Introducing Entertaining The Idea

[Editor’s Note: I first started thinking about social media and innovation four years ago. in December 2004]

At first glance, this space will be for entertaining tips and great ideas. But wait, there’s more. It’s about thinking about social interaction, developing new ideas that spring from conversation, meeting new people, having a supportive creative network, appreciating the abundance and rejoicing in the now!

Running With The Night

This week is so HUGE in my blogger family! With my Gothamist Interviews this week and my cousin-in-law, Chris Rabb from the Afro-Netizen blogging about the Democratic Convention in Boston, we’ve got the politics and entertainment thing covered. Anyway here is an excerpt of his latest post.

[Attention readers: These blog entries may contain high doses of sarcasm. Please read with caution.]

I’ll be hoofin’ it to the Fleet Center shortly to join the 15,000 credentialed journalists who are covering this suspenseful political extravaganza (he says sardonically)!

After all, other than knowing the nominee-to-be, his running-mate, and the Democratic Party’s official 2004 platform, we don’t know anything! For instance, where is the Utah delegation going to be situated? And who will be holding the tazer-gun when presidential footnote Al Gore takes the podium?

[As you can see, sarcasm runs in the family] To read more, check it out HERE.

Why Can’t I Be You?

Lollapalooza is dead. Enough said. Long live The Cure ! They are

headlining the Curiosa Tour, and will be in New York

in late July. Yay!

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in this issue

* Just Like Heaven

* If Only Tonight We Could Sleep

* Boys Don’t Cry

* Just Say Yes

* Disintegration

* Hot Hot Hot!

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Just Like Heaven

Champagne in a can…Have you tasted it yet? Well,

this week I was blessed to have sampled the

sparkling Sofia. This

bubbly comes from Francis Coppola vineyards, and I

bet the kiddies in the Hamptons are loving it. Now I

can’t wait for Marc Jacobs to create a signature

orange juice so that I can drink designer mimosas for

Sunday brunch!

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If Only Tonight We Could Sleep

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to see Dylan

Moran’s Monster at the Village Theatre (158 Bleecker

St.) for free. However, I really wanted to get some

sleep, but my new motto is “you can sleep when you

die”. So I attended and laughed heartily at the

irreverent comedy of Irishman Dylan Moran. It was

fun, and I even saw Jerry Orbach from “Law and

Order” in the audience! The

show was being taped for BBC America, so you may

see me in the audience when it airs this fall. By the

way, I heard that “Monster” has been extended, so

make sure you check out for “sh!ts and giggles”!

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Boys Don’t CryA week after Gay Pride, and I am thinking where are

the manly straight men? I’m guessing that they

are all at a bar somewhere talking about women and

relationships while downing shots of tequila. These

guys should probably check out one of my favorite

New York bar guides, Murph Guide

everyday to see what places have the best

happy hour. Cheers!

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Just Say Yes

Say yes as I call upon all you Nichelle Newsletter fans

to come out on Tuesday, July 6 for the 3rd

monthly “Chicks and Giggles” show! The stellar lineup

includes Carolyn Castiglia, Laura Mannino, Lena

Martinez, Amy Mahfouz, Veronica Mosey, Abby

Rosin, Jenny Rubin, and Jill Twiss. The cover is only

$8 with a two-drink minimum. The door is at 8PM,

and the show starts at 8:30 PM at the Laugh Lounge and call 212.614.2500 for reservations.

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Disintegration

What in the heck was I thinking last week?! I

actually posted a personal ad in Craig’s List

after writing the newsletter. (Dumb move!) I was quickly

overwhelmed with a deluge of emails from creepy

guys who claimed to be lawyers. I took the post

down after less than a day. I soon realized that

this single thing is better left

unsaid. Anyway, if you ever want to be entertained by CL, then check out

Amy Blair’s “The Week in Craig” column on Black Table .

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Hot Hot Hot!

There are some folks that are being much buzzed

about lately and I just to bear witness to their

brilliance. First up is Demetri

Martin, comedian. I first saw his act at

Moonwork back last winter, and he’s very funny

and pretty cute. His show is called Spiral Bound. Also I gotta say that I really

enjoyed listening to Mike Sandwich , a wild and crazy band from Astoria, Queens who played last weekend at Coney Island.

Fragile

Nichelle Newsletter Nonchalantly entertaining you with saucy wit…

June 23,2004

For no other reason than his love of all things tantric…I picked Sting as artist of the week. Enjoy!

in this issue

Be Still My Beating Heart

Russians

Send Your Love

An Englishman in New York

If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free

Be Still My Beating Heart

Last Saturday, I discovered a few things. First, my friend told me that I can quickly get to Astoria from Harlem by taking the M60 bus. Then I heard this really cool band named Sawyer from Boston play at the Bohemian Beer Garden. Those kids rocked! Finally, I found the new malt beverage of my dreams, Smirnoff Twisted Green Apple. It’s way better and cheaper than an apple martini!

Russians

My friends and I fell in love with the fruit-infused vodka and the charming bartender at Russian Samovar, a Russian Vodka bar and restaurant (256 West 52nd Street). I really enjoyed the Old World charm of this Midtown haunt. We sampled exotic flavors such as plum, peach, lemon and even coriander and cleansed our palates with delicious appetizers. It’s a fun place for a date, too and you can have the piano guy play your favorite tune!

