tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78843956213534900772024-03-13T22:28:22.408-07:00The Red Carpet GirlThis is fashion and entertainment writer Joanie Cox's blog. She writes for City Link magazine, www.citylinkmix.com, www.Sunsentinel.com and recently launched www.Joaniecox.com. Follow her on Twitter.com/joaniecox for updates on nightlife, music and celebrities hanging out in South Florida.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-81946799821582127462012-12-17T14:01:00.001-08:002012-12-17T14:09:09.670-08:00Mourning the precious lives lost in the Sandy Hook Elementary School Tragedy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdzRthYsCcX-iBwQSmXM5neDnm126LFKX2IgJtMcmtE0NL8LP4C54i4j8IpTOlVnrqo4yoFJvCFXZIq286mPcHcpBrjKnGBIF4iIAiUyAvZnotbWop_QY_iAnk5K1B5B0C95LdaPrSrGO/s1600/jesus_child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdzRthYsCcX-iBwQSmXM5neDnm126LFKX2IgJtMcmtE0NL8LP4C54i4j8IpTOlVnrqo4yoFJvCFXZIq286mPcHcpBrjKnGBIF4iIAiUyAvZnotbWop_QY_iAnk5K1B5B0C95LdaPrSrGO/s1600/jesus_child.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An essay by Joanie Cox-Henry</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The good guys are coming...Show me your smile." These were the powerful and heroic words of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">first-grade teacher </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kaitlin Roig. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Dec. 14, Adam Lanza gathered up his mother's guns, brutally murdered her and then proceeded to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. He was once a student there. He shot and killed 20</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> children and six adult staff members before taking his own life. The stories that are emerging about the selflessness and bravery of how the teachers inside the building acted are miraculous. I have never heard anything more tragic and detestable than what Lanza did to his victims.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The natural reaction is to scream out: How could this happen? And more importantly, why did this happen? Lanza was clearly disturbed. There are now reports surfacing from people who knew him claiming he didn't feel pain. Reports from the Washingtonpost.com paint Lanza as "ex</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tremely bright but socially awkward and — until Friday — was not known as someone who was potentially violent."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other reports have emerged stating Lanza and his mother Nancy would hit the gun range together. When you see something like the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre happen, it really does feel like the Mayans are right and the world is ending Dec. 21. For so many families, the world did end that day. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I look at the faces of the victims, my heart aches. Such innocent lives ended for absolutely no reason. It brings about feelings of anger and despair for everyone involved. Perhaps Lanza told his mother what he planned to do at the school that day and when she tried to stop him, he shot her in the head. We will likely never know the true reason of why the gunman did this or what was really going through his head in his final moments. But this nightmare has happened and now we are left to pick up the pieces. I encourage you to find hope in the stories of how people came together inside the school that day. Think about the miracle of 27-year-old teacher </span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Victoria Soto, who reacted to Lanza by locking her children in a closet and telling him they were on the other side of the school. Her body was found near the children she saved according to a report on Americanlivewire.com.</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While it's hard to fathom, this horrific tragedy could've been even worse if not for the brave souls who sacrificed themselves to protect their students. Teacher aids </span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rachel D'Avino and Anne Marie Murphy also lost their lives that day shielding their students from the gunfire with their own bodies. Further reports are now emerging on the internet that </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> D'Avino's boyfriend planned to propose to her on Christmas Eve.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you look at the 20 faces of those beautiful first graders who lost their lives, I see 20 angels who were instantly drawn into God's loving arms. They are all in a better place where death and violence do not exist. The only way to fight this tragedy is with prayer. Pray hard for families to fill their children with love instead of bringing an already troubled person to a gun range. Pray for God to come back into homes and hearts where he once dwelled. Pray for mercy. Pray for peace. Pray for stability. Pray for every loved one in each victim's life. Pray for families to stand by each other and be there for each other when times are tough. Pray for people to pick up a phone when they're thinking about picking up a gun and ending it all. And instead of idolizing fictional TV characters or movie stars and looking to Batman to save you, remember all the heroes inside Sandy Hook Elementary that day who have left behind a legacy of kindness and sacrifice we can all respect and learn from. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do not lose faith when something so tragic happens. Instead, use it to fuel hope and salvation in those of us left behind. And just as that courageous teacher told her students inside the school that day, find comfort in knowing </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the good guys <i>are</i> coming. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Contact Joanie Cox at <a href="http://Twitter.com/joaniecox">Twitter.com/joaniecox</a>.</span>Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-67413159441693369842012-07-30T14:02:00.001-07:002012-07-30T14:04:06.671-07:00Lessons from my grandfather: A poem of remembrance<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSVXNECrpPPX_krWyGWdnq_RrkJWAwtbrWnHjFcrV11R9ivgCDAWNpsyyU5o2RqosTeTqb3pXvsne5fY-UlFqS01D-PydRIV9Ok4p7hqE2Wwf17gO-eE68EpYMJlvPu1VfO3xzMurZz8K/s1600/joan-leonardo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSVXNECrpPPX_krWyGWdnq_RrkJWAwtbrWnHjFcrV11R9ivgCDAWNpsyyU5o2RqosTeTqb3pXvsne5fY-UlFqS01D-PydRIV9Ok4p7hqE2Wwf17gO-eE68EpYMJlvPu1VfO3xzMurZz8K/s1600/joan-leonardo.jpg" /></a></div>
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Life is short, love long.<br />
When you think you're always right, you're already wrong.<br />
When the going gets tough, get tougher.<br />
When the sailing is smooth, don't forget when it was rougher.<br />
When you think no one is listening, don't be afraid to be loud.<br />
Always be yourself; don't follow the crowd.<br />
If you feel like giving up, don't give in to your fear.<br />
When you think you've had enough, always persevere.<br />
If you never take a chance, you'll never be able to grow.<br />
And when you lose someone you love, never let them go.<br />
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By <a href="https://twitter.com/JoanieCox" target="_blank">Joanie Cox</a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>© <a href="http://joaniecox.com/">joaniecox.com</a>; July 30, 2012.</b></span>Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-65328615983793539152012-07-30T13:49:00.001-07:002012-07-30T13:51:47.029-07:00Leonardo Magazzolo In Memoriam...A life well lived is a life well loved<div class="clearfix" id="obitText" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #034e83; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">
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<span id="ctl00_ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_ContentPlaceHolder1_ObitText" style="font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In Loving Memory of Leonardo Magazzolo September 1, 1933-July 30, 2011. It's been a year since you went home to God. Not a day goes by that we don't all think of you. We can still hear your beautiful voice and see your smiling face. Our hearts are broken without you here, but the love you gave us is always near. We pray for the day we will see you again and we'll never stop thinking of you until then.</span></div>
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Published in Sun-Sentinel on July 28, 2012</div>
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Here is a video of my grandpa singing:</div>
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<a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sunsentinel/obituary-print.aspx?n=leonardo-magazzolo&pid=158776881" id="ctl00_ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_ContentPlaceHolder1_PrintObituaryLink" lgyev="obit" lgyev_action="print" lgyev_location="obittext" lgyev_pid="158776881" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #034e83; cursor: pointer; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Print this memoriam"></a></div>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQp0UmehW3o">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQp0UmehW3o</a>Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-30266284719803804992012-05-17T09:53:00.001-07:002012-05-17T09:54:46.135-07:00Where have I been lol?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Life has been super hectic for me lately but all in a good way:) Here is a filmstrip of my life the past year. I'm getting married to the wonderful man pictured (above). I became an aunt to this gorgeous little lady, Audriana. Not a day goes by that I don't think of my loving grandpa, Leonardo Magazzolo, who past away in July 2011. I'm still walking on red carpets and chasing my dreams. In between all the crazy moments, life is somehow happening to me. Every day is truly a miracle. Jesus is my everything and I also started a company with my aunt, JD Danner. It's called <a href="http://biblebeltoutfitters.com/" target="_blank">Bible Belt Outfitters</a> and it's a line of Christian T-shirts and baby clothes. I'm still writing for <a href="http://Citylinkmix.com/">Citylinkmix.com</a> and I also recently started a new purse blog! Check it out at <a href="http://Karibagshaw.blogspot.com/">Karibagshaw.blogspot.com</a>. Oh, and this year...I finally met Joan Jett! Life is good, God is great, family is everything and all that matters in life is waking up each day and taking a moment to be thankful for all the blessings and the chaos in between. Love the life you're living right at this moment. There are lessons in every moment, around every corner. Be kind to others. It will all come back to you...eventually.<br />
