Last night the kids performed several selections including some 8th grade solo performances of Taylor Swift’s Love Story, Kelly Clarkson’s Mr Know It All, and Adele’s Someone Like You. All of the soloists did an outstanding job!

My favorite part of the concert last night was the final performance featuring all of the 7th & 8th grade members. They sang & danced to The Evolution of Dance, and it was awesome! You can tell just how much fun these kids were having and how much they enjoy being a part of a great extracurricular!! I am very proud of all of them!

Take a look! My daughter is in the middle of The Cotton Eyed Joe.

flickr, tedeytan

I don’t know much about Jewish culture other than a Bar Mitzvah is a ceremony performed when a boy turns 13 that marks his transition into manhood in the eyes of the Jewish community. I also know that a Bat Mitzvah is the same thing only for young girls. Outside of that, my knowledge is limited, although I have heard their cars not only stop on a dime, but pick it up as well. I have not been able to confirm nor deny that info, however.

Stand-up comic, Mike Hanley, a member of the Jewish, community recently celebrated his daughter’s Jessica Bat Mitzvah, and based on the video below, I assume part of the Bat Mitzvah festivities involves a traditional father-daughter dance…a dance Mike and his daughter, Jessica decided to jazz up a bit.

Things start out normally enough with a slow dance to “My Girl” from the Temptations, then, much to the surprise and delight of those in attendance, they break into they’re own “Evolution of Dance” featuring songs like “Cotton-Eyed Joe”, “Crank That” from Souja Boy, and Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5″. Mazel Tov!

Ester Dean Facebook

Yesterday Ester Dean was heavily featured on American Idol, showcasing her working with the (at that point) three remaining Idols on a song she was currently producing for Drake and Jennifer Lopez.  One of my friends that I was watching the show with didn’t understand why the show was praising her as some music virtuoso, assuming her only real impact on music was her marginally-successful “Drop it Low” two years ago.  As a solo artist, he’s correct, her impact on music is disappointing.  But she has written some of the biggest pop songs of the modern era.

Did you know she wrote AND sang backup on Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass?”  That was KISS-FM’s most-requested song of 2011!  And speaking of American Idol, she wrote “I Love You This Big” for Scotty McCreery, last year’s Idol winner!  Soak in this list of KISS-FM songs written by Ester Dean:

-”Firework” and “Peacock” for Katy Perry

-”Mr. Know it All” for Kelly Clarkson

-”Turn Me on” for David Guetta & Nicki Minaj

-”Not Myself Tonight” for Christina Aguilera

-”Coundown” for Beyonce

-”The One” for Mary J. Blige & Drake

-”Jump” for Flo-Rida & Nelly Furtado

-”Change Me” for Keri Hilson & Akon

-”Letting Go (Dutty Love)” for Sean Kingston & Nicki Minaj

-”Right By My Side” for Nicki Minaj & Chris Brown

-”Here I am” for Monica

-”Ridin’” for Mya

-”Jai Ho!” for the Pussycat Dolls

-”Rose Colored Glasses” for Kelly Rowland

-”Right There” for Nicole Scherzinger

-”White Girl” for Gucci Mane

-”Birthday Sex” for Jerimih

-”Remember Me” for T.I. & Mary J. Blige

-”Hot Tottie” and “Lil Freak” for Usher

She’s written ALBUMS for Rihanna!  Check out the songs she wrote for her: “Rude Boy;” “What’s My Name;” “S&M;” “You da One;” “Where Have You Been;” “Talk That Talk” and much more!

And that’s not it!  She’s also penned songs for other headliners like Brittney Spears, Chris Brown, 50 Cent, Sean Paul, Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Ginuwine, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Neon Hitch, Jennifer Hudson, Lloyd, Jennifer Lopez, Ludacris, Jesse McCartney, Nelly, Juelz Santana, Trey Songz, Soulja Boy, Tinie Tempah, Robin Thicke, Young Jeezy, and many more!

I was scrolling down my Facebook timeline yesterday when I found this gem. It is a youtube video of a girl explaining why you should not judge fat people. Now ladies I know my body is not perfect, also I do not blame you for the image that media has given you of what the ideal man should look like. Magazine and TV models have warped women into thinking that men should be tan with a 6-pack. Let me tell you ladies, there is nothing like a fat man. I have made a list of why fat guys are better.

