pulsemagazinetampa.com
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06
contents Issue
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KNOCKOUTS
STRATEGIC MARKETING
Knockout Productions is a strategic marketing company that offers an array of services. Our six
ESSENTIALS
goal is to build a relationforty-four
ship between brands
Lifestyle Accessories
COVER
Mikayla Wingle
and the people who
ten
fifty
matter the most to them.
Inside the Lingerie Football League
Planning and strategy
forty-two
allows us to understand
Tampa’s hidden icon
the sectors our clients
fifty-four
do business in, so we
Matthew Foreman
engage your target
fifty-six
audience. We execute
Leading the way
our vision with services
GAMING
Gran Turismo 5 COD: Black Ops NFL Training Day sixteen
TECH
Geek Gear twenty
Don Bethell
The man behind printing twenty-two
How to Keep Secrets Even on Facebook twenty-four
UP & COMING Davy Rolando twenty-six
MIXOLOGY
Original Moonshine twenty-eight
FASHION
John Varvatos
LFL-101
ICON SAVY TV
ASK AN ATTORNEY
SOHO GROUP
to bring community
fifty-eight
FITNESS
How to have fun and still look good sixty-two
DJ SPECIAL Tamara Sky DJ Puccio DJ Ekin Barry Carrew eighty-four
PULSARAZZI
thirty-four
TRAVEL
alignment and campaign orchestration together. Through visual stimulation, culture stimulation and ongoing communication we are able to spread the word. It’s not the size of a company that matters,
Forget Paris
it’s how far they can excel
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MOTO
your brand that counts.
Lexus CT200h forty
www.knockoutproductions.org
FOXXXY FORUM
Adult version of The View
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publisher
Letter from the
T
HANKS TO YOU!!! We have survived another year!!! So in essence…let’s get down to business. In just a short time we have amped our publication to bring you something hot and entertaining with a classy mainstream appeal. This issue is like none other…Since you have allowed us to make a significant impact for the last three years, we have decided to feature a one of a kind DOUBLESIDED SPECIAL EDITION COVER!! With Tampa’s Own LFL Star “MIKAYLA WINGLE” on one side, and International DJ “TAMARA SKY” on the other! We have dedicated our minds, bodies, and souls towards appealing to our readers’ expectations. From amazing personal one on one interviews, to hilarious DJ articles, interesting Local TV Shows, to local Entrepreneurs on the come up. This “SPECIAL EDITION” of issues…is for you! From the creative minds of Three Tampa Bay Entrepreneurs, and the long days and nights from our partners and street teams, comes a full color canvas of what is happening now.. The Pulse of Tampa Bay.
Regards,
Hugo D. Aviles 4 | pulse
STAFF
PUBLISHER
H. A. World Wide Media Group, Inc.
EDITOR
Chad Kirby chad@pulsemagazinetampa.com
DESIGN
CK Graphic Designs
www.ckgraphicdesigns.com
PRESIDENT
Hugo D. Aviles
hugo@pulsemagazinetampa.com
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Anthony McGeough
LEGAL ADVISOR
Debra Belniak, Esq.
debra@pulsemagazinetampa.com
Matthew A. Foreman, Esq matthew@HoganLawFirm.com
MARKETING ADVISORS
Angye Fox | Ad Sizzle Marketing angye@adsizzlemarketing.com
Brandi Kamenar | Icon B brandi@icon-b.com
TRAVEL/EVENT ADVISORS
Tammy Levent | Elite Travel Group tammy@elitetravelgroup.net
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
tony@pulsemagazinetampa.com
Krystal Vereb
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
CONSULTANTS
Sonny Glover
sonny@pulsemagazinetampa.com
WEBSITE OPERATIONS Diego Felipe Alonso
diego@pulsemagazinetampa.com
MEDIA RESOURCES Don Bethell
don@pulsemagazinetampa.com
SALES & PR
Angela Maria Yates
angela@pulsemagazinetampa.com
STRATEGIC RELATIONS Michael Bounos
michael@pulsemagazinetampa.com
krystal@pulsemagazinetampa.com
Donald K. Duru | DURU Ventures Group Pavan Pediredla | PCM Investments, Inc. Satya Mantena | PCM Investments , Inc. Jennifer McLaren | Cara Mias, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHY Anthony Neste Are Bernard Kevin Kelii Jonathon Ridgely
Fashion | Hair | Makeup Elena Filoqi Marc Vansco Tula Pambianchi
To advertise contact H. A. World Wide Media Group, Inc. 1-877-334-6569 ext 4
Vol. 2 Issue 6 Tampa Bay Pulse is published by H.A. World Wide Media Group, Inc. Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine is a registered trademark of H.A. World Wide Media Group, Inc.. Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine is in no way responsible for loss or damage to unsolicited items. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Copyright 2010 by Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine and H.A. World Wide Media Group, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Essentials
BANNED
NBA SAYS THE SHOES CREATE AN “UNDUE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE” DUE TO TECHNOLOGY THAT INCREASES VERTICAL LEAP BY PLAYERS Athletic Propulsion Labs™ has created the first basketball shoe to instantly increase a player’s vertical leap. Based in Los Angeles, the company was founded in 2009 and is the brainchild of twin brothers, Adam and Ryan Goldston, who are former basketball and football players from the University of Southern California. The company is dedicated to providing exclusive high-performance athletic footwear products utilizing a combination of breakthrough technology, advanced materials and innovative product design. The inaugural Athletic Propulsion Labs Concept 1 basketball shoe will be released in the Spring of 2010. The line will only be available online at the company’s e-commerce website at www.APLbasketball.com and not sold in retail stores. An apparel collection featuring high-tech tshirts, shorts and warm-ups will also debut with the launch of the site. Released in limited quantities, the basketball line features the company’s breakthrough Load ‘N Launch™” patent-pending technology, designed to instantly increase the vertical leap of those who play in the shoes. This revolutionary technology provides maximum rebound effect through a unique device to help propel the athlete upward. The Load ‘N Launch™ technology is housed in a cavity in front of the ball of the foot that reacts to direct compression applied by the athlete. With a lightweight, sleek design featuring extensive carbon fiber synthetics, the
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line will be distinctive on and off the court. The company intends to follow up the launch of the basketball product line with an ultra-exclusive Athletic Propulsion Labs running shoe line in early 2011, featuring a similarly innovative running technology. As former high school and college athletes, the Goldston brothers along with many athletes and weekend warriors, consistently pursued a higher level of athletic achievement and endurance. Increasing their vertical leap became the ultimate challenge and inspiration for their technological quest. Now personified by the company’s brand platform, STOP DREAMING™. JUMP HIGHER, the Goldstons are about to launch their vision.
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RIDE on DESIGN Ciclotte is an innovative exercise bike, designed and Made in Italy combining idea, form and technology in rethinking the traditional aesthetic and functional values of an exercise bike. Ciclotte has been manufactured using exceptional materials like carbon, steel and glass fibres and represents a complete innovation in the fitness sector thanks to the unique technology of the epicycloids transmission system. Designed by Luca Schieppati, a young designer from Milan, and manufactured by the Lamiflex Group in Bergamo, Ciclotte breaks with the designs of gym equipment that have always emphasized the functional aspects, to address a target market of progressive, dynamic users that appreciate both physical and aesthetic lines. The concept of the Ciclotte was created from the need to introduce a design into everyday living, which could be a real expression of contemporary living where work and relaxation, exercise and entertainment share a single dimension, within fluid spaces where all objects can interact with one another. Thanks to its lines, which are the result of research that was inspired by ergonomics and providing the essentials, Ciclotte is both a piece of fitness equipment and a furniture accessory that can be integrated into the most varied living contexts: home, office, gym and the outdoors.
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The large wheel on the Ciclotte forms the cornerstone of the project. A large circle that is reminiscent of the old fashioned motorcycles from the end of the 1800’s, which has been transformed into an object of superior engineering, destined to become a must in the world of interior design and luxury fitness. Other distinctive features include the unusual carbon handlebar, the touch screen display inspired by home automation systems and the support arms with their unique curvature. From a technical viewpoint, the Ciclotte has been designed to faithfully reproduce the dynamics and performance of on-road pedalling, and is also ideal for high intensity aerobic training like spinning. Ciclotte is a follow on from the Ciclò project, an innovative prototype of a single wheel city bike, which is now partof the permanent collection exhibited at the Triennale Design Museum in Milan after having participated in various international exhibitions. For more information visit www. ciclotte.com.
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BEAST M55’s simple aim was to create the most sophisticated machine in this genre the world has ever seen. The numbers prove this: the flagship model, the Beast, has the greatest performance among e-bikes. 1900 Watts of power can accelerate you to a stunning 40 miles per hour and it can go as far as 75 miles with a single charge. Even off road. The Beast represents state of the art in its every detail. The major parts are custom made by our seasoned engineers, utilizing technologies and materials used in the Formula One and electric supersportcars: Titanium, carbon fiber, CNC machining, brushless motor mechanism - just to mention a few. The non-custom components are also the finest ones. The folks at M55 are bike fanatics so they know well which are the best parts available – and chose exactly those; the golden standards. The hybrid drive means that the engine is not a substitute to your humanpower but an addition – it lives with your ride: if the sensor feels that you need some extra torque, the motor switches on to multiply your effort. Learn more about the M55 and the Beast at www.m55-bike.com.
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Freerider SKATECYCLE Winner of a Bronze 2010 IDEA Award and now part of the permanent collection at the Henry Ford Museum, the patented Freerider Skatecycle is a self propelled hubless skate capable of riding on flat ground or tackling any skate park. The 9 Inch wheels make it easier to overcome objects in your way and are very durable. There is enough room for a large foot, so you are not locked in. Weighing just 7.3 lbs, it folds easily, and can sit over your shoulder freeing up your hands when you walk. As with any new riding device, tricks are being pioneered and will grow as it’s riders develop them through use. Current tricks seen are 180’s. 360’s, jumps with bar grabs, dropping into half pipes, one footers, manuals (back and front).
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VisonRacer VR3 The VisionRacer VR3 is a polished stainless steel, racing simulator chassis system. It uses a Logitech steering wheel, pedals, gear lever and 5:1 audio system. Used along with PS3 (or PC) and LCD Screen the VR3 becomes a realistic racing simulator. Every VR3 has an individual serial number plate and a complimentary years membership to our community. The Gear shift mount can be mounted on the left or right hand side of the seat. You can use an existing TV from any of the leading manufacturers or a good PC / Mac monitor. The screen response time should be less than 5ms. When using the VR LCD Stand we suggest a screen up to 32” and less than 10kg in weight. When using the VR Home Theatre System, the bigger the screen the better the experience. If you use a DUALSHOCK or a SIXAXIS controller it’s a completely different experience to an ergonomically positioned steering wheel and race seat. VR3 looks simple but that’s the magic. It simply brings your existing gaming experience to life.
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Gaming
GRAN TURISMO 5 It’s official. Gran Turismo® 5, one of the most highly-anticipated video games of the year, and the latest sequel to the critically-acclaimed PlayStation-exclusive racing franchise, is now available in stores across North America. Gran Turismo fans now have the perfect way to spend the holidays as they dive into the deepest GT experience to date, featuring over 1,000 cars, 70 tracks, a Course Maker, robust online racing, and much more. “Gran Turismo 5 is an ambitious project, with challenges and complexities which have made it our version of the Apollo Space Programme!” commented Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc. “When we created the original Gran Turismo back in 1997, we wanted to set a completely new precedent for the racing genre. With the technological leap onto PlayStation 3, our objective with GT5 was to create another great revolution which would not only satisfy our own high expectations, but would meet or even exceed the anticipation of the fans. Satisfying the loyal Gran Turismo followers is at the heart of all of our efforts, which is why it was such a difficult decision to delay the release of the game, and one which we did not take lightly. I can only apologise to everyone for making you wait so long, and I hope that when you try out the wealth of driving experiences available in Gran Turismo 5, you will not be disappointed.” With exciting new features to suit newcomers, automotive enthusiasts and seasoned fans alike, Gran Turismo® 5 raises the bar on the franchise’s quality of design, physics and technology, while delivering an ultra-realistic driving experience with unparalleled visuals and lifelike graphics that are difficult to distinguish from a live race. In Gran Turismo 5, you can tackle the world’s most famous racetracks, rendered in high definition that is as vivid as the real thing, and get behind the wheels of some of the most legendary cars in motor racing from past to cutting-edge present. Today, the impressive complete list of over 1,000 in-game cars was unveiled, including the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, the Lexus LFA and the McLaren MP4-12C. The full track list was also revealed, which will see players going head to head on famous legacy circuits such as Autumn Ring, Deep Forest Raceway and the Grand Valley Speedway, plus renowned real-life circuits such as Nurburgring and the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
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NFL TRAINING CAMP NFL Training Camp simulates the football drills and conditioning workouts of an NFL training camp. Developed in collaboration with NFL strength and conditioning coaches, users will experience the thrill of competition while challenging friends and family in authentic NFL football drills. EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp with Total Body Tracking uses the included heart rate monitor and wireless motion tracking to provide a challenging workout and help deliver measurable results. It will link to the EA SPORTS Active online hub where users can share training results and challenge others to beat their personal best, as well as track progress toward specific fitness goals.* EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp brings the real NFL training camp experience right into the living room, and will be available at retailers on November 16. “EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp delivers an authentic NFL experience that is fun and engaging, while providing a challenging workout,” says Andrew Wilson, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Development, EA SPORTS. “It exemplifies our commitment to both NFL football and the fitness space, as well as delivering new experiences for new audiences.”
bine 60 Day Challenge. To enhance the competitive experience, users can get their game on in multi-player mode where they can go headto-head in NFL training camp drills, including the QB Window Challenge and Field Goal Challenge, or with an online connected console, users can compare personal stats with friends and challenge them to beat their best results. In addition, as part of the NFL’s commitment to youth health and fitness, kids and families can choose special NFL Play 60 drills and exercises specially designed for them. “We’re excited to be collaborating with EA SPORTS on the development of EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp,” says Ray Anderson, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp delivers a fantastic new and authentic experience for NFL fans, allowing them to train like the pros and compete against their friends, family, and other fans across the globe.”
EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp includes over 70 drills and challenges designed to improve strength, power and conditioning, as well as reaction skills, agility and first step quickness, which are key areas NFL players focus on. Users can choose their favorite team, step into a stadium and train alongside their favorite players. The EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp virtual coach will encourage users through the drills and challenges for additional motivation, and to take it to the next level, users can participate in the NFL Com-
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COD: BLACK OPS Call of Duty® : Black Ops has shattered theatrical box office, book and video game sales records for five-day worldwide sell through in dollars. The game established an all-new five-day worldwide sell-through record of more than $650 million, exceeding Activision’s previous five-day worldwide record of $550 million set by last year’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare® 2, according to internal Activision estimates. “Call of Duty has become the first entertainment property in history to set five-day launch records for two consecutive years across all forms of entertainment,” said Robert Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard. “The title’s success illustrates the mass appeal of interactive entertainment as millions of consumers are choosing to play Call of Duty: Black Ops at unprecedented levels rather than engage in other forms of media. The number of people playing online and the number of hours they are playing demonstrates how online gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and certainly validates Activision Blizzard’s leadership role in online entertainment.” “There are many reasons for the success of Black Ops, but first and foremost is the fact that our team at Treyarch delivered a truly awesome game, and in the process have established themselves as one of the most talented developers in the world,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO, Activision Publishing. “There are millions of people all over the world engaging in this community. It’s our job to keep them coming back for more.” In addition to beating all previous first-and five-day box office, book and video game sell-through records, Call of Duty: Black Ops set two new records on Xbox® LIVE™.
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Tech
GALAXY Tab
A New Smart Media Device, surpasses mobile boundaries, allowing you to enjoy more possibilities on the go The Samsung GALAXY Tab brings together all of Samsung’s leading innovations to provide users with more capabilities while on the move. Consumers are able to experience PC-like web-browsing and enjoy all forms of multimedia content on the perfectly sized 7-inch display, wherever they go. Moreover, users can continuously communicate via e-mail, voice and video call, SMS/MMS or social network with the optimized user interface. “Samsung recognizes the tremendous growth potential in this newly created market and we believe that the Samsung GALAXY Tab brings a unique and open proposition to market. There is a new and emerging consumer demand that Samsung can satisfy since mobile is in our DNA. This demand continues to grow and develop as users tap its limitless potential,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “The Samsung GALAXY Tab has been designed to enable consumers to maximize their online experience wherever that may be. The Samsung GALAXY Tab is pushing the market in new directions and Samsung believes this is only the beginning of its innovations as pioneers in smart media devices.” A new concept of mobility for media As a new category of device, the Samsung GALAXY Tab brings a wealth of mobile experiences. Its striking 7” TFT-LCD display delivers exciting mobile experience for watching films, viewing pictures, e-reading or sharing docu-
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The Samsung GALAXY Tab has made rich communication truly mobile; it presents a level of converged technology that moves beyond mobile or PC to an entirely new category. Users have new powers to consume, create and communicate from wherever they are. Powerful, always-on communication With 3G HSPA connectivity, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth® 3.0, the Samsung GALAXY Tab enhances users’ mobile communication on a whole new level. Video conferencing and push email on the large 7-inch display make communication more smooth and efficient. For voice telephony, the Samsung GALAXY Tab turns out to be a perfect speakerphone on the desk, or a mobile phone on the move via Bluetooth® headset. ments. In design, its light (380g) build provides perfect portability, with its svelte dimensions making it easy to grip and use. Supporting the latest Adobe Flash Player 10.1, the Samsung GALAXY Tab fully supports swift, seamless viewing of every single page of the web. The ‘Readers Hub’, Samsung’s unique e-reading application, provides easy access to a vast digital library - from classical literature to the latest bestsellers and reference materials. At the same time, Samsung unveils ‘Media Hub’, a gateway to a world of films and videos, and ‘Music Hub’, an application giving access to a wide range of music tunes.
Powered by a Cortex A8 1.0GHz application processor, the Samsung GALAXY Tab is designed to deliver high performance whenever and wherever you are. At the same time, HD video contents are supported by a wide range of multimedia formats (DivX, XviD, MPEG4, H.263, H.264 and more), which maximizes the joy of entertainment. While the front-facing camera allows face-to-face video telephony over 3G, the rear-facing camera captures still images and video that you can edit, upload and share, all without any hassle. As online content explodes, the Samsung GALAXY Tab is the best portable solution for every lifestyle that needs a constant connection.
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The Man Behind The Print
Donald Bethell Quick Company Bio: Started in 2009 with the goal of consistently providing high quality graphic designs and printing. 5 Interesting Facts: • Avid motorcycle rider • From the Bahamas • I failed art class in high school • Natural born leader • If I wasn’t doing printing I’d probably be working at a car shop doing stuff with audio equipment 2011 VISION: : To enhance our customer base, while still maintaining the same high level quality of service, and increasing customer satisfaction. How did you team up with Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine? We were introduced through a mutual friend. A couple of bottles at the VIP section at Blue Martini, some shots of tequila in the limo, and I was hooked. As they say, “A team that parties together, stays together”….and I can assure you that are unit is TIGHT! Can you tell us a little about Tampa Prints, when it was formed, how the dream became a reality? We started in 2009 during a recession, and a period where small businesses were dying. I was in a dramatic period of my life, laid off, and with a child. I had to make strategic moves fast. As I pondered what to do with my life, I asked myself, “What does everyone need?” and then boom…the light in my head turned on. “Everyone advertises and markets”…. Now all I have to do is create a company that can support those servic
What has been the most surprisingly difficult part of working with the Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine Staff? Damn..Where do I start? Do to the fact that I’m working with a magazine staff that never sleeps! I have to be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! I have never seen anything like it!! There work ethic and drive motivates me to work harder. That my friend’s is SYNERGY. When you have a team that constantly grinds together, with the same ideologies, visions, and dreams..you have a team to be reckoned with..And I can honestly say..I am proud to be working with a Magazine like PULSE!! From a business and creative perspective, how are you targeting consumers during the recession? By providing monthly specials, networking with local businesses, and keeping costs LOW!! While working side by side with Pulse Magazine what is the most exciting thing that has happened to you thus far? Doing this interview, and having the pleasure to be put in this issue. Whats the most common mistake companies make when taking on new printing clients? Setting the unrealistic expectations of when printing jobs can be started and completed. Have you ever had any celebrity clientele, besides Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine of course? All of my customers are celebrities. Luckily, we do a lot of work with radio stations that give us access to national/local artists and business owners.
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What are 3 Factors that separate Tampa Prints from any other Printer? We are affordable, reliable and have over 50 years of combined work experience. Has Pulse Magazine ever pushed you to the limits? No, never What is the craziest thing that a client has ever asked you to print? Do to the intriguing fact that we print for a significant amount of Tampa Bay Gentlemen’s clubs, nothing seems crazy anymore. Do you feel that the publishing industry is dying do to web and media sources, or evolving? No its not, I think it’s evolving even more What future ventures or projects can we expect from Tampa Prints in 2011? We will be expanding to a larger facility in order to accommodate more of our customer’s needs, while broadening our customer base throughout the state of Florida. What are your visions for Tampa Prints and Pulse Magazine in 2011? To create a magazine that exceeds all expectations and continues to strengthen business relationships within our community.
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HOW TO KEEP SECRETS EVEN ON
Adrian Chen
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The “Super-Logoff” The super-logoff is the practice of deactivating your Facebook account entirely each time you log out, then reactivating it when you log in. Your profile disappears when you deactivate, but Facebook keeps it on their servers for a few days before deleting it indefinitely since they know most people will come crawling back for a hit of social crack. With the super-logoff you can assume maximum control over you profile, since people will only be able to see and post on your wall when you’re logged in. (And, presumably, in front of your computer.) This would be a good strategy for when you go to Burning Man and don’t want to come back to find yourself tagged in dozens of Facebook pics naked but for splashes of glow-in-the-dark body paint. (And it only takes a couple more clicks than logging off.)
No human relationship can withstand complete transparency. Facebook gives you plenty of opportunities to commit social faux pas in the name of “connecting,” but there’s no feature to help you keep necessary secrets. You have to get tricky about it. The problem here isn’t you, reader. Hopefully you’re smart enough not to post things that will get you fired. It’s your idiot friends, who are liable to tag you in drunken photos, or write on your wall about the time you made a bong out of a cheese steak sandwich so that your 15-year-old son can read it. Internet scholar danah boyd recently explained the “risk reduction strategies,” teens use to keep their Facebook profiles free of drama caused by friends. But these can be applied to adults just as well. Let’s take a look:
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“White-walling” White-walling is the Facebook equivalent of inbox-zeroing: You delete every single wall post, status update and the like soon after it’s been posted, leaving them up just long enough for friends to see what happened. One girl Boyd spoke to explained the benefits off white-walling: She talked about how people were nosy and it was too easy to get into trouble for the things you wrote a while back that you couldn’t even remember posting let alone remember what it was all about. It was better to keep everything clean and in the moment. If it’s relevant now, it belongs on Facebook, but the old stuff is no longer relevant so it doesn’t belong on Facebook. The Shell Game OK, we just made this one up. But what if, for every true thing you posted on your wall, you posted two false things? Haters wouldn’t know what’s up and what’s down! Maybe all these techniques seems a bit OCD. You know what else seems a bit OCD? Constantly typing the trivial details of your life into a website.
On the Rise
The Short Bio of Wild 94.1’s
Davy Rolando Davy Rolando was born in Guanacaste, Costa Rica where he lived until he was four years old. He was raised in Tampa, Fl and graduated from the prestigious Full Sail University in 2007. Upon graduating college he accepted an internship with WILD 94.1, and that’s where he quickly realized his passion for radio. In just three short years Davy evolved from an internship position, to street teamer, to now hosting his own radio show on the weekends. Along with tuning to his shows and sounds on the radio, you can also catch Davy Deejaying at exclusive night clubs throughout Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg. Davy has also embraced
the role of concert promoter, throwing a number of shows all threw out the city, all while concentrating on bringing national artists to venues never before played . With the vision and ambition to always have a new project in the works; Davy has launched a series of successful mix tapes called “Flight Risk Radio “. Never being the one to boast or brag if you inform Davy that he’s probably burning both ends of the candle, he’ll probably tell you he’s not doing enough. It’s this attitude combined with his humbling spirit that will keep him rising to the top of the Tampa Bay Music Scene.
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Mixology Stillhouse Introduces
ORIGINAL MOONSHINE
Handcrafted Clear Corn Whiskey Redefines Premium Spirits and Cocktail Marketwith Unparalleled Taste and A Refined Sensibility. Prohibition is over! The contemporary spirits and cocktail market will embrace its history and heritage like never before with the Fall 2010 launch of “Original MOONSHINE®” Clear Corn Whiskey, produced by STILLHOUSE®. Created by STILLHOUSE CEO and Co-Founder Brad Beckerman, and Co-Founder Adam Perry Lang, renowned celebrity chef and restaurateur, Original MOONSHINE is handcrafted from 100 percent estate-grown corn and distilled four times in a Prohibitionera copper pot still in the same authentic tradition that moonshine has been made for hundreds of years. At 80 proof, the all-natural, gluten-free proprietary recipe is charcoal-filtered for the highest purity, quality and taste. Offering a truly versatile tasting experience enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a wide range of mixed cocktails, Original MOONSHINE has a smooth, mellow taste, with a mild, warm sweetness of unrefined raw sugar, retaining the richness from freshly picked corn. The tempered finish is clean, pleasant and void of impurities with a diffused, balanced lingering of warmth. “Original MOONSHINE is a product that Adam and I have worked passionately to develop and perfect over the last three years,” said Beckerman. “We truly believe this will change today’s spirits world and reinvent modern-day whiskey for the contemporary consumer who is looking for impeccable quality and taste, and won’t settle for less.” “I became obsessed with clear whiskey years ago when a fellow barbecue competitor shoved a jar in my face and said, ‘drink this’ at a competition in the south. Original MOONSHINE is the culmination of years of tasting and refining the recipe to create the purest clear corn whiskey possible. It’s great in cocktails, but for me, nothing beats sippin’ it neat,” said Perry Lang. Original MOONSHINE is now available in premium establishments including Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel, Provocateur, The Lion, and Abe & Arthur’s in New York, and will be expanding its national distribution in Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas and more in late 2010 and early 2011. For more information on Original MOONSHINE, please visit www.moonshine.com.
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Gift Guide Season’s Greetings from
JOHN VARVATOS
Launched in 2000 with a collection of tailored clothing and sportswear, John Varvatos now represents an entire men’s lifestyle that includes footwear, bags, belts, eyewear, limited edition watches, men’s and women’s luxury skincare and fragrances, as well as the younger, edgier John Varvatos * USA Collection and Converse by John Varvatos. The designer has been recognized three times by the CFDA with an American Fashion Award for New Menswear Designer (June 2000) and Menswear Designer of the Year (June 2001 and June 2005) and was honored as GQ’s “Designer of the Year” in 2007. The collection is distributed in freestanding John Varvatos boutiques across the US, as well as in better specialty stores throughout the world. Project Debut 3 turntable, available in multiple colors. Call 315 Bowery for details $399.
