#college football #Miami #Hurricanes #coral gables #Florida State #wordbyfernie #LatinBeatsVibe: Be nice to Brad and enjoy the rest of College Foot...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. There’s still over 72 hours remaining before Brad Kaaya can give college football nerds residing in Coral Gables,...
Friday, 29 August 2014
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
There’s still over 72 hours remaining before Brad Kaaya can give college football nerds residing in Coral Gables, or nerds living in Coral Gables or anywhere near Coral Gables and pretending to be University of Miami fans long before the 2001 season, any reason, good or bad, to wake up at 3 a.m. and call J.T. The Brick, after waiting two hours on hold, and announce to the entire country that “this 18-year-old true freshman just doesn’t have it.”
Poor kid: He hasn’t even boarded the plane for Louisville yet and already there’s a 43-year-old, balding-father of two sneaking his cellphone out of his wife’s Prada handbag in the middle of the night to scream at a sports-talk show host that Al Golden doesn’t know what he’s f&%@#^* doing, before admitting to the host, who routinely disagrees with his callers in a very cold-hearted fashion, that he never even played high school football.
Hey, but that’s just the way we wave our pom poms in the 305, if we wave them at out because we’re extremely loyal as long as the best basketball player in the world is on our team and delivering the goods, even though the best basketball player in the world two-timed his ‘first love’ to come have a four-year love affair with us. And suck us into buying $25 drinks and $40 caps, well because it feels so much better when you’re on top, and wearing white.
Oh, about the Hurricanes. They haven’t delivered a national championship since 2001, which is 13 years too long around here, especially with 65% of the Hurricanes’ most loyal supporters, who in all honesty didn’t go to school in Coral Gables and don’t live anywhere near Coral Gables. Well, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to fold up that wrinkled “No.12” orange and green jersey that was passed on to you by your late uncle and safely place it behind your golf clubs in the closet, because the Hurricanes will not win a national championship, or any championship for that matter, this season, either. In fact: They’re going to lose a realclose one Monday night at Louisville (Sept 1. 8 p.m., ESPN) after hanging for about three-and-a-half quarters because they still don’t have the defensive creatures upfront to avoid being gashed to death, and on the road against Louisville that = L.
But one predictedUniversity of Miami football loss shouldn’t dampen your enthusiasm for $1 pinchos or free Cuban coeds – available at any gate (G!) approximately two hours prior to kick off before each home game at Sun Life Stadium, or any stadium for that matter in which the student body truly, truly cares about their residential college football team. So, without further ado, let’s examine this first weekend’s slate of top games. 1. #16 Clemson vs. #12 Georgia (5:30 p.m., ESPN): This dog-on-cat fight has a bit more juice than what you were used to 20 years ago watching two chicks you probably would never see again after your last day of high school fighting in the parking lot over your ass. I never fought over anyone, did I? Anyway, if the married woman you’re ‘talking to’ is busy at Chucky E. Cheese, you don’t actually have a seat inside Sanford Stadium, I would park it on the couch to see if the Tigers, 1. Can stop the Dawgs’ murderous running attack? 2. Make it two in a row over Georgia, without leading rusher Zac Brooks, out for the season with a foot injury.
2. #14 Wisconsin vs. #13 LSU (9 p.m., ESPN): Are you one of those old-school types that gets woody over smash-mouth football? Well, pop the popcorn and put your feet up because you’re for quite a treat, if not the first taste of greatness courtesy of LSU freshmen Leonard Fournette, who might have the Heisman Trophy wrapped up by mid-October if he runs according to the hype in Baton Rouge and elsewhere. Oh, Wisconsin is going to run the ball a lot too, because Corey Clement and Melvin Gordon are really good. Trust me.
3. #1 Florida State vs. Oklahoma State (8 p.m., ABC): If you thought allegedly feasting on seafood from your favorite supermarket without reaching into his wallet was alarming, wait until you see what FSU quarterback Jameis Winston has in store for a Cowboys’ defense that will undoubtedly be in over their heads, especially in a season-opener against the depth-happy defending national champs. It will also be fun to witness the possibility of a man-child, otherwise known as Mario Williams, eating two offensive linemen for dinner. If you root for the Seminoles and don’t have any plans on Saturday night, other than staying in with your buddies and two of their ex-wives, this will definitely get you turned on. #Labor Day Weekend #Miami #305 #string bikini #Miami Beach #wordbyfernie #wet willies LatinBeatsVibe: It’s Labor Day Weekend: My Top-5 must do’s in the ...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. For the love of JUICY STEAKS, BRAIN FREEZES AND STRING BIKINIS! Summer is almost over, but it’s still 95-degrees...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
For the love of JUICY STEAKS, BRAIN FREEZES AND STRING BIKINIS!