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Thanks for keeping up with me,<br />
JoanieJoanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-7648720684376626512011-11-24T06:56:00.001-08:002011-11-24T07:30:54.574-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2011 has been a year of appreciating family and tradition for me. I'm in my living room watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as I do every year, sipping my Starbucks Thanksgiving Blend coffee and being thankful for this big, beautiful life God has given me. This year, I am thankful to have my health restored, a loving boyfriend, the most incredible family, fantastic friends, fabulous co-workers, another year with my wonderful Shar Pei Miss Rose, all the brave men and women who fought for our freedom and getting up each day to go to work and do something I love. I wish you all the healthiest, happiest Thanksgiving and remind everyone to be thankful for all you have because I guarantee you there's someone out there doing without it today. Live, give & love xoxoxoxo Joanie CoxJoanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-12558772331015407962011-10-10T09:58:00.000-07:002011-10-10T10:05:25.730-07:00Il Volo sparks memories of my Sicilian grandfather<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamEO9j16TujfUbY4BccW1gAnp30B7MXDQmleOrvixuHhLkTUX6W2sFOdt6X7-WrreBmnPd-R117HPkXD3EzfYJbBqXLpDNywydvK8qQOIFUTWPGQmU8e3Mz9daWlXgCIkc-YKB1vmU0gC/s1600/DSC04794.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamEO9j16TujfUbY4BccW1gAnp30B7MXDQmleOrvixuHhLkTUX6W2sFOdt6X7-WrreBmnPd-R117HPkXD3EzfYJbBqXLpDNywydvK8qQOIFUTWPGQmU8e3Mz9daWlXgCIkc-YKB1vmU0gC/s320/DSC04794.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661910474645895874" /></a><br />Il Volo has to come to Boca Raton or Hard Rock Live to do a show in the new year. The Italian trio of teen tenors performed at The Fillmore in Miami Beach Oct. 6. and tears flooded down my face as the group sang their first notes. The last time I heard many of their classic Italian love songs such as “‘O Sole Mio” and “Granada,” my late grandfather Leonardo Magazzolo was singing these songs to me. But getting to see Piero Barone, 17, Ignazio Boschetto, 17, and Gianluca Ginoble, 16, sing flawless renditions of these songs brought me a sense of peace and hope. Barone happens to come from the same town in Sicily as my grandpa--Agrigento. <br /> The Fillmore was was filled with the vivacious spirit and sound of Italy and I no longer weep for the future of music--not after hearing Il Volo live. Their crescendoing harmonies and impressive, sinewy tones go right through your cells and hit you at the very core of your being. Il Volo has a Christmas album coming out at the end of November and I was thrilled to speak with Boschetto a couple days before his South Florida show. <br /><br />As you tour across America, what has been the reaction from fans?<br />“We thought our album was for [people] over 30, but when we started to sing on American Idol and Jay Leno and in concerts, all the teenagers liked this kind of music. It’s incredible. We are so happy that we are doing our goal of bringing this kind of music to the young generation.”<br />Did you grow up listening to Luciano Pavarotti?<br />“Piero always listened to Pavarotti and Elvis Presley. I really love rock music. I love AC/DC and Aerosmith. We really listen to every kind of music. I love Lady Gaga.”<br />What’s your favorite song to perform live?<br />“For me, it was a challenge to sing "Hasta el Final." It’s a really beautiful but difficult song. You have to take a big breath. It was a challenge, but it’s gonna be great. We love each song.”<br />How did IlVolo come together?<br />“We met on an Italian TV show. We didn’t know each other before. We met there, and the producer of this program decided to put our voices together. And from that, Il Volo was born. After this program, we shot a concert with Universal, and after, we did American Idol and released our album. Now, we hope to go around the world.”<br />As far as traditional Italian music goes, do you have a favorite song?<br />“Since we are Italian, we have to bring our old Italian traditional songs. But we sing live in Italian, Spanish and English, and I think traditional Italian songs are for having fun. It’s an important part of our concert.”<br />What’s your favorite Italian food?<br />“My mother worked for many years in a pizzeria. I was born in Bologna. But when we moved in Sicily, my mother opened a pizzeria, and now, the owner is my sister. So when I am at home, I always eat pizza.”<br /><br />For more on Il Volo, check out Ilvolomusic.com.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-17021935262814538412011-08-16T09:54:00.000-07:002011-08-16T09:57:42.906-07:00Life is meant to be lived, celebrated and never taken for granted<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreKuvRqyXf-mQV4c7f8_cjxn5H6CosLQ0m4fYS17ihIXXOror04Vf-3IHGepo7xukkcw6s7ixjS8X-mLsNWPSgbWfuycxUJH13NuPATtD5o95hnpMqwm31nAZe13dPx5MImmmq8Y0jlVZ/s1600/DSC03841.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreKuvRqyXf-mQV4c7f8_cjxn5H6CosLQ0m4fYS17ihIXXOror04Vf-3IHGepo7xukkcw6s7ixjS8X-mLsNWPSgbWfuycxUJH13NuPATtD5o95hnpMqwm31nAZe13dPx5MImmmq8Y0jlVZ/s400/DSC03841.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641498927178672562" /></a>
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<br />By <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/JoanieCox">Joanie Cox</a></span>
<br />
<br /> Celebrating my 31st birthday on August 14 was bittersweet for me this year. Since my grandpa Leonardo Magazzolo passed away on July 30, I’ve been crying my eyes out at least once a day and I continually find myself praying for the grace and strength to get through losing the man I adored so fervently all my life.
<br /> August is birthday month in my family and the only month of the year besides December where my grandparents would go broke giving us all gifts. My cousin Alex was born Aug. 13, I’m Aug. 14, mother’s birthday is Aug. 15 and my cousin Lenny’s is Aug. 18. Over the years, we have had some pretty amazing birthdays spent in Disney World, New York and Las Vegas. But as I’ve gotten older, I started to care less about the location and more about who was attending it. Suddenly, the words in the card became more valuable to me than the gift that was in it.
<br /> Several loyal readers of my Life In The Fab Lane column in the Boca Raton community have told me their favorite columns are the ones where I pour my heart out. So here it is. I want to share with you the 18 most important lessons I’ve learned so far.
<br />
<br />My grandfather Leonardo Magazzolo:
<br />“The key to success is perseverance. Don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing. If you rest, you rust.”
<br />
<br />My grandma Joan Magazzolo:
<br />“Love is forever and never stop telling the people you love that you love them.”
<br />
<br />My aunt JD Danner:
<br />“Never lose hope. You’ve got to have faith.”
<br />
<br />My aunt Maryann Gonzalez:
<br />“Pick and choose your battles. Wasting time on insignificant things takes away the energy you’ll need to cope with the big stuff.”
<br />
<br />My friend Michelle Averkiou:
<br />“When you smile, you not only bring joy to yourself but to others.”
<br />
<br />My friend and former pediatrician Dr. Jerry Wexler:
<br />“Nothing is impossible if you stay focused and try your best.”
<br />
<br />My uncle Raul:
<br />“The road least traveled usually has the best views.”
<br />
<br />My uncle Thad:
<br />“Don’t keep reliving the past. Today is a new day.”
<br />
<br />My priest Father Michael Kane:
<br />“Have patience.”
<br />
<br />My editor Jake Cline:
<br />“Don’t waste time worrying. Focus on what you can do.”
<br />
<br />My cousin Dominic Giambalvo:
<br />“Love isn’t supposed to hurt.”
<br />
<br />My friend Harvey Hurvitz:
<br />“People don’t change. If a guy is doing something to hurt you now, it’s only going to get worse.”
<br />
<br />My cousin Roy Giambalvo:
<br />“Thank God for every day you wake up.”
<br />
<br />My cousin Angelo Ruisi:
<br />“Respect goes a long way.”
<br />
<br />My cousin Michael Giambalvo:
<br />“The most difficult part of life is losing the ones we love. Nobody can avoid this or run from it but find comfort in knowing the spirit and legacy lives on in you.”
<br />
<br />My mother Nancy Cox:
<br />“Never walk out of the house with a candle burning or the coffeepot or curling iron on.”
<br />
<br />My aunt Karen Cox-Reiter:
<br />“Losing someone never gets easier, it just changes.”
<br />
<br />Joanie Cox:
<br />“Grudges are too heavy to carry, so don’t walk through life with them. It takes less energy to smile than to frown. And while having amazing ‘stuff’ is wonderful, you can’t take any of it with you when you’re gone. Family is all that matters. Leave behind a legacy of love.”