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Project Debut 3 turntable, available in multiple colors. Call 315 Bowery for details $399.
(Clockwise from right) Autographed limited edition book documenting the legendary career of Jimmy Page $795. Vintage vinyl record collection curated by Mr. Varvatos. Exclusively at 315 Bowery $10-$295. Match Prints, a collaboration between Timothy White & Jim Marshall. Signed by Mr White $40. Signed copy of “Mick Rock Exposed�, a photographic documentary of 40 years of rock & roll $40. GRADO RS1 Reference Series headphones made of handcrafted mahogany $695.
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(Clockwise from top left) John Varvatos Limited Edition 47mm brushed/polished stainless steel case watches $6,800. Trussart Steel Deville Rustomatic guitar. Exclusively at our Hard Rock, Las Vegas store $3900. Trussart Steel Deville Rustomatic guitar. Exclusively at our Hard Rock, Las Vegas store $3900.
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(Clockwise from top) Celebrate our ten year heritage with our Limited Edition 10th Anniversary fragrance $88. Iconic John Varvatos slim fit military inspired supple goat suede jacket $1995. For a timeless gift view our selection of luxury ties $125 – $145. messenger $850, tote $795. Limited edition assortment of John Varvatos sunglasses with signature temples $420.
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Jonathon R. Photography Photography is not just my career, it is my passion. Jonathan R. is a celebrity, event, wedding and portrait photographer based out of the Tampa Bay area. He became interested in photography at a young age, when his grandmother gave him a 110 film camera. Jonathan fell in love with the magic of being able to capture a single emotional moment forever. At the time he did not know that this hobby would become his passion. Jonathan was honored to be chosen the Official Sponsored Photographer for the 2010 Pulse Magazine Launch Party, Super Bowl 2009 Leather and Laces Party and The Models and Bottles Playboy Party. Photography is not just a career for him it’s also his passion. Every photograph he takes he puts his life passion into. If you would like some references before working with him he would be happy to put you in contact with some of his clients.
Jonathan R wants to bring out the best in everyone he works with. He likes to get to know the client so that he can creatively bring out there ideas, personality and interest. It doesn’t matter rather it’s a model or Bride and Groom. He wants his clients to feel completely at ease on their day. If you are interested in a photo shoot, wedding or event please email Jonathan. He will then contact you by phone to discuss what you are interested in and go over the day with you along with preparing for it. If it’s for a wedding or event he may then set up a meeting with you to discuss details and scout the location. Has always, please don’t hesitate to email him with any questions. Please visit his services page for details, and his galleries link, to enjoy the slideshows Jonathon R. has to offer. JonathanRphoto.com Email: JonathanRphoto@gmail.com
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Travel
Forget Paris Tammy Levent CEO Elite Travel Tammy@elitetravelgroup.net
Travel Trends 2011
While I don’t have a crystal ball, I travel constantly and have people calling me every day telling me where they want to go. As CEO of Elite Travel, it’s my job to know what people want and how to give it to them in style, whether it’s a romantic vacation, a pulse-raising adventure, a corporate trip, or a luxurious getaway. I foresaw the Destination Wedding trend before it was in vogue, and now I’m making my predictions for 2011. Hang onto your suitcase because it’s going to be a wild ride. More Bang for your Buck Of course, the economy will continue to drive travel trends in 2011, but wallets won’t be quite as tight. “Staycations” are out, but shorter long-weekend style trips are taking their place. More people are staying close to home and taking more short trips instead of one large trip abroad. Fortunately, here in Florida we have all of the American South and the Caribbean nearby – hopping over to a tropical island is as easy as spending a few days in Savannah, Georgia, or Charleston, North Carolina. One big change that is hitting the travel industry is that consumers are more informed now than they have ever been. After living through years of a down economy, travelers have learned how to find the best deals on airfare, and they are not afraid to do their research. Travel plans made for 2011 will be largely determined by getting the most value for your money. Travelers are also getting angry with airlines and airport security measures, which may result in them seeking alternate transportation, and increasing business for the few airlines willing to treat customers well, like Southwest.
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With the focus on finding the most value for the U.S. dollar, Europe is out. It’s not only the terrorist threat level that will keep Americans away from Paris, it’s also the exchange rate. Fortunately, we can have the French experience closer to home, and with better weather, with a trip to the Caribbean island of Martinique. French stores, French-style cafes, and beaches – you can’t go wrong. Hotel Plein Soleil is a boutique hotel that offers a fair price for truly excellent service and luxury accommodations. Set in the hills outside Le Francois, the Hotel Plein Soleil is romantic and remote and has a wonderful restaurant on site. Prices begin at $243 per night in November, but depend on the season. Package deals will continue to be popular as travelers realize that they really do offer some of the best deals around. But, always do your research and make sure that the price you find for air, hotel, and car rental does actually beat what you can find separately. My best money-saving tip is to look carefully at the dates when booking your air travel. I moved my December flight to Las Vegas back by one day and saved $150 per person. Saving that money on the flight allowed us to stay an additional day and still save money. It’s All About the Experience The major trend that started last year is travelers looking for more than a vacation. This year, sipping a cold drink on a tropical beach just won’t cut it. Instead of seeking rest, recuperation, and the perfect Mai Tai, people are traveling to have an unforgettable experience, whether that means going on a road trip, volunteering abroad, or learning a new skill. Vocation Vacations is a company that is capitalizing on this trend, as well as on the unsteady job market. Each Vocation Vacation places you with a person who is in the industry you dream of entering into, and they act as your mentor for one or two days. Titles like “Be an Alpaca Rancher,” or “Be an Antique Dealer,” or “Be a baker” or baseball announcer, or cheese maker, or brew master, attract the curious who want to try out a different career without losing their real jobs. Most can be done on a weekend and cost an average of $400-$800 per person. www.vocationvacations.com/ One of the new luxury vacation packages Elite Travel has created also concentrates on crafting unforgettable experiences. Called “Mystery Trips,” these vacations are custom-designed for our clients to take
them to places they have never gone before. In fact, they don’t know where they’re going until they get there. Travelers are told what to pack and their airport of departure, but little else. The rest is an adventure filled with surprises. Contact mysteryconcierge@ elitetravelgroup.net for more information. Will Travel for Food Blame it on Eat, Pray, Love if you want to, but the culinary travel trend has been coming up for a while. But, again, the focus is on learning to make these recipes yourself. It’s not enough to just eat your way through Italy anymore; people want to learn how to make that melt-in-your-mouth ravioli and tiramisu from scratch. One unusual culinary experience is offered in Bagno Vignono, a medieval spa town near Siena. Guests stay in a 14th century house and learn genuine Southern Tuscan dishes. The package also includes time at the medieval spa and a massage. A 5-night stay starts at $3511, but there are culinary experiences much closer to home that don’t have that Euro price tag. www.tuscanway.com/tuscany/cooking_ courses/bagno_vignoni/ The House on Bayou Road in New Orleans is a perfect match for both the unforgettable experience trend, and the food enthusiast trend. The House is a registered 1798 plantation in the French Quarter that has become a bed and breakfast and a Creole cooking school. Guests can sign up to learn authentic New Orleans recipes from awardwinning chefs in small, personal, classes as part of a three or four day weekend getaway. Cooking classes start at $150 for guests. House on Bayou Road, 504-945-9104. www.houseonbayouroad.com Hotel Mockingbird Hill in Jamaica offers an entire week of cooking classes. In between welcome cocktails, picking fresh produce from the market, visits to coffee plantations, water rafting and beach time, guests learn to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner Jamaican style. Students become experts in jerk rubs, tropical fruits, Jamaican allspice, rum and coffee, and how to use these ingredients to create exotic dishes at home. Prices begin around $900 per person for a 6 night stay, but depend on time of year. www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com/ Will Travel for Surgery? The popularity for medical travel is on the rise, and you’ll never guess where the Real Housewives of America are going. It’s not Singapore, it’s definitely not Mexico – it’s Florida. Plastic surgeons are even setting up package deals with travel agents for lipo-
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suction, face-lifts, and breast augmentation, with hotel and airfare included. Send your family off to Disney World and come back home looking unusually refreshed. Hot Destinations Tahiti tops my list of Hot Destinations, along with all the usual suspects in the Caribbean. Why Tahiti? Tahiti offers both bang for your buck and unique experiences, like swimming with dolphins, snorkeling and scuba diving. Look for package deals, like the Moorea Luxury Escape, starting at $1479, which includes two free nights at the Moorea Resort & Spa, daily breakfasts for two, and roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles. The resort has recently been renovated which is why they are now offering such a great deal. Hint: always look for recently refurbished or renovated resorts because they offer the best deals. www.tahiti-tourisme.com South Africa may also see a rise in tourism now that all the World Cup travelers have come back and told their friends about their trips. The South side of the dark continent has more to offer than safaris and the world-famous Carnivore restaurant – it also is one of the top wine-growing regions in the world. Wine tours take off from major cities regularly for either day trips, or multi-day excursions. A 3-day wine and food tour from WineTours starts at $885 per person and is one of the only wine tours that includes face time with a cheetah. www.wine.co.za/ Since no trip to Africa is complete without a safari, check out The Kruger National Park, a favorite for travelers looking for the classic safari experience. South Africa also has many stunning hiking trails that don’t get nearly as much press as the exotic animals or wine regions. One of the most popular trails is The Otter Trail along the Tsitsikamma coast. It’s a short hike, but strenuous, following shorelines, and winding through forests, and past waterfalls for some spectacular views. www.krugerpark.co.za/ Traveling With Elite Style Elite Travel can put together an itinerary for anyone that makes the most out of these trends. We specialize in crafting personal travel experiences that are high quality, budget-friendly, and unique to you. Give us a call when you want to find the best deals on resorts, packages, culinary experiences and weekend getaways, or even a trip to Tahiti and Africa – or anywhere else! And if you want that boob job or face-lift, I know of a few local surgeons who can hook you up.
Moto
CT
200h a unique combination of elegance and excitement
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The Lexus CT 200h marks the introduction of the first, and only, full hybrid vehicle to the core of the premium compact segment. The CT 200h is the new gateway into Lexus. It introduces the company’s unique synthesis of quality, sophistication and high technology to the premium compact segment for the first time, and will bring a younger group of customers to the brand. Specifically designed and developed with the European market in mind, the all-new CT 200h’s size, packaging, full hybrid technology and ultra-low emissions perfectly meet the requirements of a young, highly discerning, environmentally-conscientious customer base. Yet it offers no compromise on the refinement and driving pleasure which hallmark the progressive luxury inherent in every Lexus. The new CT 200h represents the synthesis of five key Lexus attributes which offer customers an unprecedented experience in premium compact motoring: Lexus Hybrid Drive and the Lexus MUSTs; a unique driving character; the dynamic yet elegant styling inherent in the latest realization of Lexus’ L-finesse design philosophy; Lexus’ outstanding manufacturing quality and attention to detail; and the renowned customer service which lies at the heart of the Lexus ownership experience. The CT 200h’s Lexus Hybrid Drive system has been developed in accordance with an extremely rigorous set of development standards known as the Lexus MUSTs. These unique standards include more than 500 items that set strict guidelines for raising the dynamic and environmental performance of the new full hybrid. The Lexus MUSTs also set NVH standards to achieve the levels of quietness and durability expected of the Lexus brand, and even apply to static factors
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such as the appearance, tactile quality, sound quality, and the performance and sensitivity of controls. With a highly modified existing platform incorporating numerous, exclusively developed body, chassis and Lexus Hybrid Drive powertrain control system engineering applications, the CT 200h has been designed to offer drivers a segment-unique choice of Dynamic and Relaxing driving moods. Combining the low center of gravity with a high-rigidity bodyshell, a unique lateral performance damper system and new double wishbone rear suspension, the new full hybrid driving experience is characterized by high speed stability, smooth, precise handling, rewarding agility and the ride comfort expected of any Lexus.
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The dynamic driving experience is further reinforced with a highly focused driver’s environment. While offering a uniquely efficient, elegant and spacious cabin design, the CT 200h also features a low ergonomical driving position. Marrying refined elegance to sporting dynamism, the CT 200h is a new embodiment of the Lexus L-finesse design philosophy. With a powerful new Lexus frontal design, sweeping lines which mimic the natural flow of wind over and around the bodywork and a purposeful, wide track stance, the new full hybrid is the perfect expression of compact precision and power. The CT 200h is built at Toyota Motor Kyushu (TMK) where, in 2008, the Kokura plant started operations as the world’s first factory dedicated to hybrid production. TMK maintains high standards of manufacturing quality through the high-level fusion of innovative production technology and the skills of Lexus master craftsmen. Entering production at the end of 2010, the CT 200h will be available in the first quarter of 2011.
