I LOVE NY 28 Places to Visit by THE FUTURE

1. The Two Ho’s - Soho & Noho
2. Hue-Man Bookstore – Harlem
3. Peter’s Since 1969 – Brooklyn
4. Brooklyn Museum – Brooklyn
5. Apollo Theater – Harlem
6. Times Square
7. Grand Central Terminal
8. Chez Josephine – 42nd Street Manhattan
9. Brooklyn Bridge
10. Café Condesa – West Village
11. Coney Island – Brooklyn
12. The United Nations
13. Staten Island Ferry
14. Abyssinian Baptist Church - Harlem
15. The Village
16. Pieces – Brooklyn
17. B. Café – Upper Westside
18. Century 21 – Lower Manhattan
19. The Empire State Building
20. Columbia University
21. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens
22. The Meatpacking District – Midtown
23. Wall Street
24. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
25. Yankee Stadium
26. Central Park
27. Macy’s
28. The Bronx Zoo

Special Thanks to Kenny C. Photos for sharing his images with The Future.

Please visit his site at Kennected

I LOVE NY 28 of 28 Places to Visit

The Bronx Zoo is a zoo located within the Bronx Park in the Bronx borough of New York City. The largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, it comprises 265 acres (107 ha) of park lands and naturalistic habitats, through which the Bronx River flows. The Bronx Zoo is south of the New York Botanical Garden.

Fordham University owned most of the land which became the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Garden. Fordham sold it to the City of New York for only $1,000 under the condition that the lands be used for a zoo and garden; this was in order to create a natural buffer between the university grounds and the urban expansion that was nearing. In the 1880s, New York State set aside the land for future development as parks. In 1895, New York State chartered the New York Zoological Society (later renamed to Wildlife Conservation Society) for the purpose of founding a zoo.

The zoo (originally called the New York Zoological Park) opened its doors to the public on November 8, 1899, featuring 843 animals in 22 exhibits. The first zoo director was William Temple Hornaday. Heins & LaFarge designed the original permanent buildings as a series of Beaux-Arts pavilions grouped around the large circular sea lion pool. Many exhibits, for example World of Birds and World of Reptiles, maintain the original taxonomical arrangement, while others are arranged geographically, such as African Plains and Wild Asia.

In 2006, the Bronx Zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals, many of which are endangered or threatened species.

I LOVE NY 27 of 28 Places to Visit

Macy’s
The World’s Largest Department Store

Macy's was founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. On the company's first day of business on October 28, 1858 sales totaled $11.06 (Approximately $287.37 in 2007 USD). Macy had established a dry goods store in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1851 that initially served the mill industry employees of the area. Macy moved to New York City and established a new store named "R. H. Macy & Company" on the corner of 14th Street and 6th Avenue, later expanding to 18th Street and Broadway, on the "Ladies' Mile", the 19th century elite shopping district, where it remained for nearly forty years.

In 1875, Macy took on two partners: Robert M. Valentine; and Abiel T. La Forge, and Macy died just two years later in 1877 from Bright's disease. In 1895, R. H. Macy & Co. was acquired by Isidor Straus and his brother, Nathan Straus, who had previously held a license to sell china and other goods in the Macy's store. Isidor Straus later perished in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. In 1902, the flagship store moved uptown to Herald Square at 34th Street and Broadway. Although the Herald Square store initially consisted of just one building, it expanded through new construction, eventually occupying almost the entire block bounded by 7th Avenue on the west, Broadway on the east, 34th Street on the south and 35th Street on the north. Exceptions are the small, pre-existing building on the corner of 34th and Broadway, which carries Macy's famous shopping bag sign under an agreement allowing the Macy's sign, and small pre-existing building on the corner of 35th and 7th.

The original Broadway R. H. Macy and Company Store, was built in 1901–02 by architects De Lemos & Cordes. It is sheathed in a Palladianfacade, but has been updated in many details. Other additions to the west were added in 1924, 1928, and 1931, all designed by architect Robert D. Kohn. They are all in the Art Deco style. The building has been designated a National Historic Landmark. It boasts one of the few wooden escalators still in operation. The company produces the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a well known parade which has been held on the streets of New York City annually since 1924. The company also sponsors the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks display, which began in 1976.

In 2008, Macy's celebrated its 150th birthday. The store launched a commercial including old Macy's commercials, and actors and actresses mentioning Macy's on shows. It also featured clips of past Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades. The commercial was used to promote Macy's and a way of saying thank you for making Macy's part of your life for 150 years. The commercial aired around when the annual Primetime Emmy Awards aired live on ABC on September 2008. The commercial has aired on different channels also throughout the whole September, October, and November months.

