Dish-Houston

Sounds like two things a gal can't have too much of and for Joanne King Herring, a staple in the Houston social scene, in Washington, D.C. and the Afghan countryside...they are two things she possesses in piles.

Meeting her at an event you feel her energy, you can't help but be moved by her and want to know more about everything about her. Getting to sit down with her is everything you would expect on Christmas morning if you could unwrap a human. The way this interview came about was through two very good friends. One, August Skamenca first sent me Mrs. Herring's assistant's name and number but in a wild desire to clean the entire world I accidentally deleted the info! I requested it again but August was on assignment for CBS Radio and couldn't get back to me. Not being one to be deterred, I sent a message to her via facebook knowing full well there would be a huge firewall to get through. Turns out the firewall was another friend, Corbett Parker who has been working with Joanne with Afghanistan and on this book for more than three years. Needless to say, when I did finally call they were waiting for me! Imagine...Joanne King Herring waiting for YOUR call! It was a Thursday and I was sitting in the hairdresser's chair...in Dallas... when I had time to actually dial the phone and the most refreshing thing happened, Joanne answered her own phone. There are no airs about this woman, she really is as approachable and down to earth as Julia Roberts portrays her if not more so. She let me know instantly that she had a goal and it was to have her new book Diplomacy and Diamonds be number one on the best sellers list by Saturday and since DISH is an online magazine and we can publish instantly she wanted to do the interview RIGHT THEN! I was grossly unprepared! I said I could call back in a bit or come back from Dallas early that evening to interview her. She, of course, had an event that she was willing to "get sick" for to make this interview happen. When she revealed that she has purchased a table (meaning she was hosting 10 people) I offered to meet her at her event and interview her in the lobby to which she responded,

"Well why don't you just join us, wear jeans and a sweater it's a picnic in the park!"

Who could refuse! She had a goal and I wanted that interview! I left the hairdresser's with wet hair, packed and drove the 4 hours home a day early.

In 50 degree weather with the sounds of Grammy Award Nominated Mary Griffin singing in the background we sat in the corner and chatted away. I wanted to know everything I could before we turned blue.

I started with the obvious question: Why Afghanistan? To which she educated me ever so gently,

"In all of the years our military has been over there they have yet to create one self sustaining village. With our non-profits we have one almost finished in only four years. We've created a 6 month long educational program for their military so they can read a manual, write and do small sums, we're educating their children so they can grow up to be leaders, and develop and sustain a democracy. We're teaching them how to get clean water, grow their own food like soy that they can then sell for profit and creating a minimal medical system so the women won't die in childbirth and will be able to create healthy milk for their new babies. The Afghan people have been enslaved and kept ignorant and in poverty by the Hezbollah, Hamas, and Muslims. The only way the Afghan people will be free is for us to give them tools and skills to break free."

She went on to inform me that Gene Green and Michael McCaulare leaving tomorrow (Nov 4, 2011) to visit the model village in Afghanistan that is being built. The goal isn't to send a bunch of Americans over to do it but to have a few key folks who can help them help themselves. They are also creating a sewing building in each village where designers Kate Spade and Cesar Galindo have already agreed to employ the women in the village after they learn how to sew.

The really fun part about this entire project is that America has spent 14 BILLION and achieved nothing in setting the Afghan people up to be prosperous for themselves. The Marshall Plan Charitiescan do that for just 2 billion and set up EVERY village. It's already been launched and it was paid for by Houstonians. Not one penny was taken from the US government.

With the heavy lifting for the brains put aside because we were getting cold and our wine glasses had run dry she left me with a few anecdotes.

The first one was telling me how to get someone's attention in a receiving line if you'd really like to meet them. She started with Prince Philip.

"I have trouble sleeping you see, so when you're having trouble sleeping I always think about dancing with a handsome man and Prince Philip is handsome now but was VERY handsome when he was younger. So when I met him in line I mentioned to him that when I had trouble sleeping I thought of dancing in the Buckingham Palace Ballroom with him, after he finished blushing he asked me to dance! His assistant told me later that he never thought anyone could ever make Prince Philip blush!"

