December

Pietro’s

North America / USA/ Miami

Pietro’s: Italian Restaurant & Party House

Created in 1979, Pietro’s is a restaurant suitable for going to enjoy exquisite Italian food, good drink and a unique dance night in a friendly atmosphere where you can relax and forget the stress of your everyday life.

Pietro is characterized by its classic pastas and signature, including the number one pasta West Michigan, fettuccine Michael. As soon as you walk through the doors of Toscana you can enter the aroma of freshly baked bread and handmade ravioli, made in its pasta factory every day.

Pietro’s

There are large portions on the menu with affordable selections as Delmonico, tender veal scallopine, salmon fish with hook and hand cut homemade mozzarella. Soups and pizzas are also freshly prepared with the freshest ingredients made from zero.

In this restaurant, located in the heart of Grand Rapids, you can find a service dinner family style perfect for any meeting and special event in the private party rooms and recently refurbished semi-private.

Pietro's: Italian Restaurant & Party House - Photo 2 — Pietro’s: Italian Restaurant & Party House – Photo 2

Also, in this place the dance floor gets hot with tropical music every Saturday night from 22:00 to 2:00 with Sergio and Cecilia. Contemporary and traditional salsa, bachata and merengue music are the most sound about.

The requirements to attend and enjoy this party Saturday are a few: be 21 years old and comply with the dress code. This way you can meet with a group of friends, people from different countries, socialize and have a good time with the music that you like in a dance track wide and safe environment. The kitchen is open until midnight.

Pietro's: Italian Restaurant & Party House - Photo 3 — Pietro’s: Italian Restaurant & Party House – Photo 3

So you know, you told ISM. Visit Pietro’s Italian Restaurant & Party House. You’ll love it!

Address: 2780 Birchcrest Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, USA. Open: Monday – Thursday: 11:00-22:00; Friday – Saturday: 11:00-02:00 and Sunday: 11:00-21:00

www.pietrosgr.com Facebook: Pietro’s Italian Restaurant

Pietro's: Italian Restaurant & Party House - Photo 4 — Pietro’s: Italian Restaurant & Party House – Photo

Christmas in New York

North America / USA / New York

“The holiday season is a magical season. The cities are impregnated with the Christmas spirit illuminated with multicolored lights and Christmas decorations. In New York it may seem at times a modern version of a Dickens story. The city is dressed in this season; it is full of decorations, events and celebrations. Join with us to see the most striking traditions, majestic Christmas trees, shows and events that are to be done during these festivities in the big apple.”

Photo 1: Christmas in New York	Photo 2: Christmas in New York
Photo 3: Christmas in New York	Photo 4: Christmas in New York

On your feet

The Story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan

You cannot miss this whole month of December ON YOUR FEET!, the Broadway musical about two people who believed in each other, their talent, their music and later became an international sensation.

ON YOUR FEET! Has some of the most iconic songs of the past quarter century, including Rhythm is Gonna Get You, Conga, Get On Your Feet, Do Not Want To Lose You Now, 1-2-3, and Coming Out of the Dark. The Broadway musical features a magnificent creative team: two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots), who directs a cast of twenty people with choreography of four-time Drama Desk nominee, Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys), And original libretto of the winner of the Academy Award, Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman).

Tickets: from $89. They will also have presentations on 24 at 14:00 and on December 30 at 20:00.

Andrea Bocelli

This formidable tenor will be performing with his great successes at the Mandison Square Garden this Thursday, December 15 from 19:30.

Tickets: from $124

Mega Bash 2016

The “Mega Bash” by Mega 97.9 FM and La Música will be a concert full of euphoria that will make the fans of Latin music vibrate along with the most important Hispanic artists. The concert brings a spectacular set of scenery, lights and sound that will allow these stars, as always, to make their masterful musical display.

Mega Bash

Tickets for this coveted show are on sale at ticketmaster and prices range from $184, $154, $124, $104, $84, $64, $44, including surcharges; And at the Prudential Center box office starting at 11:00 am (EST).

