Arjona showered with love at AAA

By Fernie Ruano Jr.

Cross-legged with head bowed and arms stretched out, Guatemalan singer/songwriter Ricardo Arjona giddily accepted the role of conductor while listening to a vociferous crowd sing-along to “Señora de las Cuatro Decadas” (“Lady of Four Decades”), the gracefully-aging woman still finding a way to make her man’s heart bounce despite putting on a little extra “belly fat aerobics can’t remove” over the years.

Overflowing with a multicultural blend of giddy and scantily-clad women well on their way to a very happy ending, Arjona, a profound lyricist with the full-tenor voice, touched them in every way possible during a two-and-a-half hour set at AmericanAirlines Arena on Saturday night.

With the audience on its feet and swaying for most of the evening, if not tugging at their respective too-tight dresses and very-short skirts, Arjona emptied out his repertoire with songs ranging from flirtatious to revengeful to respectful, with a political anthem and little motherly love in between,  as the masses continuously followed him in song, including singing from start to finish on “Te Conozco” (‘I know You”), a longing tale about a lost love he wishes he had never seen walk out.

 

Feeling right at home, Arjona flirted, teased and got cozy – fortunately for a beaming, sign-waving fan he invited up on stage for a song and long embrace – amid a beautifully-produced and elaborate production, featuring a  two-floor set up serving as sometimes bar, circus tent and loft. And Arjona was as colorful and complicated as ever, poignantly steering the all-but-flattering, yet realistic (“Te Conozco”) as he crooned “you snore” and “smoke” about a woman he knows all too well.

Worthy of his own dictionary, Arjona, one of Latin pop’s genial wordsmiths, was funny, observant and pleasing while straddling the lines of romanticism and home-cooking, especially in playing into the hands of thousands of “Cubanas” with an up-tempo and percussion-laced version of (“Puente”), a vivid recounting of what Cubans back home face each day and the state of immigration in the United States. “Esta historia es de tanta gente y de nadie (“This story is that of so many people, but it belongs to nobody.”),” said Arjona in Spanish before delighting with an emotive interpretation.

He playfully poked love as the beautiful story that commences with a “dream” before ending in “insomnia”. “El amor a veces viene a jodernos la vida (“Love at times screws up our lives”),” he cracked in anticipation of “El Amor” (“Love”), the hit track from 2011 album “Independiente” (Independent). He turned politico   in “Si el Norte fuera el Sur” (“If the North Were the South” – as a montage of images – from The Simpsons to Fidel Castro flashing cash on Wall Street – took over the video screen.

His raw voice and jovial energy evident, Arjona filled the night with power ballad after power ballad, if not rising crescendos. But he displayed his soft side – he does have one – with delicate acoustic takes of “Reconcilacion” (“Reconciliation”) and (“Tarde”) – “Late (”Without Damage to Third Parties), cutting through the soul of seeing his woman walking the streets with a new man; Arjona making the journey vividly-detailed, no matter the hurt.

Arjona was especially descriptive in “Fuiste Tu”, (“It Was You”, his gut-wrenching duet with Gaby Moreno that strikes at the heart of anybody forced to see a love interest walk away – only Arjona finds a way every time to make the pain curable with grand detail.   

A classic throwback from her polka dot dress to the curls framing her short, cropped hair, Moreno, who opened the show with a 30-minute set, appears as if she just got out of the backseat of a 1950’s Cadillac and didn’t really bother looking up at the screen or finishing her milkshake. But make no mistake: the soulful charm and elegant harmony in her voice would make anybody want to pay her way into the Drive-In. Firm and sweet with a resounding timbre, Moreno devoured material from “Postales”,(“Post cards”) – under Arjona’s Metamorfosis label – with ease while displaying a vibrant stage presence and uncanny charm.  

 

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Let's talk Español, chances of immigration reform passing highlight AJC summit

 

By Fernie Ruano Jr.

          Optimistic: Former US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez talks about 'being headed in the right directon" during the Global Jewish Advocacy ‘Bridging America Project’ Symposium for Stakeholders Immigration Summit in Miami

 

Her mother was so adamant little Raquelita had no use for the English language, she went to great lengths - with the aid of a cigarette box – to ensure her daughter knew one word, and one word only, just in case she encountered an  emergency while roaming the school hallways.

“She would tell me all you need is, ‘se llama bathroom’ ”, said Regalado, during the Global Jewish Advocacy ‘Bridging America Project’ Symposium for Stakeholders Immigration Summit, Thursday morning at Miami Dade College. “In my mind it was like, “What do you mean?”

Regalado, the daughter of Cuban exiles and a lifelong resident of Miami, didn’t have a Liberal Studies degree from Florida International University or being a School Board member on her radar when as a 5-year-old elementary student she was spent off many mornings with a kiss and ‘bathroom’ scribbled on a square of carton her mom would rip off a cigarette box.

 

”We only spoke Spanish at home; they had no clue back then how confusing that was for a 5-year-old kid,” said Regalado. “We never learned English at home.”

