Two full days in NYC so far, and countless adventures and mishaps already as my friend and I attempt to see all of NYC.

I am staying at a hotel in Long Island City; for the on-a-budget traveler, it’s a great area to stay in. Only a short subway ride into Manhattan.

12-24-2009

Our first day we appeared to have severe jet lag even though the time difference was only one hour. So, we decided to order a large pizza in for lunch. I don’t think we quite understood what a “large” pizza is in New York. Two of us had it for lunch and dinner, and still didn’t finish it.

12-25-2009

Christmas Day we got all dressed up and went down to 5th Avenue to see the Christmas store window displays and the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center (no ice skating for me, I cannot ice skate). After walking around, I realized that what I was wearing made no sense at all; a short dress, patterned tights, and heels. Not my finest moment. It was then I realized that I am not one of the girls on Sex and the City.

We went and saw the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and that is precisely what it was, spectacular! After the show, we headed toward Central Park for our dinner reservation and a New York City landmark, (which is closing at the end of the year), Tavern on the Green. Tavern on the Green has a rich history, and its food speaks for itself. The most expensive dinner I have ever purchased myself, but well worth the price.

12-26-2009

Museum Day #1. We went to the Guggenheim for a little Kandinsky and Picasso. I got yelled at by a museum person for apparently getting a little to close to a painting. And I quote, “Ma’am your coat almost hit that painting and that just wouldn’t be good.” Sorry The art collection=fantastic. Then, we walked to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and spent a couple of hours browsing the European paintings and sculptures and American Art. In every room, I would recognize yet another piece I had studied: Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Van Gogh…the list goes on.

Food. Let me just say, if there wasn’t so much walking, I would be in trouble. We stopped a great little deli for lunch. But the place that is not to be missed is Serendipity. There was a two to three-hour wait, so be prepared for that, but know that it is worth it in the end. We got the Frozen Hot chocolate and it is simply amazing. Serendipity is also known for its $1000 sundae, which was right on the menu as promised. I took a picture of it on the menu, as I believe that is the closest I will ever be to it in real life.

Tomorrow=Museum Day #2 and Statue of Liberty. (pictures and video up soon)

On December 27:

537  The Hagia Sophia was completed.

1571 Johannes Kepler, German astronomer, was born.

1773  George Cayley, English scientist, inventor, and politician, was born.

1822 Louis Pasteur, French scientist, was born.

1831 Charles Darwin embarked on his journey aboard the HMS Beagle.

Charles Darwin

 1836 The worst ever avalanche in England occured at Lewes, Sussex, killing 8 people.

1845  Ether anesthetic was used for childbirth for the first time by Dr. Crawford Williamson Long in Jefferson, Georgia.

1901 Marlene Dietrich, German actress and singer, was born.

1915 William Masters, American gynecologist, was born.

1918 The Great Poland Uprising against the Germans began.

 Soldiers of the Greater Polish Army

1922  Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō became the first purpose built aircraft carrier to be commissioned in the world.

1932  Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City.

Front facade of the Radio City Music Hall

1941 Michael Pinder, British musician (Moody Blues), was born.

1943 Joan Manuel Serrat, Spanish musician, was born.

1945  The World Bank was created with the signing of an agreement by 28 nations.

1948 Gérard Depardieu, French actor, was born.

1949 Indonesian National Revolution: The Netherlands officially recognised Indonesian independence.

1968 Apollo Program: Apollo 8 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first orbital manned mission to the Moon.

1951 Ernesto Zedillo, President of Mexico, was born.

1955 Brad Murphey, Australian racing driver, was born.

1978 Spain became a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship.

1979  Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.

1987 Rewi Alley, friend of China, died of heart failure and cerebral thrombosis at his Beijing residence.

 2001  The People’s Republic of China was granted permanent normal trade relations with the United States.

2004 Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reached Earth - the brightest extrasolar event known to have been witnessed on the planet.

 This is where SGR 1806-20 would appear in the sky if it were visible to human eyes.

Sourced from NZ History Online & Wikipedia.

Lady Gaga Where Are You ?

