Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas appear at Chicago Premium Outlets

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas conduct a brief Q&A session at Chicago Premium Outlets 

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas received a warm welcome from hundreds of screaming fans who gathered at the Chicago Premium Outlets to see them and for a chance to meet them.

Simon Premium Outlets is the retail sponsor of their tour. There was a event page where people were asked to register and RSVP about a week or two ago, which meant nothing because the staff registered people on the spot. Some people in line didn't even know about it. Good thing we got there early, 7:45 a.m. to be exact.

We waited in line until about 10:30 a.m., then we went through security and made our way to the stage where we got a front row view.

The event was organized well as dozens of police officers where scattered around to make sure everyone was safe. The staff at the mall took care of the crowd by handing out bottles of water and sunglasses.

The DJ and the "pump up squad" as I like to call them, kept us entertained for another two hours until Demi and Nick arrived just after 1 p.m. That is when the madness ensued.

People pushed their way forward and the barricade almost flipped, thank goodness for security.

The actual Q&A session could have been much better. It went by so fast I don't even remember the questions. I think one was about what inspired one of Nick's songs and if Demi was into Pokemon Go. It was nothing juicy and newsworthy.

To be honest I was more entertained with pump up squad and the DJ, but it always fun to see Demi and Nick. Before they left they came around said hi to people and shook some hands.

LondonHouse Rooftop makes its debut

Summertime in Chicago means hitting up all the rooftops and patios while you can. This season everyone is talking about the LH Rooftop, the city's first tri-level rooftop lounge at the new LondonHouse Hotel. The hotel is located at 85 E. Upper Wacker Drive along the Chicago River, offering incredible views of the city.

I made reservations the first day the site went live back in May and within that day reservations for June had filled up. Fortunately, I managed to grab a reservation for the end of June. But if you can't get a reservation don't worry! LondonHouse recently announced they would be taking daily walk-ins in the afternoons. If you are looking to guarantee you'll get in, check out their website for the different options of reservations.

As for the service, the staff was nice and attentive. It was busy for a Tuesday night and I could tell some of the staff were running around like crazy making sure everyone had what they needed and that people were having a good time.

The crafted signature cocktails cost around $15. Isn't that kind of expensive? Yes and that's to be expected. But are the Instagram perfect views, cool Snapchats and selfies worth it? Yes, of course!
If you're looking for beer, they have a nice selections of craft beers at reasonable price. Cheers!

DNCE performs at North Avenue Beach in Chicago

Joe Jonas, lead singer of DNCE, performs at Castaways at North Avenue Beach.

On Saturday DNCE performed an exclusive show at Castaways at North Avenue Beach. The band is currently on tour with Selena Gomez.

About a week ago, I got one of those e-mail blast newsletters from 103.5 KISS FM which included details about a contest to win passes to see DNCE. All you had to do was tweet a photo or video of yourself getting cake smashed in your face and you were entered for a chance to win passes. My sister and I both entered and we each won a pair of passes.
Check out mine below if you missed it!

Dreaming I'll eat #CakeByTheLake this weekend! #ContestEntry @1035KISSFM @DNCE pic.twitter.com/PF28TBQRdY

— Raymond Garcia (@raymondagarcia) June 20, 2016

DNCE performed "Toothbrush" and their smash hit "Cake By The Ocean." It was a very intimate performance, I would say there were only about 30 to 40 people on the patio deck. Everyone had the chance to get up close and have a great view for the perfect Snapchat photo and video. I'm pretty sure Joe Jonas was looking directly at my phone as I took a Snapchat video but my sister who was standing in front of me said the same thing...

Cole Whittle, bass guitarist for the band, performs at Castaways.

The band played acoustic versions of their songs and they seemed relaxed. It was extremely hot especially with the sun beaming down us so thank you DNCE for starting on time!

As soon as they finished the band left the stage and headed down toward their vehicle. Security was blocking the entrance we came in to keep everyone from rushing down the stairs. Apparently we were one of the few people smart enough to go find one of the other exits because everyone else just sort of stood around it seemed like. Our efforts paid off because I got a selfie with Joe as he made his way back to his car.

Walking Map of Chicago's Michigan Avenue

Chicago's Michigan Avenue, also known as the Magnificent Mile, is home to world class shops, restaurants and other cultural attractions. Hit the pavement on this walking tour that will take you from Oak Street Beach to Millennium Park.

Architecture major reflects on program

Alan Dang is a senior architecture major at Ball State University. He always loved building things as a child and working with his hands. Dang plans to graduate in this upcoming May and plans to attend graduate school for architecture. In this news package, Dang discusses his interest in architecture and how the program at Ball State has evolved.

