The celebration of the African Heritage Day at Gracie Mansion, hosted by Mayor Eric Adams yesterday, was exactly the kind of celebratory gathering needed during the dire political climate we currently live in. Africans in diaspora from far and wide turned up beaming with pride and joy clad in various attires from their respective countries in Africa. Sponsored meals, beverages, and libations were in abundance. A room full of Africans under one roof had no borders mindset. We all merged as one union in pure jubilation of our heritage and culture. Nigerian flag in one hand, African print hand fan (designed by me) in another, I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. A remarkable superb time was had. Salute! 🥂💋🎉

Click here to watch the event video on instagram.

Dandyism exhibition at the Met Museum offers an extraordinary peek into the past, as it transforms and travels through time to the present. It offers in-depth enlightenment of how the oppressed used fashion to their own advantage as an unspoken language of empowerment, exuding grace under pressure.

The exhibition includes one of a kind and limited creations from legends in the space of fashion design such as the military style numbers by John Galliano and Olivier Rousteing. Landmark trendsetter logomania bumper jacket by Dapper Dan, that literally shifted the game in designer labels tapping into the inner city urban way of street style made the cut. African designers from countries such as Senegal, Cameroun and Nigeria, which produced one of the larger than life patterned caftan owned by the late André Leon Talley, along with his iconic Louis Vuitton personalized luggage set, are all on display. Irrefutable history was told using items that once belonged to activist Frederick Douglas. It’s impossible not to feel the presence of such great historical icons in the vast hall of exhibition.

It was a delightful way to spend the day with my dear friend celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes, who also treated me to a belated sumptuous birthday lunch shortly afterward. Upon our arrival at the Met Museum, we patiently joined the long line of guests waiting to acquire tickets. Clad in our daringly sparkling ensemble in broad daylight, we stood out like disco balls. We came prepared to blend in with the dandyism mannequins, unapologetically! Needless to say, the security and museum attendants took one look at us and immediately pulled us out of the line, complimentary tickets in hand, and ushered us upstairs VIP style. We’re ever so grateful for their warm hospitality. Talk about dressing for success! The gawds of Dandyism past were most certainly in our favor!

Click here to check out the video on instagram.

This past weekend was a rather daunting and painful one. I needed recovery time to be strong enough to post this tribute. I lost not one but two beloved friends to a car accident, fellow doll afficionados and highly revered doll artists Mario and Gianni, collectively known as “Magia2000”. The dynamic duo’s artistry and craftmanship were incomparable, none like we’ve ever seen before in the doll community. Their impeccable and keen eyes for perfection garnered them worldwide recognition, enough to have big corporations such as Mattel collaborating with them on numerous occasions. Their highly coveted works of art have helped raise tens of thousands of funds for various charities around the world through several donations of their remarkable work, with biddings soaring to high 5 digits figures. Their selfless acts of kindness, unwavering support of the arts, generosity, warm friendship, will be sorely missed. To everyone who owns a piece of their work, much like Picasso or Rembrandt, please cherish them like family heirlooms because their legacy now lives through you for generations to be inspired by.🙏

It was a real privilege and honor to have known Mario and Gianni. Now looking back, I’m immensely grateful for Mario and Gianni’s friendship. To me, they were more than doll artists, they were my Italian brothers from another mother. They always light up any environment they were in with their warmth and kindness.

RIP dear friends. Grazie mille, riposa in pace.🕊😪🙏

Just hours after Pres. Trump successfully had his “Big Beautiful Bill” passed by Congress, this happened… My kids suggested we have a family 4th of July themed pizza lunch in the park. I set out yesterday in search of the traditional blue, white & red “gadgets”, such as paper plates, table covers, napkins and fashion items to wear, et.al. To my shock, not a single item was on display at any stores, not even the big box stores as such TJ Maxx, Marshalls, et.al that sold them in abundance last year and prior. None of the regular stores had the typical window decals in celebration or to announce any sales. The Empire State Building wasn’t lit in the celebratory patriotic colors either, which normally starts few days before the 4th. The atmosphere was rather dire.

My dear friend Ty-Ron Mayes said the same thing about the stores uptown.

Is this the aftermath of the import tariffs we’re seeing unfold? Are people also scared to come out and shop in droves like the previous years because of ICE? Or are people reeling from the blunt blow of the Bill that just passed? What’s good America? Is it a happy milestone 250th birthday? 🙈🤔🙌🎂

Click here to see the video.

The New York City Pride March took place today on June 29 and it hadn’t been this crucial and relevant since the uprising at the iconic Stonewall. The current political climate has members of the LGBTQ community on edge, with their rights on the brink of being rolled back and major corporations ditching several of their DEI programs, which protects a lot of their basic rights. Some corporations begged to differ and were in full support of their queer staff members by participating with fully kitted vehicular floats armed with promotional swags to throw to the onlookers lined up along the sides of 5th Avenue.