Uno Lakefront Arena New Orleans, LA Sun, Dec 27 2009 7:30 PM
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Fabulous Fox Theatre – GA Atlanta, GA Mon, Dec 28 2009 7:30 PM
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Fabulous Fox Theatre – GA Atlanta, GA Tue, Dec 29 2009 7:30 PM
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James L Knight Center Miami, FL Thu, Dec 31 2009 7:00 PM
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James L Knight Center Miami, FL Sat, Jan 2 2010 7:30 PM
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UCF Arena Orlando, FL Sun, Jan 3 2010 7:30 PM
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Fabulous Fox Theatre – MO Saint Louis, MO Thu, Jan 7 2010 7:30 PM
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Chicago Theatre Chicago, IL Fri, Jan 8 2010 7:30 PM
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Chicago Theatre Chicago, IL Sat, Jan 9 2010 7:30 PM
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Chicago Theatre Chicago, IL Sun, Jan 10 2010 7:30 PM
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Fox Theatre – MI Detroit, MI Tue, Jan 12 2010 7:30 PM
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Fox Theatre – MI Detroit, MI Wed, Jan 13 2010 7:30 PM
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Elliott Hall Of Music West Lafayette, IN Thu, Jan 14 2010 7:30 PM
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Borgata Events Center Atlantic City, NJ Sat, Jan 16 2010 8:00 PM
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Oakdale Theatre Wallingford, CT Sun, Jan 17 2010 7:30 PM
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Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, CT Mon, Jan 18 2010 7:30 PM
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Radio City Music Hall New York, NY Wed, Jan 20 2010 7:30 PM
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Radio City Music Hall New York, NY Thu, Jan 21 2010 7:30 PM
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Radio City Music Hall New York, NY Sat, Jan 23 2010 7:00 PM
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Radio City Music Hall New York, NY Sun, Jan 24 2010 7:00 PM
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We recently stepped back from business and realized that we have the great fortune of being able to offer our clients and prospects access to three of the biggest and best grassroots events in the country. How does reaching women through the Rockettes (feet), Hispanics through soccer (futbol), and football fans through the Super Bowl sound (football)?

If you can get a consumer to see your brand connect to their passion, you’ll go a long way in developing brand loyalty. Every marketer I know is familiar with the (albeit flawed) research showing that NASCAR fans are most loyal to the brands that support their sport.

But being successful in making that connection via sponsorship goes way beyond the just having naming rights or featuring a logo on a cup. You’ve got to engage. Grassroots, boots in the field, on-site, one-to-one—whatever you call it, it has to be done to capture the hearts of your prospects. Engaging consumers in this way is time-consuming, detail-oriented, and logistically-challenging. But if you take the time to engage with the right programs, you can be rewarded with loyal consumers.

Additionally, sponsorships can be leveraged as incentives all across an organization. Yes, the end consumer may be the first priority, but don’t forget about employee incentives (in this era of cutbacks, morale has taken a hit), sales spiffs, and best customer opportunities.

Our approach is turn-key: we negotiate the rights and benefits, and then develop programs that leverage all contracted assets, thus maximizing the dollars invested.

FEET: The World Famous Rockettes

Did you know that, in a short two month Holiday span, The Rockettes perform 500 times? Reaching 2,000,000 audience members?

About 200 performances take place at Radio City Music Hall, with the balance in 35+ cities across the country. Not surprisingly, nearly 2/3 of the target is female, and almost ¾ are between the ages of 35-64. And over 80% are Caucasian.

We can negotiate for some pretty cool assets, ranging from cast member meet and greets to VIP show access, in-venue sampling, and walk-on (dance-on?) parts.

If you know a brand that needs an emotional connection to its female audience, especially during the holidays, then consider The Rockettes.

FUTBOL: Alianza de Futbol Hispano (Alliance of Hispanic Soccer)

If your brand is targeting Hispanics, you’ve got to go grassroots. Hispanics trust brands that are a part of their community. And as one of my favorite Mexican clients likes to say “The most important things to a Mexican are his family, his church, and his futbol… and not necessarily in that order”

Alianza is the largest amateur Hispanic soccer tournament in the country. Every year, they visit 10 major Hispanic markets to execute three weekends’ worth of soccer activities: adult and youth tournaments, clinics, etc. The crown jewel of the program is a scouting event featuring representatives from major Mexican soccer clubs (think American Idol of Mexican soccer).

Since 2010 is a World Cup year (biggest sporting event in the WORLD), Alianza will be touring with a World Cup Pavilion, featuring memorabilia from World Cups of years past, including game-used equipment and interactive displays.

Last year, Alianza reached over 200,000 participants and spectators, who have the time and interest to be engaged, especially on-site.

