Review

Lulu & Corrado - Making Great Music Together...

Lulu Valentine and Anthony Corrado combine their musical talents and their obvious love for one another into a musical event you will be telling your friends about. Song, dance, comedy sketches and audience interaction are just the beginning. This couple is very talented and are eager to share their music with their audiences.

Corrado is more than proficient on just about any instrument and during a given set may play the saxophone, flute, guitar, doumbek drum or trumpet. He also has a good voice. Lulu Valentin exudes a sensuality in her vocals along with the feeling that she is just having a lot of fun singing.

Watch this space for updates on their performance schedule.

Driver Service Will Get You

Home After that Late Party

There is a new company in Greater Fort Lauderdale that just might save your life and the life of others. The company is called ZINGO, a designated driving service that drives you home in YOUR car.

If you have been drinking too much and are afraid or too responsible to drive your own car, company drivers will come to you on a folding motorized scooter and then stow the scooter in the trunk of your car and drive you home. There is no limit on distance, which is an intriguing aspect of the service. Want to go to California? You got it!

The cost is $20 for pick up and the first two miles. After that it is $2 per mile (tips are not included.)

If you think you might need the service you can even reserve the drive home in advance by calling 954-523-8887 or sending a text to 954-790-1818. Demand in peak hours mean a 20-30 minute wait but otherwise it is just ten to fifteen minutes.

ZINGO also drives patients home after surgery when they can't drive themselves and are available for birthday and bachelor and bachelorette parties. The company is fully insured and the client signs a customer service contract.

Visit www.zingoftlauderdale.com for all of the details.

Theater Review

"The 12" is a Rocking Show,

But Needs to Find its Pace

By Ray Brasted

There is a lot of passion in "The 12", the rock opera that had its world premiere at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on April 1. There had better be, the story is based on the tribulations and confusion experienced by the 12 apostles following the crucifixion of their leader, Jesus Christ.

As the show begins, "Peter" (Ron Bohmer) emerges from the front of the audience in an agitated state. Their leader is lost. Will the show go on? This opening is clever on one hand, but a bit disconcerting on the other. The audience has to quickly get up to speed because just moments after Peter's appearance, the first of 20 songs "Walk Away" begins. The numbers are strung together with minimal dialogue to set them up and almost no set pieces or costumes.

There is a lot of singing talent on stage and the music and lyrics by Neil Berg are on point and reflective of the angst and uncertainty the band members feel. Bohmer's Peter is torn with guilt and it comes through in in raging lyrics and anguished screams.

Jeremy Kushnier as Tom (Thomas) is the doubter of the 12 and it takes some convincing to make him believe that the group should carry on their leader's work and his desire to bail out on the band comes through in his emotionally charged solo, "I'm No Hero".

There was inspired casting in the choice of Dan Spitz, one of the founding members of the heavy metal band Anthrax. Director Richard Seyd makes sure Spitz gets the spotlight and some ripping guitar solos in several of the numbers. Spitz, as the apostle Philip has no lines in the show. He lets his guitar do the talking.

With 12 men on stage, it is necessary to make sure there are some strong female voices and Sophia Ramos as Mary Magdalene and Elaine Caswell in several roles (Mother Mary / the Devil / Roadie) offer some of the best numbers of the show.

It is early in the run, but there seems to be some steps that can be taken to ensure The 12 finds its place in rock opera history. Performers should have head set microphones and not rely on hand mikes that limit their movement.

The audience should be given a chance to get into the scene before the first song is belted out. And sure, this is a rock band and everyone wears what they came to work in, but a bit more effort at costuming wouldn't hurt. Pacing is a challenge with so many people on stage, but at under 90 minutes the show has room to set up transitions and add some dialogue. We have great singers, we just need a bit more acting.

This is a great story and concept but to reach the kind of wide audience that helps ensure long term success, patrons have to identify with the characters on some level. We have mothers, lovers, friends and traitors in this story. Define them a bit more and The 12 can have a long life because there is no doubt this musical rocks out.

Cruising Musing

By Ray Brasted

This not so much a review as it is a reflection of my random thoughts following a week cruising on the Celebrity Solstice out of Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Departure: A ten minute taxi ride, a fifteen minute boarding process and we were on the ship and soon in our stateroom, followed shortly by our luggage. We embarked through Terminal 18, the largest terminal in the world for a single ship, the Oasis built by Royal Caribbean.