Other confirmed artists include: Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Juanes, Silvestre Dangond and Jencarlos Canela.

The reggaetoners Wisin and Ozuna also were confirmed for the Mega Bash event to be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey this Friday, December 14:00 at 20:00; MegaBash with Enrique Iglesias, Juanes, Ricky Martin, Silvestre Dangond, Wisin and others at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ.

Therefore, there are several things you can do to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere. Each year there is a giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and the shop windows of Fifth Avenue stores are beautiful.

Warehouse Decorations

The department stores dedicate a whole plant to a magical Christmas town like the one called Macy’s Santaland. Everything is beautiful and even Santa Claus is present, with which you or your children can take a photo (paying). Keep in mind that the tail can be quite long.

Christmas decorations are usually unveiled in late November or early December, usually after Thanksgiving. After New Year’s Eve many shops remove the Christmas decorations.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

The lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights is a major event in New York. During the ceremony the Rockefeller Center is bursting, everyone wants to see the tree up close. The event is televised live and is viewed by millions of Americans. There is also the possibility of seeing some famous singer live. The tree is at least 20 meters long and 7.5 meters wide, but is usually much larger (between 23 and 27 meters).

The VIP tickets for this show are

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

The VIP tickets for this show are sold out every year, so be quick if you want to get tickets. With these tickets you will have the best seats: from an elegant cafeteria you will have a great view of the Christmas tree, drinks and snacks in an unlimited way. There is also a DJ.

The Rockefeller Christmas tree is decorated with more than 30,000 LED lights and the cable measures more than 8 kilometers. The ignition is a sight worth seeing.

Without the VIP ticket you will have to wait hours to find a place. The apples that surround the area are full of people waiting in the open, which also means that walking around the area is crazy. Many New Yorkers who are not going to go to the show avoid it.

In fact, the offices surrounding Rockefeller Plaza close at noon for employees to arrive at healthy and safe homes. The Rockefeller tree disappears the first week of January and the lights are usually turned off at 21:00 that same day

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony - 2 — The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – 2

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony - 3 — The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – 3

Rockefeller Center VIP Pack

Ice Skating & Top of the Rock

In addition to the beautiful Christmas tree, Rockefeller Center is famous for its ice rink. Ice skating in New York at Rockefeller Center is a wonderful experience. The queues at the Rockefeller are usually long, so if you want to skate during Christmas you can opt for a VIP package.

You will have access to the chalet next to the track, where you can rest after skating and warm up with hot chocolate, cookies and coffee. All this is included in the pack. And there is more! This option gives you free access to the Top of the Rock. From the lookout on the 70th floor you will have wonderful views of New York.

The Christmas Lights Tour of Dyker Heights

The holiday lights that decorate American homes are impressive. To see the best decorated houses (you’ve seen it in many series and movies) you have to leave Manhattan and go to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. This area was selected as “the best decorated in the USA” in 2012. Take the Brooklyn Christmas Lights Tour of Dyker Heights and discover these beautiful decorations during this 3 and a half hour visit.

The Christmas Lights Tour of Dyker Heights - 2 — The Christmas Lights Tour of Dyker Heights – 2

The Christmas Lights Tour of Dyker Heights - 3 — The Christmas Lights Tour of Dyker Heights – 3

The tour starts in Lower Manhattan and from there the guided bus heads to Brooklyn. When you get to Dyker Heights you will not believe what’s in front of you! Some of the lush decorations cost more than $10,000. To soak up the Christmas spirit, on the bus they put carols and films about Christmas.

Radio City

Christmas Spectacular (The Rockettes)

Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring The Rockettes, is one of New York’s most iconic Christmas shows. In it appear Santa Claus, the Nutcracker and of course the Nativity. You have all of December to attend one of the many daily functions out there. If you have already seen it, do not hesitate to return, because it changes a little every year. It is performed at Radio City Music Hall and is the best way to soak up the true Christmas spirit.