Zolra's Corner: In The Moment Returns

Even though I don't think about moving there, Los Angeles always looks interesting to me. I get most of my information from movies to Jackie Collins. There is a movie or tv show being filmed down there everyday. I have a crazy schedule. So I never have time to watch television. I almost forgot to watch Melrose Place 2.0 (The remake of the 1992 series). Because of that, I have drawn myself to online series. Original shows that premieres on the internet. I even watch episodes online that I miss on tv.

Thanks to that, I have become addicted to online series. I watch a variety of shows like The Guild, Drama Queenz, No Strings Attached, Gay's Anatomy and the upcoming show The Boys Who Brunch. Now I have added a new show to my list. I thought it was canceled months ago. When I saw a new episode a few days ago, I was like "THANK GOD."

For everyone, I recommend watching this show online called In The Moment. In The Moment is also about starting an open, honest conversation among gay guys in the Los Angeles area about these types of decisions. Below is the most recent episode of the show. If you want to watch more episodes, go to their youtube channel.

Youtube.com/inthemomenttv
If you want more info, you can go to their website inthemoment.tv

SGL Weekly: Romeo Redwine

Hey ya'll, we are back for another week with an exciting new issue this week with Co-host of the Maurice Runea Show, Romeo Redwine. I had the opportunity to sit down and interview him about his Life, Sex, the Future and so much more. Our life coach Nathan 7 Scott is back with his wonderful advice about looking for love. We also have or new columnist Lester Greene back talking about something that some people face and that is being Stupid in Love. Go to www.sglliving.ning.com to read, Please let us know what you think about the issue sglweeklymag@gmail.com.

 Enjoy!

Cleavester Brooks
Editor-in-chief

I LOVE NY 26 of 28 Places to Visit

Central Park
Photos courtesy of Kennected

Central Park is an urban park that occupies about 1.2 square miles (341 hectares, or 843 acres) in the heart of Manhattan in New York City. It is host to approximately twenty-five million visitors each year. Central Park was opened in 1859, completed in 1873 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963.

The park was designed by the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and the architect Calvert Vaux. While much of the park looks natural, it is in fact almost entirely landscaped. It contains several natural-looking lakes and ponds, extensive walking tracks, two ice-skating rinks (one of which is a swimming pool in July and August), the Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, a wildlife sanctuary, a large area of natural woods, a reservoir with an encircling running track, and the outdoor Delacorte Theater which hosts the "Shakespeare in the Park" summer festivals. Eighty-five percent of the park's operating budget comes from private sources via the Central Park Conservancy, which manages the park pursuant to a contract with New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Diana Ross FREE concert in Center Park in July 1983

The Diana Ross Playground is located Central Park, inside the park at West 81st Street and Central Park West. Its namesake, the recording artist Diana Ross, who lives across the street in The Beresford, gave a fabled 1983 free concert in Central Park and pledged to fund the project with proceeds from the television rights; however, when this did not prove profitable, she used personal resources. Groundbreaking took place in September 1986, with both Ross and then-Mayor Ed Koch present. Ross reportedly called the event "one of the most fulfilling aspects of [her] life and career."

Today, the playground is equipped with sturdy wood equipment, tire swings, a tube slide, a corkscrew slide, sandboxes, rope bridges, and a mushroom-style water feature. Open daily from 7:30am to dusk, the space is maintained by the Central Park Conservancy Playground Partners program.

The Cast of Model City Talk Egos and Whether TV Can Help Their Careers

By Text and Photos by Phil Smrek

While Jersey Shore introduced "gym, tanning, laundry" to America's pop culture lexicon, BET's new reality series, Model City, has an offering of its own: "don't get mad, get money."

Chronicling the lives of non-white male models from agency Red NYC, Model City offers an authentic look at the often discouraging professional lives of multicultural men in an industry dominated by women and white men. Only about 3 percent of all jobs for men go to black models and the competition for them is appreciable. Says Red co-owner Neil Mautone, "We're hoping to draw attention to an unheralded segment of the industry and look forward to the day when race and color are irrelevant."

