I ♥ NY; My most random day in the city: FABULOUS!!

It started when my aunty stopped by and decided we should go have breakfast, OF COURSE, I, the party pooper immediately said NO! I did not feel like going....then she started the "DO YOU KNOW WHAT?!...U DO THAT EVERYTIME" to hush her up i decided to go for breakfast!....LITTLE DID I KNOW, it was about to be the most random interesting day of my life.

Okay whenever I don't feel like heading out...I tend to just go out in RAGS...either slacks...or just a billion layers...or DEEP BELIEVER IN ISLAM lookalike that my mother loathesss...LoL

this time it was "his" slacks ;) {Oversize!!}....went down the corner had PANCAKES.....Weeeeeee, FULL and HAPPY I started taking pictures of my beautiful self --->

Next thing, my obviously jobless aunt is like lets go shooting in the city {Okay she's not jobless - an "artist" painter to be exact}...I'm like if I said "NO" now...she'd start blabbing again..and I just had free breakie and was like FINEEEEEE....We get to the city start taking pics of all the billboards on 42nd and broadway - a project she's working on...but other things were just interesting to me, LIKE this couple that were in the middle of broadway taking their pictures..I DECIDED TO STALK!!


THEN.......some guys come up to me with a camera and this cute guy is like you look like you want to be on camera!....where I immediately say ERRR do u see my slacks?!.....they r like come on...we just want you to say this in the camera to Ciara and she'll be on the phone blah blah {How does it feel to have your private life so much in the media} In my mind I was like CIARA?...is she that popular that ppl now care?...anyhoo, I was like AHHHH, no more "NOs" FIRST INSTINCT - HauTe Magazinee {I HAD NO COPY ON ME :(, I was so painedd, fine I was like I'd just say who I am blah blah - OF COURSE i STARTED with Hii, I'm Dammie, from Nigeria and I'm the editor of Nigeria's foremost fashion magazine you may find out BAM dude says CUT! and is like "okay we know u want to promote ur website and all that....I was like well u said say something PERSONAL!! *hiss*

I head on, trying to lead my aunt to the train station and come across the infamous NAKED COWBOY {WOOHOOOO!!} - I couldn't resist, stopped to take a pic for FREE heheheheheheh when ppl were there paying $1, perphaps he forgot about his pay coz of the sting in his nipple {nope I had nothing to do with that} --->

Welll, my aunty's camera died after thiss....and just as we were approaching the station.....I saww...I sawww...someone who I had actually been exchanging emails with LOLA OGUNNAIKE - NY TIMES - Pop culture writer {In my highschool - Vivian Fowler, we always heard this lady's name during assembly how she was on TV blah blah} So, I was like errr ERR err ERR LOLA!!..and she turned!!! Wooohooo!!...I introduced myself...SHE KNEW ME ALREADYYY she was like heyy ur the magazine editorr blah blah...I was like yeahhh....it's so lovely to meet uu blah blahh....and she's like HEYY...Want a tour of the NY TIMES?....and I was like HELLL YEAHHHH...soo she took me to the style section and introduced me to all this key ppl - writer for arts and leisure of the NY times - who got into some sexy gossip about Diana ross and the dreamgirls, how beautiful the movie is...and how she tried to get intouch with Diana so she could write some fashion article about the supremes costumes and she was ignored!! {guyss I was dying - i was wearing freaking slacks!!!}.....then off to a fashion writer who just last night was with Marc Jacobs and errr felt like he was having a one-sided coversation coz Marc was high off some "medications" {It's freaking gossip heaven there!}...and took me to the magazine section MY GAWDD...see VogueSSSSSSSSSS...I was in heaven...in slacks..but in HEAVEN!!.....It was soo nicee they all asked for my information - silly me....was so bloody excited did not think of making connects...LoL!...Hopefully we all get to work with each other in the future!! *sigh*

Then Lola had to go...U KNOW..i was ready to sleep there....said she really needs to get to workk...she's got a deadline blah blah..that she would have loved for us to go round the city {I was thinking u looking so mega hott...and me in my bloody slackss ARRGGGH}....but asked me for my # and said the key words PARTY and CUTE BOYS!!....Where I also immediately YELLED...I'M SINGLE {can u guys imagine that?...LoL}..Soo, woohoo...NEVER moving away from NY, it's the mostt fabuloous place suchhh randomness can happen!!!....I'm happy for the rest of the yearrrrrrr!!

