Okay so I’ve been on diary hiatus for quite some time. I really really wanted to give you daily updates of my time in Miami for the Winter Music Conference, but I was too busy running around trying to hit up every damn party there was! Now I know why they call it the Winter Conference, because quite frankly Miami aint as warm that time as it’s cut up to be. There’s sun, but the wind be blowing some cold ass nipple hardening air.

MIAMI:
Quick recap: I got to hang with lots of my girls and guys such as Lugo Rosado, Indiana Chris (eternally looking for the next party), Skendar (came with 1 bag the size of a girl’s purse, that’s it), Lego and Aida (thanks for the rides!), Dave Sabat, Kenny Ray, Marcello, Unified Records, Wanda, Alphonso and Pea (she got to meet my stripclub girlfriend of many years Angelina of Club Madonna and see her flexibility talents). Many many more but those pop up in my head. The next issue should have all the pictures, but saw and spoke with lots of our favorite House personalities such as Maurice Joshua, Stacy Kidd, Wayne Williams, Osunlade, 3 Degrees, Louie Louie, JoJo Flores, Tortured Soul, Alix Alvarez, Mr. V, King Britt, Rich Medina, Ron Carroll, CeCe Peniston, Frankie Knuckles, Dave Morales (had his shirt open at his party, be still my beating heart), Timmy Regisford, Gene Hunt, Vic Lavender, Ron Trent, Barbara Tucker, Andre Harris, DJ Spinna, Dave Harness, the Groove Junkies, Jellybean Benitez (I know he’s done so much more, but I’ll forever know him as Madonna’s former boyfriend who first played her music at the Limelight and blew her up), Dennis Ferrer, Karizma, and so many many more.

I hosted 3 parties, and the most important one… the Unified Records Party at Rain which closed out the conference… the one where I actually had to get up on the mic and introduce all the fabulous DJs/singers such as Tony Humphries and Robert Owens… I had by then lost my voice. GONE. The flaming and very drunk bartender at Rain insisted I try his “magic throat potion”, but all it did was make me even more mute. So thank you Alphonso of I Love House Music Wednesdays for being my voice and making people think I’m really a drag queen.

Favorite parties were of course Shelter and the Jump N’ Funk event. East Coast heads just be *dancing*.

SHOW:
Upon my return from Miami, I immediately had to jump into tech and dress rehearsals the whole week for my dance show, so I was locked into the Harold Washington Library theater for hours and hours on end, capping it off with great shows for the GI Alliance (congrats to my very good friend Jen whose company it is) 5 year anniversary dance concert. Saturday was the last show, and I was WIPED OUT. Early Sunday morning and going on no sleep for 2 weeks… flight to… YEY! NEW YORK CITY!!!

NEW YORK:
I get to stay here in a subletted apartment on the Lower East Side for most of April so I can dance, write my new show and get-away-far-far-away from painful Chicago, sort of relax, and enjoy my muse called New York. I haven’t gotten a chance to spend a lot of time here like I used to do pre-magazine days, so I’m soaking it all in. So far I’ve checked out the House Dance Conference (monthly event for dancers), the 3 Degrees party at the Sullivan Room last night, and the Shelter tonight! I’ve taken dance and gymnastics classes, had a DOPE massage from one of those Asian massage places (no happy ending), hooked up with my old dance teachers and friends, met some really cool people, and I’ve only been here a week. And not one drink, even when I was at the clubs. If only I could live here for a year. Or two.