The Shaadi & The 2 Piece

Back Story: Noureen is Sade's big sister through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.  They have been a pair for the last 4 years & have a great relationship.

Last year when Noureen got married to Adbulkalid, she asked Sade to be one of her bridesaids at her Shaadi (Pakistani brides reception) & I think it was quite a journey for Sade.

Sade struggled a bit in her saari but she looked great in it & I was so proud of my little sister!

We are all super happy for Noureen & Abdulkalid & the future that the they will build together!

What Happened Yesterday: The Shaadi was scheduled to start @ 6 but I got there at 5 to drop Sade off so that she could get into her saari with the other bridesmaids.  After I had her set, I chilled in my car for a good 1½ hours waiting on Suite Suzy, Olivia & Amelia to show up.

It’s now 630 & a few people start to trickle in but not as many as I thought for the event to start @ 6 right….

So now we are sitting at a table & people are still slowly coming in.  I questioned Suite Suzy about the time & she said it started at 6 & there was even a program on the table.

About 7ish, someone announced that appetizers were being served so the fam went to see what was available & came back with plates loaded with Pakistani delights, none of which I was interested in.  I am not a fan of Pakistani food & I am not a fan of lamb or goat meat at all, so this event was going to be a challenge.

It’s now after 8 & the even still has not kicked off & people are still slowly coming in & I was hungry as hell & had a headache from all the sprite I drank.  So I decided to go to the bar to get some wine because I figured that I needed a buzz to enjoy the event since food was not going to do it.  Once at the bar & begged for a Chardonnay & he said, we don’t have that here, then I asked for a Zinfidel & he said we don’t have that here.  So I was like, what do you have.  He said pop, water or tea.  I then asked why come, I need a DRANK!  He then looked at me like I was a fool & said, we do not serve alcohol at Muslim events.  I was like damn & went back to my seat disappointed! 

When I got back to the table, I told Suite Suzy that I had to bounce early cuz with a lack of edible food & drink, this is not my type of party.  Yeah I know I was supposed to be in the spirit ect ect ect but wedding receptions equals, dancing, drinks & food to me.

I did wind up staying until 1030 & actually had a nice time but I had to go.  Before I left I had a conversation with a friend of mine Ousama, who had showed up at 9.  I told him that I could not believe that things started to late.  He then looked at me with a smile on his face & said, didn’t you know that Pakistanis run late for everything just by nature.  That is why he came at 9, which was pretty much when things started to move.

Later Suite Suzy told me that someone else had told her that a few days ago.

Anyway, it’s now 1045 & I am at the Popeye’s drive up window ordering a 2 piece spicey (breast & wing), with red beans & rice mashed potatoes & 2 peppers.  7 bucks & some change later I was wondering why Popeye’s is so damned expensive.

To see a few more images from the shaadi, click here

About Last Night VIII: My Bubble Yum is Poppin'

Suite Suzy & I saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Company tonight on an adult only date. Originally the whole family was going but then Olivia ran her mouth & acted up yesterday so she was reprimanded & because she got so off the hook during the jump off, she was told that she would not be going. Then today Sade got sick & was not up to going although she really wanted to.

Sade being sick really put us in a pickle because we shipped Olivia off to Suite Suzy's mom already & had no one to watch Sade so that we could still attend. Well after some frantic calls around we got one of Suite Suzy's best friends (Ramona Jones (street name given to those looking to boo up)) to baby sit.

Ramona Jones showed up around 6pm, then Suite Suzy & I hit the door with the quickness. 35 minutes later, we were at the Detroit Opera House box office purchasing 2 box seat tickets (saved 50 bucks, since it was just before the show). With tickets in hand, we had an hour to kill, so we shot over to the Centaur for a cocktail & light snack. 55 minutes later, we were back at the Opera House perched on our seats.

We got the bomb box seat, as we faced the stage dead on. Talk about great luck!!!

OK, so just before the house lights went down, the woman across from me started to pop her gum all up in my ear. I was thinking & hoping she would stop when the show started. Well that never happened! This chick popped that damn gum all the way through the "Love Stories" act (EXCELLENT). When the lights came up for intermission, I had to stop my self from cussing her out! I hate a loud gum chewer, & not only that, why would you purchase box seats for a fine arts performance & act all ghetto by popping gum & you are over 25???