The last story was my favorite:

"One of the things I do is crisis management! When a politician or Hollywood celebrity is in trouble I help them out! SO what do you do when you're at a formal dinner and a big MARRIED celebrity puts his hand on your thigh?"

I waited with baited breath...WHAT WHAT WHAT???

She responded with the greatest giggle I've ever heard,

"Read the book!"

Favorite qoute of the evening: "I never wanted to shatter the glass ceiling, I wanted to tap dance on it" -Joanne King Herring

The day after the big Clear Channel Summit where they announced HUGE layoffs of live radio talent nation-wide Radio One comes in with a new FM news station announcement for the Houston air waves.

Radio One Regional Vice-President Doug Abernethy announced that KROI-FM/Houston (92.1 FM) will begin its programming as a fullservice news station the week of November 14, 2011.  Using the on air moniker “News 92 FM,” this 24 hour news and information station will be ABC News Radio and Associated Press Platinum information based and the voices will be OH so familiar! Some of Houston’s most well known and award-winning radio and television personalities and FINALLY back on air and the best part is that they are all together in one space!

There has never been a better line up of folks and DISH Publisher Lori Freese was honored to be asked to be among them.

The morning news will be anchored by Texas Radio Hall of Fame honorees J.P. Pritchard and Lana Hughes, who served the Houston market as a broadcast duo for over 27 years.  In addition to those(alphabetically) Mike Barajas, Scott Braddock, Carolyn Campbell, Kevin Charles, Lanny Griffith, Laurie Kendrick, Martha Martinez, Bonnie Petrie, Matt Sampsell, Pattie Shieh, Meteorologist Dr. Joe Sobel, Craig Roberts, and Jorge Vargas round out the stellar crew! You can't have a great team without a great leader...this amazing team is headed up by veteran news director Denise Bishop!

“Our review of Houston’s broadcast landscape told us that those listeners interested in local news as well as national news were being poorly served,” says Abernethy, “so we decided to make a commitment to delivering the news in a dependable fashion. People want to hear about news as it happens, and they shouldn’t have to wait until their radio station ‘catches up’.  We’ll deliver the news as it unfolds.”

Ed Shane, founder and president of the Houston-based Shane Media Services who is serving as Project Manager on the format flip from gospel music to all news predicts that Houstonians will flock to News 92 FM because of the way they are choosing to deliver the news.

“We’re going to give people the facts without the biased opinions that dominate so-called news stations,” offers Shane.  “We’ve assembled an A-list of broadcast journalists whose mission is to report the news and let people make up their own minds.” 

Also owned by Radio One are market leaders Majic 102 (KMJQ-FM) and 97.9 The Box (KBXX-FM). KROI-FM’s current programming, Praise 92.1 will moved to Majic 102′s HDchannel and will stream online at www.PraiseHouston.com.

Congratulations Group!! You're going to take Houston News by STORM!!

The Inagural Marty Ambrose Memorial Golf Tournament Benefiting MDA (Lovingly called The First Annual “One For The Road”) is happening November 2nd at The River Ridge Golf Clubthe well-manicured River Ridge Golf Club has been voted “Best in the West” by Chron.COM!

It's only $125 per player and registration starts at 10:00 AM with a Noon Tee-Off. Enjoy 18 holes of golf (including cart), unlimited beverages and a BBQ Dinner following golf.

All of this for just $125 per player!! WHAT AN AMAZING DEAL FOR AN AMAZING CAUSE IN MEMORY OF AN AMAZING PERSON!!! You can't beat this with a stick, DISHIES!

Marty had many friends, golf buddies and fans, and we anticipate filling this event quickly. To pre-register and secure your spot please send your full
contact information to rschilens@radioloungeusa.com You are welcome to come as an individual player, or put a team together.