Through Alianza, your brand can connect with soccer on many levels: from providing major soccer players spokesmen for media tours and meet and greet events, to executing on-site activations which have proven to drive major traffic and sales back to retail.

Long story short, if you want to reach Hispanics, 2010 is the year, and Alianza is the vehicle.

FOOTBALL: North Texas Super Bowl XLV (2011)

Talk about the ultimate harmonic convergence. Nowhere is football bigger than in Texas. And no football event is bigger than the Super Bowl. And since “everything is bigger in Texas”, it stands to reason that North Texas would be creating a year long celebration of football in 2010, culminating with the Super Bowl itself in the recently opened Cowboys Stadium in early 2011.

Throughout 2010, the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee will be working to keep football top of mind. As this is the first Super Bowl to be hosted in North Texas, it’s regarded as the largest and most impactful event in the history of the region since the DFW International Airport was built.

Promotional and media efforts will include, of course, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Bill Lively and other North Texas legends and powerhouses.

From its “North Texas Football: A Century in the Making” programming to kick-off concerts, VIP golf events, and of course major media and Super Bowl hospitality, we can develop programs that help you own the North Texas market in 2010.

If football fans are your target, and you want to make a BIG impression in North Texas, you’ll want to further check out this opportunity.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is a fantastic show for the entire family and you can find it at the Radio City Music Hall and on tour throughout the country.

Since 1933 the Radio City Music Hall in New York has hosted the world famous Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas show every year during the holidays. If your looking for things to do in New York, you can’t leave without seeing this event at one of the most celebrated venues in the US.

Find the best Radio City Christmas Spectacular tickets at the Radio City Music Hall on sale now for the holidays.

Radio City Music Spectacular tickets are also on sale for all the cities on the tour.

They get such a bad rap, the residents of New York City. You see movies, TV shows even comics do bits on how harsh and rough the city is. However, I have never had anything less that great customer service in NY. The food is fantastic, service fast and efficient; really, I think they do it better than any other big city.

Case in point. Last week I traveled to the city for the Thanksgiving holiday. I didn’t mean to be there that week, but my plans put me in the city one week behind schedule. I had tickets for the Rockette’s Christmas Spectacular (if you’ve never seen it, you gotta go) on the previous Friday and thought my tickets had gone to waste.  However, my friend said, “Let’s go down to Radio City and see if they’ll honor them”. I hesitated and finally gave in, thinking there’s no way we’ll get in, it’s the Friday after Thanksgiving and the hall will be packed for every show that day! But, I gave in and made the five-block walk.

Much to my surprise, the will call booth attendent called someone inside, they came up and escorted us inside and asked us which show today would we like to see? Wow, are you kidding? No attitude, no complications?  We came back later, were escorted again to our seats (lower mes, center stage) and watched another great NY show. Like the old tag line goes…I heart NY!

Watching the annual Macy’s Dia de Gracias parada, I was enthralled by the preciseness and Diva-ness of the one and only Radio City Rockettes. The red coated ballerinas kicked, smiled and posed thier lovely bums in front of Macy’s @ Herald Square…but where in the world did they come from?

The over seventy-five year old precision dancing troupe was conceived by a choreographer from St. Louis, Missouri named Russell Markert. In el ano 1925, Markert took his adoration for the John Tiller Girls of the Ziegfeld Follies and enhanced them based on his personal belief that “if the girls were taller and had longer legs and could do really complicated tap routines and eye-high kicks…they’d knock your socks off!” That year the Missouri Rockets were born and began captivating St. Louian audiences with their in sync dance routines just like Markert once dreamed.

Soon after their well embraced Missouri conception, skilled artistic Manhattanite, Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel negotiated with the dance troupe’s papi in bringing the girls down to the “hustle and bustle” of la Gran Manzana. Markert’s desire for the girls to become household names and the envy of all entertainment seekers of the times erged the New York City debut of the Roxyettes.

The collaboration of Markert, Rothafel and the 16 all female member, “quintessental American chorus line” was impressionable. The Roxyettes dazzled the stage of the Rothafel owned Roxy Theatre, sharing programs with top acts of the era; The Flying Wallenendas, Ray Bolger and dance impresario, Martha Graham.

When Rothafel said ”Adios!” to the Roxy Theatre  due to dinero issues in 1932 he took Markert and the glamourous, lovely-legged ladies with him to open Radio City Music Hall. On Diciembre 27, 1932 the Missouri based, Missouri Rockets got their final re-birth and the presently popular Radio City Rockettes were born. 

