Thursday, June 22, 2006

Imani Updates

Everyone loves Imani, can't get enough of her ... so I thought I'd update you with some recent videos...





Sunday, June 18, 2006

Passing On the Torch

I've received a few "Where are you Elle?" emails and felt inclined to come back and post something...so here's a funny story.

After a year in the business I've come to see some things, both good and bad, that have left me at a point of confusion to whether or not I wish to continue. I'm still in contemplation mode. In the meantime my mom has found herself smack in the middle of various productions and has somehow become cooler than me.

She calls me at my job one day last week as I stared out to the beautiful sunny weather which I couldn't enjoy from the shackles of my desk. "You should come home," she tells me. When I ask why she tells me they are filming a music video in the park up the block from her house. "Who is in it?" I ask her. And she mumbles something about Sean Paul. Sean Paul! Damn, he's kinda sexy and the only reggae artist whose music I can actually translate. Bummer. Twenty minutes later she calls me back. "It's not Sean Paul it's Jean Carlo." Who in the hell is Jean Carlo? I begin to get frustrated at the lack of credible information. I'll spare you the next hour of back and forth we had before she actually got it right and told me they were filming a scene from the MOVIE tentatively titled "Reggaeton". I'm going to take a shot in the dark and guess it's about the evolution of reggaeton. "So where's Daddy Yankee?" I ask. "I don't see him," she says,"I'll call you back." And this is how the day continues with my mom hanging out in the park for most of the day and coming home with the following pics... Yea, I was kinda jealous.


Setting the stage for a mock concert


Our little starlet gets her first on screen experience


Giancarlo Esposito and mom


I have no idea who these guys are, do you?


Victor Rasuk and ... someone


Victor Rasuk and mom... quite jealous about this one, Raising Victor Vargas is one of my favorite films


Omarion and mom.. yea, OMARION .. I have no idea what role he plays in this film, but I'm hoping this isn't You Got Served Part 2 ... (although I secretly watch that movie every time I catch it on cable)

Nearly the very next day mom meets me uptown for a night of great food at Fondo Boricua (hope I got that right) and great music at Camaradas. Having just seen the documentary Yo Soy Boricua Pa Que Tu Lo Sepa on Monday, mom had the cast fresh on her brain. Maybe she indirectly summoned them because no more than five minutes after we walked into the restaurant, Bobbito Garcia walks in. Five minutes after that in walks Rosie Perez and her cousin Sixto. Mom nearly lost her mind trying to snap photos of them while they ate. I was able to hold her back long enough to wait for a photo opp when we walked out of the restaurant. She jumps in next to Rosie and starts up a congratulatory speech while I casually asked the guys if they were going to see Tato y Yerbabuena after dinner. Super friendly and down to earth, Bobbito said he might show up at Camaradas after. I gave mom the eye that we were two seconds away from wearing out our welcome. She said her goodbyes and followed me out of the restaurant, but not before getting this pic:



It was a warm Thursday night, so I wasn't surprised to roll up to Camaradas and find a large group of people lounging outside. I introduced mom to my boys of Yerbabuena, Tato, Niko and Bebo. We grabbed a few drinks, the band began to play and I watched as mom fell totally into the Camaradas groove. A few songs and beers later the set finished and the congregation formed once again outside. It was midnight and the work bell was already calling me for later that morning. I excused mom from a conversation she was having and said my goodbyes. Several yawns later, I was tucked in bed smiling at the evening and thinking my mom is pretty cool.