My first review for that new blog station is for an EP I received from a beautiful soul and LinkedIn connection named Irenka.
It is against the backdrop of the cowardly and horrific Islamist bombing of the Brussels airport that I pen this review of music by a native daughter of that country which bothers no other and I cannot understand why those scum continue to main innocents instead of fighting a nation’s armed forces face-to-face; sissies!
Well, on to her important music EP, “Wait 4 It”. I must have met Belgium’s hot foxy female vocalist, Irenka, during my twelve years living in Nashville, Tennessee, right? Or Nyet. I would have remembered such a creative presence, energy as hers! The first sound that I hear on track one “Comme Si” is Irenka clearing her throat. I said, “What??” Listened again; however, quickly those sounds turn into her spittin’ like a Euro human beat-box meeting Soft Cell’s 1981 “Tainted Love” – at least in musical key – as she then croons in French, the lingo most speak in Belgium. The last time I listened to this much lyrical love language was on Dimitri From Paris’ 1998 “Sacre` Francaise” or when I reviewed the various artist Playboy Club remix back in 2009. “Scare Bleu!”
“Dreamland”, track two, is an introspective, somnambulistic ballad where she displays her vocal range for the first time. This and the next selection where she lets her fingers do the singing on track three are perfect for a cloudy day. Irenka is really playing a beautiful classic-style piano solo instrumental! I know because I asked her. Next up and showing an inner versatile similarity to the late Amy Winehouse but with a better voice, or Billy Holiday, she styles on, “I don’t Need No Lover (except to hold me through the night from time-to-time)”. I think that this arrangement reminds me of New Orleans blues-jazz in a street march parade; especially because of the brass accents. At one point I was unsure whether Irenka would hit the climbing high-note – but she did. You will know it when you listen. It is a song that hearkens me back to the days of, “Hubba-hubba!”
Finally, she rocks out with the fourth and last track, “A Reason To Hate Me”.
The video, “Comme Si”, takes us on a musical personal journey and is full of familiar scenes from my twelve years living there in Nashville/
Athletic, isn’t she?
Upon learning of the repulsive, pusillanimous Brussels airport attack, act we communicated and her reply, in great musician style was, “Luckily all family is safe, but it is nonetheless terrible, and it is our duty, we the artists, to bring peace and love to this crazy world!”
The world is not as crazy as some of these recent lunatics who inhabit it and I might have been at first on the fence in limbo about Irenka, but now that I have listened copiously and seen her video, there is no “reason to hate” on Irenka with three-and-a-half hopefully motivating musical stars.
Since my fiancee`/Skype-mate freed me to be “me” in-conjunction with my social media comeuppance three years ago, I post many things to promote our plans and seek self-sufficiency sponsors. The following are from our recent London rendezvous notes. I pray that you, dear reader, have someone in your life that you feel similarly for as I do Inna, who inspired this trip and travel.
Monday, on the way across the Pond
I am “above the clouds” (a song) again and this time on Virgin Atlantic airlines, bound for London, England to rendezvous with my fiancée`, Inna who is coming in from Ukraine. Wow! Long-awaited and incredible; I hope I brought enough “pounds”! Basically, we own the next seven days.
[Then, I did not write a note for the next five days, so consumed with my lady, Inna, was I…]
Friday, 9:40am London time
Just returned to our flat and it is lonely London now, having seen Inna to the plane at Heathrow, early this morning. I felt so bad because she was in no shape to travel since coming-down with a head cold on the flight from Ukraine which got worse during our stay in London. I crash to sleep now for a few hours before I have to go and find the Big Bus Tour office and retrieve my camera case that they have so luckily found and saved for me. Too bad the same can’t be said for our cache of souvenirs from Piccadilly Square that we left at the Bond Street Tube station yesterday. Oh, well, I filed a report; maybe someone or a Tube worker found them and will notify me. This chick came from behind me and helped me out of my tourist confusion at the Tube turnstile on the way back to our flat. She too was Russian, ironically. Maybe Inna sent her? lol I smelled Inna’s perfume everywhere in-public after she left as the London winds reminded me.
I am reliving the special moments like when Inna brought my laptop to our bed Wednesday morning so she could play me some music videos by Lana Del Ray. Priceless!
Friday, circa 2:30pm London time (at Shakespeare Pub)
It is very complimentary and flattering to have someone from London tell me that they like my “American (English) accent”, when it is their country who invented it! I am at “Shakespeare” Pub, dining on their version of London’s famous “fish n’ chips” – a dish that reacquainted my diet with an old childhood staple, green peas! Simple yet delightfully health when steamed.