• More to love
• They will always appreciate a good meal
• They are warm to cuddle up next to in the winter
• You will always appear skinny next to a fat guy
• If you lose your pillow you have a big stomach to lay on
• Skinny guys are boring

Ladies if I do not have you convinced of why fat guys are better then you should take advice from the girl in the video. She is my dream women. She is not shallow at all.

WARNING THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO CONTAINS A LITTLE BIT OF FOUL LANGUAGE

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

According to the companies website when you purchase Justin Biebers DNA pendent it comes in a silver box chain and a certificate of authenticity.  Now the site never specifies how exactly it got Justin Bieber’s DNA and their lead “scientist” (I don’t even know if this guy is certified) He says that his employer “obtained his hair DNA due to popular demand and because we like that he is Canadian and how he went from YouTube to an international superstar!”  Sounds legit, right?

This company also claims to have Elvis, Marylin Monroe, Princess Diana, even Al Capone’s DNA that you can buy for the right price.  If you have any desire whatsoever to own the Biebs DNA you can check out the website here.

Are you interested at all in the Biebs DNA?   Now I like Justin Bieber, but he can keep his DNA, no thank you!

If you are planning to take part in this weekend’s Newburgh Wine, Art, and Jazz Festival, you are going to need to sharpen your chops. We cannot have you showing up there later babbling about how you used to drink Boones Farm and Wild Irish Rose. No sir, once you start talking that kind of nonsense that close to the river your chances of being tossed right over the edge increase exponentially.

Consider this your crash course in Indiana Wineries. Plan on seeing these five make an appearance in Newburgh this weekend. Take notes if you need to, and be sure to follow the wine tasting tips to help you fit in.

easley winery website

Wine Tasting Tip #1: After tasting any red wine at the festival, tell the winery representative, and anyone else that will listen, that their wine would go great with linguine and lobster, or a medium rare steak and Mediterranean salad. Also, tell them that their wine tastes like it would go great with Miles Davis’ record “Kind of Blue.” They will wet themselves!

Easley Winery Fun Facts:

• Jack and Joan Easley began as a dream in the late 1960’s.
• Jack was an attorney.
• Joan owned a market research business.
• After finding out it was illegal to make and sell wine in Indiana, they bought a small vineyard in southern Michigan.
• Jack and Joan helped organize the Indiana Wine Grower’s Guild, which would serve to change Indiana law’s.
• In 1971, the Indiana laws were changed to allow wineries.
• Easley Winery had its first grape crush in 1974.
• Easley Winery offers 20 or more wines and champagnes.

oliver winery website

Wine Tasting Tip # 2: When tasting any white wine, do so with the air of skepticism. Do not admit to liking it, even if you do, and tell the winery representative that you would prefer to try something redder and dryer. Tell them that the only time you really drink white wine is when one of your less educated relatives brings a bottle to a family function and insists that you try it. They will know you are serious about wine.

Oliver Winery Fun Facts:

• Indiana University law professor William Oliver started this winery in the 1960’s.
• Professor Oliver was instrumental in passing legislation allowing for the creation of small wineries in Indiana.
• Professor Oliver’s son, Bill, took charge of the winery in 1983.
• Major expansion occurred in 2002 and 2007 making Oliver Winery one of the largest wineries in the eastern United States.

blue heron website

Wine Tasting Tip #3: Absolutely refuse to try any of the sweet wines or table wines. No self-respecting wine connoisseur drinks these…not ever! There are rumors going around that these types of wines are made for the sole purpose of separating real wine drinkers from the part-timers. Don’t drink them!

Blue Heron Vineyard Fun Facts:

• Greg Harris is a local sculptor and Renaissance man.
• Greg carved a High Celtic Cross on the Blue Heron Vineyard property.
• Greg spent 23 months carving this piece, working 6 days a week from morning until dark.
• Their wine “Prime 23” is a tribute to the work that went into the Celtic cross. 23 months. It leans 23 degrees.

french lick winery, facebook

Wine Tasting Tip #4: When tasting any red wine (that’s not a sweet red) tell the winery representative that their wine has “an elegant depth”, yet not so much that you couldn’t enjoy it with a really good pizza. They will thrive off that comment the entire weekend!

French Lick Winery Fun Facts:

• Established in 1995
• Located in the former Kimball Piano Factory in West Baden, Indiana.
• Have received over 250 medals in state, national and international competitions.
• Owned by John and Kim Doty

grateful goat, facebook

Wine Tasting Tip #5: When asked to try a Chardonnay or Merlot, politely decline and say, “I think we can do better than that.” You will come across like an old pro!