Arts in Muncie

What began as a manufacturing town is now a central hub for arts and culture.

Muncie, Indiana has an economic out of $89 million according to a study done by the Ball State Center for Business and Economic Research. The arts and culture is a contributing factor.

Check out this video to see what leaders in the art community in Muncie have to say. 

PHOTOS: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at Ball State

Grammy awarding win duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis played a concert at Emens Auditorium on Wednesday Feb. 3. They have been on tour promoting their new album which comes out on Feb. 26. Check out some photos from their concert in Muncie, Indiana.  

Student describes passion for design

Megan Bright is a senior apparel design major at Ball State University

Megan Bright hopes to one day create costume for the film industry. Bright is an apparel design major at Ball State University. After graduating in May, she hopes to move to Los Angeles and pursue her dream. Ever since she was a girl, Bright loved sewing and creating pieces. She even designed her own prom dress after she decided to attend at the last minute. View the audio slideshow to find out more about her insight on design and fashion.

The busiest man in the business

"I think the legacy that I hope to leave is that people think of me as their friend on the radio, their friend on TV, who made it look pretty easy and was a source or a conduit for escapism," -Ryan Seacrest

Photo: Business Wire

Ryan Seacrest is a media mogul. he does it all from radio and television to producing and editing. He is one of the only people to ever have partnerships with the big four broadcast networks. Viewers have seen his on-air work through his hosting on Fox's "American Idol," live correspondence from the Olympics on NBC and interviewing the biggest names in Hollywood on E!'s "Live From The Red Carpet." Listeners can hear him weekdays on his nationally syndicated radio show on KISS FM and American Top 40. These are just some of the many hats he wear in the business.

The quote at the top appeared in an interview with GQ where he discussed how he handles being one of the hardest working people in Hollywood. Many people have grown up watching him and he has become a familiar face whether it is on "American Idol or counting down the new year on "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve" on ABC. In the quote he describes how he wants to be an outlet for people. He wants to be a friendly face to them and wants them show them what is going on in the world of pop culture.

Actors and academy members comment on the Oscar controversy

With the Academy Awards just weeks away, actors and members of the academy continue to weigh in on the lack of diversity in the nominees this year. For the second year in a year no actors of color were nominated in the acting categories, which has caused an uproar.

Penelope Ann Miller, member of the academy, said it was a competitive year in film and she supports the talent of black people.

She told The Hollywood Reporter, "To imply we are racists is extremely offensive."

Another member of the member said race was the furthest thing from his mind when his cast his ballot and he was also extremely offended.

Actress Halle Berry, who is the first and only African American woman to win the Oscar for best actress said the lack of diversity is "heartbreaking." Berry believed that her win was a break through for African American women but she is disappointed that no other woman of color has won since she won 15 years ago.

Actress Helen Mirren defended the academy and doesn't think it is fair to attack them. She said the industry needs to look at what films are made and how they are cast.

The problem with the lack of diversity in the nominations is not with the academy, but with the studios who are creating films. More films featuring people of color and different backgrounds need to be made in order to create more diversity. It is not the academy's fault if they don't not have enough movies about a variety of people to examine and vote on. Casting directors should hire actors of color.

The Fray at Ball State

The Fray performing at Emens Auditorium at Ball State. 

On Wednesday September 10, rock band The Fray stopped by Ball State as part of their "Helios Tour". They performed songs off their new album as well as their biggest hits such as "You Found Me", "How to Save a Life" and "Love Don't Die" to name a few. The band had such amazing energy on the stage and I really enjoyed the concert!

Lead singer Isaac Slade. 

My friends and I had floor seats with a nice view of the stage. You could feel the energy from the crowd as everyone sang along to some of their songs. Check out some of the raw videos I shot from the concert.

Morton Salt Girl Celebration at Wrigley Field

Morton Salt girls pose in front of Wrigley Field.

My father works for Morton Salt and on Saturday the company celebrated the 100th birthday of the the Morton Salt Girl which is the company's logo. There was a huge celebration held at Wrigley Field which is also celebrating 100 years. The day began with an appearance of 30 girls dressed as the Morton Salt Girls that caused quite the sight especially if you are driving or walking by and have no idea what's going.

Employees and Morton Salt Girls getting ready for photos.

Afterward Morton Salt employees and their families were invited inside the stadium before the gates opened to the public. This time the employees took a company photo under the iconic scoreboard.

My Dad getting ready for the photo, he is the one in the black cap. 

