‘Party of the Century’ Raises $2.1 Million; Rose Bowl and Levy Restaurants #Fumble

The Rose Bowl and it’s Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation were finally able to host their Party of the Century gala over the weekend at the iconic Rose Bowl stadium. The 1,200 person fundraising gala was held on the turf and featured a roaring 20’s theme with guests decked out in their finest gowns and suits in homage to the era complete with a speakeasy requiring a secret password to enter.

During Saturday’s  program the Rose Bowl Institute announced their new ROSI Awards, naming hometown hero Jackie Robinson as the “Sportsperson of the Century” and selecting seven time Olympic medal gymnast Simone Biles as “Sportsperson of the Year” who accepted the award via video.

As guests filtered onto the turf among the dazzling chandeliers, fine china and giant Rose Bowl background photo ops, they were none the wiser of the chaos going on behind the scenes. The head chef for Levy Resturants preparing the plated dinner for the evening took over direction for the hundred plus temporary staff hired for the evening as the on site event supervisors quickly became lost in managing their event. One Rose Bowl Levy staff member proclaimed there were no tray jacks available to place the large trays of hot dinners on, moments before another staffer showed up with a dozen tray jacks. The other event supervisor, a blonde very new to the organization, asked hospitality staff for the “foldy thingies that you put food on”.

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Temporary staff arrived in staggered schedules in a way that ended up leaving many of them without lunch and only offered water for the rest of the day. Some of the staffing companies didn’t provide any meal at all for the staff who were asked to arrive in long pants, long sleeved shirts and some required to wear suit jackets while setting up the event in 95 degree weather. Rose Bowl stadium staff worked in shorts and t-shirts until just before the Party of the Century started.

The Levy Restaurants Rose Bowl stadium staff attempted to prevent temporary staff from accepting the leftover hot meals the chef offered to them and refused to give them a break. Temporary staff took their health and hunger into their own hands and accepted the hot meal offered and took brief breaks to enjoy a quick meal after working in the hot sun for more than 5 hours. Many also took up the offers of the glamorous guests to join them on the dance floor when the music began. After all, it was the only break offered to them as the Rose Bowl staff didn’t check them on them throughout the evening. The hospitality staff took back the reins as they danced and sang through the remainder of their shifts with many compliments from the guests despite the very poor management from the Levy Rose Bowl supervisors.

Coldplay donated a VIP concert package to the evening that sold at auction for more than $23,000 for an upcoming concert at the Rose Bowl in 2023 as part of their ‘Music Of The Spheres Tour’ which is a tour aimed at touring in a sustainable and low-carbon as possible way, guided by three key principles:

• Reduce our consumption, recycle extensively and cut our CO2 emissions by 50%
• Support new green technologies and develop new sustainable, super-low carbon touring methods
• Make the tour as environmentally beneficial as possible by funding a portfolio of nature- and technology-based projects and by drawing down significantly more CO2 than the tour produces

During the height of the COVID pandemic, the Rose Bowl stadium offered community lunches to those in the surrounding areas so it was with great disappointment to see the Rose Bowl and Levy Restaurant staff all but congratulating each other when they confirmed that they had thrown the leftover food and beverages in the garbage. Levy Restaurants required temporary staff to throw away everything. None of the thousands of cans or bottles used that evening were recycled, even though the hospitality staff requested recycling. Doesn’t the City of Pasadena require recycling Mayor Gordo? Christ Martin, you may want to carefully reconsider your tour rider for the Rose Bowl if you’re trying to host a sustainable tour.

Rose Bowl staff lied directly to the temporary staff and claimed all floral arrangements on the tables were for the gala guests to take home, when the stadium was already 98% emptied of gala guests. A short time later Rose Bowl and Levy staff were seen leaving with the floral arrangements while most were thrown in the garbage.

The iconic Rose Bowl Stadium? It’s more like a football fumble. The evening was sponsored by Western Asset

Johnny Depp and Chester Bennington to Support Rhonda’s Kiss in Los Angeles

Image courtesy of Rhonda’s Kiss

On Thursday, November 3rd, the historic El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles will host the 2nd annual Rhonda’s Kiss benefit show. Actor Johnny Depp will be presented with the Healing and Hope Award.

