Fashiona

Day, Fashiona’s  20 something friend and sometimes photographer, went to the 23rd Night of Thousands Gowns.  The event held by the Imperial Court of New York is the largest LGBT fundraiser of the year.

This year’s silent auction  benefited LIFE beat and MCCNY Homeless Youth Services. Only the auction was silent…and a good time was had by all:real queens, faux queens, wannabe queens, or queens for the day.

YOU figure out who is who!

Miss Day was volunteering at the event but she was all smiles too.  See her with RuPaul.

…not quite,”she” is actually Rupaul’s protege~the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race~BEBE.

Day betta work…on a freakin’ WEBSITE so we can ALL see MORE of her fabulous photos. 

Peer pressure is a beast isn’t it…

Fashiona’s best friend,Topaz, always says “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.”

Truer words have never been spoken and is one of the premises behind the hit show Harlem Heights which follows the lives of 8 black professionals and their friends who are all post college 20 somethings in their pursuit of  love, life and happiness.

Four episodes into a 10 part series, Alicia “aka” Fashiona interviewed Randolph Sturrup,co-creator of the show.  She and he went to college together at Florida A & M and  have a shared love of business and the creative world. 

Alicia “aka”Fashiona: What is the average age of the cast? They seem young…or are we getting older?

Randolph: They are between 25-30 and remind me of us when we first came to New  York…full of dreams and boundless energy.

Alicia “aka”Fashiona: You are right…it is like a flashback but these days I prefer stomping around Brooklyn.  I see that June Ambrose, a well known stylist,  is attached to the project.  How involved is she?

Randolph: For most part the cast, “dressed” themselves and June came in as needed. How do you like their style?

Alicia “aka”Fashiona: I have plenty of comments on that but I will save them for a post next week. But for the most part, they are true to their own style and that counts for a lot.  What was the casting process and is any part of the show scripted?

Randolph: All the cast members knew each other directly or indirectly and so there was a certain chemistry built it.  I call it a docudrama-because it is a documentary with all the drama.

Alicia “aka”Fashiona: Drama yes…4 episodes in and I can sense a bougie showdown coming between Ashlie and Brooke.  All that pettiness is the no 1 reason I never pledged.  I knew that New York City  would be more than enough of a hazing process for me.  I  worked briefly with Briana and I appreciate her realness then and now.

So  far, we are getting a taste of what the cast is doing these days. Will we get to know more about their various backgrounds and what really led them to Harlem?

Randolph: Yes, in later episodes, the cast of characters reveal more of themselves. One of my goals was to really start a conversation on what really happens after college.  You and I have been in situations like in episode 4 where  the  offensive question comes up “Why didn’t you go to regular college?”(referring to choosing a HBCU). We all have our stories and reasons for the choices we make… Harlem Heights shares that experience of these 8 and their friends.

Alicia “aka”Fashiona: Again I applaud you for  spearheading such a quality production.  What is next for you?

Randolph: My plate is full right now with pending projects and when I get the green light, you will be one of the first to know.

Alicia “aka”Fashiona: One last question: The girls on the cast  are very attractive.  Do you have your eye on anyone?

Randolph:(Laughing) I am like Papa Smurf to them.

Alicia “aka”Fashiona does not  buy it and drills him off the record…

See the remaining 6 episodes of Harlem Heights Monday nights on BET 10 pm eastern/9 central.

Alicia “aka”

So Fashiona and Topaz were out on the town last night, dressed to the nines…their destination the Katra Lounge for Roxie’s Masquerade Ball.

Fashiona trekked across Brooklyn to Dina’s to get ready…why well not. Two hours later… gowns professionally steamed,  make-up and lashes expertly applied and Dina our resident über stylist snapping pictures…the glam dolls then ease into a cab and are whisked away to the lower East Side.

Fashiona, feline in more ways than one,prefers to observe a room before she pounces…

However, Ms.Topaz emboldened by her red lipstick…dove right in, chatting up the opera singer.

Lucia Palmieri, a soprano soloist,amazed the crowd with songs from the Phantom of the Opera.

Fashiona learned while interviewing Lucia after her performance, that she worked as a cook and actually owned her own restaurant before a fateful meeting landed her in Julliard and singing with New York Grand Opera.  Just as Fashiona found Roxie through Craig’s List, so did Lucia and decided to lend her voice to help raise Roxie raise money for her volunteer efforts.

Lights, camera, flash and repeat……

Many pictures and a few fancy foo foo sandwiches later…Roxana Colorado arrived… and looked absolutely FANTABULOUS. Fashiona loved her look (Eva Longeria meets WestSide Story) right down to the fire engine red peep toe pumps.

Once center stage, Roxana spun a tale of a single mother leaving her homeland with her children and  coming to New York City, learning English and putting herself through school…a story repeated by many immigrants from all parts of the world.  Well…this woman was Roxana’s mother…and by the story’s end our hearts were a-flutter. Roxana, second generation New Yorker, is very cognizant of her mother’s bold courage and struggle found a way to give back.

In April, Miss Roxana is going to Peru to work in an orphanage…talk about a party with a purpose.

Bon Voyage Roxie

~ Fashiona thanks you for allowing her to share this journey with you.

Black History Month is coming to a close and Fashiona would like to address the complaint of those who are critical of Michelle Obama’s fashion choices…in particular the  Black Artists Association. She has taken some heat from some that question her design choices.  This assertion annoys Fashiona greatly…

Fashiona loves fashion and has no problem analyzing someone’s hits or misses…including Michelle’s.  In fact, Fashiona has still not quite forgiven that red and black number Michelle wore for then President-Elect’s victory night. But Fashiona does concede that style is a freedom of expression and that is still allowed in America. 

Trying to “tell” Michelle that she should wear clothes made by black designers is like telling someone that they can only live in a “black” neighborhood or a red-head that they can’t wear pink. Or hello…voting for her husband Barack Obama for president just because he is black.  

Are there talented black designers…of course …is Michelle Obama “required” to wear them…ummm no.  She is a woman of integrity, with own style and has shown us that she will wear what she wants regardless of our opinion. 

Fashiona is confident that if Michelle likes something that a black designer has created…she will wear it gladly. 

Michelle wearing her favorite designer Maria Pinto. 

Photo Credit:  Matthew Rolston