Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The World of Books!

In 1982, the American Library Association began an annual event Banned Books Week. It’s a week-long event, held during the last week of September (September 25 through October 2) that raises awareness of freedom of speech through celebrating challenged books and especially the value of free expression. The list of books banned by American schools and libraries includes many of the classics such as "Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling's series included witchcraft, sorcery and rebellion against authority. We all have a right to express our intellectual freedom through our creative works, even if the information is unpopular or unorthodox; thus, providing the foundation for Banned Books Week. One of the primary functions of Banned Books Week is to stress the importance of ensuring the availability of unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.




According to news service reports, Oprah Winfrey has forgiven Jonathan Franzen. It was nine years ago that Oprah picked Franzen’s book “The Corrections” for her book club. The author canceled his appearance on her show after he showed ambivalence after her endorsement, but all is forgiven and Winfrey has chosen his new novel, “Freedom”. The book “Freedom” was released back in August and was canonized by critics before publication and has been a best-seller even without Oprah’s approval, which is without a doubt unbelievable since everyone knows that if you go on Oprah, your book is almost guaranteed to be number one.



Speaking of best-selling authors, Nicolas Sparks is an internationally best-selling novelist of 16 books. Six books so far have been adapted to film, including “Message in a Bottle,” “A Walk to Remember,” “The Notebook,” “Nights in Rodanthe,” “Dear John” and “The Last Song,” released on March 31. Two other books are in the process of being made into film adaptation, “True Believer,” is scheduled for release in 2011, and “The Luck One,” is expected to be released in 2012, starring Zac Efron. We had the pleasure of meeting this amazing novelist Nicolas Sparks on September 20. Sparks is currently on a book tour with his latest novel “Safe Haven.” We spoke to Nicolas Sparks, and he answered a few questions for his fans:



Q: What is your favorite Author?



A: "Steven King."



Q: How do you write women so well?



A: "I received inspiration from my mother and sister; I also get along better with women than with men."



Q: Where do you find your characters?



A: "Mostly from people I meet and know."



Q: Of all the novels you have written, what is your favorite?



A: “Three Weeks With My Brother.”



Nicolas Sparks spoke of his marriage of 21 years to the same woman and his five children ranging from ages 9 through 19. His love for dogs, all 12 of them, in his home in North Carolina. His charming, witty and open personality shines not only on paper but in his caring attitude toward his fans. He spoke of his latest novel “Safe Haven,” which is somewhat structured and has an element of danger. “Safe Haven” will be adapted into a film, snapped up by Relativity Media. Sparks's successful writing career has made him one of the most-respected novelists of the century.



Joining the world of books, The Kardashian sisters are writing a book on relationships.We also have, Rihanna, and “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro planning on releasing books.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Awards and Fashion!

The much-anticipated MTV Video Music Awards show on September 12, was somewhat disappointing. The show was hosted by Livingston, N.J. native Chelsea Handler, who had the audience in stitches. The music was entertaining, but needed a bit more pizazz. We were all waiting for the shocker of the evening, like the Brittany and Madonna kiss, or just something else spontaneous. It seems that the only duet that came to fruition was Eminem with Rihanna. The anticipated duet with Justin Beiber and Ludacris didn’t happen so he performed a medley of “U Smile,” “Baby” and “Somebody to Love.” Usher performed his new hit “OMG.” It would have been nice to see a performance with Pitbull. How many more times are we going to hear about Kanye West and Taylor Swift? It’s time to bury the hatchet.


All eyes were on Lady Gaga who snagged a record of eight moonmen trophies. Lady Gaga stole the show with her outrageous outfits including the infamous meat dress. It seems that her dress was made from cuts of raw meat, including her shoes and bag. She even wore, what seemed to be a piece of flank steak on top of her head. Meanwhile, BeyoncĂ©, who was also nominated for many awards including “Best Video of the Year,” had the sense to skip the VMA’s and instead made her own fashion statement by modeling in NYC during Fashion Week. After his triumphant performance rap legend Eminem departed to LAX to jet back to New York to headline with Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium. The new Yankee Stadium, was host to the largest hip-hop show audience on September 13, an estimated 100,000 fans attended. The twin event was scheduled for September 14. Some of the most famous guests included Dr. Dre, D12 and 50 Cent.

