Life is meant to be lived, celebrated and never taken for granted

By Joanie Cox

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.
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.
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.

My grandfather Leonardo Magazzolo:
“The key to success is perseverance. Don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing. If you rest, you rust.”

My grandma Joan Magazzolo:
“Love is forever and never stop telling the people you love that you love them.”

My aunt JD Danner:
“Never lose hope. You’ve got to have faith.”

My aunt Maryann Gonzalez:
“Pick and choose your battles. Wasting time on insignificant things takes away the energy you’ll need to cope with the big stuff.”

My friend Michelle Averkiou:
“When you smile, you not only bring joy to yourself but to others.”

My friend and former pediatrician Dr. Jerry Wexler:
“Nothing is impossible if you stay focused and try your best.”

My uncle Raul:
“The road least traveled usually has the best views.”

My uncle Thad:
“Don’t keep reliving the past. Today is a new day.”

My priest Father Michael Kane:
“Have patience.”

My editor Jake Cline:
“Don’t waste time worrying. Focus on what you can do.”

My cousin Dominic Giambalvo:
“Love isn’t supposed to hurt.”

My friend Harvey Hurvitz:
“People don’t change. If a guy is doing something to hurt you now, it’s only going to get worse.”

My cousin Roy Giambalvo:
“Thank God for every day you wake up.”

My cousin Angelo Ruisi:
“Respect goes a long way.”

My cousin Michael Giambalvo:
“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.”

My mother Nancy Cox:
“Never walk out of the house with a candle burning or the coffeepot or curling iron on.”

My aunt Karen Cox-Reiter:
“Losing someone never gets easier, it just changes.”

Joanie Cox:
“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.”

A grandfather’s love never ends: a tribute to Leonardo Magazzolo

By Joanie Cox
Published Aug. 3, 2011 in Boca Raton Forum

“A grandpa has silver in his hair and gold in his heart.”
-The Cracker Barrel Christmas ornament I gave my grandpa last year

On July 30, 2011, my beloved grandfather, Leonardo Magazzolo, 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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.

Comedian London Lee is still making people laugh with his stand up act 50 years later

Published Aug. 4, 2010 in Boca Raton Forum
By Joanie Cox

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.

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.”

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.”

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.’”

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.”
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.”

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.
“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.”

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.

Inside the life, sacrifices of an Iraq war soldier

By Joanie Cox

Published in Boca Raton Forum

June 30, 2010

“Freedom isn’t free.”

-Anonymous

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.

One of those men is Brian DeSantis. 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.

“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.”

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.” 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.”

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.”

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.

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.

BBQ Beats: 10 patriotic songs to keep you pumped on July 4th

“American Soldier” Toby Keith

“Independence Day” Martina McBride

“Thanks To The Brave” JD Danner

“Have You Forgotten?” Darryl Worley

“American Saturday Night” Brad Paisley

“Only In America” Brooks and Dunn

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" Alan Jackson

"Keep on Rocking In A Free World" Neil Young

"America the Beautiful" Ray Charles

"Star Spangled Banner" Jimi Hendrix

Eddie Money is still giving fans their money's worth after three decades

Eddie Money scored No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks with “Take Me Home Tonight” and “Think I’m In Love.” 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 Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. His daughter Jesse Money 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 Greg Stryker, who has been hangin’ with Eddie on his latest tour.

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.

What inspired you to write a play?

“I went to see Jersey Boys and the camaraderie Frankie Vallie had with The Four Seasons reminded me of the same camaraderie I had with my first band.

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 Two Tickets To Paradise.

Did you write the music for it?

“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.”

Since you have five kids now, do you have any parenting tips?

“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.”

Any secrets to longevity in the business?

“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.”

Being out on the road is there anything you get tired of...

“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.”

Have you ever sang any of your songs at karaoke?

“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.”

What’s the craziest thing a fan has done?

“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.”

Are there any artists you’d like to record with?

“I like Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. I like Felix Cavaliere. But I record with my daughter and she’s really good. I have a lot of fun doing that.”

What do you do when you’re not touring?

“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.”

What do you think of music reality shows like “American Idol?”

“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.”

Eddie Money will perform at the Pompano Beach Seafood Festival April 17. Visit Eddiemoney.com for details.

From Baywatch to Spray Watch...Pamela Anderson launched her Malibu fragrance line at Fort Lauderdale's W Hotel tonight to a full house

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."

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.

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.

The perfume will cost $39-$49 and be available this month at CVS/Pharmacy, Rite Aid, Walgreens,
Nordstrom and Sears.





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Brad Paisley gives West Palm Beach concert goers more than just another "American Saturday Night"

http://southflorida.metromix.com/music/blog_post/brad-paisley-gives-west/1545262/content

There’s a reason Brad Paisley was nominated for seven Country Music Association awardsthis 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. Cruzan Amphitheatre was packed with teenagers and 20-40 somethings Oct. 17.

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 Fright Nights, I knew parking was going to be more uncomfortable than Kanye West at a Taylor Swift tribute show. The concert started at 7:30 p.m. with Jimmy Wayne. I knew I’d miss Wayne’s performance due to the parking situation, but I didn’t realize I’d miss Dierks Bentley’s set too.

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 tailgating until Paisley came on stage around 9 p.m. Despite the parking debacle, Paisley’s American Saturday Night Tour 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. Hats cost $20 and T-shirts were $30, which is $10-$15 cheaper than tour merchandise typically runs.

Paisley opened with “Start A Band” and proceeded to fire off his hits to the audience like a Mossberg shotgun. “Ticks,” “Online,” “Celebrity” and “Mud On The Tires” were obvious crowd favorites. He sang the first verse of “Country Boy Can Survive” and then went into his clever, anti-metrosexual anthem, “I’m Still A Guy.”

While he’s known for his tight, bluesy guitar licks, 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 Reba McEntire, Kenny Chesney and the members of Sugarland from horrible fates. But to balance out the silliness, there were poignant, tear-jerking portions of Paisley’s performance as well such as "Waiting On A Woman." During “When I Get Where I’m Going,” the Grammy Award-winning singer flashed pictures of deceased American legends including Johnny and June Carter Cash, Ronald Reagan, Les Paul, Dale Earnhardt and Patrick Swayze.

Paisley closed with “Alcohol” and the patriotic and inspiring song “Welcome To The Future,” 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 Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” was his encore. Just two days before, Paisley surprised a couple at his Jacksonville, 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 “Celebrity,” it really is adios reality.

— Joanie Cox