PARIS, YOU GOTTA LOVE HER

Mes amis, it’s been one fun-filled week. That time is now coming to an end and its been a special time for all. As my mother would say after a great travel abroad experience, “I have no sad stories to tell”. This has been “April in Paris” for real. So many times those preparing to join us would ask, “What’s the weather like at that time of the year, I’ve heard it’s cold and rainy”. I must say, I’ve never had a bad April. For the last 3 days it’s been in the 70’s, shirt-sleeve weather by day and a light jacket in the evening. Now don’t get me wrong… She can be very unpredictable. You just must pack smart and be prepared for whatever.

Yesterday as I escorted the museum lovers on our leisurely walk to Musee’ Quai Branly (K Bran lee) Quai means along the river; I could only marvel at the beauty we were witnessing as we approached the Seine River with lady sunshine beaming down on us, passing the flame above the tunnel where Princess Diana met her untimely death, crossing the bridge with the magnificent Eiffel Tower to our right, watching the boats with tourists sail up and down, remembering my beloved mentor, Dr. Wesley Johnson, whose ashes were scattered from a barge on this very river.
As I mentioned in the last blog my daughter DeeDee was on this tour after coming when she was 9. I was totally blown away when she reminded me today, “Mama I remember when back then you taught me how to tell the left bank from the right bank”.
Really??? It’s amazing what our youngsters soak up and remember.

Sista Ricki Stevenson of Black Paris Tours invited me to 2 fabulous parties this weekend that I had to pass on since I was on Mima duty so DeeDee could have a good time in London and Amsterdam. Oh, well, there will be others. It’s been interesting watching the young and the young at heart do their thing and tell me about their experiences. Mother and daughter, Barbara and Ebony Thomas, from Durham and DC respectively, enjoyed venturing out on the FAT TIRE BIKE TOUR. What a way to see the city. On Sunday night, Son-in-law Santana and his buddy James stumbled upon a very Secret After hours joint off the Champs Élysées. There were about 50 party goers in line hoping to get in. Security and bouncers were doing their diligence in not only selecting who would enter but then picking and choosing whose money they would accept after the first selection. San and James skipped the line, pointed to themselves, said “NFL” they’d take a table for 250 euros and bingo bango they were in and down to the cellar they proceeded. They discovered hip hop was played on Sunday nights and the club did not close until 8am. I loved the story about the 70yr old cat sitting solo at a private table pouring himself small shot after shot from the 4 magnums of Grey Goose in front of him. He had to be waiting for some cute little model type, male or female to join him.

Love was in the air! James and Tiffani packed a lunch with champagne and took off for an intimate picnic in the park. They came prepared with their special lock to tie onto the love lock bridge.
Last night was our dinner at a French restaurant and afterwards, Paris by night in a Limo. Judging from the comments last night and this morning; everybody had a super time. It was one fabulous evening. We were Rollin in 3 stretch limos— 2 white and 1 black. The champagne was Flowin and the cameras were flashing and when we stopped for a photo opp as Ms Eiffel twinkled and sparkled on the hour everything became magical.

Today everybody was getting in last minute shopping, visits to museums, a trip to the Palace of Versailles, skip the line at the the Eiffel Tower and last but not least….packing to fly home tomorrow.

Will there be a Paris 2016? I can’t say, the jury is still out. Will there be Paris 2017. Who knows, stay tuned! But for sure in 2016 KATTRAX will go to AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND MARCH 4th. VIETNAM, BANGKOK, TOKYO APRIL 4th. COLOMBIA, BOGOTA, CALI MAY 7th for AFRO HERITAGE MONTH. SEPT 23rd CRUISING THE MEDITERRANEAN FROM BARCELONA FOR 8 DAYS — STOPPING AT VARIOUS ITALIAN PORTS O’ CALL INCLUDING MARSEILLE, FRANCE AND PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN. If you want to know how you can be down, the time is now….so email me.