Grateful Goat Winery Fun Facts:

• Officially opened in 2010
• Smallest winery in the state of Indiana
• In addition to wine, they carry local specialty food items such as goat milk soap, grilling sauces, and bread mixes.
• The owners, John and Lindsay also collect quartz crystals from Mt. Ida, Arkansas.

So now you have some fun facts and a few exceptional wine tasting tips to help guide you along the way this weekend. You’re going to do great. Just remember when all else fails, stick to dry red wines and make a “yuck face” when someone offers you a white. Your time has come. Go get em’ tiger!

All it takes is one cute kid video becoming a viral hit to spawn a series of imitators. While this video isn’t as “polished” as the one I posted here a couple of weeks ago, it’s still pretty darn adorable.

Shot during a routine car trip with mom and dad, two sisters, ages one and three, shriek with glee as the opening notes of “Somebody That I Used to Know” play through the car’s speakers. Never mind the fact that they clearly don’t know all the words and at times do nothing more than stare blankly at the camera, the best part is when the younger of the two gets upset that her sister won’t stop singing long enough to give her a chance to shine. Ahhhhh, sibling rivalry.

Ryan O'Bryan/106-1 KISS-FM

I found out earlier this week that May is National Burger Month, so I posed the question both on air and on our Facebook page as to where the best burgers can be found here in the Evansville area with the original idea being that I would compose a list of the most popular suggestions. My wife came up with a better idea; why not try a few of the more popular suggestions and write something about each one. And just like that, the Ryan O’Bryan Burger Tour was born.

Essentially, this will be like a local version of one of my favorite shows, Food Network’s Diners, Drive-In’s, and Dives, but I’ll focus only on one type of food, in this case hamburgers. Plus, it gives me the added bonus of going out to eat and calling it “research”.

My first stop on the tour took me to a new place on Evansville’s east side, Jake’s Wayback Burgers, a suggestion several people made on Facebook. Jake’s is a national chain that got it’s start in Newark, Delaware back in 1991. The Evansville location opened it’s doors back in January of this year with little fanfare, meaning they didn’t make a huge announcement about it. They call it a “soft-opening” in the biz. A more publicized grand opening is in the works for sometime in June according to the manager I spoke with Monday evening when my family and I stopped in for dinner.

Speaking of which, let’s get to the real reason I went there…the burgers!

Jake’s prides itself on fresh never frozen patties and all cooking is done out in the open so you can actually see them take a sizable ball o’ meat and throw it on the flat top grill. After giving each side a quick sear, they press the meat into a large, thin patty to finish the cooking process.

I ate my burger before thinking to take a picture. So here's one from Jake's Facebook page. (Facebook)

Jake’s offers a variety of burgers including a one-patty junior burger, the two-patty Jake Burger, and the three-patty Big Jake. All variations can be made as cheeseburgers and can be made into a combo that includes a drink along with fries or onion rings. I opted for the two-patty Jake Cheeseburger with onion rings.

On to the toppings. Essentially Jake’s Wayback Burgers are served plain, what goes on it is completely up to you. Choices include the standard ketchup, mustard, and mayo, but also include toppings such as grilled onions, jalapenos, sweet peppers, and chili. I opted for mustard, mayo, lettuce, grilled onions, and since I like my food with a little spice, sweet peppers. All toppings are free of charge (except for bacon, that’s an extra 60-cents) so be sure to load up and get your money’s worth.

Every burger is made to order which meant we had to wait for our food to be brought to us. No big deal as they weren’t busy this particular evening and if given the choice of having food made who-knows-how-long-ago just so I can have instantly or waiting a few minutes for something fresh, I’ll take waiting every…single…time. Our wait time Monday evening was no more than five minutes and that was for my burger and rings, my wife’s burger and homemade potato chips, my son’s junior burger with fries, and my daughters bowl of chili combined.

The wait was more than worth it as the burger came out hot and juicy. Juice literally dripped down my fingers with every bite while the combination of the creamy mayonnaise with the spice of the sweet peppers and the tang of the mustard coupled with the crispness of the lettuce and the soft, buttery bun was perfect.

