#feliznavidad #josefeliciano #hialeahpark #Miami #fernie wordbyfernie: Feliz Navidad: Jose Feliciano is coming to Miami: By Fernie Ruano Jr. It’s officially the holiday season and that means no matter where you go there’s a chance you’re going to hear t...
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Feliz Navidad: Jose Feliciano is coming to Miami
Posted on 11:12 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
It’s officially the holiday season and that means no matter where you go there’s a chance you’re going to hear the blistering guitar riffs and soulful voice of Jose Feliciano wishing you “Feliz Navidad”.
Your 6-year-old daughter, and in-the-the sprit husband, too, probably start singing the infectious, cheerful lyrics of “I want to wish you a Merry Christmas/I want to wish you a Merry Christmas/From the bottom of my heart” every time the family has visited your favorite mall in recently , even if both of them in all likelihood don’t know anything about the Puerto Rican-born Feliciano, 69, beyond associating him with “Feliz Navidad”, a title track originally recorded by Feliciano in 1970.
A staple in most households on Christmas Eve, especially those with lechon, arroz blanco y frijoles negros spread out on the dinner table, “Feliz Navidad” will forever serve as your generation’s holiday anthem; Your sister’s and your nephew’s too. If it’s Christmas and you’re celebrating it, Feliciano’s pain-inflicted voice and assault on the nylon strings are guaranteed to be fill the air of your festive atmosphere.
For many of us, whether you’re born to Cuban or Puerto Rican parents, or both, the timeless classic, one which will be played relentlessly at Christmas time for generations to come, signifies closure of another year gone by, while amplifying the significance of cherishing time with loved ones. It’s also cast an unjust, though understandable; tag on Feliciano, an international star that has influenced popular music for two generations and in two languages, no less.
Put aside being the first Latin to score a crossover into the mainstream market; Feliciano long ago introduced the world to a rambunctious way, yet technically sound, of handling an acoustic guitar, thanks to the speed of his right hand, creative improvisations and extended riffs; he picks and pulls at the nylon strings in a way he would make you fall in love, if you haven’t already done so to his music.
Feliciano’s emotion and tenderness in song is unique, if not unequaled, namely in classic Spanish ballads like “Cuando Pienso En Ti”, “La Copa Rota” and “Que Sera”. Frankly, the list of classics is way too long. “The kid from Lares” was born blind to humble beginnings, but that didn’t start him from taking his guitar at 17 and making the rounds at coffee shops all over Greenwich Village, Connecticut in hopes of helping his family. He played in bars and clubs, too, before branching out.
That’s why Jose Feliciano is a treasured talent and music icon that will forever have a secure place in popular music history, no matter how many times you hear “Feliz Navidad”.
Jose Feliciano performs Saturday, December 13 at 8 p.m. at Hialeah Park (www.hialeahparkcasino.com)
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
Monday, 8 December 2014
wordbyfernie: C’mon cutie, your life isn’t so bad….
Posted on 12:16 by RAJA BABU
#Miami #cutie #husband #jimharbaugh #49ers #wife #raiders wordbyfernie: C’mon cutie, your life isn’t so bad….: By Fernie Ruano Jr. It’s been almost two weeks since you sat next to your loud Cuban uncle and momentarily paused to give thanks...
C’mon cutie, your life isn’t so bad….
Posted on 12:14 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
It’s been almost two weeks since you sat next to your loud Cuban uncle and momentarily paused to give thanks for still being able to smell the leather off your Gucci handbag and the good-health of the puppy you stick in that Gucci handbag every day at 7 a.m. when you walk out your front door, before sticking your face back into a paper plate overflowing with stuffed turkey and cranberry sauce, and excusing yourself although the pumpkin pie wasn’t sliced yet because your best friend promised to pick you up at 5 a.m. so you can go shove a 13-year-old girl out of the way and save $4 on a blender on Black Friday at the store that stalks you as if your ex-boyfriend was going to jump out of a bullseye and say, “Sorry!”.
C’mon cutie: I know you, and you know it’s true because after all these years you still get off by buying $350 of crap every four days at my high school crush’s favorite store, even if $600 of that shit will be safely stored in the top shelf of your garage when you clean it out next summer, you go to your “favorite” store ever every Friday just so some buffy, 23-year-old dude can ask “Can I help you?” because you’re not wearing a bra, and you’re always bragging about how your son’s friends flirt with you in the kitchen. And you call me for sex every Wednesday afternoon at around 1:15 p.m.
I understand it makes you feel really good about yourself, babe. In fact: I know it does because although you recently celebrated your 5th wedding anniversary surrounded by expensive art you will never be able to afford, and Miley Cyrus, your husband is never home, your Miracle Mile-buddy just moved to Palm Springs, California, your son isn’t coming home for the holidays and the last time you had an orgasm was with me in some hotel in Coral Gables on your birthday weekend.
I know you miss your husband, and you wish he was around more often, especially with the holiday season in full swing and the unused red zipper dress you purchased at an Aventura boutique in September hanging behind your bedroom’s bathroom door, your American Express card being maxed out and your Christmas-gift list expanding by the hour, and your douching tube being clogged and all.
But cheer up! Let’s be real: It could be a lot worse; I mean, a lot worse! 1. You still live in an $800,000 home (for now). 2. Half of Victoria’s Secrets inventory, since September, is neatly folded in the six drawers in your closet. 3. You own 152 pairs of shoes and ordered six new pairs online, last night. 4. Your puppy’s shit looked normal, the last time you looked. 5. You live within three miles of a fire station.
So believe me cutie, it could be a lot worse… A lot worse!!
