Fleet Week Photo Op in Times Square

Looking for a New York photo you can't get the rest of the year?

It's time to head out to Times Square for Fleet Week photo ops.

With all the miltary men and women checking out the city, there are also a lot of people out looking for a photo op with the men and women in uniform.

To be honest, it's mostly women. Among the women I met 'hunting photos', was Aisling (on the left in the picture) who went out and bought a complete nautical-themed outfit for her pictures. She even showed off an anchor tattoo. She and her friends were searching for and snapping shots with as many guys in Navy whites as they could find.

They didn't have to work too hard, every where you look you'll see a handful of uniforms - Navy, Marines, Army. The harder ones to find seemed to be the Coast Guard.

And Aisling and her friends weren't the only ones out on the photo hung. There were plenty of groups of young women all dolled up dashing around Times Square trying to snap as many pictures as they could with the men in uniform.

Even reporters fell prey to the charm of getting one of those photos.

What do the guys think about all the attention? Listen to the story below:

Fleet Week - Sunset Parade USS Wasp

I was invited to join a number of military families and dignitaries for the Sunset Parade aboard the USS Wasp during Fleet Week.

The Sunset Parade featured the Marine Corps Band from Quantico and USCG Silent Drill Team, a ceremonial lowering of the flag and a reception afterwards.

Below are pictures and videos I took during the evening. Enjoy!

First things first. When you walk up the first few ramps into the Wasp you are inside the ship, in the Hangar area. So, how do you get topside for the ceremony? Well you could climb more ramps... or take the faster way up - the elevator. And when I say elevator in this case, I mean the elevator they use to transport planes from the flight deck down inside the ship....

This is definitely more people than you can usually fit in an elevator!

When I arrived on Deck the Marine Corps Band was wrapping up playing New York New York, and once we all got up there and in place, the ceremony began.

Here's a video of the Coast Guard Silent Drill Team. They were phenomenal:

And as we know what goes up... must come down.. . Here's my view on the elevator as we were taken back down into the ship.

The reception was in full swing

We were even treated to a performance from the crew of the Indonesian Tall Ship that is taking part in Fleet Week.:

And what event is complete without some USO girls!

Fleet Week - Lasting Impression

Lasting impressions. That's what some of the US Marines at fleet week hope they are leaving behind.

Fleet week is starting to wind down. The first of the ships has pulled out and more are going by the day. The week officially ends Wednesday.

Staff Sgt Charles Robert McAdams has spent day after day talking to kids and adult alike about his job and being a Marine. He can't help but think some of them will be the next generation of the corps.

“Knowing these kids are going to replace you one day and do the same job, it's motivating”, he said.

He says that's what happened to him.

“When I was a kid, I seen a marine one time, he was a recruiter, and I just remember how good his uniform looked and how he carried himself. That lasting image stayed inside my mind, even to this day,” he said, “That's why its important that these kids get the full experience while we're out there and we take the time to show them around so they have that image too.”

And he hopes he become become that image in another kid's mind.

Listen to a story with one of the kids on the USS Wasp who was enamored with the Marines(and thier planes) here:

VIDEO : Fleet Week Memorial Day Ceremony at Intrepid

The Memorial Day ceremony at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum included the unfurling of a massive American flag by members of the Fleet Week Flag Detail as the Marine Corps band from Quantico played in the background.

Then all military members, current and former, were welcome to take part in the holding of the flag as a lone bugle played Taps and there was a flyover by the Valions of Strike Fighter Squadron Fifteen.

And here are more pictures from the ceremony:

The Marine Corps Band

Robert James Wilkner, 91-year-old Pearl Harbor Survivor. He sang the Star Spangled Banner at the top of his lungs and stood with a salute through much of the ceremony. He was a complete pleasure to meet!

Preparing the Wreaths

The 100-ft flag unfurled:

It was held by current and former military service members.

Hear a story about one WWII veteran's experience holding the flag here:

Wilkner, the 91-year-old Pearl Harbor Survivor, was a very popular man -

Generations of veterans -

Hear my story on the ceremony here:

VIDEO : ICYMI - Fleet Week - Trace Adkins National Anthem

One of the Fleet Week Events was the 2012 Salute To Freedom Gala. It was held on board the Intrepid Museum of Sea, Air and Space.

Trace Adkins sang the National Anthem.

Take a listen below-

Fleet Week Muscle - The Crew From Finland

You can't have a bunch of military men and women on shore for Fleet Week without a little competition, right? Tug of War it was on Pier 86 by the Intrepid. Here are some pics from the contest:

It was run like a 'final 10' with teams squaring off back and forth round after round until only one team was left standing and the winning team was - Finland.

But look at these guys??? I'm 5'10 and not petite by any standard, but they made me look small!

Here's my story with the sound of their win and a couple comments from them afterwards.

Michael Winslow Joins Voca People This Week!

If you like a Capella music, beat boxing, and Michael Winslow, the man of 10,000 voices, I have the show for you. He is joining Voca People on stage over the next week.

Voca People are regularly playing at the New World Stages. But this week Winslow will be popping on stage for a couple minutes to add his vocal magic to the performances.

I saw the show the first night he was on. My thoughts?

I had never seen Voca People before. I thought their voice work was simply magnificent. The alien storyline that went with the show I could give or take. Honestly, they could be in regular street clothes and give a concert and I would happily shell out my cash. They are masterful with the music they create..

I have also been a fan of Michael Winslow since his Police Academy days. Yes, I know I am dating myself. In the show that I saw he popped on stage for a few minutes, but that was it. I left wanting more. I wanted him to have more spotlight time and really let go with the sounds!

Learn more about the show on their website. Click Here

You can also listen to the story, and hear a little of their sound, below:

Broadway Bares - Solo Strips - Taking it Off for Charity

What are you doing with your Sunday night?

How about a chance to see some Broadway Performers in a whole new light and give some money to charity while you're at it! Tonight is Solo Strips, the 'teaser' show, for the big Broadway Bares June show.

The Solo Strips show will be at XL (the club attached to the OUT NYC hotel) and begins at 9. it's $10 for general admission, $25 for table space and its raising bucks for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS.

I chatted with a couple of the guys who will be doing tonight's show.(Yes, I do realize... my life is so difficult). On the left is Josh Buscher(Priscilla Queen of the Desert) and on the right is Nick Kenkel(Evita). Think they look great in shirts? See them without below.... and I hear we'll see them with even less tonight.

While we talked a lot about the June show, Josh did give me a preview of what we can expect from him tonight ... or rather... another tease.

"I heard a song that I haven't heard in a while and I

thought I have to strip to that song. I knew exactly what I'm doing. I don't know if I want to give it away, but, the art director give us a very small theme. It's 'professional behavior'. So I'm doing something very inappropriate and it's going to be good."

Learn more about tonight's show and get your tickets by clicking here.

Learn more about the Big Broadway Bares show in June by clicking here.

The Scream Sells for $119.9 Million

An image of fright demanded a frightful amount of cash at auction Wednesday night.

When someone says 'The Scream' , you probably think of a perfect horror movie scene. But in this case the scare factor came in the form of dollar signs, of just how much people were willing to spend on the painting 'The Scream' for just under 120 million dollars....

This was an auction for the Edvard Munch painting of that name. Its one of four that he made, but the only one still privately owned and sold for 119.9 million bucks in the Wenesday night auction at Sotheby's.

The sale set a new record for the auction house. The previous record was held by a Picasso that sold for 106 million. The name of the winning bidder was not released.