The episodes center around four twenty-somethings: Nelson is a Bronx native discovered while working retail five years ago. He's a consistent money maker who's often late to the ring but always delivers a knock-out punch. His first booking was an international Levi's campaign. Zeric, openly gay, is an Afro-Cuban American hailing from Miami who's paid his dues to become a signed model. His panache is tempered by wisdom rare in youth and beauty. Dating Victoria Secret model Sessilee Lopez is Wendell. With his 2008 Summer Bleu Magazine cover, tearsheets in his portfolio from a Bruce Weber shot solo editorial in L'Uomo Vogue and a Hermes campaign, Wendell's under no disillusion of who he is: America's top ethnic male model. A Pratt Institute graduate, Ibrahim's passion is for his art. The veteran model uses his honed skills to flawlessly execute the creative visions of photographers, stylists and art directors.

I caught up with the fly four at Red's Tribeca headquarters the other night before they headed to Model City's premiere party.

Wendell, Tyson Beckford, who appears in an episode, says success in modeling taught him to be humble. Having a rep on the show as the model with the most swagger, does humility fit into your game?

Wendell: I'm humbled and blessed to be here but on the same token I've worked very hard for everything I've accomplished. If you're a confident person and you come across someone else who's very confident, confidence complements confidence. If you're insecure and you come across someone confident you're going mistake his confidence for arrogance.

Do you think it's better to want to aspire to be model or be discovered?

Zeric: For me, it has been a little bit of both. My passion and my drive led me in the right direction but at the same time opportunities presented themselves. For example, I've had the chance to do other reality shows but when Model City came up I realized it was the perfect fit because it's really a documentary of what my life's been like for the past five years.

As successful models you've gotten plenty of exposure. Why bother being on a reality show?

Nelson: What I envision for my future is acting. I feel that by being camera-friendly on a consistent bases you become immune to it as if it weren't actually in your face. So what better way to train yourself than to have a reality show?

Ibrahim, how has being an artist influenced your work as a model?

Ibrahim: Being exposed to photographers' visions gave me a greater respect for their creativity, which forced me to stop using other people's images as references for my art and to start photographing those images myself. As a model I always ask the photographer "where you want to go with this?". Being able to paint compositions, I can envision what he's describing and give the poses the way he needs to see them."

Model City airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on BET's Centric

Do you need some Old Spice?

We know Tracy Morgan declared that Black people don’t watch the Winter Olympics on "Letterman" and "Ellen," but if you have been tuning in to the competitions in Vancouver, you've noticed a topless man riding a horse on a beach, promoting Old Spice during the commercial breaks. That’s former Seattle Seahawks receiver and actor Isaiah Mustafa. And you're not the only one whose noticed him. People.com did some investigating and found that Mustafa's been blowing up since his first Old Spice commercial launched on YouTube on February 4 and over 3+ million views to date.

His bawdiness in the advertisement was not planned, Mustafa told Los Angeles Times. The day before shooting the commercial, he called a friend from college and left an exaggerated rehearsal of his script on his friend's voicemail. He decided to try it for the ad-heads and they loved it. So, Black Male Models Can Work! Right?

Notes from Nathan: I'm Scared of Money!

ecently, I was having a conversation with a childhood friend.  He asked me if I was afraid of money.  I said "no".  He asked me what I was doing to generate money for myself.  I sat puzzled and thought out loud, "well, I go to networking events, and I tell people on Facebook about my services as a life coach."  He told me to go on.  I said, "I am an entrepreneur."  His next question gave me shivers.  He probed by asking how much money I made from my 'services' over the past 60 days.  I gagged because I hadn't made nearly what I needed to make to survive.  My conclusion was that I am actually very unhappy with myself and my lack of productivity around generating income for myself.

My childhood friend read me my rights.  He then went on to educate me about what it means to be a real entrepreneur.  He told me about his home-based business and how he quit his job two and a half years ago to pursue "getting his hustle on".  Initially, I didn't want to believe anything he was telling me for the simple fact that when it comes to money, all I've ever known was that I needed to work hard for someone else to get it.  I listened, went to a few websites and joined a daily phone call that detailed how this business worked.  After toiling over this new possibility for a few days, I finally decided to take a leap of faith and begin a new journey.  I have always been a risk taker and from that I have found that people tend to follow my lead which is why he assured me that I would do well.

I literally had to convince myself that I am not scared of money.  I bought a domain name called www.themoneymaestro.net - The Money Master.  When I purchased it, I had no idea what I was really getting myself into but my friend agreed to coach me to success.  So, now I am on a new journey and I plan to make it a lucrative business for myself.  I have big dreams and the only way I will be able to achieve them is to put myself out there and not allow the naysayers to discourage me.