<br />Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-6758500502741021732011-08-04T13:47:00.000-07:002011-08-04T19:48:09.569-07:00A grandfather’s love never ends: a tribute to Leonardo Magazzolo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnGnJjCAS6vOaNe5F8Bv3Wi2rLhBvFZdufGKHnCKMZ1UvUGK4Ct_IJbdA5SDQJ0p23FRFwHKGrrG9pvp40RC01zu1loTzRnMubhazHhBRGbzcil9S_068_rw1gJUvpS85DGW2bdl_1LAx/s1600/DSC00972.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 388px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnGnJjCAS6vOaNe5F8Bv3Wi2rLhBvFZdufGKHnCKMZ1UvUGK4Ct_IJbdA5SDQJ0p23FRFwHKGrrG9pvp40RC01zu1loTzRnMubhazHhBRGbzcil9S_068_rw1gJUvpS85DGW2bdl_1LAx/s400/DSC00972.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637106227974797186" /></a><br /><br /> <span style="font-weight:bold;">By Joanie Cox <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/JoanieCox"></a></span><br />Published Aug. 3, 2011 in Boca Raton Forum<br /><br />“A grandpa has silver in his hair and gold in his heart.”<br />-The Cracker Barrel Christmas ornament I gave my grandpa last year<br /><br /> On July 30, 2011, my beloved grandfather, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Leonardo Magazzolo,</span> went home to Jesus. He was 77 years old. It was the seventh month of the year and he had been suffering for seven years from transverse mylitis which left him paralyzed after taking a flu shot. He was married to my beautiful grandmother Joan for 57 years. And my mother Nancy, grandmother and I were on the seventh floor talking with his favorite physician, Dr. Vartgez Mansourian, just moments before he passed. It has been written that the number 7 is God’s divine number and that it signifies divine completion and perfection. I cannot think of a life more perfect than the one my grandfather led. <br /> My grandfather was born Sept. 1, 1933 in Sicily. He came to the United States in 1949 through Ellis Island. He picked up rocks by an Italian river for months to save enough to buy a French beret to wear on his trip to America. “I was so happy with this hat,” my grandfather said. “I was sitting on the top deck, enjoying the view and this kid took my hat and threw it in the ocean. I was so mad. It turned out to be a movie producer’s son. He offered me money to replace it, but I didn’t take it. I wanted my hat back.”<br /> My grandfather’s favorite thing to do in life besides spend time with his family and attend church was work. He never took a day off. He taught me and my cousins the importance of working hard and he’d always tell us “If you rest, you rust.” He got his first job in America in one day. He worked in a clothing factory. Within a month, he was managing the entire place. My grandmother’s uncle owned the factory and one day, she went in for a suit and coat and he asked her out. This turned into a wonderful courtship that led to a long and happy marriage and three incredible daughters, a granddaughter, three grandsons, a great-granddaughter and son-in-laws. In the early ‘60s he opened his own ladies garment factory in Brooklyn, N.Y. and he manufactured some of the first clothing for Calvin Klein. Growing up in my grandparents’ home with my mother, my grandpa would take me shopping for clothes and turn everything inside out. I’d wonder why he was doing that and then he’d tell me “You’ve got to make sure it’s made right. It doesn’t matter what it looks like on the outside.”<br /> No one was put together better than my grandpa. And everyone who knew him adored him. When I graduated from Spanish River High School in 1998, he and my grandma took me on a cruise to Europe as a graduation gift. I got to walk with my grandpa on The Spanish Steps, go shopping in Montecarlo and visit Malta. He taught me how to drive a car. He sat with me through my first jury duty assignment and showered me with compliments my entire life. He told me he was proud of me and we never saw each other without exchanging “I Love You’s.” I can still hear him saying it in his gorgeous Italian accent. <br /> During his life, he owned a deli, a beauty shop, a used car lot and a pallet business. He was a hard worker, a caring and loving father and grandfather, the best husband and he always provided for everyone. If I needed something, he was there. His favorite movies were Analyze This, The Godfather Trilogy, Casino and Goodfellas and he had a wonderful sense of humor. He loved to sing Italian love songs and dedicate them to my grandma and he had the lungs of Pavarotti. I could sit and listen to my grandpa sing for hours. My aunt JD Danner helped him record a CD a few years back and created a MySpace page for his music (Myspace.com/leonardomagazzolo). He was totally in awe of the internet and that the whole world now had access to his music. <br /> The night he died, he appeared to my 20-year-old cousin Alex in a dream. “Grandpa was running on the beach with me and he was singing ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ to me and he looked happy.” My grandpa’s only wish in life was to walk again. The next day, I kept praying for a sign to let me know he was OK. I looked in my grandpa’s eyeglass case and a fortune fell out that he had saved. It said “A dream you have will come true.” In that moment, I remembered my favorite song to watch him sing when I was a little girl--"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" from Man of La Mancha. And then I realized, the past seven years was his own courageous quest. “And the world will be better for this/That one man...Still strove, with his last ounce of courage/To reach the unreachable star.” Thank you grandpa for teaching me no dream is impossible. I love you with all of my heart. My gratitude is infinite. I will continue to live by your noble example and I absolutely know...God granted your wish.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-29127242299486567522010-08-07T14:25:00.000-07:002010-08-07T14:32:19.837-07:00Comedian London Lee is still making people laugh with his stand up act 50 years later<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0mCAlxlBDb9_RtLllIR1H5-XlZcdzZnX4AZLzSBLJ17CVCPsjFNNM8ExKzJCro26iTWkkQLhFuQxWFOsIKZ6MAj5kJzNUlgZySuNsfzS7uh-NuZaUudM1xfkqVJApTDzYpwaQS8gV5Yv/s1600/DSC08289.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0mCAlxlBDb9_RtLllIR1H5-XlZcdzZnX4AZLzSBLJ17CVCPsjFNNM8ExKzJCro26iTWkkQLhFuQxWFOsIKZ6MAj5kJzNUlgZySuNsfzS7uh-NuZaUudM1xfkqVJApTDzYpwaQS8gV5Yv/s400/DSC08289.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502782963468101778" /></a><br /><br />Published Aug. 4, 2010 in Boca Raton Forum<br />By Joanie Cox<br /><br /> London Lee packed New York Comedy Club in Boca Raton July 30-31. The stand up comedian has appeared on more than 250 television shows throughout his career including “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Mike Douglas Show” and many others. In 1974, he scored some big screen fame getting a part in The Gambler opposite James Caan and Paul Sorvino. Now 70, Lee has lived a life most comedians only dream about. After opening for legends such as Tom Jones and Sammy Davis Jr., he has enough tales of life on the road to fill at least two autobiographies. But what I love about Lee is he sticks to what he knows. He’s funny and he uses witty lines in lieu of vulgarity to get laughs. This is something comedians half his age could learn a thing or two about. <br /><br /> Growing up in a wealthy family, Lee earned the nickname “Rich Kid” when he started appearing at coffeehouses in the early ‘60s in Greenwich Village, New York. “I was making $28 a week and working at a club with Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara,” Lee says. “Down the street, Tiny Tim would be doing his act and Richard Pryor and Woody Allen would be at another club down a few doors down.” <br /><br /> I’m sort of blown away by Lee’s ease on stage. He doesn’t riff on the front row of his audience sitting in the comedy club, which is something I’ve seen every young comedian do. He cracks jokes about Paris Hilton, getting older and a trip to Mexico he refers to as the “Kaopectate festival.” He only recently considered adding a couple of expletives into his act six months ago and his words are strategically placed--not tossed around out of habit. “My father worked in the garment business and we were really rich. He wanted me to go into the business too, but I decided it wasn’t for me,” Lee explains. “They sent me to a psychiatrist and it was there I decided to become a comedian. I went home and told my father and he said the psychiatrist needed more help then I did.”<br /><br /> Joking about his wealthy upbringing and family members, Lee created a clever act that caught the attention of comedian Lenny Bruce’s mother who took Lee home to meet her son. “Lenny and I became friends and I ended up moving in with him,” Lee says. “He told me ‘Don’t ever lose that Rich Kid act. It’s your identity and makes you different.’” <br /><br /> Lee appeared on “Talent Scouts” in 1963 and Carol Burnett ended up discovering him. “I was a very mixed up kid,” Lee adds. “From ages 10 to 18, I didn’t want to go to school. I stuttered so bad I asked to go to the bathroom every time the teacher asked me to read because the kids would all laugh at me. I decided to try to make a career out of people laughing at me then.”<br /> Lee went on to play a golf game that led him to meet Davis Jr., and he ended up opening for him in Las Vegas. “There was nothing Sammy couldn’t do. I would watch him rehearse with a 36-piece orchestra and he had such a good ear. He’d be able to say, ‘The second trumpet in the fourth row hit a bad note.’ Let’s start over.’ The man played seven instruments, could sing, dance and do impressions.”<br /><br /> While opening for Davis Jr., Lee says he has fond memories of looking out in the front row which would often include Ann Margaret, Anthony Quinn and Paul Newman. <br />“Every time I had a chance to do a movie, I’d turn it down and to do stand up in Vegas, which I think was a mistake,” Lee says. “But I am the best I’ve ever been in my whole career...right now.”<br /> <br />Lee is set to appear at New York Comedy Club’s new location, 4116 N. Ocean Drive, in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea in September. Call 561-470-6887 or visit Nyccboca.com for details.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-87914161778118383702010-07-02T13:58:00.000-07:002010-07-02T14:19:32.953-07:00Inside the life, sacrifices of an Iraq war soldier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBgBZIF4zitdTIb69em6oR02AdkulHFzcnRj5oZGcxoUaLwlz-issfx7qkEE83L65JyEdwkxayDP-UZOnNL08GKZKQIs6TJkD1UpLzgH0eWG29OUxMmcXd6v6hhbBzBA1gzBczsDTXW6-/s1600/24803_1223095824415_1439574111_30495315_6934790_n.