Summer is almost over, but it’s still 95-degrees in the 305 and my “ friend” is going to honor our great country this Labor Day Weekend by wearing a red, white and blue string bikini with a ridiculous amount of stars and stripes and an even more ridiculous lack of fabric. Hell, she’s probably in it right now!
You, on the other hand, will be on your third cup of coffee by 10:15 tomorrow morning as you cozy up to the fireplace in time to catch a replay of the Golden Gophers’ win over Eastern Illinois, because driving to the Mall of Americas or fishing are out of the question, since you live in ….Minnesota.
But if you’re lucky enough to be spending Labor Day Weekend in the 305, along with everybody else that doesn’t live in South Florida year-round but goes to bed every night praying they could, I’m here today to suggest my Top 5 must do’s while you’re in Gloria’s Hood.
And that could mean so much more than working on your tan, pretending to be 30 and looking for a 20-year-old boyfriend even though you’re really 40 and married with two kids back in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, 0r really 44 and driving up and down Ocean Drive in a rented Lamborghini in hopes of scoring a pouty-lipped model for Labor Day Weekend because you own a motorcycle, smoke Cuban cigars, were a pinch hitter in high school and frankly, don’t have it anymore.
Seriously: Good luck to all of you! And pay attention; some of us actually live here.
5. Shop at Aventura Mall (19501 Biscayne Boulevard. Aventura, FL., 305-935-1130): You want to really help our economy and take home bags and bags of upscale shit? Well, this is the place kids. From Burberry to Emilio Pucci, its luxury brand galore in this chandeliered-wet dream for women of all ages and sizes. And there’s plenty to eat, in the food court, for the dudes, too. My advice: Look straight ahead and nowhere else, if you’re a man and your woman is within close proximity. 4. Run on the Miami Beach Boardwalk (21-46 St., Collins Ave.): Sure there are entrances to the surrounding hotels, but the MBB is a thing unto itself. It’s made out of wood, seriously, and it’s bare of stores, shops and restaurants, so you can go out for a nice, long run at any time during the day. There is a protected strip of vegetation between the beach and the boardwalk. The only other hazard might be the loads of Latin women out on the boardwalk.
3. Eat at Las Vacas Gordas Argentine Steakhouse (933 Normandy Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33141, 305-867-1717): There’s nothing better than loading up on the carbs, especially after sweating your ass off and spending plenty of loot on that new string bikini and aviator sunglasses. Stealing its name – I mean borrowing – from the Bibical ages when well fed cows roamed while feeding on rain-blessed soil, you too will be feeding your face until your little heart is content at this meat lover’s paradise.
1. Drink (responsibly) at Wet Willies (760 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, 305-532-5650): Go on up to the deck overlooking Ocean Drive, grab a table or sit on it if it’s 2 p.m. and you’re lucky enough to have found one, and test your brain out with as many slushy-spiked drinks as possible. Seriously, watch your step on the way out. And call a cab if need be, but don’t drink 11 of them.
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
#college football #football # wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: 2014 College Football Preview: Jameis Winston is g...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. It’s late-August, and if you’re a hardcore college football geek you’re probably in the living room right now d...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
It’s late-August, and if you’re a hardcore college football geek you’re probably in the living room right now doing cartwheels in your Florida Gators’ fleece jacket, if you’re not hatching up a last-minute strategy to sneak into Nick Saban’s office and put a special sauce in his Little Debbie snack box or mailing Urban Meyer a “Get Well’ card.
