Check out this piece from new I Am Not A Rapper correspondent/affiliate SincerelySyreeta  (@SincerelyReeta)

This was the second event that I’ve attended at Waterview and each time has been a delight. Granted the last time I attended there was free liquor–Ciroc, I believe–so I can’t necessarily remember which event it was but I totally had fun!

Anywho, I found out about Entree on Twitter and immediately put it on my SS calendar. Presented by ConcreteCakes.com, Common Ground Management and Waterview Lounge, Entree’s purpose was to showcase and celebrate all types of art forms including indie films, music and visual art.

Most importantly there would be food.

Of course I was attending.

When Sunday rolled around, I completely forgot about the event until it was brought to my attention.

Go figure.

When we reached Waterview Lounge I immediately saw the showcase sponsors section. Karma Kollections was busy setting up their vending table and it was honestly a pleasure to see them because they have beautiful jewelry and they’ve really been working hard to build their brand; the Highly Social Media vending table was also set up and nicely decorated with various handouts, business cards and brochures.

In the kitchen area, the food, provided by Dahlak Restaurant was being prepared and smelled quite promising. I’ve heard great things about Dahlak through word of mouth and via various news publications so it was nice to know that I’d finally be able to experience their Ethiopian cuisine.

The vending and food areas were divided from the rest of the lounge by a large projector in the middle of the space. A seating area was setup in front of the projector and behind those seats was an open space that held Congo drums and other instruments.

Oh this should be interesting.

A video showcasing the work of a West Philly gentleman–whose love of fashion had taken him far beyond Philadelphia–was already playing as a few viewers sat in front. As it came to an end he provided some background on his life and his passion.

I immediately appreciated the purpose of this event.

After the gentleman spoke, Garron (creator of ConcreteCakes.com) informed us of a brief intermission and invited us to check out the vendors and food. Similar to Charmane Martin’s mix tape party, the vendors were permitted the opportunity to present their business’ history and mission. To all of you event planners who have vendors at your events, PLEASE BE SURE TO CONSIDER DOING THIS. As a patron and a potential customer this personalizes the experience and makes us that much more interested in stopping by their table.

After some mingling we settled in to watch Rhyme Street‘s hip-hop documentary RAW: The Breakdown. I enjoyed the film and was surprised to see Chill Moody featured in it. But of course. Where isn’t this guy?

If you haven’t seen it, you can watch the documentary here.

Up next was the feature film Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest by Michael Rapaport. A Tribe Called Quest is one of the most influential hip-hop groups to ever grace the music industry so I thought that it was a perfect fit for an event whose sole purpose was to highlight and celebrate various aspects of art and culture.

If you haven’t already, DEFINITELY check out the documentary.

As the evening went on, the lounge began to fill with more people. I instantly remembered Dom, part owner of Common Ground Management, saying that the

Artwork by: Malik Crawley of Kilam Couture

evening crowd would be coming soon.

He damn sure didn’t lie.

As I maneuvered through the lounge I overheard discussions of art and music, reactions to the featured films, and networking taking place.

Malik Crawley of Kilam Couture, a lifestyle brand, had arrived to present some of his talented artwork to us.

Anessa LaRae performed live and I was instantly drawn to her stage presence. She very expressive and animated when she deliver’s her lyrics which only made me pay more attention not just to the melody but to her words. What the hell was she singing about that had her sashaying her hips, rolling her neck and batting her eyelashes? Oh, how her lover isn’t as Perfect as they’d like to think. By the end of her set, she had people running to the band area to grab copies of her cd. Her music is like neo-soul, infused with rock, infused with pop, infused with funk, infused with pure dopeness.

Yes, that’s how I just described her music. If you’d prefer a better description, check her out for yourself:

Top Left: SS & Garron (ConcreteCakes.com); Top right: Dom(CGM), SS & Saleem (Whimsicle); Bottom: Whimsicle team & SS

Possibly one of my greatest highlights came when Saleem of Whimsicle arrived with his 100% organic, frozen treats. Whimsicle LLC is a gourmet popsicle business dedicated to producing specialty pops (yes, you can customize your popsicle). I’ve heard quite a bit about the pops but had yet to try one. Always the skeptic, I figured I’d give it a try.

Number one, they were free-ninety-nine. You all know how I feel about that, but number two, THEY WERE DELICIOUS. There were all types of flavors but I picked the fruit medley of kiwi, strawberry’s, grapes and pineapples. It was refreshing and satisfying. Forget free, I’d buy those by the pack. Plus they’re organic, which means they’re perfect for kids.

Although I truly wish I’d found out about the Entree series sooner than the grand finale that took place Sunday, I’m so glad that I was able to attend such an enriching and pleasant event.

Thank you to ConcreteCakes.com, Common Ground Management, Waterview Lounge, Karma Kollections, Highly Social Media, Anessa LaRae, Dahlak’s and Whimsicle for providing us with such a wonderful experience!

-Sincerely Syreeta