PARIS
Anytime we’re having a bad day or the weather is too cold or we’re daydreaming at work…the first place we long to go to is the beach. Frozen mango margarita in hand, waves crashing at our feet, white sand beneath our toes, a perfect breeze under sunny skies, and a figure-flattering bikini, hugging us in all the right places. Ugh, someone fly us somewhere tropical ASAP! In honor of the bikini's 65 year anniversary (not to mention the countdown to summertime!) here's a look at the short history of our favorite swim style.
In 2010, Paris Jackson made an announcement in a video chat to friends stating the MJ album released in the wake of the singer's death didn't contain MJ's actual voice ... it was an impersonator!
Back in 2007, a song called "Mamacita" made the rounds with people thinking it was a new MJ track. Turned out it was done by a guy named Jason Malachi, who is well-known for sounding just like the King of Pop. In 2011, Jason Malachi was quoted saying "It was me. It was me who sang Breaking News, Keep Your Head Up, Monster, and Stay. I had a agreement with the record company, but now the cat is out of the bag. Sorry to all my fans, and fellow Michael Jackson fans." Since then, rumors have swirled about it actually being Jason not MJ on the album 'Michael."
That's right, you heard it here first!
Master of footwear, Christian Louboutin, is gearing up to collaborate with famed Parisian cabaret Le Crazy Horse, to not only outfit the dancers in his signature red-soled shoes to mark the line’s 20th anniversary, but also serve as “Guest Creator”’ for a brand new show for the review!
And this seemingly unlikely duo actually makes quite a bit of sense.
Louboutin's creations have reached cult status in the 20 years of their existence, and are arguably one of the most recognized footwear brands to date. Further, he's mastered the art of the high heel's power of sexuality, in both the obvious and the subtle. One wears his shoes to seduce and be seduced. With some creations boasting 6+ inches in height, towering platforms, and a bevy of rather scandalous embellishments from spikes, to chains and straps, to fur, one could certainly consider Mr. Louboutin's designs fetish couture.
Le Baron, the much anticipated club from French nightlife mogul, Andre Saraiva, has jumped the final hurdle with the approval of a liquor license. Finally! After 22 months of speculation, Le Baron, located at 22 Mulberry will become a reality in 2012. This is the 3rd installment of the club which already has three ultra exclusive sister locations in Paris, London, and Tokyo. The project has been in the works since March 2010, and eager New Yorker's have been following all its rumors, trials and tribulations.
After a false alarm that the club would open in October 2010, updates on the status of the venue have been few and far between, leaving patrons wondering if it would ever open.
With Mr. Saraiva reportedly spending time relaxing in France with his lady friends, some presumed the project was dead in the water. Until today. Eater reported:
"The liquor license for Andre Saraiva’s nightclub has finally been approved by the State Liquor Authority, clearing the final hurdle for the club to open. No word on the exact opening date, but the hipsterati are already clamoring for it to open as soon as possible. It took almost 22 months from the time the project was announced for the place to clear all of the necessary hurdles, and from what we hear, expect the new three story Le Baron to offer the tightest door since the Beatrice in its heyday."
Now, the question is, when will it really open?
2011 has been an incredible year, sartorially speaking. From Anne Hathaway's eight costume changes at the Academy Awards to Diane Kruger...well, whenever the woman puts on clothes, a few of the ladies that didn't make the cut were this close. Ultimately, we decided that the criteria to make Joonbug's "Top Looks of 2011" list lay within three very simple (and very visible) requirements: originality, memorability and game-change factor. Once we began to whittle down our large list, we found that very few looks - no matter how much we loved them - fit these requirements.
English singer Adele has emerged as one of music's most critically-respected and commercially-loved artists, thanks to the captivating pureness of her soulful voice. Her hit "Someone Like You" is one of the most striking examples of her talent, and her newly released video for the song is as simple, poignant, and arresting as the track itself.
