Hmmmm….what else….?

A couple of months ago, this guy, Alex, told me he was going to open up a restaurant. I had recently met him, and I would see him hanging around LUISE in sweats, eating tofu and rice out of a Styrofoam container, and I thought, “yeah, right.” Anyway, he’s open now and I am IM-pressed! The restaurant/bar – SX137 - is on the Lower East Side. (The address is 137 Essex, get it?) You will recognize it by the stark, natural wood façade. Open 6pm til 4am, nightly, they have an extensive, and very exotic, taster’s menu. Check out this dessert: Fried Green Tea Ice Cream with Raspberry Coulis – that sounds so nasty, it’s got to be good! Architecturally, SX137 is flawless, futuristic, and funky at once. Take a look for yourself: www.sx137.com

Oh….musn’t forget!

Sweets Village – 702 Washington Ave., Brooklyn. This quaint, little juice bar type joint just opened up in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights Section. Get your read on, as well as your smoothie, your Nag Champa, iced coffee, organic potato chips, lemon-poppyseed cake, etc. Try Mako’s specially blended iced tea, and while you’re in there pick up a copy of Angel Kyodo Williams’ “Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living With Fearlessness and Grace”. Check her site www.beingblack.com. You’ll be hearing more from me on that.

And, I discovered this today…

The Bagel Zone – not your average sandwich joint – 48 Avenue A. First of all, they have so many delights on their blackboard, that it made my head hurt – you know, the usual indecision disorder I suffer from. Second of all, they are comparatively inexpensive, and the food is prepared with such love. I had this Moroccan Mint Tea that was so authentic it smelled like feet. I was compelled to order a second cup! But, most importantly ….check out the ceiling! It is strewn with a wide assortment of hanging lamps from Morocco. All shapes, all sizes, stained glass and intricate metal work. And, get this – they are ALL under $100. I’m going to get one for the kitchen and for the living room. Most of the artwork on the walls is from Morocco and is for sale; decorative mirrors, vases, sconces, etc. When you see this stuff, you are not going to believe the prices. Go…..nosh and furnish your home! And, don’t tell anybody…..it’ll be our little secret.

Whattabout me……?

I’m going to try to make this brief, because I am making my head spin:

Jewelry: Kind of quiet right now, as this season goes. Will have more happening with that in the Fall. Still creating though, on a somewhat daily basis; taking small orders, servicing my stores, etc. Just added DAPHNE, a boutique for larger size women on Amsterdam around 82nd. Also, just gave a new shipment of accessories to KIMERA in Park Slope. A beautiful shop. The owner, Yvonne Chu, houses her own line as well as signature handbags, scarves, and even a little vintage – which reminds me, I just got this wild, retro lime green and white jumper from there. You’ll spot me comin’ a mile away!

Music: No haps. The band wants to get back together. I’m thinking about it. I’d love to, its just the energy factor. A manager would be helpful. Know anybody?

• Thom Loubet and I recently did music for the soundtrack of “Voices of Domestic Violence”, a radio-documentary that aired in New Mexico. Thom’s mom, Susan Loubet (an activist, and part of the founding posse of Ms. Magazine – Thom is from a family of activists, btw….who knew?) produced the documentary in the studios of KUNM, New Mexico. In it she speaks with battered women in New Mexico, convicted for the slaying of their abusers. The footage was bone-chilling. In many cases, these women had histories of repeated abuse, had suffered major injuries that were documented, had orders of protection against the men, etc. Yet, they were still imprisoned for saving their own lives, and ending their abuse in the only way they knew how. The song of ours they used is entitled “One Bang.” It’s a bluesy-kinda-thang with guitar by Thom and vocals and lyrics by me. “One Bang is gonna end this thang” is the chorus of the song. Thom’s mom got in a little trouble with her managers, as they felt the song was, in fact, endorsing the women’s crimes. Oh well. More information about the documentary at www.kunm.unm.edu or call 505.277.8005.

• We will be at Torch again on Saturday, August 18th. The late set: 11:30pm – 3am. You can always check their website to find out when I am singing there: www.torchrestaurant.com

• Also, two tracks from the Project Pollen CD (with Steve Greenwell, me singing & co-writing) were used for a made for television movie. The movie is called “Just Lovers” and may be picked up by USA television and/or tour the film festivals. Steve did the entire soundtrack, the songs I am on are “Soul Searchin” and “Thin”. Some of you may have heard these songs before, as they are on our demo. I have not seen the movie yet, but Steve says it’s pretty good. As I find out more, I will also pass that info on. In the meantime, I just want another check, thank you! Steve, btw, does not seem to be interested in re-mixing or re-doing the demo, so that I/we can continue to shop it, perhaps market it, and otherwise explore options in the industry. For those of you who have heard it, you know that it’s really good. What a waste – for me anyway! Hi Steve ;-)

Writing: Well….this! Shopping a book proposal. I feel really good about that. Thanks to Harriette Cole and Angel Kyodo Williams for support.

Foundation: I have been going on and on about this foundation thing. And, yes, it is finally coming together. You know you’ll be hearing more from me on this: A fundraiser in the Fall, etc. Thanks to Danny Simmons, Peggy & Lloyd Toone, Leroy & Ruth Campbell and all who supported my personal fund-raising drive.

Personal stuff: No love on the horizon – therefore, there is nobody’s business to tell. The kids are at camp and I miss them terribly. The house is clean though, and I could really learn to like this!!! That’s basically it for me.

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