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FoXXXy the
forum
The alternative lifestyles version of THE VIEW Ever wondered what it was like to visit a clothing-optional resort? Or what goes on in the playrooms at a swinger’s club? The FoXXXy Forum addresses those questions and more in an alternative lifestyles talk show filled with sex positive topics offered in a safe environment. 40 | pulse
T
he creator of the show is Angye Fox, affectionately known as FoXXXy Dame. Ms. Fox is the CEO of AdSizzle, Inc, www. AdSizzleMarketing.com, an ad agency with many clients in alternative lifestyles. She also paints with her voluptuous 34F breasts and the works of art are called Canvas Cleavage. Her paintings are available for purchase on www.FoXXXyDame. com and she helps raise funds for breast cancer awareness. On the very first FoXXXy Forum show in October 2010, Dr. Patty Evans was a guest. Dr. Evans is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Family Court Mediator. She has worked with alternative lifestyles for several years and has a private practice in Tampa, Florida with details about her practice at www.balancedresolutions.net. FoXXXy Dame loved the great chemistry they had together in the studio and said to Dr. Evans, “You are the co-host of this show!” And the rest, as they say, is history. Dr. Evan’s nickname on the show is Dr. Harmony.
she has on the set in the studio and pulls out pleasure sticks. The pleasure sticks include a featured cigar of the week to be smoked after the show and an adult toy from the VenusToolKit.com vault. Plus, the ladies talk about the featured cocktail for the show that goes along with the theme for the evening. On nudist night, the drink was Strip and get Naked with equal parts of frozen limeade, beer and rum. On the swingers show, the cocktail was Wyoming Swing made with gin. Everyone loves a happy ending! It’s no mistake that The FoXXXy Forum started in the
The FoXXXy Forum embraces sex positive topics in a wide range of alternative lifestyles including swingers, nudists, polyamory, bisexuals, homosexuals, transgender and the legal, medical and social issues involved in these lifestyles. Think of the show as an alternative lifestyles version of The View. They are NOT a shock jock show. FoXXXy Dame and Dr. Harmony have difficult conversations about sexuality in a wholesome manner. They inform their listeners of the many resources available to them and hope to increase the general public tolerance through awareness and information. Additionally, they are huge supporters of women in business and women empowerment and do this via promotion of women entrepreneurs on the show. A regular guest on the show is Ms. Michele, a selfproclaimed fitness buff. Ms. Michele does a segment on the show called Fit Flash which is all about health, nutrition and positive self body image. At the end of her segment, Ms. Michele actually flashes on the in-studio camera by removing her top to reveal her sexy bra underneath and amazing physique. Pictures and info about Ms. Michele are available at www. MsMichele.com. Fans of the show are encouraged to participate in the forum through email or phone-in with comments or questions. The current fan participation contest is the best wet spot story. The FoXXXy Forum fan sharing their story about the most interesting experience with the wet spot wins a Luv Mat, a red shag mat designed to keep the right things wet. www. TheLuvMat.com. To wrap up their weekly two hour talk show, FoXXXy Dame and Dr. Harmony do a segment called The Happy Ending. Dr. Harmony opens the mini couch
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Tampa Bay area. This area is rich with open-minded people in a euro-city type of mentality. The nightlife scene in Tampa is dynamic, unique and growing. The topics addressed on The FoXXXy Forum are the perfect example of the pulse of this community. The Foxxxy Forum airs live every Friday from 9-11pm ET from their flagship station, WTAN-AM 1340 in Clearwater, Florida. It is syndicated in three other markets on WDCF-AM 1350 Dade City, Florida, WZHR-AM 1400 ZephyrHills, Florida and KLRG-AM 880 Little Rock, Arkansas. You may also listen and watch from a live studio camera at www.tantalk1340.
com. Fans may call into the show at 1.866.826.1340. Dave & Lola Wagenvoord are the owners of these radio stations and FoXXXy Dame and Dr. Harmony are grateful to them for taking a chance on an alternative lifestyles radio talk show like this on regular terrestrial radio. Long range goals are to add additional radio stations throughout the United States and eventually have a five day a week talk show on national television. Behind the scenes of The FoXXXy Forum are several special people who help make the show run smoothly. Bill Apgar from WTAN is the board operator and engineer for the show. He keeps the ladies on track throughout the show and receives calls. Dr. Harmony’s husband, Jimmy the Geek, does voice overs for the show and makes the guests feel comfortable in the studio green room. Antonio Ramirez is the show’s videographer and captures a behind-the-scenes video for each show. The intros and outros for the show are the voice of Victor Aderhold who worked with FoXXXy Dame several years ago at a TV station in Tallahassee. Jon Neville runs the adult product website VenusToolKit.com and Morgan Ronan cre-
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ated the graphic designs and logo. The FoXXXy Forum has several sponsors and supporters including Caliente Resorts, Eyz Wide Shut, Swappernet, Cigar Castle, O Project, Swing Shack, Mile High Fantasy Club, The Luv Mat, Fifi & Friends, Hollow Tree Images, Spice Photography Parties, Skinny Mixes, and Harmony Us, Inc. New sponsors and guests for the show are always welcome and the fan base is growing. On New Year’s Eve, The FoXXXy Forum will broadcast live from Eyz Wide Shut Swing Club in Tampa. FoXXXy Dame and Dr. Harmony will interview people in the lifestyle and help swing in the new year! Other local public appearances are planned throughout the year and several adventurous excursions called FoXXX Hunts are in the works such as a trip to Hedo 2 in Jamaica, Caliente Caribe in the Dominican Republic and the naked city in France called Cap d’Agde. For more information about The FoXXXy Forum, go to www.FoXXXyForum.com or to their Facebook fan page at The FoXXXy Forum. The FoXXXy Forum is spreading harmony through a sex positive forum.
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Profile
mik 44 | pulse
You must be thrilled to be part of Football History? I sure am! This league was something I never expected to see. Also, the fact that I came from NJ down to Tampa, it was ironic that there was one right under my nose! With the league teaming up with MTV2, I think that they are only going to grow and it is good to know that I was on one of the original 10 teams in the U.S. That is setting the bar high for the rest of the teams to come. Would you say playing in the LFL has impacted your privacy and personal life? The LFL creates a lot of exposure and we are becoming role models for girls around the world so yes, my privacy has definitely been impacted. I have to be much more cautious about how I act in public along with how and what, I post on my social networking sites. Social networking sites are huge now, and with all this exposure, I had to find a line of separation between LFL fans and my personal life. In the beginning, I was excited to have so many friend requests/ messages on a daily basis. I began to realize how many fans and strangers were really paying attention.
out best friends. As I learned more and more about the game it was easier to avoid the mistakes, cuts and bruises, but it is football so you know you are going to get banged up here and there and resting is the only way your body will heal. How did you get involved in the LFL? Well, I heard about it right after their final game of the season last year and began to look into it. Once I looked into it and saw pictures and videos, I joined their mailing list and page on Facebook and was constantly checking back daily to update myself on any of the changes that were made while counting down the days till tryouts.
two completely different types of pain. Our tryouts that began in June were a lot of running, to see what physical shape everyone was in of course and if [we] had the mindset to be mentally tough enough for this game. Then once the cuts were made and the team was picked, end of august we got our pads and we began to learn a new kind of pain. The bumps and bruises became second nature to us, as we learned the game more and more, while Ibuprofen and ice packs became
When doing research on you for this interview, I realized that I really don’t know a lot about your personal life. Why is it important to you to keep a low profile? So I am doing a good job on my part! I try to keep a lot of my personal life on the DL because I want not only myself, but my family and friends to still have their privacy from the fans as the league grows day by day.
kayla Wingle I hear you have to endure a lot of physical pain and training to even make the team. How do you handle the physical demands the game puts on you on and off the field? This is very true. Tryouts from now are
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Did you worry that going into the LFL might hinder your dreams of being a model? I wasn’t worried at all that the LFL would hinder my dreams. Even though I just got back into modeling full force, I knew some of the players in the previous year, even on my team have still been able to continue with their modeling career while playing with a fantastic league that only wants to see their players succeed. Describe what your childhood was like? Who were some of your role models growing up? My childhood was sports, sports, sports. My mom always said “sports keep kids out of trouble” than she would tell me “go grab your cleats and hop in the car, your going to be late!” so she had me in as many as possible. My biggest role model, as cheesy as it sounds, growing up was someone from a movie...Rocky! The heart and determination he had to succeed gives me chills. I would watch those movies anytime they were on TV when I was younger. Then I begged my parents for the box set from I-V and finally for Christmas one year I got it! I would watch them non-stop. I’m surprised they still even work to this day with the use I got out of them. Are you addicted to mass media devices like Blackberry, Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook? I am addicted to all of them, and more! They are great networking devices and a great way to support the LFL, with updates on our website or events we will be doing, along with helping to get pictures from my portfolio around for new faces to see. Is this what you imagined yourself doing when you were young? Being on television and traveling the states while getting paid? When I was younger, I was told I would be on TV one day, whether it was a talk show host because of my nutty personality or from my athletics, but I never believed it would have been for playing tackle football. Being able to be a part of a team again was so exciting, but along with that, our games are aired nationwide. We get paid, while traveling with a great group of girls is just amazing. What’s the craziest thing a fan has ever done to get your attention? Coming from someone whose nickname is “Wild Child,” I think that there has not been anything crazy enough to make my book yet. So let’s see what these fans have planned for our first home game on Dec 17th. What are three qualities that you look for in a man? Wow, only three qualities…I’m just kidding. First off, definitely a sense of humor. I love to make jokes and if someone can make me laugh, while still being able to take a joke, then their personality will immediately catch my attention.
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Someone that is loyal. Nowadays not many guys are loyal, or even faithful to their girlfriends, but if I can trust someone knowing that we are a team and have to take on the world as is, so… might as well do it together helping one another succeed. That is perfect. A man that is family orientated. It seems like the less a man talks to his family the more baggage he has, and I am not looking for that. I feel the more a man speaks to his family or his mother, grandmother and/or sister, if he has one, the more he respects a woman and knows how he wants them to be treated. Therefore, he would treat his partner the same. Do you see the LFL making an impact in a world dominated by male sports? I see the LFL making a huge impact! When I first heard the name of this league I thought, “What football league?” Once I saw what this was about, I was counting down the days till tryouts. It couldn’t come soon enough! It is a league of extremely athletic beautiful woman just kicking butt, while still having their privacy. How would you like to be remembered? I want to be remembered as always being able to bring energy and life to the table. Also my drive for success, because once I believe enough in something, I will apply full force and determination to see it through, while making the journey a fun a memorable time for those around me.
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LFL101 “The Lingerie Football League has become the Ultimate Fan-Driven Live Sports Phenomenon Blending Action, Impact and Beauty.”
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League Bio: The Lingerie Football League (or ‘LFL’) is an extension of the hugely popular Super Bowl halftime special called ‘the Lingerie Bowl’ which draws millions of worldwide viewers annually and bluechip advertisers. Due to the previous commercial and viewership success’ of the Lingerie Bowl broadcasts, in Fall 2009, the league premiered with (10) franchise teams competing at major NBA/NFL arenas and stadiums. Despite the worst economy since the Great Depression that greatly impacted all major professional sports, the LFL thrived in its inaugural season drawing nearly 30% higher than projected revenues with several near capacity crowds, 2nd in Primetime television ratings, record internet traffic, 2010 expansion markets and profitability. The LFL continues to exceed expectations in 2010, announcing a national television agreement with MTV Networks’, sell-out crowds as well as further expansion for Fall 2011. Tampa Bay Breeze Bio: The Tampa Breeze are part of the original (10) Lingerie Football League franchises compromising of some of Tampa Bay’s most beautiful and athletic women. The Breeze play their home games at the St Pete Times Forum in Tampa. In 2009, the Tampa Breeze made a late season surge only missing the Playoffs due to a point-dif-
ferential tie-breaker system. In 2010, the Breeze have been the No.1 ranked in the LFL since opening week thrashing opponents and becoming the early favorite to win the 2011 Lingerie Bowl played on Super Bowl Sunday (2.6.11) in Las Vegas, Nevada. 5 Interesting League Facts: - What was a Super Bowl halftime counter-programming spoof, has become perhaps the fastest growing professional sports league in the US. - The Lingerie Bowl has become one of television’s most viewed annual specials that attracts sevenfigure blue-chip advertisers. - The LFL is one of the only profitable national professional leagues. - The LFL is on pace to have 26 teams by Fall 2016. - LFL, Friday Night Football broadcasts have drawn 2nd in Primetime television ratings. 2011 VISION: - In 2011, the LFL will see even more controlled growth into potentially (4) more markets. In addition, the LFL has partnered with various prominent media platforms and high-profile organizations that will debut in 2011 such as a cover feature for the iconic Playboy magazine, Matthew Perry’s new hit ABC comedy ‘Mr Sunshine’ as well as charitable organization PETA for a national ‘Bench The Fur’ campaign.
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Icon Savvy TV Tampa’s Hidden Icon
Icon Savvy TV rocketed onto the Tampa Bay society scene last spring and now it’s poised to take off across the nation with an exciting new concept that will have people talking!
I
con Savvy TV host and Executive Producer Brandi Kamenar plans to take her vision for this unique web segment to a whole new level. That can only mean one thing…plans are in the works for Icon Savvy TV to debut on national television network affiliates in mid-2011.
