BOSTON- Fresh out of the ring from his Friday night victory in TD Garden, MMA Champion Charles “Boston Strong” Rosa greeted us outside of the studio with a smile from ear to ear and open arms for a big hug.

There was absolutely no inclination that just days prior, the Peabody native had been toe-to-toe with his opponent throwing swings in the octagon, breaking the record for most wins all-time in his hometown stadium of TD Garden. Except, of course, for a small mark under his right eye. “You can barely see that hit, huh?” I said, standing in awe of how well put together he looked after what I could only imagine was both a mentally and physically draining event. I had to ask, “What did you use to heal that up so fast?!” Rosa

smiled, “Nothin’ actually, I’ve always healed quick like that, I dunno. I just like to think it’s ’cause I’m healthy and take care of myself.” As we stood on the sidewalk in Quincy in what was a unique situation-a potential gas leak in studio just before we were set to air-Charles’ easygoing demeanor and genuine kindness radiated through his thick Boston accent and multiple thank you’s to the first responders of the Quincy Fire Department. This was all just a glimpse into the man we were about to get to know.

Once we got the all-clear and were finally ready to air, our first order of business tointroduce the guest of honor was rolling footage of him cooking up one of his standard pre-fight meals in the Johnson & Wales kitchen where he once attended. What’s on the menu? “Bland” chicken with just a bit of cayenne pepper, NO olive oil or salt and some fresh vegetables on the side. On the off days, however, Rosa’s favorite cheat meal is  homemade chicken parm! “Always on Sunday my Dad would have a big Italian dinner planned for us and we’d watch football,” says Charles, who grew up surrounded by family, food and sports. “The guidance counselor asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I wanted to play hockey, I wanted to be in the NHL. And they kinda laughed a little bit and said ‘You can’t go to school for that, what do you want to do? So, what are your other hobbies?’ And I said, well, I loved eating, I love cooking food- huge sports fan, huge food fan, huge Boston fan.” 

Yet his rough-and-tumble background stayed top of mind with fond memories of wrestling on his backyard full-size trampoline after sports games, and at 23 years old Rosa began training for jiu-juitsu.  “All my boys would come over after lacrosse practice, after hockey practice, whatever, and we’d go on the trampoline and jump and we’d just wrestle each other and pretty much play king of the mat,” he recalled, laughing at the irony that both himself and one of his childhood friends grew up to become professional fighters.

While they may be two of his favorite things, Rosa says it’s not just food & fights on mind. Hanging around Charles’ neck was a dog-tag shaped emblem that read the words “Chucky’s Fight,” representing his very own family’s charity foundation dedicated to knocking out substance abuse. “At 16 and 17, I lost my brothers to substance abuse,” he explained, telling the heartbreaking story of how his family dealt with the grief of losing  the two boys that Rosa had looked up to as role models. “I think the biggest thing about substance abuse and the drugs is education. I don’t think anybody goes out and says ‘Oh, I’m gonna go try heroin,’ like it kinda builds from starting from other drugs and maybe not being educated on it. So, that’s I think they key to solving that problem and that’s something my dad has dedicated his entire life to and that I go and help out. Sometimes I’ll go to schools, I’ll go to treatment centers, I’ll go to prisons and speak to the kids or adults about it and it’s been really successful.” The Chucky’s Fight foundation now helps those without funds to get into treatment centers and aid recovery, providing those who agree to make healthy lifestyle changes with a pendant to remind them of their commitment to recovery.

Want to learn more about Chucky’s Fight & Charles Rosa? Stay tuned for the link from his in-studio interview on The BosBabes!

When the bomb went off at the Boston Marathon finish line on April 15, 2013, Roseann Sdoia Materia knew her life was about to change forever.

One of her favorite things to do year after year had been to attend the Boston Marathon as a spectator; something her father introduced her to as a young girl and a tradition that she took pride in. Growing up right here in Massachusetts in a town called Dracut, she enjoyed a fun-loving childhood filled with those family traditions that included going to the annual Boston Marathon Red Sox games with her sister, and truly made the most out of growing up in the Boston area.

Roseann had always assumed that fateful day in April of 2013 would be just like the many years before. Yet when tragedy struck the year of the Boston Marathon bombings, Roseann found herself fighting for her own life. When she awoke from a coma, she learned she had lost her leg in the attack and would live with a prosthetic for the rest of her life. Little did she know, however, she had gained both a guardian angel and a soulmate in the first responder that saved her life. “He just kept showing up, sometimes with other firefighters, sometimes by himself, to check on me and make sure I’d made it through the night,” Materia now smiles, laughing back to how her mother had nudged her towards the “cute man” who kept showing up to her bedside.

Mike Materia, the firefighter that had taken her to safety during the attack, had been

determined to see Roseann through to recovery, leaving her to joke that there is “no one else” she’d rather shop for a prosthetic leg with. “He sometimes would leave little candies, little M&M’s or something in the leg as a joke and I’d know…oh, that’s Mike!” The couple’s story soon bloomed from the tragedy into a love story, and today Roseann said she couldn’t be happier to call the man that saved her life her husband.