Regalado, along with a panel including former Citi Group vice chairman Carlos M. Gutierrez and Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau CMO Rolando Aedo, turned up the volume on everything from the importance of bilingualism to the chances of an immigration reform bill finally being passed during a lively three-hour discussion.

Regalado shoot down the notion that most immigrants don’t care or want to put in the effort to learn a second and third language. “I think that’s a myth,” added Regalado. “And I can tell you from personal experience. I wanted to learn English as fast as I could even though it wasn’t a priority at home (with her parents).”

Cynthia Ruiz, a 19-year-old MDC student who came to the United States with her parents from Colombia in 2007, said she wouldn’t feel the same comfort level in the classroom if she didn’t work at trying to perfect her English.

“I see it with some of my classmates and I feel bad for them,” said Ruiz. “It can be a little intimidating.”

The cost of reaching the “American Dream”, making schools a safe place and making sure immigrants get a fair shake in the classroom – no matter their status – were hot topics throughout the summit, but none hotter than the prospect of immigration reform actually passing through this year, or any year for that matter.

Gutierrez, who was President George W. Bush’s secretary of commerce in 2007 when the immigration bill died in the Senate, emphasized ‘trust’ among Republicans and Democrats alike when pressed on the single most important factor for getting a comprehensive immigration bill passed this year before opining there’s a “50/50 chance” it will make its way to congress this summer – something he expanded on when pressed by Univision radio host and moderator Helen Aguirre Ferre on why all the optimism all of a sudden despite the “first time around.”

“I’m a bit more optimistic and feel there’s a better chance (of passage) because in previous years the anti-immigration reform seem to have a system (in place) to push Congress,” said Gutierrez, who immigrated from Cuba with his family when he was 6 years old before going on to become CEO of the Kellogg company.

“We’d be getting it from all over last time around: talk radio, anti-immigration groups, you name it. It won’t be easy again, but I believe those that want it (immigration reform) will step up to the plate.”

Gutierrez, one of many Republicans and conservatives who have retched up of their push for immigration reform in the wake of the 2012 election aside from Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue and Indiana Attorney General Gregory Zoeller (R), apparently hasn’t backed down from his urge for comprehensive reform.

“We’re all for immigration reform, supporting something that can get passed,” said Gutierrez, who recently took part in a conference hosted by the National Immigration Forum to reiterate the group’s stance that undocumented immigrants should be allowed to eventually become citizens. “We’re not in a position to judge or second guess (people) if they’re making progress.”

As to “getting it done”, Gutierrez stressed they’re open to suggestions, similar to the one by way of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that would allow undocumented immigrants to become citizens eventually without being submitted to a special pathway including those already in the United States.

Among another sticking point between the parties is over whether a pathway should be in place at all, something most Republicans see as necessary.

But Gutierrez, who points to the 750-page bill Republicans had in 2007 as a comprehensive approach dismissed by amnesty, said the time is right even if there might be a lot more issues that need to be addressed.

“The biggest issue is losing the momentum if there is no immigration reform,” said Gutierrez. “We’re excited that on both sides it seems everybody agrees (on being headed in the right direction) no matter what side (party) you belong too.”

 

 

 

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Single dad meet Latina mom (Seriously, try it)

By Fernie Ruano Jr.

(Editor’s note: I am not a single father, or a father at all as of March 5, 2013.)

When your priorities start with making sure Vanessa has enough money in her backpack and end with ransacking Henry’s baseball equipment bag, while searching for your car keys as you head out the door, the thought of dating for a single dad could be as alarming as a jolt of cafecito.

We’re all about the home team and would rather brag about his triple with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh or her exquisite performance in Cinderella, rather than fathom the idea of adding an independent, hot and funny – among other things - mamasita into the mix

But it’s not impossible and you could be in for a happy ending, especially if she’s a Latina mom.

1.)    They’re so damn sexy: They wear that wrap-around skirt and toss up their long hair with utter confidence, but they bring so much more to the table that will make you woody. They know what they’re looking for and won’t stutter in telling you so. They’re in it for the long run, if you show her you are too.

2.)    They’re appreciative: Latina moms love small gestures and really take well to kindness and sincerity, at least most of them.  So, open the door and kiss her – even in public – as you not only make her yours, but make others want her. Now, that’s hot. With time you will start seeing a return on your investment. Who knows? You might even get a warm shot of cafecito, if you prove to be the one.

3.)    They’re funny: By now you’re an expert at laughing away when one of your kiddies does something really silly in the backseat or makes an off-the-wall comment. But Latina moms will be right there with you and outwit you, while cracking at your own jokes.

                                    

4.)    They’re organized and independent: Just like you papi our favorite moms are occupied with making sure all the homework is done and the uniforms are ironed while also working, tending o family issues, cleaning the house and planning a kids trip to the movies. Who wouldn’t want a piece of that?

5.)    They’re honest:  You’ve cracked the door halfway open by having a mom accepting your invitation to go out. It’s quite the start because it’s an indication she’s into you and what you stand for, while setting things up for a long relationship.

                                       

6.)    They don’t like when you fu%$ up: If you do something really stupid you will never hear from her again. And she’ll call you to let you know as well.