I think that clouds hover around England – always – I believe.
It is truly awesome that a country like this – on a big island – became so powerful! I always read about it in school and I love that Nina chose this location for us to meet-up. Just another reason I love her and she came into my life at the right time.
Now my next move is to relocate to a hotel within the Heathrow airport vicinity…Inna and our personal cab driver recommended this.
Friday evening, after 9pm London Time at Flynn’s Pub:
(Thinking) What I really hate about cell phone “plans” from all of these “providers” like T-Mobile is UNuniformity. Especially when you travel overseas! They seem to know when you land in another country, but do not give you any benefits that you had where you came from. MY android did not work (was “locked” even though I bought a “sim card” in London) for four days!
London gave me a new meaning to the American slang phrase, “Gimme a POUND!” lol Here is a brief (short) video about how better to solve the whole “no smoking in restaurants” issue!
Day Six in London
Saturday is “solo Saturday” for me near Heathrow. Having detached from our apartment in West Ealing (a really great choice for us to base from) gives me pause for the first time thinking of the future – missing her companionship and dreading the return to the grind of work back in New York City. I am still technically homeless – and this is the next hurdle I must $oon leap over.
As my luck would have it, a “major Gale” (wind storm with rain) approaches London as I stage to leave tomorrow…in the nick of time.
I am at Thistle Hotel Heathrow, a massive and expansive hotel which smells of mold. Its saving grace for me is its lounge which overlooks the airport where you can see the (mostly British Airways) planes take off. I partake of a brilliantly delicious “rump of lamb” which I wish Nina was with me to share. Tasty, tender and really scrumptious.
Sunday, Day seven in London, 4:52pm Heathrow…
Flight gate to be announced at 6:10pm; Hoping to lift-off ahead of the impending storm.
Solo, the lone ranger again, I am missing the companionship and proximity of Inna.
“More Impressions upon A Café` Skype Journey”
I happened to speak to a nice chap while in my final hours in London, who understood my story, or some such gleaned his was similar in that his beloved is from Thailand and he in London. “Why is it so difficult?” he asked, “When you want to marry, they should grant her the visa at once!” He said. It is encouraging to know of others in a similar situation. It is the quest of “Café` Skype” to soon overcome these hurdles to our love and togetherness in the same postal code.
Aboard a Majestic Virgin Atlantic Flight back to JFK
When you fly at night and look up out of your window seat, all you see is the stars – much closer they look!
Aboard Virgin US25 on my way back to ill NYC, I am calmer than expected with new urgency to attract big finances soon in order to offer Nina a chance at togetherness and comfort in The States. Living our dream and not someone else’s.
I knew I would tear-up and cry at some point, and it was at the end of the “Jack and the Beanstalk” movie, “Jack The Giant Slayer” that showed on the seat in front of me on the plane in-flight.
When I saw Jack and Isabella clasp hands and walk like Nina and I did so naturally in London, well…that was it for me being “strong”.
Pickhitt: I am now totally interested in any and all opportunities to live and work in London, U.K. Actively applying; hit me up, Mates, I’m flexible!
~ “Guv’na” Naphtali
Components (ingredients) of salad (translated from her Russian words)…
1. London evening (the backdrop of this dish) accents!
Behind a window of our pleasant first meeting’s evening,
The rain drizzles behind a window sill and underscores that I am in London!
2. Add some leaves of green salad
3. Some thin slices of meat – (on Spanish sounds as jamón)
4. A little grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5. Three olives
6. Three cherry tomatoes
It is necessary to dress the salad with music from Sinatra, Sammy Davis and Dean Martin.
7. Muffled soft room lighting
8. A bottle of Merlot wine
9. A little bit gentle and sensual kisses
And Music, music flew throughout our room,
Softly and unostentatiously enveloped us is similar the warm plaid weaved from various notes and sounds of a saxophone. It is an atmosphere it was similar to hypnosis … Sounded soul and blues, replaced an easy jazz, and popular music again sounded. All this has got mixed up in pleasant musical mix skillfully and competently created on radio to a wave from Capital FM and our favorite became Magic 105.4 FM.
It is so lovely to relax after a stimulating excursion in Great historical places of London on a sofa in beloved embraces with a glass of vino and having the London salad supper, having covered by a musical blanket.
I feel sweet heat on my skin from their gentle kisses. The rain, a fine rainy drizzle, an easy fog behind a window … Yes, of course – this is London; also is his style!