Although for Roseann the day of the Boston Marathon tragedy still remains one of her darkest days, her positive attitude has helped her learn to see the light. After meeting her husband, learning to walk again with having one leg, and facing emotional trauma from the horror of the attack, Roseann has instead chosen to take a proactive approach to life. “I could have chosen to give up and sit on my couch, but I am a fighter,” she explains, stating this is something she gets from her mother. The courageous woman constantly immerses herself in motivational speaking, helping others cope with tragedy and lends a hand when people need advice about prosthetics. She even documented her experience  in a book called “Perfect Strangers”, which goes into detail of how complete strangers came together to build a new community following the tragedy.

When you mix a master businessman with a creative genius, you get the legend known as Alan Rouleau: the man behind the suits worn by some of the most prominent athletes and coaching staff in New England. The incredibly talented entrepreneur grew up right here in Massachusetts, with a business mindset from an early age. After owning multiple businesses and exploring options, one day Rouleau decided to test his hand at a menswear business after a client of his own “went rogue”, and discovered his passion for helping men to become their best selves through custom tailored suits (and even custom tailored beards!).

Alan Rouleau owns what Brittany likes to call the “Bentley of Barbershops”, a high end couture  menswear shop on Newbury Street in Boston. Alan provides a one stop shop for men to go in and get groomed by one of his master barbers while they browse his fine line of menswear, have a glass of whiskey, and get pampered- something he believes more men need to do. 

The fun doesn’t stop there. The place is filled with custom fabric, shirts, and ties galore! Men can get custom fitted from top to bottom for every occasion. While Alan has fitted many notable people for special occasions, he is also highly involved with local charities and giving back, we love him for that. If ever you ask him, he’ll bring out a book full of pictures of his handsome clients that required unique hand-tailored wardrobes due to rare conditions, and prides himself on never turning down the opportunity to put his talent to work in giving back to those in need.

Who are some of his top clients? One of his most well-known clients is New England Patriots very own legend… Bill Belichick. We all know Bill as this “serious” man on the  field, barely cracking a smile, staying focused on W’s and rocking the cut off hoodie. Yet off the field, there is much more to the wardrobe of New England’s favorite coach. Alan has fitted Bill for several special occasions, including the Kentucky Derby and Bill Belichick Foundation Fundraisers…if you haven’t checked out our Instagram already, take it from us- he looks like a star!

Most recently, Alan also had the chance to pamper Patriots receiver Julian Edelman. Edelman stopped in to get groomed and snap some photos with Patriots Cheerleading Captain Andrea Cadigan (who you’ll see below co-hosted this episode as Emmalyn was on her honeymoon in Puerto Rico!). Want to see some behind the scenes shots from Edelman’s visit to Rouleau’s shop? Look for the upcoming spread in the BostonMan Magazine! For now, learn more about Rouleau from the master himself with special guest co-host Andrea Cadigan on this episode of The BosBabes: 

Graduating college and heading off to the real world is what most young graduates do, but not for New Hampshire native Chris Moquin. Instead, he packed his bags and set off to play for a professional ice hockey team: the Syndey Bears in Australia.

While Moquin may be young, the hockey star is already a highly decorated athlete. Having played in college at Southern NH and for the Junior Monarchs team, he knows a thing or two about playing at competitive level. He’s also won multiple championships in his early years of play.

Growing up close to his friends and family, Moquin enjoyed playing sports as a part of his everyday life- golf and hockey were his two favorite pastimes. In studio, he joked around that still to this day he embraces his childhood by “eating like a child”, and enjoys chicken fingers at one of his favorite spots in New Hampshire.

Off the ice, Moquin is also highly involved with charity work and giving back. “I have a lot of experience helping little kids get into hockey, or helping them develop if they’ve started already,” he says.  “I also spent about a year working with a non profit organization called Safe Sports, which is a walk-in clinic, and sports injury therapy/treatment program for kids and teenagers in Southern NH.” Talk about a busy schedule!

 We are wicked excited for Chris’ next professional hockey team adventure! After winning the Goodall cup with the Sydney Bears, Moquin hopped on a plane (just 4 days after our in studio interview) and is now playing hockey in Amal Sweden. Wishing him all the best, he will be back in studio soon for an update.  For a burst of inspiration, catch his episode below!

Tomboy Alert! From Ice Girl to Red Sox WAG, former Boston Bruins Ice girl and Winthrop native Deanna Buonomo knows a thing or two about being one of the boys.

Having grown up close to the ocean with her family, mostly consisting of boys… Deanna spent a lot of her childhood playing street hockey, getting bruises playing outside, and watching the Boston Bruins with her mom and dad. Growing up, Deanna dreamed of becoming an ice girl for years-in our in studio interview, we learned it took 5 or 6 tries before even getting a call back! In her case, persistence was key and she finally made the team, happy  to support the black and gold both on the ice and at local charity events.