However, there’s a small possibility you don’t give a shit about the Gators – How dare you? – but are still counting down the minutes to the start of the 2014 season even though your favorite team’s QB drives a BMW and you don’t, the starting RB at your alma mater has gotten laid more in the last week than you have over the past 12 years and that same starting running back has the blonde, perky cheerleader’s phone number on speed dial, while you’re racing home with your daughter’s dry-cleaned skirt so your wife can take her to football practice. I’ve done pretty well for myself in the sack since 1998, but I feel your pain, otherwise, because whether you’re stupid enough to think the Gators are going to win the SEC East (me!) just a year removed from losing seven straight games to end the season, including one to GEORGIA SOUTHERN, believe Notre Dame players actually go to class, are a masochist and think Alabama should start construction on another Saban statue (okay, maybe) or brave enough to accept Jameis Winston’s invitation to a lobster tail dinner, we can all agree on one thing:
WE’RE HAPPY AS $#%% COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK!Yes, I know the National Cash cow (Professional) Athletic Association can still rub you the wrong way from time to time, namely with all the conference exit settlements, half-hearted player suspensions, player transfers and courtroom BJING, if not their collective notion that college football players are truly student-athletes. But we can cue the band to that song on another day, because it’s COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON BITCH and Will Muschamp is scared to death, as is Michigan’s Brady Hoke and West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen.
But we can discuss coaches getting fired, when they actually get fired. For now... The guy with the hot wife who promised to turn USC around after two-timing Tennessee and now is kind of Nick Saban’s bitch returns to Neyland Stadium to Oct. 25 as Bama’s offensive coordinator. I rather be out drinking with Lane Kiffin on that third Saturday in October, rather than sitting next to him in the booth.
It’s year No. 1 of the playoff system and while a lot of us are going in like a 3-year-old into a pool for the first time, anything is better than that BCS garbage, no? Unless of course, we end up with eight undefeated teams this season, therefore making each member of the 13-person committee want to eat Doak Campbell Stadium-grass out of a pickle juice jar. My take: Playoff or not, I can’t really see the SEC getting railroaded in favor of say Oklahoma or UCLA…
Winston could be all-shrimped out, but question is if the reigning Heisman Trophy winner can lead the Seminoles to a second straight national championship and win another of those stupid-looking trophies. If he does, Winston will join Archie Griffin (1974-75) as the only college football players ever to do so. ..
Now that Charlie Strong owns the state of Texas and 12 of Jerry Jones’ girlfriends, can he actually coach the Longhorns back up the rankings? He better do it quickly, or a bit quicker than Bobby Petrino at Louisville and Chris Peterson at Washington, for starters. And hopefully Petrino stays off his motorcycle and training room coeds. ..I’m rooting for Miami’s Al Golden, but his squad down in Coral Gables has too many holes to expect anything more than eight or nine wins… Urban Meyer is in year No. 3 of his long-term project in Columbus and he’ll have to grind it out this season with his much-hyped starting QB Braxton Miller, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Good luck, Urban! And more of the same to Maryland and Rutgers, both new members of the Big Ten.
Drumroll, please....Florida State vs. Oklahoma
.
#emmys #gowns #dresses #red carpet #Hayden Panetierre #Publix #fried chicken #Lizzy Caplan # Laverne Cox #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: My 2014 Emmys experience: Drooling over Hayden, Li...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. Does getting really excited over a pregnant woman on television that looks absolutely stunning officially classif...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Does getting really excited over a pregnant woman on television that looks absolutely stunning officially classify you as a felon, especially if you’re watching the 66th Emmys on your couch?
Well, lock my ass up and mail the key to Ms. Morales, because this dude could barely chew his oatmeal cookie when short, blonde, mom-to-be, and actress Hayden Panettiere showed up on the red carpet wearing a silver (very) deep V neck gown with sequins by Lorena Sarbu. Her risqué gown, with a V neck plunging inches south of her bustline and showing off her beautiful pop tarts, the 5’2” Panettiere, who picked up her hair in a vintage kind-of-way, could have stripped naked and dropped back shots of tequila all night on the Nokia Theatre red carpet– while everybody else went inside and pretended to like each other for three hours – because she absolutely owned it.
Panettiere, who opted for the gown because it was the only one which fit well enough to cover her junior Iggy Azalea, looked radiant while toting the line between sensual and glamorous, even with a visible baby bump. This is exactly how my “dream woman” would look, if I could poke her out of the Publixdeli line at 5 p.m. as I wait for my 16 pieces of fried chicken.
But since it’s not 5 p.m. and I’m not at Publixwaiting for my 16 pieces of fried chicken, let’s move the line so I can tell you about a few more women that lit up the full-of-red (and coral), red carpet at the Emmys, while I try to stop daydreaming about Hayden, because her fiancé has a mean right uppercut.
Lizzy Caplan: The sexually uninhibited master of sex on “Masters of Sex”, Caplan stole the show, only this time on the red carpet rocking a fitted and backless Donna Karen Atelier black silk dress with a long, white train. A few Cuban sandwiches and pastries short of making weight on my team (sorry), Caplan, nonetheless, wowed with criss-cross straps to boot. 