Desde 1932 over three thousand mujeres have danced as world renowned Rockettes. The once all white, 16 member chorus line has grown into a present day internationally faced, 36 member kick line admired by millions worldwide. Hoy, a Rockettes’ stats are still based on Markert’s 1925 formula with slight modernizations. Las chicas still have to be between 5′6” and 5′10 and have fabuloso skills in tap, jazz, ballet and modern dance. The girls also need to have vibrant and welcoming personalities, for various members of the troupe travel and are representatives for numerous media outlets. In 1987, Rockettes’ casting was finally deemed “colorblind” (pretty late in the game if tu ask me), allowing ethnic girls to take part of the Diva-ness.

Las Rockettes of course are mostly known for “America’s #1 live theatrical event”, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Since 1933 the ladies have helped spread Christmas cheer by tapping alongside Santa here in NYC and in various other big city productions of the over 2.1 million annually seen holiday spectacle.

Yo have had the pleasure to personally know two Rockettes within my theatrical involvements and Markert’s concept is still present. Both ladies are blessed with amazing dance abilities and piernas to die for along with having a high regard of  their artistic expression.

Un gran BRAVO to Markert’s sueno, it came true and is still prosperous…Feliz Navidad!

My favorite songstress, Lady Gaga, covers the January 2010 cover of Elle. What a way for the magazine to ring in the New Year!  (I’ll be celebrating 2010 on January 24th at Radio City Music Hall with live Lady Gaga and the dance party of a lifetime).

I’m not going to spend this entire post gushing about how much I love Lady Gaga, but she’s just amazing, for lack of a better word. Phenomenal in every single way. She’s talented, and she is the definition of a fashion rebel, and I LOVE everything about her.

She looks gorgeous on the cover of Elle, and this is a side of her we haven’t seen before!

Image - ELLE

Image - ELLE

If you haven’t already… pick up the Fame Monster RIGHT NOW. Because you’re seriously missing out.

Kate Langenburg/A&E Groove

My own excitement overwhelms me…Furthur has just released their winter tour dates!

Okay, so who the f is Further? Remember the Grateful Dead? Yeah, it’s some of those guys — guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Phil Lesh to be specific. But it’s also John Kadlecik, the guitarist who plays Jerry in Dark Star Orchestra, the number one Grateful Dead cover band. And then there’s Joe Russo, Jay Lane, and Jeff Chimenti, too!

It seems that for their first ride around the country, they’ve decided to hit a lot of large venues…Radio City Music Hall to name one. But not only that, they’ve also booked college campuses, too. I think they’ve figured out where their audiences are! They’re going to colleges like Lehigh University, the University of Delaware, Cornell University, and the University of Massachusetts. Joy!

Well, rather than me just ramble on about how great this all is, let me give you the link to the tour dates page so you can see for yourself: FURTHUR TOUR DATES.

Okay, so what’s going to happen to DSO when John Kadlecik leaves them? According to the band’s website, they will press on. Having gone through quite a few members in the past years, this band has the oomph to keep on going. But good luck finding another “Jerry Garcia” quite as good as Kadlecik.

It’s all for the best, really. Furthur comprises some of the most talented jam musicians in the country. This band is sure to be a hit with Dead fans and jam band fans alike. They will play Grateful Dead songs, of course, but will also venture away into their own material, too. I’m ready for them to take me FURTHUR!

NIKON D300, Nikon 12-24, HDR in Photomatix

I was in NYC a few weeks back and had a few hours to grab a few shots.  We walked around Rockefeller Center and I had always wanted to get an HDR of Radio City Music Hall.   I took a few versions, but I liked this grand shot with the car lights cruising by.   A colorful street corner!    I have never been to any event at Radio City…I hear it is wonderful!

Here is some info from the web:  The names “Radio City” and “Radio City Music Hall” derive from one of the complex’s first tenants, the Radio Corporation of America. Radio City Music Hall was a project of Rockefeller; Samuel Roxy Rothafel, who previously opened the Roxy Theatre in 1927; and RCA chairman David Sarnoff. RCA had developed numerous studios for NBC at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, just to the south of the Music Hall, and the radio-TV complex that lent the Music Hall its name is still known as the NBC Radio City Studios.

The Music Hall opened to the public on December 27, 1932 with a lavish stage show featuring Ray Bolger and Martha Graham. The opening was meant to be a return to high-class variety entertainment. The new format was not a success. The program was very long and individual acts were lost in the cavernous hall. On January 11, 1933, the Music Hall converted to the then familiar format of a feature film with a spectacular stage show which Rothafel had perfected at the Roxy Theatre. The first film was shown on the giant screen was Frank Capra’s The Bitter Tea of General Yen starring Barbara Stanwyck and the Music Hall became the premiere showcase for films from the RKO-Radio Studio. The film plus stage spectacle format continued at the Music Hall until 1979 with four complete performances presented every day.

Radio City has 5,933 seats for spectators; it became the largest movie theater in the world at the time of its opening. Designed by Edward Durell Stone, the interior of the theater, with decor by Donald Deskey, incorporates glass, aluminum, chrome, and geometric ornamentation. Deskey rejected the Rococo embellishment generally used for theaters at that time in favor of a contemporary Art Deco style, borrowed heavily from a European Modern aesthetic style, of which he was the foremost exponent at the time.

Great stuff!  I’d love to see a concert there one day!  New York is one of the best cities in the world!!!  I can visit again and again!

The week before Thanksgiving, the Dizzles and their moms trekked into NYC for a matinee showing of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes.  What a show!  Besides a little difficulty with the Toy Soldiers skit (where they all line up and fall down), the Rockettes were pretty amazing.  I thought they were just a bunch of ladies who could kick really high at the same time, but they are actually a bunch of ladies who can do everything really well at the same time.  Our seats were AMAZING, only a few rows from the stage, and it really put us in the holiday spirit.  Thanks to Mr. Dizzle’s mama for the treat!!

Every gala programme requires good infrastructural set up in order to make it a successful event. The New York City has every possible amenity that is just the right kind of ingredient to make a concert an absolutely sold out affair. The New York City is a modern developed city that easily boasts off several venues that are capable of holding world famous concerts of eminent artists across the continents. The best concert venues in New York City always are in high demand among the common public so that they can get a glimpse of their music idols.

To begin with, the prestigious Carnegie Hall comes to the foray. Eminent classical musicians and also the artists of popular music perform regularly at this hall. It is known across every country in the world for its sheer interior beauty, and top class acoustics. The Carnegie Hall has its artistic programming systems and inbuilt development infrastructural set ups alongside fine marketing departments. It boats off around two hundred and fifty artistic performances in each season and is also conveniently rented out to the various performing groups of different countries. Each and every person feels really proud to witness a gorgeous concert in the Carnegie Hall in New York City.

No person can deny the prominence of the world famous Roseland Ballroom in the cultural scenario of New York City. It is also known as the Roseland Dance City. It serves for several purposes taking into account the nature of various artistic performances. The Roseland Ballroom simultaneously acts as a fine dance hall and also for the venue of world class concerts. It accommodates more than 2000 people for a well flourished concert and every person wants to be among the audiences witnessing the wonderful cultural events. Bands and artists like AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Madonna, Paul McCartney etc have performed here. Even mega events like huge movie premiers take place at the Roseland Ballroom.

The Bowery Ballroom is yet another excellent venue for the purpose of world class concerts in New York City. It has a long history behind it as it was built just before the beginning of the period of the Great Depression and later it was converted to a concert hall to meet the cultural needs of the common public. It is comparatively a much more compact concert hall with more limited seating capacity and arrangements but is equipped with all sorts of modern facilities that are essential for conducting massive concerts. The rush for the tickets of the concerts at the Bowery Ballroom is huge as world class artists from every corner of the musical arena perform at this prestigious locale.

The list of the best concert venues in New York City is further prolonged by the addition of the Radio City Music Hall. As the name suggests, it primarily concentrates on the musical platforms of the artists and the corresponding mega events such as massive concerts. The Radio City Music Hall is at the Rockefeller Centre of New York City. It has got an interesting nick name – the Showplace of the Nation – indicating its immense significance in the musical arena not only in New York City but also in USA from an overall perspective. Coveted award shows like the Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards are being frequently held at the Radio City Music Hall.

Next comes the lovable Madison Square Garden. It is the main hub of several kinds of cultural events and many gala sporting events that pull huge amount of crowds from various regions. People virtually go berserk in order to get tickets to watch concerts at the Madison Square Garden. It hosts a whopping over three hundred events annually which is arguably matched by very few venues all over the world.

