Saturday was a very busy day. I had been up entertaining late. So I got a bit of late start on the day.

I had to run over to Reem's and pick up a few of my grids, that we use for shows and everything.

So I had called her up and did that and took her to breakfast in the park, because the day was really just brilliant. Blue skies and not a cloud in sight.

Then it was back home to get glued together for the big the show later that night.

The show was "Dinner with the Pro's (click here to find out about this event).

I was pretty excited about it, because it was a whole new crowd for me. And it was in support of a really good cause. I really like what the T.A.P.S. (click for more info about them charity is about.

This was a Charity event but what was different was that it was not my normal, film/tv and music crowd, but rather Professional Sports people. Of course I was a little nervous, because I hadn't had a showing with this scene before. I had no idea how the paintings would go over.
And I always get nervous before shows anyhow. I suppose there's always that lingering fear in the back of my mind that someone is going to show up with rotten fruit to throw at the paintings or at me.

I took Lenora with me, because she is really so good at these sorts of things, and she is good at helping me and handling all the little things that always come up She has a background in the theater world, so I think that's were she gets her cool-headedness from.

So we arrived and had to do our up. I could have gotten someone to handle this, but I am such a bear about everything being just perfect. I mean I want things just so, you know.

So the Velocity Sports Performance Center (click here to find out all about them was the place where the event was going to be held. It was super nice and really big, like 20,000 square feet. It's up in Carlsbad, up by the ocean and just super nice. They had really posh tables set up everywhere.

The paintings looked really good. We were set up by the stage where the band The Figi's played. Click here to see a video of them from the channel 7 news. They were young, but really good. And I loved them of course because they did a cover of The Thrill is Gone, which is my favorite B.B. King song.

So the paintings were set up next to the band, which was funny and seemed right because everyone always thinks I'm always with the band, where ever I go.
So I laughed about that. But really the paintings were in the best place because they were between the band and one of the bars that were set up. Which is really great marketing placement you know?

On the other side of the center were the silent auction items. And they just had a ton of stuff in the silent auction. Tables and tables of some really, really cool autographed stuff. And not all of it was sports stuff either, but a whole bunch of Rat Pack stuff, and Marylin Monroe photo's. There was a bunch of training packages to the Center, and like 1000 items I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention.

This event was a real well to do crowd (real hob-knobing with the hob knobs), which was great, but it also meant that I got outbid right away on everything I bid on in the silent auction. I should have kept better watch, but you know I'm so bad at auctions, because I get my feathers all puffed out too easy and wind up getting pulled into bidding wars. Which are great for the charities, but not always so great for me. ha!

Oh and of course I made friends with the bartenders because I when I got a beer the first one didn't have a tip jar out and I told him he should have one. I mean whenever you have a hosted bar, I always feel guilty and always tip a lot. So I tipped good, and the bartenders loved me, and that was nice.

I had a lot of really posh women asking me about my hair, and everyone wanted to touch it. They always do, but I always enough hairspray on so that it's like a helmet so it's never a problem.
I suppose I'm like one of those big horn sheep up in the Alaska Mountains or something.

We were at lucky table 13, which was in the 2nd row. Right over from us was Kimberly Hunt from KUSI (channel 9 here in San Diego) (click for more info about her). I was being sassy though and told everyone at our table that we were the "cool kids" table. Kimberly looked like a million bucks. She had on this black cocktail dress and just looked super glamorous.

Actually everyone looked really glamorous. It was really a posh event.
I was told that the dinner was sold out at 350 people at $150 per person and it looked like it with all the tables and everything. Just really, really nice.

I'm sure that the center didn't have kitchens so I imagine the caterer's had to bring in their own and everything. But yeah it looked really first rate.

It was a really nice time and Lenora and I had a really good time. My clients and friends Toni and Marie Belfast were also at our table. I had painted their daughter last month. They were great and kept introducing me to everyone and raving about the portrait painting. That was really cool, because word of mouth is the best advertising.

There was a magic show, which was really good. It was Magician Steve Spellman (click to find out more about him) He was great, and really funny. I had seen him on HBO before. So it was neat seeing his show in person. So funny. I loved it. I hadn't seen a magic show since my 01 Paris trip, and that was horrible, because if you can't understand the language, it's so hard to keep up with the act.
But Steve Spellman was great.

