JAPAN
Did you feel it, too?
As I sat at my desk writing about why you should stay charitable amidst an economic crisis, there was a rumbling below my feet. Within minutes, news reports, twitter, and facebook confirmed what I had felt: an earthquake.
And while there was buzzing about evacuations along the east coast, "the world ending," and the fact that native LA'ers think we New Yorker's freak out about nothing, my mind took me somewhere else.
Japan.
Haiti.
Let today's earthquake be a reminder of those still affected by the earthquakes on March 11th, 2011 and January 12th, 2010, respectively. There are still a plethora of active organizations in the U.S. and on the ground abroad, working to rehabilitate the communities torn apart by this deadly, natural disaster. For a start, check out the Japan Society and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
Perhaps we should tweet about that.
Lady Gaga is being sued for reportedly $5 million dollars via federal class action lawsuit, with claims that her charity for Japan Relief was really a 'uniself' foundation. The lawsuit states that the "Poker Face" celeb's "We Pray For Japan" bracelets were really a scam, and that Gaga and her team have been pocketing money instead of donating in full to victims of the natural disaster.
The suit was filed Friday against Gags, who has been touring Japan all weekend and raising awareness about the tsunami and earthquakes that occurred March 11th. This disaster left Japan desperate for help, having suffered nearly $200 billion in damages in addition to health threats posed by the nuclear spill. These plastic Bracelets were being sold for $5 with a $3.99 shipping charge and a $0.60 tax which was allegedly boosted to provide additional funds for Gaga's team; instead of benefiting the disaster fund. The deceptive marketing may have been another way to boost the singer's career and not help a country in need. NBC Chicago reported,
Last Monday, Mark Knight released You’ve Got the Love on beatport.com, a remix of Florence and the Machine’s cover of the 1986 track by The Source. With a solid build-up and dazzling chord progression beneath appropriately sampled vocals, crowds are sure to follow Florence’s directions: throwing hands up in the air, singing along, feeling the love. This is a track DJ’s will be playing all summer long.
Thursday, Mark premiered You’ve Got the Love on his weekly podcast, and by Saturday it reached Beatport’s number 1 download spot; a pleasing success as all profits of the single will be donated to help Japan’s children recover from the devastating tsunami that struck back in March. So, if you’ve got some love to give to another, click here to preview and purchase this track.
(This is the one time downloading off Acquisition or BearShare will make you feel guilty.)
Moxsie.com is a shopping site that not only has great brands, but donates a portion of proceeds to charity. They carry popular indie brands such as Dolce Vita, Dear Creatures, Turk + Taylor and Dusen Dusen. If you love smaller, youthful brands Moxsie is the place to shop! They also make the donation process simple: once you're done shopping and ready to checkout, you simply select a charity to donate to. How sweet is that? Plus, your donation does not cost you extra -it comes from the purchase price.
After the devastating earthquake in Japan, people around the world banded together to support Japan’s relief efforts in any way they could. New Yorker Phil Michaelson took action in his own unique way.
"I wanted to bring the restaurant and food publishing industries together to help affected people in Japan," explained Phil Michaelson, creator of KeepRecipes.com.
He reached out to the country's top chefs and renowned foodies to contribute their recipes to the site’s newly launched initiative KeepRecipes for Recovery to raise money for the Red Cross relief efforts in Japan. Some of the most esteemed culinary masters including Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Chef Anita Lo of Annisa NY, Madonna’s personal chef of seven years Mayumi Nishimura, BONDST NY’s Chef Marc Spitzer, and Former Iron Chef Judge Eric Gower contributed a total of 21 Japan-inspired recipes.
Unfortunately, Japan suffered yet another earthquake and a tsunami warning yesterday, almost a month since the initial earthquakes and tsunami hit the island country. Thankfully, many national and local businesses are still offering ways to continue helping Japan relief efforts. Joonbug will post ways you can help businesses whose proceeds go to rescue and relief efforts.