Running to Fashion Week in New York from L.A. was Kanye West, who was spotted at the Marc Jacobs women’s store during the boutique’s "Fashion Night Out” festivities with former "Pussycat Doll" Melody Thornton, according to reports. It’s also reported that West, 33, and Miss Thornton, 25, are an item, dating for about two weeks.

The fashion industry loves a comeback almost as much as Hollywood does, and the fall 2010 runways heralded the return of the camel coat, ranging from Michael Kors to Oscar de la Renta. Now, the royal purple is officially back by Marc Jacobs in his New York Fashion Week Spring 2011 collection. The big tote bags by Marc Jacobs are also a hot item valued at under $200. Many college students are sporting them with books inside. Another definite must-have is the tote by Longchamps. Designer Carolina Herrera on the other hand produced more floral prints in the usual glamour for a dash of Asian chic.






























Sample Resume

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

What a surprise!

There is nothing like the smell of a bakery in the fall. While celebrities count their calories, they still know that the best bakery around is “Helena Wirth Cakes.” If you live in Los Angeles, you have heard of this amazing bakery, where you can treat yourself to some heavenly red velvet cupcakes, or order that special wedding cake. Well the Grammy-winning group Black Eyed Peas ordered a birthday cake there, and a wedding cake was even featured on “Desperate Housewives,” according to their website.


Now on the East Coast, some people can’t get enough of Carlos Bakery, in Hoboken, N.J. The popularity of this family-run business can be seen on the TLC hit reality show “Cake Boss.” Buddy Valastro is a polarizing, accomplished master baker, talented cake decorator and star of the reality show. He has baked cakes for Oprah Winfrey, Dylan Lauren, Rachel Ray and many more celebrities. He has been featured on "Good Morning America," "The View," "The Today Show" and HBO’s hit series "The Sopranos."

Even on Labor Day the line to enter the bakery wrapped around the block. People were in line from as far away as Florida to Seattle, Wash. Is it the popularity of being on a reality show that draws crowds? Or are the pastries that decadent? A combination of both is the answer. A variety of decadent pastries fill the trays from Italian cookies to lobster tails to the infamous cannolis. Then the possibility of seeing stars, even reality stars, draws curiosity-seekers. The bakery doesn’t post prices on the pastries, at least we didn’t see them. As far as the merchandising goes, they have Carlo’s Bakery mugs, water cooler bottles, T-shirts and even DVD’s from the reality show.

Everything was flying high, until the shocker came when one of the cast members of the TLC show “Cake Boss” was charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a minor. Buddy Valastro’s brother-in-law Remy Gonzalez, 32, was taken into custody on August 18, and remains behind bars since nobody has posted his bail of $300,000. Remy is married to Buddy’s sister, Lisa, and the couple have a daughter, Isabella. According to a report in the Daily Record, a local newspaper of Morris County, N.J., an arrest affidavit filed in the case claims that Gonzalez had relations with a 14-year-old unidentified minor. According to the affidavit, he broke down and cried while confessing to the assault after being told the victim was going to be examined by a physician who would report any evidence of sexual abuse to the authorities. My source told me the minors name. Hard to believe someone is capable of doing such a despicable act.  His first court date was on September 7, where he appeared wearing the yellow prison jumpsuit with his hands cuffed and his feet shackled.

One of LA’s best kept secret is the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. This tranquil, secluded and private piece of heaven embodies the classic California lifestyle. Dining at the Cliffside restaurant Nelson’s could be enchanting, the name was taken from Lloyd Bridges’s character Mike Nelson from the classic television series “Sea Hunt,” which was filmed at the Terranea’s location.

Nadal Won!

I don't have to tell you, it was the summer of Spain. Rafa Nadal won the  Men's U.S. Finals making it a grand slam career.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Are you kidding?

Rain, rain, go away! What is going on with the weather. We would like to see who wins the Men's U.S.Open. You would think that the stadium would have pre-planned, in case of rain. We are still waiting if the U.S.Open will resume.

Stars at the Mall!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

A star is born!

Rainy Sunday!

Well, the U.S. Open is on rain delay.  As always the divas are usually busy. Today, we hit the mall, met with Batman  along with People magazine celebrity stylist.

Fingers are crossed for Rafa Nadal!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Rafa Nadal is in the U.S. Finals!

This is a wonderful thing for Rafa!  Who will be in the finals with Nadal?

Djokovic or Federer?

