Wow. Sad day for Central Florida. Remember back in 2008 when I blogged about how great the Red Fox Lounge was?
You know what made it great? Mark & Lorna. The Orlando Sentinel today reports one-half of the famous duo has passed after suffering a heart attack.
Our thoughts to Lorna and those close to the beloved performer.
Get There and Get This Amazing Body! Do It!
What better time than now to drop everything and get started with a new fitness routine? Get There Boot Camp, hosted by friend of Pulse, Dena Davis, is sure to help you burn those extra holiday pounds in no time.
Held most weeknights and Saturday mornings at Lake Eola, this upbeat group boot camp is not only fun, but an awesome workout. Ash & I tried it ourselves a few weeks ago and Ash has already been back for seconds.
Bring $10, a towel and some water and be prepared to work hard for the full hour that follows … no wussies allowed! Boot Camp attendees meet at Lake Eola across the street from the downtown Publix on Central Avenue … to confirm, make sure to ‘like’ the Get There Boot Camp Facebook page. An added benefit of liking the page: daily inspirational messages and reminders to stay fit.
What are you waiting for? Get There!
*Photo Credit: Aaron Greenwood via Flickr
Talk about an assault on the senses!
Love her or hate her, Snooki will be pimping her new perfume Wednesday night at the Perfumania in Florida Mall.
Snooki’s set to arrive at 5 p.m. No word yet whether that’s Eastern Standard Time or Guidette Time.
Thanks for the heads-up, Orlando Sentinel.
Central Florida: you’ve been warned. 
Valerie Dittman, Unique Beauty Services
We don’t focus much on beauty around here at Pulse, but it’s sure not because we don’t like to get prettied up. For this People Pulse feature, I sat down with my all-time favorite nail technician so I could share her awesomeness with Pulse’s readers.
Q: We love Orlando, how long have you been here?
22 years!
Q: What are some of the things that make Orlando great for you?
Well, one of the biggest things is how dog-friendly the city is. I have a dog and there are so many great parks to take her to. And, in the years I’ve been here, Downtown Orlando has just gotten so much better. I’m also a big fan of College Park because of its small-town feel.
Q: How long have you been doing nails?
25 years!! I’ve only done one other thing in my life before I started doing this, and that was bartending.
Q: The nature of your business means changing salons from time to time, but you recently moved into a space at iStudio Salons which means you’re pretty much running your own ‘mini-salon’ now. How have things changed?
Now, I make my own rules. I have two rooms, one for nails and one for permanent makeup, and both were personally decorated by me which means I could let my personality shine through more so than ever before. Plus, I just love the concept. It’s basically the next step to owning something that’s exclusively mine.
Q: You’re much more than just a nail technician; you’re also a permanent makeup artist. What’s that like?
Well, I’ve had more than 1,000 hours of training and education by world-renown makeup artist, John Hashey. The state doesn’t require much, which is something most people don’t know, but I’ve gone above and beyond in terms of education.
Q: I’m curious, what is the most common request you get for permanent makeup?
I’d say most women want their eyebrows done, but eyeliner and lips are popular, too. Something I would love to do more of is aereola reconstruction because I’ve had so much education on that procedure. Overall, my philosophy is to accentuate a woman’s natural beauty.
Q: Moving away from work for a minute … when you’re not making Orlando beautiful, do you have a favorite place to go?
I love going to the different Farmer’s Markets around town, and I live on a lake, so I really enjoy spending time at home. There’s always something new opening up in town that it’s almost like you can try a new place every week if you wanted to.
Q: I wanted to feature you in People Pulse because I really appreciate the way you treat your clients … you really take time to build relationships which is something you don’t see in the strip mall, run-of-the-mill nail salons. Is that your overall philosophy for your business?
Yes; communication is the most important thing about what I do. I customize each visit based on what works for the individual and their lifestyle. Sometimes that means recommending gel polish over acrylics, a different product that might be less drying, or an organic product if being ‘green’ is important to a client. Plus, I attend a lot of the shows so I can scope out the latest products and trends.
Q: In closing, what’s the one thing you’d like to leave Pulse’s readers with?
People should educate themselves on the services they’re getting. Especially when it comes to permanent makeup … do your research, make sure you go to someone you can trust. I do free consultations so people feel completely confident about what they’re having done. Remember, regardless of what you’re having done, it should accentuate your natural beauty.
Disclaimer: While Pulse’s Kim Taylor is a regular client of Unique Beauty Services, she received a complimentary full pedicure during her question & answer session.
Missy Ward: Chica Extraordinaire
I’m a die-hard AC/DC fan and have been since the US Bicentennial. (How’s that for dating myself?) You can still find me at several of their concerts when they’re touring. While I love all of their songs, my favorite is still “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Want To Rock and Roll)”.
I’m a big wine geek and just finished blending my first wine, called Signorina; the net proceeds of which are donated to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
Q: Where are you originally from, and if not Central Florida then when & why did you end-up here?
I moved down here on April Fool’s Day, 15 years ago with a fool – or ex-husband; whichever term you prefer. I was born and raised in New York (Long Island and the City). We got tired of the commuting and the cold weather so we moved packed our bags, quit our jobs and moved into a house down in Kissimmee as an investment a couple of years before that.
Q: What do you enjoy most about Central Florida?
Well, besides the weather and our lovely humidity that keeps my skin hydrated and wrinkles at bay, I love the lakes and the beaches nearby, the beautiful golf courses and the various entertainment options.
Q: In terms of growth & development, what would you like to see for Central Florida?
While I think Central Florida is getting much better at building our art culture, we’ve got a ways to go. I’d love to see the inroads we’ve made in this area fortified by working together with all of the great local artists, galleries and museums to build more public collections to be comparable with other cities.
We also need to figure out a way to attract more sporting events to our area and keep the existing sporting events from fleeing the likes of our Citrus Bowl. Without renovations to it, we’re bound to lose events like the Florida Classic which accounted for a $30+ million economic impact to Central Florida businesses last year alone.
I’m no politician and I certainly haven’t looked at the budget, but forgoing things like renovations and canceling projects like High Speed Rail, just doesn’t seem like long-term thinking to me.
Q: I happen to know you are a very busy woman, and a family woman. You Co-Founded Affiliate Summit (a bi-annual national conference), Feedfront Magazine (the official magazine of Affiliate Summit), manage MissyWard.com and you’re about to publish your second book! How do you balance everything?
I think that “balance” can mean different things to different people at different points in their career. It’s really a matter of knowing what’s important to you and setting your priorities to achieve it.
Q: For those in Central Florida who may not be familiar with Affiliate Marketing, can you briefly explain it?
In a nutshell, it’s selling something you don’t own, to people you don’t know and earning a commission each time you do. But for people that like long, clinical definitions, you can find one on Wikipedia.
Q: So what let you into the Affiliate Marketing space?
I was the VP of Marketing for Global Travel and I was basically told that I needed to launch an affiliate program to generate leads and sales, so I learned how to do because I wanted to keep my job. I figured the best way to start would be to become an affiliate of some of the most successful programs that were already in existence and then work my way backwards to learn the intricacies of managing a program. I started a few sites and before I knew it I was making money with my little experiment, and I actually liked what I was doing. I’ve been an affiliate ever since and have also been an affiliate manager for both merchants and networks.
Q: You were doing a weekly podcast. Is that still around?
No, I stopped. I got burned one too many times by guests not showing up at their scheduled times after I spent hours researching information about them to create the interview questions. The archives are still around at BigMouthStrikesAgain.fm.
Q: You travel quite a bit for work. What’s your favorite thing about coming back home to Central Florida?
I love coming back home to my family and sleeping in my own bed!
Q: You’re very involved in breast cancer awareness & education. Any particular reason?