 Meanwhile the Cubs were having their batting practice before the game in the afternoon.

Cubs players practicing.

President Gora's celebration in Chicago

On Thursday night, I had a great opportunity to attend Ball State President Jo Ann Gora's retirement reception at the University Club of Chicago. I covered the reception for "The Ball State Daily News". In October 2013, Gora announced she would retire at the end of June of this year after serving 10 years as president. She is the first female to serve as president of a public university in Indiana.

Gora told me her and her husband love visiting Chicago, she thinks it's a vibrant and exciting city. She loves going to the museums including the Art Institute and walking down Michigan Avenue. She talked to all the alumni in the room and spoke about all the changes that have occurred during her tenure.

The reception proved to be an excellent networking event with alumni in the Chicago metropolitan area. Within the first few minutes of my arrival Julie Stroh, associate vice president of alumni programs, quickly introduced me to President Gora. After a few minutes of conversation, Gora then introduced me to Mike Smith who spoke to me about his career after graduating from the Department of Journalism. I also met Shawn Malayter who works with the Ball State alumni chapter in Chicago.

I saw a few familiar faces at the event as well. I talked to the former editor-in-chief of "The Ball State Daily News" Benjamin Dashley who I worked with the first semester of my freshmen year . He now works for the Associated Press in Chicago. I also ran into Joe Pavilonis, a friend from the Ball State Runners' Association who graduated from the College of Architecture and Planning earlier this month.

Check out more pictures!

Joe Pavilonis and I at the reception. 

The attendees during the presentation. 

Veterans in Need Dinner

On Friday night May 9, My Mom and I attended the 3rd Annual Catholic Charities  Veterans in Need Dinner at The Union League Club of Chicago. The event raises funds and awareness for veterans who are facing poverty, homelessness, and addiction.

The program was emceed by CBS 2 News Anchor Rob Johnson.

Johnson opening the program.

The keynote speaker of the night was Admiral Michael G. Mullen who was the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He served as principal military advisor to the president, Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council.

Admiral Mullen speaking to the attendees. 

I thought the whole event was very eye opening, I was aware of the hardships veterans faced but it was a superficial understanding. This event helped me understand more especially throughout the program which included speakers, photos, and a video.

In the lobby of the Union League Club of Chicago.

Visiting the Colts Facility

For those that don't know I am a part of the Ingelhart Scholars Program at Ball State. It is a leadership program in the journalism department. As part of the program, I had the opportunity to tour the Indiana Farm Bureau where the Indianapolis Colts train. We were privileged enough to be given a tour by the Colts Chief Operating Officer Pete Ward.

The afternoon started with a visit to the media room where the press gathers. Here we had a fortunate opportunity to speak with the head of Public Relations. We learned a little about the ins and outs of doing PR for an NFL team. He also shared with us some career and internship advice. He tells the interns that by the end of their experience, it will be clear for them if they want to continue working on this career path or not, because it will be an eye opener for them.

Inside the locker room. 

Next we had a chance to go into the team's locker room, where many of us took pictures of Andrew Luck's locker.

 We also went into the workout facility where there was a lot of weights and machinery. 

Our next stop was the banquet hall this is where luncheons and other events take place. This is also where larger press conferences are held when the media room can't hold everyone. 

Next on the tour was the indoor field.

Standing on the indoor field. 

We then walked through the halls of some of the offices. We saw their radio studio andtelevision studio as well.

Professor Adam Kuban and I at the news desk. PHOTO: EMILY CONRAD

The final stop on the tour was the Colts memorabilia room. They don't really have a formal museum, so they turned this room into a shrine you could say. The owner of the Colts from time to time donates some of his artifacts from over the years. Take a look...  

Inside the Colts Memorabilia Room.

Handwritten note by Bob Dylan. 

Overall I had such a great afternoon exploring the facility and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity with the Ingelhart Scholars Program! 

Grammy Awards Favorite Moments

This year the Grammys were filled with great performances and collaborations. Some of the performances were filled with high energy while other performances slowed down the pace of the show, which made the Grammys feel really long. But anyway here are my favorite moments from the show.

During the first hour, Robin Thicke and Chicago performed a medley. I love the Grammys especially when different generations of artists take the stage together and perform.  Take a look at the video.

My next favorite collaboration was with Imagine Dragons and Kendrick Lamar. Imagine Dragons are such great performers, I mentioned them in my American Music Awards post as well. This performance heightened the energy, Taylor Swift was the first one out of her seat dancing. Well she was dancing most of the night anyway. Check out their performance below. 