If there’s anything about Jake’s that could be turn-off for someone, it would be the price, at least at first glance. My Jake Burger alone was $4.99, making it a combo with a drink and onion rings added an extra $3.99, so just over $9.00 for my meal alone. The total bill for my wife and I and our kids was just over $28.00. Truth be told, I can easily spend more than $9.00 on myself at other fast food joints on lesser quality food, so in the grand scheme of things, the price is perfectly acceptable to me in terms of the quality of food you’re getting.

Jake’s also offers hand spun milkshakes which I did not partake in as I was too full after my burger and rings to dump a cup of ice cream on top of it. My kids on the other hand each got small mint chocolate shakes. I absolutely hate mint chocolate anything and while I did try a sip of my son’s I’ll refrain from making any judgment on the quality due to my predisposition to despising the combination of flavors. I will say however, the shake did have a smooth, creamy consistency for what it’s worth.

Overall, I was impressed with Jake’s. The dining room was clean, the staff was friendly, and the food rocked. It was definitely good enough to warrant several return trips.

Now it’s time to figure out where the next stop on my Burger Tour will be, and for that I’m letting you decide.

Is 16 too young? Wiz Khalifa Facebook.

Yesterday a concerned parent called into The Rob’s Radio Show to get our opinion regarding a parenting issue.  She and her husband were undergoing a disagreement regarding whether or not their 16-year old daughter was too young to go to a Wiz Khalifa concert.  Check out the audio below, and vote!

This video pleases me on three levels:

-The lightning-like speed of this young man’s rap, including the ability for the listener to register what he’s saying.

-It stresses the importance of grammar, which is one of my main pet peeves.

-It uses the music to Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” and that song is AWESOME!!

However, please be forewarned…  THIS VIDEO CONTAINS SOME DIRTY LANGUAGE!  NOT SAFE FOR LITTLE EARS OR WORK…  Unless you work at a radio station.

I absolutely love love love this! I always enjoy a good choreographed dance, and this dynamic father-daughter duo have really got the moves! Not too many dads would be willing to expose themselves to public humiliation, but this guy throws caution to the wind to get down and dance with his little girl!

Facebook

When it comes to choosing an alcoholic beverage, my first choices are beer, whiskey, and rum (or all three depending on the day I’ve had). My wife on the other hand enjoys a glass of wine from time to time. I don’t dislike wine, quite the contrary actually. I just don’t know much about it. I don’t know the difference between a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc, or a Pinot Noir. All I know is that some are sweet and some are dry, and that I prefer a sweet wine…that’s about it.

Fortunately, you don’t have to much of anything about wine to enjoy this Saturday’s Newburgh Wine, Art, and Jazz Festival. The annual event will take place from Noon-9pm and will offer not only great live music throughout the day from acts like Hoosier Daddy and After Hours Jazz with Cary and Michael Gray, but wine classes so beginners like myself can learn everything there is to know about the variety of wines available.

A total of 17 wineries will be on hand offering tastings. If you find one you like, you can purchase it by the glass or by the bottle. Attendees will also have the opportunity to eat a wide variety of food from local restaurants including the Edgewater Grille, Tin Fish, Acropolis, and Boston’s Gourmet Pizza. Turoni’s Pizzeria and Brewery will also be on hand offering their home brews for those who are not into wine.

Tickets are available in advance for $15.00 per person and $25.00 for each couple. Tickets will also be available the day of the event for $20 per person or $30 per couple. Both advance and day of tickets are available online through the Historic Newburgh website.

Attendees must be 21 or older to enter the wine tents however, the Art Mart is open to all ages so feel free to bring the kids and enjoy live entertainment along with ice cream from the Kiwanis ice cream truck. For more info on this Saturday’s wine, arts, and jazz fest, including what bands are playing at what time, and the complete list of wineries in attendance, visit the Historic Newburgh website.

Hailey/Photo Courtesy of Petfinder.com

Hailey, a black tortoiseshell, & Rowan, a tabby, are  available for adoption at the Humane Society of Henderson County!  They are a bonded pair, and it would be best if  they are adopted together. Because they are sisters, their adoption fee is only $50 for both beautiful kitties.

Rowan/Photo Courtesy of Petfinder.com

Hailey & Rowan’s adoption fee includes ALL of the following: Spay/Neuter, Microchip I.D., Age Specific Vaccines, Rabies Vaccines, and 30 days Free Shelter Care Insurance.