Golf Pro Tina Mickleson (click for more info) from the Golf Channel gave a good talk. And then Golf Legend Lee Elder (Click for more info) gave a speech too. That was cool. I mean there was really big names at the event.

My new good friend and client Pro Football star John Carney (click for more info) Gave a talk next. I like John a lot, he's really cool. And he gave me some great advice in dealing with fans and all of that. I mean talk about pressure these guys go out every week and the pressure's on. I mean there are 50 thousand people watching everything they do.

I think that's what I really like about the sports world is you have to perform. I mean you got to get results. It's really inspiring you know?

Anyhow John's great, and you just can't help but fall in love with his wife Holly, who is stunning looking. This woman should be in Vogue or something. But more important she is just a real sweetheart.
Their kids are funny too. I have a feeling I'm going to be painting them all.

Then News Anchor Jim Stone San Diego NBC 7/39 (click for more info) did a big Q and A with the Sports Celebrities around the room. That was fun, and pretty cool too.

Then they talked about the The Charity T.A.P.S. (click for info) which was reason we all there in first place. I really like this charity and can get behind it. Real good folks.

Next up was the live auction. Which my paintings were a part of. These live auctions, let me tell you the pressure's on, because what if no one bids on your stuff? Yeah that's in the back of your mind. I mean what if the paintings go up for auction and all you hear are crickets?

But that didn't happen at all! Everyone really liked the paintings and they got bid up. It seemed to be a new thing to have actual paintings, instead of photo's and stuff. So it was really exciting.

It's funny because a couple of years ago, I would have wanted to do a few shots to loosen up. But I have learned that you never know who your going to meet and I want to be as level headed as I can be when I meet whomever.

Anyhow the live auction was done by Channel 7/39 NBC Morning Anchor Bill Menish (click for more info) Who was great. He is so nice. He really liked the paintings too.

He had me up on stage, and it was funny, because he said when I was going up on the stage "Here comes Artist Jamie Roxx. We get our hair done at the same place." which was a good joke and went over well, and got a good laugh from everyone.

So paintings sold and I didn't have anything to worry about all. No one threw rotten fruit. And we made some good money for the charity, and I got all was right with the world. And everyone thanked me and I felt really good. Hey I made a touch down!

What a great time. Oh I forgot Football Star Junior Seau (click for more info) loved the painting I had done of him too.

Baseball Star Phil Nevin (click for more info) really loved my work. His wife Kristin was a sweetheart too. Just so nice.


Lenora and I were so busy talking to everyone and everything we didn't get that many pictures but we got a few.



The Fiji's
Like I said these guys were just great. The sound was a little loud for an enclosed building, but Rock guys are always like that.
But really good.



It's blurry picture but here is everyone coming in.


Wow this is a terrible blurry picture. I guess that's why I' a painter and not a photog. But here are some better pics of the paintings.




Football Star John Carney (click here to find out more about John



Baseball Star Phil Nevin (click for more info)



Football Star Junior Seau (click for more info)



People checking out All the cool Silent Auction items.






How cool is this?!? I got out bid though.



Sports Anchor (SD NBC) Jim Stone and Baseball Star Phil Nevin



Everyone arriving.



My business partner Lenora















News Anchor (SD NBC 7/39) Jim Stone



Magician Steve Spellman



Junior Seau (in the hat) and the guys tieing up Steve Spellman before an illusion.
Hey why is it, that every party we go to someone seems to get tied up. ha!



Golf Pro's Tina Mickelson and Golf Legend Lee Elder



Football star and good friend and Client John Carney






John Carney, his wife Holly and Junior Seau










My good friend and Client Toni Belfast and over there at the next table is (KUSI Chanel 9) Kymberly Hunt. But everyone's in profile. I really am a terrible photographer. Maybe I should have just sketched everyone next time.






For the life of me I can't remember this woman's name, she was at our table. But hey look she's wearing a Jamie Roxx Pin. There's Phil Nevin in the background.




There's Jessica (She was the goto Girl who organized everything. The lady behind the scenes. She was great and a real sweetheart too), John Carney and Kymberly Hunt's husband former San Diego Chargers linebacker, Billy Ray Smith, who is one of co-host of The Scott & BR Show, on XX Sports Radio




Billy Ray Smith



This is the end of the night. The people are cleaning up, but there's me, sitting down and taking a break.
Oh and hey there's KC Chief's wide receiver Joe Horn and his wife Lacreshia Behind me. How cool is that?