big.Joe. – Miami, moments, muses, lifestyle

©1968 BBCThe Doors on “Top of the...

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:36:00 -0400

On the keyboards and on to the eons. Love always, Ray.

TV ad for the 1968 Chevy Nova SS There’s something...

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:53:00 -0400

TV ad for the 1968 Chevy Nova SS

There’s something about the thought of this auto’s seductively swift design and heart-racing joy of driving one which prompts an extolling on the Chevy Nova.

Imagine hitting the road in this timeless, third-generation Super Sport coupe with your loving other while revving that 375hp V8 engine—a dream. With a gem like this going 0-to-60 in 6 seconds, the whimsical ride would be none too shabby.

A car’s ornamentation or size does not always dictate it’s legend, and the Nova’s understated chrome accents and compact girth prove just that. Considered economical muscle in its heyday, it’s now a collector’s dream. This one, for sure, is a desirable get for any classic muscle enthusiast.

Be easy Heat fans. It’s all good.

Sun, 12 May 2013 11:13:00 -0400

Be easy Heat fans. It’s all good.

©1993 Virgin Records “Like a moth to a flame burned by the...

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:21:00 -0400

“Like a moth to a flame burned by the fire:” an earworm etched into popular consciousness 20 years ago this month in Janet Jackson’s 1993 chart topper, “That’s the Way Love Goes.” With her silky soft voice and elegant sex appeal, Jackson is feelin’ herself in an alluring tune focused on mature intimacy.

In poetic lyric co-produced by longtime recording partners Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for her fifth studio album janet, Ms. Jackson and her significant someone are far beyond the innocence of puppy love. Eyes wide open after the deep bites of heartbreak, Janet croons on how she and her man are just dogs doing what grown hounds do.

With accompanying visuals directed by then-husband René Elizondo, Janet, here, still possesses that girl-next-door charm which catapulted her to superstardom in the ’80s, but at this point, evokes sensual passion fraught with learned experience. Singing lines begging to her man to “go deeper, baby, deeper,” the days of Janet’s “waiting,” here, are long over—she knows what she wants and how.

Take a listen (and look) to this timeless classic. Janet, here, is at her best.

Clearing at dusk.Miami northwestward from Downtown©April...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:45:00 -0400

Clearing at dusk.
Miami northwestward from Downtown
©April 2013 Flickr/bobbydesimone

Magazine ad for the 1967 IHC Scout As notably prized as CJ...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:01:00 -0400

Magazine ad for the 1967 IHC Scout

As notably prized as CJ Jeeps are, the clean lines and box frame of first generation International Harvester Scouts stand unrivaled for my affections.

Lacking the excessive ornamentation of more popular all-wheel drives (save for your conventional chrome rims and grill), the Scouts are sleek, simply-styled road horses which set the standard by which every all-wheel 4x4 since has since followed.

A prized gift for any occasion is what this ride is. A vintage rarity, conducting the stick is like slipping on an enchanting glove—total control, oneness with the road. Classy enough for the city streets yet industriously built for the back roads, this here is a timeless IHC gem.

First ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton,...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:24:00 -0400

First ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barbara Pierce Bush, and Rosalynn Carter
©2013 AFP/Getty
Dallas, Texas

Behind every great man is an even greater woman.

Richie Havens, “Freedom”Woodstock Music & Art...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:09:00 -0400

Richie Havens, “Freedom”
Woodstock Music & Art Fair
1969

A spirit which emanates light into the eons. Always here in our minds and hearts. Take flight good man, for your freedom has truly come.