Corporations such as L’Oréal enlisted queer celebrities to appear on their floats. Niecy Nash did the honors, while Amanda Lepore and Tokischa graced the MAC makeup floats featuring an impressive oversized lipstick.

International queer community leaders such as Ireland, Italy, Japan, Nordic regions, et.al, were prominent at the March. The Pride march draws in millions of viewers from around the world annually.

Click here to watch the highlights and after party scene.

Chef Tayo fed a village last night at his highly coveted home communal dining experience. The extraordinary IT Chef of the moment offered an almost rare and once in a golden opportunity for press/influencers to take part in his highly sought after exclusive homecooked meal dinning experience at his swanky abode in SOHO, New York City, and I couldn’t pass up such an opportune moment for all the gawds in the hemisphere!

Upon arrival, I was faced with a room full of esteemed guests of various backgrounds and vocations. Many of them had traveled far and wide to partake in the fête. We were welcomed with summer fresh cocktails, to set the mood. The affair offered a great opportunity for networking and connecting with many like-minded guests, many of whom were women. We came as strangers, laughed, connected, bonded, and left like long-time best friends. Without further ado, after Chef Tayo’s heartfelt introduction of his humble beginnings in Nigeria (watch the speech in the reel linked below), infused with Italian food culture, which he picked up after migrating to Italy from Nigeria. This set the precedence for the evening. With the help of his dedicated and thoughtful staff members, guests proceeded to the rooftop area, which had been set up with the iconic city skyline offering the perfect backdrop for the sumptuous feast. The table setting included personalized velvet pouches for each guests, with names embroidered in gold threads, and vintage style Polaroid cameras for guests to utilize in capturing the memorable evening under the stars.

We started off the 5 course dinner with fresh garden salad, then the pasta garnished with one of Nigeria’s favorite, the fried plantain, aka “dodo”, before moving on to his trademark Nigerian-Italian Jollof Risotto, cleverly escaping the Jollof war.

The delectable menu also included salivatory mango glazed branzino, some had it with lobster. The 5 course meal wouldn’t be complete without a classic Italian gelato, the perfect touch for a warm summer night. It was a Michelin Star quality dining that any African or Italian Grandma would be proud of. The meal was heartfelt, well seasoned, unpretentious, and filing.

The weather initially threatened to derail the highly anticipated celebratory summer rooftop dining, but with prayers to every sacred deities known to man (and of the Chef’s), the weather let up! Whew!

Chef Tayo is a Nigerian immigrant in America living his best American dream possible, serving as a great inspiration for many with similar humble backgrounds. He truly embodies his true origin with the theme of the “Ebi Ayo Supper Club,” tapping deeply into the core of African communal daily activities and dining experience of embracing and loving thy neighbor. Dare I say, no one has set the bar as high as Chef Tayo in NYC when it comes to homecooked dinning with a sincere heart and soul felt in every bite! Considering the astonomical commercial rent of restaurant space in NYC, Chef Tayo is on to something, definitely well ahead of the curve with his concept of “home dining!” It’s an experience not to be missed.

Be sure to click here to watch the reel on instagram from the festivities. 🥂💋

Jollof Risotto by Chef Tayo

It’s Art Week in New York City! Frieze, a leading international art fair is back in the big apple! The highly anticipated fair takes up residence at the swanky premises of The Shed in the ritzy Hudson Yards in New York City. The fair showcases a great selection of galleries highlighting presentations and works by emerging and renowned artists from around the world. I had the honor of making my acquaintance with Steven Harrington, who presented stunning and playful collaboration with South Korean appliance giant LG. The collaboration includes colorful and playful yet functional art electronics and sculptures.

The legendary and world renowned cultural icon, 89 year old South African Esther Mahlangu’s unique captivating contemporary art work is definitely not to be missed.

Jeff Koons life size coloful sculptures are definitely a must see.

The fair is ongoing now at The Shed until May 11, 2025.  

Click here to watch the reel compilation from the exhibition.

One of the few remaining gilded age mansion in New York City just had a grand reopening soirée in honor of the sprawling estate’s vast and detailed $200 million renovation after five years, heralding the 5th Avenue jeweled box property to it’s golden era. Famously known for it’s unique vast collection of rare paintings and remarkable collection of European sculptures and arts. All thanks to the original collector and former Master of the vast estate, Henry Clay Frick, who generously left everything for the publics enjoyment and further understanding of art. This establishment I must say, is not your everyday kind of museum.

Upon my arrival at the premises, you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t a member of the Frick family in my previous life, because I felt extremely comfortable and right at home. The ambiance and good energy permeating through the air and walls was calmingly inviting and exhilarating. The staff members and security detail were very friendly and welcoming. Not the usual cold stare and guarded types you’d normally see at other museums. This made the experience overall extra special.