Musee’ Quai Branly Always has an ethnic exhibit

The Flame[/caption]

Faheem, One of our regular Limo Drivers

DeeDee and Sakari

Toasting It Up

Tiffani

PARIS! STILL BEAUTIFUL AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

My United nonstop from San Francisco was smooth but not very comfortable since I tripped over Sakari’s stroller in the gate area and injured my hip but Thanks to Cheryl M and her Advil and Wilemma with her pressure point therapy, the pain was somewhat lessened. This was going to be a different trip because my daughter DeeDee and her 2 yr old daughter, Sakari would be joining me. Before the flight took off, it was discovered Sakari’s audio was not working. This was not good as she loves her entertainment. As a back up, she did have her IPad if all else failed. Once airborne her audio was operational and Sakari was in business. For a 2 yr old having already traveled to the Caribbean and Dubai when she was younger; she did superbly well.

Wheelchair assistance would be definitely needed upon landing. Our private driver was waiting in the arrivals hall and in no time we were at the hotel. Once I got the group settled in, I made my way around the corner to the apartment that would be my home for the next week. A 3 min walk from the host hotel made my life simpler. Now last years studio apartment, I loved. You can’t go wrong on the Champs Élysées —the perfect location. But this one was just fine with me as it was much larger —- it has lovely parquet floors and tiled areas, it’s on level 0, high ceilings, tall windows, a 28″ HD flat screen with English channels, wifi and a bed that takes “high” to another level. This baby is at least 3ft off the floor and yes I was diggin it.

Dinner tonight would be at Babylone Bis, the West Indian joint that never fails to serve it up in the very best way. Christine was on hand but did not get loose with her dance moves since her leg was injured. The avocado and shrimp salad, grilled 1/2 chicken, steamed rice and plantain was as usual on hit. We would have a full day ahead of us the following morning with Ricki Stevenson’s Black Paris Tour by private bus at our request. The first half was devoted to city sightseeing and photo opps of this beautiful city. We took a 2 hr break for lunch at Le Chalet — salmon and ratatouille, steak and fries or chicken and fries followed by chocolate mousse or ice cream. After lunch, Sakari had had enough and we had enough of her so DeeDee and I got a taxi back to the hotel while the group continued on for part 2. Ricki would make sure they received an education on blacks in Paris and all the rich culture that abounds as it pertained to the likes of Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Alexandre Dumas, Thomas Jefferson, his lovely Sally Hemmings whose relationship spanned 38 years, Josephine Baker, and Ida B. Wells just to name a few.

Tonight is Jazz and Cocktails at the nightclub. The featured artist is an African brother who does a tribute to who was once called the “hardest working man in show business”……none other than James Brown. It should be an interesting show.

Tomorrow some will go to London for the day and then Amsterdam on Sunday. These are normally my off days but Mima will be taking Sakari to the park to play and to ride the merry go round. 30 years ago I was here with my mother and her mother. 15 years ago I was here with her sister, Casey 6 years old at the time and now here I am with a new experience, and new memories to be made with Ms Independent, Sakari Bailee Merriweather

Ask me if I Care…..

James and Tiffani

Jesse, Annena, Dwight and Cheryl

Brand new: Louis Vuitton Foundation

Gorgeous

At the apartment —It’s high and I Love It!

The Kitchen Has Everything

Living Area

Lunchtime at Le Chalet in Neuilly sur Seine

THE WEDDING ON SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

Mr and Mrs Jessie Brooks

First Dance

caption id=”attachment_1485″ align=”alignnone” width=”300″] Ms Robbie Bell of Miami[/caption]

Mr and Mrs Ahmed of Philly

Lolita Isaac’s lovely sister Carolyn of DC.

Kat and Sonja Miller (Goghie) of Boston

Life is Grand and I give God thanks for mine

Charbroiled Oysters at Dragos. What a treat!

My Fellow Foodie, Robbie with our medium well duck breast with linguini and oysters. Not often will you find someone that shares your passion for food.

Just jumped the broom

Kat and James aka Jamie

The day was off to a fabulous start. Robbie was anxious to get breakfast, lunch or brunch as it was getting late and we needed to be back in time for the wedding at 4pm to be held on the 14th floor of the Ritz Carlton in a lovely courtyard.