The Beacon Theatre is also a marvellous venue for the purpose of organizing world class concerts in New York City. It is a historic place and is located in the upper Broadway region in Manhattan. Several rock and blues bands perform at this venue round the year.

The Irving Plaza is yet another gorgeous venue in New York City that hosts top class concerts of world famous artists and also gives platforms to the local performing bands and solo musicians.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy arriving at the TV show ‘Vivement Dimanche’ in Paris, France on November 4, 2009

Bio from the French Magazine Paris Match

Though the French profess a certain disdain for Sarkozy’s unpresidential style, they clearly cannot get enough. “Carla has led many lives,” the noted journalist Christine Ockrent, whose companion, Bernard Kouchner, is the French foreign minister, tells me. “She’s a kind of alpha female. She was never a courtesan like Pamela Harriman—she was more like a female Don Juan.” Carla Bruni is no stranger to privilege.

In the opening scene of her sister Valeria’s semi-autobiographical film, It’s Easier for a Camel … , the female protagonist goes to church to confess, “I am rich—I am very, very rich.” Bruni was born into one of the industrial dynasties in Turin. The family fortune came from the ceat company, which produced electrical cable. Alberto Bruni-Tedeschi, the patriarch, however, was as much a composer and art collector as a capitalist. “He could converse on anything from A to Z,” says a family friend.

Carla’s extroverted mother, Marisa, who appears in Valeria’s films, was a concert pianist. Carla, Valeria, and their brother, Virginio, grew up on a vast estate outside the city. Carla studied piano, violin, and guitar. “Ours were not the kind of parents who would spend time with children,” she tells me. But neither, she adds, were they interested “in the power of money. Maybe because my parents were artists.

I remember that every time my father had to choose between increasing his business and going to the museum he would go to the museum, and I think that was transmitted to us.” In 1975, when the Red Brigades were kidnapping wealthy individuals, Carla’s family moved to Paris, where she attended an Italian school and received a French baccalaureate. Her parents expected her to continue her studies, but she soon tired of the 37 Métro stops it took to get to classes on art and architecture, and she couldn’t wait to be on her own. So when her brother’s girlfriend, a model, told her to try modeling, she made her move. “What I wanted was to be free, independent of my parents,” says Carla. “Modeling is a fast-acting job—right away you get to work, and you learn in two or three months by working.” That became her pattern: take on a big challenge, learn fast, and land on top.

French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy arrives at Elysee Palace in Paris, France on July 14, 2009 after the Bastille Day military parade on the Champs Elysee avenue

Carla Bruni Sarkozy on the web

Though its bugging from time to time since its launch thanks to high traffic, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy website,carlabrunisarkozy.org, made its ranks within a bunch of other highly read political news websites.Among them the artistically acclaimed Segoléne Royal’s website, she was a presidential candidate for 2007.Club Villepin.fr, the former Prime Minister website and Elysée twitter account ..etc

A start with bugs and media coverage, discovering a design with pastel colors, clean, inspiring glossy upscale,the French quickly drawn the parallel with “ Your desired Future’ Ségoléne Royal website which has caused an overnight media firestorm.But not so fast, the comparison stoped at the design similarities, Segolene Royal being a left -wing politician as opposed to Carla Bruni Sarkozy whom married a right- wing politician.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy performs during the Mandela Day

While the singer has already a site dedicated to her albums, this new portal, created by Zeni, the agency’s Web Keyrus group, leans on her other hats – each with its own color code: Ambassador activities for the Global Funds against AIDS, those of her foundation which are aimed to “facilitate access to culture, education and knowledge to fight against social inequalities, and Finally, Carla, first lady.

It gives a homepage  where we can pretty much find everything from  an article listing the “10 things to know about AIDS,”  to another on the culture in prison or the story of her day with Michelle Obama in Pittsburgh and an interview with Jean-Paul Gautier, etc..

“In many parts of the world, when one hears the name” Carla “, it is likely to be Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. But since December 15, 2007, where she was seen with the president, its has  dramatically increased, she’s more popular as ever.

President Sarkozy, Queen Elizabeth II and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy watch a ceremonial welcome at Windsor on March 26, 2008 in England

carlaburnisarkozy.org

]]> http://yesdavidishere.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/midtown-dining/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:46:21 +0000 David M. http://yesdavidishere.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/midtown-dining/

Photo Courtesy of BurdaStyle.com. Photography by Alden Davis

One of the best things about living in New York is the food options.