I couldn't stop thinking at how life is such a beautiful art...and interesting if u just go with the floww...like go with whatever...don't be so uptightt, and fixed on doing this doing that...God has made life beautiful and if we live it as we see it..we will appreciate the beauty and happiness we get from that! {Lola was mighty humble and down to earth as welll}

P.S; All this happened within 3HRS!!

XxOff to do some E - Ass KissingxX --->













I love New Yorkkkkk, and my lucky slacks!

***I cheated, I pulled this from my past posts. I have been quite occupied these past weekends, and haven't been able to write, hopefully should be free next weekend!! In the meantime enjoy!! I was tired of seeing the last post as well!!

♪ Suddenly I see ♪

Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see)
This is what I wanna be
Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see)
Why the hell it means so much to me

I feel like walking the world
Like walking the world...

KT Tunstall couldn't have explained how I felt any better. Osione had just sent me the 1st draft of the magazine *sigh* It was perfect! waaay beyond my expectation. I was quite amazed because he didn't even ask me any questions or request my presence, yet he had given me what I wanted and I had no clue!!...It felt so great! I felt like I could conquer {walk} the world now!! My imagination/dream, a year later {YES, a WHOLE year!!} had now come to past. Definately a turned new leaf.

Check out the video below {I love it!}

As a well cultured girl, of course I got to my knees and thanked God for EVERYTHING {still do}.The fights, the sickness, the PATIENCE, the disappointments, the doubts, my doubters, my FRIENDS {Gosh - who you would meet soon, YaY!}, my believers and supporters who have all been a major part in how I live my life today - to just be a good ambassador of the human species, and allow God to use me through my desires {LoL, I've gone preacher on you}.

It's just been a lovely journey ever since, the wonderful HUMBLE {omg} people I've come across that just make me look at life in a whole different way. Now, I, Dammie Amolegbe the EDITOR {editrix - lol} welcome you into the next chapter of this life, my influences and inspirations...

Quote of the week; God's gift to you is your life, What you choose to do with it is your gift to God! - Oprah

It's just me and the dazzler in the mirror

ALAS!!! A conclusion was reached, that would of course be of mutual benefit; The article being published in exchange of her modeling in an editorial feature in HauTe.

This wasn't actually a problem, she's quite the "hottie" 6ft and everything! Also, her "connections" should do well for the magazine and even make work easier for me *mysterious grin*, as she volunteered to set up the whole shoot and have her photographer friend {who has shot like every ANTM model you can think of} do us the honour ...set up this pretty studio, makeup artist, stylist, EVERYTHING!! all I had to do was, hook her up with the designers. Weeeeeee, excited me - could have been 1st professional shoot i'd be directly involved with *sigh*. Everything went jolly for like 3days!!...I mean she called me E - VERY - DAY. I know it's not her business, but i'm not really a "talking" person....BUT hey, I did love this ladys persona. She was fun and cool to talk to, no denying. It just seemed like our conversations started becoming repetitive - talking about the shoot and what needed to be done and all that, not only on the phone, but in emails too {she writes LOOOOOONG emails...Okay, maybe I'm not much of a reader too, have I confessed? LoL}

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Finally, everything was in place, everyone involved with the shoot knew the roles they were playing, and i'm sure were certain of the deadlines. The designers only had to make 6 - 8 pieces, and had a week to let us know what the colours and styles would be. Lady Unique, seriously commited to the cause had to URGENTLY {I'm guessing} let the stylist know what colours the designers were looking at, to co-ordinate with the ensemble. ERRR, One thing - Designers were not available {They already knew their deadline, and were nowhere near missing it, only that, they didn't want their creative juices interrupted} I Understood, and just left MSGes for them to get to me as soon as they could, leaving me to deal with Ms. Unique *sigh*

Thursday and Friday came, and I told Lady Unique what was going on and as soon as I hear from them I'll let her know what their colour picks are. I was sure they'd get intouch at least after the holiday {Labor day weekend}, Yet she kept calling and emailing, this time I had run out of things to say, and decided I did not need to talk to her, until atleast something came up, Good or bad!