Since its launch in May 2010, Icon Savvy has featured the hottest and best local and national personalities each week. Its dynamic lineup included jazz artist Eric Darius, whose incredible saxophone skills led him to open for screen icon Olivia NewtonJohn at the Pink and Blue for Two event in Tampa; the notorious shoe designer bad boy-turned-artist Mark Schwartz and the acclaimed gallery owner Michael Murphy. And if you thought the icons that appeared on last season’s show were intriguing, baby, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Brandi knows a thing or two about icons. As CEO and Creative Director of Tampa-based Icon B. Marketing and Publicity Group, she has earned her reputation as an Icon Architect; that rare person who creates a vision for client’s personal brand as well as their corporate image. As a monthly featured columnist in Bay Area Business Magazine and the winner of the 2010 Young Businesswoman of the Year award from Tampa Bay Business Journal, her skills are winning local and national acclaim. Now Brandi is building Icon Savvy TV into a powerhouse. After a short hiatus, it’s gearing up for Season II with a bold new concept that will have Tampa Bay businesses and personalities brimming with zeal at the show’s savoir-faire. She will pull together her powerful sources and resources in order to answer that burning question on everyone’s lips in this economy: “How can I take my brand, my company, my profile to the masses…to the next level… to the very top?” Brandi will connect the dots with savvy experts, taking guests and their stories from an ordinary concept to an extraordinary personal or professional brand. Brandi exclaims, “I’m very excited to be a part of such an amazing concept for the Tampa Bay area! Icon Savvy is the sophisticated and developed version of ‘show and tell’ for professionals, and I can’t wait for the new season to begin!” Because of Brandi’s countless success stories, this visionary creator will focus on personal and professional brand-building by “showing” the audience not only how to do it, but how to do it RIGHT. She knows how to do it from first-hand experience. Brandi, a former model, quickly recognized the void within the fashion and
entertainment industries in the Tampa Bay area for a full-service public relations, marketing and communications firm. She launched Icon B. Marketing and Publicity Group three years ago, and it rocketed to the top in celebrity management and product and image consulting. Brandi uses her personal experience, intimate industry knowledge and inspired creativity to develop innovative marketing strategies, careful and calculated public relations and marketing campaigns, stunning luxury branding concepts and more to help her clients break from the pack. As with Icon B., Icon Savvy will not only make sure people notice you, it will make sure they never forget you. Whether it’s igniting your personal star power, creating a new name, repositioning a brand, product launch or promotion, Brandi will show you what you need to do to succeed. Brandi explains, “I believe Tampa has the potential to become a focus of fashion and entertainment…it just needs a push by the right visionaries to get it there! I meet people everyday with so much passion and talent that want to get to that next level but don’t know how. The Icon Savvy audience will get first-hand advice from experts in various industries that can help them propel onto the next step of their career or company. It is truly a very thrilling time to live in Tampa Bay!” If you’re an up and comer, you will want to watch. If you’re launching a new business, you will want to watch. If you are looking for fresh approaches to everyday tasks, you will want to watch. If you are a mover and shaker and want to know what’s on the radar to keep you succeeding, you will want to watch. From the next iconoclast fashion designer to the next provocative entertainer to the next infamous social network whiz kid, Tampa Bay has a plethora of untapped masterminds and Icon Savvy is ready to unleash their splendid flair and skills to the population. IconSavvyTV.com premieres January 2011 on IconSavvyTV.com. Watch and be enlightened.
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Ask an Attorney
Matthew A. Foreman Esq.
He Means Business M
atthew A. Foreman graduated from Stetson University in 2008, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies with a minor in Family Business. He later graduated from Stetson University College of Law, the number one school for trial advocacy according to U.S. News and World Report, in 2008 and received a Juris Doctor degree. During his time at Stetson Law he was a research assistant to Peter F. Lake, the highly sought after speaker and futurist in the field of higher education law and policy and Mr. Foreman later served as a legal intern to the General Counsel for Minor League Baseball. Matthew was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2008 and works primarily in litigation practice for The Hogan Law Firm and also proudly serves on the Board of Directors for High Fives for Hope.
industry, what the terms of art are and, ultimately, what rights and responsibilities the parties have.
What is the craziest thing a client has ever wanted you to do? As a matter of practice, I don’t divulge that type of information, but in the course of our entertainment work, my Firm has received strange requests like people
5 Interesting Facts: -Huge Wu-Tang Clan Fan -Loves the Nation of Ireland -Favorite Genre of Music is “West Coast Gangsta Rap” -Loves Great Shoes and Great Suits -Cigar Aficionido Where are you from and what got you interested in the entertainment industry? I was born in South Florida, but I have been in the Tampa Bay area most of my life. I got interested in the entertainment industry because I’ve always felt pretty passionately about music. A lot of people don’t understand that they need an entertainment attorney, and not just any type of lawyer, to negotiate contracts in this business. Can you share with us why this is important? It is really pretty simple. The people who draft the contracts for the big boys do not have any desire to draft the contracts in a neutral manner. There are often terms that even lawyers might not be familiar with if they do not usually work with these types of deals and you can really do your self and your client a disservice if you do not know what is customary in the
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want a pound of orange skittles or ask us to procure them some bizarre drink that we have never heard of and is only available in some other country. I just don’t really want to get too specific on this question. For those individuals looking to hire a lawyer, what are some of the top qualities they should look for?
Honesty and experience are huge. Tenacity and hunger are important as well. It all depends on what facet of business you are looking at though. For litigation, you want a guy who has been in the trenches more than once. When you’re negotiating contracts, chances are you are going to want someone who knows the industry and is going to push it to the limit for you without damaging your relationship with the opposing party. At what point should talent hire an attorney to negotiate for them? From day one. Once you give something up in negotiations, you’re not getting it back and if you are dumb enough to sign the first contract someone hands you, you’re in big trouble. If there is anything you would change about the business, what would it be and why? There are too many sharks in the tank. By that I mean, there are just too many people misrepresenting themselves as being connected and I think a lot of really talented people get hurt by choosing the wrong representation. That applies to any business by the way, not just yours.
Can the city of Tampa Handle any more lawyers? Handle? Yes. Would it be ideal? Probably not. However, I think if we can limit incompetence and unethical behavior to the
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I would love to see Tampa’s nightlife become more centralized or see them do something with downtown that would make it more than a ghost town after 6 PM.
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fringes, there would be room for more. One of the problems in almost any legal community though is phasing out the ones who are either unethical, incompetent or both, but at
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the end of the day, there is always room for more good, honest lawyers. Do you feel that the printing industry is dying or evolving? Definitely evolving. I believe print media has to continue to hitch itself to the internet and not just to paper if it is going to last. I think you guys have done a great job with that, especially through the utilization of social media. Do you feel that the nightlife scene in Tampa can stand its ground with other Giants like Miami and New York City? Tampa has a different vibe than those cities, obviously, but I still think it is a great place for nightlife. My biggest issue with Tampa is that the nightlife is broken up into too many different geographic areas. I would love to see Tampa’s nightlife become more centralized or see them do something with downtown that would make it more than a ghost town after 6 PM. What 3 qualities do you look for in clients? My clients have to be honest with me, honest with themselves and be willing to push it to the limit for themselves. If you do not look out for yourself, nobody else will either.
SOHO GROUP
Leading The Way South Tampa Does Business How many Entrepreneurs form the Soho Leisure Group? Tommy Ortiz and Chris Scott, lead a team of dedicated managers and team mates to deliver a superior product. Can you tell us a little about the Soho Leisure Group, when it was formed, what started the idea? Tommy is proud to have been born and raised in Tampa. He has lived here, played here and is humbled to have had the opportunity to achieve his dreams here. In 1991 Tommy got his first break and became the co-owner of the legendary Hyde Away. In 1994, he opened Tuts Pyramid. What a learning curve! With a handful of smarts and little cash on hand - Tommy opened the Hyde Park Café. Thirteen years later, He is proud to have been a part of transforming this once battered establishment, into a South Tampa staple. What has been the most surprisingly difficult part of running nightclubs and establishments in Tampa? We have been tremendously successful in that with the development of more and more competition, our loyal guests always return to what they know and feel confident can deliver on what we always promise. Do you feel that you have gained most of the market share in Tampa? We are fortunate to have three successful operations in the South Tampa area and encourage the continued growth of the Tampa area. This part of Florida continues to thrive and competition only increases the ability to thrive. Tommy, so I hear you opened Hyde Park Café 13yrs ago with little cash on hand. What would you say were some of your worst moments that humbled you to establish the empire that stands today? My first humbling experience would have to be when I first opened the Hyde Away, and I had a falling out with my part-
Can the city of Tampa Handle any more nightclubs? Yes. This city is densely populated and deserves unique, authentic and well operated establishments. We have a great city and hope to see continued growth.
ners, so I decided to leave the location. I thought I could open a place in the same vicinity, and be able to bring my guests, and that they would follow me there. This is when I quickly realized that the power of a team, not one individual, was more important to the guests, and so I learned a valuable lesson. That it is not just YOU that makes a difference, but all of us together combined, is what makes the difference. This simple concept taught me the value of building a team. My second humbling experience would have to be, after quickly having the opportunity in reinventing the Café, and building a beautiful venue. I thought this would allow us to gain market share in South Tampa, because we were now able to offer the same amenities that are top competitors were offering. Boy was I wrong. It turned out that customer service was the true value of a venue. Not the venue itself. That the failure to lead my team to victory and take my guests for granted was another huge experience for me. That’s when Blue Martini opened up and completely wiped us out from our Friday night crowd, and that’s when I had to dig deep and find out what caused the matter. After some heavy thinking, I realized that it was due to the fact that I failed to lead my team, in applying the principle of great customer service. Even though we still had a great place like Blue Martini, our customer service did not compete. So I quickly had to change my game plan and strategy to support the team and customers. So that was my second humbling experience, knowing that I was the cause of leading my team to failure.
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What are 3 Factors that separate South Tampa nightlife, from any other part of the city? Loyalty. There is a unique factor about South Tampa and it truly embraces its own culture, supports it, and lets it thrive. What projects can South Tampa expect from the Soho Leisure Group in the next 5 yrs? Many. The Soho Leisure Group is dedicated to enhancing the South Tampa area in all facets from “not so sexy” parking lots that are well lit and safe to providing new grab and go food venues and additional night life. The sky is the limit in an area that supports us as South Tampa has since 1988. At the end of the day, who makes the final decision? The team. From owners to managers to team mates, our decisions are made so that everyone feels good about the direction and provides united support. The Group has been part of the nightlife evolution in Tampa since the early 1990s. How has the nightlife scene changed since Tommy opened the legendary Hyde Away, and where does the Group see it go from here? South Tampa has matured in so many ways, and yet has stayed as equally humble, small and elite. The customers are gracious and loyal. We are thankful to be part of such a wonderful community. Do you feel that the nightlife scene in Tampa can stand its ground with other Giants like Miami and New York City? Tampa has proven itself as a significant force in the entertainment scene, drawing two Super Bowls, hosting 3 Major League sports teams and a home to numerous superstars and athletes.
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Fitness
Have Fun and Still How to
Look A By Carissa Collura
s a personal trainer, nutrition and wellness consultant and national bikini competitor I get asked questions all the time about what to eat, how to workout, what supplements I take etc. But believe it or not the number one question I get asked is how to have fun and still look good. News flash people looking good isn’t easy!!!! Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get up, lounge around, be able to eat whatever we want all day and then go out and party all night. Reality check: life requires work and there’s no way to get where you want to go without putting in the necessary time and effort. You want to look good? Guess what you better be ready to work for it. Sure there are a select number of people that are genetic freaks and generally look amazing without having to put in much time. But for the other 98% of us, sitting on your butt on the couch watching reruns of Family guy or Sex and the City while eating pizza and bread sticks isn’t going to give you the body you’re looking for. So where to start? There’s one question I ask every client I ever sit down with… “Are you happy with the way you look?” I have never sat down with someone who has been able to look me in the eye and tell me honestly that they are completely happy with themselves and there isn’t anything they’d ever wish to change. The most important step on your journey to finding contentment is being able to identify and admit to yourself what you are unhappy with. Next step: YOU have to do something about it. That’s what I want to help you with. I want to give you a crash
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course on how to live a healthy lifestyle, make gains towards becoming the best you that you can be, while still enjoying your life.
During the week: The best advice that I can give you is make a routine for yourself. This routine will come to be your baby, treat it as such. Monday through Friday should be relatively similar. I would look at this as “work time”. They’ll be plenty of time to play later. Remember looking good takes work and sacrifices, albeit annoying, are necessary. There’s a three part equation I encourage all of my clients to implement into their “work week”. All four parts are necessary. You can’t do 2 of them and still expect to see results. This comes back to the routine, once this lifestyle becomes a habit its second nature. When you look and feel you’re best you do not have time to think about what you’re missing out on. Part One: Daily nutrition Your eating is and always will be about 75% of the whole equation. At this point I could give you the all kinds of statistics on how prevalent obesity is in America and how fat our children are becoming blah, blah, blah. Instead of insulting your intelligence I’m going to outline a way to avoid being another statistic. Numero uno: Eat every few hours. In short, this forces your metabolism to speed up. I recommend every 2.5-3 hrs. Have your food prepared ahead of time. Stay away from processed foods. Eat as much raw food as you can get your hands on. When grocery shopping its best to stay on the outside rim of the store. Consume between 8-12 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Go to fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov for more info on how much
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Carissa Collura
Owner SpartaSport Personal Training, LLC Certified Nutrition and wellness consultant National Level Bikini Competitor SpartaSportPT.com
to consume on a daily basis. Eat complex carbs that are “nutritionally rich”. Avoid things like white bread , French fries, pasta, white rice etc. Instead opt for brown rice, spinach pasta, sweet potatoes and whole wheat bread. It’s best to consume these kind of carbs in the early part of you day. Lean meat matters! I once had a client told me they ate chicken 3 times a day and didn’t understand how they’re body fat could be almost 40%. When I asked how the chicken was prepared the client looks at me and very seriously informed me that it was fried! Public Service Announcement: Frying food takes all
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nutritional value out of whatever it is you are consuming !!! Fried food is on the no-no list followed by anything smothered in grease, butter or creamy white sauce. Once again looking good isn’t a right, it’s a privilege and yes it does require sacrifices. My recommendations for this food group are chicken, tilapia, egg whites, turkey breast, sirloin and cottage cheese. Lean meat retains most nutritional value when it is baked, broiled, grilled or steamed. Look into supplementing parts of your diet that you feel are weak. Do some research; there is plenty of information out there. Visit a health and nutrition store; ask questions!!! Max Muscle is a great place to visit without the pressure to buy. Overall be smart. Don’t rationalize the things you eat. Take the initiative! You’ll be happy you did.