The Hellcat Saints (featuring Jane’s Addictions Dave Navarro, Juliette Lewis and Mark McGrath from Sugar Ray) with special guest singer, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington will kick off the night followed by headliners Weezer.

Proceeds from Rhonda’s Kiss Los Angeles to benefit the Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute and further the mission of Rhonda’s Kiss, supporting programs to aid cancer patients in need, and helping those who receive a cancer diagnosis make ends meet during treatment. Rhonda’s Kiss is a 501 (c)(3). To date, the charity has donated more than $750,000 to hospitals to support cancer programs and patients.

The event will also auction off Rhonda’s Kiss honoree, Johnny Depp’s signature Duesenberg Guitar, designed with Johnny’s tattoo art. You can check Rhonda’s Kiss for any last-minute tickets that may open up for the show or if you simply wish to give to a great charity supporting cancer patients in their time of need please click here to support them.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been going on for a few weeks now, and to date, has raised more than $1.7 million dollars and international awareness of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, has skyrocketed!

For those who aren’t familiar with ALS, the ALS Association offers this brief description of the disease on their website – “ALS was first found in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, but it wasn’t until 1939 that Lou Gehrig brought national and international attention to the disease. Ending the career of one of the most beloved baseball players of all time, the disease is still most closely associated with his name. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons  die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.”

With the joy of a successful fundraising campaign going viral also comes great backlash. There is no shortage of disparaging comments to go along with the great cheers for those raising funds for ALS and other charities of their choice this summer. Many aren’t happy to see water being so carelessly tossed around and the spotlight being taken away from other charitable organizations.

To be perfectly honest, I have enjoyed watching many, many videos of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in particular Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Shemar Moore, Aerosmith, Kate Hudson, Susan Sarandon and Tom Hiddleston to name a few. I’ve also enjoyed seeing several of my friends take part as well. It has been a welcome relief after the shocking news of the death of comedic genius Robin Williams last month. I needed the silliness and laughter.

In the true international fashion of today’s social media, I was nominated for the #ALSIceBucketChallenge by my friend Steve in England. I accepted – my daughter and my niece were thrilled to be armed with buckets of ice and water to douse me! I chose to stand in a vegetable garden so the water we used would also help our veggies grow. I used the challenge to donate to ALS, as well as some local animal rescue groups in California that I am familiar with and support, Treasured Tails Canine Rescue, and Precious Paws. I also donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in support of mental health awareness. I encourage everyone to donate to these organizations. Whether it’s a monetary donation, your time or needed supplies these charities or others in your area will appreciate your efforts to make your community a better place!

I nominated my friend Doug in California, my friend, guitarist Tim Farriss of the Australian band INXS and singer Billy Idol (who has a new album and autobiography out this autumn but we’ll get to that in another post!). We look forward to seeing your videos guys!

Here’s my video below

Living in Broken America

By Cindy Robinson

The United States of America is broken. We live in a country that is failing its citizens. Growing up I learned about the different political parties representing our country, that each has its own ideals based on their moral beliefs. We learned the purpose of having a fairly equal representation of those parties in our governing offices is to work together, to compromise on issues affecting our country and its citizens – things like healthcare, wages, housing, and protecting our population.

However, our political parties of today have long forgotten the art of compromise, their primary goal is only to further their own agendas and keep the pockets of those already rolling in wealth well lined. Our parties no longer work together to help the American people. They merely work against the opposing party to prevent any positive change for the American people without any regard for the impact these decisions will have on Americans.

An article recently posted on PBS.org pictures hunger in America, showcasing how a variety of families survive on their meager earnings and the small amount of government assistance each receives.  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/picturing-hunger-in-america/#the-rundown . The article also highlights how those in need spend endless hours waiting to get any assistance they are applying for. How is an unemployed person supposed to effectively search for a job that will sustain them when they spend half of one day waiting to turn in paperwork to apply for food stamps only to be told they need to wait further to actually receive the aid if they are approved? Then that person spends the better part of another day waiting to turn in paperwork for the next type of assistance they may be applying for.

