There is an old Persian proverb that says: "Luck is infatuated with the efficient." Azhand Shokohi (azhandshokohi.com), a fashion designer in Cincinnati, Ohio, has materialized this proverb in her life, seizing every opportunity that arose. Shokohi’s first two fashion shows took place in the spring and summer of 2011, featuring her haute couture lines, and already her days are filled with custom designing clothes for clients.

"I am the ring master to this circus," Kristin Segal joked to me as we sat face to face over cocktails and loud music. It was her way of apologizing for the constant interruptions in our interview, done in a way that only a woman with her sense of humor can pull off.

There’s a firehouse in Harlem that isn’t what it seems to be. Brick, glass, and wrought iron of this once-abandoned structure are filled with music, poetry, singing, and dancing. The Faison Firehouse Theater (faisonfirehouse.org) is the brainchild of George Faison, famed choreographer of the Broadway hit "The Wiz".