PARIS -- Belgian designer Raf
Simons blew the dust off the mantle of Paris high fashion on Friday when he
presented his first women’s ready-to-wear collection as creative director for Christian
Dior, where he replaced the disgraced John
Galliano after a lengthy search for a successor. (Galliano, a star of the
design world, was caught on a camera phone in February 2010 making drunken,
anti-Semitic remarks that cost him his job and landed him in trouble with the
law.)
The inspiration: The spirit of freedom as embraced by Christian Dior when he
established the house in 1947, rebelling against wartime restrictions with the
ultra feminine, full-skirted collection dubbed the New Look.
The look: Simons found his own definition of freedom, rewriting the codes of
French design for a new generation with a collection that was all about color,
movement, lightness and legs. It was sexy all right, beginning with Dior’s
famous Bar jackets reinterpreted as super short coat dresses with surprising
bursts of color or crystal embroidery peeking out from a pleat or a hem.
Mini dresses with trailing hems sizzled with
iridescent streaks of color in motion. Ball gowns were deflated, chopped off
mid-thigh and worn over black shorts. And floral ball skirts were treated as
casually as jeans, and paired with black crew-neck sweaters, a trick Simons
honed during his time at Jil
Sander. Glittery eye shadow, fishnet veils and cat eye sunglasses completed
the vision of Dior 2.0.
The scene: The show was held in a large white tent
with gauze curtains separating the four salons where guests were seated. The
set-up made the venue feel smaller and the collection more personal, even though
there were at least 1,000 guests. The photographers outside were 10 deep
snapping guests as they pushed their way in, including Robert De
Niro, Kanye West,
Olivia Palermo and Diane
von Furstenberg.
The verdict: A bold statement and a promising start with lots of ideas that
Simons will surely continue to explore for seasons to come.
TRENTON — The Rescue Mission of Trenton will have a groundbreaking ceremony this morning for a years-in-the-making plan to build a 15-unit apartment complex for formerly homeless city residents getting back on their feet.
The $3.5 million Perry Street Supportive Permanent Housing Project will provide new studio apartments to 15 people in an effort to foster self-sufficiency and break the cycle of homelessness. The three-story complex will be located at Perry and Carroll streets, near the Rescue Mission’s headquarters, where a building stood vacant for years.
The subsidized studios will be available to individuals only, and there will be no limit on how long they can live there. Applicants will pay a portion of rent based on income, and Rescue Mission officials said the organization hopes to connect the complex’s occupants with vocational and job training assistance.
Funding for the project was cobbled together from the state and federal government, city affordable housing contributions, and grants, loans and donations from Rescue Mission sponsors and supporters.
Financing included $2.7 million in trust fund money from the New Jersey Housing and Finance Mortgage Agency, $400,000 from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, $300,000 in Regional Contribution Agreement money from the city of Trenton and support from Hutchinson Industries — the Rescue Mission’s biggest corporate sponsor — to buy the vacant building on Perry Street where the apartment complex will be built. Executive director Mary Gay Abbott-Young said it’s her fervent hope that the apartments will be built and ready for occupants in one year. The Mission owns two more permanent housing units on Carroll Street that five people currently call home.
The new apartments will be a major upgrade to the decrepit building that stood on that corner, Abbott-Young said.
“In addition to providing 15 beautiful units of housing for homeless clients, people entering the city on the Perry Street Route 1 ramp and Clinton Avenue, instead of seeing an abandoned building, will see a beautiful new housing complex,” she said.
MAN KILLS MASKED INTRUDER, DISCOVERED ITS HIS SON.......
NEW FAIRFIELD, Conn. — During what appeared to be an attempted late-night burglary, a man shot and killed a masked teenager outside his neighbor's house and then found out it was his son, state police said.
Police said 15-year-old Tyler Giuliano was shot at about 1 a.m. Thursday in New Fairfield, a town along the New York line just north of Danbury.
A woman who was alone in the home believed someone was breaking in and called the teen's father, who lives next door, state police said. The father grabbed a gun and went outside to investigate, troopers said.
The father confronted someone wearing a black ski mask and black clothing and then fired his gun when the person went at him with a shiny weapon in his hand, police said.
When police officers arrived, the teen was lying in the driveway of the woman's home with gunshot wounds and the father was sitting on the grass. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
"All in all it's a tragedy," said Lt. J. Paul Vance, a state police spokesman.
The teen's father, Jeffrey Giuliano, a fifth-grade teacher in town, hasn't returned a message seeking comment on what happened.
The teenager was a student at New Fairfield High School, a short walk from the neighborhood where he was killed.
Schools Superintendent Alicia Roy sent parents an e-mail about what happened, The News-Times of Danbury reported.
"Our district has experienced a tragedy that has affected us deeply," she wrote, adding that students weren't told of the killing because all the facts weren't clear.
No charges have been filed. An autopsy on the boy is planned.