I was at the point that we had to move to prevent me from going over the edge. Eventually, I chilled a bit just before intermission ended & Suite Suzy agreed to switch seats with me. Now during the "The Road of the Phoebe Snow" act, Suite Suzy was about to kill her because the gum popping continued & she was talking to her girl who was seated next to her. Suite Suzy (also a gum popper at times) was annoyed also because the gum popper had on a pair of summer pumps with an open toe & white lace, then she had on a pink leather cocktail jacket obviously from Wilson Suede & Leather (very tacky). Lastly & to make matters worse she kept on pulling out this fucking Blackberry because it went off non-stop. At one point, I was wondering if she was sending text messages to Kwame Kilpaptrick so they could meet at the room after the show.

By the time the "Revelations" act started, we both had, had enough of the gum popping, Blackberry light & that tacky ass pink leather cocktail jacket. 2 damn hours of hot ghetto mess sitting next to you is not cool at all!

After the show, we headed out for Sushi & had a great meal, but the conversation on the way home was even better. Things started off by me telling Suite Suzy that I wanted to have a dancers body by June this year. She then laughed hard as hell & was like, Nigga that ain’t happening unless you get on that elliptical machine tonight & not get off that bitch until June, then we both laughed very hard.

Then we had a very interesting conversation on being Black, her own racial ambiguity, Barack Obama's dark lips, Irish penises & defining what is meant when people both Black & white say the "Black Experience". I really wish I was recording it because we both talked a lot of shit!

Wait' let me get back to the performance then I’m out. I can never get tired of seeing the dance troupe perform & will seem them anytime they come Detroit.

This is a shot from "Wade in the Water", my favorite part of the "Revelations" dance act. I found a good video of this act on YouTube, so if you are a fan of dance then you will enjoy this.

Pending Work, Maybe Red, What???

Today, I officially kicked my new photography project, featuring my Ikea “Alexander Visitor Chair”, that I copped last spring from the “As Is” bin.

When I got the chair last soring, I was so struck by the color that I did not even think about where I was going to put it at home. I guess, you can say this is a good example of me not being able to control my spending.

Anyway, so I got the chair home & just sat it at the top of my basement steps, where it collected dust and everything else for months. No wait, I think we did use it once when we needed an extra chair at the dinner table. And I did use it for a photo test last summer that came out very well.

So over the last few weeks, after attending a friend of mines photo art exhibit, I started to think that I could do this, next thing my idea was born. I had decided to use my Alexander Visitor chair as a focal point for my exhibit (if I get one/can make it happen).

My plan for the exhibited photos is to have each feature the chair out & about & in different situations, with & without people. At this point, I am going to do several months of work to get a collection of photos that I feel are representative of my style & exhibit worthy.

Like I said, today was the official jump off point & I did a series of 20+ shots & here is my favorite, titled "Passerby". This shot was taken at the Law School of the University of Michigan aka “the law quad”, & the ghost in the background is yours truly.

If you are interested in keeping up with my work, which I am calling “Mobile Ekundu Kiti” Check it out here. By the way, Ekundu Kiti means red chair in Swahili jicydnk.

About Last Night: Brother Sister

My post title is inspired by The Brand New Heavies song titled “Brother Sister” from their “Brother Sister” Album

“Don't let your young life get you down
It always had a certain mystery
Many changes come to everyone
About the time that they turn seventeen
Grandma said at times you'll feel a sting
There'll be sharp turns and uphills and closed doors
Then she said hold onto your faith
'Cause in this world you've got to go and get yours

So you stand up
Be strong go out there
Hold on to the real thing that matter
'Cause no one's gonna hand it to you on a silver platter
There's no need to feel you're on your own
Just let your intuition guide you through
Take one step toward what you believe
Don't be afraid to make your move…

… Don't be scared go out there
Just stand up my brother sister
Hold on
To the real things that matter
'Cause no one's gonna hand it to you
On a silver platter
Stand up my brother sister
Hold on to the real things that matter
'Cause no one's gonna hand 'em to you
On a silver platter”

Last night, I took advantage of the tickets that I scored for the National Ballet of China at the Detroit Music Hall.