Back in December Congress voted to end the extension of unemployment benefits for more than one million Americans. The rug was instantly pulled out from under anyone on unemployment. Instead of receiving a bi-weekly unemployment claim, they were mailed a surprise letter indicating their claim had ended, even if they had money remaining on their claim. While I understand, and support one of the opinions behind this move – to get those off unemployment that are just milking the system, its overall effect has been to send more Americans into the system of applying for benefits, increasing the burden on our already overtaxed economy.

I am one of the more than one million Americans affected by this vote. I was laid off by my employer of nearly 8 years in 2013 when they decided to close their California office and move operations east. In addition to constantly applying for as many jobs in my field as possible, I have spent the better part of the last two months seeking assistance of every kind possible that I could locate with almost no results. I started with dialing 211, the United Way, which is supposed to be a collective listing of resources that a person in need can contact in their area. The people that answer the phones are woefully under trained. I called twice in fact and each time they looked up resources by my zip code and simply told me there wasn’t any rental assistance available in my area and they also weren’t helping with gas bills right now. They neglected to tell me that there is an entire list of resources available on my county website and that while some agencies are approved to offer rental assistance, they are out of funding right now and the same goes for utility bill assistance. I only discovered that these resources existed because I am a tech savvy person. What happens when an elderly person or anyone who isn’t tech savvy calls and receives the same answer? Does that person just give up because they were told there aren’t resources available?

While I am finally being called in to interview for some great companies in Southern California, those who are hiring are also being very thorough and going through long lists of applicants to decide who is right for the job. Long gone are the days when you’d interview and be hired on the spot or within a couple days, organizations are now taking weeks to make a decision.

During my research for great resources to help sustain my household during these challenging times, I entered a contest on 102.7 KIIS FM, Los Angeles hit radio station hoping to win a $1,000 prize. I discovered there is also a Ryan Seacrest Foundation and sent in my information to them. I never heard back from them, even though I provided information on the deadline I was facing.

I’ve reached the point where I am losing everything. The long list of resources who’s primary goal is listed as preventing homelessness don’t have any assistance to offer, decisions on jobs applied to are moving forward slowly so I am losing my rental home of six years.

I’m a college educated administrative professional with strong computer skills combined with great social media and freelance photography skills looking for a job in the Inland Empire area of Southern California along with a needing a new home that will accept me, a child, cats, dogs and an alligator lizard.

 It seems the only true assistance out there today is community, people helping people as our government and assistance organizations continue to fail us. Today’s headlines focused on the story of Shanesha Taylor in Arizona, a homeless mother of two, who left her young sons in the car while she went into a job interview. While I don’t condone leaving young children unattended, why aren’t there more readily available resources in this situation? How is she supposed to get a job and take care of her family if there isn’t child care to support her so she can go on an interview? Luckily for Shanesha, Amanda Bishop stepped in and set up a fundraising effort on youcaring.com and quickly raised $70,000 for the mother of two.   http://ktla.com/2014/04/01/homeless-mom-arrested-after-leaving-kids-in-car-during-job-interview/#axzz2xhHpgbUy She’s one of the lucky ones who had a kind stranger step in to help her during her time of need.

So I’m asking each one of you that read this to please help those in need around you, even if you don’t know them. We’re all battling something but if more of us work together, lives can be saved, lives can be improved. Be grateful for what you have and share your extras with those who need it.

 

 

FREE Pizza! Who wants one? Hungry Howie’s Has One For You

Hungry Howie’s pizza is offering up a free small cheese pizza to customers this week who head over to their Facebook page, like the page and submit their name & email address for the coupon to be emailed to you. The catch is, you have to get the pizza this week as the coupon expires this Thursday, October 17, 2013 at close of business.

You can visit their webpage for a list of locations to see if there is one near you. When you complete the form on their Facebook page it does require you to select your store location so if yours isn’t on that list then it isn’t part of the promotion.  A free little pizza sounds like a quick dinner option to me this week! Just add some garlic bread and a salad at home and you’re all set.