I consider myself very fortunate at this point in my life. I have a great family, I am financially comfortable and I’ve made thousands of friends and contacts in an industry that I love.
I felt that I shouldn’t waste the position that I’ve found myself in, so I created AffiliateMarketersGiveBack.com. Its goal is two-fold; to raise money to support Breast Cancer research, treatment, awareness and community programs through combined efforts within the Affiliate Marketing Industry and also provide an outlet for people to help themselves by uplifting others in a ways that another piña colada-filled vacation, more “stuff” or a beefier resume couldn’t possibly begin to do.
To date, we’ve raised over $250k which has been donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Our next fundraiser is the 2011 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer (http://www.DonateToTeamAMGB.com) in June and we’ve already raised over $60,000 so far, for that event.
Q: What do you do for entertainment in Orlando?
Our family loves going to the parks and enjoy the outdoor festivals. My husband and I also enjoy doing wine tastings and dining out. We’re kind of foodies.
Q: Who are some of the Central Florida «people» you follow, that we should keep our eyes on?
I enjoy following @ScottJoseph for his restaurant reviews. We kind of have the same taste.
Q: Are there any “secret treasures” in the Central Florida area that people should be familiar with
If you’re a Wine or Beer lover, you have to go to Sanford Wine Company for their wine tastings or beer school nights. The owner is friendly, the music is good, the pours are big and the prices are so cheap that I feel like I’m taking advantage of them.
Q: In departing, what is the final thing you’d like to leave with our readers?
When I was a kid, my Dad used to always say, “Missy, life is not a dress rehearsal.” It’s sort of stuck with me through the years and has helped me with my business. I’ve found that most people talk about what they would like to do in the future rather than act upon it. Doers always trump talkers when it comes to being successful.
Congrats are in order for Jayde Donovan, co-host of the Johnny & Jayde show on XL106.7!
Jayde has been chosen to co-host a new show on Bravo alongside advertising mogul Donny Deutsch! “Love Calling” airs Thursday, January 27, at 11 p.m. The show will give no-nonsense advice about love and relationships, and similar to the format of Andy Cohen’s “Watch What Happens Live” questions will be submitted by phone, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook and video.
Jayde plans to continue her radio job in Orlando and commute back and forth to NYC for the TV show taping.
Congratulations, Jayde! Orlando’s pulling for you!
Q: In case you’re not familiar with our “People Pulse” feature, we like to begin by having you share something unique about yourself, that’s fun or worth knowing.
I’m a big foodie and write a food blog about my dessert making adventures. In 2008, I won a cookie contest with my Million Dollar Cookies recipe which finished in the top 5 of all cookies in Parenting Magazine that year. In 2009, I competed in the same contest with my Key Lime Cookies recipe and finished in the top 10.
Q: Are you from Central Florida? If not, what brought you here?
I am a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2001. A few months after graduation I married my husband, David who was already working here in Florida after he graduated.
Q: What do you most enjoy about the Central Florida area?
I enjoy the sun, because coming from Pittsburgh, we don’t have that many sunny days! I also enjoy all the fresh seafood. I never had sushi until I moved to Florida, now I love it!
Q: You’re a mom, so what do you and your family enjoy doing around town?
My daughters are almost 4 and 2, so we find ourselves going to the Brevard Zoo with some amount of frequency. They have this great water play area which was heaven during the summer, because not all Floridians have a pool!
Q: You and I actually connected via Twitter, because of our affinity not only for dance music, but for the brilliant, amazing BT. Aren’t technology and music just the best?!
It’s actually kind of funny looking back at how my whole experience with BT got started. I was just a regular ‘ol fan at the March show, and now I am connecting with other fans from that show and others around the world. I saw myself rocking out to BT in the corner of various videos taken that evening. I still can’t believe it sometimes!
Q: And now you’re doing something I find ultra-cool, and that is you are BT’s web/tech/developer! How did that opportunity come about?
