The 2007 Curvesity Awards

Feliz Navidad Family!

I had the pleasure of attending an event called "The Curvesity Awards 2007" the other night. I was in attendance because my home skillet and BFF Gwen "Diva" DeVoe (Also known as "The Mogul") was receiving a lifetime achievement award for her 19 years as a pioneer in the plus sized industry. I was on hand for the early years of DSE (DeVoe Signature Events) and I am so very proud of all that she has accomplished since the beginning! I couldn't think of a more deserving recipient if I tried...lol...and I'm not gonna! (Try..that is.)

Anyway, the event was held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Queens and hosted by Sonia & Josephine..the founders of Curvesity Entertainment. Well after much wandering around in the wilderness that is known as Queens...lol..I finally arrived at the venue with my suitcase in tow. We had been trying to surprise The Mogul by bringing back some faces she hadn't seen in a very long time to do a fashion presentation. Well, if you know Miss Diva at all....you already know it is next to impossible to surprise her with ANYTHING!!! But we did our best and I think we actually "got" her a couple of times..lol. Anyway, as soon as I got there I made my way to the dressing room area, which was packed with a ton of models....there were a bunch of familiar faces from DSE and Models that I recognized from the tri-state area. In the back of the room was a new group of models out of Chicago, Illinois....I think they called themselves "Exclusive Models" or something like that...also on hand to dress the ladies of DSE was NY based designer Robert E. Knight..who brought his mom along to check out the show. Robert and I go WAAAAYYYYY back to MY early days as a plus sized model and I am glad to see he is finally doing "Big Things"...lol..(Get it?). Holding down the backstage for DSE of course was the always reliable Linda "The Dancing Machine" Mann...I hadn't seen Linda for a minute and was glad we found a moment to get caught up in between the madness! Also backstage preparing for the show were my girls Talina, Mia Amber, Shante Gordon, Elizabeth Seifu (who was absolutely KILLING it on the runway...you GO Girl!!!), Jeannie Ferguson (who also showcased fashions from her company BGU), Sharon Jones (who looks as if she has lost an ENTIRE person from her body...she so skinny now!!!), Maddy Figueroa-Jones and her husband photographer Luke Jones, and some newbies as well...Tiffany, Shante & Jazmin...whew....I know I am forgetting a whole bunch of names...so ya'll please forgive me! In short...it was like a big ole reunion for me and I was glad to see all my friends doing well and thriving!

I finally made my way over to Robert and found that he had NOT brought the dress that I was supposed to wear in the show....to which I breathed a sigh of relief and decided to just check out the show from the audience. I changed into my "standby" dress...i.e. my black wrap dress from Douglas Says...and headed out into the main room to catch the first fashion segment. The first segments featured Curvesity Models and The Exclusive Models from Chicago. I was actually enjoying myself until someone sent a chick out on the runway dressed as "Little Bo Peep"....complete with a staff ya'll....this is strictly my own personal opinion....but I think as a "F.A.T." (as in Fabulous & Thick) Rule...we don't EVER want to give folks a reason to clown us...they do that to us enough on a day to day basis...I am not real big on giving them even more ammunition...hence my dislike for that particular outfit...I just didn't understand how anyone would have thought that was a cool outfit to put in a show.

And in the words of Forrest Gump...That's all I have to say about that.

There were also comedians, singers, raffles and other honorees being awarded and even Melle Mel was in attendance to present an award to one of his friends. As I scanned the room I saw Raqui of Large & In Charge Magazine, El from The El & Syl Radio Show and even some of my new friends from MySpace! Finally the moment I had waited for was upon us....it was time for the fashion tribute to Diva...Tonya "T-Boogie" Giddens, who was responsible for producing the show and getting us all together (Thanks Boogie!), got a little "ferklempt" for a moment and then took the stage and spoke some very heartfelt words about the mogul that had us all going....Awwwwww!

The show opened with Miss Talina entering the room in her "Skinny Models Off The Runway..." T-Shirt and a can of fragrance...which she accented the room with as she walked the runway...."Can you smell it??? It's the scent of FASHION in the air!"....lol...THAT took me wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back to my days of modeling in New Jersey!

But I digress....the show was off and running after that and the Models of DSE really did their thing and showed em' how it should be done! Diva was perched in the front row looking absolutely exquisite in a pewter colored beaded gown with matching mules...my girl's hair was FRIED, DYED AND LAID to the side..lol and her face was BEAT FOR THE BLOOD!!! (Nice work Miss Tara!) She was sitting next to Miss Teri Thornton who worked the door for DSE for years...I am proud to say that Miss Teri looked phenomenal as well and I was so very glad to see her back on the scene. Diva would have peed if she had seen some of the other chicks who were scheduled to appear but had to back out at the last minute...chicks like Lineth, who came up from Florida for the rehearsals and Tracey Lassiter who took a breather from her two children to stop thru!

The fashion segment wrapped up with the models walking the runway in their SMOTR T-Shirts and then The Mogul walked the runway before accepting her award. She thanked her long time supporters and fans and then graciously worked the room and posed for pictures. Then it was up to the hotel room to change into travel clothes and head back to the city!

I hitched a ride with Gwen & her better half Al and got home and went right to bed...lol...I was going off of maybe 6 hours sleep in two days!

Boogie! You did and exceptional job and no worries...The Mogul was quite happy!

Sonia & Josephine....nicely done...thanks for honoring my girl!

Love Ya!

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."