Laverne Cox: Nominated for her role in “Orange Is The New Black”, the white-clad Cox killed it on the red carpet – while dogging most of the competition – with a Marc Bouwer gown that was not only draped over her body, but featured a fierce train with diamond broaches. She looked so hot in a plunging neckline and loose curls; Sophia Vergara turned and said, “Oye, pero look arch at jot.” Or something like that.
Bust me up: Laverne Cox looked hot on the red carpet
Julia Louis Dreyfus: I was dozing off while in the early stages of a “Friends” reunion dream when Dreyfus popped up on my plasma in a phenomenal red gown, made even more PHENOMENAL by the sophisticated and skin-baring straps along her back. Other ladies that looked awesome enough in red to want to pull them out of my TV screen and sit them on my lap (all at the same time): Christina Hendricks and January Jones.
Heidi Klum: The 41-year-old model ( yes, 41 bitch ) forced me to adjust my Old Navy boxer shorts after I saw her in a coral Zac Posen gown that outlined every inch of her statuesque frame while the flutter dress gave the dress a sexy, if not romantic, vibe.
Monday, 25 August 2014
#football #sports bars #south florida #Miami #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: My suggestions of chick-friendly sports bars becau...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. Oh, ladies…I’m here to inform you my calendar reads Aug. 25, which can only mean your man - can’t wait to get hom...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Oh, ladies…I’m here to inform you my calendar reads Aug. 25, which can only mean your man can’t wait to get home to massage his University of Miami Duke Johnson jersey and sniff his 1985 Miami Dolphins’ hanky with Dan Marino’s face on it, not ogle over your $200 French manicure and blood-red toenails.
Its football season starting this weekend bitch, so you can weigh your options; if not think about pulling the plug on Mr. Leatherhead, who swears September through February consists of nachos between his legs while he sexually assaults your new couch, mustard-fused fingerprints on the remote control and beer bottles swimming in the garbage bin. So, you can wait until he falls asleep on Friday night and slip the American Express card out of his wallet, before going on an overnight texting binge with your posse to let them know your tan could use a little work, those Manolo Blahnik pumps are a must and brunch is on you.But, admit it.. There are a lot of you that take your football very seriously too and can’t wait to wiggle out of your Victoria Secret’s short shorts and Winnie the Pooh tee, so you can join your man for a trip to his favorite sports bar. If so, I have some suggestions that will leave you wishing football season never ends, instead of wanting to sign that divorce agreement.
Bokamper’s Sports Bar and Grill: (15500 SW 29th St., Miramar, FL., 33027, 754-400-8558). This place is the equivalent of getting hit on the side of the face by a Peyton Manning pass, and waking up in football heaven on Sunday at 12:55 p.m. With over 70 plasmas, including a theatre screen smack atop the bar, and an outdoor patio with plenty of TVs, it’s hard to imagine missing a TD or hearing who the flag was on, because the place has a bad ass audio system. The staff is hurried, but relatively attentive and always at the ready to rundown some of their game day specials, which features a pretty ample craft beer selection. Go with the chicken wings, slider, veggie burger and sweet potato fries, and I promise your hubby will put his hands over the 1 & 2 on your chest when you get home; Especially, if it’s a Bob Griese jersey.Duffy’s Sports Grill: (3969 NE 163 St., North Miami Beach., 33160, 305-760-2124) With just a monsoon of flat screens with awesome acoustics inside the dining area and a few more atop the bar overlooking the Intracoastal, it’s practically impossible to miss whether or not Ryan Tannehill is lighting up the Bills defense, while you leisurely make your way through the pool in your fuchsia string bikini or vintage one-piece because it’s Sunday at Duffy’s and you’re hanging out with the kiddies. The view at this Duffy’s is welcoming and spectacular, even for a lifelong local like me. And nothing goes better with a mojito at Duffy’s than their meaty wings, spicy fish tacos and Fire cracker shrimp, if you have room leftover after eating one of their juicy and flavorful veggie burgers.
Duffy's in North Miami Beach is equipped if you want to pack your bikini on football Sunday.