Selected excerpts from The Graduate (1967): Mr. Robinson (Murray...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:28:00 -0400

Selected excerpts from The Graduate (1967):

Mr. Robinson (Murray Hamilton): “Ben, I think – I think you ought to be taking it a little easier right now than you seem to be.”
Ben (Dustin Hoffman): “Mhm.”
“Sow a few wild oats. Take things as they come. Have a good time with the girls and so forth.”
…
Ben: “Elaine, I like you, I like you so much. Do you believe that?
(pause)
Do you?”
Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross): “Yes.”
“You’re the first – you’re the first thing for so long that I’ve liked, the first person I can stand to be with.”
…
(Ben, sleeping nude, is abruptly awakened by the sound of an opened door and sits up)
Ben: “What’s happening?!”
Elaine: “Benjamin?”
“What?”
(pause)
“Will you kiss me?”
(Ben stands holding a bed sheet around his waist with one hand, holding and kissing Elaine with the other. He pulls his head away yawning, then rests both arms on her shoulders, their faces close:)
Ben: “Will you marry me?”
(Elaine shakes her head)
Ben: “You won’t?”
Elaine: “I don’t know.”
“But you might?”
“I might.”
“Is that so? You might marry me?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t know.”
“How about tomorrow? I don’t mean to be pushy, but–”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what’s happening.”
“You mean you’re confused? Well look, don’t be confused. We’re getting married tomorrow.”
“I don’t see how we can.”
“We just can.”

1959 magazine placement for Salem cigarettes The return of April...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 20:22:00 -0400

1959 magazine placement for Salem cigarettes

The return of April brings with it warmer weather, spring showers, and the reappearance of brooding advertising executive Don Draper (Jon Hamm) on AMC’s Mad Men.

Ads featuring blacks, like the one above for Salem cigarettes, at the dawn of the 1960s and season one were almost exclusively relegated to Jet and Ebony magazines. But by 1968 and season six, conservative conventions are out and color and change are in.

Amidst the tailored suits and stiff drinks at the end of season five, Don experiences bouts of melancholy over the firm’s losses of Peggy and Pryce as he hires an attractive black secretary, Joan (Christina Hendricks) ascends to a five-percent partner, and Roger (John Slattery) becomes an easy rider.

For Men, the ’60s are almost over and, for better or worse, nothing will ever be the same.

Maturity, refinement, and edge are just a few defining qualities...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:40:00 -0400

Maturity, refinement, and edge are just a few defining qualities found in Justin Timberlake’s latest studio album, The 20/20 Experience.

After a six-year hiatus from the music industry following his definitive sophomore LP, FutureSex/LoveSounds, JT’s return brings with it high expectations. For the guy credited with bringing “sexyback” to popular music, many were thinking the former boy band frontman would double down on the “LoveSounds” formula that brought him three Grammys—but luckily, that’s not what happened.

The “Experience” is a cohesive and innovative work of future-forward R&B. Timberlake begins the album classically with lush strings on the soulful “Pusher Love Girl,” a song he’d probably sing to his new wife, actress-model Jessica Biel.

With a sound reminiscent of the best of Prince and Stevie with a Timbaland flip, this work is a total auditory delight. On the 70 minute, 10-track standard, personal stand-outs include clubbanger “Don’t Hold the Wall,” baby-making background music “Spaceship Coupe,” and the coolly seductive extra, “Dress On.”

Finely finished with impeccable songwriting and production augmented by Timberlake’s trademark falsetto, this innovative album is a must-get for any music lover.

Emma Stone©July 2012 Elle A really super bad chick.

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:34:00 -0400

Emma Stone
©July 2012 Elle

A ~~really~~ super bad chick.

1967 commercial for the AMC Rebel A rarity on today’s...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:48:00 -0400

1967 commercial for the AMC Rebel

A rarity on today’s roads, the AMC Rebel is a sight to behold.

American Motors sought to create both an appealing-yet-economical option to the growing muscle car fleet on American highways. Created as a frumpy family car originally called the Rambler, it was refashioned as the Rebel in 1967 with cleaner edges and a grill reminiscent of the Chevy Camaro.

The wagon option remained, but the Rebel’s V8 engine surely provided the best complement in the slick, redesigned coupes. Going 0-to-60 in 9 seconds, the beauty in the ride is found in the engine’s sweet purr, superb handling, and plush bucket seats.

A hallmark racing classic, the Rebel saw it’s demise in 1970 as the car’s look shifted and it became the rebranded “Matador.” But the Rebel made a considerable impact, providing Mustang style on a budget and satisfying America’s insatiable need for speed.