<---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The designers finally called!!!! Telling me Lady Unique had been calling, and leaving threats about cancelling the shoot because I was not picking up or replying her emails {This was the darn weekend, PEOPLE!!}. Relieved to hear from the designers, I told them to just give her a call and let her know what the colours they picked were, so she could immediately contact the stylist! Silly me, I told them to give her a MSG {Obviously i'm not much of a liar} to tell her that neither my phone or internet is working {LIE, well half lie - my internet wasn't working}, but they were able to get intouch with me through a mutual friend and I will get intouch with her as soon as I could {I just thought it was courteous, and will calm her down to know everything is fine, we were still VERY MUCH on schedule!! no need for the pan!cs}...OHHH did I regret that!!!!...Next thing I go out and check my email....and it's this LOOONGGG email of how unprofessional am being, talking about my internet is not working, but I was able to comment on a certain blog, YES U READ RIGHT, she was keeping tabs on me on the internet!!!.....that I did not only comment on the blog, once but TWICE.....Haaaaa, I first of all thought WTHH....AHHHHHHHHHHHH, then I got a bit worried, Like why is she being impatient!!! {I guess she was just upset I tried to play with her intelligence, but then again maybe if she had relaxed till mondayy, anyhoo} I refused to reply such an email, not just for the fact that I was speechless, but who replies that kind of ranting email? {LoL}


I wake up the next morning and it's ANOTHER email {LONGGGG}, WARNING ME that If I don't get intouch with whatever by Tuesday {which was the day I intended to get intouch - holiday was over} she'll cancel the shoot. Then, I realised I must have given her the impression that this was a life or death matter for me, and she must have really thought so, because HRS later, she wrote an email CC'in the designers insulting my life and looking for every possible way for them to think I was a fraud {I'd love to share emails - but feel free to walk in my office, they are now posted on the wall as my inspiration}.


Fortunately, the designers found her just as irrational, and we agreed to postpone the shoot and have her not be involved in anyway. I couldn't have been more devastated, this was definately a 1st for me, coming across such a character, I was quite drastic too, I changed my phone #, LoL If I could change my email I would have, went into shock for a bit, and realised that I better becareful and know that the sanest person I could ever trust ...is the dazzler in the mirror!

"Oh honey, you've got a long way to look up to"

...The aforestated {title}, which actually ended with "I'm a good 6FT+" is a favorite quote of mine by Unique - the lady that called me that precious night, you know the night Osione dumped me?

Now, freshly dumped. I begin to take solace in my honey chicken wings with fried rice while watching America's Next Top Model {ANTM}, my phone rings, on the other end is this lovely bubbly voice calling me about HauTe Magazine. I am stunned, the magazine wasn't even "published", yet there was a buzz enough for this lady to holla @ me. Oh she knew her shit and knew where on the website you'd be able to get me directly, and OH did she know people!! any name you can mention in the "nigerian fashion scene", there and abroad...she was somewhat acquainted or friends with them, THAT got me really excited.She got into telling me what she's about and asking me all these technical questions about distributions and where we plan on going in the future *sigh*, blown by her level of experience, and, or activities, I had an epiphany ☃ {Light bulb moment} the words 'Editor - at - large creeped up my mind, and I did offer!, LoL...she nicely declined the offer for that moment {it was a bit too forward of me, and early - THIS I HAVE LEARNED!!!} with that title to offer in my mind, I answered things I could have simply replied "I can't disclose right now" {Yeah, in this business you kinda learn how to be diplomatic...in any business I think, don't just go B-L-A-B-B-I-N-G, as I later learned and THE GREAT Robert Green pointed in Law 4 of what is today the bitchy - ness of all books, DAMN, that's a shady book, I love it!} - "Always Say Less than Necessary - When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish" INDEED. Unfortunately, I had not read this book before I told Ms Unique about HauTe's plan with Barnes and Noble, that she used to fire my ass when things just didn't go so....err her way!