Hungry Howie’s is also a big support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation so your “like” on their Facebook page during the month of October will also generate a donation to the NBCF. There is also a donation link directly on the page if you care to donate more to a great cause.

 

Treasured Tails Canine Rescue Raising Funds for Medical Expenses

Please consider helping Treasured Tails Canine Rescue in Canyon Lake, CA raise funds for medical care for the dogs they have rescued from high kill animal shelters in Southern California. Click on either of the photos or the link below to reach the donation page.

Kanga AKA Little from Kern shelter, Bakersfield, Ca | Medical Expenses – YouCaring.com.

Rescue founder, Theresa, recently saved a 14 week old Chihuahua mix puppy from the Kern Shelter in Bakersfield, CA. He had been found abandoned in a yard suffering from severe demodex mange which has left his entire little body hairless, scabby and itchy which turned into a secondary skin infection due to its severity. Living in a shelter environment until his recent rescue also left little Kanga (as he’s now called) with severe kennel cough which has progressed into pneumonia.

Treasured Tails Canine Rescue is a non-profit, 501c3 all breed rescue in Southern California. They are volunteer/foster based. They are committed to providing the best care possible for this little dog and giving him a second chance at life. Your tax-deductible donation can help them achieve this goal.

Please stop by their Facebook page for the latest updates on the dogs they have rescued and the progress they make on their journey from scared shelter dogs into loving family pets. Treasured Tails Canine Rescue has other dogs currently available for adoption and Chihuahua mix puppies that will be available soon!

The rescue is also always in need of items such as: dog beds, dog food, chew toys (small and large breed), crates, puppy pads, blankets, dog clothing (for sick/emaciated dogs), Nutri Cal (Tomlyn from Petco), dog treats, and groomers who will donate their services for doggy makeovers.

 

Duran Duran’s John Taylor to receive Experience, Strength and Hope Award

Duran Duran‘s John Taylor is set to receive the 4th annual Writers In Treatment Experience, Strength and Hope Award Friday, February 15, 2013 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA.

The award honors well-known individuals who have written courageous and honest memoirs about their journey from addiction to recovery. The annual charity event is a celebration of the benefits of clean and sober living and the importance of humor in the recovery process. All proceeds benefit Writers In Treatment’s Jewelle Sturm Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The Duran Duran bassist released his memoir, “In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death & Duran Duran” last year and took readers on a journey through his upbringing in Birmingham, England as an only child, his worldwide success with Duran Duran and his spiral into drugs & alcohol as he dealt with the pressures of life in the fast lane and his subsequent stint in rehab and recovery process.

Robert Downey Jr. attends the Avengers world premiere, Hollywood, CA
© 2012 Cindy Robinson

The award will be presented by Academy Award nominee, Iron Man star and fellow recoveree, Robert Downey, Jr. who actively practices the martial art of Wing Chun Kung Fu in his recovery process along with great wit and humor when discussing the subject with media.

Award-winning actor and activist Ed Begley, Jr. will host along with Ione Skye and a performance by comedian Bobcat Goldthwait.

Past honorees include astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Academy Award winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. New Directions for Women is co-sponsoring the event.

John Taylor is due back in the studio with Duran Duran band mates in March 2013 to begin work on the bands next album with super producer Mark Ronson.

Robert Downey, Jr. is back as Tony Stark in Iron Man 3 blasting into a theater near you on May 3, 2013. He will also reunite with the cast of the Avengers, including Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo to present at the Oscars on February 24th.

 

Four Kings & An Ace at the London West Hollywood

Mending Kids International hosted their annual Fall fundraiser, Four Kings & An Ace Celebrity Poker Tournament, on Saturday night at Gordon Ramsay‘s restaurant inside the London West Hollywood. The evening’s proceeds benefit children in over 51 countries around the world in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Southeast Asia to give children access to critical surgeries that they would otherwise not be able to receive due to lack of medical or financial resources.

