PERSONAL INTERESTS

This section represents the Interests, hobbies, and accomplishments of Andy and Angelica Bertrem, owners of AAA Plus Floors R Us, Inc,dba Bertrem Custom Tile and Marble

May 19, 2010. Cher's birthday celebration, at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas. Thanks to Greg (and alot of pre-show hype), Adriana of Ceasars Palace Ticketmaster was awaiting us upon arrival. We were awarded third row, left center stage, based upon Angelica dressing up as Cher (above), and Andy as one of her adoring sailor fans. That was about five feet from Cher herself. Cher even used Andy as the brunt of one of her jokes. Cher said"that I have to put up with the Naked Old Bitch, so that I can go gamble." Not True. I just can't rock out like some of the other fan club members. Pre-show birthday dinner was at Serendipity, and was attened by two dancers from the show, Jamal and a star of Glee.

Andy and Angelica Bertrem were awarded volunteers of the month in Oct 2003 for the beautiful floor they gave to Episcopical Commmunity Services' Julian Sanctuary,
their super secret home for abused women.

Angelica Joyce Bertrem was awarded best dressed at the 2006 Cher Convention. She was featured in LA weekly,the Cher Convention 2006 website, and of course, this years' Cher Convention 2008
Website. Angelica Joyce Bertrem, aka, "The Bra Lady", following her appearance on stage, and subsequent purchase of Cher's black rhinestone bustier, for charity.

Angelica with Scotty from Cher Convention 2006

Our attention soon shifted to Angelica Joyce, who wore her idol on her shirt, skirt and purse. And these are Chers glasses, she proudly pointed out. She mentioned wanting to grab a hat with lights and feathers from her car, but thought it would be a bit much. From LA Weekly

She is a avid collector of Cher memorabilia, well known among Cher Fans worldwide, she won best dressed by wearing some of her Cher Clothes which had been worn
on various TV appearances dating back to the Sonny and cher Show. Her favorite is the blouse Cher wore on the "Will and Grace Show". Most everything she has
came from Star Wares in Agoura Hills.She has over ten props from Ace Ventura, When Nature Calls, including the actual leather Loin cloth worn by Jim Carrey himself,
as well as bows, arrows, spears, small shields, and large shields used by the tribes.

Angelica and Andy Bertrem are official sponsors of Cher Convention 2008 a national charity event to benefit Cher's favorite charity: Children's Craniofacial Assoc
Occuring only once every two years, the 2008 Cher Convention on August 11 + 12, 2008 at Ceasars Palace, promises to be more fun than ever. It's also sponsored by Star Wares,
Angelica Joyce, aka, THE BRA LADY, along with the help of Linda at Star Wares, plans to wear some of Cher's more famous clothing and jewelry.
Cher herself and others have donated hundreds of memorabilia items to auction off, and the entertainment, exhibits, and activities will be amazing If you plan to attend the charity auction, you had better bring your check book, because these items don't come cheap. Angelica's sailor hat, with strobe lights
and feathers, was so spectacular that Cher pointed to it after her traditional number "Turn Back Time", and said proudly, "I'm keeping that one". Cher is appearing at the Ceasars Palace
on August 12, so rest assured that Angelica and Andy Bertrem will be sitting right up front, in the center. Angelica plans to make an even more flamboyant sailor hat than ever.
The tradition, of course, is that Cher picks the hat she likes best to wear during Turn Back Time song and then at the end throws it back to the audience. Hopefully, the rest of the
Cher Fan Club can make it to the Concert August 11 or 12, because every single one of them will already be in town for the Cher Convention 2008.
Everyone is already desperately trying to get the best tickets for those show dates, but so far they just aren't available for less than a small fortune, especially for the front rows.

Read about Angelica bertrem BELOW directly from the Las Vegas Sun Newspaper August 14, 2008. We "settled ", for 8th row Center and Aisle at the Cher concert and were stars at the 2008 Cher Convention at Ceasars Palace. Thank You

Angelica Joyce Bertrem volunteers for San Diego Animal Rescue, and last year foster parented over 30 puppies and kittens.Andy and Angelica Bertrem are very pet friendly,
so much so, in fact, that many of them want to go home with them. Maybe it's because they have six dogs(mostly Samoyeds)and four cats
themselves

Andy Bertrem is a 1973 graduate of La Jolla High School where he was all CIF Outfielder and was the 621st player chosen in the 1973 Professional baseball draft
by the San Francisco Giants He still holds the all time record for innings pitched in one season and is 10th all time for batting average.After several years
at USD He quit the baseball team and transfered to SDSU. In 1978 he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business. After several years as an accountant, and
even was Assistant Controller for Nurseryland Garden Centers he got into the tile business. At first in sales(which we still assist you with) and then installations.
He found that he was so talented at installations, and layout, and design that it is all that he has done since.Andy Bertrem is president of AAA Plus Floors R Us Inc.,
dba Bertrem Custom Tile & Marble. He is a ceramic tile consultant for the Ceramic Tile Institute of America and has over 30 years experience installing and maintaining
tile and stone. He is a Board member of the Tile Contractors Association of San Diego

Andy Bertrem plays softball on three teams. Two, for Christian Sports Productions, where his Rebels with a Cause church league team is always in first place. This year the Rebels
joined the YMCA league in Rancho San Diego, and finished second.