While Deanna loved the bonds she formed within the Bruins community, this Boston area native also lives out her love for sports with her boyfriend, Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox. In our interview she spilled the tea on her spring training travels, getting a puppy with Austin, and how amped up she was at the World Series ring ceremony watching her man receive his ring!

Click link below to catch this BosBabe approved episode for your viewing pleasure, and  find out for yourself where these two enjoy going on dates!

BOSTON-If you’ve ever been stuck in a toxic relationship, you know how easy it is to ignore the warning signs and lonely it can feel when your mind is being manipulated to believe that there is nothing you can do about it and have no one to turn to. One former Miss Teen Massachusetts and Boston Bruins Ice Girl wants you to know that you’re not alone, and urges men and women everywhere to be aware of warning signs.

The gorgeous blonde bombshell Taylor Higgins, New England area native and best-selling author wasn’t always so bubbly like she is now. Higgins says despite all the smiles and energy she poured into each game she worked, something much darker was going on behind the scenes that in reality, made her feel absolutely helpless. Her best selling book “Between The Stitching” outlines Higgins’ emotional rollercoaster  relationship with a minor league baseball player in the Red Sox organization. Having found her passion in writing, Taylor used this method as therapy to overcome the hurtful obstacles her relationship caused her soul. “I’ve always turned to writing as a way to get my feelings out,” says Higgins in our exclusive interview with her in studio. Although you’d truly have to read to believe some of the things she’s experienced, Higgins now knows she has come out stronger, more resilient, and better than ever- and takes her knowledge of toxic relationships with the hopes of helping readers over come their own personal traumas.

So, after you’ve conquered the ice, won a pageant crown, survived a traumatic relationship and turned it into a best-selling novel, what’s next? Higgins says she DOES plan on doing more writing more in the future.

Click link below to see the full episode of this jaw dropping interview. It will have you wondering, what else lies -Between The Stitching -.

Xoxo,

The BosBabes

BOSTON-Born and raised right here in the East Coast, WAG entrepreneur Lauren Melkus had a tough time deciding between rooting for the Red Sox or Yankees as a kid….okay Lauren, we get it…but we know you love Sox Nation more!

She grew up very sporty. As an active gymnast in her childhood years…she was tossed into the wonderful world of sports. In college, Lauren began working in the bridal industry while attending Endicott College, where she immediately became interested in customizing clothing. Around that same time, Lauren met her now boyfriend, Tim Boyle, who played college ice hockey. The two fell in love, and as she grew her career Tim went on to play professional hockey. It was in those years that Lauren got the idea to become the mastermind behind her brand, The Denim Blonde.

Being around many women that wanted a cute, fun way to support their S/O on the ice . We aren’t talking big, baggy over-sized jerseys (Co-Hosts Britt & Emma knows ALL about that-shopping in the kids section for sports items can get old!). Lauren, wanting more for herself and other women, started customizing girly fashion to support Tim for his games. This of course which turned into her creating items for her friends…and BOOM! A business was born.

Why do we love Lauren? The Denim Blonde is for women, created by a woman that specifically hand customizes & designs unique pieces to fit each client. Although she specializes in bridal wear and items for wives and girlfriends of professional athletes… Lauren can make any order custom to whatever you can dream up! Check out her website https://thedenimblonde.com/ for more information on how you can get an awesome jacket made just for you!

Watch her in studio interview with us… you might be surprised to find out what her favorite cereal is and her go-to amp up energy  song!  

BOSTON- POWER COUPLE ALERT. What do you get when you cross a former pro baseball player and a lifestyle publicist? The Ultimate power couple. The BosBabes sat down in the hot seats with New England area natives Tucker Healy and Sarah McMahon.

BOSTON- Get hyped! The Bos Babes recently rocked out in studio with Gordie and Chris Gronkowski- what better way to kick off 4th of July week?!

You can take the man out of Massachusetts, but you can’t take Massachusetts fully out of the man.

The BosBabes had the pleasure of speaking in studio with Italian American Professional soccer player Andrew Butterworth. Luckily, we were able to catch up with him as he is in town on his off season visiting family…don’t we feel special!

His home roots are in Haverhill Mass. Having grown up in the Boston area, Andrew has always been a sports fan. He got involved with soccer at a young age and fell in love with it before attending college locally. After graduation, he took his finance degree and bought a one way ticket to Italy to chase his dream of moving up the ranks in the highly competitive sport of soccer over seas.

Andrew got candid with us in the hot seat about leaving everything he knew back home.. the difficulties and excitement of learning a new language, and he even discusses becoming a legal Italian citizen… that is pretty darn cool!

There is no way you can’t watch this interview and not feel inspired by such a young talent that is chasing his passion.

| Spero che vi piacera! |
*Translation* I hope you enjoy!

Watch the full interview below: