Flashback Interview: Sean Kingston

My thoughts and prayers are with Sean Kingston and his family, as he remains hospitalized after a weekend jet ski accident in Miami. He’s a sweetheart and I wish him a speedy recovery.

I interviewed him in the summer of ’08, on set while he was shooting a music video… I remember this day because it was a totally last minute assignment, and I wasn’t really “done up” or ready to go, but he was nonetheless so complimentary and sweet while talking to me, just a cute teddy bear!

KRON LIFE

I’m 1 week in… and have survived my first 2 days on air at KRON! ๐Ÿ˜‰ So far, so good and I’m thankful for everyone that has been helpful and supportive in this transition from my Miami Life! hehe Overall, it seems like fam, friendsย  and fans are super excited about my new gig and really into it, with my twitter follower @Only1Garrett snapping this screen shot when he tuned in yesterday…

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…and my sister clipped this screen shot today while watching the LIVE online stream at http://kron4.com

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Here’s my “Gas Prices” story that aired this evening.

Make sure to tune into Ch. 4 or online…ALL THE TIME!!

OTF: Episode 30 from Maui

It’s a milestone..EPISODE 30 for On The Flipside!! And on this special episode, my sister Adrienne helped me shoot the intros and wraps while we were on vacay in Maui (you know I always multi-task)! This show features a photo shoot with NBA star Dwyane Wade, separate sit down interviews with the NFL’s Santonio Holmes and Ronnie Brown…and we can’t forget the Sideline Distraction feature on an Orlando Magic dancer! See this and all the episodes at http://ontheflipsidetv.com

OTF: Ronnie Brown Interview

WATCH NOW! See my On The Flipside interview with NFL Running Back Ronnie Brown and his initiative: 23 Ways to Stop Youth Violence… I met up with him during his “tour stop” at Fort Lauderdale High School.

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This will be in the next episode…but you can watch the segment now!

OTF Exclusive Interview with Santonio Holmes

I recently sat down with NFL Star Santonio Holmes poolside in South Florida for this exclusive interview about his artist & childhood friend, Billy Becks, with his new music venture High Society Group. Check out this On The Flipside exclusive!! I’m putting out the “Maui” episode this week….so be on the lookout for more content!! ๐Ÿ™‚

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Just press PLAY!

Maui Wowee

Aloha! I’m completely rejuvenated after a wonderful week in Maui with mi familia (well, a couple fam members anyway…)! It’s been 9 years since I have visited that island and it was so nice to be back…

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We stayed in Kihei and our timeshare is in the perfect location, across the street from the beach AND an ABC store – what else do you need in Hawaii!?!? ๐Ÿ™‚

Usually, it’s a lot of lounging, beach and plate lunches on our Hawaii vacays…but this trip we also dared to complete a 22-mile bike ride down Haleakala – with the Haleakala Bike Company. Now, if you’re my sister, Ade, it’s no big deal, because for her, biking is how she gets around in SF, but for me and my Dad…well, we’re not exactly “outdoorsy and adventurous” on the regular…

So, this excursion was the highlight of the trip because not only did we get to look at gorgeous views on the way down, but me, my sister Adrienne and my Dad successfully made it down the volcano together, with NO problems!!

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I mean I was out of breath…but I just gotta work on my cardio for next time..hehehe ๐Ÿ˜‰

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Basically, they drive you up in a van (we didn’t go all the way up 10k feet to the summit, just a manageable 6500 feet), and then it’s all “downhill” from there… haha We even make a pit stop at the Kula Cafe to grab lunch. Good times, I recommend it, if you ever get the chance.

Another point of interest was our visit to the Tedeschi Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch in upcountry Maui, where they make grape and pineapple wines…

…and the winery grounds have an abundance of extra-beautiful trees and flowers.

Adrienne and I also stopped by one of our favorite beaches on the island…Makena’s Big Beach aka Oneloa Beach.

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I love that “Big Beach” is untouched and part of its beauty is that the ocean still rules above all…there’s also a very nice view of Molokini and Kahoolawee

BUT the wave breaks here can be very dangerous, so you MUST be careful…

And OF COURSE we had to go to a luau..because that’s just what you do in Hawaii…you know… to get “LEI’D!!” ๐Ÿ˜€

We attended the Old Lahaina Luau, which is a very authentic Hawaiian luau that showcases many beautiful hula dances and dancers, along with the history of the islands…

All in all, this trip was just what I needed to get ready for what’s to come! Remember… you just gotta HANG LOOSE in Hawaii!

Mahalo …until we meet again!

A Universal Affair

Here’s a couple photos of me from a recent red carpet event in South Florida… A Universal Affair: Universal Music Latin Entertainment’s Official Awards Show After Party.

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The event took place at the all-new Kyma Lounge at the Epic Hotel in downtown Miami on April 28, 2011.

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I’m definitely going to miss these Miami events, this one was the last I attended before I had to get my “move on”…. As always Liza and Gabriel of Creativas did an excellent job overseeing and coordinating media/celebs for the event and I’m going to miss them for sure!! ๐Ÿ˜‰


Miami Adios

The time has come for me to make my next move… it’s been nearly 5 years now that I’ve called the Magic City home, and while I do love Miami life, I’m taking my talents from South Beach, home to the Bay.

As a TV broadcaster, there’s nothing more flattering than being able to “go home” and tell stories on the same streets you grew up on… and now I have that opportunity at KRON 4 in San Francisco. I can’t say I was always looking to make the move back to the left coast, but over the last year, I have been praying on what to do, and being closer to the majority of my family and friends, just seems like the right thing to do. So, this opportunity came along and I am so excited to be able to be back on the screens in the Bay (I previously had on-air stints on KNTV and KTVU in 2002 & 2003), inject some of the Miami style and bring my brand of TV to the Bay Area!

I am really looking forward to being around all the sights, sounds and people I grew up with..the whole Bay Area vibe that is so unique! It’ll be nice to eat sushi and teriyaki plates from actual Japanese restaurants, Chinese food that’s not P.F. Changs and Hawaiian BBQ joints, not the Thai, Sushi, Chinese fusions that they throw together in Florida – like it’s all “the same.” Ah and the authentic Mexican food…can I have a flauta and chimichanga please!?!? I pretty much just always wait til my west coast visits to indulge in those…

The great thing is, Miami isn’t going anywhere…and it’s just a plane ride away… But I will miss living on the 31st floor in a luxury building that sits on Biscayne Bay, with an awesome view ofย  Miami, a state of the art gym, huge swimming pool, steam room and sauna on the 10th Floor (that I didn’t use nearly enough); and being able to walk in my neighborhood at any time of day or night, because people here just never seem to sleep (or work)! And I can’t leave out the 3 mile drive across 395 to South Beach and the abundance of yummy Cuban food. Most importantly, I have gained a fabulous network of friends and contacts in South Florida, and I will miss them dearly, especially my (Miami) girls Dara, Cherisse, Kimi, Rene, Dana and my Deco Drive fam… Now I’m trading in the “Hola Mami” for the “hella this and hella that!”