Consisting mainly of a single, continuous black-and-white shot of Adele walking through the streets of Paris, the video never distracts from Adele's emotional struggle to stay afloat in the wake of a failed relationship. The clip ends with a subtle shot of Adele's former lover walking away, leaving the 23-year-old vocalist in a damaged yet sufferable state, a balance she outlines gracefully in the song's lyrics.
In an age of overproduction and constant simulation, it's nice to see a music video so basic and beautiful. What do you guys think?
There’s no performance act quite as exciting and scary as the tight rope. High above the ground, the tightrope walker balances on something thinner than some purse strings. Each second is terrifying, because the audience can see how far from the ground the performer is, and feel the agony of anticipation with his or her every move. The performance is exciting, with or without the comfort of a net.
Suppose, however, that the rope were much higher away from the ground. Suppose more than, say, ten feet. Suppose the rope was suspended between two of France’s highest towers. The athletes featured in Skyliners Paris do just that. Les Mercuriales, the twin towers of Paris, stand over 115 feet tall. Acrobats Sebastien Brugalla, Tancrede Melet, Julien Millot, Antoine Moineville use the two buildings as their playground by slacklining across it. Slacklining is much like tightrope walking, but with a slightly less taut rope. This allows for some bounce against the tightrope, creating a resistance much like a trampoline’s. The athletes use that to their advantage and perform tricks high in the sky. They are, of course, attached to the rope with a cord as a safety precaution, but each second of their performance has hearts pounding.
The footage was taken by director Sébastien Montaz-Rosset, whose clever camera skills not only captured the beauty of the Parisian skyline, but added to the thrill of the video. There is something awe inspiring and terrifying about the combination of the beautiful scene, high winds, and stunning feats performed for the video. While tightrope walking has been done before between the World Trade Center’s twin towers, Montaz-Rosset captures the feat in a unique way. It is even set to the sounds of Daft Punk’s Fall M83 & Big Black Delta remix.
Click below for the video!
This past spring, Friendly Fires released their sophomore, gem of an indie-dance fiasco LP, Palo, to much success across the blogosphere and critical world. The Brits originally came out of the gates in 2008, all guns blazing, with tracks like, “Paris,” “Skeleton Boy,” and “Kiss of Life.”
Recently, in an in-studio session for the BBC, Friendly Fires took on pop-diva, Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory”. Frontman Ed Macfarlane drones through the lyrics with the quiet desperation usually reserved for that classic emo-boy, break-up song, yet it gives the song a fresh, atmospheric flavor that, quite possibly, was lost in Gaga’s version. Take a listen below and let us know what you think.
Friendly Fires cover - "The Edge of Glory"
Just as summer finally makes an appearance in Chicago, imagine fall in Paris. Crunchy leaves in every color falling swiftly upon wide boulevards, couples in berets strolling hand in hand along the Seine. In this dream landscape, Pitchfork just announced an offshoot of their annual Chicago concert series, Pitchfork Music Festival Paris. None other than indie favorite Bon Iver is tasked with cultivating the set list for the second day of the fest.
It’s taking place at La Grande Halle de La Villette et Le Grand Parc de la Villette, a sweeping, modern concert complex surrounded a 55-hectare park in the Saint Denis area in the north of the city from October 28-29, 2011. Set in lush surroundings accompanied by a roster promising to be ahead of the curve, Pitchfork Paris should be a French delight.
Mama was queen of the Mambo
Papa was king of the Congo
Deep down in a jungle
I started playing my first bongo
Every monkey like to be
In my place instead of me
‘Cause I’m king of the Bongo
Baby, I’m king of the Bongo Bong
Most of you only know Manu Chao from his ridiculous, yet catchy song “King of the Bongo” that came out in the 90’s. While his name may not be wildly recognized in the United States, on an international level this Paris-born, Barcelona based artist is one of the world’s hippest and most popular musicians.
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