Haaaaaa, what a beautiful morning the next day turned out to be, after waking up from so much praises the night before, I called Osione to ask who his dealer was and what cheap shit they must have put him on, THAT didn't work...I resulted to begging, and communicating and apologising for being such a B and disregarding his feelings in anyway I must have, but he had to realise I had too much pressure, and every little thing just ticked me off!!, with my charming charisma we were able to solve the issue and we've lived happily ever after!!...Although he keeps having visions about me screwing him over as Miranda did Nigel in the Devil wears prada. {Only time will tell, Only time...Besides I don't even think she screwed him over, was he not happy with the position he was at already?...Y r ppl so greedy, EH?...LoL, what did you expect her to do? Let him go? they are a good team!!, just like me and Osi}. Anyhoo, the day went, caught up on all what we had missed, and later that evening I received a phone call, from my dearest Unique { I really do love this woman - she's very funny, and smart, but damn she freaked me out at the end, you will see} ... This time she was willing to be a part of the mag, not as a team member, but have her article published for TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS! {$2000.00}...LoL, If you have read my previous posts, you will see that I believe money is not the solution to everything, and where money is the 1st issue....there will always be a problem!!!. I nipped that straight in the bud and we came to a better conclusion or...WAS IT?

.:☪:. Apparently, G♥D had his own plan .:✝:.

TEXAS!!!, the city where everything is BIG, Including the heart of my now favorite graphic designer in the world, Osione Itegboje!!!...with generous time on my hand, and i mean GENEROUS, I decided to go visit a *ahem* darling family friend, Bisade Karunwi, all the way in texas - He actually told me about his friend Osione who was into all this artsy stuff that he showed and apparently had his resentments, RESENTMENTS?..I thought what a prick, I mean he was the only person who actually said he didn't like it, or it wasn't lovely, or at least the only person "man" enough to let me know.

...after a lovely meal at some random vietnamese restaurant {Bisade's food was goooood}, utterly relaxed, we sat down and somehow the magazine came into play {I don't know how this happens, EVERYTIME!...it just falls into play...it's taking over my life yo!....AHHH, who I'm kidding, heheh}, I showed him how far I had gone, and told him about my current state...then he goes I could do a way better job, and even for.....wait for it...FREE!...What did I have to lose?...I was forced on a break anyways, 3 months later and a week to deadline...Osione goes to Mexico!!...MEXICO....and gets freaking stuck for about a wk...I was furious!!!!!!!!, coz i had just bought a ticket to go meet him in texas to review the end product, and I lost it coz of his naughtiness, I. E it was not refundable :@...So, it was on with me and Osione....and yeah we, HE decided he did not want to work with me anymore :(, LoL {It's funny now, it wasn't then!! *SIGH*}

...while Osione was on his "vacation" I came across *ahem* was introduced to this beautiful lady with some major brains {I totally adore this side of her...Don'tTellHer. She slaps reality in my face, when I begin to imagine THE IMAGINABLE!!!}....Uche Eze {Who is going to kill me, and prolly resign for putting her picture on the internet *cringes*} - who i swear reminds me of myself, LoL...She's soo sweet and positive and best of all loves fashion and totally gets what HauTe is about and she also has the maddest connections!....So, Immediately I asked her to be the Editor - at - large, and she said yes!!!, then as her input and our relationship got stronger, I asked if she could be Assistant editor, and she said "i'm fine with anything"...and it's been a happy marriage ever since {untill prolly after she sees this picture}.

With all this sunshine, I was beginning to miss the "rain"...still in denial that Osione had stopped working with me, I kept sending him new materials with no replies, assuming he was working on everything, since he was now back from mey-he-co {Mexico} and we, well I added some extra weeks to the deadline after my "TANtrum"...until one darling summer morning. I got an email from Osione with so many BIG english words, {basically telling me I must not have understood when he said he quit! *rolls eyes*} I thought!!...WTHH...I decided to take a breather. then that same night I GOT THIS PHONECALL from this Lady {Hmmmm, was I expecting the rain, and BOY DID I GET IT!!!}

Don't worry people, I did not fight with the whole world, eventhough it seems like it. Really only 5, ppl...but I learned lessons from 3...I've discussed 2 now, LoL...1 more, and it gets better!!....