In closing, I ask you reader, are YOU scared of money?  What are you willing to do to generate your own income outside of what you may or may not make punching someone else's clock?  Visit www.themoneymaestro.net and learn more about how YOU can become your own boss!

Sevenly yours,

WATM Special Edition - Dreemtime Interview

Check out this Special Edition of We Are The Media!  I chat with Anise White of the group Dreemtime and I get a few moments with pop sensation CeCe Peniston & Alyson Williams.

I LOVE NY 25 of 28 Places to Visit

Yankee Stadium is a stadium located in the New York City borough of The Bronx. It serves as the home ballpark for the New York Yankees, replacing the previous Yankee Stadium, built in 1923. The new ballpark was constructed across the street, north-northeast of the 1923 Yankee Stadium, on the former site of Macombs Dam Park. The ballpark in the Bronx opened April 2, 2009, when the Yankees hosted a workout day in front of fans from the Bronx community. The first game at the new Yankee Stadium was a preseason exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs played on April 3, 2009, which the Yankees won 7–4. The first regular season game was played on April 16, a 10–2 Yankee loss to the Cleveland Indians.

Much of the stadium incorporates design elements from the previous Yankee Stadium, paying homage to the Yankees' history. Although stadium construction began in August 2006, the project of building a new stadium for the Yankees is one that spanned many years and faced many controversies, particularly the allocation of city funds for construction instead of urban renewal projects. The stadium cost a total of 1.5 billion, making it the second most expensive stadium in the world after Wembley Stadium (1.57 billion)

Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "More Wellness...NYC Health and Hygiene Style."

Wellness...NYC Health and Hygiene Style

Safe-sex and safer-sex plays a valuable part in our emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness and New York City's Health and Hygiene Department continues to do its part in advocating healthy and productive lifestyles and living. Last December, the NYC Health Department, launched the condom package design contest which will feature a special limited-edition NYC Condom designed by a local artist.

Hundreds entered this contest but only five were chosen to be finalists. Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner, expressed his gratitude towards the numerous "creative New Yorkers who participated," adding "we still face an epidemic of HIV/AIDS and high rates of other sexually transmitted diseases. When used correctly and consistently, condoms can prevent these infections as well as unintended pregnancies. Involving New Yorkers in this issue is one way we are reminding those who are sexually active to use condoms whenever they have sex.”

Therefore my fellow New Yorkers and allies, you have until 11:59PM Sunday, February 28th, to cast your vote.

Cast your vote now by visiting the Health Departments website or click here.

About the NYC condom:

The NYC Condom is a lubricated Lifestyles male condom – the same one sold in stores – but has its own distinctive wrapper, and it’s free. Any NYC-based organization, public or private, can order them at nyc.gov/condoms. Individual New Yorkers can find them in bars, clubs, restaurants, gyms and coffee houses, as well as clinics and community centers. The original 2007 design, based on a New York City subway motif, got a 2008 makeover at the hand of designer Yves Behar, who also created a sleek dispenser. The winning design from this contest won’t replace Behar’s, but it will appear on several million NYC Condom packages, beginning next fall, and may be featured in future condom promotions.

I LOVE NY 24 of 28 Places to Visit

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Photos courtesy of Kennected

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16.3-acre complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side.

A consortium of civic leaders and others led by, and under the initiative of John D. Rockefeller III, built Lincoln Center as part of the "Lincoln Square Renewal Project" during Robert Moses' program of urban renewal in the 1960s. Rockefeller was its inaugural president from 1956 and became its chairman in 1961. He is credited with raising more than half of the $184.5 million in private funds needed to build the complex, including drawing on his own funds; the Rockefeller Brothers Fund also contributed to the project.

Avery Fisher Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic in Lincoln Center. The first structure to be completed and occupied as part of this renewal was the Fordham Law School of Fordham University in 1962. Located between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, from West 60th to West 66th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the Lincoln Center complex was the first gathering of major cultural institutions into a centralized location in an American city.

Lincoln Center cultural institutions also make use of facilities located away from the main campus. In 2004 Lincoln Center was expanded through the addition of Jazz at Lincoln Center's newly built facilities (Frederick P. Rose Hall) at the new Time Warner Center, located a few blocks to the south. In March 2006 Lincoln Center launched construction on a major redevelopment plan that will modernize, renovate, and open up the Lincoln Center campus in time for its 50th anniversary celebration in 2009.