The door of a balcony is ajar; we can see the shiny wet sidewalk of the evening street. Dim streetlight reflects against mysterious patches of sidewalk and then back to us on our balcony. Pleasant damp and slightly raw, prickly air creeps to us in our room. In this rainy pleasant London evening, music made our evening happy. It is charming; Music has acquainted us (via our first conversation in the record shop in Boston) three years ago. Music has pulled us together; we have many things to tell the friend and to share a musical stock and sensations!
I think, “we do not make music, but music makes us!”
We live in our own separate small world for these chosen moments! And it is unexpected for us that we see that we have chosen this hotel, not knowing, that rooms are decorated on a theme of popular known musicians, “The Rat Pack”… It was an unexpected, pleasant surprise! When she has seen these portraits on the walls of our room, she told Naphtali, “You all life worked on radio, all your life is connected to music and music accompanies with you all your life. And suddenly a surprise for you….! I and you, we did not know, that we an apartment – hotel in London will be decorated by portraits of well-known musicians! You see, music pursues you! It means – Music is still your destiny!”
My Sleeping Beauty sleeps as I am still on EST USA and party solo…she needed the rest.
Pickhitt: What A MAGICAL experience! “Brilliant!” “Cafe` Skype”…the real, international relationship love deal.” Comments encouraged as always and thank you [who know who you are] for the content!
Well, We DID IT! да!да!да!!! In the spirit of our three-year old saga, the “Cafe` Skype” story, Inna and I rendezvoused in the great, historic city of London, England (United Kingdom) for one (too short) week, two weeks ago. It was the first time there for both of us!! London was magical, mystical, majestic, awesome, historic and inspiring among other emotions!
What do you make of THIS London statue? lol
The following are some of the hundreds of pictures that we took there! This photo-blog is submitted with deep, protective and profound love and admiration for Nina who, by-dint of her finding me three years ago, found a soul-mate and partner for life. Kudos to Virgin Atlantic for majestic flights (and landings) on my round trip. I love the brand!! We also enjoyed “Magic 105 FM” in the apartment that we had run of during our stay. I now know where the late mentor of mine, Frankie Crocker, got some of his ideas to bring back to WBLS-FM, New York in 1990.
I found the sign “Mind Your Head” particularly amusing and “punny” because our “minds” are said to be in our heads and in The States we say “watch your head” (or any other body part or thing) in order to convey similar warnings. So thus the lead title of this post.
As I did with my Kiev, Ukraine impressions https://achilliad.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/kiev-ukraine-through-my-eyes/, I will let the pictures speak for themselves and try not to comment except for the captions – it will be much more difficult to restrain myself this time, lol..
Me and my “Big Ben”…lol
The “Big Wheel” in background and “Big Ben” fore…
Once these smoke stacks represented a fireplace in every room – and huge smog problem for London!
Parliament on the banks of the Thames!
Heading out on the Red Tour Day I
Winston Churchill hung out here often – his face in the middle of the sign!
A WWII Brit fighting man surveying the targets
London Lion In Zion, lol
Queen Anne Slept here
The famous inspiration for the song, “Winchester Cathedral”
One of the biggest domes in Europe!
A New York City Jazz club is named after this, the only gift Egypt ever sent to London.
View of the “stacks” from our apartment (flat”) in West Ealing.
This Gargoyle looms over the route menacingly…
“Arrrrk!!” (scary…)
Just like in the Bond movie – Hello, Sean Connery!
Bond got his Aston Martin here?
Buckingham Palace Old Horse Stables.
I’ve always been fascinated by…castles!
I bet there once was a moat where the grass is, lol!
Trafalga Square Lion
Inna spots Shakespeare in the Tube station and knows I am a student of his…
Blue Rooster in Trafalga Square.
You know WHO…
We together in Piccadilly Square, London. She is “My Boo”, says my Aunt! lol
Our Fave tour bus driver, “Big Rastamon” lol
Fountains of Hyde Park
Remember to “Mind Your Head”!
Tower Bridge
Peace-out, from “Guv’nor” Naphtali, til next time from the London “Big Bus”!
Between the two of us photo-nuts, we shot about 500 snaps. If you want to see more through our eyes, let us know in your comments and we will post a “Part Two”!! Cheers.
My love, co-producer and soulful soul-mate doing her best “Miles Davis” on-stage pose and her camera thing. lol
PICKHIT: Special Thank you to London “Big Bus Tours” for finding and holding my camera case (with the $5USD note and sim cards enclosed) until I could collect it. I doubt that would have been the case here if the similar situation happenstanced in New York City.