I guess to truly get somewhere, you have to go through a lot of experiences, and this unfortunately and fortunately means meeting all kinds of characters, that can either break you or make you :D

₦ MONEY, no PROBLEM $

...Now most of the work is put together {or so I thought}.....Tank & I already spoke, he already made it clear he didn't want to do shit for free....I was fine with that, to be honest there are things you can demand to get for free and somethings you can't just because you know it's a bit of work!....Ohh Bolaji wasn't having THAT!!....He already knew who would do it for free and had good skills {which I could testify to}....but HEY, this is Tank, MY FRIEND...I couldn't possibly go bitch on him just because he wants to get paid {not like it was a whole lot, considering people in the profession charge atleast $75 per page, and I was thinking 100+ pages}...here's Tanks datum...

Tanks datum:

Sex: Male
Age: 18 - 19
Field: Graphic design
Done a magazine before: NO
Charge: $1300




Intial agreement between Tank & I

Tank: $1300

Me: Kewl, will pay 1/3 AFTER magazine has been layed out in PDF...and printer O.Ks, 2wks later I pay the remaining balance. YaY?

SO excited!!!....Couldn't believe I was in the beginning stages of what the magazine will look like. All my ideas imaginations will finally be visual!!....BLOODY ECSTACY!!....the plan was to come over to his crib and we'll start there!!.....RED FLAG #1!

Okay darlings, when you decide to make a magazine {LoL}....you don't even have to SEE the graphic designer, I didn't know better anyways. Got to his shaq, scrambled ideas together.....It was fun, we were both meddling in things we had no clue about..drawing inspiration from everywhere...preeettty awesome! Later in the week, our differences started to show. He wanted something this way, I wanted something that way....I MEAN....LoL, whose mag is it?!>...Yeap, that's where the problem started, he was having complaints here, there!!!......we finally made it to the COVER!....and all hell broke loose, yeap he had his own total idea for the cover and I HAD MINE!.....It got so heated, we immediately stopped working on it!!........

Graphic designerless, I took a break from Fashion Nigeria {2 months}, coz it takes A LOT for me to blow up and once I get there....I just try as much as possible to get away from whatever caused such a reaction.......Okay, after a wk it wasn't really a break anymore.....Idle with the mission on my mind, I kept looking for graphic designers, came across a few that were WAYYYY OUT OF MY BUDGET, Suddenly I could see some light at the end of the tunnel...Introduced to some young professionals, Moyo Aluko and Sherrif Taiwo, who run the website www.viadat.com {you should actually check it out!!...they are pretty good with websites, just not the kind of magazine I wanted}, so that light went OFF!

Totally stressed, I called it semi - quits...took another month or so off...did a bit of traveling....found some calmness and peace that I desperately needed {Meanwhile, Bolaji's person was still there...free and prolly ready to help out.....LoL, but u know there's this thing called CONTROL...yeah, I needed/wanted {HAD} to have that.....BITE ME!}...

THIS MISSION still on my DAMN mind, and my new found serenity, one sunday morning out of happiness or desperation {However you, my dear, choose to see it} I called TANK....Yeap...I'm not a proud girll okay?!>...and there's nothing better than a beautiful ending....right?...So I thought it would be. Tank, still on his "hustler nigga period" was cool with another chance to make this happen....only that this time...I HAD to pay a deposit...incase i "ran" away again {hehehe, U'd think we were not friends before or there was no way on earth he could ever find me if he wanted too}...I tried to fight that shaa...I failed, LoL....Well Kinda, he asked for a deposit of $150....and I dropped $500....I mean I still had to pay all his money in the end....and hoping this will soften him. Basically, trying to bribe my way through a smooth experience. We finally made it to the end {so I thought}....sent to printer....printer sent back with allll these errors and complains *sigh*.....Tank "fixed" the problems....sent to printer again, and PRINTER SENT BACK TO ME AGAIN......that was when I decided SCREW THIS!!!.....I never sent back to Tank to refix any darn error....put my energy in talking on the phone and making different trips to SoHo.....Then God sent me to Texas!!!!!

✍ Down to business...✍

So pumped that I could possibly be making history, being that this was the 1st magazine of it's kind out of Nigeria....strictly focusing on fashion, not lifestyle, womens blah blah blah....but the clothes and the designers who are of Nigerian descent and VERY talented!!...I rushed & made the longest word document I have ever written in my life, and plan to keep it that way......A 7 page business plan in 30mins!...Then, I knew I WAS DEFINATELY serious about this, features in mind, how I want it to look already tatoo'd in my must be pretty brain...I thought I knew the exact people I wanted on my team...SHEESH was I wrong!! {some of the people anyways}...

