Palm Beach County Resident Rob Van Winkle Gives Us The Scoop On His DIY Network Show, ‘The Vanilla Ice Project’

1022

Who: Chart-topping music artist, entertainer, television host and actor Rob Van Winkle, aka “Vanilla Ice”

What: The 44 North Nectar cocktail, paired with the crab poutine with toasty blue crab, julienne of bacon, sea salt fries, cotija cheese, scallions and lobster gravy; the baby back ribs with Duroc ribs, tangy Carolina BBQ sauce, arugula fennel salad, avocado, grapefruit, preserved lemon vinaigrette; and the tuna banh mi with yellowfin tuna, foie gras mousse, cilantro slaw and pressed French baguette.

Where: PB Catch Seafood & Raw Bar / 251 Sunrise Ave., Palm Beach / 561.655.5558 / PBCatch.com

 

1) I knew the song “Ice Ice Baby” was going to change my life forever when I was: at the age of 19, when I was opening for the opener of the opener of a huge hip-hop concert. I looked to the side of the stage and saw Ice-T, Ice Cube and Eazy-E (my hip-hop heroes at the time) all watching me perform. That’s when I knew. And then, when I was on my way to New York City to sign with Def Jam Records, I received an offer to sign for five times more money with Charles Koppelman and SBK Records instead. I knew then that everything was about to change.

2) Once I skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard charts, the first indulgence I allowed myself was: a $600,000 supercar, a Gemballa Cyrrus. I flew to Stuttgart, Germany to buy it. I drove it on the Autobahn, then paid $25,000 to have it shipped back, and [to make it] street legal in the U.S.

3) The celebrities I was most surprised to discover were fans of mine included: Tom Brady; Dwyane Wade; who came onstage with me, jumping up and down while I performed recently; Adam Sandler; and Wolf Blitzer from CNN, who I actually had dancing the “Soul Train” line dance.

4) Renovating houses on “The Vanilla Ice Project” on the DIY Network is: my passion, and I never imagined it would be. If you had asked me 25 years ago, I never would have guessed that, but then I went to design school. The TV show [is filming its seventh season] now, and I’m honored people appreciate what we do. It’s hard work, but in the end you get to witness the transformation. It’s the American dream, turning those dreams into reality.

5) The single biggest misconception that people have about me is: that I’m a party guy. I’m really not. I actually go to sleep early, I wake up early, I drink my coffee, I go to work and I don’t do drugs. My tattoos might fool some people, but I’m a businessman and I work very hard.

6) Being the father of two teenage daughters means: I get to try to be the most awesome dad in the world. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had, and my single greatest accomplishment. They actually keep me cool.

 

About The Cocktail: The 44 North Nectar

4 oz. 44 North Nectarine Vodka

1/4 oz. PAMA Liqueur

Splash of Cava Tresor (or any prosecco)

1 oz. pineapple juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker over fresh ice. Shake, pour and enjoy.

Facebook Comments