Part two: workouts Your body is designed to do work. It needs to be active. You should be doing something physical at the least 4 days a week. I personally try and be active in one way or another every single day. Again implement this into your routine. My suggestion is to break up your workouts into cardio and some sort of resistance training. I enjoy getting up in the morning and getting my cardio out of the way. I walk at a fast pace for 45 min almost every day. There are so many options out there, experiment to see what you prefer. I usually do my resistance training in the afternoon and evening. Again play around a little bit. You’re routine is only as good as you design it to be. If you have problems waking up in the morning then cardio at 5 am probably isn’t your best option. Tailor your plan to fit your needs.
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Part three: Rest We live in a go, go, go society. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep at night. I recommend between 6-8 hours. Resting is what allows your body to rejuvenate for the next day. You’ll be so much more prepared to deal with the stresses of everyday life if your body has had time to recharge. Tricks of the trade… So now I’m going to disclose all the dirty little secrets I’m begged for on a daily basis. How do you really have fun and stay looking good? You’ve worked all week and guess what? You finally get to have your “play time”. Have fun but be conscious. You don’t want to blow everything you’ve done all week for Outback’s Aussie Cheese Fries (which by the way is Eat this Not That’s #1 worst food in America). Remember the rules we’ve previously discussed most importantly, be smart! Simple things like ordering your dressing on the side or skipping the indulgence of the bread basket are small ways to avoid disaster.
Going out… who doesn’t love it? Whether it’s a local pub, pool hall, bar, club or sporting event, these business are there to be enjoyed, and the experience is enjoyable. However, do so responsibly. Let’s face it, most people who workout do great until Friday night. There are ways to enjoy a cocktail without consuming the same amount of calories you would as eating a carrot cake. So here they are… the dirty little secrets. If you’re drinking beer go for something like Yuengling Light, Mich Ultra or Becks Premier Light. All of these choices are less than 100 calories. Avoid the pretzels on the counter as well. Not only is that bowl a breeding ground for bacteria. They’re never ending and in the end can add an additional 300-500 calories to your day. If you’re drinking liquor stick with something clear. Vodka and rum have 97 calories per shot. The “girly” drinks are what cause problems. Stay away from anything that has fruit juice mixed in it. Instead opt for diet drinks or sugar free tonic and soda water. Flavored vodka’s and rum can
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do a lot for the flavor. Add a little sprite zero and you’re good to go. Now instead of consuming a pina colada that’s going to set you back 350 calories you’re having a great drink for under a 100. Shhh… I actually carry crystal light with me in my purse. My drink of choice is either red wine, vodka and crystal light or diet coke and raspberry flavored vodka with a twist of lime. You would be shocked at how great these “diet” drinks taste. You’re waist line will thank you I promise. In reality, it’s really not that hard. Life is full of decisions. Every one of them brings us closer or puts us farther away from what we want. Looking good is no different. It requires planning ahead, and making sure you’re equation is balanced. Just like everything in life, moderation is key. Do the research; find a routine that you are comfortable with. Seek help when you need it. Never be afraid to ask questions and most importantly remember it can be done!!! Albert Einstein once said Insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. You want to change something about yourself? Who’s stopping you?
Tamara Sky A woman on her own terms
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fter leaving her native land of Puerto Rico, Dj Tamara Sky has been popping all over the place. Tamara has been touring the planet, playing cities that include: Guadeloupe (french caribbean), Boston, Atlantic City, Vegas, San Jose, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ft. Lauderdale, Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Whistler, Ontario, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami, Guatemala, London, Germany, Bodrum Turkey, Çesme Turkey, Antalya Turkey, Cancun, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Mazatlan, Monterrey, Puebla, Acapulco, Ottawa, Minneapolis, Texas, New York, Chicago, Trinidad & Tobago, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Kansas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Orange County and many others. She has DJ’d the Pamela Anderson hosted Mac Cosmetics Fashion Week launch party in New York, Donald Trump’s birthday hosted by Carmen Electra, the after party for the J-lo and Marc Anthony concert as well as Depeche Mode concert after arty. Sky has also headlined events with celebrities such as Scott Storch, Fat joe, Benji Madden, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Jenny Mcarthy, Danity Kane, Janet Jackson, Keri Hilson and many others. She’s Been featured in E!’s reality hit T.V show The Girls Next Door, Miami based magazine Ocean Drive and front page feature in New York’s Missbehave magazine. Tamara is currently the spokesmodel for the clothing brand Luxirie of LRG, the campaign is out on NYLON, Seventeen, PAPER and ELLE. Later this year she will be hitting international spots including Germany, London, Paris, Guatemala, Africa, Turkey, Ibiza and El Salvador. She just headlined Ibiza Party 4 as first female to ever dj at this event with Oscar G. and has shared the stage and screen with some of the biggest DJ’s/performers in the industry including: The Crystal Method, Paul Van Dyk, Sander Kleineberg, Kaskade, Dj Skribble, Larry Tee, Peter Bjorn & John, Roxy Cottontail, Steed Lord, Drop the Lime to name a few. T Sky is a globetrotting DJ that plays a wide range of music styles. With such a packed schedule, it’s hard to believe she finds time for her other talents, such as photography, graphic design, modeling and drawing. With breathtaking beauty and sex appeal, and budding success in the Film, TV, Music, and modeling industries, it is no wonder that Tamara Sky is quickly becoming a world-renowned superstar DJ.
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Interview conducted by Michael Gunner | Editor of www.maxumi.co.uk You grew up in Puerto Rico, has the culture and music style of your home Country had any effect on how you DJ? Growing up in Puerto Rico with Puertorrican parents I listened to salsa, 80’s and disco music. I still love those genres of music. In my teen years I listened to metal, drum & bass and reggae while everyone was listening to reggaeton. I really enjoy music with latin and Disco influences. That’s just a small part of all the music that I love. How has 2010 been so far for Tamara Sky? What do you hope to achieve by the end of the year? The year is not over, and so many great things have happened to me. Every year gets better. Im always striving for more, Im never completely content with what I do. If I achieve something, I’ll be searching for the next thing. I think thats the key to success. I just won the award of Miami’s Best DJ, so I guess that means I’m “da best” for a year (lol!). Also I’ve been working on my own music as a singing artist which I hope to finish by this year. I’m also going to tour Asia for the first time. Currently I started working on an exciting project in conjunction with TheOverthrow(.com) called Pussy Violence (the party). I’m bringing to major cities across the world with headlining female acts/artists that personify Pussy Violence. How would you describe yourself? If Madonna, Dita Von Teese had a baby that would be me. You’re living in Miami at the moment, and from the sounds of the WMC and such like Miami is clearly one of the evolving American Cities for dance music and club life, how does it feel to be a part of this? What about Miami do you love the most? I love living in Miami. WMC 2010 was so much fun. I got to play alongside some of my favorite DJ’s and listen to a lot of Dj’s from all over the world in a matter of days. Miami also has Art Basel, this is my favorite time to be in town. Some of the things I like about MIA are the creative scenes, the winters, the multicultural clashes, and South Beach. Also how open minded and free spirited most people that live here are. What equipment do you usually use to DJ? I use Pioneer or Rane mixer, Serato and two techniques 1200’s. For years I use to travel with crates of records. How would you describe the style of your sets? It all depends on where I play. But i would describe my sets as energetic and eclectic. Who, for you, is the most influential DJ or Producer in the world? My personal favorite is Giorgio Moroder. He is one of the founders of what we know as Disco. He gave us Donna Summer. He founded the famous “galloping bassline” which today has become a “standard”. He was way ahead of his time. And how could you not love a man who looked like an 80’s porn star! You’ve also become a successful model and you’ve been in Playboy. Has it been difficult pursuing both careers...or is there one which is a priority to you, and the other just fits in nicely alongside? I moved to MIA to pursue a modeling career but instead I ended up becoming a DJ and focused on that. I haven’t been pushing modeling at all since djing. My priority is music. Ironically modeling started pursuing me. So I guess what I’m trying to say is I am not
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an aspiring model… Im just good a it (*wink) Aside from djing, do you have any other interesting passions in life? I love photography so much that I got all the equipment needed to create a photography studio at my place. Some of my favorite photographers are Bruno Dayan, Mario Sorrenti, Jamie Nelson and Terry Richardson. Im also good enough at graphic design, so I use that skill to design my mix tape covers, stickers, etc. I’m passionate about creating. You’ve also featured on internet radio - what do you think the role of internet radio is for you personally? I don’t listen to the commercial radio at all, its has bad music, and manufactured by old men in suits, at least that’s how it is in America. It doesn’t stimulate me or educate me in any sense. Internet radio is the opposite. I can find new music and discover new artists. What has been the biggest achievement for Tamara Sky so far? Getting out of Puerto Rico, stepping out of the box and doing things on my own in a relatively foreign country. Im proud to be from Puerto Rico but I look back at my home town and the journey it took to get here and all I can do is wipe my forehead. It leaves a permanent taste in my mouth that I can do anything that I want. What is your dream gig? Where would it be, who would you be playing alongside? Ok u asked for it… My dream gig is to be on the decks next to “insert current favorite dj of the moment here” at the base of the Mayan Temples in 2012, and at that moment I can smile and say “Holy Shit, its the end of the world”
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Puccio Welcome to the
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Style: House Best Known For: Productions and Remixes Gig of 2010: The Puccio Show, September 18, 2010 at Jackson’s. That’s to date; I still have a few more to go before the year is out. Tune of 2010: From me? I would say my remix of Binary Pulse by High Frequency; it got picked up by Oscar G. along with one of my other originals called “Push the Floor” and was released on his Live from NYC mix CD on Nervous Records. But if you’re talking overall, I would say Dennis Ferrer – “Hey Hey.” The Track That Changed your life: Too many to name What makes a good DJ great? The same thing that can make anybody great, being able to step out of your ego and treat everybody the same. Most underrated DJ? ALL OF US!!! Hahahaha! Due to the fact that we have a very diversified readership, give us the true history of where you are from and how you started in Tampa? When I was young my father was enlisted in the Air Force, so we moved around U.S. I was born in South Dakota, lived four years in North Carolina and then two years in North Dakota before he retired and moved the family to sunny Florida in the late 80’s.
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How old were you when you first picked up your tables and what was the defining moment that made you want to pursue your dream as a DJ? I was 26 when I bought my first Technic 1200 and Gemini mixer used from a friend of mine. It took me about five months to save up the money to buy the second turntable new. There really wasn’t any “defining moment” it was more of a natural progression in my career as musician. I always say I got a slow, late start as a DJ hahaha! The reason for that is because I was a guitar player in a band, at the time that I started learning to mix and I was also recording electronic beats on a cheap four track recorder at home as a side project.
Show
As time went on I became more and more addicted to the “club life” and my interest in keyboards, samplers and mixing grew. I finally quit the band out of frustration, trying to get four guys in their 20’s together to practice, arrange gigs and agree on ideas just wasn’t working anymore. That was a very tough decision but it gave me the opportunity to focus all my time and energy on something more positive in my career. So when you first started out, did you start out with records and tables or did you go straight to basically MP3s and CDs? I started out on vinyl bro! I didn’t go digital until 2006. Did you have any other aspirations before becoming a DJ and if so what were they? As I mentioned before, I am a guitar player and have played during my DJ sets at Jackson’s.