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBgBZIF4zitdTIb69em6oR02AdkulHFzcnRj5oZGcxoUaLwlz-issfx7qkEE83L65JyEdwkxayDP-UZOnNL08GKZKQIs6TJkD1UpLzgH0eWG29OUxMmcXd6v6hhbBzBA1gzBczsDTXW6-/s320/24803_1223095824415_1439574111_30495315_6934790_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489417822053710322" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">By Joanie Cox</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Published in Boca Raton Forum</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">June 30, 2010</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Freedom isn’t free.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">-Anonymous</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Every Fourth of July weekend, I gather with my family at my uncle Raul’s house to chow down on barbecue and set off some fireworks. Our Boca Pointe neighbor Harvey Hurvitz usually brings over enough skirt steaks to feed half of Palm Beach County and my aunt JD typically breaks out her guitar to strum a patriotic song. However none of that would be possible without the thousands of men and women who continue to put their life on the line in a foreign land while we enjoy our time with our families safe at home.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">One of those men is </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Brian DeSantis</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. The 28-year-old National Guardsman who lives in Palm Beach Gardens recently returned from Iraq for a two week rest and relaxation leave. Then, it’s back to Iraq for another mission. He’s typically a humvee driver during night missions. Stateside, he’s a Riviera Beach Police officer. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Iraq is so different from when I was there in 2003. The deeper you get into Iraq, the better the living and dining facilities get because we’ve already done so much work over there,” says DeSantis, who has been a soldier for 10 years. “Back then, I didn’t get to take a shower for three months.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The hardest part of each mission is leaving behind his young son and daughter and his mom’s Puerto Rican cooking. “I often listen to Andrea Bocelli’s ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ when I’m leaving,” DeSantis says. “I’m hoping to be back by Christmas. Facebook and Skype has definitely helped me stay in touch with my family though.” </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">DeSantis has a digital camera filled with images of his time in Kuwait. “My first digital camera was destroyed by a piece of shrapnel after a roadside bomb hit our vehicle,” DeSantis says as he points to an image of a massive welt on his arm. “The force of the impact was so intense the camera strapped on my shoulder actually helped save my arm.” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Spiders have also been a problem for military personnel stationed in the Middle East. “I haven’t really seen any snakes, but tons of spiders,” DeSantis says. “They’re sandy colored and the size of tarantulas. There are also tons of mosquitoes.” </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On some of the bases, such as Balad, DeSantis says they have a few luxuries of home like Taco Bell and Starbucks, but it’s mostly the same foods scheduled each week. “Friday nights are Mongolian barbecue night; then we’ll have a fajita night,” DeSantis says. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">DeSantis isn’t sure where he’ll be celebrating the Fourth of July, but he’s certain of how. “I’m fighting a battle today so hopefully my son won’t have to 10 years from now,” he says. “Having an opportunity to do my part to make a better future for my children and the children of this country is definitely worth it.” Let freedom ring, brother. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">BBQ Beats: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10 patriotic songs to keep you pumped on July 4th</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWrMeBR8W-c">American Soldier</a>” Toby Keith</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbv5iJEDzN8">Independence Day</a>” Martina McBride</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWXVf0jMCRE">Thanks To The Brave</a>” JD Danner</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yLQRF-cEU">Have You Forgotten?</a>” Darryl Worley </span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvdoKvHYxcA">American Saturday Night</a>” Brad Paisley</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN1iI-DaJNw">Only In America</a>” Brooks and Dunn</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj6zdWLUuk">Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)</a>" Alan Jackson</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdiCJUysIT0">Keep on Rocking In A Free World</a>" Neil Young </span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg">America the Beautiful</a>" Ray Charles</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_k-6FLfDkM">Star Spangled Banner</a>" Jimi Hendrix</span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p>Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-19958366781948450072010-04-09T12:47:00.000-07:002010-04-09T14:39:50.505-07:00Eddie Money is still giving fans their money's worth after three decades<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBozEsfy_7YhJHpsln4j44XglfdyCZ0jP7qDvHVhnGkIHin31a5jcFgRrwFhGfCscEUlieektB5AUxnIk2OJVwfLuQbvEt8IQnpyBt_6KZTOrp-HCA35BzjV-8ebHbk9Y86FaxkKxPoL1/s1600/DSC03151.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBozEsfy_7YhJHpsln4j44XglfdyCZ0jP7qDvHVhnGkIHin31a5jcFgRrwFhGfCscEUlieektB5AUxnIk2OJVwfLuQbvEt8IQnpyBt_6KZTOrp-HCA35BzjV-8ebHbk9Y86FaxkKxPoL1/s320/DSC03151.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458228156735939010" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Eddie Money scored No. 1 singles on <i>Billboard’s </i>Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks with “<b>Take Me Home Tonight”</b> and “<b>Think I’m In Love</b>.” With 28 million records sold and more than three decades of touring time under his belt, the 61-year-old singer and saxophone player who started out as a New York City cop, is showing no sign of slowing down. And yes, women are still flashing him in the crowd. Eddie, who has a home in Palm Coast, Fla., performed March 5 at the<b> <a href="http://www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com/casino/responsible-gaming">Seminole Casino Coconut Cree</a></b><b><a href="http://www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com/casino/responsible-gaming">k</a></b>. His daughter <b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/jessiemoney">Jesse Money</a></b> joined him on stage to provide backup vocals on “Take Me Home Tonight” and a soulful rendition of Sly and The Family Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher.” He also gave props to the U.S. military by performing “One More Soldier Comin’ Home,” a tune penned by Detroit musician <b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/gregstrykerband">Greg Stryker</a></b>, who has been hangin’ with Eddie on his latest tour. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I got to chat with Eddie on this tour bus before the show. What I enjoyed most about him was his candid delivery. While he’s written a play he hopes will one day reach Broadway, I think stand-up comedian could also be an option for him.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">What inspired you to write a play?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“I went to see <i>Jersey Boys</i> and the camaraderie Frankie Vallie had with The Four Seasons reminded me of the same camaraderie I had with my first band. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I decided to write a play about me quitting the police department. My brother-in-law was in Vietnam at the time. My parents didn’t want me to move to California. So it’s basically a autobiographical play. The music is very Broadway and I’m very proud of that. It’s called <i>Two Tickets To Paradise</i>.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Did you write the music for it?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“I wrote the music, the script--I wrote it all. It took about two years. I picked up some actors and dancers. If you go to my web site you can see a little bit of the play on that.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Since you have five kids now, do you have any parenting tips?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“What can you say about kids? They’re like AA--they’re cunning and baffling. They all live in California and they’re gonna do what they’re gonna do and try to get away with as much as they possibly can. They all think they’re gonna be famous because I’m famous and they don’t think I’m that good.They’re like ‘he made it and he’s not that good!’ No, I’m just teasing. My kids are amazing.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Any secrets to longevity in the business?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“I had a lot of hits and a great management company. I had about 18 or 19 songs in the top 100 on the charts. I’ve played with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Miller, The Police. I’ve played a festival for 650,000 people. And I had “Gimme Some Water” and “Take Me Home Tonight.” I used to do shows singing Top 40 Monday through Thursday and then I’d do my original material at college clubs on the weekend, like “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets To Paradise.” Actually, you learn how to write doing other people’s material. So I became a writer and had a lot of hits and now, I’ve got a lot of kids.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Being out on the road is there anything you get tired of...</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“As long as my voice sounds good and I get a certain amount of sleep. And everybody’s out there knocking down their beverages, having a good time, but I can’t be smoking a million cigarettes and getting high because I’ve got to give a 100 percent out there. I’ve got to make sure they get their [Eddie] money’s worth.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Have you ever sang any of your songs at karaoke?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“I sang karaoke in Idaho. Nobody knew I was Eddie Money and I got a couple drinks in me and did “Baby Hold Onto Me. It was a contest and I got beat out by this really heavyset woman who did ‘You Light Up My Life.’ That’s a true story.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">What’s the craziest thing a fan has done?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“I’ve had women chase me all over the country. It’s really been crazy. I remember one time I opened a wardrobe cabinet and there was a chick hiding in the cabinet. I’m asking her, ‘What are you doing?’ And she’s screaming, “Eddie! Eddie!” But you know without the ladies, I don’t think I’d be making any money. I don’t have a lot of guy fans out there screaming, ‘You rock!’ “Take Me Home Tonight” is still the biggest fraternity song in the world. So I got a bunch of drunken college kids loving that song now.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Are there any artists you’d like to record with?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">“I like Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. I like </span>Felix Cavaliere. But I record with my daughter and she’s really good. I have a lot of fun doing that.” </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">What do you do when you’re not touring?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“I try not to sit around and eat a thousand donuts. I play golf and now I’ve got to start thinking about going to the gym, jumping on the bike. The doctor says, ‘You’ve got this, you’ve got that.’ I say doc, do me a favor, just validate me and get me out of here.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">What do you think of music reality shows like “American Idol?”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">“You know what? It’s a little too hokey for me. I’m more rock. It’s too straight. I’ve got a really straight sister and she loves the show. I’d sit in the basement with her and I don’t know what I’m listening to. It’s like Lawrence Welk goes to Hollywood and adds a vocalist.”</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Eddie Money will perform at the <b><a href="http://www.pompanobeachseafoodfestival.com/">Pompano Beach Seafood Festival </a></b>April 17. Visit <b><a href="http://eddiemoney.com/">Eddiemoney.com </a></b>for details. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 10.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 11.0px"><br /></p>Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-57569382732643840572009-11-06T08:00:00.001-08:002009-11-06T08:03:37.203-08:00From Baywatch to Spray Watch...Pamela Anderson launched her Malibu fragrance line at Fort Lauderdale's W Hotel tonight to a full house<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0lZKShcGBFD5XQpBLMPjcBIuYRnCsJInVrX7S7J_f69WXUypQMCnkYhWe16MvVP8R42JGBrmpMuIeJ6BHYrnTQRxaMd4odlfknha-kyunXpca8yO1YboxQiMkqc7zzRnodcPCfatukyw/s1600-h/DSC01342.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0lZKShcGBFD5XQpBLMPjcBIuYRnCsJInVrX7S7J_f69WXUypQMCnkYhWe16MvVP8R42JGBrmpMuIeJ6BHYrnTQRxaMd4odlfknha-kyunXpca8yO1YboxQiMkqc7zzRnodcPCfatukyw/s320/DSC01342.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401021869623627234" /></a><br />Pamela Anderson can now add perfumer to her resume. The blonde bombshell was stunning tonight in a white cotton dress as she showed off her fragrance line Malibu and Malibu Night. "Malibu is for flirtatious days, and is a great combination of wild berries, florals and vanilla," Anderson said in a press release. "Malibu Night combines pomegranate, black orchid and fresh vanilla violet aromas that really create a sensual scent."<br /><br />A percentage of the profits from these perfumes will be going straight to PETA. The living room level of Fort Lauderdale's W Hotel was packed with fashionistas and paparazzi sniffing around for some good gossip. "I love the beach, so naming it Malibu was just a natural idea," Anderson said as she was whisked down a pink carpet and into a private party room where BFF Elaine Lancaster, who was out of drag tonight and unrecognizable, was waiting.<br /><br />With a healthy glow and sweet attitude, Anderson was looking much fresher and more fabulous than she did at The Setai a few weeks ago for her clothing launch. Thank you for being you again Pam! I missed your sweet, sexy self.<br /><br />The perfume will cost $39-$49 and be available this month at CVS/Pharmacy, Rite Aid, Walgreens,<br />Nordstrom and Sears.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />©Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-81277584143820993162009-10-19T19:34:00.000-07:002009-10-19T19:36:05.960-07:00Brad Paisley gives West Palm Beach concert goers more than just another "American Saturday Night"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Akc7nt47dz7JD7ba0OBomWCeHq0v2fTe0knJZ-63-KWY_ok13a-91r5T4S5wI-bo0bcDp5HIx9K6fPTmgaCQu4ERqfCrYbCjlNSXSatMLc12BniOjup_0sZ1a_tbdCdrLVYN_hTVOAX4/s1600-h/ASN+-+A+shot++Kurt+Markus.JPG.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Akc7nt47dz7JD7ba0OBomWCeHq0v2fTe0knJZ-63-KWY_ok13a-91r5T4S5wI-bo0bcDp5HIx9K6fPTmgaCQu4ERqfCrYbCjlNSXSatMLc12BniOjup_0sZ1a_tbdCdrLVYN_hTVOAX4/s320/ASN+-+A+shot++Kurt+Markus.JPG.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394505375522563778" /></a><br />http://southflorida.metromix.com/music/blog_post/brad-paisley-gives-west/1545262/content<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; font-family:arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><div id="blog-header" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; ">There’s a reason <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Brad Paisley </strong>was nominated for seven <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Country Music Association awards</strong>this year. Not only is he a master of pop culture references in his lyrics, but on stage, he’s on pitch, full of energy and connects with the crowd. <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Cruzan Amphitheatre</strong> was packed with teenagers and 20-40 somethings <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Oct. 17</strong>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; ">When I arrived at gate eight of the amphitheatre around 7:15 p.m., and realized the concert was happening simultaneously with the South Florida Fair’s <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Fright Nights</strong>, I knew parking was going to be more uncomfortable than <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Kanye West at a Taylor Swift tribute show</strong>. The concert started at 7:30 p.m. with <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Jimmy Wayne</strong>. I knew I’d miss Wayne’s performance due to the parking situation, but I didn’t realize I’d miss <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Dierks Bentley’s</strong> set too.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; ">The parking was insane forcing people to have to walk around the entire fair to get to the amphitheatre. Then a fight broke out at the main entrance causing a further hold up with security. With lines of cowboy hat-wearing fans meandering all over the parking lot, some opted to continue <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">tailgating</strong> until Paisley came on stage around 9 p.m. Despite the parking debacle, Paisley’s <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">American Saturday Night Tour </strong>was definitely worth the wait. His tour merchandise was also reasonably priced--another strong indicator of how cued into real Americans' lives this entertainer is. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bradpaisley.shoppingcartsplus.com/page/page/624333.htm" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.35em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(23, 121, 196); text-decoration: none; ">Hats cost $20 and T-shirts were $30</a>, which is $10-$15 cheaper than tour merchandise typically runs.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; ">Paisley opened with “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Start A Band</strong>” and proceeded to fire off his hits to the audience like a <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Mossberg shotgun</strong>. “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Ticks,” “Online,” “Celebrity” and “Mud On The Tires” </strong>were obvious crowd favorites. He sang the first verse of “Country Boy Can Survive” and then went into his clever, anti-metrosexual anthem, “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">I’m Still A Guy</strong>.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; ">While he’s known for his <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">tight, bluesy guitar licks</strong>, which he amply showed off on stage, Paisley also demonstrated his chops as a graphic artist with an animation short he created just for the show. In it, a cartoon, super hero Paisley saves <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Reba McEntire, Kenny Chesney</strong> and the members of <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Sugarland</strong> from horrible fates. But to balance out the silliness, there were poignant, tear-jerking portions of Paisley’s performance as well such as "<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Waiting On A Woman</strong>." During “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">When I Get Where I’m Going</strong>,” the Grammy Award-winning singer flashed pictures of deceased American legends including J<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">ohnny and June Carter Cash, Ronald Reagan, Les Paul, Dale Earnhardt and Patrick Swayze</strong>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; ">Paisley closed with “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Alcohol</strong>” and the <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">patriotic</strong> and inspiring song “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Welcome To The Future</strong>,” which he said is his favorite tune off the album. It contains moving lyrics such as “Hey, look around it's all so clear/Wherever we were going, well we're here/Hey, so many things I never thought I'd see/Happening right in front of me.” A twangy cover of <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Don Henley’s</strong> “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Boys of Summer</strong>” was his encore. Just two days before, Paisley surprised a couple at his <strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Jacksonville</strong>, Fla. show. The fans had purchased the one-millionth ticket to a Paisley concert in the last year. To reward them, the big-hearted entertainer gave them a new pickup truck proving when you’re a “<strong style="line-height: 1.35em; ">Celebrity</strong>,” it really <em style="line-height: 1.35em; ">is</em> adios reality.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; ">— Joanie Cox</p><div><br /></div></div></span></div>Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-65565852552549123252008-05-22T13:31:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:44:52.899-08:00My Flo Rida story in City Link...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BLaN-azOxWW8TTqtUqy_z2SnO5GhFu-fEfzRm9-xh4xhjib7VB_yrjLRWh04PmFt9no1muHfsNBofkBls-HkPBW-kxd-x7Zoy_P8qw57LTH6Yo673xn7kQEnqrAQ1-SaaXfNrB5c-1qT/s1600-h/flo_rida.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BLaN-azOxWW8TTqtUqy_z2SnO5GhFu-fEfzRm9-xh4xhjib7VB_yrjLRWh04PmFt9no1muHfsNBofkBls-HkPBW-kxd-x7Zoy_P8qw57LTH6Yo673xn7kQEnqrAQ1-SaaXfNrB5c-1qT/s320/flo_rida.