I got 2 tickets & since we could not get a babysitter, I attended the performance with my little sister Sade. Sade is a dancer so Suite Suzy & I knew she would appreciate this more that Olivia as she is more into sports.

The show jumped off @ 8pm & we got to the Music Hall about 7:40, ran up to the Will Call window & copped my tickets. Now with 15 minutes to spare, we hunted for a parking spot & ran back to get our 3rd row seats.

Things kicked off promptly as it should have & that was great. Unfortunately & embarrassingly, niggas were strolling in all late, & I mean like 20 minutes into the performance. Why can’t Black people show up on time???

This was my 2nd ethnic Ballet & it was quite different than the "Les Ballets Africains" from the Republic of Guinea. Well maybe comparing the 2 is like comparing kiwis to rambutans.

The NBC performed 7 acts & of these, Sade & I only liked 3 of them & it was funny because the 3 had a Asian flare where as the others where pretty boring & very European. The acts that we enjoyed were 5."The Same Moonlight" 6."Natual Melody" & 7."Butterfly Lovers".

During the fest acts, I understood why men in general do not enjoy going to the ballet. I found them to be acts to be very feminine & soft. Not only that, I got hard to tell the women from the men. They all had on tons of make up, & their bodies were flat as a board. In some cases, judging by genitals was not a help. I called Suite Suzy during the 2nd intermission & told her that I felt emasculated; then we both laughed.

All in all, it was good & Sade really enjoyed it, so I guess the mission was accomplished.

After the show, we went to Twingo’s (yes again, it’s good dammit!!!) for dinner & conversation. During dinner, we talked about her next pomp on competition & her dream to go to nationals (home girl is pumped & highly motivated). Once dinner was scarfed down, we shared a banana split that sent us both over the top.

By the time we got home (midnight), we were beyond exhausted. I think we both crashed & snored the night away.

If you are interested, please check out my photos from the show here.

The Fat Lady Never Sung

Recently I purchased some lighting equipment to step my photography game up just a little bit. The items arrived last Thursday but I was very busy and could not play with anything this weekend because I was covering the opening of the opera season here in Detroit.

Yes, I went to the fucking opera for the 1st time in my life & it was fucking awesome! The opera I saw was Cyrano & the world premiere jumped off in Detroit this past Saturday.

Friday I attended the opera ball as a photographer representing the Detroit Fashion Pages & this event was fucking awesome (am I saying fucking awesome too much???). 1st of all, the tix were 600 bucks & luckily I was able to partake in all of the luxury & let me tell you, it was very luxurious.

Saturday, as I mentioned was the opera opening & I enjoyed every minute of it. The music was phenomenal, the costumes spectacular & everything else was just unreal. I guess the most unreal thing is the fact that I had a box seat in the inner circle. Seated next to me was local Detroit royalty. The current & former mayor & a whole bunch of mutha fuckas with all kinds of money.

After the opera, I attended the gala dinner, which was also 600 bucks per plate. This event was off the chain as well. The food, drink, & networking was plenty & yes I was working while having the time of my life.

At the risk of being ghetto as hell, I was able to sneak my BFF BFB in & he also sat in the box with me after intermission & attended the gala dinner. BFB had a ball & said one of his life dreams came true that night. The dream was to attend the opera at least once.

So between the two $600 a plate dinners, the Detroit Opera House was able to raise 3.5 million dollars. YES! You can see photos from both events here.

Anyway back to what this post was supposed to be about. Tonight when I got home from the plantation, I set up my lighting shit & went into the back yard for some photo fun.

Here is my favorite picture out of like 60. I got this chair from Ikea a few months ago in the “as is” area & have not used it since I got it home. Well I guess tonight I found the true reason why I was compelled to buy this somewhat useless red chair.

When I was going through my photos, I was thinking to myself, if I could have one person fill this chair for a once in a lifetime portrait, who would it be. After careful thought, I said, I would love for my grandmother who was known as mommie by all to be staring back at me through my ebony colored lens. I would give anything to see mommie for the slightest of a second. Even better would be to capture her in a photo that I could cherish forever the same way I cherish her memory now.

If you were the photographer & this was your empty red chair, who would be your dream to photograph & why come.