Hurricane Grill & Wings: (3401 N. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33127, 305-576-71330). I take my football and wings about as serious as you take your spa massage on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
I take my chicken wings as seriously as this high-energy spot in Midtown, because let’s face it: football and wings are about as joint at the hip as Kim and Kanye. And this joint is about its chicken wings. ‘Hurricane’ boasts over 30 flavors of sauce including the fruity Raspberry glaze to the sexy dynamite sauce, a combination of Firecracker and Gold Rush sauces with Cajun seasoning. Need an extra push? Hurricane Grill & Wings is in The Shops of Midtown. WORD!Tom’s NFL: (5001 N.W. 36 St., Miami Springs, FL., 305-888-6022): This cozy hangout is one of my favorites because my chick can wear jeans, a tee and flip flops exposing her fresh pedicure, no problem. Located by Miami International Airport, this spot is all about football, good beer and your occasional karaoke throw down, so if you want to be the next Adele , other than in the shower, Tom’s NFL just might get you in the mood. And if you need to work up the courage, you can do it after indulging in a selection of over 75 bottled beers, killer fish tacos and a sick Key Lime pie.
Friday, 22 August 2014
#anthony'scoalfiredpizza #pizza #coral gables #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza: My endless love since ...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. From Ft. Lauderdale to Pinecrest, I’ve covered lunch, dinner, dates, birthdays and family outings approximately 6...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
From Ft. Lauderdale to Pinecrest, I’ve covered lunch, dinner, dates, birthdays and family outings approximately 60 times over the past eight years at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.
I’m always in the mood for a buzzy atmosphere, sports and pizza… Did I write I love pizza?
I LOVE PIZZA!I originally fell for Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Anthony Bruno’s pizzeria which earlier this year opened up its 46th expansion with a location in South Beach, during the summer of 2006, four years after Bruno launched his first Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, and right about the time my saliva was hijacked by a Colombian-Lebanese woman that shared my passion for pizza, chicken wings and yoga pants.
I lived in Aventura at the time, so getting to Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza wasn’t much of a hassle, because well the establishment (17901 Biscayne Blvd., 305-830-2625) was less than 400 feet from my apartment. We had a friendly deal: Friday nights were all about movies, beach walks and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. Besides, after a long workweek, what’s not to love about Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, especially when you’re sitting at a high-end bar (fully-stocked), surrounded by plasma TVs (showing a variety of baseball games) and vintage photos of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Joe DiMaggio (to name a few), listening to the Beatles (over the speaker system) and in the company of your beautiful girlfriend.
And that’s just for starters, aside from the beautiful Colombian-Lebanese woman who is now my ex-girlfriend. But little has changed since 2006 at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, and that’s why I keep going back, including for a recent, mid-afternoon lunch feast with friends at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza in Coral Gables.
Even Mimi would love them: Coaled-chicken wings topped with onions and Focaccia bread.
One of the girls added a hearty and ample-sized fresh mozzarella and tomato salad which came with a generous portion of fresh basil and was enough to serve all three of them. The girls opted for a large specialty ricotta and meatball pizza, while I decided on a thin crust-cheese and meatball pizza.
The pizza was so good, I thought I was in heaven, not Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, where on this day – just like any other day - the sauce was savory, the dough was soft and the herbs, visible on the pizzas, spiced it up a bit. Needless to say, the ingredients, plentiful on both pizzas, were fresh and tasty.
Unfortunately for the girls, I was at one of my favorite places to eat, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, so there were only three slices of pizza and two chicken wings leftover.
And it was closer to a coffee break than happy hour, so we opted for more water (tap and bottled) and soft drinks (can), while killing time – alright, we were actually making room in our respective stomachs – before a big slice of creamy and soft cheesecake arrived at our table. A New Yorker might say furgidabowdit if you dared comparing South Florida to Big Apple pizza, but they probably wouldn’t argue that New York meets South Florida at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, a can’t miss old-world Italian pizzeria.
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza: 2626 Ponce De Leon., Coral Gables, FL 33134, (786-456-9200)
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza: 2626 Ponce De Leon., Coral Gables, FL 33134, (786-456-9200)
Thursday, 21 August 2014
#miamispice #arearestaurants #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: C’mon Mimi: Add some Miami Spice to your life: By Fernie Ruano Jr. It’s almost September in the 305, which means your blunt bangs are more fuzzy than blunt by the time you start yo...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
It’s almost September in the 305, which means your blunt bangs are more fuzzy than blunt by the time you start your car, little Alex is back in the classroom scribbling shit all over his new Nike t-shirt and you’re speeding to Publix at 6 p.m. to buy a $10.50 pound of Swiss cheese, while your husband is laying on the couch in his Jets’ Zubaz pants going over a Fantasy Draft chart.