Friday, September 10, 2010

9/11

We are soon approaching 9/11, a time to remember the lives of innocent victims that are now angels looking down on us. This weekend is very special, since it's a time of remembrance.

It is also National Grandparents Day on September 12, a day to honor your grandparents and show them you love them. Then we also have the U.S.Open finals, it will be interesting to see who wins the title.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Beautiful day in paradise!

Go out and enjoy your day! I've noticed that there are many people on Facebook that are very sensitive.They take everything to heart! So, truth be told, life is too short to deal with people like that. I'm assuming that they are so overwhelmed with problems, that they just take it out on other people.

Folks, don't take it personal.  Those people are just so miserable, that they want to make the others around them feel the same way.


If you find a person to be annoying just block them, however, keep this in mind, people at least the smart ones, know who has blocked them. Who cares, really. It's not like you make money on how many friends you actually have, or it's a popularity contest. Trust me, it's not!

Happy 18th Birthday, Kelly! You're a true blessing!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Go Nadal!

All eyes are on the U.S. Open. I really don’t want to jinx it, but this year could be the year of Spain. They became the world champions of soccer, and we could see something spectacular if Rafael Nadal wins the U.S. Open this year, making history. No one has ever won all titles in the same calendar year. If Nadal wins on September 12, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, it would give him three Grand Slam victories. It could possibly put an end to a shared era of dominance by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

In 2008, Nadal became the new king of England, dethroning five-time champ Roger Federer at Wimbledon. The unforgettable game went on for almost five hours of tennis, (four hours and 48 minutes to be precise), the longest men’s final in Wimbledon history. Anyone who remembers the game felt the drama, intensity and emotional roller coaster ride. The pressure was certainly on for Nadal, who sprawled in exhilaration after realizing he had won his first Wimbledon championship.



Nadal has certainly trimmed down when we saw him practicing on “Kids Day” on August 28, in Flushing, N.Y. He seemed more focused and determined. Even though he practiced for less than an hour, he was still a man on a mission. The mission was a US-based fitness campaign focused on a "kids total fitness" message. The tennis stars included Nadal, Federer, Roddick and many more. The event was one more effort to bring awareness to childhood obesity, which was kicked off earlier this year by First Lady Michele Obama.

The JoBros and friends hit the courts. The stars came out for “Kids Day” with the great talent of the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, David Archuleta, All Star Weekend, Nick Canon, Shontelle, as well as top sports names, Tony Hawk, Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams. The event was hosted by Adrienne Bailon (Cheetah Girls.) It was a day to celebrate the ideals of humanitarianism and leadership through tennis. The JoBros are always busy. After their set, they flew, on a 22-minute plane ride, to Atlantic City to perform that same evening at the Trump Marina Hotel and Casino.

A special birthday wish goes out to my daughter and co-writer Kelly Olszuk who celebrates her birthday with Pink on September 8.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Guess who!

Neck and neck!

We just received an email, that alerted us to the interesting information that Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are running neck to neck. They both have 245 million views each on YouTube, let's see who will hit 300 million views first?

Speaking of YouTube, if you didn't see our latest vid "Tennis and the Paparazzi" go and check it out,
since we are all friends on YouTube, check out the vid of the" U.S. Open fight on the stands." True story.

All of the culprits are now banned from attending the U.S. Open for the next two years! I'm just glad I chose to ignore the woman who told me to close my umbrella. Folks, when you go see a tennis match you go to see the sets, not be bothered by ignorant and uneducated people.

I will be back on Tuesday! Enjoy the holiday!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

What's Up?

Labor Day is finally here. A time for backyard barbecues, picnics and celebrating America’s everyday heroes—the working class people. As the summer sun fades to a gentle glow, what will the summer of 2010 be remembered for? All eyes are on the U.S. Open.


I really don’t want to jinx it, but this year could be the year of Spain. They became the world champions of soccer, and we could see something spectacular if Rafael Nadal wins the U.S. Open this year, making history. No one has ever won all titles in the same calendar year. If Nadal wins on September 12, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, it would give him three Grand Slam victories. It could possibly put an end to a shared era of dominance by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.


In 2008, Nadal became the new king of England, dethroning five-time champ Roger Federer at Wimbledon. The unforgettable game went on for almost five hours of tennis, (four hours and 48 minutes to be precise), the longest men’s final in Wimbledon history. Anyone who remembers the game felt the drama, intensity and emotional roller coaster ride. The pressure was certainly on for Nadal, who sprawled in exhilaration after realizing he had won his first Wimbledon championship.



