert at Madison Square Garden to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday. Mandela Day is a call for people around the world to honor Nelson Mandela’s inspiration and values. The hope is that people will observe the day annually not as a holiday, but as a day to join in and realize their full potential to make a difference to the world.
The concert will include a diverse lineup with artist such as; Dave Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Wyclef Jean, Queen Latifah, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (first lady of France), Josh Groban, Cyndi Lauper, Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Jesse McCartney, TLC, The Soweto Gospel Choir, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Chris Chameleon, Freshlyground, Emmanuel Jal, Loyiso, Sipho Mabuse, Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai and Suzanna Owiyo (other performers are expected to be announced).
The concert is the culmination of a week-long series of events in New York City in celebration of the first-ever Mandela Day.
To read more about New York City's first EVER Mandela Day Celebration.....CLICK HERE
Kelly Clarkson: I'm Tired of Hearing "the Fat Joke" Thursday June 4, 2009
Kelly Clarkson attends Z100's Zootopia 2009 presented by IZOD FRAGRANCE at Izod Center on May 16, 2009 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Jamie McCarthy/WireImage for Clear Channel Radio
Kelly Clarkson says she's tired of being bullied over her weight.
"For seven years it's been happening. It's like, 'OK cool, the fat joke,'" she said during an interview with 2Day FM's Kyle and Jackie O Show in Australia.
Despite the taunts, the American Idol champ says, "I love my body. I'm very much OK with it. I don't think artists are ever the ones who have the problem with their weight, it is other people."
Uh-Oh fam.... Word on the street is that Jennifer Hudson is NOT happy with Broadway Diva Felicia Fields for spilling the beans about her pregnancy (like folks REALLY didn't know that already!) and her recent baby shower to the media and is toying with the idea of rescinding her invitation to her upcoming nuptials with fiance David "Punk" Otunga.
David Carradine is found dead in a Bangkok hotel room
The American embassy in Thailand confirmed the 72-year-old had been found dead in the capital, where he was filming.
Reports said Carradine had failed to appear for a meal with the film crew on Wednesday and that his body was found by a hotel maid at the Park Nai Lert hotel the following morning.
Police said there were no signs of a struggle or other suspicious circumstances and are treating the death as suicide.
Carradine was a member of a Hollywood acting family that included his father, character actor John Carradine, and brother Keith.
David Carradine in Kung Fu
He appeared in more than 100 feature films with such directors as Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Hal Ashby.
One of his prominent early film roles was as singer Woody Guthrie in Ashby's 1976 biopic Bound for Glory.
He was perhaps most famous for his role as the fugitive half Chinese Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s western TV drama Kung Fu.
Make SURE that YOU DON'T miss the 3 Day Event That EVERYONE is talking about!!!
FFF WEEK OFFICIAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, June 25, 2009
FFFWeek Welcome Event 12:00 - 4:00PM Thursday, June 25, 2009
Re/Dress New York 109 Boerum Place (bet. Pacific and Dean Sreets) F or G train to Bergen Street stop Brooklyn, NY
Description: Kick-off event to welcome our out of town guests. Meet FFFWeek’s organizers and supporters while enjoying premium shopping at the Re/Dress boutique.
Emerging Designers Showcase & Networking Event 6:00 - 10:00PM Thursday, June 25, 2009 Showcase starts at 7:30PM
Club Blvd 199 Bowery (at Spring Street) New York, NY
Description: Fashion showcase featuring emerging plus size fashion designers. Networking reception hosted by X’Change Modeling
Charitable Gift Giving for Purses And Pockets With A Purpose: Meet Tracey V. Bell (Chairman and President, PPWAP) and Kim Coles (Global Spokesperson, PPWAP) and donate a modestly used Purse (or Pocket Wallet), which will be bundled with personal care products and counseling services for women/children in Domestic Violence Shelters. For all monetary donations of $25 or more, PPWAP will be gifting the donor with a free 100% organic candle made with pure essential oils. We need your support. All major credit cards and debit cards with MC/Visa logo accepted. COME AND DONATE YOUR PURSE. WE NEED YOU!!
Target Audience: General Public/Press
Sponsors: FFFWeek, X'Change Modeling, Purses And Pockets With A Purpose, Ashley Stewart Stores
Admission: Complimentary Guest List Admission until 7:00PM. $10.00 After To get on guest list until 7 PM send RSVP w/names to: RSVPShowcase@fffweek.com -
Note: Even if you have RSVP'd you MUST arrive before 7 PM to get in on the guest list.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Buyers Market 1:00 - 4:00PM Friday, June 26, 2009
Location: Private
Description: A buyers sales event that will connect plus size fashion buyers and boutique owners with participating FFFWeek designers/suppliers in a private, one-on-one environment.