Contact the Humane Society of Henderson County Kentucky
203 Drury Lane
Henderson, KY 42420
270-826-8966
Jtcromer@hshcky.org

For more information about Hailey & Rowan or any of the animals of the Henderson Humane Society, please visit their Facebook Page or you can find them on Petfinder.com

I still can’t wrap my mind around being only 18 and doing that.  I’m 21 and will probably never see as much money as Justin Bieber in my lifetime that he sees in one day.  Mind blowing! PopCrush.com broke it down like this: “Since debuting three years ago, the ‘Boyfriend’ singer has sold 15 million albums and grossed $150 million over 157 tour dates in two dozen countries. His film ‘Never Say Never’ nabbed $30 million in opening weekend box office receipts. His ‘Someday’ fragrance raked in $60 million during its first six months. Add that up, and he’s earned about $108 million in the past two years.” To read more on this check out the post on popcrush.com by clicking here!

Also before we get to the pictures, I just want to clear one thing up! Ryan O’ Bryan is always talking smack about my Bieber posts on the website, and I’m sorry Ryan that I’m a Bieber fan and am not afraid to admit it, maybe you should consider coming out of the Bieber closet.  Yes Ryan, this is me calling you out! haha But for real, truth is I do have a crush on the Biebs, you were always right….

Forbes

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YouTube

This is one of the more “normal” Nicki Minaj videos I’ve ever seen! And no that’s not a dig towards Nicki, I’m actually a pretty big Nicki Minaj fan, it’s just her music videos are usually so far out there.  In this one her hair is blond (which by the way, I’m totally loving her hair blond) and she looks in my opinion “toned” down from the normal Nicki we’re used to.  Anyways the music video for ‘Right by My Side’ was just released and I’ve got it for you to see! and remember Nas? That’s the guy that Nicki is romancing pretty hard in the video.  So in case you’re like “woah why does this guy look so familiar?” there ya go
So yeah can I just say one more time how much I love her hair blond?

(Facebook)

The weather is starting to warm up (although did it ever really get cold?), which means it’s time to “get on your bad motor scooter and ride“…and do it for a good cause!

Even though I’ve never ridden a motorcycle (the closest I got was a beat up old moped I bought for $50 in middle school), owning one is on my bucket list. There’s something about the idea of the wind in your face and riding through the country-side, just me and the outdoors that is appealing.

Having a bike would also give me the opportunity to participate in charity poker runs like the “Have Fun, Do Good, End Alzheimer’s” benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association this Saturday, May 19th beginning at Bud’s Harley Davidson on Evansville’s east side.

Registration is $15 per person and $25 per couple and takes place from 9-11am with the first bike out at 10am and the last bike out at 11:00.

The approximately 105-mile ride will conclude at Henderson Riverfront Park where riders can enjoy food and drink along with a silent auction and raffle featuring an overnight package from Casino Aztar, an Ellis Park VIP package for four, a camcorder and tripod, a mp3 player, and Audubon Park Art.

The rider with the best poker hand at the end of the day wins $50 while the worst hand of the day will take home $10. For more information, contact Yolanda Powell at 270-826-7399 or 562-846-5838.

Over the course of two nights, I’ve noticed a large number of former Stern-haters singing a different tune.  Even many of the ignorant commenters on the News 14 facebook page I mentioned in my former blog admitted to being shocked by what they saw and heard from Howard…  In a GOOD way!

Please note that this is EXACTLY what I said was going to happen in the closing sentences of my blog, which was put up before America’s Got Talent premiered on Monday night.  I’m really curious to know exactly WHAT the Stern-haters THOUGHT he was going to do.  Many claimed they ACTUALLY thought Stern was going to force women out of their clothes on the prime-time NBC show.  I cannot find the words to properly convey how asinine I find a thought like that to be.

The show has completed its first week…  Two episodes…  FOUR hours of the alleged soulless, moral-less, humorless Howard Stern.  Critics have largely (Seemingly endlessly) praised the performance and personality of Stern.  I know personally, I was getting text messages, phone calls, facebook messages and comments about how impressed they were with the man I had been trying to explain to people my entire life.

Which leads me to my one simple question I would like polled…  DO YOU LIKE HOWARD STERN ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT?  Or are you still convinced he is the bringer of all things evil?

Big Boy VS. Kat - TWO fights inside!

Yesterday, Kat Mykals and Jimmy “Big Boy” Chubbymuffins got into it a couple of times!  As I state on this audio, the sound of them arguing is like music to my ears.  Here are TWO examples of them fighting from yesterday’s show.  Enjoy the audio!