But c’mon, Mimi: Waving summer adios in the land of Pitbull doesn’t mean having to follow the same tired routine of scrambling through the dryer for your yoga pants – after you’ve put the frozen chicken in the microwave – initialing Sophie’s workbook, making sure the backpacks are by the door and reading a few pages of Fifty Shades of Grey, before turning out the lights. How about calling the babysitter – once you’ve told your husband to take off those ugly ass pants – and putting some Miami Spicein your life, after choosing from 174-area restaurants?
That’s right: In year No. 13 and in full-swing since early-August, Miami Spice, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau-sponsored promotion, offers diners a three-course lunch for $23 and dinner for $39 at a bevy of upscale and independent restaurants around town.
Some 45 new restaurants have joined the fray this time around, including waterfront-seafood bistro Seasalt & Pepper (422 NW North River Dr., 305-440-4200, increasing the number of establishments participating in Miami Spice to over 130 since 2001.
All Miami Spice restaurants must be active members of the Convention Visitors Bureau (CVB) in order to be part of the program and must average a per-check of $50, if approved after having their respective menus analyzed by Miami Spiceorganizers. Miami Spice, which was launched after 9/11 to spike up tourism and refuel the South Florida economy, was originally designed as a local stimulus program. So, for heaven’s sake, don’t even think about putting on those Hello Kitty short shorts and burying your face in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. Instead, go put some Miami Spicein your life.
And call your babysitter right now if you must, because you only have through September to (Miami) Spice up your life!!
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
LatinBeatsVibe: Latin music exhibit, ‘American Sabor’ spices up Hi...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. Oye mi gente: Se formó tremendo rumbón at HistoryMiami (101 W. Flagler St., 305-375-1492), adonde “America...
#celiacruz #latinmusic #historymiami #Americansabor #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: Latin music exhibit, ‘American Sabor’ spices up Hi...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. Oye mi gente: Se formó tremendo rumbón at HistoryMiami (101 W. Flagler St., 305-375-1492), adonde “America...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Celia Cruz: 'American Sabor' features plenty of the late singer's artifacts.
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
LatinBeatsVibe: A quickie with Scarlett Johansson..: By Fernie Ruano Jr. There’s little about former sex symbol, mom-to-be, all-of-a-sudden cold-eyed killer and my favorite actress, Scarle...
Monday, 18 August 2014
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
There’s little about former sex symbol, mom-to-be, all-of-a-sudden cold-eyed killer and my favorite actress, Scarlett Johansson, Hollywood’s newly-minted leading lady turned chemically enhanced drug mule with super powers in Lucy, I don’t know.
Stalking is illegal, so my obsessive relationship with ScarJo, who does blonde proud in her latest men-crushing role, is limited to drooling over magazines in the bookstore, fantasizing in the movie theatre and dreaming on my couch, to Match Point.
The closest I’ve ever come to Scarlett, aside from sharing California rolls with a variety of golden- bleached women with pouty lips, is standing approximately 15 feet from her at an artsy Miami fundraiser in 2007. I’ve touched a ScarJo poster inside the Regal South Beach 18, too
So my 501’snearly came unbuttoned, after sprinkling cream cheese on my shirt, when I received an email from a publicist last month confirming she had actually opened – and read – my request to interview my favorite superhero (Did I write that already?). The downer: “She’s running a real tight schedule, but we might be able to squeeze you in for five minutes. Thank you!”
Great!! After months of having your messages massaged by countless assistants, I just got confirmation – at 6:30 a.m. EST, no less – that it was perfectly alright to go do my groceries and catch up on some reading, instead of sitting by the phone because there was little chance I would be speaking with you know who.Game over, I thought.
But I prayed Charlie Rose was stuck in traffic and the ‘Letterman Show’ on strike – at the same time – in hopes of improving the odds of getting the raspy-voiced bombshell on the line, even while biting into an apple and making love to her cellphone as 17 skinny people snap their fingers at her to remind her (again) Jimmy Fallonis on hold. And I’m done with this freak that must have Lost In Translation on a loop and Vanity Fair’s '14 April edition between his mattress splits and bathroom wastebasket, ScarJo’s Prada-toting puppet (the publicist) must have concluded. Sorry, but this cyberspace war was just getting started.
