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By Entertainment Editor Ahmed Sirour
Chicago on my
mind?? (10.29.03)
I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL “THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS”
COMES OUT NEXT WEDNESDAY!!! ALSO...JEFF BRADSHAW's "BONE
DEEP" is in stores NOW!!!
(check 106&Park tonight at 7pm as "SLIDE"
is the New Joint of the Day) peace2ya! P.S.--Thanks
to all who have checked out Lina's interview...I'll be working on more
interviews with more people in upcoming articles...so you publicists
should contact me ASAP as I'm going to be putting a schedule together...
"Ferris
Bueller’s Day Off”…"The Blues Brothers”…"Adventures
in Babysitting”…"Save the Last Dance”…"What
Women Want”… “Barbershop”…Love Jones”—what
do all these movies have in common? Chicago.
This place is NOT for me! Let
me first say that I’m not knocking the “Windy City”, okay?
Truthfully, I didn’t have as much time as I probably
would have needed to get a fuller experience, but from what I did get to
see, I already know that this is just a place to visit (not that I was
considering relocating). Being
a native New Yorker, I obviously was going to make the
“big city” comparisons as to adjust to my surroundings. Chicago reminded me of NYC at various times except that it
was so much cleaner…and you’d never see floral arrangements
throughout Manhattan, untouched and still fresh!
Also, some of their “elevated trains” were right in the
middle of the streets, wrapping around their downtown buildings like a
serpent. Instead of alphanumerical train lines, they have colors, and
the number of lines they have are much fewer than I thought they would
be. It’s similar to Atlanta
in that many businesses shut down after a certain time (i.e. this city
eventually sleeps). Now…my
biggest wonder was if Chicago’s heralded “deep-dish”
pizzas could compete with New York’s hand tossed varieties.
I’m not saying that what I had spoke for all the deep-dish
varieties in Chicago, but the one I had at Pizzeria Uno (one of
their best spots) didn’t convince me…and I was really hungry that
day! 
To its
credit, Chicago has great spots like the Navy Pier (a sort of
combination of South Street Seaport with Coney Island), The
Art Institute of Chicago, which has a great collection of works from
various parts of the world (I was impressed by the Egyptian,
Meso-American, and Asian Indian artifact collections)—and it only cost
me a penny (i.e. donate whatever you want…LOL)! Lincoln Park Zoo was real cool—haven’t been to a
zoo in over a decade—and I got some really good and very up close
pictures of lions, camel, and even their park squirrels that come right
up to your feet hoping you have some food to give them—this was also
free! Hyde Park reminds me of the bohemian SOHO/Greenwich
Village. Buckingham Fountain is HUGE (i.e. the fountain in
the park that Darius and Nina were walking past, at night, in “Love
Jones”)! As a matter
of fact, it seemed that I was always in some kind of movie when I took a
second look…like when I was in Marshall & Fields and
realized I was standing in a scene from “What Women Want”
when Mel Gibson was in the women’s department and was hearing
every woman’s thoughts, or when we were in a record store that looked
like the one in “Love Jones”, or downtown where the parade scene for
“Ferris Bueller…” was filmed, or underneath the “els”
or driving down the Southside where I was seeing “The Blues
Brothers” in my mind. Didn’t
catch the nightlife that much, but will try to check out the Funky
Buddha, Bar Louie, Crocodile Lounge, Divine,
and some other suggested spots (Dr. Wax record store is dope,
though). Oh…and the Sears Tower…yeah…kinda tall.
Feel free to e-mail me at: ahmed@atlantahapps.com
The views in this article are not necessarily the expressed views of ATLANTAHAPPS.COM or it's affiliates.
Ahmed Sirour writes a weekly journal for ATLANTAHAPPS.COM
Ahmed Sirour is a Georgia Regional Representative for Hidden Beach Recordings
-- Archive
If you’re looking for a new spot to kick back and chill, meet up with old friends (or new ones), a place to unwind and network after work with young urban professionals, someplace to commune after a jazz/r&b concert, movie, or a night of theatre, a cozy place to kick it with your sweetheart, or a place to flirt and engage in seductive conversations with beautiful strangers, then I highly recommend Midtown’s newest place to be and be seen…
Tarrazu Coffee Bar! Only some months up & running, Tarrazu has already begun hosting a number of functions and has served as a sanctuary for the "buppie" and "yuppie" crowds. Named after a mountainous region of South America famous for some of the world’s best coffee, Tarrazu can match Café Intermezzo with its diverse offerings of decadent beverages and treats while separating itself from comparison with a smaller more intimate setting—I would especially recommend this as an ideal spot for your private party needs (be a "baller" and rent it out for the night like Boris did for Sanaa in "Brown Sugar"—LOL).
Located at 265 Ponce de Leon Avenue (around the corner from Old Spaghetti Factory and right next door to MF Sushi Bar), Tarrazu takes centerstage with its eye-catching terrace and black awning…and then you walk in! I’m no interior decoration expert, but with beautiful hardwood floors, artistic lighting, assorted candles throughout the establishment, very cool, classy, and comfortable dinner/lounge furniture, very clean bathrooms (hey, ya know), ambient table settings, great food, coffees, and desserts, and a great wait-staff…what more could you possibly ask for?! How about "live" music on Thursdays and Fridays (sometimes, Saturdays)? Did I mention this is a solely Black-owned establishment, run by partners Nathan Horne, Robert Beckham, and Terrance Gattis? Did you know they are even preparing the groundwork for yet another location in Phipps Plaza? Did you know that entire block (from MS Sushi Bar to Nancy’s Deli) is Black-owned? Did you know that they play Hidden Beach music on a regular ;) ? Did you want me to give you anymore reasons to go there or are you wise enough to act on my suggestions with any more cajoling?