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203303268268457874" /></a><br />http://southflorida.metromix.com/other/article/cover-story-the-state/426612/content<br /><br />Cover Story: The state of Flo Rida<br /><br />Rap's "Low" man talks about his rise in Miami, hustling during Memorial Day Weekend and, of course, Apple Bottom jeans.<br /><br />By Joanie Cox<br />May 20, 2008<br /><br />With "Low," Flo Rida has the best-selling digital single of all time. Even though the song was released six months ago, it's still getting incessant radio play on 99 Jamz (WEDR-FM, 99.1) and Power 96 (WPOW-FM, 96.5). <br /><br />But five years ago, Flo Rida was pedaling his mix tapes in the streets of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. "Some of the clubs that are playing my song now turned us away at the door," says the rapper, whose real name is Tramar Dillard. "And every Memorial Day Weekend, I'd be out on Washington Avenue or Collins promoting my album. Now, those people that gave it away are trying to collect it." <br /><br />With more than 214,000 copies of Mail On Sunday sold, Flo Rida doesn't have to worry about getting his name out on the streets anymore. "I never expected it to blow up like this," the 28-year-old admits. "I've been doing this since I'm 14. But I've been able to stay motivated and have patience."<br /><br />Flo Rida formed his first group, The Groundhoggz, when he was a freshman in high school. Born in Opa-locka, he grew up with his seven sisters in Carol City near fellow hip-hop star Rick Ross. <br /><br />"He basically co-signed my situation. I can remember him telling me early on, 'Keep doing what you're doing man. I'll most definitely help you get on.'" Flo Rida recalls. "I always looked up to him and admired how he was poppin' locally. He definitely kept his word."<br /><br />After a stint touring with 2 Live Crew's Fresh Kid Ice in 2001, Flo Rida took a Greyhound bus from Miami to Los Angeles to record with former Jodeci member DeVante Swing, but nothing came of the session. In 2006, Ross' manager, Poe Boy Entertainment owner Eldrin "E-Class" Prince, urged Flo to return to Miami. "I finally got my deal with Atlantic Records," he says. "It's a dream come true. I just look at all the days I spent not being signed as an artist and I definitely don't take it for granted. I try to work harder each and every day because I know someone could easily take the position." <br /><br />Flo Rida has been touring the United States promoting his CD and will play Tokyo next week. The list of artists who collaborated on the album reads like a fantasy hip-hop compilation, including luminaries such as Timbaland, Will.i.am and Sean Kingston. <br /><br />"Being from Florida, T-Pain wasn't too hard to get a hold of and Timbaland has a place in Miami. Lil' Wayne and Birdman are also down there," Flo Rida explains. "With a lot of these cats, it's almost like a family-oriented situation because somewhere or another they're down with either Rick Ross or Brisco. And me coming in, they automatically show love. Being fans of each other's music makes it easier to work together." <br /><br />Even though his success doesn't surprise him, the fashion trend "Low" inspired does. "It's 80 degrees down in Florida, but you'll still catch the women stylin' in their Apple Bottom jeans and fur boots," Flo Rida says with a laugh. "Me and T-Pain thought it was clever to put it in a song."<br /><br />Now at his shows, boots and jeans from Nelly's Apple Bottoms clothing line have become a uniform. "At the clubs, the bartenders will jump over the counter to show me they have 'em on," Flo Rida avers. <br /><br />With his album debuting at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart this past March, Flo Rida can finally afford to splurge. He now owns houses in Weston and Miami Beach and is sporting some new wheels — a black, 2008 Cadillac Escalade. "People ask me how my life has changed since 'Low' came out," Flo Rida says. "Definitely the notoriety is there and financial stability. I can help my family out. It's just a blessing to not have to worry about the bills and things like that." <br /><br />Taking into account his own success, Flo Rida feels the Miami scene is stronger than ever. "Right now, you have Rick Ross, Brisco, DJ Khaled, Pitbull, Sean Kingston, Trick Daddy and Trina," he points out. "Miami is a place where hip-hop is very involved and we're just taking full advantage of it. … We're being more competitive as artists and showing love to the next up-and-coming person trying to get into this music." <br /><br />And Memorial Day Weekend was always Flo Rida's favorite time of year in Miami to market himself and his music. "You get to run into different rappers from all over and meet people and there's always a great party," he says. "A lot of times, I would try to get my music played in the clubs to see the reaction from people out of town." <br /><br />While I Da Ho would've made a fine rap name, Flo Rida says he's proud to have adopted a moniker that pays tribute to the Sunshine State. "I love the weather, that I was born here and the Caribbean food," Flo Rida adds. "But my favorite part of where I'm from is definitely the sexy ladies." <br /><br />Contact Joanie Cox at jcox@citylinkmagazine.com.<br /><br />Liner notes<br />1. Flo Rida likes hanging out at Cameo, Opium, Karu and Y and Wet Willies. He also still chills in Carol City. <br />2. He hopes to eventually work with André 3000 and Gnarls Barkley. <br />3. He is working on a new CD that will be released in December. <br />4. Web site: OFFICIALFLO.COMJoanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-36924376886611096862008-05-22T13:27:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:44:53.076-08:00I have started a new fashion column in City Link! Please check it out...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJJjDl2acGmC506VsWIYt9luljz9Tx8Q5laU1VxDBczjFsKcFJ1DN4qMBM3zMWq5zl7mXoA6lXC3qSoP3UOFmkVlLZkDOcCYtl_TgyQXXXkbohemnL1DtznISuhO_0O68BbMCS8sLd1ph/s1600-h/JA1_9709.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJJjDl2acGmC506VsWIYt9luljz9Tx8Q5laU1VxDBczjFsKcFJ1DN4qMBM3zMWq5zl7mXoA6lXC3qSoP3UOFmkVlLZkDOcCYtl_TgyQXXXkbohemnL1DtznISuhO_0O68BbMCS8sLd1ph/s320/JA1_9709.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203302417864933250" /></a><br />http://southflorida.metromix.com/style/article/glamazon-black-is-not/426589/content<br /><br />Glamazon: Black is not the new black<br /><br />At least that's the view of one local designer and everyone who has given up on goth.<br /><br />By Joanie Cox<br /><br />Fashion can be an icy, brutal bitch, capable of forcing you to abandon carbs for weeks at a time just so you can fit into a certain outfit and drag your ass out of the house on a Sunday night for a runway show. On May 11, I headed to Glass at The Forge to check out the spring/summer collection of South Florida clothing line Favala. Although the show was scheduled to start at 11 p.m., I showed up an hour early to try to interview the designer of Favala. But I knew I'd probably get stuck waiting around all night; once a club starts filling up, it's impossible to find anyone who knows what's going on. <br /><br />While looking for the bathroom, I accidentally stumbled into Glass' VIP area and found half-naked models running in every direction and complaining about how cold it was in the back of the club. The air was thick with vanilla-scented perfume, hair spray and body glitter. The red vinyl walls and enormous chandelier made the room resemble a Moulin Rouge version of Barbie's Dream House. "I'll be with you in a second," a curvy, Latina woman with rainbow-painted eyelids told me while clipping hair extensions onto a model. <br /><br />"Are you Favala?" I asked. <br /><br />The woman came scurrying across the floor in black, patent-leather stilettos. "I'm actually Alicia Sanchez," she said. "Favala is my clothing line." <br /><br />One look around the room filled with models wearing leggings and off-the-shoulder, Flashdance-style T-shirts, and it was clear the 1980s have a major influence on Sanchez's designs. <br /><br />"I hand-make everything," the 24-year-old designer said. "And I do graffiti on some of my pieces. I learned how to do that in New York. But I never went to design or art school." <br /><br />Sanchez, who is originally from the Dominican Republic, learned how to sew from her mother, who made all her clothes growing up. She's also one of a few contemporary designers to shun black clothing. Everything she makes, including the pink, blue, yellow and green checkerboard minidress she wore to her show, is drenched in tropical colors. Yet somehow, none of her clothes look cheesy. <br /><br />"I love color," Sanchez affirmed. "I'm from the Caribbean. A lot of black and Latin woman are afraid to wear color, but I say let's express ourselves. This is why I love designers like Betsey Johnson." For sure, Sanchez recalls a Dominican version of the veteran New York designer, bubbling over with enthusiasm and seemingly ready to hurl herself into a cartwheel at any second. So it was surprising to learn that Sanchez was diagnosed with breast cancer in March.<br /><br />"People can't believe I'm out in the middle of the night doing a fashion show after a chemo treatment," she said, "but this is my passion. I'm fighting every day. When you're going through something like this, you're never too stressed to appreciate life." <br /><br />Sanchez's fashion show finally began at about 1:15 a.m. The graffitied hoodies, shredded dresses and shutter shades like the ones Kanye West wears in his "Stronger" video were worth the wait. But the most impressive look of the night was provided by an audience member — a woman with a 4-foot Afro and a thong tattooed onto her hips. That's one way to avoid doing the laundry. To check out Sanchez's creations, visit Favaladesigns.com. <br /><br />DEAD THREADS<br /><br />Goth is more over than Von Dutch. Ozzfest is not touring this year, The Cure's Robert Smith seems kind of happy and, I hear, Marilyn Manson was spotted eating a Mickey Mouse ice cream pop and riding the tea cups at Disney World. I'm convinced everyone has cheered up, stopped trying to fasten metal chains to their pants and moved on to hip-hop, which is all about hos, not pantyhose. <br /><br />So I wasn't at all surprised by the weak turnout May 9 for A Night of Death Rawk Disco and Fashionista Genocide at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale. About nine people appeared on the dance floor, while roughly 25 wannabe vampires roamed throughout the club. While the event's flier demanded "fucked-up attire," the crowd looked as if they went shopping in the Hot Topic clearance bin at the Coral Square Mall before the show. <br /><br />Carrying a giant Coach bag, wearing a Flavor Flav T-shirt and flashing no visible tattoos or piercings in any body part other than my ears, I stood out like a mink coat at a PETA convention. Every time I tried to stand next to someone, they'd either roll their eyes at me and walk away or look terrified by my presence. <br /><br />I saw no trench coats, only a high-school-age girl with a raccoon tail stapled to the back of her shorts; a slew of people in boring, black-and-white Chuck Taylor All-Stars; and one too many Pete Wentz look-alikes with anime hair, skinny jeans and guyliner. One guy was wearing a hospital gown, though he appeared as if he could have just left North Broward Medical Center. But mostly, everyone looked as if they needed a blood transfusion and an afternoon with Tim Gunn. It got so boring, I hardly noticed the manorexic, 6-foot-4 guy running across the club in fishnets and a garter belt. There's nothing shocking or edgy about dressing like that anymore. He needed a bathrobe and a cheeseburger. However, if he really wanted to frighten his cohorts slithering through Revolution, he should have just gone with a surefire goth-repellent: True Religion Brand Jeans and a crystal-covered Christian Audigier T-shirt. Now, that would have given 'em a reason to cut themselves.