Angelica Bertrem dances for Jean's Dance Studio in Spring Valley. Just a few of the places where she dances are: The Del Mar fair(twice yearly), Saint John of the Cross, Holy Trinity Church,
and San Diego State University

Las Vegas Sun

August 14, 2008

 

 

Tiffany Brown

Cher impersonations are staples of the entertainment at conventions celebrating the entertainer. The gatherings also raise money for the Childrens Craniofacial Association.

By Kristen Peterson

Thu, Aug 14, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Every other year Cher fans from all over the world convene to celebrate Cher. They play Cher trivia, watch Cher impersonators, pick up Cher tchotchkes and even buy Chers clothes.

The gatherings are big Cher family reunions. Attendees hug, laugh, cry, swap Cher stories and share updates on their own lives.

Some people look forward to Christmas, says Javier Ozuna from Burbank, Calif., who has been to three conventions and 25 Cher concerts. We look forward to Cher concerts and conventions.

The fests, started by die-hard fans in 2000 to celebrate the hit song Believe, are more than mere Cher revelry. They have raised $120,000 for the Childrens Craniofacial Association, which is focused on the disease highlighted in Chers 1985 movie Mask. Cher is the groups national spokeswoman.

The fifth biannual meetup was planned for Dallas this year but moved to Las Vegas when it was announced that Cher would be at the Colosseum. That way fans wouldnt have to plan two vacations: one to see Cher in Las Vegas and one to attend the Dallas convention. It seemed the perfect venue given that Cher is selling out the showroom and the gift shop is making millions off the Cher brand.

But Caesars almost swallowed the rollicking party and charity auction. The fanaticism was there, but only 100 or so fanatics showed up as balloons floated above mostly empty tables. This is the first year there was not a dinner at the conference and the small, volunteer charm seemed a better fit for the convention at the Riviera in 2002.

Cardboard signs with the words Cher convention written in markers guided attendees on the long walk to the Tiberius Ballroom at the far end of the third-floor promenade far from restaurants and the buzz of the casino and shops. Fans complained they had a hard time finding the convention, and checking at registration or the concierge didnt help, they say, because hotel staff knew nothing about it.

Organizer Kim Werdman says some gave up and demanded refunds.

So exhausting was this years effort and so disappointing was the turnout that top organizers, including Werdman, resigned. There is talk that this will be the last convention, though most of the fervent fans knew nothing of it.

They were caught up in the usual excitement of being together in Cher and the hope that Cher would drop in.

We always have that hope, says Rose Delgardo from New York, who has attended all five conventions. When it was in L.A., we were right near her house. We thought maybe shed show for that.

Here, I feel her presence. I just need to meet her in person one day. I grew up on Sonny and Cher. Everybody always said I looked like Cher. I held onto that.

Some fans say Cher doesnt stop by because it would take attention away from the children with craniofacial afflictions. Its not as if Cher has neglected the convention. She donates autographed photos, dolls, posters and other memorabilia for the auctions. There are also Cher snow globes, paperweights, fitness videos, Christmas ornaments, calculators and soap featuring the likeness of Sonny and Cher.

The silent and live auctions sold Chers Versace slippers, daughter Chastitys embroidered black jeans and Bob Mackies original sketches. A bidder spent $10,000 on a package that included tickets to her show, a meet-and-greet with Cher and accommodations at the hotel, all donated by Caesars. The auctions werent as successful as in past years, attributed to the small turnout, a weak economy and competition from the Cher concert.

But StarWares celebrity clothing sales did well. A shawl and coat Cher wore in Mermaids sold for $3,200 and a dress from The Sonny and Cher Show for $3,000. An Etch A Sketch that has a permanent shadow of Chers face didnt sell. But fans hit the $10 rack to buy high-end tank tops and camisoles from Chers personal wardrobe that were knocked down in price so fans could take home a piece of Cher from the convention.

Angelica Bertrem from San Diego wore one of Chers studded bras, which she bought for $220 at the previous convention and has worn to several Cher concerts. She planned to wear one of Chers beaded skirts to the concert Tuesday night and bought another Cher bra this year.

Bertrem divides her wardrobe between clothes she buys at the budget store and clothes from Chers closet. Theres no in between.

She also springs for good tickets. Once you sit in the front you will come up with the money no matter what, she says, saying friends have refinanced their homes so they could get front-row tickets to Cher concerts.

Cher also is a big budget item for Teresa Black, a mother of four from Wichita, Kan. A regular at the conventions, shes attended 23 concerts.

You have to have a release, she says. Some people go to bars. We come here.

Some came a long way: Remo Figus flew in from Holland for the concert, then joined the convention, and Catherine Marie Carter, a Cher impersonator, and her fiance, Mark Parry, a Sonny impersonator, naturally, came from Bristol, England.

Those who heard the conventions might end said they hope something works out.

They include Jill Gorecki, developmental director of the Childrens Craniofacial Association. This is one of the groups biggest fundraisers and Cher fans give to the organization throughout the year, including donations sent in on Chers birthday.

Goreckis 22-year-old son, Robbie, who was born with Goldenhar syndrome, has known Cher since he was a toddler and meets his friends at the conventions: My son has pretty much grown up with these people. They�re like family to him. We have to keep it going.

Ozuna, who was lugging $1,000 worth of memorabilia back to Burbank, is staying optimistic, convention or no convention.

If they cancel it, wed have to find another way to get together and support Cher, he says. And weve become lifelong friends, so well always find a way to keep in touch.

Brazilian Day in San Diego, Sept 7_08	SOUL BRASIL MAGAZINE

Angelica Joyce Bertrem Photoshoot for the Las Vegas Desert Sun Newspaper