It happened in a chat room, yes, really! It started in the chat room of BT’s U-stream, with a gentleman named Mark (@sendandreturn on Twitter) over in the UK. He alluded to the fact he was working on a website for BT. (Really? Nah.) I started following Mark on Twitter prior to the March show, and was excited to tell BT “Oh, Mark says hi,’ but for me I was lucky to remember to say my own name!
Mark read my review of the Firestone show and about a month later Mark said he was looking for some help on the site and was I interested. (He mentioned Brian remembered who I was!) First I was more of a sounding board for ideas, and then as things started evolving I got more involved with the design and code of the site. It was a lot of work, many tweets, couple of phone calls and long hours to make everything just right. The real treat in this project was reading and researching old articles about Brian. There were many hairpulling moments trying to convert PDFs of BT’s ‘scrapbook’ into online images where visitors could read along as if they were looking at a magazine. No one knew I was working on the new BT site, so it was fun to drop a hint or two along the way and still no one caught on!
Finally the day came to launch the website, and I had never done a launch remotely before. So here we were Mark, Brian and I holding our breath and tweeting/emailing like crazy making sure everything was OK and the response was MENTAL! It was really cool to see the tweets coming in as the website populated around world.
Q: BT is very tech-saavy and into social media, so do you find it inspiring to work with him?
I would say BT is technically aware. Brian is very down to earth, knows music and how to create it by continually pushing the envelope. He may not understand everything I make happen, but he tries and I try to get to the point without losing him in the tech of it. Since we’re separated by thousands of miles, it’s not like I can pick up his iPhone or sit down at his laptop. I email him a step by step procedure of what I need and he does it, usually followed by a ‘BAM done!’
At first I was pretty starstruck, but he’s really just like anyone else! He shares things with us and vice versa. It’s not uncommon to see ‘rad, epic, AWESOME, FACT, dude’ come through in an email. We’re all really excited and love sharing cool tech we find with each other in a very open and honest environment. It’s really fun explaining and joking around with the guy that is considered the godfather of electronica.
(By the way, you were kind enough to feature our blog post on BT’s show at Firestone Live earlier this year on BTMusic.com, so thanks for that!)
Q: I personally feel like some of the music venues in Central Florida, Firestone and The Social namely, have recently stepped-up their game as far as talent is concerned. What’s your take?
Insert awkward silence here. My first show/concert EVER was BT at Firestone in March. Since then I’ve gone to a show in Tampa, but other than I’d prefer to do other things. I think it’s great to see or hear about the artists coming through the area. For me it’s been, ‘Oh MAN, I missed….’ If I followed every musician I was interested in I think I’d explode. I love music, but I don’t want to be at a club every weekend. I just pick and choose who I really, really want to see.
Q: You were also recently randomly selected to participate in the recent NASA Tweetup. How excited were you about that?
It’s actually funny in the course of working on this interview, tweetup plans have gone from cancelled, to on again, to off, to on again. As it stands, it looks like we will be invited back to view Discovery’s night launch at the end of November (depending on how repairs go, the launch may be pushed back to February).
I was beyond excited when I first heard I was on the waitlist (we called it NASA Waitup). A few weeks later, I squealed and danced with excitement when I got the email I moved from waitlist to the official list. I’ve watched so many launches, but to be able to stand next to the countdown clock and see one go up I couldn’t believe it!
The NASA Tweetup was an amazing experience despite the number of delays and the eventual scrub of Discovery. Many tweeps got a behind the scenes tour of the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) and other areas. Me, I got to see the cafeteria next to the VAB on Monday night. It was like social media meets space bootcamp all week as our organizer Stephanie worked to move speakers and schedules around as the launch schedule played out. It was a great springboard to meet and interact with people from around the world and many I don’t think I’d ever even dream of following on Twitter are now BFFs!
Q: So what did the event consist of?