Cool days in the county Dade.Miami from Key Biscayne©February...

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 18:20:00 -0500

…And I’m always gonna be a little weird. I’m...

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:22:00 -0500

…And I’m always gonna be a little weird. I’m always gonna be a little weird. How about that? Okay.

If Marvin Gaye debuted today as a twenty-something recording...

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:17:00 -0500

If Marvin Gaye debuted today as a twenty-something recording artist, he’d probably sound a lot like Miguel.

Call me ‘late,’ but Miguel’s music, as showcased in his latest studio effort Kaleidoscope Dream, is among the most refreshing from a male contemporary R&B artist in at least a decade.

Unlike many in his genre, the Los Angeles native isn’t married to the worn coattails of R. Kelly. This singer-songwriter possesses a unique musical adeptness which allows him effortlessly use his vocals to express his moods—in all their grooves—toward his respective objects of affection (i.e., track 10: “Pussy Is Mine”).

The album begins with “Adorn,” a soulful jam that blends in remarkable stride the ‘healing’ influences ’80s Gaye and the swaggering gait of Kelly’s later ‘love step’ into an instant bedroom hit. The rest of this record is a thoroughly modern and sonically-engaging work. Must-listens on Kaleidoscope include future quiet storm classic “Do You,” sensually seductive “How Many Drinks,” and melodically mellow “Candles In the Sun.”

Take a listen, but please: don’t sleep on this mononymous crooner like I did. If he keeps playing his cards right, Miguel is well on his way to becoming a sustaining presence in popular music.

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 23:36:00 -0500

Love you Rih-Rih.

Magazine ad for the 1966 Ford Bronco O. J. Simpson...

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:12:00 -0500

Magazine ad for the 1966 Ford Bronco

O. J. Simpson might’ve given the ride a bad rap, but the Bronco was a pioneering brand in Ford’s SUV fleet. With impressive handling and sleek styling, first generation models were a part of a push by the foremost American automaker to compete with Jeep’s CJ-5s when Broncos were first introduced in 1966.

Both durable on the country road while commanding attention in the city streets, early Broncos are elegantly designed with a simple, clean-cut frame that inarguably influenced the aesthetics of later Range Rovers and the Mercedes-Benz G-class brands.

So, while I wouldn’t run the idiotic risk rusting the chassis driving along the beach like the numbskulls in the ad, the prized buy of an early Bronco makes for an optimal accent to any collection.

Shawn “Jay-Z” and Beyoncé...

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:49:00 -0500

Shawn “Jay-Z” and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
©2013 AP
Second inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama
The Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Suit and tie ish.

President Ronald Reagan signing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day into...

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:08:00 -0500

President Ronald Reagan signing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day into law accompanied by his widow Coretta Scott King
November 2, 1983
The White House

It was all a dream.

big.Joe. – Miami, moments, muses, lifestyle

©1968 BBCThe Doors on “Top of the...

TV ad for the 1968 Chevy Nova SS There’s something...

Be easy Heat fans. It’s all good.

©1993 Virgin Records “Like a moth to a flame burned by the...

Clearing at dusk.Miami northwestward from Downtown©April...

Magazine ad for the 1967 IHC Scout As notably prized as CJ...

First ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton,...

Richie Havens, “Freedom”Woodstock Music & Art...

Selected excerpts from The Graduate (1967): Mr. Robinson (Murray...

1959 magazine placement for Salem cigarettes The return of April...

Maturity, refinement, and edge are just a few defining qualities...

Emma Stone©July 2012 Elle A really super bad chick.

1967 commercial for the AMC Rebel A rarity on today’s...

Cool days in the county Dade.Miami from Key Biscayne©February...

…And I’m always gonna be a little weird. I’m...

If Marvin Gaye debuted today as a twenty-something recording...

55th Grammy Awards©2013 NARAS/CBS Love you Rih-Rih.

Magazine ad for the 1966 Ford Bronco O. J. Simpson...

Shawn “Jay-Z” and Beyoncé...

President Ronald Reagan signing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day into...