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Longtime Mending Kids International supporter Mel Gibson hosted the evening along with celebrity friends like Gene Simmons, Robert Downey, Jr., Sean Penn and Jodie Foster. Among other celebrity guests were World Series Of Poker Winner Jamie Gold, Madeleine Stowe, Emily VanCamp and most of the cast of “Revenge,” Danny Trejo and Chuck Zito from “Sons of Anarchy“, actor Quinton Aaron from “the Blind Side”, Olympic diver Greg Louganis, comedian and “Iron Man 2” actor Garry Shandling, Patricia Arquette,  and World Poker Tour players Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten.

These celebrities were able to raise enough funds for eight missions to provide almost 200 children around the world with life-saving surgeries. Mending Kids International (www.mendingkids.org) is a California-based non-profit that provides surgeries to children otherwise unavailable to them in developing countries, and surgical training to medical staff to build long-term sustainable surgical programs.  92% of every dollar received goes directly towards helping children.

Will Hartman walked away with the night’s poker trophy. Those who didn’t play poker enjoyed casino games and entertainment provided by The Commodores Band, American Idol Winner Lee Dewyze, and Dominic Scott Kay.

MKI is a tremendous charitable organization that ran an amazingly well-organized fundraiser. Life on the Scene is always on board to help out this charity in the future!

The only real snag in the evening was the fact that while KISS frontman Gene Simmons gave very generously of his time to the event, his personality was sorely lacking as he wouldn’t give the time of day to most of the attendees that paid a top dollar donation to attend this wonderful event.

Sponsors for the event include ICON Films, The London West Hollywood, The Sher Group, Morgan’s Jewelers,Variety, Marich Premium Chocolates, Polanti Watches, BERYLL, Smile Sciences, El Cartel Tequila, Akvinta Vodka, Atlantico Rum, Paul Smith, Floral Crush, and GrapeVine Productions.  MKI is already planning the 2^ndAnnual event for Fall 2013 and sponsorship opportunities and player slots are available. Please visit them at (www.mendingkids.org) to donate or sign up to sponsor an event.

Bon Jovi Return to the Stage as Part of GRAMMY Artists Revealed

“Performance occurs rain or shine” stated the Terms & Conditions for those who were lucky enough to obtain a ticket to gain entry to see Bon Jovi at the MasterCard Priceless Los Angeles presentation of GRAMMY Artists Revealed.  As evidenced by those who watched the live stream of the performance at the Paramount Studios Backlot in Los Angeles on December 1, 2012, it definitely occurred in the rain.

This fact only bothered fans while waiting for the exclusive performance.  Once Bon Jovi hit the stage, the umbrellas were put away and all worries were forgotten.  It was their first performance since the last date of the “Bon Jovi” tour in 2011, a fact that was noted by Jon Bon Jovi between songs such as their first number one hit single from Slippery When Wet (a pun referenced by a few fans in the crowd) “You Give Love a Bad Name,” to “It’s My Life” from Crush, and Have a Nice Day’s “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”  Always a fan favorite, Jon shared lead vocals on “Wanted Dead or Alive” with lead guitarist Richie Sambora and let the audience take over on vocals during the opening verse of “Livin’ On A Prayer.”

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Even though Jon mentioned being “one wet motherf****r,” the weather did nothing to slow him down, even with puddles forming on the front of the stage as the night progressed.  In fact, while some began to leave after the band blazed through “Bad Medicine” (which included a chorus from The Isley Brothers’ “Shout”), the band came back to perform an encore consisting of a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph.”  The night ultimately ended with fans singing along loudly on their own to “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.”

If you have a chance, you definitely should catch them on their upcoming “Because We Can” tour in 2013. Tickets are on sale now for most shows via the Bon Jovi fan club and Ticketmaster. The tour kicks off February 9, 2013 in Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun.

It should also be noted that the band, with origins in Sayreville New Jersey, has one more performance scheduled as part of the 12-12-12 Concert for Hurricane Sandy Relief.  Even if you are unable to obtain a ticket to the show, you can still donate to the Robin Hood Foundation, the beneficiary of the charity concert which will also feature performances by Sir Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, The Who, Billy Joel, Foo Fighters and Alicia Keys.