**SureShott: Due to her family elder issues and apparent nervous breakdown, this would sadly be the last time I see Inna. She contacted me two years later, saying her Doctor in the mental clinic had spirited her off to Russia and married her, which she was not comfy with. SMH
Clean train at the first stop in the morning,
An annoying dark Jamaican man,
Preaches at we the passengers on the bus to it.
Who wants to hear that shit first thing?
Back in the good days,
Bus driver would have tossed his loud ass off!
I am back to subway commuting life again for now;
I am not happy about it.
My knees ache walking up and down stairs to connect.
Wearing thoughts of you keeps me putting one foot,
In-front of another foot;
I wear you like an army helmet, baby,
Head up and sometimes down;
Pushing forward in the struggle to repay you;
It is my debt to continue.
Subway life is not as a score before!
Now knees and Achilles tendon intermittently remind of time;
I am staring and snoozing,
Catching some Russian conversation after the Forest Hills station;
Going and coming dodging crowds;
Dashing coolly to find a seat and take load off my old feet!
Walking down a tunnel with impromptu musicians begging,
Every step I imagine is towards you there in Europe.
I remind myself why I am doing this;
“Keep good thoughts” like I asked her to do” I say.
I see vivid fashion independence,
Eccentric strangers plugged into handheld devices.
Nod-off upon past Skyped words you said in-remembrance,
Every “date” I recall is decisive!
While now canned announcements utter ignored warnings;
Life in a time capsule called,
“Watch the Closing Doors, please…”
Again, “Remember I am doing this for her and me!”
I remind myself through the present noisy uncertainty.
Walking on queasy knee,
To fulfill happily fulfils my obligation to thee;
Foremost like a bee’s quest for honey.
It dwarfs my self-indulgent desires,
Feeding anticipated sexual fires!
Those who “think” they know me cannot understand.
I have much time to ponder my life while underground.
I hate it.
Are you ready again?
All former trusted people here,
Lately have said, “Nyet” to helping me helping you;
So now I am going to extract my pound of time.
You’ll get yours and I’ll get mine;
For us and it ALL for you!
It is finally TIME!
Just drop who you are doing!
Please wait again for ME!
Just a little bit longer!
Makes our story stronger,
As the cat for a fly to happen by;
Like I wait on the platform for the “F” train!
On the subway (metro or underground)
One has much time to think about,
Your life or the girl you want to be
your wife.
Good or bad;
Happy and sad.
I like commuting to this work;
Even though I know I am better than this,
I should have a driver and a limo at least!
Or my own car again,
Which I will have soon.
With my physically distant Inna on my mind constantly.
We will unite,
For SHE is my future family destiny. “Watch the closing doors please and thank you for riding New York City Transit!”
Hey, my special Freedom Angel!
It was two years ago around this time,
I knew that you were forever mine.
You proved to help me
You became my Freedom Angel.
I knew you were sent from the heavens
I learned how it feels to be truly enamored
With a special blessing in a woman
Who for so long I have searched!
I finally got it right;
I looked in the right place,
The Ukrainian country!
I found the best Slavic woman for me.
Now I soon will travel to have Inna at my knee.
You are still my ultimate destination, Baby.
I’m coming again!
I want you to know,
Whatever the problem or obstacle,
That you can depend on me because
You have divinely inspired,
I will find a way to solve it –
Just like I did with the Passport situation.
I live for that next day or night,
When I step from a plane into your gaze and then arms;
A first real kiss that we both have missed all these months.
Whatever time we have together,
Will be great!
It will will be worth the wait!
I Pray daily to Jah,
Allow us to get this thing together!
Before we are too old to enjoy each other youthfully!
(“C’MON!!” Please hurry, cosmic forces of prayer, Dammit!)
The following are pictures I took during my first overseas trip in all of my fifty-nine years that was inspired and helped by my Nina and long time attorney and friend Bruce. There is not much more to say and I will, with the exception of captions, let the photos speak for themselves.
the Center of Kiev
where I stayed the longest and most cozy
Different fixtures in this new place
street pole adorned
door of cafe I took video from!
lost on Subway “metro” I kept coming back to THIS outside station.
I was going for the statue!
We just walked from there!
still “lost in space” on the Metro…
Kiev’s tallest skyscraper!
Beach on Dnepr river
Kiev bike girl!
from my favorite of three apartments there
A main brew label!
trash dumpsters filled fast! This is early morning
My mind and body,
Weary, tired and quiet.
Carrying heavy luggage,
Unexpected mental loads;
Money issues stalk me back.
Going to the USA reluctantly,
Happily to see my Mum!
Much too earthy and surprised,
I have a better plan perspective.
I have offers to return to Kiev in-hand!