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-3260526247113942612008-04-03T08:18:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:44:53.536-08:00Not all celebs spend a fortune on beauty products...check out these drugstore finds that make their way onto famous faces<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNk0RYooTVtylLotZCfGx0iyyczDEvHYSJSrkqVZoTJNtTp4IAxUmpTw2gIgtSuhzDh1U6tOql2JqAChkStwzF88TDj5JedeqYvw1DDD0i4elmYmBZy2gQXHAc2rs9MnUrrLZtojhPZpcF/s1600-h/valerie_unisex2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNk0RYooTVtylLotZCfGx0iyyczDEvHYSJSrkqVZoTJNtTp4IAxUmpTw2gIgtSuhzDh1U6tOql2JqAChkStwzF88TDj5JedeqYvw1DDD0i4elmYmBZy2gQXHAc2rs9MnUrrLZtojhPZpcF/s320/valerie_unisex2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185066104088688498" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUETSiCkEjWB-pIq1Nbx3NmTQNHLorITlKibaDXnxH5j-HPM_62OorKrZjxwaDK2HwMGtWdNMRK9KCE12DkF4bMWyug9Z2aNQxMvMAWZfL_OYCQzfkfkOIWUkmZqc7Bt2yoCq_09agOVRA/s1600-h/greatlash.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUETSiCkEjWB-pIq1Nbx3NmTQNHLorITlKibaDXnxH5j-HPM_62OorKrZjxwaDK2HwMGtWdNMRK9KCE12DkF4bMWyug9Z2aNQxMvMAWZfL_OYCQzfkfkOIWUkmZqc7Bt2yoCq_09agOVRA/s320/greatlash.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185065708951697250" /></a><br />Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser<br /><br />Who uses it: Natalie Portman and Lara Flynn Boyle. <br /><br />Why it's good: It's a super gentle cleanser that removes makeup and won't clog your pores.<br /><br />Price: $10<br /><br />www.cetaphil.com<br /><br /><br />Maybelline Great Lash<br /><br />Who uses it: Holly Hunter and Kate Moss<br /><br />Why it's good: It doesn't clump up, separates lashes in one stroke and was voted the Best Inexpensive Mascara by InStyle Magazine for 2006 and 2007. <br /><br />Price: $5<br /><br />www.maybelline.com<br /><br />Vaseline<br /><br />Who uses it: Tyra Banks and Hillary Duff<br /><br />Why it's good: It's an emergency skin softening treatment! Slather some of this stuff on before bed, put some socks on and in the morning your feet will be soft as cashmere. It also double as a cuticle softening cream and smooth over any rough spots on your body. <br /><br />Price: $5<br />www.vaseline.com<br /><br />Johnson's Baby Shampoo<br /><br />Who uses it: Reese Witherspoon <br /><br />Why it's good: It's super gentle and if you get a little in your eyes while trying to multi-task in the shower it doesn't sting.<br /><br />Price $3<br /><br />www.johnsonsbaby.com<br /><br />Cocoa Butter<br /><br />Who uses it: Eva Mendes uses it as a facial moisturizer. It's also great for pregnant women and daily use prevents stretch marks. <br /><br />Why it's good: It totally pulls a David Copperfield on stretch marks and smells like a tropical vacation. <br /><br />Price: $6<br /><br />www.etbrowne.com<br /><br />Clear Eyes<br /><br />Who uses it: Denise Richards<br /><br />Why it's good: I picked this trick up from a makeup artists back in the late 90s when I was modeling. It has been in my makeup bag ever since. Before applying your eyeshadow, squirt some of this solution into your eyes and say goodbye to redness. It's like an instant bright eye makeover. <br /><br />Price: $6<br /><br />www.cleareyes.comJoanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-14088496977087554492008-04-02T14:39:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:44:53.947-08:00Mimi breaks another record and beats Elvis! (now this sounds like an old skool tabloid headline)...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0cYDTf3eVXwnLdWD1faBYxkMBMb9whKzZ_ajdmg99QCN_6IZYjGqjBSRkpjp20EBJfW-2kvZyxZrkIQNzAFp1FeBTmTCKL6d_VwooWIHMQPoXNdrUnpfgLl7dwLA8kVC0gP85PVceGgJ/s1600-h/Mariah-Carey-29.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0cYDTf3eVXwnLdWD1faBYxkMBMb9whKzZ_ajdmg99QCN_6IZYjGqjBSRkpjp20EBJfW-2kvZyxZrkIQNzAFp1FeBTmTCKL6d_VwooWIHMQPoXNdrUnpfgLl7dwLA8kVC0gP85PVceGgJ/s320/Mariah-Carey-29.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184768999725987666" /></a><br />Mariah Carey, the songbird with the five - eight octave vocal range has beat out The King for the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard singles chart, and is now second only to the Beatles. <br /><br />Her 18th chart-topper "Touch My Body" pushed her into the top spot. However, the normally unhumble diva is doing something she's never done before--playing herself down!<br /> <br />"I really can never put myself in the category of people who have not only revolutionized music but also changed the world," Carey told The Associated Press on Tuesday via phone from London. "That's a completely different era and time ... I'm just feeling really happy and grateful."<br /><br /><br />Carey said being in such company was gratifying not only because of her personal success, but what it meant for women and minorities.<br /><br />"For me, in my mind the accomplishment is just that much sweeter," she said. "In terms of my ethnicity, always feeling like an outsider, always feeling different ... for me it's about saying, 'Thank you Lord, for giving me the faith to believe in myself when other people had written me off.'"<br /><br />"Touch My Body" is the first single off of Carey's upcoming album "EMC2," due out April 16. It is the follow-up to her Grammy-winning disc "The Emancipation of Mimi," released in 2005, that year's best-selling album with five million copies sold; it marked a huge comeback for the multiplatinum superstar after personal and professional setbacks.<br />"I want to encourage anyone else out there who feels like maybe they can't overcome an obstacle, I feel like I'm living proof ... never lose your faith," she added. "I'm seriously a grateful individual right now."<br /><br />Now, let's review all the awesome hits that helped her climb the record-breaking ladder over Elvis:<br /><br /><br />1990 <br />"Vision of Love<br />"Love Takes Time" <br /><br />1991 "Someday" <br />"I Don't Wanna Cry" <br />"There's Got To Be A Way" <br />"Emotions" <br /><br />1992 "Can't Let Go" <br />"Make It Happen" <br />"I'll Be There" <br /><br />1993 "Dreamlover" <br /><br />1994 "Hero" <br />"Without You"/"Never Forget You" <br />"Anytime You Need a Friend"<br />"Endless Love" <br />"All I Want For Christmas Is You" <br /><br />1995 "Fantasy" <br /><br />1996 "One Sweet Day" <br />"Open Arms" <br />"Always Be My Baby" <br />"Forever"<br /><br />1997 "Honey" <br />"Butterfly" <br /><br />1998 "Breakdown" <br />"My All"/"Breakdown" <br /><br />1999 "When You Believe" <br />"I Still Believe" <br />"Heartbreaker" <br /><br />2000 "Thank God I Found You" <br />"Crybaby"/"Mariah's Theme <br />"Against All Odds" <br /><br />2001 "Loverboy" <br /><br />2002 "Never Too Far"/"Don't Stop" <br /><br />2003 "Through the Rain" <br />"Boy (I Need You)" <br />"Bringin' On the Heartbreak" <br /><br />2005 "It's Like That" <br />"We Belong Together" <br />"Shake It Off"/"Get Your Number" <br /><br />2006 "Don't Forget About Us" <br />"Say Somethin'"/Fly Like a Bird"<br /><br />2008 "Touch My Body"<br /><br />___Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-34588752095675308622008-03-05T14:55:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:44:54.681-08:00Patrick Swayze is dying and Joanie is crying...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38GHMFl-w13quDw6Awxgpqyd3Q-_EzDwPg1TIZ5mYW30uCMGSMhQyc13S7cQZDt2tDRUAYz1ts1o-MyozyIaiXkI1rrBEtdYkAZVUd1Gs8C7lqanIjwdnnYGakHDD5oBCtQdkPLbMFvWZ/s1600-h/patrick-swayze.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38GHMFl-w13quDw6Awxgpqyd3Q-_EzDwPg1TIZ5mYW30uCMGSMhQyc13S7cQZDt2tDRUAYz1ts1o-MyozyIaiXkI1rrBEtdYkAZVUd1Gs8C7lqanIjwdnnYGakHDD5oBCtQdkPLbMFvWZ/s320/patrick-swayze.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174396669225432658" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXn5PXsmAkQwgcAcRfDNhfg0WYwZpRAuk96_eh8LsajsxfkVg7t9EPeYCGMqHWYuH1X5t8QHF1_vugyIXBEzz7mhkJscb7f4ycvRgt2LmulTjmkar6ipibx6mP0bZ7jvxpMEgE-nKINXC/s1600-h/swayze.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXn5PXsmAkQwgcAcRfDNhfg0WYwZpRAuk96_eh8LsajsxfkVg7t9EPeYCGMqHWYuH1X5t8QHF1_vugyIXBEzz7mhkJscb7f4ycvRgt2LmulTjmkar6ipibx6mP0bZ7jvxpMEgE-nKINXC/s320/swayze.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174396677815367266" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nGMRUZN89VVD-mm70scX1r7MldYCQSq8JsIqq2WmPJto8H1kKo3txbPsLJq7Q466hBBi6SmWLTkR0MQB1r8HCn4cAJhrqEqWhgPuh94hy6AA-HkXvaC0kTRus7_7Cqo326CgTzmDDflf/s1600-h/DirtyDancing460.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nGMRUZN89VVD-mm70scX1r7MldYCQSq8JsIqq2WmPJto8H1kKo3txbPsLJq7Q466hBBi6SmWLTkR0MQB1r8HCn4cAJhrqEqWhgPuh94hy6AA-HkXvaC0kTRus7_7Cqo326CgTzmDDflf/s320/DirtyDancing460.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174396686405301874" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3A8CJWsMayaECzU_qduSIivI2WvBi_UPT8xtGYOTtKlohiWezdw-kmB5iqy_PibyGPecjdfid8ZLDK_J088z4Am5CGni-JqAvLAgpf3Z5eeFLhsbdfN-o1ZqJXQZzSZGNWSDIAkEV3E5v/s1600-h/dirtydancing5.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3A8CJWsMayaECzU_qduSIivI2WvBi_UPT8xtGYOTtKlohiWezdw-kmB5iqy_PibyGPecjdfid8ZLDK_J088z4Am5CGni-JqAvLAgpf3Z5eeFLhsbdfN-o1ZqJXQZzSZGNWSDIAkEV3E5v/s320/dirtydancing5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174396699290203778" /></a><br />I had no idea he was even sick...but Patrick Swayze has been given just five weeks to live after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a representative for the actor has confirmed.<br /><br />Swayze starred in Dirty Dancing, the movie that shaped my adolescence. He was my first crush and I always dreamed of a guy teaching me how to dance like that during a summer vacation at Kellerman's.<br /><br />The National Enquirer first reported Swayze was diagnosed in late January, and the cancer has spread to other parts of his body. A representative confirmed the report to the New York Post.