We decided on a recommendation given for Dragos who specializes in the best charbroiled oysters. We hopped in a taxi and off we went. It’s located in the Hilton at the Riverwalk. We were seated immediately and at 1pm and the grand dining room was packed. Their seating capacity is 400-500 patrons. No reservations, walk ups only. The service was what Rob and I are used to— IMPECCABLE! We started our Nawlins pre wedding brunch with a cup of seafood gumbo. I had to doctor mine up. I haven’t had any gumbo this weekend that can top mine. I’m not conceited, I’m convinced. Now I will give credit where credit is due. I am no respecter of persons. Next up was a delightful Mediterranean salad with crabmeat. It was very tasty. But bay-be (in my Nawlins voice) the piece de resistance was placed in front of us and our mouths were watering. Yeah we are real serious about good food beginning with presentation. We ordered a dozen charbroiled oysters. In a word…..heavenly is an understatement. The French bread on the platter was for the purpose of “soppin” and we put it to good use.
We agreed we should have ordered 18 but we needed to save room for our duck breast accompanied with linguini in a cream sauce with sautéed oysters. As an afterthought we ordered some collard greens. Robbie requested some pepper sauce, they didn’t gave a clue but what was offered in lieu of was pepper jelly. It was pretty good, we even dipped some of our duck in it. Wow!!! What an amazing culinary delight our brunch was. Robbie needed to hit the Neiman Marcus Last Call right there at the Riverwalk and me being the non shopper, got a taxi back to the hotel.

The wedding was a beautiful intimate affair and I was honored to witness this blessed event. Gail was more radiant than ever and Jessie’s countenance was that of a very proud but humble gentleman so in love. After they jumped the broom we all headed for the reception where everything was laid out so perfectly….down to the personalized place settings. To the left of the open bar was the creole shrimp and grits station and to the right of the bar was an array of salads, grilled asparagus, rice dishes, chicken, short ribs, fish, and soup. The DJ did his thing and photographer extraordinaire JR Thomason of New Orleans (nicknamed Big Boss Man by me) was on hand taking the best photo shots. Everyone was having a great time making new friends and reacquainting themselves with past friendships. I quietly slipped away as the beautiful people partied into the night.

I wish Gail and Jessie a perpetual honeymoon and I look forward to seeing them next year on the Mediterarranean cruise from Barcelona.

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER

Let the good times roll here in the BIG EASY. We are here to celebrate the wedding of the lovely Ms Gail Jackson and Mr Jessie Brooks. My flight didn’t land until 330p today so unfortunately I missed the delightful brunch at a private home that was attended by most but I heard all about it. I understand it was quite a spread with highlights being pork chops smothered with grilled onions, homemade biscuits, quiche and an array of mouth watering desserts.

By the time I made it to the Ritz Carlton, the guests were mixing, mingling and sipping on something that looked very refreshing while waiting for private transportation to the Tableau Restaurant located on historic Jackson Square on St Peter Street. After a quick change, myself and a few others were taken by taxi a few minutes away. Once there, we were all given purple scarfs while we awaited the grand arrival of the special couple. It doesn’t get any grander as they arrived in a horse drawn carriage. The brass band and some of the Wild Magnolias were in place to second line (parade) thru the Quarter as we waved over purple kerchiefs in the air…and the band played on….

The WILD MAGNOLIAS continue a rich tradition of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians, a concept born out of working class groups, social clubs and spiritual societies. They were working class African Americans who celebrated life and met challenges head on with music and dance, while paying homage to their forefathers, many of whom were born into slavery. Initially Mardi Gras Indians paraded (or second lined) on Mardi Gras day as a tribute to Native Americans who befriended runaway slaves to a haven of safety. The Wild Nagnolias have presented their own brand of mardi Geas Indian funk all over the world. They performed for the Queen in ’72, Carnegie Hall in ’64, Bill Clinton in ’96, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and now for Gail and Jessie in 2015.

Once back at the Tableau Restaurant, the Green Room was transformed into the party spot, champagne flowed endlessly, Gail’s personal DJ was spinning what the crowd wanted to hear as they dined on seafood gumbo, Chicken Tableau (herb roasted chicken breast with seasoned roasted wedge potatoes), seafood and vegetarian pasta salad, garden salad, miniature meat filled puff pastries and spicy grilled shrimp.