Having spent quite a great deal of time at the mansion previously prior to the renovation, I’d never set foot on the upper level. It was always off limit to the public. Imagine my surprise to hear at the grand opening party that it’s now accessible to all. I made a beeline for the ornate grand staircase for the upper floor, which once served as the private quarters for the Frick family. Suffice to say, there are no original beddings and coordinating furnitures, but the general layouts and remnants of their previous purpose still lingers. Think of it as a mini Versailles, which pretty much was the blueprint and a huge inspiration for most mansions during the guilded age. One of the ornate rooms looks like it could have easily belonged to Marie Antoinette!

I hope it’ll inspire you to pop by the museum and let your imaginations run wild taking in some quality art and gilded age history and architecture. It’s helpful to become a member of the Frick! The museum is officially open for business starting April 17. Be sure to visit Frick.org for more details and preview the images featured below.

Click here to get a glimpse of the museum party in video on instagram.

Art is life! Last night was a true testament to that! The Whitney Museum had a remarkable and extraordinary super grand opening night for world-renowned and celebrated artist, Amy Sherald. The very one that catapulted to extreme height of art fame after immortalizing First Lady Michelle Obama on canvas with her signature brush strokes in vivid but complementing color schemes. The art itself is prominently displayed as part of the exhibition, among many others that are equally as Important from her body of work. Amy’s riveting esthetics in brush strokes makes for an unmistakable collective trademark of her work. Many, if not all of her subjects are Africans and African descendants. Her technique of painting the brown to dark skin is impeccable with strong commanding presence, drawing the attention of its admirers. She uses art as a voice to tackle current political and domestic issues, particularly those affecting the Black and Brown communities and the LGBTQ+ lifestyles. Such tones of disparties, such as Breonna Taylor who was unjustly executed in her own personal domain few years ago, and several others affecting the world as we know it, can be seen echoed in her work at the Museum.

Scott Rothkopf, Alice Pratt Brown Director, and the Board of Trustees of the Whitney Museum of American Art spared no expense with a grand reception in her honor, celebrating her opening at the Whitney Museum. An institution renowned for unique and exceptional exhibitions of artists such as Amy Sherald, Christine Sun Kim: All Day All Night;
Collection View: Louise Nevelson; Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and the Last
Gullah Islands; Mary Heilmann: Long Line; and Shifting Landscapes et.al. All are still
on view at the Museum. Amy Sherald’s exhibition will open from April 9 to Aug 10, 2025. It’s definitely worth checking out.

Click here to get a glimpse of the exhibition in the reel posted on instagram.

Artist Amy Sherald

Forget waiting for cherry blossoms to bloom, a traditional indicator of the start of spring season in New York City. Yesterday, The Netherlands delivered us from the antipation of colorful sightings by taking over the iconic Union Square with almost 200k Tulip bulbs in various shades known to man… all free of charge! Yes, you read that right. There’s actually something you can get in the city without paying a single penny for besides a subway ride to get to Union Square. Once there, you get to pick out your own Tulips! Yesterday would be the sophomore year of the initiative that started last year. The event commenced with the park officials and Dutch Consulate General Ahmed Dadou, and other dignitaries who all gave speeches with more insights on the purpose of the event. Let’s face it, it’s not everyday that you get free flowers in the city, and tulips for that matter! They don’t come cheap. The eagerly waiting crowd in the thousands were told the event was to promote Dutch trade and culture in Tulip bulbs in the US, which was proudly sponsored by the European Union. The organizers enlisted volunteers locally and from Europe to help in putting it all together, resulting in a remarkable success that will now become an annual fixture on Union Square, in what would be known as “Tulip Day”! Furthermore, the event ushered in the joyful spring season with vibrant blanket of colors at Union Square.The festivity opened with the blessing of a bouquet of Tulips with Moonshot drink poured over it. And with that, that gates opened to the public. The lucky guests who were able the secure a spot during the online reservation period few days ago, (which filled up in a fast NY minute), trickled into the allocated space to start picking their flowers. Few hours later, the bulbs were picked clean! Influencers of various ages (as young as few months old) and genders, and pets, wasted no time in pouring over the impeccably lined up landscape to get their social media contents. Just about every method of media gadgets and scripting were utilized. Spring has indeed sprung!

The Tulips were locally grown in the US with seeds from the Netherlands, further promoting the long lasting impact of Dutch tradition and culture in the US, spanning over 400 years.

I have fond memories of Holland from my visits few years ago, and can’t wait to return. For now, I’m grateful for a bit of it to NYC via the Tulip Day.

Click here to watch the event video posted on instagram.

With the Dutch Consulate General Ahmed Dadou and Park officials

Dutch Consulate General Ahmed Dadou