The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, home of the New York City Opera and New York City Ballet.Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. is one of the 12 resident organization listed above, and serves three primary roles: presenter of artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. As a presenter of more than 400 events annually, its programs include American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and the Emmy Award-winning Live From Lincoln Center.

Sing Me To Heaven!

Brooklyn’s St. Mark Holy Church of America, Inc.

In Conjunction with Vocal Pointe Ministries International

Present…

SING ME TO HEAVEN: Black History/Lent Concert

NEW YORK CITY, NY – February 8, 2010 – What happens when you take a Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, NY, and couple them with  four of the nations finest up and coming classical artists? You’ll experience an awesome worship experience that can only take place at the St. Mark Holy Church of America, Inc.

St. Mark Holy Church has a rich history and legacy as Brooklyn’s Gospel Landmark.

The church is known for its traditions of lifting up the best offerings of musical performances throughout the New York area. Bishop Nathaniel Townsley, Jr. and his Gospel Jubilee, a performance entity of the church, have traveled extensively throughout the United States and abroad, spreading the message of hope taught in his church. The church displays the arts in a distinctive, unparalleled manner and is the only church of its kind in the Brooklyn area. Many up and coming gospel legends, have made St. Mark one of their primary places to stop on the Brooklyn, Fulton Street Thorough-fare.

 “This concert is a chance to infuse the best in gospel music and couple it with the best that the classical music genre has to offer this world.” says Kenneth Alston, St. Mark deacon and Founder of Vocal Pointe Ministries International. “When possible, we should try to use multiple genres of music in order to properly reach out to the people in our communities, and sometimes even introduce something more than has been done before. Sing Me To Heaven successfully does this.”

The concert will feature performances by soprano Brandie Sutton formerly of the opera program at The Catholic University of Washington DC, tenor Terrance Tarver formerly of Howard University, Washington, DC, bass-baritone Soloman Howard currently the jewel of the opera program at the Manhattan School of Music, and counter-tenor Ken Alston, Jr. of the off-Broadway production Three Mo Tenors. In addition, there will be a performance by a Gospel ensemble comprising of some of the best vocalists in the tri-state area. 

-Next-

Expected in attendance are several civic leaders and leaders in the New York musical community. The worship service will take place starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday February 24, 2010 at the St. Mark Holy Church of America, Inc.  1980 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11233. This event is apart of the Wednesday Lenten Worship Series: The Pattern of Following Christ in His Suffering continues…For every Believer.  All services for the seven weeks will be held  both at Noon and 7 p.m.

Playing The Bigger Game - PART 6

Step 6: Surround Yourself with People Playing A Much Bigger Game.

Once you realize that intimidation is for suckers, it’s time to use that newfound knowledge to surround yourself with people who will force you to play a bigger game every single day.

If you’re not actively working to add more of these people to your social / professional circle, then you’re in trouble.

Here’s why:
As humans, we tend to live up to the expectations of our direct peer group. In fact, for the most part, it’s a limit – an average of maybe our five closest connections. Don’t believe me? Rich people hang out with rich people. Overweight people tend to have an overweight social circle. Health nuts chill with health nuts. We tend to hang around with people who reinforce our current set of behaviors, and we don’t deviate much.

Because of that, a small-game crowd can actively pull you down. Yeah, this is the sad part. Hanging with struggling business people? See what happens when you tell them you’re taking a daring risk. (”Are you crazy?”) Trying to lose weight? See how people react around you when you try to eat more sensibly. (”C’mon, live a little.”) If you decide to up your game, you’re rocking the boat for your own crowd, and they will – with the best of intentions – try and draw you back to “safety.”

It’s a tough world for those hanging with small-game crowds. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not advising you to ditch your friends and associates – far from it. Instead, you I’m saying that you need to be working on expanding your own circle to include more bigger-game people and be open to helping your current peers come along for the ride.

If your current peers aren’t willing to play a bigger game, be gracious and understanding. It’s not easy. You may even be squirming thinking about it. But nothing motivates like a good example, so focus on being one.

How do you find people who are playing a bigger game? It’s simple. Look for the people at the top of the food chain in your niche and consider their type of game. Does the thought inspire you or terrify you? If it’s the latter, there’s no shame in that. Maybe it makes no sense for a one-person operation to try and jump to the game of someone with a staff of hundreds.