For me and others as well it was like a reunion; some of whom I had not seen in a lot of years. The guest list included, my road dawg, Urban Lifestyle Specialist, Robbie Bell of Miami Beach, Oliver and Lolita Isaac, Sonja Miller Aka Goghie of Boston, Gail’s bestie, Cyndi, Casita Storer of Negril, Chyrisse Jackson Ahmed of Philly, Jackie Lewis of Jackie’s on the Reef, Negril; and

Goodie bag and Kerchief

A Wild Magnolia

Jessie, Gail and Renee
Second Lining

The Green Room at Tableau Restaurant

Victoria Harris of Winston-Salem just to name a few.

After the DJ played my tune, “Uptown Funk” the party was in full swing and I quietly made my exit as the crowd hit the floor with the “Wobble”.
Tomorrow: The Wedding

If Unique Is What You Seek…Afro Colombia Awaits You

Young Palenque Dancers

Palenque Woman in town With Colorful Costume

Dancers at Drum Festival

Cali Salsa Dancers Gettin Down

Bogota at Night

MAY 5 -14, 2016

I’ve been busy researching and tweaking this package. The itinerary is now: Cartagena, Bogota & Cali. Every May they have an Afro Colombia  festival.  Colombia is bordered by Brazil, Venezuela, Peru & Ecuador and  Located less than an hour from Cartagena in the foothills of Montes de Maria lies PALENQUE (pah leen kay). For hundreds of years it has been the home to Afro-Colombians, the descendants of the country’s first slaves. Nowadays it is a popular destination for travelers looking to see a different side of Colombia. Two often concealed stories are: 1) Cartagena was a major slave port. It is estimated that over 1 million Africans were forcibly brought to Cartagena during the slave trade and 2) the stories about the villages founded by runaway slaves.  What makes Palenque an amazing place to visit is the unique cultural traditions that have been able to survive there for hundreds of years. At times you feel like you are walking through a village in Africa, not one in Colombia.

The language of Palenque called Palenquero is perhaps the only surviving Spanish-based creole language though it is so far from Spanish that very few Spanish speakers can understand it.  It combines African Kikongo languages from the Congo and Angola with Spanish and Portuguese (which was spoken by the slave traders who brought the slaves to Cartagena).

Our other stops will be in BOGOTA, where we will visit the Academy of Dance “Soul of Tango” to live an unforgettable experience and approach to the dance and music through the Afro culture.  Rounding out the trio will be CALI (ka lee) World capital of Salsa where the beat is infectious.

Are you ready for this? The land package should be under $2000 with very reasonable airfare from/to Miami. If you are not already on the “interested” list, please email me at rivoli98@yahoo.com

The day to day itinerary will be ready for viewing in a few days.  Until next time

KAT’S TAILOR MADE ASIA IS BACK

China Beach, Da Nang

Saigon Cooking School

Greetings Travelers!

Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. Once I get something in my mind I just cannot rest until I see it for myself. When I was in high school and classmates were graduating and  getting drafted to go and fight in yet another war, the seed was planted…. I wanted to go and see that country for myself, as I have done with Soweto in South Africa, Morocco, Cuba, the favelas of Rio. and the list goes on. So, aside from going to see Da Nang and Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) I knew I wanted to get a spot on “China Beach” or at least see it.   Well yes, my road dawg, Robbie Bell and I made our way there en route to find some “foodie inspired” restaurant in an ancient and peaceful town called “Hoi An”.I might add, we had a very good meal. All of my wonderful memories continue to beckon me back.

Next year in April we will go back and this time go to NHA TRANG ( pronounced na chang), a seaside town, on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is becoming increasingly popular  in recent years of its pristine beach as well as lots of interesting places and delicious food to enjoy. Our luxury hotel is on a private  beach, an oasis of calm & tranquiity. Nha Trang’s only absolute beachfront resort. Spa lovers:  They are rockin’ the “Six Senses” brand — come and rejuvenate all your senses. Golfers: Vinpearl Golf Club on an island  in Nha Trang and it boasts ocean views from every hole.

We round out this “tailor made” experience with getting custom made outfits in Bangkok and a visit to the highly acclaimed “Blue Elephant Cooking School”.  Last but not least; jazz in Tokyo. So there you have it!  If you want to experience this “One of a kind  KATTRAX” adventure, email me at rivoli98@yahoo.com for the day to day itinerary. Land package $4400, Air from Sfo $1600.