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Miami International Film Festival Embraces Family-Friendly Films

By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Entering its 30^th year, the Miami International Film Festival, the annual piñata of Spanish and Latin American productions — long-established for satisfying the taste of all cinema enthusiasts – is rolling out the red carpet for the entire family and promises something for everyone, whether your child is still fumbling with Lego bricks, buried in The Diaries of Wimpy Kid or immersed in American Idol.

3D-animated adventure comedy The Croods

Intent on delivering an interactive, family-friendly festival for kids of all ages, festival organizers have revved up efforts on opening weekend so you don’t leave anybody behind when pulling out of the driveway.
“I want to open the door to all kids and give them an opportunity to come away with a deeper appreciation for everything that goes into the film industry and making a film,” said Jaie Laplante, executive director of the Miami International Film Festival.
And judging by this year’s kids series, which kicks off with The Croods, a 3D-animated trip back into the Stone Age, and The Boy Who Smells Like Fish, about a young boy’s search for a normal life while battling a medical condition, Laplante isn’t kidding.
Judd Ehrlich’s Magic Camp, a documentary shadowing the footsteps of trick-obsessed kids competing for a prestigious award, will also screen around scheduled Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
Star-studded The Croods explores family dynamics
At the forefront is Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders’ (Disneytoon, Lilo & Stitch) star-studded, adventure-comedy ‘The Croods’ (1:30 p.m., March 2, Regal South Beach Cinemas), a 90-minute prehistoric tale that follows a caveman family’s epic journey of modernization and a new home (after their roof caves in, literally).

Belt, Guy and Eep in The Croods

Their discovery of the future and the concept of tomorrow (think The Flintstones meet The Simpsons) accelerates after a happening involving brainy and creative Guy, a wandering hunter-gatherer (Ryan Reynolds) who opens their eyes and aids their transition into modern age, not to mention keeps their pants up the help of his pet sloth, Belt. Along the way, the family is blindsided by generational clashes and unforeseen transitions, altering their outlook on life for forever.
While teasing an emotionally-charged complexity between parent and child in its trailer, much like Brave and Finding Nemo in recent years, The Croods appears to key in on the entire family dynamic, namely the all-conservative father (an-odd sounding Nicholas Cage) and rebellious daughter (a curvy and loud Emma Stone). Meanwhile, De Micco and Sanders attempt at all cost to retain the caveman’s way of thinking for the sake of comic relief, if not to keep the audience engaged even if the character designs of the animated-cave people look a bit out of focus.
But a colorful backdrop and scenery to go with Stone’s voice should make for a fun and adventurous transition from rocks to modernization.
Self-Esteem Themes in The Boy Who Smells Like Fish
Although centered on Mica (Douglas Smith), abandoned and stricken with a metabolic disease, the drama-laden The Boy Who Smells Like Fish ( 6:15 p.m., March 2, Olympia Theatre) leans on the power of perseverance and relationships while gingerly crossing paths between gender and age, all the while tugging at the heart.

Zoë Isabella Kravitz in The Boy Who Smells Like Fish

Directors Analeine Cal and Mayor play with the notion that dealing with his own self-esteem is the key to putting a young boy’s condition in the rear-view mirror and moving on with his life, but nothing comes easy.
With his father a non-presence since birth and his mother (Ariadna Gil) hardly around, the funky-smelling teenager (his doctors can’t seem to detect why the disease makes him reek of fish) spends most of his time guiding tours at a museum dedicated to Mexican crooner Guillermo Garibai and struggles to make friends despite the delicate care provided by his therapist (Carrie- Anne Moss).
Hardly anybody talks to him as he marches on with what would seemingly continue to be a bland and meaningless life – until he comes to face-to-face with the kind-hearted Laura, played by Zoe Kravitz, the daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet.
Magic Camp holds perseverance message for everyone
There’s a trick for everybody to appreciate in Ehrlich’s Magic Camp (1:30 p.m., March 3, Regal South Beach Cinema) as magic-consumed kids gather at Tannon’s, the most prestigious camp in the world, to deal with the pressures of having to grow up, all the while trying to etch their names on the same stage that once hosted renowned magicians Dave Copperfield and Dave Blaine.
But more than just mastering what’s behind making a card disappear, Ehrlich beautifully illustrates the picture of perseverance as the campers grow with age. “I have kids of my own and we live in such a fast environment that we forget to educate them on the most important of core values,” said Laplante. “There’s a message in these films for everyone.”

Scene from the documentary Magic Camp

“We are 100% committed to making sure Miami families are aware that the Miami International Film Festival welcomes them with open arms,” he said.
A $6 discount ticket code (FamilyMIFF) for Hispanicize, Latina Mom bloggers and Being Latino readers is available through phone and online advance orders.
Regular price is $12 for adults and $7 for kids under 16/students with ID. Seniors price is $11 and all Miami Dade College students (with ID) are admitted free of admission. Tickets can be purchased at (305)-405- MIFF (6433) or www.miamifilmfestival.com.
General inquiries can be made at (305)-237-FILM (3456) or info@miamifilmfestival.com.

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