Alright, maybe not…
JIM HARBAUGH: Have you ever been at your girlfriend’s house and the romcom showing on her plasma is so bad not even a shirtless Vince Vaughn can save it? Of course you have because you tell the story about falling asleep on the couch while she was taking a shower, each time we meet up at the bar to watch a football game. And you check out because you can’t stand romcoms, just like the 49ers, most of whom love their head coach so much they would run through a wall for him, have gone zzzzzzz … on the 2014 season because they know Jim Harbaugh has checked out. The 49ers are done for this season, and so is Harbaugh in San Francisco. Harbaugh can’t stand Trent Baalke and Baalke can’t stand Harbaugh and when two men in high positions can’t stand each other they usually go their separate ways. It’s to the point in San Francisco that players who trust and respect Harbaugh have turned it off. Seriously: What else can be wrong with starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick? And since Harbaugh is done in San Francisco, why not play “where to now” …..
MIAMI: The Dolphins have a quarterback (Ryan Tannehill) in place who has done an adequate job of running a college-style offense with a lot of short, high-percentage throws and occasional read option, which Harbaugh could fine tune by adding different elements to the playbook and drafting a few pieces to plug alongside the offensive line with Mike Pouncey and Ja’Waun James. And getting rid of Mike Wallace, of course.
OAKLAND: What better way to stick it to the 49ers than going across the bay, drafting Jameis Winston, signing Marshawn Lynch, just because Harbaugh loves Pete Carroll and hiring Rex Ryan as defensive coordinator. And just think: Harbaugh will still be able to wear a black turtleneck and brown khaki pants. And quickly land a new sponsor for the Raiders’ stadium …something like Dockers Stadium because his wife is so hot and she loves the Bay area. And, no marketing executive would be crazy enough to turn him done.
WASHINGTON: Harbaugh, like most NFL head coaches and owners, has a HUGE ego. Therefore, it isn’t too crazy to picture him in a burgundy turtleneck screaming at RG III during a training camp session next August in Richmond, Virginia.
ATLANTA: Follow the theme here, leatherhead? The Falcons also have an established quarterback in Matt Ryan that Harbaugh can work with, in addition to a receiver (Julio Jones) who can stretch the field….
JACKSONVILLE: Alright, Jacksonville isn’t exactly Miami. But Harbaugh would have Blake Bortles – BLAKE BORTLES !!! – to work with. And he would get Jaguars’ fans so excited they would all get off their asses and buy season tickets after Harbaugh hires Tim Tebow as quarterback coach.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
Friday, 5 December 2014
wordbyfernie: For the love of sports, don’t go there NBC 6
Posted on 09:34 by RAJA BABU
#sportscoverage #localtvmarket #nbc6 #wordbyfernie: For the love of sports, don’t go there NBC 6: For the love of #sports, don’t go there #NBC 6 By Fernie Ruano Jr. Anybody who knows me knows I love sports as much as I love Miam...
For the love of sports, don’t go there NBC 6
Posted on 09:31 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Anybody who knows me knows I love sports as much as I love Miami.
I can talk about sports all day, if need be. And would put my sports knowledge up against anybody’s, because I am confident I would walk away the winner in any conversation about sports.
And my love for sports is what led a shy and quiet 18-year-old college student to make the short walk from the Miami Dade College Wolfson campus to the old WTVJ-4 building in downtown Miami in summer of 1989, hoping someone – anyone – would open the door just a crack.
Fortunately, Regent Dukis, a tough as nails, but fair producer, welcomed me with open arms; after a roasting session which included most of the sports department’s staff back then, including Tony Segreto, Ned Smith and Bernie Rosen, and went on for what felt like hours, especially since I was so scared I could barely breath.
Could you imagine walking into a room full of strangers and being held captive? That’s how I felt.
But I was also ecstatic because I was surrounded by some of the people who I grew up watching on television, and most importantly, wanted to be like; Aside from having to deal with a bunch of videotape machines I had no clue how to operate and a grumpy-looking and sounding Hank Goldberg.
All Hank wanted to do was tell me old stories about his father, whenever he wasn’t quizzing me on the Miami Dolphins. All I wanted to do was learn how to cut tape and use the knobs on the machines. And slowly earn the respect of a sports department, which I could see was as tight as a loving family; something I was desperately searching for.
Months went by and I would walk out of the station late at night thinking that I had no chance of not only connecting with a bunch of hardened men, but surviving in an environment that was new to me.
But eventually the ribbing and Hank’s quizzes stopped, replaced by respect and admiration for a sports-obsessed kid who just wanted to be “one of the guys.” I walked out of the station in the fall of 1991 with a better understanding of what being around a family with an exceptional work ethic really felt like. And it was because of what I had learned from Regent, Hank, Tony and the bunch; all of whom lived for sports and proved to me how important they were every single day I was surrounded by them.
That’s why I really hope current management at NBC-6 reconsiders their recent decision to slash the best TV sports department in this market, in my opinion, in a way that will forever change how the games are covered in this market.
Nobody, nobody, covers the Dolphins, Heat, Marlins, Panthers and Hurricanes quite like NBC6. And it is shameful that a news executive would be moved to make said decisions because she doesn’t believe covering sports is too important. Well, hopefully she will regret her decision in the immediate future.
But whatever decision they make at NBC 6, I will always be able to say I not only worked for the best team in the market, but learned the meaning of family and teamwork while doing so.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook) and visit http://www.latinbeatsvibe.blogspot.com . Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
Thursday, 4 December 2014
wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: Lighting up the Gables, shaking ...
Posted on 10:46 by RAJA BABU
#weekend #Miami #treelighting #Coral Gables #Carlosvives #Colombian #football #Miami Dolphins #fernieruanojr wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: Lighting up the Gables, shaking ...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. I’ll admit: I love social media. Besides, where else can a media savvy-news junkie and very curious guy, who can...
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