Next week, City Oyster & Sushi Bar, one of Downtown Delray Beach’s most beloved restaurants for 10 years running, is making a commitment to support disaster relief efforts in Japan by donating 10% of sales from all sushi menu items from April 11-17 to the American Red Cross. You can help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami throughout the Pacific by ordering any of their sushi menu appetizers including Seaweed Salad, Shrimp Goyza or Kobe Beef Tataki. Or, choose from their 30 plus roles including the Kamikaze (tuna, masago, scallions, jalapeños, tempura flakes, spicy soybean mayo), Beauty & the Beast (half eel, half tuna, scallions, avocado, cucumber, red and black topeko, eel sauce), Oyster Dynamite (oysters, clam, real crab meat, baked with soybean mayo & spicy mayo), or the Mexican (shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, avocado, scallions) to name a few.
Want to help Japan from thousands of miles away?
Thanks to "Dine out for Japan Relief," you can.
Until Wednesday, March 30th, be a part of the relief by dining at one of NYC's participating restaurants. Five percent of your meal--breakfast, lunch and dinner-- will go toward disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and the tsnuami through the Pacific.
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS AND COUNTING:
• ABC Kitchen • Aburiya Kinnosuke • Alice's Tea Cups • Asia de Cuba at Morgans • Bar Basque • Bar Italia • Bogota Bistro • Brasserie Ruhlmann • Captain Bill's • Carte Blanche • Cha-An • China Grill • Choshi • Crabtree's Kittle House • Curry-Ya Decibel • Ed's Chowder House • The Empire Hotel Rooftop • FoodParc • Hakata Tonton • Havana Central • Hasaki • Ippudo NY • Jack the Horse Tavern • Jojo • Ko Sushi • Le Colonial Restaurant • Madison • The Mark Restaurant • The Mercer Kitchen • North Square Restaurant Orsay • Otafuku PDT • Perry St • Plunge at Gansevoort Meatpacking • Rai Rai Ken • Robataya • Sakagura • SD26 • Shabu-tatsu • Shimizu • Sobaya • Soba Totto • Sugar Bun Bakery • Tanuki Tavern • Telepan • Totto Ramen • Yakitori Totto
In the wake of the recent earthquake in Japan and the resulting tsunami, people around the world have been looking for ways to help and hoping for any news that aid has reached Japan and that efforts are being made to salvage as many people as possible during this dire time.
Although it will take so much more to help the situation and the danger Japan and many places globally face right now is far from over, news from Engadget indicates some aid is coming in from the technology community. Thomas Ricker, writer for the site, expains:
Have you ever loved a restaurant so much that you wish they could sponsor you as their mascot? What if that same restaurant offered you an 18-day trip to another continent to travel with their chefs and blog about it? You'd probably be ecstatic about it, right? Well that's exactly how Alice Shin feels as she's about to embark on a two and a half week trip to Asia with the chefs of Pei Wei. After hosting a two month national search for the Pei Wei blogger, Alice was the very lucky winner of the Pei Wei contest that awarded a trip to the five Asian countries that make up their menu. Pei Wei’s chefs will be searching for culinary inspiration for new dishes, as well as looking to re-visit some of the classic traditional flavors from each country. Alice will be tagging along to share all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the trip.
Hi Joonbuggers !
Its been a whole month since I have been here, Seems like much longer right ?
Lots to catch up on, I’ve been a busy boy so lets get right into it.
Style and Nightlife, that’s what Chet, Joonbug's Editor-In-Chief said when they asked me to start writing this column. Well, those of you that have been avid readers will know that there has been a lot of nightlife, but very little style apart from when I went on Fashion's Night Out. In this week's piece of my diary we are going to change all that because instead of me doing a 5 Questions in 5 minutes I am going to write a small piece all about Andrew and Julia Clancey, two very stylish Brits who both love New York and Los Angeles.
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