The event was originally supposed to be a 2 day event that stretched into nearly a week of scheduled and unscheduled activities. The first day pretty much happened as planned, we heard from Bill Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate/NASA Headquarters, Astronaut Ron Garan (@Astro_Ron on Twitter), Stephanie Stilson, NASA Discovery flow director, Launch Vehicle Processing Directorate, Kennedy Space Center. We attended demonstrations of Robonaut (@astrorobonaut, collaboration between NASA and GM) and of the ACES suit (big orange astronaut suit). Those were pretty much the only things that happened as scheduled.
Discovery was still having some technical issues and the RSS retraction we were supposed to see Monday night kept getting delayed. So, in a field we were asked the question if we just wanted to end the day there or proceed with a trip to the launch pad and Saturday V center because not everyone would be staying until Tuesday. The groups split into the ‘go now’ or ‘wait’, priority was given to those that would be departing on Tuesday or for those that couldn’t make it back to KSC at 2pm the next day. Two thoughts went through my mind: ‘1. I would have issues with child care and couldn’t be back until 5pm on Tuesday and 2. What happens if there were more delays? This was my chance and I had to take it.’
What did I get to see and what did I miss? I got to see and eat at a NASA cafeteria. I toured an empty Saturn 5 center with my friend while cleaning crew worked. (That rocket is even more impressive in the darkness and quiet.)I didn’t get to go in the VAB, but I got to go to the area around the launch pad twice!
Q: What role do you think social media brings to an event like this?
This was definitely a teaching and learning experience for all involved. On Tuesday, a group of us arrived to attend the RSS retraction only to hear it was postponed. While we waited for our bus to meet up with the rest tweeps, we bumped into ‘real’ media aka: traditional media reporters. The first reporter came over to ask us what was happening, who we were etc. Soon as he heard of the delay he scurried back to his car to leave. It was then I realized, what if our sources were wrong? Our group of 4-5 were reading tweets from NASA related sources, but nothing official. It was a scary feeling and thinking maybe we were wrong, but we agreed the reporter should verify his facts – like we were trying to do.
The ‘tweeters’ as we were called ran into other instances where media was coming to us searching for a scoop, proudly telling us news we already knew and finally ‘wait, don’t tweet that / no you can’t have my name.’
Social media in this environment also seemed to break down a lot of walls over the course of the week, although I can’t be sure if it was because of the environment we were in. The environment being one of sharing, learning and discovery, real human driven magic happens at KSC every day. Every NASA employee we encountered was helpful, knowledgeable and full of many amazing stories. At the end of the week, we really felt like part of the NASA family living and breathing launch schedules and delays. NASA’s hospitality was top notch, and beyond what I was expecting. Through social media, we were able to see the human side of human space flight.
Q: Who are some folks (can be individuals, companies, etc.) you enjoy following in Central Florida?
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time—if you have any—in Central Florida?
When I can get out, I enjoy running. I started running a year ago, mostly as a challenge to myself to see if I could complete a Couch to 5k program. Since then I’ve been running at least one 5k race a month. It’s great, because you can do it almost anywhere. From there my friend got me interested in ultimate frisbee. We play in a HUGE empty parking lot at night where some play all serious, and others scream in your face trying to distract you. It’s a great way to unwind once a week!
Outside of running it’s a mixed bag of activities with the kids. There’s baking, playdates with MOMS club members, outings to the zoo, playtime at the park or exploring a local nature preserve.
Q: Are there any “secret treasures” in the Central Florida area, people should know about?
There’re a few that I’ve really enjoyed and happened to find or hear about by accident:
● Turkey Lake Park – Just off Hiawassee Road. I walked to this park to meet the rest of my family after my 6 month LASIK eye checkup. It was an amazing park for my girls to run around in, and I couldn’t believe this gem resided so close to Orlando! I wish I could take this park back home with me.
● Harry P. Leu Gardens – The first time I went here, it was 95 degrees in August and I was 12 weeks pregnant with our second child. At the end of our walk, I pulled out my camera to take a picture which was actually recording video when I told my mom I was pregnant. It was a priceless moment, in such a beautiful, quiet environment.