One of my now many favorite quotes "friends and business don't mix" came into major play, people I've supported in their artisitic field and encouraged and given my very valuable advice to, were the ones I called upon to support me in this cause...Oh, of course they loved the idea, of course they were DOWN...but did they really understand what I was on about?...or how huge this dream I had just cooked up in the middle of boredom is/was...Keep dancing with me, the beat will stop and you'll just be as stunned as I was.....but for now the music is stillllll playing ♪

There is Bolaji Kekere - Ekun who saw and most importantly understood my vision, stood as my london clone, he hooked up everything he could {So sweet}, photoshoots, finding designers...e.t.c

Chiedu Iwuchukwu - known for his website building at the time {I think he has retired now, LoL BOY, did I bug the hell out of him!!}...Thankss!!, still full with energy and my calling I immediately told him about what I wanted to do, and I wanted a website just talking yadiyadiyadha...So generous, asked what I wanted the domain to be, already in my head www.fashionnigeria.com, BAM!! he was like DONE...u got it!!...he hosted it everything...for FREE!! {Bite me, Y should I pay, when I can get it for free...EHN?...besides I had no sponsors...and HELLO?!, Printing cost a wholee lot!}

Mola Kalejaiye of MODIVAH fashion, most reachable designer at the moment & darling set out to help me the way she could {Oh she was actually the one that told me about Bplan.com}...Allowed me futher my call as an editor as I planned and Organized the 1st photoshoot for then, Fashion Nigeria Magazine.



Stylist extra ordinaire & now 1/3 of chic label Cranberry - Doreen Caven, totally had my creative back and helped style Joan Caven {her sister, 2/3 of Cranberry} & Dammy Araoye who modelled the shoot *smooch*
...and the moment photographed by the lovely Wale Akingbade of Ariztos Magazine.










Everything seemed to be coming on well, came across some nice people like Chichi and Chichi E, my darling Dezhare, Ejay Maori of, www.facebymaori.com, Hadassah *ahem* {Ohhh sorry, I'm choked}, I-Delicious, Idia, Jareh Das, Motara Thomas...I thought oh I have enough designers, features and all that...now, time to layout the magazine!!...the music started skipping. The graphic designer...who I could have sworn we had a cool relationship....earlier, before my dream, he'd show me his work of all kinds...and we'd discuss, I thought we had a good rapport going, and we'd make a good team together....you know, young people coming together for a good cause for their country! {Just as JFK wanted it} *music STOPPED*.....he had money on his mind......Lets call him, TANK!

♪.....Dance with me ♪

I've been approached on several occasions to start a blog........never thought it was anything I'd fancy until I got hooked on my facebook notes, and I thought Hmmmm, blogging wouldn't be so bad.....Shouldn't hurt to share a good story, while possibly brightening someone's day.

<------------So here goes, who I have come to be, and how it all started------------->

One lovely or boring night {However you choose to see it} in september 2005, a bug bit me. A shopping bug that craved Nigerian designers so bad it got me to walk about 20 steps to what I call today my personal window to the universe - My maccie! {iBook G4}I began.....furiously abusing my keyboard googling "Nigerian designers" using every internet extension known to man {.co.uk, .co.kr, .co.jp, .ca} to no avail. I found no website where I could even purchase a bobby pin to at least satisfy this craving..........THEN it hit me!....that I just may have to satisfy my craving...even if I had to go out of my way to do research and find any designer on the surface of this earth!!.....HauTe was born, HauTe - Fashion Nigeria Magazine, now Nigeria's foremost fashion magazine: It's a 100+ page fashion magazine. It features the works of Nigerian designers all around the world. Exhibiting a taste for the cultural tempered with an appreciation of the varied degrees of influence by the west in today's fashion. HauTe has a commitment to be the platform profile for Nigerian designers as an exposure in the fashion world, Indeed my journey has began, it has exposed me to alot of wonderful opportunities, people and I'm inviting you to share with me the joy, happiness, anxiety, depression that comes with the life of being an editor :)