S: Is for seeing

Freedom and peace are words commonly used to describe the thing we seek. I started to ponder the irony of this after seeing in the news about proposition 8 and the Chris Brown/Rihanna fisco. Freedom and peace are two principles that the United States was built upon, but the interpretations differ from person to person. Freedom and peace may apply to the well being of a general population or to the life of an individual. Peace, defined as a time without war, is very different than peace of mind. Freedom from tyranny or hunger is very different than freedom from a corporate run world that is crashing down around our eyes. I realize that regardless of where you grew up, your political affiliations, your ancestry, or your socioeconomic status, every person is looking for the same peace and freedom. For many, freedom and peace are found in places where the demands are fewer. In exchange for a simpler, quieter life, some conveniences have to be given up. Basic amenities and services are harder to find or are non-existent. This is by no means a glamorous life. Ultimately, a person becomes most grateful for simple things like potable water, beautiful weather, fresh fruits and vegetables, and the company of loved ones. Genuine, hard working, and people who are a joy to talk to become what's of value. Americans still hold a sacred belief that every person has the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that those rights stretch well beyond our borders. This kind of positive thinking is contagious and has an amazing effect. It creates the belief that everyone can live a life without stress or fear, and that this lifestyle can be found anywhere in the world, but we need to wake up and see these rights being taken away. We need to stand up for our beliefs and speak out. We need to bind together and form communities again. We need to remember that life is a gift and it is something to be cherished and valued. We need to stop being apathetic and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for to tie or to untie?

Whether you believe in gay marriage or not, the fact is it was allowed. Now Ken Starr and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund filed legal briefs defending the constitutionality of Prop 8 and attempting to forcibly divorce 18,000 same-sex couples that were married in California last year? The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case tomorrow March 5, with a decision expected within 90 days. The Courage Campaign has created this video called "Fidelity," with the permission of musician Regina Spektor, that puts a face to those 18,000 couples and all loving, committed couples seeking full equality under the law. For these bible thumping so called voices of God, do they not know the bible? Mark 10:9 states " What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." If you believe in God and he is in charge of all things what gives you the right to destroy and to pain so many people. What have they done to you? Love? Isn't being a Christian about being like God and therefore loving unconditionally? Jesus died for our sins, is not what your doing a sin? Before you condemn let he without sin throw the first stone.
The pain caused by Prop 8 and Ken Starr's shameful legal proceedings are reaching far. Please join over the 300,000 people who have signed a letter to the state Supreme Court, asking them to invalidate Prop 8 and reject Starr's case. You can sign up here http://www.couragecampaign.org/ and make you voices heard. What is going on hypocrisy and should be stopped and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Clubs that are a part of our past

The Limelight was one of the great clubs, and it had been dormant for many years. Known for it's bathrooms where you could see out but not in the ex-Limelight will earn its keep in the arts. The future of the space is uncertain. We are making it available in a raw state for things like the Stoli Hotel, House of Campari, or Bacardi Beach, where brands come in, take a raw space, and keep it for several weeks doing different events. They can come in and paint it and really decorate the space with their own branding, etc. It’s a great location for that type of use. There was talk of condominiums, which doesn’t make much sense, since there are no windows (except of course the Tiffany stained glass). They could always build a hotel above it with the old church/club housing the lobby/reception and restaurants. People passing by the old Limelight space on 6th Avenue are surprised to see a large sign and flag that said "Lounge." A few weeks ago, it became a temporary outlet for the store which used to be on Broadway and Houston. Lounge's run is almost up, and Joe Dirosa of the New York Artists Series informed the press that he will be booking the historic space. "The people from Lounge are in there currently doing a clearance sale for the next several months. Look for fashion shows, filming, photo shoots, and branding experiences. With landmark status preventing most things from happening there, but at least we know it can't be torn down and become another causality in this city that never sleeps. Some of our memories get to stay intact and that is a reassuming F.A.C.T.

A: Is for Art that has us Exploring our minds

Starting on March 4, Laurie Anderson, Mario Batali, Lewis Black, Eric Fischl, Miranda July, Peter Matthiessen, Stephen Mitchell, Sharon Salzberg, Peter Sellars, Paul Simon, R.L. Stine, and Tom Wolfe will be sitting down with some of the world's most eminent neuroscientists for one-on-one explorations of how our minds work. Events featuring Paul Simon and Lewis Black have already sold out, so be sure to act fast. The idea of reading what’s on other people’s minds has always held allure, but a feat even more challenging than telepathy is reading your own mind — in essence figuring out how it works. The Rubin Museum of Art has volunteered to act as tour guide for our unknowable inner world by organizing Brainwave, a festival devoted to the way we think. “It comes about quite naturally because we’re a museum with a lot of Buddhist art in it, and Buddhism is about controlling your mind in order to focus it for meditation,” said the museum’s producer, Tim McHenry, who conceived of the festival. This two-month event, in its second year, its programming will included talks in which the participant reacts with psychologist and audience. Paul Simon will bring his guitar in for an exchange with the neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin about how our minds process music. Tomorrow (March 4). The opera director Peter Sellars explores visual perception with the neuroscientist Semir Zeki (March 21). There are countless other reasons to visit The Reuben Museum: the documentary “Dalai Lama Renaissance,” narrated by Harrison Ford, follows thinkers who visit the Dalai Lama to discuss how to change the world and the premiere of a work by John Tavener will ring out on multiple levels in the museum’s galleries (April 23). The Reuben is located at150 West 17th Street. Information, including a full schedule and prices: 212-620-5000, rmanyc.org. A true meeting of minds enables us to better understand our own and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for Food made Famous

Celebrities lend their names from everything from perfume to clothing to restaurants. Justin Timberlake is involved with all three. He is getting his cologne, William Rast his clothing line and Southern Hospitality is a restaurant recently covered in controversy. Is Justin Timberlake a partner or what? The answer is simple: Go to the website; Justin is there and he is involved. The question about Southern Hospitality should be is the food good. The answer is there are major hits and some definite misses. On the hit list: Deep fried pickle chips in a ranch barbeque $6.95. When I first read that on the menu I was not intrigued! I was wrong, they are addicting and completely delicious. Southern Fried green tomatoes $7.95 and Barbeque Nachos $9.95 also make the appetizer hit list, as well as every sauce served. For entrée’s BBQ Chicken $16.95 and Memphis style Spare Ribs ( dry rub) $24.95 were our favorites. Creamed corn, onion strings and cornbread with honey butter are sure bet choices. In dessert Justin’s grandmothers pecan pie $6.95 is the best I have ever had. Misses are the Smokin hot wings, Brisket and pulled pork which was dry, cold slaw, which was inedible, and collard greens which were bland. The portions are all oversized so you get good value for your money. I can tell you if you are looking for a place to watch a game. Feed a hungry child, home from collage or looking for a place to just have a good old time go to 1460 2nd Ave between 77th and 78th.

Southern Hospitality is sure to satisfy and that's a F.A.C.T.