Back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth we went for five days before I was hit with an ultimatum. “We can get her on the phone for five minutes and have her answer three questions if you email them to me. What do you say?”
I weighed my options. How difficult can it be to come up with three questions and send them to a publicist, who then will answer them herself, after you’ve had enough time to get a long-winded one over the phone from Scarlett herself? So, I took the deal. Besides, there’s no way I could choke all over myself in five minutes, right? I mean, I’ve interviewed countless of bigwigs before. Besides, this is a phone conversation and she’s 3,000 miles away, not sitting across from me in a restaurant. This isn’t a former high school classmate you’ve finally cornered, this is Scarlett fu@#%*! Johansson you’re about to…Yes, the same one that once shared a bed with Ryan Reynolds. Only for you, no condom would be required!!
I envisioned her in some swanky penthouse, propped in the corner of a leather couch, ponytail, no make-up, tee, jeans and flats. But my time for guessing was up, because the chick who’s showed off some variety on the big screen recently – The Avengers, Don Jon, Her, Hitchcock, The Chef, Captain America and The Black Widow- was on the line. SJ: (In her familiar-raspy tone) Hi! What’s up in Miami?
WBF: Plenty now that I have you on the phone (laugh).
WBF: Can we still call you a ‘sex symbol’?
SJ: “You can call me anything you want. If I believe in something, I’m going to give it a look, no matter the role. I’ve always been competitive, even as a young girl, so if I want something, I’m going for it. I’ve had that competitive spirit for as long as I can remember.”
WBF: What is it about Lucy?
SJ: For me, the character was challenging because she was constantly in transition and struggles to hold onto the nuances of herself and her life really, of who she is. And when I met Luc (Besson) it just seemed like a totally different thing than what I was doing (a play on Broadway) , but I felt it was the right fit at the moment. That I could (do it).”
WBF: It kind of feels like your character is getting a lesson, like learning, in Lucy, much like in Under The Skin and Her. What was so enticing about the character and how similar were they to the other two?
SJ: They’re not even real, so all three have allowed me to step out of my boundaries and examine the human behavior, somewhat. The older I get, the less important it is for me to have a relationship with the character. I’m really interested in why people are the way they are and why they do the things they do. How they communicate their experiences. It’s helped me have a better understanding of my work.
WBF: You’re a few months shy of turning 30! Are you done taking off your clothes, or at least most of it, on screen?
SJ: Ha! That’s a good one. We all evolve and strengthen with age. But it’s all in a character and how strong I feel about that character. I hope I didn’t ruin your day or anything.”
WBF: What’s in your immediate future, workwise?
SJ: “We recently received approval to start shooting the adaptation of a novel. Shh!” Word is Scarlett and playwright Tristine Skyler recently received approval to start production on an adaptation of Truman Capote’s Summer Crossings. Scarlett says something might be cooking by fall of 2015, but quiet, please.
WBF: A man you know just fu#%^& up with a woman he really likes. What would your advice be to him?
SJ: “Sounds like a personal problem. I would let it simmer for a few days, and not add any fuel to the fire."
#wordbyfernie #latinmusic #alejandrofernandez LatinBeatsVibe: Fernandez makes beautiful confessions in Confidenc...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. If Alejandro Fernandez were a super hero he would undoubtedly possess the dual powers in his arsenal to cut thro...
#latinmusic #review #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: Forced “Shakira” is a painful listen: By Fernie Ruano Jr. Where are the paramedics? That’s about the only question you’re going to be asking yourself – in between ...
#jlo #classy #pink #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: LatinBeatsVibe: LatinBeatsVibe: Pretty in pink: J....: LatinBeatsVibe: LatinBeatsVibe: Pretty in pink: J. Lo defines clas... : LatinBeatsVibe: Pretty in pink: J. Lo defines classic ‘chic’ in sh.....
#waitingonawoman #patience #wordbyfernie LatinBeatsVibe: LatinBeatsVibe: Waiting on a woman is part of the ...: LatinBeatsVibe: Waiting on a woman is part of the game, true test ... : By Fernie Ruano Jr. Have you ever been into a woman so much you ...
#youngerwomen #communication #lessoninlife #rockingthecradleLatinBeatsVibe: LatinBeatsVibe: Communicating with younger women h...: LatinBeatsVibe: Communicating with younger women has aided my over... : By Fernie Ruano Jr. I’ve been accused of rocking the cradle once or...