Send Your Love

It’s Extremely Gay week here in the In-Why-See. (Love that Ted Casablancas!) By the end of the week, I will have attended a gay blogger reading, gone to the Mermaid Parade and maybe watch the Gay Pride Parade on Sunday. But the gayest thing EVER is to be married to Liza Minelli!

An Englishman in New York

From the Anglophile files… One of my favorite bloggers is Guy Brighton’s New York Guide. He has a listing of all the places to watch the Euro 2004. Plus, he’s reviewed many cool bars and restaurants in NYC.

If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free

OK, so I am single, single and single. I get so many emails about summer shares and sublets that I got an idea. Instead of posting an ad about wanting a summer share, I want to post an ad for sharing the summer. Hopefully, this will help me find my one true desire, a summer boyfriend. I just want “some dude” from June 23 to Labor Day. If anyone knows any seasonal boyfriend candidates, then let me know. Thanks!

I’m Free

I spent a long weekend in Philadelphia. It was good to clear my mind and be away from work, the blog, the comedy, the city, etc. It was lovely to spend time with my cousin and reminisce about when were kids. I slept well and ate swell. I feel refreshed!

Last week I forgot to release myself of a burden, and it just dawned on me today that I must let go of the quasi-friendship that I have with my ex-boyfriend. I often speak of him when I don’t plan to. We email each other and talk on the phone frequently, but it’s a waste of my time. He will never be what I want, and I cannot settle for what he stingily offers me sometimes– and that is only when he’s in good mood. I said “goodbye”, and as I saw the words on the screen, it felt so right. I wish him well, truly I do. He needs a lot of work, but he’s a good guy. Whew! Where’s the nearest bar? I have a taste for a frozen margarita!

Who Do You Love?

Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To prove that the ladies love a cheap drink now and again, I stopped by

Chango, a posh-looking Mexican bar on Park Ave South where they serve $5

frozen margaritas from 4-7PM for Happy Hour. I was very happy to taste a

yummy passionfruit margarita. New Jersey, you are on the wrong side of

history!

What’s Going On?

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Who is John Wilkes Booth? What is Spanish fly? What is 1945? Ok, I know

you wondering what’s going on, so here’s the deal. On Friday afternoon,

I am trying out for Jeopardy, which is way much cooler than trying to

get cast for the next Hilton reality show! I have to pass a test and

then participate in a mock round of game. Wish me luck!

Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?

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Two months ago, I happened upon a little Australian bar/restaurant on

Avenue C named the Sunburnt Cow (137 Avenue C). It was too late in the

evening to sample one of their “Mad Cow” pies that are highly

recommended. However I got a chance recently to have one of the pies,

which was delicious with a flaky crust. Plus, they have a garden

outback! Pun not intended.

Who’s That Girl? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s June, and it hot! So now is the time start searching for the

perfect pasties and wig to get your costume ready for the Coney Island

Mermaid Parade on Saturday, June 26. I was just looking at blue wigs the

other day or may go with a blonde one. Anyway, the 2004 Mermaid may some

hipster street cred, as Moby will be King Neptune. I am gathering a

posse together to have fun and march in the parade. If interested, email

a sista’. http://www.coneyislandusa.com

Who Can It Be Now? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will be away this weekend at my summer share in the Hamptons. Did I

just write that with a straight face?! No, I will be in Philly rocking

it in a rocking chair and singing sweet songs to my baby cousin,

Freeman. But if I were in the city this weekend, I would check out the

documentary at Film Forum about Imelda Marcos. You gotta love a woman

with so many shoes. (SJP’s has nothing on her!) Saturday night, I would

go to Schoolhouse Roxx show at P.S. 122 with Corn Mo, Jessy Delphino and

Jason Trachtenburg.

Take Me With You

littleprince

Announcement: I am only doing a few links today because I’m lazy…

The Morning Papers

I honestly read the NY Post everyday on my way to work mainly for the Page Six gossip and the Pulse section. I read the NY Times and the Observer (the other pink paper) online, and I think the Daily News has no reason to exist.

Starfish and Coffee

Last Friday, I attended the Loser’s Lounge tribute to Prince, and I had a blast! The house band and all the guest singers were great. I totally enjoyed the show, and I noticed that Amy Poehler from SNL was really rocking out to “Lady Cab Driver”! You can still check out the show this weekend at the Fez Café. I am tempted to see it again. It was that GOOD!! Also Prince will be coming next month, but I heard the tickets are already sold out.

Sign O’ The Times

The New Jersey State Division of Civil Rights have banned bars from having “Ladies Night” drink specials. It’s a stupid ruling, in my opinion. Now I have no incentive whatsoever to venture into Jersey. They don’t treat chicks with respect and ply them with liquor like they do over here in the Big Apple!

Scandalous

I’ve having a semi-private party on Wednesday June 9 at Lava Gina (116 Ave C). Details will be sent in a special email. Stay tuned.

Let’s Go Crazy

Tuesday’s Chicks and Giggles show was fantastic, and many of you missed it. No worries! The next show is Tuesday, July 6 at the Laugh Lounge. It’s your chance to see the funniest females in comedy before they become rich and famous and you see them in Page Six. Check out the special blog which has a calendar that list dates for upcoming shows where you can find these talented ladies.

It's Nichelle With An "N"