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Where do you see House Music evolving to in Tampa in the next five years? Over the next five years, I definitely see the scene growing in Tampa and across the U.S. When you have guys like Guetta mixing HipHop and Pop vocals with Electro House and moving up the charts, that brings exposure to the genre, people start getting educated and the industry as a whole benefits. As a result, I believe that you will see the big parties like Jackson’s getting bigger, and you will also start to see underground parties growing as people get more and more educated. In this day of age, everyone sees success but they don’t know the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that it takes to get there. Do you feel you have paid your dues as a deejay or are you still paying them? I don’t subscribe to whole “pay your dues” mentality. I think that mind set is a negative construct designed by people in high places who are in fear of losing position to somebody new or younger, and even worse if the “new guy” can achieve that same status with less time and effort. That being said I really don’t believe that there’s a point where you are home free because you have “paid your dues”. Nothing in this industry comes easy. Have I suffered and served and made mistakes to get where I am? Absolutely. Will I suffer and serve and make mistakes to get where I want to be? Absolutely. When you quit making mistakes and learning you quit growing. In business and especially life, you’re only as strong as the people you surround yourself with. Do you feel that you’ve surrounded yourself around good circles of influences? Yes I do. But occasionally, I let people into my circle that try to take advantage of me, and it’s hard, but I have to be honest with myself about those people and take necessary action. Define what the word GREATNESS means to you. Being able to rise above your ego and help somebody else without expecting anything in return. With Greatness comes Success, what does Success mean to you? Success to me is living your life like it’s a holiday. I can be busy 16 hours a day and the word “work” never enters my mind because I am pursuing my passion in life. Some people equate success with money, but I know a lot rich people who are miserable. Do you feel that your fan base is loyal? Yes
What other places abroad have you had the pleasure to enjoy and which countries stand out the most and why? Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand. All those places stand out to me because I’ve had the pleasure of making friends in each of those places. I will say that Colombia has gotten to be like a home away from home. Have you ever used your success as a Deejay for personal gain or pleasure? I guess when I get paid, that’s personal gain, and when I play that gives me pleasure hahahaha! I’ve never used my status to get laid if that’s what you’re asking. After many long nights in the deejay booth what is your favorite deejay hangover
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remedy? Sleep, food and water. What advice can you give to anyone starting out in the business? The first advice I would give anybody is find your passion in life and try to make that your work. If you do that and it happens to be deejaying then here’s what I’d tell you. Buy equipment. Practice your ass off. Get on the social networks. Educate yourself about your local scene. Educate yourself about the global scene. Can you elaborate on your family’s influence on your music? My family has always been behind me and supported my creativity. We were poor grow-
ing up (as I said my father was enlisted) but there were always musical instruments in the house. Growing up, I played the violin and trumpet in school. At home my mother played the acoustic guitar; she played folk songs made up of basic chords and a “verse – bridge – chorus” composition that you find in pop songs today. No doubt that stuck with me over the years. I remember my father bought her a piano and that was a big deal for us. At first I was not allowed to touch it, but later I spent many days driving my family insane by figuring out all the songs I heard on the radio hahaha! At 14 years old I decided I wanted an electric guitar and that made my father happy because I have three great Uncles on his side (the Italian side) that played Jazz and Blues and toured the east coast of the U.S. After several years of playing, I had a jam session with my last living great uncle. That was a very special moment. So my family really gave me a strong foundation, and encouraged me to pursue my dream as a musician. Their support continued as I got into electronic music and deejaying but by then I was already out of the house and my brother and sister had moved away so they just got updates from time to time but never really influenced my
decision making. My brother called me the other day to tell me that he heard my name and one of my tracks on satellite radio… that never gets old! Would you say Jackson’s has a big influence on your career and also your success in Tampa? Jackson’s didn’t influence my success, Jackson’s IS my success. I built that crowd with PM Noctem and Corey from Pied Piper Productions, and that didn’t start at Jackson’s, that started at Bahasa back in 2004. Now I’m talking about the Terrace not the other two rooms (Latin Room and Top 40 Room). When you asked me earlier about surrounding myself with positive people, I couldn’t ask for anything more that than the team we have right now, and that goes for everybody from Alvaro the sound and light tech, to the dancers, the VIP waitresses, bartenders, barbacks, the people working the door, the resident DJs in the Latin Room, Top 40 room and on the Terrace, and of course Pedro and Corey. Have you ever had sex at Jackson’s? Hahahahahaha! No… I’ve had eyeball sex at Jackson’s lol!!
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Where do you get your music and how do you decide what tracks make the playlist and what tracks don’t? I pretty much buy all my tracks at Beatport, iTunes and Masterbeat. I also get a lot of pre-release promos from record labels and DJs. As far as deciding what tracks make the playlist which ones don’t, for me its simple – if I can’t use it I don’t download it. I’ve trained my ear and brain over time. When I’m auditioning tracks on the internet, I mentally put myself in front of a crowd and visualize playing it. I also want to point out that I edit and remix a lot of the stuff that I play to keep my live sets original. Now at Jackson’s there are nights when I headline and there are nights when I open, so I’m downloading peak hour bombs as well as transition tracks to build up the dance floor for the next DJ. If you had one last thing to say to your fans what would it be? Thank you for one of the best years I’ve had in Tampa!!! And for supporting me by downloading my tracks and going to our parties; you guys inspire me to do what I do. We have a lot of entertainment lined up for you next year. We’re gonna do it BIG IN 2011!!!
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813.443.5306 10911 N DALE MABRY HWY • TAMPA, FL, 33618 FACEBOOK.COM/VERITYSALONS pulse | 73
DJ EKIN Tampa’s Most Connected DJ Style: Hip-Hop Best Known For: …being “Tampa’s Most Connected DJ” Gig of 2010: Friday Nights @ the Kennedy (now moved to Allure Monday) Tune of 2010: Far East Movement “Like a G6” The Track That Changed your life: DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince “The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff” What makes a good DJ great? Delivery & Selection Most underrated DJ? I think that we’re all underrated.
out with records and tables or did you go straight to basically MP3s and CDs? I am, and have always been, a vinyl kid. I was brought up on vinyl and I feel most comfortable there. The beauty of Serato and the “laptop movement” as I like to call it, is still being able to have vinyl while not having to carry crates. I definitely don’t miss those days. LOL Did you have any other aspirations before becoming a DJ and if so what were they? I have other aspirations right now. I have always dreamed of being multi-dimensional.
Due to the fact that we have a very diversified readership, give us the true history of where you are from and how you started in Tampa? I’m originally from NY. Bronx, NY to be exact. I got to Tampa by way of Orlando where I moved to go to school. Shouts out to UCF. Also, I gotta give a lot of love to the Garage Nightclub (now the Underground) and Def Jam Records. It was really because of a combination my affiliation with those two entities that Tampa started to feel like home even before I actually moved here. How old were you when you first picked up your tables and what was the defining moment that made you want to pursue your dream as a DJ? I was 12 when my dad gave me my first set of turntables. I honestly wasn’t expecting, nor were they what I asked for when he gave them to me. I just wanted a stereo…period. He shows up with two turntables and a mixer; which I didn’t actually ever put to any good use. It wasn’t until I was in the U.K. that it became a profession that I actually began to pursue, but I’ll be honest, I’m not sure if it’s my dream to be a DJ. It’s like a talent that I’m fortunate enough to have that I can’t only make a living with, but that also allows me to pursue other avenues that I dream of pursuing.
I have never wanted to be just a DJ. Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for anyone that puts on a set of headphones and goes for it, but I also feel that I have more to offer. I have my nonprofit ConnXions (www. ConnXions.org), where we are attempting to teach the youth“the power of building relationships,” and that is very important to me. I also have this constant itch for TV. I’ve concentrated my focus on those two things along with my craft as a DJ; as we approach 2011. I’ve seen the progression of things because of this focus. Where do you see Hip-Hop Music evolving to in Tampa in the next five years? Honestly, and I don’t wanna offend anyone here, but it’s hard for me to say because I don’t see any real unity here. I mean you have the Jook City movement; but I’m being real here, “Is that really a movement? Are we as a market really championing the “movement” per say or just going through the motions of playing records because they seem to work right now?” I’ve got the utmost respect for Lil Kee, Strizzo, etc, but I just don’t see the market (Tampa as a whole) pushing for that movement if they leave the city limits; and understand me, I mean in the sense of when I meet someone from Atlanta, they are quick to tell me about the hot new artist in Atlanta. It’s the same way with Miami, Memphis, etc. Do we really do that here in Tampa? I think that before the scene really evolves, those things need to take place. There is some real talent here too. I love Dynasty. Then there are Laws (who now lives in Atlanta), Aych, Tom G. and a bunch of others. These are just a few that are top of mind. In this day of age, everyone sees success but they don’t know the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that it takes to get there. Do you feel you have paid your dues as a deejay or are you still paying them? I feel like if you’re going to really be successful, you’re always going to be paying
So when you first started out, did you start
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dues. What I’m going through right now is a perfect example. I’m proving myself once again in a market that was already proven in…Tampa. You know why; because people change, the scene changes, there are four times as many DJs on the tables now and you have to constantly reinvent yourself. So dues, yes I’m still and will continue to have to pay them. In business and especially life, you’re only as strong as the people you surround yourself with. Do you feel that you’ve surrounded yourself around good circles of influences? I feel like my influences have always been in place. I’m influenced by the likes of my parents who instilled in me the basics of character and principles that I live by. As for the drive and dream, there’s everyone from Oprah to Diddy to Russell Simmons to Jimmy Lovine to my second grade teacher. Now as for my team, I’m still working on that and that’s a constant work in progress because the climb is long and you will lose much more than you win. Everyone can’t handle that.
My Mom and Dad are avid music lovers. My big sister went to high school with Kool Herc (the man credited with starting hip-hop). My big brothers were both DJs. Need I say more?
Define what the word GREATNESS means to you. Being able to take the worst situation and make it something positive…all while learning from it. That my friend is greatness. With Greatness comes Success, what does Success mean to you? Being completely happy with you. He who can master that is truly successful. Do you feel that your fan base is loyal? Do I even have a fan base? I don’t know if I have a fan base. Lol What places abroad have you had the pleasure to enjoy and which countries stand out the most and why? England, Germany and Japan …I think that Japan and England stood out the most because they seem to appreciate many of the things that we take for granted. I was in England and the internet was costing us by the minute. Can you imagine that here in the states? Have you ever used your success as a DJ for personal gain or pleasure? I think that everyone does to an extent. Whether it’s something as simple as not waiting in line or well, “the groupie thing.” Not that I would ever do such a thing. Lol After many long nights in the deejay booth what is your favorite deejay hangover remedy? Water and sleep.
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There are four times as many DJs on the tables now and you have to constantly reinvent yourself. So dues, yes I’m still and will continue to have to pay them.
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What advice can you give to anyone starting out in the business? Remember that this is a business. Five percent show and 95 percent business; period. As long as you remember that, you’ve always got a chance at being successful. Can you elaborate on your family’s influence on your music?
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Would you say 95.7 The Beat has a big influence on your career and also your success in Tampa? I wouldn’t say that the BEAT was a big influence on my career. I will say that the BEAT provided me with was an opportunity on a major platform to get my voice heard “further” and to begin to build some pretty heavy relationships; but at the end of the day, I worked my butt off at the BEAT. Have you ever had sex at the radio station? Is that like on the job training? Lol Where do you get your music and how do you decide what tracks make the playlist and what tracks don’t? I’ve gotten music from everywhere from major labels to high school kids and everywhere in between. There is no science to exactly how I decide what I want to play. It ranges from me actually feeling a track to seeing the reaction of people at a club to the reaction to someone playing a song in their car. “Toot It & Boot It” by YG is a perfect example. When I first heard it, my first reaction was that it would be a hit because I felt that the hook was strong…but to this day, I can’t tell you what’s said in the verses. If you had one last thing to say to your fans what would it be? Thank you. To know that you have many choices and I am somewhere in your thoughts, means more than you know.
WHO THE HELL IS
BARRY CAREW? 78 | pulse
Style: Club MIX (Electro, House, Mash Ups, Hiphop)
time, really spoke to me for some reason. Second to that would be “Shots” Lol! JK!
Best Known For: Being one of the best open format DJ’s in the United States.
