NJ vs. Ireland: Gangemi’s Gloves Stay Golden

3 days a week you’ll find me at the West Morris YMCA in Randolph, NJ.  From 6:30 am to 9:00 am, I work out with a small group of fellow fitness enthusiasts who do a combination of core training,  plyometrics, cardio circuits and interval swimming in order  to stay in shape for upcoming events.

Over the past year, I started working on the heavy bag to continue the great advice that most exercise pros preach, “keep it fresh, fun, and challenging.  Change up your workouts at least every two weeks.”

Since the heavy bag usually just collects dust, certain members notice when you use it.  One member in particular is a now a great friend, Bob Sim, a wonderful soul who preaches family values and hard work by walkin’ the walk. He  told me about Anthony Gangemi, the 2009 New Jersey State Champ in the 165 lb. weight class.  Anthony and his dad, John, also work out at the YMCA, but are usually leaving as I’m arriving.

After Bob introduced me to Anthony and John, I discovered 2 more people that I could be influenced by in a positive way. When my schedule permitted, attending a live event and supporting the Gangemi family was a no-brainer.

This outing was Anthony’s Dover Boxing Club of New Jersey vs. Ireland. No, not just kids who are half Irish like me, these guys actually flew in and talked like the guys from U2! The international vibe made it very exciting.

Here’s where this blog entry relates to a professional DJ.  Regardless of the type of event taking place, music programming is key. You assess the demographic in attendance and design the play list accordingly.  Here’s the breakdown, there were about two hundred men and 50 women between the ages of 18 and 70 all pumped up to see a great night of fights.  When the doors opened, no music was being played, the venue was uncomfortably quiet and emotionless.  An ambiance was non-existent. Then, as the pre-fight cocktail hour and dinner was half way over, the music finally kicked on, albeit at various volume levels.  Moreover, the selections were eclectic, to be kind.  She’s Like The Wind, by Patrick Swayze and Right Here Waiting, By Richard Marx etc.  had more than one head turning in the crowd.  A few at my table joked that it felt more like a couples skate at a 1980’s roller rink than a Golden Gloves match.  The consensus was that the DJ had his laptop on auto-play so whatever song came up was the song that blasted out. Yikes!

Just so you don’t think I’m picking on the DJ, the proverbial straw that broke the entertainer’s  back came during the national anthems.  For us, he played a great version of the Star Spangled Banner by Whitney Houston.  Just when we we all ready to forgive and forget the first hour of selections, the DJ cranked up what he thought was the Irish National Anthem…  “Danny Boy“.   Oops! To be honest, I didn’t know that the actual Irish anthem was (Ámhrán na bhFiann),”A Soldier’s Song” either until I looked it up for this blog entry, but everybody in the crowd certainly knew that it wasn’t Danny Boy.  It made for some light-hearted laughs, even the Irish athletes were good sports about it.

As the night went on, the soundtrack  improved dramatically.  I think that had a lot to do with the promoter and venue manager having a little chat with Mr. DJ.

We saw some awesome fights, about 20 total.  We even saw a few female bouts as well.   Picture a combination of G.I Jane and Wonder Woman wearing  a pair of boxing gloves and a serious game face… pretty impressive.

Anthony’s match was of course, the highlight.  He took on a formidable opponent that gave him a good fight, but Anthony scored a few key body shots that helped earn a well-deserved victory after three rounds.

Best wishes and continued success to the Gangemi family.

Here’s a clip of Anthony in a recent interview with a local sports channel.

Classic Style and Romantic Elegance- The Meadow Wood Manor

Jeff Beers and his lovely wife, Maureen, as well as the dedicated staff of the Meadow Wood invited industry notables to their manor last week for an evening of gracious hospitality and delightful entertainment. The invitation said, “Explore the Possibilities.” It turned out to be quite an expedition.

Denise Zoccolillo and the welcome team greeted all the guests with a warm smile and introduction which included a detailed program of the highlights to come. It was a beautiful evening; so, many of the  guests enjoyed an ice carving demonstration and a three-olives, vodka-tasting outside in the garden by Executive Chef, Michael Stein.  A strolling saxophonist and a barber shop quartet began the evening’s soundtrack.

Guests moved inside to the recently renovated Dining Room for, among others, a delicious “Taste of Tuscany” and a crowd favorite, food from “The Fabulous Fifties”. No matter how fancy and mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres can be, everybody likes to enjoy retro-chic cuisine from time-to-time.  Sliders, Franks, Fries and Milkshakes were being offered by the Happy Day’s-themed servers.  Knowing I was going to the gym the next day, I indulged with a big-kid smile on my face.

Molly Welch and Mary Ellen Hatcher took us on a grand tour of the manor which included meeting rooms utilized for their corporate clientele, a renovated game room for their bar mitzvah clientele and the bridal suites for their wedding clientele.  Like the exterior garden courtyards, the interior of this colonial is exquisitely maintained and offers a lot of versatility for private events.

The Grand Ballroom opened and the guests with impressed by eye-catching table designs and well-dressed themes at the food stations. The presentation of the Lobster Bisque service and the “M” table were my favorites.  I’m sure the “M” was for Meadow Wood but it was fun to pretend that it was for Marcello.  Entertainment for this portion included a Swing Dance and Salsa demo, a percussionist and a comedian.

The finale took place in the Randolph Room.  Chef Stein’s award-winning desserts were as delectable as advertised. Crowds quickly built up at stations like the funnel cake with hot cinnamon apples and ice cream as well as the Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding when word began to spread about how sinful everything was.  The servers were not to be outdone though.   They passed around fancy versions of the classics like chocolate chip cookies and milk that were very well received.  This hour was complimented by the sounds of a Jazz Trio.  Many of the guests had to put their coffee down more than once so they could sing along and dance to audience pleasers from the Rat Pack era.

As our cars were brought up by the valet service, we were given gourmet cupcakes in a decorative gift box to thank us for coming.

Note to anyone hosting an event, acknowledging all of your guests upon departure is, and always will be, a very classy touch.

From first impressions to the last, the Meadow Wood deserves your attention if you are planning a social or corporate event in the Morris County area.

Special thanks to Jeff, Maureen, Mary Ellen, Molly and the Meadow Wood team for their hospitality.

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