Vance said police are trying to determine if the gun used by the father was registered. It will be at least a week before the probe is done, he said.
Kanye West has designed a pair of high heels taking inspiration from the cover art for the G.O.O.D. Music collabo album "Cruel Summer."
Although Kanye West may be back on his rap shit, his passion for design hasn't subsided just yet, and he's back at making shoes with past collaborator Giuseppe Zanotti.
Yeezy, who designed $5,888 shoes with Giuseppe back in March, has designed a new, Cruel Summer-inspired pair with the designer again. Heels again, the pair are white and feature cut-out leaves.
No word on if these shoes are going for much as much as the last pair, but you can check a photo of them below via SoulCulture.
A$AP Rocky talks about his performance with Rihanna at this year's MTV VMAs, where they performed the "Cockiness (Remix)."
A$AP Rocky's fanbase just keeps getting better, and after performing at the MTV VMAs alongside pop star Rihanna, he definitely got his name out there. Plus, grabbing on Rihanna's ass during the performance didn't hurt his media-attention.
While talking to Angie Martinez of Hot 97, the young Harlem spitter spoke on the now infamous ass-grab. He explained the situation leading up to it, saying he was nervous. "So it's like, I'm there performing," he said, "I wasn't nervous or nothin' at all, but let me tell you, I got nervous when she started coming down and my part was coming up, for some reason I got nervous, 'cause people were like 'oh, you're about to go up, and I'm like,'stop touching me, I'm gettin' distracted,' and then I just got this cocky Holy Ghost that came to me, and I was like 'I'm born to do this, this is what I'm here for'." Rocky added, "I just got back to regular me and I just had fun."
When asked if Rihanna knew what was coming that night, Rocky is doubtful, "I doubt it, but you know, it's all good."
Pretty Flacko also discusses his BET Music Awards, for which he received six nominations and his fashion sense. He also goes on a rant about hip-hop "whoring out trends." Watch the full interview below.
Last night was the grand opening of Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in New York's Barclays center. The rapper owns a percentage of the Brooklyn Nets, and has done a sufficient amount to re-vamp the team, including a new name and a new logo design.
He spoke to MTV News while on the red carpet for the opening, happy with the result. "I walked around here earlier and I just seen everybody busy and at work trying to finish up and it was a great feeling," he said. "A guy stopped me in the hallway and said, 'Man this is a great thing for New York City.' And that's what the whole thing was about."
In attendance at the event were Lyor Cohen, Rihanna, J. Cole and more. The opening night comes a day before Hov's inaugural performance at the stadium tonight, and this first show will be followed by seven more from the mega rap star.
The Barclays features 101 luxury suites, 4 bars and lounge destinations, three clubs and obviously the 40/40 Club and Restaurant, plus you can expect many more additions and huge performances to take place in the multi-billion dollar complex in the next few months
So its No Surpise how much I love Food..... but being Healthy is #1 conisdering I have a daughter now...
Hopefully these helpful tips will help you change your eating habits as well.. xoxox
1. Canned Peaches
Canned fruits and veggies may seem like a great snack in a pinch, but not only are canned fruits (particularly the highly popular canned peaches) loaded with excess sugar, their nutrient content is typically much lower than fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, which are flash frozen at the peak of ripeness.
Canned fruit, on the other hand, has had its flavor bolstered by sweeteners so there's no need to use the most flavorful fruit, which is also the most
2. Potato Chips
This is a triple threat snack if there ever was one. Not only are potato chips high in fat, calories, and sodium (threat No. 1), they are a high glycemic vegetable (threat No. 2), which can spike blood sugar. And finally (threat No. 3), when potatoes are heated to a high temperature, they release acrylamide, a harmful chemical associated with nerve damage. And no, you can't eat just one
3. Rice Cakes
Rice cakes, while blandly low in calories, are made from processed white rice, which is high in blood-sugar spiking carbohydrates. Plus, many come with flavorings that are loaded with sugar and salt. So even if your net calories are low, munching on these nutrient-void disks is about as healthy (and tasty) as eating Styrofoam packing peanuts.
4. Blueberry Muffins
Or, as Kennedy calls them, "sugar-laden calorie bombs." This popular muffin's still fools even health savvy people, thanks to its promise of fruit and the fact that, despite the artificial flavorings, added sugars, and ridiculous portion sizes, they just sound wholesome and harmless. Unless you made the muffin yourself, steer clear (and even then it's better as a treat than an everyday snack).
5. Granola Bars
Part of the problem with granola bars is their sheer ubiquity as an afternoon snack--and the organic promise that is on so many of these bars' labels. Nearly all of them are loaded with processed carbs, dried fruit (which is high in sugar), and held together with even more sugar in the form of honey or even the health-nut favorite agave. Plus, they don't contain much in the way of filling fiber and are often loaded with calories. Save them for the 10-mile hike.