Nadal has certainly trimmed down when we saw him practicing on “Kids Day” on August 28, in Flushing, N.Y. He seemed more focused and determined. Even though he practiced for less than an hour, he was still a man on a mission. The mission was a US-based fitness campaign focused on a "kids total fitness" message. The tennis stars included Nadal, Federer, Roddick and many more. The event was one more effort to bring awareness to childhood obesity, which was kicked off earlier this year by First Lady Michele Obama.



The JoBros and friends hit the courts. The stars came out for “Kids Day” with the great talent of the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, David Archuleta, All Star Weekend, Nick Canon, Shontelle, as well as top sports names, Tony Hawk, Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams. The event was hosted by Adrienne Bailon (Cheetah Girls.) It was a day to celebrate the ideals of humanitarianism and leadership through tennis. The JoBros are always busy. After their set, they flew, on a 22-minute plane ride, to Atlantic City to perform that same evening at the Trump Marina Hotel and Casino.


The Bob Hope Memorial Library will be formally dedicated in a ceremony on October 12, at the immigration museum on Ellis Island. The Hope family, including Bob Hope’s daughter Linda and his son Kelly Hope, along with other notable figures will gather for the formal dedication to a great entertainer and humanitarian, the late Bob Hope. A special birthday wish goes out to my daughter and co-writer Kelly Olszuk who celebrates her birthday with Pink on September 8.



Wishing everyone a Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Cristiano Ronaldo, the movie!

—“Genius does what it must, and talent does what it can.”—Bulwer-Lytton


Here is some food for thought.  We all know that when rumors start spreading, there is usually a shred of truth to them, even though celebrities, sports figures and their reps usually deny at first. Basically, that applies to all walks of life, rumors are rumors.  While some struggle with stress, hard times and unemployment, a handful of people will be floating upwards on a cloud of frivolous joy. We all know who these people are. No need to name drop.

Hollywood is running on empty. It seems that they have run out of creative ideas, all you have to do is pick up a trade paper and you’ll see what I mean. While everything is being resurrected; perhaps a film on Cristiano Ronaldo would be uplifting, easily marketable road to riches, feel good flick that would bring smiles to millions of faces.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Labor Day plans?

The collapse of retirement portfolios and the steep recession are forcing many cash-strapped adults to save money, savor family togetherness and have fun with a “staycation.” To some the word vacation brings to mind empty wallets and choruses of “are we there yet?" from bored kids. Many people these days are finding that “staycations” can be a fun, inexpensive and different alternative to high-priced, high-stress vacations. If your European vacation plans have gone the way of your 401-Not-So-Great, welcome to recession nation, discovering places that are nearby with activities that create a vacation experience, yet aren’t run-of-the-mill or overrun with out-of-towners, is the challenge. So what are your plans for Labor Day? Lots of people are planning on just staying home and doing the backyard barbecue with family members. Whatever your plans for Labor Day, the divas wish you safe in this holiday weekend. Hurricane Earl is headed to the Northeast.So preplan!

Cake Boss!

Why haven't we seen episodes of "Cake Boss?" I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but Buddy Valastro's brother-in-law, a main character in the hit show based on Carlos Bakery in Hoboken, has been arrested on charges he allegedly sexually assaulted a teenager in Morris County, authorities said. He is still roting away in jail held in lieu of $300,000 bail. Remy Gonzalez, 32, was arrested on Aug.17 in the sexually assault of a 14-year-old teenager. A court date of Sept. 7 is set.

New Jersey has it all!

New Jersey has it all. In every generation a music icon is born. In my Mom’s was Sinatra, goes without saying Frankie. My generation is Bon Jovi and Springsteen, and now Jersey’s gift to my daughter Kelly is the Jonas Brothers. The Wyckoff’s own have been putting tweens and teens not surprisingly into tizzies. Disney channel’s mega-hits are to this generation what “The Mickey Mouse Club” was back then.  First the boys are handsome, adorable and very talented.  Therefore, for your own safety, I recommend that if you have two or more teens in the house, get the earplugs, they will scream from excitement. Of course, it goes without saying that the hottest ticket this summer is the Jonas Brothers in concert.