My next favorite moment is when Giuliana Rancic interviewed Kevin Hart on the red carpet. Such a hilarious interview, which made up for the awkward height difference between them.

Lastly, I loved Daft Punk, Pharrell, and Stevie Wonder all on stage performing "Get Lucky." The camera panned to the audience and every celebrity was dancing and having a great time.

Thanks for reading! Next up The Oscars! 

SAG Awards Favorite Moments

The 20th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards took on place on Saturday January 18. Here are some of my favorite moments from the telecast.

Over all I thought all the acceptance speeches were funny, smart, and well thought. My favorite speech of the night had to have been from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series. Check out the video.

My next favorite moment of the night was when Bryan Cranston brought up Anna Gunn's bag, which was embroidered with the periodic table logo from "Breaking Bad, to accept his speech for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series. Check out the video below too.

Anna Gunn's Bag by Edie Parker. PHOTO: CAROL MCCOLGIN 

Golden Globes Favorite Moments

There were so many memorable moments from The Golden Globes last night. From the red carpet to the ceremony here are my favorite moments:

Ryan Seacrest's Instagram 

Jennifer Lawrence is just so real and loves to have fun, which is why everyone loves her. Her interview with Ryan Seacrest was all over the place but in a good way. First she was awkwardly and creepily walking up the stairs during Taylor Swift's interview. Then she comes up behind her saying she was going to push her down the stairs! Like what is going on?! Then a piece of her jewelry comes flying off. Please continue to be yourself J. Law. 

Paul Drinkwater/NBC

My next moment is Leonardo Dicaprio winning for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. I think this could be the year he finally wins an Oscar. We'll see when the nominations are announced this Thursday and the when the Oscars air March 2.

I started watching Breaking Bad a few months ago and its such a great show, so I was happy that the show won for Best TV Series Drama. But my favorite moment was when Aaron Paul went to the mic after the creator of the show Vince Gilligan spoke, and all he said was "yeah b*tch!" That was it. 

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @raymondagarcia as I live tweet during these events. 

People's Choice Awards Favorite Moments

Award show season is pretty much in full swing now! The People's Choice Awards were held on Wednesday January 8 and if you follow me on Twitter, you probably saw your timeline flooded with PCA votes back in November and a part of December. This show is nice because it's one of the very few award shows where the people get to choose who gets nominated and who wins. Here are some of my favorite moments from the show.

Kevin Winter/ Getty Images 

Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder accepting their award for Favorite On-Screen Chemistry was great. It started off a little awkward then went to not so awkward to funny, you know what mean?

Another funny moment was when Ellen DeGeneres tried accepting Justin Timberlake's award with him.

An excellent moment was when actress, singer, and fellow Chicagoan Jennifer Hudson won for Favorite Humanitarian. She has been doing incredible work with the Julian D. King Gift Foundation she co-founded with her sister Julia Hudson. I thought her speech was very emotional and compelling. For more about the foundation check out their Facebook  page.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Overall I thought that Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs did an great job hosting. I have only watched maybe one episode of their show "2 Broke Girls" I knew they were quite hilarious but was not sure how it was going to go. I loved the jokes they made every time they introduced a presenter, that was probably my favorite.

Next up Golden Globes!

My Favorite Moments from The AMAs

Last night some of the biggest names in music took the stage at this year's American Music Awards to perform and accept awards voted on by fans. I was watching the show last night and I also watched E!'s Live From The Red Carpet coverage. Here are my top five favorite moments from the red carpet and the show.

Lady Gaga's red carpet entrance on a horse! She definitely stole the scene the moment she walked out. Then she went straight to E!'s Giuliana Rancic for an interview. She looked very beautiful in her Versace dress and over the weekend she was named the new face of Versace.

Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Lady Gaga arrives on a horse on the red carpet

Imagine Dragons' performance was pretty awesome, I loved the instrumental break during their hit "Radioactive". The lead singer of the group was so into it the performance.

Jennifer Lopez brought some Latin flavor to the show with her tribute to Celia Cruz.  I found this number to be quite entertaining from beginning to end. The costumes, the dancing, the singing, and when she was thrown into the air made this performance one to remember.

                                                            Kevin Winter/Getty Images
                                                                           Jennifer Lopez performing.

Ariana Grande's performance was another performance that caught my attention. She has an incredible voice and she sounds so much like Mariah Carey. She took home the AMA for Favorite New Artist.

Justin Timberlake's acceptance speeches for each of the award he took home were pretty hilarious. He was so cool and confident each time he walked up there.

I'm going to continue to blog about my favorite moments as the award show season approaches in January, so keep looking out for them!