So go one level down. Who’s one tier down from them? Can you play your game on their level? Inspired? Run with it. Terrified? Drop down another rung, and lather/rinse/repeat until you get to a point where that feeling of terror softens into the sense that “Oh crap, I might actually have a snowball’s chance of pulling this off.”

A snowball’s chance is good enough. It’s a start. Find people at that level and start networking your way onto their radar (more on that in upcoming Tuesday’s when I’ll give you notes on networking). Start stepping out and risking some public failures and they will do what they can to keep you from failing.

There’s nothing a successful person loves more than giving a boost to someone with chops, because they remember when someone a little higher up did the same thing for them. Leverage the hell out of that.

When you hang with people who play a bigger game, they actively pull you upwards. To continue hanging with them, you’ll feel a positive pressure to push yourself in all the right ways and to stop making excuses. They’re not going to accept your excuses and fears of failure. They’ll understand them, and they’ll empathize with them … they just won’t tolerate them.

And when that happens, you’ll push past your limiting beliefs and play that bigger game to the max so you can keep hanging with that group of real players. I’ll step you through how to start the ball rolling on. Game on.

'McQueen is Dead. Long Live McQueen!' Fashion World Moves On

(L-R) Singer Eve, designer Alexander McQueen, and actress Joy Bryant arrive at the Alexander McQueen store opening held at the new Alexander McQueen store on May 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

By MAEVA BAMBUCK

Ten days after the passing of British designer Alexander McQueen, a stunned fashion world has gathered for the traditional autumn/winter collections in London. McQueen's suicide at age 40 shocked the fans of his clothing label, as well as the many friends he made over his career of more than 20 years.

"I think the death of Alexander McQueen has carved a big shadow on every one," said Vassi Chamberlain, Conde Nast fashion editor.

"He was probably technically the most creative designer. The construct of his clothes was incredible. It wasn't just about fairy tales, it was about something a bit stronger and longer-lasting, and we'll see his influence for a long time."

That thought was echoed by Brix Smith-Start, a singer and owner of London's Start boutique. "The mood is good but there is a cloud of sadness," she says. "But life goes on, fashion goes on, he would have wanted it to."

McQueen had often drawn on the macabre to inspire his collections. "I've always been fascinated by the Victorian period of death where they used to take pictures of the dead," he said when he showed off his spring/summer 2010 collection.

"Everything has an end. The cycle of life is a positive thing because it gives room for new things to come." McQueen was devastated by the death of his mother earlier this month, and took his life the day before her funeral.

On the board dedicated to him, the fashion community posted condolence messages. Among the notes of sadness and shock, some winked at the designer's talent.

To read the entire article got to: ABC News

I LOVE NY 23 of 28 Places to Visit

Wall Street

Wall Street is a street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It runs east from Broadway to South Street on the East River, through the historical center of the Financial District. It is the first permanent home of the New York Stock Exchange; over time Wall Street became the name of the surrounding geographic neighborhood. Wall Street is also shorthand (or a metonym) for the "influential financial interests" of the American financial industry, which is centered in the New York City area.

Several major U.S. stock and other exchanges remain headquartered on Wall Street and in the Financial District, including the NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX, NYMEX, and NYBOT.

The name of the street derives from the 17th century when Wall Street formed the northern boundary of the New Amsterdam settlement. In the 1640s basic picket and plank fences denoted plots and residences in the colony. Later, on behalf of the Dutch West India Company, Peter Stuyvesant, in part using African slaves, led the Dutch in the construction of a stronger stockade, a strengthened 12-foot (4 m) wall against attack from various Native American tribes. In 1685 surveyors laid out Wall Street along the lines of the original stockade. The wall was dismantled by the British colonial government in 1699. In the late 18th century, there was a buttonwood tree at the foot of Wall Street under which traders and speculators would gather to trade informally. In 1792, the traders formalized their association with the Buttonwood Agreement. This was the origin of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Ashanti Rings the Opening NYSE Bell with Lil Mogul

As a figure of speech contrasted to "Main Street," the term "Wall Street" can refer to big business interests against those of small business and the working of middle class. It is sometimes used more specifically to refer to research analysts, shareholders, and financial institutions such as investment banks. Whereas "Main Street" conjures up images of locally owned businesses and banks. While the phrase "Wall Street" is commonly used interchangeably with the phrase "Corporate America," it is also sometimes used in contrast to distinguish between the interests, culture, and lifestyles of investment banks and those of Fortune 500 industrial or service corporations.

Lil Mogul Rings the Closing NYSE Bell with Emmanuel Jal