6. Honey-Roasted Salted Nuts
The combo of sugar, fat, and salt makes these very easy to overeat. While there's also some evidence roasting nuts can deplete them of some of their protein as well, the sugar and salt content outweigh any potential health benefits from the healthy fats many nuts contain.
7. Fat-Free Yogurt With Fruit On The Bottom
Unlike nonfat Greek yogurt, which has been strained to give it a thick, creamy texture, regular yogurt just becomes watery and bland without the fat. And when they take the fat out, something's gotta go back in. That's usually high-sugar fruit mixture--and a whole lot of it.
8. Microwave Popcorn
Aside from all the processed carbs and salt, some microwavable popcorn contains highly unhealthy trans fats (for shelf stability). Plus, the insides of the bags are often coated with chemicals to prevent the popcorn from sticking.
9. Dried Fruit
Would you eat seven mangoes in one sitting? Or 12 peaches? Because dried fruit is pretty much just that. Fruit that has been shrunken down and extracted of its moisture--but the natural sugars remain. As Kennedy notes, our bodies are not equipped to consume that much sugar--even from a natural source--in one sitting.
10. Diet Soda
Both Kennedy and Jackson agree: Diet soda is the No. 1 worst snack in a can. Why? It contains a potentially carcinogenic chemical, aspartame, which is also linked to neurological issues. Plus, it affects craving centers in the brain, increasing appetite.
To top it all off, diet soda is high in phosphorous; calcium and phosphorous need to be in balance to maintain bone health, and if too much phosphorous is present it can leach calcium from your bones.
Coca leaf, the raw ingredient from which cocaine is made, is the base of Coca Blue, a new liqueur from Babco Europe.
The stuff won't be launched until November -- it's being marketed to mark the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012, otherwise known as the end of the world -- but The Spirits Business has some insight into the drink's production:
The coca leaves are picked 2000 metres above sea level in the Andes where, under extreme air pressure, they grow smaller and richer in flavour. Once picked, the leaves are shipped to Amsterdam where Babco they undergo a maceration and decocanisation process to remove the active ingredient inherent in cocaine.
Only about 100 cases will go on the market in the U.K., costing about $450 (£250) each. Of course, in keeping with the whole end-of-the-world theme, there'll be a global apocalypse-themed party circuit including cities like Las Vegas, London, Amsterdam, Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Auckland and Sydney.
Although liqueur may be new territory for coca leaves, it's been used in beverages for centuries. Many indigenous Andean peoples use the leaves to make a tea for medicinal purposes, often offering it to tourists to alleviate altitude sickness. It's said to have a mild, slightly bitter flavor similar to green tea.
Last night, The W Hotel in Midtown Atlanta played host to the "2nd Annual ASCAP Atlanta Legends Mixer Presented By Hennessy Black." The elegant affair attended by some of Atlanta's movers and shakers honored rap superstar and actor T.I., music executive Michael Maldin, singer and music exec Perri "Pebbles" Reid, Kendall Minter and Noontime.
The event was hosted by Jermiane Dupri and DeVyne Stephens and was attended by a who's who of celebrities, including Jazze Pha, YMCMB singer Shannell, DaBrat, Dondria, Christopher Hicks, Derek J, Johnta Austin, Atlanta city council members Kwanza Hall and Ceasar Mitchell and more. Attached and below are a few select shots from the event
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SOUNDZ PARTNERS WITH DJ ORATOR
"HUNGER OVER THIRST"
THE BRAND NEW MIXTAPE FEATURING: Jeremih, Rihanna, Travis Porter, Big Sean, Diggy Simmons, Justin Bieber, Chantel, Young Skoop, Bryan J, The Game, Cartie, and more
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Here is one of the most talked about mixtapes out right now from Grammy nominated producer and songwriter Soundz. If you don't know Soundz he's responsible for records with artists like Rihanna, Ciara, Justin Bieber, Usher, Diggy Simmons, Trey Songz and Brandy all within the last year alone. This mixtape is hosted by DJ Orator and showcases songs that have the streets, radio and offices buzzing everywhere. Download it now...it's definitely worth it!
http://www.mediafire.com/?tjx611kj5gf75c5
Ms. Kandi Burress is definitely a Jack of All Trades, The Real Housewives of Atlanta Star has recently hosted a private dinner for a premiere group of Bedroom Kandi Boutique Party Consultants at the Georgia Freight Depot. Over 150 excited consultants embarked on Atlanta for a lavish evening of dining, awards, and a women empowerment session. Kandi's Bedroom Kandi also received awards for AVN's Best Overall Sex Toy," and O's "Outstanding Debut Product" for her big-seller "Kandi Kisses."
Kandi's RHOA cast mates, Phaedra Parks, Cynthia Bailey, Porsha Stewart, and Kenya Moore were on hand to receive the first ever Bedroom Kandi Luminary Awards.
The award is presented to women who have made brilliant achievements in their respective fields of humanitarianism, law, modeling, entertainment, sexual education and the continuous empowerment of women!