LatinBeatsVibe: Dodgers-A’s in the World Series would be nice for ...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. I don’t give a shit about the Los Angeles Dodgers or Oakland Athletics. But I’m rooting, openly, for a Dodgers-A...
LatinBeatsVibe: Dodgers-A’s in the World Series would be nice for ... #mlb #baseball #sportsislife #wordbyfernie: By Fernie Ruano Jr. I don’t give a shit about the Los Angeles Dodgers or Oakland Athletics. But I’m rooting, openly, for a Dodgers-A...
my take on #chayanne #entodoestare #worldbyfernie #latinmusic LatinBeatsVibe: Is Chayanne’s endearing charm enough to sell “En T...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. It was summer of 2012 and “Gigant3s”, one of the year’s most anticipated Latin pop tours featuring Marc Anth...
Thursday, 14 August 2014
LatinBeatsVibe: Dodgers-A’s in the World Series would be nice for ...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. I don’t give a shit about the Los Angeles Dodgers or Oakland Athletics. But I’m rooting, openly, for a Dodgers-A...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
I don’t give a shit about the Los Angeles Dodgers or Oakland Athletics.
But I’m rooting, openly, for a Dodgers-A’s World Series in October. The possibility of Yasiel Puig throwing out Coco Crisp from the right-field hot dog stand in Dodgers Stadium is enticing, as is a reuniting in the Fall Classic of the two franchises for the first time since 1988, a series won an improbable fashion in five games by the heavy-handed Dodgers over the beefed up A’s.
It would conjure up memories of how excited a 17-year-old, baseball-obsessed kid was to see how Orel Hershiser would pitch to Jose Canseco; how many home runs Mark McGuire could hit with all eyes on him; if Tony LaRussa could outwit Tommy Lasorda.
It would also bring back memories of experiencing something I haven’t done in 26 years: watch a World Series, from start to finish, with my dad.
A month short of 18 and a high school senior at the time, I had watched every game and just about every pitch of every World Series from 1976-1987 with my ‘old man’ not too far from me, whether we were inches apart in the living room, making my mother miserable in the bedroom or following along, in silence, at a local establishment.
But this one was special, and not only because we could ‘discuss’ deep into the night why at the time Canseco was the best player in baseball, in my opinion (he disagreed), and analysis the A’s chances of winning multiple championships(again, he disagreed).
It was special because in fall of ’88 my parent’s marriage was rapidly coming to an end, the remains of what was left of it coming apart and crumbling right before my eyes, even as we watched the World Series.
I couldn’t stand the thought of having to go to school the next morning with a whale of emotions hanging up my head, but I could bare my parents displaying theirs in front of me, at the same time Canseco’s Game 1 slam cleared the centerfield wall.
I had never seen my mother so angry, yet I was happy because I was telling my dad what Dave Stewart was about to throw to Mickey Hatcher. I’ve only visually seen my mother cry 5 times in my lifetime, not to mention my dad apologize to me. It all happened during the ’88 W.S.
But I carried on playing the role of good trooper, no doubt feeling my mother’s pain and anguish, but going to bat for my dad because, well, “How many times will you ever get to see a broken man hit a game-winning home run off one of the best closers ever with your father sitting right next to you?”
The series, a highly-anticipated one, turned out uneventful for all the reasons why baseball is still my favorite sport; it was an utter shock that the Dodgers defeated the A’s 4-1, it was just astonishing in the manner in which they did it: silencing Oakland’s bats.
I had definitely seen better World Series, most notably as a child in 1975 and just a couple years before when the Mets rallied in Game 6 against the Red Sox, before winning the championship several days later.
But I learned a valuable lesson over 25 years ago, while trying to hold on to something I knew would never happen again: watching the World Series with my father next to me.
LatinBeatsVibe: Is Chayanne’s endearing charm enough to sell “En T...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. It was summer of 2012 and “Gigant3s”, one of the year’s most anticipated Latin pop tours featuring Marc Anth...
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
It was summer of 2012 and “Gigant3s”, one of the year’s most anticipated Latin pop tours featuring Marc Anthony, Chayanne and Marco Antonio Solis, was set to begin after a week of rehearsals at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
It’s been over four years since “No Hay Imposibles”, his last studio album, but I expect ‘Estare’ to stay the course, much like the majority of his discography from 1984’s “Chayanne ...Es Mi Nombre” to “Mi Tiempo”, released in 2007; all load with melody-driven ballads and party anthems.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