The city’s food choices is certainly indicative of the cultures that live in it. You can find virtually any type of food here, from Jamaican to Indian to Italian. The options are endless, and one is always discovering a “new place.” Rather than the restaurant chain fare one may find in suburban towns, The Big Apple is home to thousands of small, family-owned businesses that serve to their own unique tastes and audiences. It’s heavenly, especially for a major foodie like me.

I work for a wonderful sewing community called BurdaStyle, which recently relocated its office from Brooklyn to Midtown Manhattan. We now work in the Rockefeller Center, right next to Radio City Music Hall, a considerable jump from our quaint and cozy Brooklyn studio. While I do miss the studio’s comforting charm, the new food options that have accompanied our move more than makes up for the separation.

We are literally surrounded by some of the best restaurants in the city! Our very first day in the new place, we went to a nearby diner called Global Kitchen, which provides a smorgasbord of cultural delights all in one spot, from pasta to sushi to cheeseburgers. I decided to try soba noodles, a hearty noodle made from buckwheat. It was delicious in a vegetable broth with chicken, tofu and vegetables, including some sumptuously sweet pickled squash.

Another day in the office (we’ve decided that Mondays is Restaurant Day), Carol, our team’s resident Midtown Dining Guru, suggested we go to Menchanko Tei, a restaurant specializing in Japanese dining. They served an excellent, affordable lunch, and I particularly loved the Sara Udon, a multi-textured mixture of crunchy egg noodles, pork, shrimp and vegetables layered underneath a well-seasoned gravy.

For dessert, we decided to continue the Japanese theme with dessert from Minamoto Kitchoan, a super-cute Japanese pastry shop. Most of their desserts were made using gelataneous moshi rice and sweetened red bean paste. They were delicious!

Hikaru, our resident graphic designer, and I were also enamored over the adorable bunny and pumpkin-shaped gift boxes they had available.

Our first week’s dining adventure in Midtown landed us among fantastic Asian cuisine. I’m excited to know what other cultures we’ll meet in the neighborhood!

I’m not (completely) ashamed to admit this, but I would definitely consider myself one of those people who ‘gets into’ the holidays. I love all the festivities – from carving pumpkins all the way through to eating leftover Christmas dinner for a week. Needless to say, I am more than excited to see all the Christmas decorations that go up around New York city. It’s only 1/3 of the way through November and I’ve already seen quite a few hints that the holiday season is upon us.

Rockefeller center is beautiful on the inside, and while I didn’t fork over the $21 to “Go to the top of the Rock”, I did appreciate the ice skating rink outside. (Which is free to look at.) In case you’re in the area, the skating rink is at 601 5th Avenue.

Ice skating at Rockefeller Center

Radio City Music Hall is just down yonder at 1260 Avenue of the Americas (6th ave).

Unlit Christmas tree! (That counts).

The thing is, I think you can ice skate at Rockefeller Center starting in October, and I’m pretty sure that Christmas tree is up all year. BUT they were still magical to see when I was out and about on a 65 degree day in November. I can’t wait to see what’s to come in the next 6 weeks.

Lady Gaga’s new tour The Monster Ball is officially rolling! Check out MTV’s intriguing 7-part feature with Lady Gaga where she discusses Beyonce, Adam Lambert, the concept of celebrity and the Monster Ball HERE.

We’re looking forward to seeing this extravagant “electro pop-opera,” full tour dates can be seen HERE. The expanded debut The Fame will be released as The Fame Monster on November 23rd!

Tour Dates:

New York: January 20th & 21 at Radio City Music Hall [Tickets]
London: February 26 & 27 at 02 Arena. [Tickets]

MP3: Lady Gaga – Paparazzi (Stuart Price Remix) or  zShare

Tonight my friend Melinda and I decided to wander around midtown with cameras in hand and play the tourist role. Since neither of us had been out to see the fancy Christmas Decorations yet, there were a lot of pictures being taken. Just me, just Melinda, just the tree, Me and Melinda, etc.

These were probably leftover props from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids". (With the economy and all people are recycling all kinds of things.)

Trumpet player man at Rockefeller Center

Doesn't it just warm your heart?

After all the sights I took in tonight, it would have been inhumane of me to not go home and immediately watch Home Alone. So that’s precisely what I did.