There are still a few sponsorship ops available...Sponsor a hole $250 Sponsor a cart $500 Closest to hole sponsor
$1000 Goody bags sponsor $3000 Dinner sponsor $2000 
All $1000 and up sponsors include a foursome!!

Can’t be there? Donate by CLICKING HERE

For More Information regarding playing or sponsorship, please contact Ray Schilens 281-494-4680 rschilens@radioloungeusa.com

***Proceeds will benefit the ALS “Loaner Closet” a part of MDA in Houston.

DISH Publisher Lori Freese has been honored with an invite to be one of the "Stars" for Halo House Foundation 's gala on November 5th at the Intercontinental Hotel.

Halo House Foundation is a non-profit organization serving people with blood cancers by mitigating a large portion of the financial burden associated with the cost of housing during the patient's stay in Houston.

They do this by providing a fully furnished apartment for $20 per day where the person and their family or caregiver can stay from two weeks to two months while receiving active treatment for their cancer.

Referrals to Halo House come from doctors, social workers, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Houston, and Houston's other charitable facilities.

So you can see why DISH wanted to be invloved...but there is another reason...Lori's dance partner! WOW!

Cristiano Callegariis a professional ballroom dancer and coach who helps his students and audience understand the realm of dance. Dance has been the main focus and passion of Cristiano’s life since the age of nine. Padova, a city in northern Italy, is where Cristiano began his training. From this beginning in Padova, Cristiano has received much recognition and fulfilled many opportunities. He pursued his training with the best coaches in the world and soon attained the Italian Ten Dance title for two consecutive years. After success on the competitive dance floor, the Italian Dance Federation requested that he and his partner would participate in the New Latin Expression. Cristiano also won the winning title on a televised ballroom show airing in Italy which led to his employment with the television company for choreography. The Italian Dance Federation also made Cristiano the teacher of  Italian DanceSport Syllabus because of his wisdom and artistry of the figures. Travel soon took Cristiano to southern Italy where he began to establish a substantial amount of business. Within a short time, twenty studios were spread throughout southern Italy. In addition to the dance studios, at this time Cristiano was traveling to Greece and Spain where he coached and judged competitions. Cristiano left a trace of his dance by forming the Mediterranean Open Championship. Cristiano had seen Ballroom dancing in Italy grow so much that he wanted to open new doors. He traveled to the United States in 2005 and immediately began to compete. 

He's absolutely amazing and can make anyone look like they've been dancing their entire lives!

Below is a sneak preview of Cristiano and Lori performing their routine on the Fox 26 Morning Show.

Dancing with 'Stars' for a Cause: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

If you want to see the entire performance...which is MUCH sexier than this made for tv performance, you can still buy tickets for the November 5th event by CLICKING HERE

If you can't attend the event, you can vote for your favorite "Star" and we're sure your fav is the Head DISH Lori Freese by CLICKING HERE  Every dollar goes straight to the Halo House Foundation AND you get a tax deductible receipt!

See you on the Dance floor DISHIES!

Bayou City Arts Festival is putting on celebrating their 40th Anniversary and the party is for you!!

The kick off for the festival is called The Houdini's Heist! It's the most magical party in Houston every year AND it's outside, downtown right at city hall! You walk into magic and mystery as you ascend upon the steps of City Hall while enjoying local delectables, spell-casting cocktails and enchanted works of art, all while being amazed by super-natural entertainment...The trees walk among you, there are gravity defying dancers and your money disappears as you start to plan your art purchases!
The event always features the famous vanishing art finale act- the "Art Heist"! It's so much fun!

The 2011 Downtown Capital One Bayou City Art Festival will honor festival featured artist, Kreg Yingst. He has a strong sense of spacial values, you will find yourself starring at his work for hours getting lost in your imagination.   

  
There are a limited number of tickets available at price range and they are going fast-don’t miss out, purchase your ticket by CLICKING HERE! You can get caught up in the mystery for as little at $50! Grab your tickets now before they disappear! See you there DISHIES!