....October 29, 12:37 PM
 
 
 
Beauty and Brains
Talk about tenacity: At 5-foot-2, Tonice Joyce Taylor has to fend off a lot of pre-conceived notions about how clothes will hang on her. Like in July, when she tried out for Fashion on the Hudson, and was told she was just too short to walk the runway. She asked casting if she could come to network backstage and insisted that she would be a great help during the hectic show.

She was. When their models failed to show, she filled in for 17 of the featured designers, impressing all with her confidence and runway walk.

Tonice comes from Rochdale Village in Jamaica. When she started modeling last year at 19, she was short on cash to create a professional portfolio, business and modeling “comp cards” necessary to book gigs. She was working at Rochdale’s Subway at the time, and put together a cardboard display box with her photos, and story as an aspirant model. The community donated $500 to support her dream.

Today she is a full-time model who has done Hypehair magazine spreads, been in Essence magazine, even played in the “Teenage Love Affair” music video as Alicia Keys’ romantic rival, who dances with the singer’s on-screen boyfriend.

Tonice’s favorite place to hang out in Queens is actually just over the border at Green Acres Mall, where her favorite restaurant, Dallas BBQ’s, serves the best pina colada – to her taste (we assume non-alcoholic). She also loves the mall because “that’s where the shoes are,” she says with reverence, taking a special liking to Bakers.

Tonice Joyce Taylor
Home: Jamaica
Age: 20
Height: 5" 2"
Weight: 105 lbs
Stats: 32-25-36
 
 
Karma Calling?

Mets owner Fred Wilpon; photo: Ira Cohen
Call it unfair or call it karma, but Mets owner Fred Wilpon may have to pay up for the strong showing – of his portfolio.

While their Bronx brethren are in the World Series, Wilpon is facing more than angry fans. He might have to deal with the jilted investors of Bernie Madoff, who are trying to “clawback” some of the profits he made on his investment with the notorious Ponzi scheme.

“Mets Limited Partnership” appears twice on a list of investors who actually made more money than they gave to the fraudulent firm.

Bankruptcy trustee Irving Picard showed that the company withdrew $570.5 million after putting in only $522.7 million, meaning his assets are vulnerable to legal efforts from other scammed investors who are trying to recover their original investment.

Let’s hope Wilpon picks pitchers better than accountants.
Queens Freelancers

From Queens: Indie rock troupe Freelance Whales
The College Music Journal, or CMJ as it’s commonly known, is hosting its annual Music Marathon. The event has become the City’s premiere showcase of upcoming music talent and rejuvenated careers. But our own borough’s representation lacks luster.

Two years ago, St. Alban’s rap demigod Q-Tip brought home a resounding performance at the Blender Theater. That’s all well and good for the veteran hip-hop musician, but upcoming musicians? Not really.

Well indie rock troupe Freelance Whales hopes to buck the trend. Their ethereal and banjo-laden music fits the mold of other oddly-voiced bands of the moment.

Their name? We’re not sure where it comes from, but we’d give them a story assignment or two and see what the articles sound like.
Best Song?

Kenndel Johnson
St. Albans native Kenndel Johnson, a.k.a. Ace1der Da Don, won the August Song of the Month award in the Hip-Hop/R&B category from the Song of the Year, an international song lyrics contest.

Lyrical gems like, “I try to be better but I ain’t really tryin’/ but that’s what I tell her I am but I know that I’m lying” and “Months and years that passed when you want begging me to date you. I hate you” fill the award-winning song titled “Tears on a Pillow.”

The song features some choice words about Johnson’s significant other but he says things with her are great now. You might want to reconsider that, Kenndel. Another nasty break up might land you a spot of the Billboard Top 10.

Come Home
Since she started living in her material world, The Material girl seems to have forgotten how to be mindful of those of us living in reality, but one of her neighborhoods is hoping to bring her back to Earth.

Karen George, who lives above the one-time Queens resident in an Upper West Side building, is suing the pop star, the co-op’s board of directors and Midboro Management Company for noise complaint.

A lawsuit alleges that George filed a complaint about Madonna’s loud training and rehearsals in 2008 and nothing has been done.
You can come back to Queens and Vogue anytime day or night. We’d love to have you dancing underneath us.
Resting in Pieces

Bayside Cemetery in Ozone Park is reportedly in sad shape.
Somebody needs to explain “perpetual” to the people running Bayside Cemetery in Ozone Park. One of the City’s oldest Jewish cemeteries, the grounds have fallen into disgraceful disrepair. In addition to weeds growing to cover tombstones, crypts have reportedly been broken into and desecrated with human remains left exposed. The Daily News reported that some burial societies which sold the plots have disappeared or have neglected care of the grounds.

Descendants of people buried in the cemetery filed a suit against Congregation Shaare Zedek on the Upper West Side, which owns the cemetery, for neglecting the perpetual care of the plots. Judge Raymond Dearie ruled there is no jurisdiction in his federal courtroom for the case.

Judge Dearie; Do the court and cops have jurisdiction over menacing spirits? Their night of witching nears.


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