● Orlando Wetlands Park – I have not been, but several people at the NASA Tweetup went on the off days to go explore the wildlife. My daughter loves otters, so I can’t wait to take the family in the spring to see them in their native habitat. The pictures people took were amazing.
Q: What’s the one thing you’d like to leave with our readers?
You get what you put into your experiences. If it weren’t for social media I really doubt I’d be where I am right now – working on BT’s site, attending tweetups etc. The first time I shook BT’s hand he knew I was that crazy girl tweeting about my entire day leading up to the BT show. People were seeking me out at BT shows, tweetups and at the tweetup I had a few followers tell me they had friends there I needed to meet. How crazy is that?
Of course the road to where I am and where I continue to go hasn’t been easy. I still get jabs about how much I talk or tweet about BT. I spent a lot of personal time developing the website and maintaining various social media profiles, but in the end I wouldn’t trade this life experience for anything. It’s a privilege and an opportunity I want to see through! FACT!
Q: So you may not be familiar with this series of ours, but we always like to have our Feature share something fun about themselves. What’s something fun we should know about Noah?
A: I’m an expert in all instruments on Rock Band (except singing).
Q: How long have you been a resident of Central Florida?
A: I moved to Orlando in 1984 so you do the math.
Q: You and I met about 11 years ago (can you believe it?) while both working at Universal Orlando Resort. How did you come about to work there?
A: I always loved the movie Back to the Future so when Universal announced they were going to open a ride based on the film, I had to work there! I had just turned 16 when it opened so it was my first job.
Q: And you’ve held many positions with the company, including as a VIP Tour Guide. Has that been your favorite?
A: I loved my years as a VIP Tour Guide. I’d have to say it was the best job ever!
Q: During all of your days doing VIP Tours at Universal, did you meet any celebrities that you particularly enjoyed?
A: Many! I really loved Janet Jackson and Rex Smith but have to say Michael J. Fox and Steven Spielberg were probably the most memorable.
Q: What about any that were unpleasant (you don’t have to answer if you don’t want)?
A: There was one in particular that was terrible but I will have to remain professional and not call them out (you know who you are!).
Q: I know you’ve known Fred Schneider of the awesome The B-52s for many years. How did you guys originally meet?
A: We met almost 10 years ago through a mutual friend, Freddy Ehmens who owns Rock N’ Roll Heaven down on Orange Avenue (the best record store in town).
Q: And now you guys are in a band together, The Superions! How did all that happen?
A: Fred would stay at my house any time The B’s played around Orlando. I had recently bought ProTools and made a synth-lounge track. Fred heard it and wrote lyrics for it and it became our first single, ‘Totally Nude Island’.
Q: For those who aren’t familiar, how would you describe the band’s sound?
A: Electro-synth-dance-pop-weirdness.
Q: Where do you guys perform?
A: We are actually getting ready for our first live performance for a charity event in New York City for World Aids Day on December 1st. We are very excited.
Q: How would you describe the Orlando/Central Florida music scene?
A: Eclectic. You have an incredible mix of rock, alternative, elctro-pop, top 40, experimental, DJ. The list goes on and on.
Q: You’ve got a Christmas album that was just released. What can we expect?
A: Not the typical.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time—if you have any—in Central Florida?
A: Free time is certainly on the wane these days but I truly love all Central Florida has to offer. I love going to state parks like Blues Springs and Wekiva, visiting small, charming towns like Mt. Dora or a beautiful beach like Cocoa.
Q: Are there any “secret treasures” in the Central Florida area, people should know about?
A: The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour.
Q: What is one piece of advice you’d like to leave with our readers?
A: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
This is too exciting not to share! Not only is The Mall at Millenia bringing the lovely and talented Giuliana Rancic to Fashion Week, but in October Tim Gunn will be here to show women how to “make it work!”
Looks like there are more details to come, but there will be a chance for a Meet & Greet with the “Project Runway” host and fashion guru.
When: October 23
Where: The Mall at Millenia
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