The Food: We started eating as soon after we unpacked and pretty much did not stop until the day we got back off the ship in Fort Lauderdale. The phrase "it's all good" took on a special meaning on this week. It was boring to keep putting down excellent on our comment cards so I threw in a couple of very goods to keep it real.

Entertainment: This is tough because as Cruise Director John Grantham put it, entertainment is subjective. Just go with the flow and you will have a good time because these are professionals who really give it everything they've got. I was giving a standing ovation more often then not.

The Captain's Club. This is a perk for VIP and frequent cruisers and a nice perk it is. Getting your clothes washed and folded and your formal night shirt pressed is special. And then there is the private club where you can sip cocktails before dinner. No additional comments needed here.

Visiting in the ports of call: I will always remember the driver and tour guide of the small bus we took for an hour tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They took four less  passengers so they could fit a mobility scooter on the seat for a passenger who could not walk. They had to dismantle the scooter and put it back together which they did without fanfare.

Arguing: Shouting matches and verbal sparring seems to be part of the island culture in the Caribbean. Don't confuse these sometimes vitriolic exchanges with real fighting. Apparently it is a way to blow off steam and you usually find out the individuals involved are close friends or family. Still it can be off-putting to some travelers who think nothing of engaging with ongoing and more damaging spats with their partners.

Cruise Passengers: We encountered many friendly and helpful folk, many of who were more experienced in this mode of travel then we were. They were eager to give us tips and advice about activities on board and the ports of call. You have to do your own investigation however, because frequent cruisers can become a bit jaded and their assessments tempered with experiences you might be seeing for the first time.

Verandas: If you can afford it get a stateroom with a veranda. To sit there reading a book while the ocean slides away below is one of the most soothing experiences I have had. At night, with the sliding door ajar, I was gently rocked to sleep while the waves swoosh along in rhythm. And after two days in open sea I was in awe that I had not seen land or another ship in all that time.  Great reality check.

Coming Home: Somehow you are ready and not ready at the same time. Watching the cargo hold being loaded with supplies for the turn-around just a few hours away, I realized we had been part of something unique in human culture. A cruise ship is a time machine that travels on waves of fantasy and ultimately we were like the swells rolling beneath the ship. We went to sea, but ultimately it was time to return to the shore.

Cruise Director Takes a Fall from Time to Time

Former Stuntman Not Afraid

to Become Part of the Show

Ray Brasted

John Grantham is not your usual cruise director and that can be claimed even if one hasn't experienced a lot of cruises. How many former hollywood stuntmen do you know who emcee cruise line shows, mingle with guests aboard ship and lines up entertainment for the pleasure of passengers?

A big man with broad shoulders and ready smile, Grantham spent twenty years falling off horses, being shot at and beat up in the name of show business and is not what you would imagine when asked to describe a typical cruise director. And Grantham understands that. "It really is amazing. It isn't something I aspired to do," he said with a smile.

A chance conversation brought the Naples, FL native to the attention of Celebrity Cruises and he was quickly hired. Having worked as an actor and stuntman in Las Angeles for many years and having been around many well known professionals in the theater and movies gives Grantham an insight into talent and working with entertainers.

Finding the right blend of entertainment and special programs is an art in its own right and pleasing several thousands passengers week to week takes the courage of a man used to falling off horses. "Entertainment is very subjective. Something I like, might not be liked by the next person," Grantham noted.

But he keeps his eyes open for up-and-comers and on the first night of recent cruise introduced Will Foraker to the audience. Grantham "discovered" the 22-year-old playing in a hidden corner of the Celebrity Solstice and was wowed by the young man's talent.

Foraker did not disappoint and for the rest of the cruise drew ever increasing crowds to his corner of the ship. We agree that many who read this will one day be able to say they knew him "when".

Maybe it is because of his years of auditioning for parts, and learning to move forward when faced with rejection, but Grantham brings a sensitivity to his job when working with the artists who put on a show every night.

"I think I can connect with our audience," he added.

Ed. Note: At the time of this interview Grantham was preparing to leave the Celebrity Solstice for a vacation and then to join the Celebrity Equinox in Europe.

Experience, of Course; But Self Confidence

and Good Humor are Key Leadership Ingredients

When Managing a Cruise Ship

By Ray Brasted

Dimitrios Kafetzis is the kind of person I want being in charge of a cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers and crew across open seas. Not only because he is trained, which he is. Not only because he worked his way up the ranks, which he did. Not only because he has strong leadership qualities, which he does. I also want him in charge because he has a sense of humor and a perspective about life that sets him apart. Those leadership qualities seem to pass down throughout the crew until it reaches passengers. The result? Everyone seems to be having a good time.

