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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 26 > Entry
T.I. stops by V-103 on 28th birthday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
V-103’s Frank Ski and Wanda Smith scored the first in-studio interview with Atlanta rapper/actor T.I. Thursday morning as the artist, also known as Tip Harris, celebrated his 28th birthday. The performer will release his much-anticipated album “Paper Trail” on Tuesday. On air, Ski acknowledged the rapper’s ability to compartmentalize and multitask: Much of the record was written and recorded as T.I. was facing down multiple federal weapons charges (the rapper pleaded guilty; sentencing has been delayed while he completes his community service).
Ski asked: “Do you feel like God is saying, ‘OK, Tip, you’ve got a second chance. What are gonna do with it?’ “
Replied T.I.: “Yeah, sure, absolutely.”
And Buzz realized we want to be adopted by T.I.’s mama when she called in to wish her son a happy birthday. Alluding to how she handled her weapons-wielding son’s takedown in a Walgreens parking lot last year: “Prayer. You take it one day at a time. That’s all I could do, even before that little incident.”
Buzz’s mama? Well, she routinely made a bigger deal out of us walking our Keds across a freshly mopped kitchen floor. …
W HOTEL IN BUCKHEAD GOES FOR COOL
Here’s a basic rule at Buzz Central: A social gathering filled with gorgeous models being paid to lounge around in sexy robes is usually the sign of a great party.
Or a not-so-subtle indication that you’ve stumbled into the Playboy Mansion.
Rest assured, we were definitely in the upstairs private reception suite at Bluepointe in Buckhead on Wednesday night as the W Atlanta Buckhead hotel reps gave guests a sneak peek of what to expect this November when the much-anticipated, high-end hipster hotel opens at 3377 Peachtree Road. The models were showcasing the bath accessories in each room.
But guests shouldn’t expect a carbon copy of the hotel brand’s Perimeter or Midtown destinations. “Think country club cool,” said incoming Buckhead W general manager Marylouise Fitzgibbon, who recently has transitioned from the Perimeter property to helm the company’s latest Atlanta endeavor.
“The Midtown W is all about techno glam,” Fitzgibbon told Buzz. “That’s perfect for Midtown but we’ve conceived the Buckhead property as something utterly unique for here.”
Fitzgibbon leaned in and added: “I live in Buckhead and so do my girlfriends. Believe me, none of us want some New York hotel concept crammed down our throats. We want it to be a place where both the Buckhead residents and visitors will feel completely at home.”
Still, Atlantans did get treated to one unfamiliar taste at the party: The Amazon Cooler martini, an eco-friendly cocktail made with Veev Acai Spirits, basil leaves, lemon juice, simple syrup and a cucumber slice.
We’re told Whiskey Blue nightclub owner Rande Gerber overnighted a case of Veev (it’s not readily available here) so Atlantans could sample one of his New York club’s best-selling cocktail concoctions. As with the Midtown W, Gerber also will oversee a Whiskey nightclub concept at the Buckhead W this fall.
The drinks evaporated long before the cucumber garnishes could lose their crispness.
And take it from us: We’ve chatted up a lot of stuffy hotel GMs over the years; Fitzgibbon just might just be the most vivacious and vibrant we’ve met. For example, on Thursday, Fitzgibbon sent us an e-mail invite to a hotel hard-hat tour and dished that a disco ball had just been installed in her Buckhead W office.
MACINTOSH HAPPY ABOUT ‘LES MIZ’
Sir Cameron Macintosh — the British producer who created an entertainment empire from such mega-musicals as “Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Misérables” — was in town taking in the Theater of the Stars’ new streamlined version of “Les Miz.”
And according to TOTS publicist Karen Hatchett, Sir Cameron gave the show his royal seal of approval. “He was very happy about it,” Hatchett told Buzz. “He said he was a bit nervous initially to make changes in the way the show has always been done, but he felt good about our approach and about the set/scenic design and creative team. … He was excited about the good response to the show here.”
The Atlanta production traded the original turntable staging concept for video projections based on the drawings of “Les Miz” novelist Victor Hugo. The musical runs through Sunday at the Fox Theatre (404-817-8700, ticketmaster.com).
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Fitness expert Jack LaLanne is 94. Singer Bryan Ferry is 63. Actress Melissa Sue Anderson (“Little House on the Prairie”) is 46. Singer Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl is 46. Actor Jim Caviezel (“The Passion of the Christ”) is 40. Singer Christina Milian (above) is 27.
OVERSCENE
Among those paying tribute at Wednesday’s memorial service for Buckhead Stan Milton Oasis hair salon owner Stan Milton at Peachtree Christian Church: B98.5 FM’s Steve McCoy and Vikki Locke, Dr. Peter Abramson, Spanx spokeswoman Misty Elliott, psychotherapist Karin Smithson, salon owner Richie Arpino and Legendary Event catering owner Tony Conway.
Contributing: Wendell Brock and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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