Target Audience: Designers and Buyers
Sponsors: FFFWeek, J. Biggins Consulting, The Plus Size Marketing Group, This Lush Life
Admission: By Invitation Only (Buyers please email Corinna Makris at corinna@thislushlife.com for invitation)
Panel Discussion - "The State of the Curvy Community" 3:00 - 5:00PM Friday, June 26, 2009
Ripley Grier Studios 520 8th Avenue (bet. 36th and 37th Streets) 16th Floor, Room 17B New York, NY *** Must have I.D. to enter bldg.
Description: Notables in the curvy community discuss the importance of FFFWeek, as well as other related topics.
Target Audience: General Public/Press
Sponsors: FFFWeek, The Curvy Collective
Admission: Free Admission
FFFWeek Media Reception 6:00 - 10:00PM Friday, June 26, 2009
Taj Lounge (Mezzanine Level) 48 W 21st St (bet. 5th and 6th Aves.) New York, NY
Description: Official press party for FFFWeek
Target Audience: Press, Designers, Models
Sponsors: FFFWeek, Curvesity Entertainment
Admission: By Invitation Only
FFFWeek Full Figured Friday! We have NYC Entertainment SEWN Up! 10:30 PM - 1:00 AM Friday, June 26, 2009
Sage Theatre 711 7th Ave.(bet. 47th & 48th St.) New York, NY
Description: Mini-Concert hosted by Queen Aishah – comedienne, actress, radio personality, and philanthropist.
Performances by Queen Aishah, Crystal P., (Detroit's new Queen of Comedy) and The Glamazons, the fierce foursome plus size pop group whose mission is to show the world that talent comes in all sizes.
Target Audience: General Public
Sponsors: FFFWeek, Curvesity Entertainment
Admission: $20.00 in advance or at the door (INCLUDES mini concert and Friday night afterparty below)
Note: No tickets will be mailed. Check-in at the door - please bring photo I.D.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Small Business Workshop – “Marketing Your Business Or Organization Online” 10:00AM - 12:30PM Saturday, June 27, 2009
Ripley Grier Studios 520 8th Avenue, (bet. 36th and 37th Streets) 16th Floor, Room 17A New York, NY *** Must have I.D. to enter bldg.
Description: 1.5 hour workshop on Marketing Your Business or Organization online using Facebook, Twitter and Your Website. *All attendees will receive a free website analysis (value $295) or blog analysis (value $145)
Target Audience: Small Business Owners, Models, etc. ANYONE who wants to strengthen their online presence by utilizing social media.
Sponsors: FFFWeek, J. Biggins Consulting, The Plus Size Marketing Group
Admission: $50.00 registration by 6/12/09
FFFWeek Friday Night Dance Party 10:00 PM - 3:00 AM Friday, June 26, 2009
Stitch Lounge 247 West 37th St. (bet. 7th & 8th Ave) New York, NY
Description: Dance, mix, mingle, drink, network or grab a bite to eat while celebrating our historical event New York style with old and new friends. Music by some of NY's Finest DJ's.
Target Audience: General Public
Sponsors: FFFWeek, Curvesity Entertainment
Admission: $15.00 in advance. More @ the door. ****If you purchase a ticket to the mini concert above, you do not need a tix for this event as it is included. ****Online tickets must be purchased BEFORE 6 PM on June 26th.
Note: No tickets will be mailed. Check-in at the door - please bring photo I.D.
Curves in the City - Shopping Soiree 11:00AM - 3:00PM Saturday, June 27, 2009
Ripley Grier Studios 520 8th Avenue (bet. 36th and 37th Streets) 16th Floor, Room 17D New York, NY *** Must have I.D. to enter bldg.
Description:Discount shopping with participating FFFWeek designers and vendors
Target Audience: General Public
Sponsors: FFFWeek, The Curvy Collective
Admission: $25.00 VIP, $15 General Admission Note: No tickets will be mailed, check in at the door –please bring photo I.D.
Finale Runway Showcase 7:00 - 11:00PM Saturday, June 27, 2009 (Red carpet VIP Arrivals at 6:00PM) Doors Open at 7:00 PM, Showtime: 8:00 PM
Ba
ck in the days when I was still a struggling "newbie" model on the scene....Quietfire was the name on EVERY model's lips. He was responsible for Whitney's signature look at the beginning of her ascension from singer to superstar. 