Yet the whole mission is like a class,
In school if you did not attend enough for a grade;
You would receive an “incomplete”.
I held my part of the bargain!
Better late than never!
Goddammit!! I try to understand it.
Maybe another time;
That is the way it goes if your girlfriend is secretly Human,
Not the Superwoman you saw her as.
Susceptible to what “others” in her family or friends circle;
“Say” about the decisions you make with what is yours.
She should not have TOLD them,
About a decision happily made towards our
Destiny with a happy man.
That’s the way it goes…
At least with ME anyway.
I love you just the same.
Passengers break into applause upon another smooth landing.
I had this really crazy erotic dream about my fiancée last night and I simply MUST tell you about the amusing aftermath of it, in-relation to the “Golden Cheetah” she gave me two years ago, this month. It is my most treasured gift from her (outside of herself, that is).
I went to sleep early at midnight that night – you know it is early for me.
My dream awakened me because I was so “turned-on”, Oh My God! I would have cried-out had I not been temporarily visiting back here at my Mum’s house in my old boyhood room, lol!
Okay, so I wake up on Friday to go to work on the computer for my two new Social Media Marketing clients.
I had taken gold cheetah off the night before, and draped the chain across the picture of her in the yellow flowers field that I keep on the bedside night table.
In the moments right after I got out of bed, I thought that I picked it up to put back around my neck before I went downstairs to make my coffee and did not think about it again.
Around 2pm I went for a lunch break; accomplished some errands and shopping.
Later in the day, I was talking to Mum in the kitchen and complimented her on a nice diamonds and gold bracelet that she was wearing on her right wrist! As she described when she got it and who gave it to her, the telephone rang about the same time that I felt for gold cheetah and noticed that it was not around my neck! I took the opportunity to go upstairs to the room and look for it while Mum was on the phone, but only found my gold chain on the wood floor under the foot of the bed I’m sleeping in these nights, but no gold cheetah! It was nowhere to be found!
Soon, Mum came upstairs and joined me in the search for Golden Cheetah. At one point she asked me, amusingly, “Is it in your bath cloth??” (That is how Mum’s eighty-seven year-old memory brain is these days, bless her heart)
“No, Mum, I took it off before I turned the light off last night” I said.
“Why did you take it off?” she replied.
My Mum reminds me of my InnaNina in Ukraine (where I am soon to visit). She has a lot of gold necklace around her neck; I think those guys will get along fine when they finally meet!
“I never take these off…” she said, pointing to her many gold chains and medallions pendants.
So, we kept searching; me trying not to “bug-out” while remembering that I’d been through a similar experience (which I blogged about) back in Nashville in June!
Mum kept suggesting ridiculous possible locations for Gold Cheetah all the while. “Move the dresser; move the night table, open the drawers!” she went. lol
In situations like these, I have learned to step-back, retrace my steps and try not to think of the situation in a panic-like state. I did this on the side of the bed that I remembered getting out of it on, while Mum continued randomly to search the walk-in closet on the other side when I thought to myself, ”if my chain came-off and fell to-the-floor where it did, then WHY was gold cheetah not close-by??
THEN…it came to me: It might be still on my person (body)! So, with my left hand, I felt my neck and then down the center of my chest as I stood there. Past my solar plexus, my navel and (dare I say) into my new turquoise bikini briefs which I just bought for my trip to Ukraine. I got Mum’s attention, “Mum! What if…” As I felt down into my “family jewels”, running my fingers cautiously down into the bottom of my blinkers until they touched that familiar metal and shape; “Uh-oh…I think I found it…”
There, under the bottom tip of my member, was Golden Cheetah, resting quietly in my blinkers. I had not even felt anything “extra” down there! LMAO!!
“Mum, you will never guess where it IS!” As she looked over at me pulling it out of my pants (the cheetah not my member), a smirk came over her, “Down there ??” she asked.
“Yep”, I said, right under the tip of my ‘manhood’!” That is when I confessed to her, “Ya know Ma, I’ve got to tell you, I had this really erotic dream about Inna last night; Oh wow, and now this happens??”
We had a good laugh and I had to hug Mum tight for trying to help be find it and now being part of a story that will last forever. “Well, you can’t make this stuff up!” she commented. “I guess she really laid it on you from afar through that cheetah! If I hadn’t seen it, you would not believe it.” Mum said. Inna means more to me than ANY gold trinket or money.
Maybe, Inna “controls” the Golden Cheetah with her special Slavic magic!
I guess we soon shall “see” now that I have my “ticket to ride” ( :
Achilliad's Blog! 