What makes a good DJ great? You can’t be a dick to people. Even if they are horrible to you or have a bad request, you have to respect the person and nod your head and smile. Also you can’t have an ego. If you have a big ego and are an ass to all the other DJs in your city or on the globe you will go nowhere fast. A great DJ is made. I have been playing on turntables since 1996. That is a long time of watching the whole game change. You might have a Mac Pro and Serato, but it will never make up for years of treating people how they want to be treated and rocking shows for all kinds of different people. Wanna be a great DJ? Hang out with people better than you. Be nice! Stick around for the other DJ’s sets that might work the same club or event with you. Do a good job even when 20 people are at the club you’re booked in. I have played in a small night club for 30 people and by the end of the night have the owner scratching, and a line of people wanting to watch or get a picture with my head phones on because I was open and nice to them. So what makes a great DJ…You! If you can rock the crowd and have the crowd love you then soon your ass will rock 18,000 people in Las Vegas like what has happened to me. It’s as simple as
Gig of 2010: Doha, Qatar in the U-A-E “Middle East” for the Global DJ’s. It was sick! Before that was my USO Tour for the soldiers to Iraq and Kuwait. Nothing tops overseas shows and supporting our Armed Forces. Tune of 2010: “Duck Sauce”- Barbara Streisand, or A track “Lonnies to Blow” my favs. Too many to name, what a bad question to ask a DJ. That is like asking a kid what kind of candy they like...Damnit they like it all! The Track That Changed your life: I would say so many songs have been influential with me as an artist, DJ and friend, it’s hard to say. But I think it would have to be Alice Deejay “Better Off Alone.” Not for selfish reasons but something about the vocals and the beat just made me want to make my sets better and production more diverse. I can still remember dropping that record for the first time in front of a crowd and the way it inspired fun and reflection all at the same
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who you know, and how you treat them. If you want to go far don’t be a D-Bag! Oh and one last thing always shower and brush your teeth before gigs. Most underrated DJ? ME…and all my good friends! Seriously! WHO THE HELL IS BARRY CAREW? They know who I am talking about. f@cking industry politics. F.A.M is coming soon! Due to the fact that we have a very diversified readership, give us the true history of where you are from and how you started in Tampa? I have family in Lakeland, so I would sometimes come down from Austin, TX and visit. Then I was asked to be a headliner for the first Vinyl Music Festival in Sarasota. I never even heard of the place and I was born in Florida, but agreed and had a blast. I started to get hit up by tons of clubs in Florida shortly after all the publicity from VMF and then it seemed like every two weeks I was either going to Los Angeles and Vegas or New York and Florida. I was telling my friends in Austin about how beautiful the beach and city of Tampa and St. Pete is. Before you know it, the grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, etc. were loving having my family around more and we were getting great bookings to do shows with my partner DJ Skribble, at places like Shep-
hard’s for spring break or AJA with DJ LeSage and Tha Mixfits. So my eyes really started to open up to the response to my music and style. A few trips later I played The Venue and set relationships with the owners that are priceless. Each trip here, I was rocking the best places your area had to offer. I had great responses at Hard Rock, also in St. Pete at Vintage one time, and then a few moths later, The Certified Fresh Crew brought me to Bishop for a packed house and I was starting to fall in love with this area. I started to come down often as my grandmother (may she rest in peace) started to get worse and worse. It was also a great time for my career but my family situation was way better when I am close to them. So I talked to my main man Johnny Pease from Groove Entertainment and told him I was going to come to Tampa for the summer. He instantly threw me into the mix and people were loving it and honestly I was loving the people. Then the great people at Shephard’s Beach Resort brought me on to rock the whole summer series and it was amazing! I could get chocked up thinking about how such a cool town like Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater can show one DJ so much love and respect in a short time. It’s really a blessing and yet humbling all at the same time. As time here has passed I have been rocking
the main stage every Saturday at The Kennedy as well as tons of events and few of the other hot new spots in the area and I don’t plan on stopping. I still play Miami, Sarasota, Austin, Vegas, Atlanta, Scottsdale and LA regularly, but for me it’s all about building weeklies right now, focusing on writing my songs and producing music in my studio. This is a great place to do it all and that is what is so appealing to me about this area. Only thing I am missing right now is a tan! How old were you when you first picked up your tables and what was the defining moment that made you want to pursue your dream as a DJ? I can honestly say I was making mix tapes when I was a kid. Back then you could record the songs off the radio and run them together if you had a dual deck tape player. That is what I did when I was young. I got my first turntables at 16 years old and was living in San Antonio, TX. I was going to teen dances every week. I would see the DJs putting the music together and getting everyone hyped up on the mic. I was so into getting music put together for my basketball and football games. One day I just asked a DJ from Omnisound, how do you make the music match up and flow together? I want to do that. He told me at that week’s dance he would
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show me for an hour before they opened. I spent that hour doing nothing but learning to pitch mix. All about matching beats is what this guy’s advice to me was. I was hooked! I would get so excited when I was beat matching. It was great! Weeks later my buddy RJ’s brother had a set of P.O.S turntables and a mixer that I still have to this day. I started slow, buying all hip-hop and early 90’s dance then I hit the jackpot. I made friends with a radio programmer who put me on all the record pool lists. It was like Christmas every week getting to flick through record crates. Most of you young DJs have no idea what the hell I am talking about but trust me before laptops there was fresh cut hiphop. Honestly, I never thought I would own clubs and throw massive parties. I never thought I would take something I loved as a teenager and make it into a career but it all happens for a reason. I know the best is yet to come. Oh and there has not been a defining moment yet, I’m still mesmerized. So when you first started out, did you start out with records and tables or did you go straight to basically MP3s and CDs? CDs? What the hell are you talking about? Just kidding! House music DJs calm down. I am a vinyl DJ! I started with
turntables and I will stop with turntables. I honestly get pissed if I have to play on CDs. They are too damn easy. No risk of a drunk girl knocking the needle off the record or a big fuzz bunny on your needle making the record skip. Come on people, who is with me? Lol! Just kidding! I can play on two iPods if I had to. lol! But my saying will always be, “Where it’s at? I got two turntables and a microphone! Did you have any other aspirations before becoming a DJ and if so what were they? I wanted to be in the NBA! I was going to be PRO!!! I still can dunk on you if I need to! But as a kid I just knew I was going to be pro. After Fork Union Military Academy I decided to go into the Army and I got to still play ball on the All Army Team so technically, I was a pro basketball player for a short period of time lol! My true aspiration was to just be good at everything. I think music found me. I am glad it did. The entertainment industry has done tons for me. I will always be thankful for it!
sion, you still want to go out and be entertained. I think the place with the live music and good DJs will excel and the places using the same old gimmicks and bands and DJs that nobody likes will fall short. Why you might ask me? “Because this town is smart. Trust me! The places and districts here are well established for good reason and I think you will see some bad ass new places coming up. Some of which I have already seen because they are trying to hire me! he he he In this day of age, everyone sees success but they don’t know the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that it takes to get there. Do you feel you have paid your dues as a DJ or are you still paying them? I know I have paid my dues. My best friend is the world famous DJ Skribble from MTV and I have opened up shows across the globe for him. I have rocked the mic and introduced him in front of thousands of people and every time I have opened for him I did the right thing because I listed to his knowledge and knew how to play my part. Sometimes
ily I would sling mix tapes outside the mall because I am that driven. In business and especially life, you’re only as strong as the people you surround yourself with. Do you feel that you’ve surrounded yourself around good circles of influences? I feel like I have the best people in the world in my life. I have the greatest family on earth. Without a doubt, I surround myself with great management and leadership from very well-known people in the entertainment business. I have very supportive fans and when I say fans… I mean people that come and party because they know I put on a show. I will tell you this…You can go a long way by putting good people on your team and I know I have done just that. I am honored to be surrounded by you all. Define what the word GREATNESS means to you. It means doing the best you can and having people accept that you put your all into
“I AM YOUR MOMMA’S FAVORITE DJ!” Where do you see the Club Scene evolving to in Tampa in the next five years? Well I have seen so many markets that I know what it takes to stay alive. I have watched the evolution of bottle service and bottle chasers, as I like to call them and I have watched the clubs playing only one certain kind of music fall to the ground. If clubs want to be consistent they have to stay consistent. Too many club owners go cheap on the DJs and the go-go dancers and even some of the other entertainment staff and they wonder why the place turns ghetto or why the money spending crowd has gone. Well when the new car smell wears off you have to give the people what they want even when it’s slow. You have to stick to your guns and your theme. If you do you will go a long way. Consistency is king! I see a few moves happening in the area because of the growth and money here. With the so called reces-
I wanted to just play all the new hot songs and just go off! But I knew I had to play my part. Eventually the club owners and fans started to take notice and club owners say damn that opening DJ wrecked it, lets bring him back for his own show. Time and time again I have played my part. I have earned people’s respect and I showed people love and respect. I have also spoken up when I thought something sucks. So I know I have worked hard to get to the place I am at and I am going to have to work even harder to get to the place I am going. This business is tough and I have done it all. I have worked events you would wish on your worst enemy and it has brought me to places I can’t even imagine, so hard work pays off. It all takes time. Youngsters in this game think it needs to all happen fast. It’s not like that. Very rarely will you be successful without putting in the work to make it happen. I will always grind if I have to. If I had to feed my fam-
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something and it turned out great. Greatness in the DJ world is really judged by others. But honestly greatness to me is the Cheeseburger at Bill’s Grill at the BonAir in St. Pete Beach. One day people will describe me and I want them to do it with the same passion as I describe that cheeseburger to people. Ha! Delicious, Larger Than Life, Tasty, Life Changing, Remarkable... Ok I am acting stupid I will stop! With greatness comes success, what does success mean to you? Success to me is doing what you love and making it. You don’t have to make money to be successful. Some of the richest people I know are miserable. You can be successful in so many ways, I feel like I am successful because I provide for my family and always have other people wanting to work with me. To me there is no greater accomplishment. Also, success can be a rough path. I have
overseas bookings. I am getting ready to go play some shows in South Africa in a few weeks, so that should be amazing too…. I am sure. Have you ever used your success as a DJ for personal gain or pleasure? Yes, every week as you wait in line to use the restroom at the club I fly right by you saying, “hey guys sorry to cut you, but I only have two minutes left in this song before it stops, I am the DJ here,” then I cut by you and pee. But I never leave the booth without putting on a mix, so I am telling a little white lie. After many long nights in the DJ booth what is your favorite DJ hangover remedy? I am a professional DJ. I don’t get hangovers! But I know this Emergen-C’s or Vitamin C is great if you feel like crap the next day. Oh and stand on your head and listen to a Barry Carew mix CD while rubbing your tummy. I hear it works! Please post videos on YouTube of you trying this new hangover remedy. What advice can you give to anyone starting out in the business? Practice! Don’t look at the screen while learning. Go watch as many “good” DJs as possible. Don’t pick out a DJ name until you don’t suck. Also don’t have an ego because you are new in the game. Don’t buy expensive equipment because you are not ready for it. Be humble and take your time to learn. Don’t try to scratch until you can beat mix. Learn your music! Take the time to listen to people who have been doing this a long time. Don’t quit your day job. Oh and most of all never ever, ever undercut a working DJ because your excited ass will work for two Twinkies and a $12 bottle of vodka. You will gain more enemies than friends. This art takes time to learn and if you teach yourself the right way you will be very good.
failed a few times at things I put my heart into and it just wasn’t meant to be. It doesn’t mean I am a failure. I am still here I am still standing! That’s what success is all about. I wish half the people that would have said they were going to help me out would have but I never would have know what it feels like to build something from the ground up and watch it succeed. Do you feel that your fan base is loyal? I know my fan base is loyal. They show major love always spreading my mixes all over the world. I also see familiar faces every night I DJ. I might not know their names, but I remember their smiling faces or crazy dances etc. I love them all. I know they have a bunch
of love for me. It’s a good feeling and thank you. What places abroad have you had the pleasure to enjoy and which countries stand out the most and why? I got to play in beautiful Iraq and Kuwait for the soldiers... Ha! Actually it was pretty blown up still. lol! I have been to so many beautiful places. My favorite to date is Doha, Qatar. It’s near Dubai in the UAE. It was remarkable. First class everything! Never seen a hotel room or buffet like it in Doha. It’s amazing! Thanks Global DJs for bringing me there. I have also always loved Cancun. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! I really enjoyed Germany and England too. Pretty much love getting
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Can you elaborate on your family’s influence on your music? Well my sister and I always loved to dance and listen to music. I still remember us watching Michael Jackson do the moon walk on live TV. But even after that….we grew up on Army bases so we had people of all colors and nationalities around us, so music was widespread growing up. When I was a little older and we lived on the Army base in LA and the Navy Base in Orlando, we were old enough to be in to it all. I liked hip-hop and rock and she was always pushing Reggae and European Techno, or tech house as its called now, on me and I loved it all! Some artist like Capelton, SuperCat, and Snoop were among our favorites, years later it was Alice Deejay, Sonique, Dre, Biggie, and stuff like that. When I was deejaying my first club The Frat House in Killeen, TX I started to gain the interest of my mom and little sister
because the house music I was playing included lots of old rock clips and this is in 2001 we are talking... So I would say my family’s music paved a bit of the way, but I am still the jukebox of the family for sure. Would you say The Kennedy has a big influence on your career and also your success in Tampa? I would say a big YES! Honestly, it’s really on Johnny Pease and Sonny Glover first and foremost from Groove Entertainment. They are the ones that turned me loose in The Kennedy. The owners are very great people and the management is top notch. The staff and I just clicked. They would hit me up for mix CDs every night and tell me how much they loved the change in music. It was a great feeling. My boy DJ Haf also was a big advocate too because he rocks the house music outside in IVY to give a great balance to the night. The crowd goes nuts for me on Saturday nights leaving me on top of the world. I sometimes wish Tampa would adopt some Texas rules and just lock up the liquor and keep the party rolling till 5 or 6! We have 500 people ready to stay and party every week as I drop the last song. I have had to sing them out the door before. lol! It’s always good when a nice venue steps in and has a really solid national resident. It’s a winning combination! All I hope is that they can afford to keep me there, my stock keeps rising. lol!
here for a reason and I love it here now! Yes, I go all over the country but the love and support you have shown me since I have been here is amazing. I appreciate you so much and I ask for your support at all my shows and even online. Just sharing my Facebook page or website with someone can open their eyes to a new style of music. Music is a language spoken by all. It is a feeling like no other. It’s in you. Support your local music scene. Support your local DJ. I have a few major things in the works. I am doing a ton of corporate gigs for the Superbowl and NBA Allstar weekend etc. and I am also doing a bunch of private gigs for people too so, I plan on expanding more into the private and commercial sectors of deejaying to focus on the future. So hit me up if you have a big private event. Sorry, no one bedroom apartment parties. LOL! I plan on dropping
Have you ever had sex inside the DJ Booth? Define DJ Booth? Ha!!!!! Where do you get your music and how do you decide what tracks make the playlist and what tracks don’t? I am on a ton of radio record pools. I also use a bunch of sites to download music. All of which I pay for. I go out of my way to support certain record pools. Others, I stay as far away from as possible. I also make a ton of original edits and so do my friends. So I like to play my friends edits over someone I don’t know. Sounds funny but we all go further as a team. To answer the second part of the question I will just say this. I read the crowd, and I make myself one with the crowd, I always say to myself what would get me dancing right now. Once I do that it just comes to me! So next time your at a Barry Carew show don’t ask me for a song you know I am going to play! Sit back and sip your drink and enjoy the ride!!! If you had one last thing to say to your fans what would it be? I would like to say thank you to Tampa and the surrounding areas for all the love and support. I would say please hit my fan page on Facebook and let me know how you like the music, and please…stay in touch with me. Then I would like to say this: I came
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a few more mix tapes for you in the next few months. Including an all hip hop “Have a Gangsta Day, Volume Deuce” and rock, 80’s, 90’s, and classics, “Your Mom Will Like It” mixtape. Please enjoy and share. I also have been forming a great new agency called Free Agent Management (F.A.M) www.freeagentmanagement.com that will highlight and showcase some amazingly talented DJs and artists giving them structure and support for booking and record promotions. So peep out Free Agent Management in the next few months, it’s going to be sweet! Final thing to my fans is this: Without you I am nothing. Without you owners and promoters, I am nothing. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your continued support! You will always have mine. Oh and one last thing...I AM YOUR MOMMA’S FAVORITE DJ”!!!
NOCHE LATINA
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