<br /><br />Swayze, 55, has been travelling to Stanford University's cancer centre with his wife Lisa Niemi for chemotherapy treatments, the Enquirer reported.<br />An insider said: "He was told he could have two more treatments, but his cancer was not responding. In short - they held out little hope for a cure.<br />"It's time to start praying for a miracle."<br />The actor, who made a name for himself in Dirty Dancing and has also starred in Ghost, Point Break and Donnie Darko, is on a liquid diet as he can't keep solids down.<br />A "very good source" reportedly told blogger Perez Hilton that Swayze had seemed fine on set at his latest movie.<br />"Patrick has been at rehearsals for a new cheerleading movie at Century City studio frequently lately, and he definitely does not look like he has five more weeks of life left.<br />"I'm not sure of his medical condition(s), but if he is gravely ill, he is hiding it very well," the source said.<br />Sufferers of pancreatic cancer typically have a survival rate of less than five per cent.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-47500870362717014182008-02-22T11:46:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:44:54.912-08:00Mmmmmm...tastes like, poison!! @#$%!!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw5QFL20e1Sht3MNQ6vryfrpa5Jw02z4L4SczCxZ7Vz1OJgv9FeInYquNEQl6FZ7T7CuI4XJX33Jx4YzuN3ImF0k8C9PK_cWexNrCuzkmP7PxaF-j39LgfPZD3K-iSxqasc-D9UpmbzVF/s1600-h/skinny-latte_web.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw5QFL20e1Sht3MNQ6vryfrpa5Jw02z4L4SczCxZ7Vz1OJgv9FeInYquNEQl6FZ7T7CuI4XJX33Jx4YzuN3ImF0k8C9PK_cWexNrCuzkmP7PxaF-j39LgfPZD3K-iSxqasc-D9UpmbzVF/s320/skinny-latte_web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169894607800266130" /></a><br />Okay, so I understand Starbucks' desire to market drinks to the weight watching crowd, which I unfortunately have been a part of for most of my entire existance. Starbucks introduced a line of "skinny" or low calorie beverages back in December. These drinks are made with with nonfat milk and sugar-free syrup. Ok, so the non-fat milk I can handle. It's the sugar-free syrup that makes me want to hurl and run for a bottle of Listerine. Other zero-calorie syrup flavors include: Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel, and Cinnamon Dolce--all of which taste like, well, poison to me. I would rather spend another 20 minutes on the treadmill and keep some junk in my trunk than drink this. Really, it's where I draw the line--especially when it comes to my coffee.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-77209785671213639982008-02-19T10:28:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:44:55.201-08:00Pink gets the divorce party started...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsee9Lh7ahifI2H0M5gDn8CM0iMzD_kws_yDmu-_wLL4u3nlp32-g1kc8MRYw49lOA_dUomSWyMxyeGukqJhbKxo1Rzuj_m-9pSUUi2CCtwsqwPstSqX2Y8mM2YnEyQQR3JOlKiOEevdE/s1600-h/pink-cary-hart-walking-dog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsee9Lh7ahifI2H0M5gDn8CM0iMzD_kws_yDmu-_wLL4u3nlp32-g1kc8MRYw49lOA_dUomSWyMxyeGukqJhbKxo1Rzuj_m-9pSUUi2CCtwsqwPstSqX2Y8mM2YnEyQQR3JOlKiOEevdE/s320/pink-cary-hart-walking-dog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168761213175491954" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XTdePU3rjne9FGSTtaWaHOVHARBaoXj1Yq70AfsXMSuqSkDckMUaoVFZmr5Gc2SU1vL2bZ0sv-hAkqBm8ksZYXDXXfgBMa0IIAkmKc76eDoLT-2fCYMg0hQuAiSlh3E5o4pWcsb8t_qA/s1600-h/Pink_CareyHart.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XTdePU3rjne9FGSTtaWaHOVHARBaoXj1Yq70AfsXMSuqSkDckMUaoVFZmr5Gc2SU1vL2bZ0sv-hAkqBm8ksZYXDXXfgBMa0IIAkmKc76eDoLT-2fCYMg0hQuAiSlh3E5o4pWcsb8t_qA/s320/Pink_CareyHart.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168761217470459266" /></a><br />Well, this is no surprise to me. They haven't been photographed together is months. I'm not sure how long it's officially been over, but the on-again, off-again couple Pink and motocross racing hubby Carey Hart have decided to call it quits after two years of marriage.<br />"This decision was made by best friends with a huge amount of love and respect for one another," Pink's representative, Michele Schweitzer, said Tuesday in a statement. "While the marriage is over, their friendship has never been stronger."Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-46210747028533794972008-02-13T14:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:44:55.453-08:00Hey, remember Mrs. Garrett??<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_A3tzfZzViSJ47JWYet4wziEr3TtJWYVtc_shHLdHkK0p-NjIHhJUqre92rqaOvvTwD5BCCyCgkbqP2aRwpJ4YYV0hoIoIStkM-ZeHKLEGCSQKIoJc1fle9nYunhHUoEafas3cuY8tHnc/s1600-h/0213_rae_2_flynet_getty.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_A3tzfZzViSJ47JWYet4wziEr3TtJWYVtc_shHLdHkK0p-NjIHhJUqre92rqaOvvTwD5BCCyCgkbqP2aRwpJ4YYV0hoIoIStkM-ZeHKLEGCSQKIoJc1fle9nYunhHUoEafas3cuY8tHnc/s320/0213_rae_2_flynet_getty.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166588792947371362" /></a><br />This is what The Facts of Life actress Charlotte Rae looks like now! I have to admit, I respect her for not cowering to a series of bad plastic surgeries like Joan Rivers. And, at least she's wearing a Burberry jacket!Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-31056836220650277752008-02-13T11:56:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:44:55.759-08:00Pitbull is one tough dawg...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W2XC-Kf_x4_NXSnxwc8g7yMKZLQNyys3EtYS2l1iDajvx6ZfnJ4J_1wg0CC9M6sfqAdqTmNMs_3uHNH2DAuIHliZN0AvUikvsvh9PsmO9cnUEUTx7F0zEee6A_6UkcOPbMM_bjolMmG_/s1600-h/joanieandpitbull.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W2XC-Kf_x4_NXSnxwc8g7yMKZLQNyys3EtYS2l1iDajvx6ZfnJ4J_1wg0CC9M6sfqAdqTmNMs_3uHNH2DAuIHliZN0AvUikvsvh9PsmO9cnUEUTx7F0zEee6A_6UkcOPbMM_bjolMmG_/s320/joanieandpitbull.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166557628664671570" /></a><br />Miami rapper Pitbull is a real G. During a recent performance at a club in San Antonio, some idiot threw a beer bottle at the rapper's head halfway through his second song. He was bleeding and later required stiches. But a fan at the show said 10 minutes later he was back on the stage with blood dripping from his head, holding a blood-soaked towel requesting the guy who hit him to "bring his ass up here so i can whoop his ass." Then Pit broke tore into his latest single, "The Anthem." Never one to want to disappoint his fans, Pitbull is a real trooper and professional performer. Kickass Pit!Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-31465924607660455642008-02-13T11:48:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:44:56.073-08:00Brooke Hogan is coming back to the M.I.A.!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4xxQ9l32Wa2BI8NB39cj_xd1DhTn3JNOo0eSRmvIxzD08I9BFd4tQq19IKYH6J0Qi9fvVnBu99Ly6Khrk2VejKMAXLf00L4tWbLyiDmVsePpMjubehKib-_3UPjO5RQ-f3beR50ks8V9/s1600-h/brooke-hogan-performs-stage-05.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4xxQ9l32Wa2BI8NB39cj_xd1DhTn3JNOo0eSRmvIxzD08I9BFd4tQq19IKYH6J0Qi9fvVnBu99Ly6Khrk2VejKMAXLf00L4tWbLyiDmVsePpMjubehKib-_3UPjO5RQ-f3beR50ks8V9/s320/brooke-hogan-performs-stage-05.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166555571375336770" /></a><br />Hulk Hogan's little girl, Brooke, who's now 19, will be moving back to Miami, but this time on her own! Hogan Knows Best will be airing its 5th season on VH1 starting this month. She'll be moving into a penthouse at the Mosaic on Miami Beach. The show will follow the 5-foot-11, ironed body singer around Miami as she goes out on her own without mom, dad and Nick this time.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-48064797621285297252008-02-11T12:55:00.001-08:002008-12-11T16:44:56.277-08:00Every night I hope and pray, a dream lover will come my way. Wake up little Snoozy! Smell the smellin' salts.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrTLCaMLd7pOZzjGjUEgwryRcrZDz5ac0Xh8OBaTvJ47X30Xbe62rB17L1MNT__SY4JLDvCFBMOSIsn4wZgJ11lclY7Ezk3bCDm9NHFHLSfc-HKLJhyP6slSEtLGOyAojJaG0VQt1zokm/s1600-h/blinton_sleep3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrTLCaMLd7pOZzjGjUEgwryRcrZDz5ac0Xh8OBaTvJ47X30Xbe62rB17L1MNT__SY4JLDvCFBMOSIsn4wZgJ11lclY7Ezk3bCDm9NHFHLSfc-HKLJhyP6slSEtLGOyAojJaG0VQt1zokm/s320/blinton_sleep3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165839514427747634" /></a><br />You have gotta love Bill Clinton. I mean, anybody that is willing to take this guy seriously at this point has got to be a jackass themselves. While wifey was off battling Obama, Billy boy opened his pie hole again before a packed Sunday service at one of the largest black churches in Washington, D.C. He offered an apology of sorts for racially tinged comments he made about Obama and his candidacy that have triggered a backlash in the black community and among many other Democrats.<br /><br />Clinton invoked his "worship of a God of second chances." Well if anyone's been given second chances, it's certainly him. <br /><br />Clinton had been criticized for asserting that Obama's characterization of his position on the Iraq war is a "fairy tale" and for comparing Obama's resounding victory in South Carolina to failed presidential candidate Jesse Jackson's wins there in the '80s. <br /><br />He also recently fell asleep and had a dream during a January church service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on MLK day. The service took place at the Covenant Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem. That's cause the dude is trolling on My Space all night long. Oh, Bill. You are so...predictable.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7884395621353490077.post-22366565019303581882008-02-11T12:46:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:44:56.667-08:00Art Attack: Robbers steal $163m in art from Zurich<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEZNyHCSXSw-D_YdjthfrZFTbrMDUDVQX9zOsNLT3-qUdhIKXy8ae6RiVty1GH1lGa4wg3VuTiixM_083-F7UT1_Ry2mnOvcFTsbR5dv_8SO7JEu2EdAhTBR8p7Ow6uyWNh3CSPUxy9p7/s1600-h/2008_02_11t092035_450x354_us_art_theft.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEZNyHCSXSw-D_YdjthfrZFTbrMDUDVQX9zOsNLT3-qUdhIKXy8ae6RiVty1GH1lGa4wg3VuTiixM_083-F7UT1_Ry2mnOvcFTsbR5dv_8SO7JEu2EdAhTBR8p7Ow6uyWNh3CSPUxy9p7/s320/2008_02_11t092035_450x354_us_art_theft.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165827883656310050" /></a><br />Three armed men in ski masks stole four paintings by Cezanne, Degas, van Gogh and Monet worth $163.2 million from a Zurich, Switzerland museum in one of Europe's largest ever art heists, police said earlier today. Ok, this is basically the Ocean's Eleven of art heists. This is horrible. But it does pose an even more incredible question. Can you imagine creating something that's worth more than $160 million bucks??? That is just awesome.Joanie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462836967376219502noreply@blogger.com0