With the timing of a stand-up comedian he held the attention of passengers aboard the Celebrity Solstice Cruise Ship with wry observations about the ship and his job. After assuring everyone that we would get to our first port, San Juan, Puerto Rico, safely, he offered a toast and we all raised our glasses and sipped our champagne. As he was about to take another sip, he stopped. "If I drink any more you can kiss Puerto Rico goodbye," he deadpanned.

He was the same when we had a chance to interview him for this article. "My main goal when I use humor is to have people paying attention. I feel comfortable with myself and I want to sell the idea of professionalism to others," he added.

Damien O'Conner

Damien O'Connor, the ship's hotel manager, with fifteen years in the industry, said Captain Kafetzis leads by example, and that includes interacting with staff from the officers to cabin stewards. "On the Solstice we are a second family on board. We strive to exceed the expectations of our guests and we do it naturally and happily," he said. He added he believes that is why many guests return to cruise again.

Crew members come from all over the world, representing over fifty nationalities and everyone from the Captain down the line eats in the same dinning room. "Training is ongoing, it never stops", said O'Connor, "and we also promote from within whenever possible."

Unlike most of the staff who work regular shifts, the senior officers are on call 24 hours a day, depending upon port arrivals, unexpected emergencies or changes in the weather. "I don't have a typical day. Each day depends on many factors," Captain Kafetzis said. If everything is a code green, decisions are routine, but if the Captain deems a situation a code yellow or code red, the experience and training of the officers is crucial. "We are ready to do our jobs when there is a real emergency," Captain Kafetzis emphasized.

As the Celebrity Cruise Line plans to roll out new and larger ships, there will be job opportunities for many positions. "We have started to recruit more in the U.S. where it can be difficult to find individuals who can leave their families for months at a time," O'Connor said. But for those who do make the career move, it can be a great experience. "This is a fantastic industry," O'Connor concluded.

Ed. note: Visit www.celebritycruises.com for more information.

Fort Lauderdale News and Events - A Wrap Up Reflecting the Many Aspects of South Florida Living

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens was the latest location for filming of The Glades, a new television series that began shooting throughout Florida this summer. The filming took place June 24 through the early hours of June 26. The dramatic series features Australian actor Matt Passmore (Underbelly, McLeod’s Daughters) as Jim Longworth, an attractive, brilliant, yet hard to get along with homicide detective from Chicago who gets shot by his captain after being wrongfully accused of sleeping with his wife.

After being exiled from the department, Longworth relocates to the sleepy, middle of nowhere town of Palm Glade, Florida, where the sunshine and golf are plentiful and crime is seemingly at a minimum. Only this town outside the Florida Everglades isn’t quite as idyllic as he thought, as he finds people keep turning up murdered.

The new A&E drama series was produced by Fox Television Studios. “This new series will be viewed by millions of people throughout the United States and we are thrilled to have Bonnet House as one of the locations used for filming,” says Bonnet House CEO, Karen Beard. We hope it will attract more people to the Bonnet House Estate to explore all of the natural beauty and history it has to offer.

About Bonnet House:

Bonnet House is located one block south of Sunrise Blvd. between Ft. Lauderdale Beach Blvd., (A1A) and the Intracoastal Waterway at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.  Bonnet House is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. -4 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission prices are $20 for individuals, $18 for senior citizens, $16 for children ages 6 – 12 and $10 for the grounds only.  Group tours are also available at a discounted price.  For more information, call (954) 563-5393 or visit the estate’s website, www.bonnethouse.org.

Tree Planting Commemorates Super Bowl

Seventeen new trees now growing at Weaver Park in Pompano Beach symbolize the end of Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida and the beginning of Super Bowl XLV to take place in Arlington, Texas, in 2011.

The trees were planted by Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs, members of the National Football League (NFL), the Miami Dolphins and Pompano Beach city officials on Monday. The "Plant It Forward" tree planting event marks the passing of the Super Bowl experience from region to the next and completes the final Super Bowl XLIV Urban Forestry project in Broward County.