New Year’s Celebration

To conclude, more than a million people are going to Times Square to celebrate the beginning of the New Year: at midnight the crystal ball descends 23 meters and, when it reaches the ground, the marker lights up with the four digits of the New Year. Many even come in the morning of December 31 to be able to get a good spot before the crowd arrives.

Security is very strict: you do not accept the backpacks or bags and everything you need to fit in your pockets. It is usually quite cold, so it is best to wear clothes in “layers” to be comfortable and not suffer from hypothermia. Everyone is interested in knowing all about toilet services.

The closest ones are at the Port Authority Bus Terminal between 8th Avenue and 42nd Street, but the queue is going to be so long that you risk losing the drop of the ball and the beginning of the New Year. Also, take into account that it is unlikely that you can return to your original location, so you will need to go through security control once again, and the crowd is so narrow that the chances of returning to the same place are minimal.

If you decide to go to Times Square to celebrate the New Year, put snacks in your pockets, drink less liquid, wear more clothes, and have a lot of fun. Do you want to make a wish? Write it down and leave it, the day before, in the Times Square tourist center, or leave it online. Millions of cards, with New Year’s wishes, will be released as confetti on New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

Cache Live Music puts Miami to dance to traditional Latin music

Roland Cache graced this edition with his presence to tell us about his beginnings, the subsequent creation of his band Cache Live Music, and his current career. The American of Cuban descent honors his roots with the music he and his collaborators play to delight their fans at any event they are hired, indicating the pride he feels in representing his parents’ country and how passionate he is about his craft.

Roland shared many interesting details about his musical life, and we are more than happy to share them with our readers in the following lines.

Roland Cache playing drums live at an event

Roland’s musical beginnings as a teenager

As a child, Roland lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where some high school friends convinced him to play drums with them. Their favorite genre was the rock of the day, which was the 1960s. A few years later, specifically in 1973, another friend took him to a salsa concert at Madison Square Garden, and he liked what he heard so much that he became more involved in Latin music and left American music aside.

Seeing great artists such as Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, and other artists of Puerto Rican descent, he learned to play timbales, tumbadora, and bongos, which allows him to play a combination of conga, timbales, and clave at the same time.

Orchestras prior to Cache Live Music

Before creating his own band, Roland was part of other projects that were training him for what was to come in his career later. One of them was a band from New Jersey, whose members formed La Charanga Casino, which became very popular in that city.

Some time later, Roland could not play for a while, so he has been throwing himself into selling cars and other area businesses. Then, in 1998, he returned to music and created an American band that played rock and jazz with a touch of Latin music.

Roland Cache and the rest of the band — Roland Cache and the rest of Cache Live Music

Creation of Cache Live Music

Eventually, he left the American band and founded a Latin band called Cache Live Music with a group of musicians, some of whom remain alongside Roland to this day. He met most of them through another musician friend who introduced them so he was knowing other artists who joined his project.

Cache Live Music was officially started in 1999, and according to its founder, the hardest thing about keeping a band like this together for so long was the search of opportunities in clubs and other kinds of places. However, Roland says that his experience as a salesman and negotiator has helped him a lot in winning contracts and the best conditions for him and his bandmates.

Current status of Cache Live Music

Today, the core of the band consists are three of its members: the guitarist, the bassist, and Roland, who is a multi-instrumentalist. More recently, Cache included a flutist, a trombonist, and sometimes a singer. This is how, depending on the requirements for a particular event, the group’s leader decides which members and instruments to include for every occasion in order to offer something different.

Cache at an Amazon event — Cache Live Music at an Amazon corporate event

Regarding the repertoire, they only perform covers, but they ensure that each and every song has their personal touch so that they resemble as little as possible to the original versions.

Anyone who wants to hire Cache Live Music can do so through its profile on The Bash by making a deposit and sending a contract to agree on the conditions of the event. However, it is important to note that they are already booked for December and January with corporate parties and weddings, for which we wish them every possible success because they already have the talent.

