Once again i get to art direct

I art directd a short film project for a friend of mine yesterday. it was so great to get together with a friend and just create something. I missed dding that in college.
He are some stills. i will post a link later of our first cut.

Yolele! Recipes from the Heart of Senegal

Kanta invited me to a tasting at a residence in Crown Heights where a friend of hers, chef Pierre Thiam,was signing his new cook book Yolele!. He says it is the first book written on Senegalese cooking originally written in English. Thiams is an amazing friendly person who talked for a bit too long about Senegal, food, and Brooklyn before he let us dig into the amazing spread of tradition recipes he made for us to taste. Kanta and i were somewhat out of place.
well, me most of all. The tasting was in a brownstone owned by a school teacher and her professional husband. It was a very Cosby-esque place and crowd. most everyone else was an older black professionals , with sophisticated interest in Africa, local community and the arts.
Thaim owns a restaurant that is actually only 2 blocks from my house. i pass it all the time, its a really funky place tat at night is always full of music and life. it kind of hidden too, like a great place in Brooklyn. Cant wait to eat there when i got a job.not that it expensive . i just cannot bring myself to eat out when unemployed, my guilt doesn't let me have much of an appetite.
Thaims talked to me for a bit about Cape Verde, growing up his mother only spoke the in an African Portuguese creole the same my grandfather did.he made me feel very welcome.
I had walked 40 minute from my house there through a variety of Brooklyn neighborhoods, it reminded me of Savannah how it went from good to bad to good again.
I think i might have a dinner party and make some of the recipes. they are actually quite simple fresh dishes. the kind that impress people but don't really take a whole lot of effort.

Dakar is open everyday from 12:00pm to 1:00am
285 Grand Avenue
Between Lafayette Avenue and Clifton Place
Take G train to Classon Avenue

www.dakarcafe.net

Walk the other day

I had a weird walk the other day here in Brooklyn. I took a different route then i usually do and i stumbled upon the crazy couple house from Dave Chappel Block Party. I f you seen the movie you might remember when Chappel came upon this crazy older couple whom showed him their home in Brooklyn. They live in a wild old, thrown together looking building that was like cross between a shack and a tenement building with a little bit of a church thrown in there. It on the movies poster in silhouette. It actually right around the corner from my place, right by my favorite salvation army store. i just never noticed it before because i just beyond the salvation army and i usually stop there and don't go further.
Later on the same walk i literally bumped into this actor...
...while he was walking his beagle.
nice walk.