"There's more to the Super Bowl than just the game. The trees planted in Weaver Park complete a series of environmental projects that took place in South Florida as we hosted the 2010 Super Bowl. Now we pass that legacy on to Texas, where a tree from Broward County will grow to provide shade, oxygen and beauty for years to come," said Commissioner Jacobs.

A tree from South Florida and a shovel used at Monday's planting will be sent to a tree planting celebration in Arlington on June 17. Each year, the NFL plans a series of high profile urban forestry events to offset the carbon emissions that occur with such mega events as the Super Bowl.

"When I was a kid, trees were there for one reason -- to climb," said former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Nat Moore. "The NFL and the Miami Dolphins plant these trees for the enjoyment of kids in this community."

The Miami Dolphins purchased the trees and played a significant role in the urban forestry projects before, during and after Super Bowl 2010. Broward County and the City of Pompano Beach will provide long-term care and maintenance of the trees.

All trees planted as part of the NFL Environmental Program will be included in a database of "Super Bowl trees" that will be monitored for environmental impact by state and federal forestry officials. This NFL tree database will also include trees planted over the past six years in Miami, Detroit, Jacksonville, Tampa and Phoenix.

Sea Turtles on the Move This Summer. Life after dark takes on new meaning this summer as endangered sea turtles make their way onto Greater Fort Lauderdale's eight moonlit beaches to lay their eggs deep in the sand, as they have done since the age of dinosaurs more than 150,000,000 years ago.

Of the eight species of sea turtles worldwide, the three that nest on Greater Fort Lauderdale's golden sands from March through October include: the threatened Loggerhead sea turtle, which formed 1,809 nests in 2009, the endangered Green sea turtles, which had 71 nests in 2009, followed by the Leatherback turtles, which had 45 nests in 2009. After 45-55 days of incubation, more than 1,900 nests hatched in Broward County resulting in more than 150,000 hatchlings making their way to the ocean last year.

During the months of June and July, the museum will hold their Moonlight, Sea Turtles and You! program, giving participants a chance to watch a 400-pound Loggerhead sea turtle venture out of the ocean to lay her eggs, nature permitting. Guests will also meet "Dulce," the museum's resident female Loggerhead sea turtle. The program starts at the Museum of Discovery & Science at 9pm and ends at approximately 1am. Participation is $19 for non-members and advance reservations are required. Additional information and reservations are available at 954-713-0930, or by visiting www.mods.org.

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) is now accepting entries for its 25th annual festival which will be held October 22 - November 11 at venues through out Fort Lauderdale. FLIFF accepts entries in three competitions Professional, Collegiate, and High School.

Professional Submissions - Features, Documentaries, Shorts, Animation, Experimental, Florida-made, Children's;

Collegiate Submissions - Narrative (20 min or longer), Short (under 20 min), Documentary, Animation;

High School Film Competition - (entries should be no longer than 5 minutes, however, we will accept some exceptions): Short, Doc, Music Video, Experimental/Animation, Public Service Announcement

Email Bonnie Adams at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions or go to www.fliff.com.

The University of Miami Lowe Art Museum will greet spring with a faculty exhibition, featuring the internationally collected glass artist, Endowed Chair, and UM Art Department Professor William Carlson. The UM Faculty Exhibition, William Carlson: Aquila Non Capit Muscas (An Eagle Does Not Catch Flies) will be on view at the Lowe Art Museum through June 6, 2010.

The Broward County Council of the Navy League, through Al and Shelly Stein, has been supporting the marines in Iraq and Afghanistan for the last five years. Capt. Neville spoke of how important the packages we send have been and how much they appreciate our efforts. If you would like to become a part in the effort to support our families and friends who are in the military reserves Call George Reeves at 305-285-4845.

The Navy League of the United States - Broward County, FL Council is working with Seafarers’ House, another non-profit organization to provide care packages to our military serving in Afghanistan.

Seafarers' House, of Fort Lauderdale, in cooperation with the Broward County Council of the Navy League donated numerous boxes of personal care items for military personnel at the Joint Command in Kabul, Afghanistan. Joe Giambrone, Navy League South Florida Area President, is a volunteer at Seafarers’ House and helped with the Seafarers’ House Christmas shoe box program. He worked with Chaplain Gregory Worch and Executive Director Lesley Warrick to obtain their assist with the Broward County Council’s care package program.

Broward County Council Directors Al and Shelly Stein have been responsible for providing care packages to deployed Marines and Sailors for many years. To date more than 300 packages have been sent.  Seafarers’ House and the Broward County, FL Council of the Navy League look forward to continuing their partnership of supporting our military and seafarers from around the world.