Tarrazu Owners and ATLANTAHAPPS.COM subscribers
Robert Beckham (left), Ahmed and Nathan Horne
SENSUAL SATURDAYS at Tarrazu Coffeebar
Date: Join us on Saturday, November 1, 2003
Time: 9 p.m. - 12 a.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)
SUDARABAJAN Productions present...
"SENSUAL SATURDAYS"
(as a part of Tarrazu's Liquid Jazz Series)
Featuring a three-piece (keys/drums/bass) neo-jazz band,
THE FORMULA
Enjoy a sensual atmosphere of candlelight's, chill conversations, cool
sounds,
and good food as you leave the stress of the work week behind you.
As an extra treat, each week will feature a different up-and-coming
vocalist to
sit in with the band and grace the mike, for your listening pleasure.
The
dinner and dessert menu is definitely for the discriminating
palate...and you
won't need any reservations.
Time:
9pm-12am (NO COVER!)
Address:
265 Ponce De Leon Avenue (around the corner
from Old Spaghetti Factory)
Suite D
Atlanta, GA 30308
404.815.2077
Dress:
Comfortably Fly!
Visit their website for upcoming events, lunch specials, and a preview
of their dinner menu at:
www.tarrazucoffeebar.com. Tell them Ahmed sent you…no, you won’t get
any discount on your dinner check, but it just sounds like a cool thing
to say—LOL! Seriously though, I might make a deal with them about
discounts if you do mention you heard about them from this article! Or,
maybe a free CD sampler from Hidden Beach (while supplies last). 
Ahmed Sirour - Eclectic. Product of a Sudanese-Arab (Muslim) father and a Bajan-Caribbean (Christian) mother. Ahmed was a "diamond in the rough" hewn from Brooklyn, now undergoing "polishing and re-cutting" in Atlanta. This serves as a premise to his diverse nature that comes from a diverse background. His poetic style is influenced by his love of music...specifically, jazz improvisation. He sometimes uses a rhyme form he calls "Broken Word"; basically, the rhyme scheme alternates between words and phrases but with a definite flow just like a jazz jam session where the art of freestyle takes place. Although it would seem that hip-hop, another of his influences, would seem to be a more apt description of his style, it is the marriage of youthful innovation paired with classic refinement. He is also moved by the Harlem Renaissance, which he feels is resurfacing, in spirit, throughout many major metropolitan cities, especially Atlanta. More importantly, he is moved by his belief in spirituality, believing that he is merely a vessel of God to bring forth the talent that he feels he has been blessed with.
Ahmed's goal, this year, to finally publish his first collection of work entitled, "This Would Be A Love Song...If Only I Could Sing"; a collection of poetry, essays, and short stories based on his life's experiences in the area of love and life. Ahmed is also a musician (keyboardist) and plays for and with many talented artists in Atlanta (and those who travel through the city from abroad). He currently represents for Hidden Beach Recordings (www.hiddenbeach.com), so he keeps one foot in the business and one foot (and two hands) in the art, itself. It is his hope and prayer that beyond enjoying his work, that people are actually moved, emotionally/intellectually/spiritually, by the words they read, and to know that this is merely a power that is coming through him and not from him.
SOULFUL HAPPS - A SPOTLIGHT ON URBAN MUSIC & CULTURE
Imagine for a moment if Marvin were still alive and able to record with the Roots... Or what about Pete Rock breaking-off a track for Minnie Ripperton or Donnie Hathaway. What kind of energy would these collaborations create??? The answer is found in a new Soul Music Series entitled SOULFUL HAPPS, and it's unlike anything you've ever heard. This section features artists who produce the sounds of 70's Soul, Acid Jazz, Hip Hop, and Rare Grooves appreciated by music lovers around the Atlanta area. But it's more than a sound... It's a feeling... bringing the past and the future together in a rather unique way. Click here for details
WHAT THEY ARE SAYIN...
Mr.Sirour,
I live in LA and was
recently in your wonderful city and love reading you're column, Very
nice. Miles...
Mr.Sirour,
I would like to begin by saying I enjoy your weekly "HAPPS" commentary. I look forward to it every Monday evening when I have down time at work. I appreciate you keeping us 'Atliens' abreast of the goings of Atlanta and upcoming music artists. Please keep doing what you are doing!
Mr.Sirour,
Now, I would like to comment briefly on your commentary for this week. Kudos to you for being honest and candid! How refreshing to hear such positive and thought provoking thoughts. I agree with you in so many ways. Just as a smile can be contagious, so can positivity.
P.S-- I saw the plug on your site for the Tarrazu Coffee Bar. It sounds like a great place. I will be trying it out this week.
Thank You,
Brettina Burney
KATHLEEN BERTRAND
Visit the Website http://www.kathleenbertrand.com
Subscriber Kathleen Bertrand, her riveting performances combine contemporary R&B grooves with jazz riffs that keep audiences wanting for more...
No Regrets sets an elegant new standard for contemporary soul, and Kathleen Bertrand brings an inspiring new voice to the world of music. Look for future features on this dynamic singer in future ATLANTAHAPPS listings.
Ahmed writes the way a jazz musician plays during an improvisational jam session paired with the way a lyricist freestyles in hip-hop form. It is a marriage of the past and present that creates a fusion to set the tempo for the future. His writing surpasses his racial makeup and simply becomes a unique American story by a unique American writer.
www.authorsden.com/ahmedasirour
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