Former Mayor of Miami Tomas Pedro Regalado and Roland Cache

Creator of Salsa Vida Takeshi Young graced us with his presence in International Salsa Magazine

In International Salsa Magazine, we have always tried to cover all types of Latin music artists, including producers, arrangers, composers, singers, musicians, dancers, and club owners. However, it is also important to talk to other platforms that promote Latin music as we do, so we contacted the creator of the website Salsa Vida, Takeshi Young, to learn a little more about this online media site and everything it has to offer the public.

Takeshi with a painting — Takeshi Young with a painting of Hector Lavoe

Takeshi’s relationship with Latin music

In view of the trouble digital marketing specialist, dance teacher, and competitor Takeshi Young went to create a site like Salsa Vida, we obviously had to ask what relationship he had with Latin music. He replied that he loves to dance and has been doing so for about 19 years. His attendance at various salsa events led him to create a calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area, where he currently resides.

The acceptance he had led him to include much more content like articles, events, guides, and much more. The main goal was to show salsa lovers all the places they could go to enjoy this genre, but over time, Salsa Vida was turning into a sort of online newspaper that provided information on many other things related to the same topic, especially dance academies. For its operation, it uses tools like WordPress, iTools, and Chat GPT as an information bank to his writings, most of which are of his authorship.

He used the name “Salsa Vida” because of the lifestyle that he associated with salsa, which he considered to be unifying, nourishing, and joyful.

Greatest challenges in creating Salsa Vida

One of the most annoying parts about creating Salsa Vida was the calendar, as Takeshi always had to keep an eye on updates, date changes, and event cancellations. Fortunately, he always received information from many of the organizers, who told him when there were any changes in their schedules.

Takeshi at the San Francisco SBK Congress — Takeshi Young dancing with the San Jose State Salsa Team at the San Francisco SBK Congress

Salsa Vida’s most important goal today

Takeshi pointed out that, at present, Salsa Vida’s most important goal is to teach and promote salsa around the world, which has led him to write all kinds of articles in which he seeks to educate his community on all kinds of topics related to Latin music, such as “what is pachanga” or “what is cha cha chá.” With this, he wants those interested in learning about dancing or knowing more about this rich world to have a starting point from the theoretical part.

In addition to that, the website still maintains the calendar to help salsa lovers find events related to their passion near their homes.

Contacts obtained to date

Takeshi claims to have so many contacts with a lot of bands, especially in the Bay Area, which has helped him keep on growing his website. However, the people he interacts with most in this environment are dancers and instructors who give him a lot of information about their work with their academies and students.

Moreover, his work has also helped him gain invites and press passes to all kinds of events and concerts in both San Francisco and the rest of California, allowing him to cover them and bring the latest updates to his loyal readers.

Takeshi and Alyssa — Takeshi Young and dancer Alyssa Aguilar

Goals with Salsa Vida for the coming months

As for Takeshi and Salsa Vida’s goals for the coming months, the creative young man keeps searching for and publishing events from around the world for his readers to see, as well as highlighting the importance of expanding and publishing even more countries in his calendar so that many more salsa fans from other latitudes can use Salsa Vida to find what they want.

Today, the Salsa Vida calendar has events in about 80 countries, but Takeshi says it is not enough and wants to expand much more to other locations. He also wants to add more languages to make visitors to his page feel more comfortable, and new sections such as “Dancepedia” that would come to be a kind of Wikipedia, but focused on dance.

And if that were not enough, he wants to design an app through which those interested can use the same functions of the site in a much more comfortable and interactive way from any mobile device.

Takeshi’s other occupations

As well as handling Salsa Vida, Takeshi is also a digital marketing specialist and teaches salsa at San Jose State University twice a week.

Importantly, he has a BA in philosophy and a BS in software engineering, both from the aforementioned university. During those years, he was also a member of his class’s salsa and mambo clubs.

Cristobal Verdecia and his quartet Son Qba in Miami

As we all know, Cuba is an endless source of talent and never tires of proving it. Today, we are really honored to be able to talk to one of its greatest exponents in the city of Miami and it is arranger, producer, bandleader, and bassist Cristóbal Verdecia, who very kindly agreed to talk to us for a few minutes about his life and career both in Cuba and in the United States, his home for more than 10 years.

Cristobal with his basses — Cristobal Verdecia with his two basses

Cristóbal’s beginnings and inspirations for entering the world of music

The first reference that Cristobal had at a musical level was his uncle Israel “Kantor” Sardiñas, who was the vocalist, bassist, and pianist for the legendary band Los Van Van. The artist always wanted his nephew to learn to play instruments, more specifically the piano, but Cristóbal had other hobbies at the time and did not pay much attention to him. Then, in 1982, Sardiñas packed suitcases and left Cuba in search of better opportunities, but not before leaving his piano, bass, and guitar to the young Cristóbal to use them in his place.

It was then that he finally became truly interested in music, and the instrument that most caught his attention at the time was the bass. Seeing this sudden love for the instrument, Cristóbal’s father decided to enroll him in the Guillermo Tomás Music Conservatory when he was about 10 years old. He greatly improved his skills with the bass and began playing with local jazz bands, but his academic training was not yet complete.

Some time later, he enrolled at the Ignacio Cervantes Conservatory, where his teachers, in his own words, were two of the best bassists to come from Cuba: Silvio Vergara, now deceased, and Carlos Del Puerto. At this institution, he studied electric bass and double bass.

From there, Cristóbal began playing with increasingly prestigious bands such as Pachito Alonso y Su Kini Kini, Paulo FG y Su Élite, Adalberto Álvarez y Su Son, Havana D’Primera, among many others. Being with Pachito, he had the opportunity to share with artists of the stature of Roberto Hernández “Robertón” (current Los Van Van singer), “El Lele,” the Mengual twins, among others. It was Robertón who gave him some advice about how to improve the quality and raise the level of his work.

Cristobal and his uncle — Cristobal Verdecia and his uncle Israel “Kantor” Sardiñas

In the case of Paulo G Y Su Élite, he had the opportunity to serve as musical director for about five years in the band, which provided great learning for the future.

Subsequently, Alexander Abreu, director of Havana D’Primera, had the idea of forming his own band with the best musicians in Cuba and that each musician had a substitute. That was where Cristóbal joined and became part of the first album, “Haciendo Historias.”

Move to the United States

When Cristóbal made the decision to leave Cuba, the first country he visited was Mexico, where he spent about four years and also played with many other bands. However, the idea of forming his own project was already on his mind for some time.

When he finally turned this idea into reality, the artist and his band accompanied singers who arrived alone, which provided him the expertise to face the future professional challenges that awaited him.

Julio Cesar, Cristobal, Marciano, and Franklin — Guitarist Julio Cesar rodriguez, bassist Cristobal Verdecia, percussionist Marciano Hernandez and tresero Franklin Reytor

Once his cycle in Mexico concluded, he moved to Miami in 2012 to continue growing in music, as he believed that the city offered him an opportunity that his previous country of residence did not. One of the first things he wanted to do was to revive his quartet Son Qba, which he had started in Mexico, but he was advised to take the time to learn how everything worked there first and then follow the path he wished.

This is how Cristóbal also managed to play with several local artists and bands to understand the dynamics of the place, such as Tony Succar, Issac Delgado, Timbalive, Aymée Nuviola, Grupo Niche, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Albita Rodríguez, Buena Vista All Stars, among others. All this path traveled finally led him to be able to resume Son Qba with the full works in 2019.

Today, Son Qba consists of our guest Cristóbal Verdecia, tresero Franklin Reytor, percussionist Marciano Hernández, singer and guitarist Julio César Rodríguez, and singer José “Pepito” Gómez.