Seafarers' House at Port Everglades is a cooperation among all faiths, labor, business and civic leaders with a mission "to offer refuge, resources, renewal and respect to the maritime community through multi-faith service.”  With the help of its supporters and volunteers, Seafarers' House offers low cost international phone calls, free transportation, Internet access, counseling services, liaison with authorities as well as recreational facilities.

To find out more about the Navy League, visit www.navyleague.org or to find out about the Broward County Council, visit www.bcnavyleague.org. Seafarers’ House; visit www.seafarershouse.org.

The Broward Cultural Division distributed federal grant stimulus funds to, among 16 others organizations, the Old Dillard Museum. These funds directly affected twelve local musicians within the Museum’s performance portfolio, including Melton Mustafa and Alexis Caputo who have now been re-hired for two more concerts, previously slated for cancellation in December 2009 and June 2010 due to financial cut backs.   For further information on the list of grantees, or this program, visit the Broward Cultural Division website at www.broward.org/arts; or contact Jim Shermer 954-357-7502; e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Knitting clubs in South Florida are contributing to the cause by donating their time and talent to produce more than seven dozen scarves, skull caps, and helmet liners for the troops serving in Afghanistan. The Broward County Council of the Navy League provides the funding for the mailing, including boxes and cards.

To contribute contact Shelly Stein at 954-472-0285. The post office charges $12.50 per box.

Broward County has received for than $584 million in federal stimulus funding for 2010. A recovery web site has been created at www.broward.org/recovery to track and update the implementation of various projects. The money will go to airport improvements, the arts, crime prevention, food and shelter programs, homelessness prevention and housing, community block grants, transportation and reducing green house gas emissions, among other projects.

Taste of Mexico - Ambiance of

South Beach: As Good as it Gets

Sometimes there is a moment when we appreciate living in South Florida even more than usual and on a sunny afternoon in February we experienced just that when we attended an "intimate" cocktail reception at the Dorchester Hotel on Collins Avenue in South Beach.

Our congenial host was owner Lloyd Mandell who also serves as Executive Manager and, on this day, impromptu parking attendant. "Just park there, we know where to find you," he advised.

The reception was for Chef John Gray, the only chef representing Mexico during the 2010 South Beach Wine & Food Festival's "BubbleQ" evening on Feb. 25. "I was very pleased to have been contacted to attend this event," Chef Gray told us. "I've been in Mexico for quite a while."

In the two decades he has been in Mexico he has built a reputation as a pioneer for his upscale cuisine that features the "textures and taste" of Mexico.

John Gray's Kitchen opened in Puerto Morelos in 2002; John Gray's Place in Playa del Carmen in 2004; La Suegra de John Gray in Puerto Morelos in February 2008; John Gray's Downtown in Cancun in 2008; The Den at John Gray's Place opened in 2009.

For this event Gray worked over an open grill presenting special delights for guests who sat in the quaint courtyard of the Dorchester. They could also sit in "The Floating Bed", a new addition which offers guests the chance to swing gently with the breezes.

It is nice to be in South Florida in February.

Ed. Note: To learn more about the John Gray Restaurant Group visit www.johngrayrestaurantgroup.com. To find out about the Dorchester Hotel go to www.thesuitesofdorchester.com. And if you wish to find a "floating bed" check www.floatingbed.com.

Going the Extra Mile at

Barilla Interactive Dinner

You really have to give it up for Lidia Bastianich, the award winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television cooking show host. She could just have put on a food event at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (Presented by Food&Wine). She could have invited people come in to eat and drink and then go home full and happy.

But she chose to put on an interactive dinner where people who did not know each other learned to work as a team to prepare a meal. Open gas stoves at each table, uncooked plates of fish and vegetables overseen by different personalities offers up a lot of possibilities.

We had a ball. Most of us at our table took a turn at cooking a portion of the meal and as the evening and the wine flowed along we soon were chatting like family members. And that is the idea. The message is clear, food brings people together. It has from the beginning of time.

Each presentation was received with a applause and the cook of the moment was given congratulations for a job well done. If you are used to sitting down and being served this might not be your event. But if you enjoy people, love to cook and have an adventurous spirit, put an interactive dinner on your list of things to do at the next South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Ray Brasted Article and Photos - ftlauderdalenews.net