LONDON
It's hard to forget the 2009 incident that forced Rihanna to cancel her scheduled performance at the 51st Grammy Awards ceremony. The domestic dispute between her and R&B singer Chris Brown left her badly bruised on the outside as well as the inside. The fallout which took place after the event was tremendous. DJs refused to play his music. Radio stations dropped him from their roster. Fans moved on and refused to buy his music. For a time, it seemed that his career was grinding to a complete halt- when all of a sudden his Cirque Du Soliel inspired "flying" performance at the 2011 VMA's earned him the comeback he needed.
Sean Paul is fresh from the One Love Peace Festival Summer tour that saw him through Portugal, Rome, Naples, Cape Verde, Germany, London, Bristol, South Cyprus, Canada and the non-stop party island of Ibiza. Not content to rest on his laurels, Sean Paul is set to begin touring in support of his fifth studio album, Tomahawk Technique, in December in the United States and across Europe.
Armed with a new look and energized passion for music, the past year has produced a creative outburst from Sean. This is seen through his emergence as a producer, in which he helmed the track "Roll Wid di Don." Also, working with artists like Cecile, Tami Chynn, Mr. Vega, and Wayne Marshall on his critically acclaimed Riddim album "Blaze Fia," and the follow up album "Material" has been matched by a stream of new music and collaborations with artists including Pitbull, T-Pain, Ludacris, Bob Sinclair, CongoRock, Mya and Kelly Rowland.
In the spirit of the upcoming 2012 Olympics in London, electronic music pioneers, The Chemical Brothers, are gearing up to release their official song for the games this year, called “Velodrome." The legendary English duo, comprised of Tom Rowland and Ed Simons, was asked to produce the official theme music for the track cycling events taking place in the London Velodrome. With Rowland’s interest in cycling from a young age, it was a no brainer for these two to create a song for the Olympic games. In a Q Magazine interview, Simons revealed that they wanted their creation to emulate “the sense of speed, pace and drama” of cycling, in addition to the architectural beauty of the new Velodrome.
If you happen to be heading to London to catch a glimpse of the 2012 Olympics, you'll surely be looking for tasty local bites. And like all worthy travelers, it's best to be well equipped with the knowledge of where to eat. Whether you're on a budget or looking to drop the big bucks, we have several recommendations in all price ranges. Watching all those athletes can really work up an appetite, afterall! Luckily for you, we've done the research so you don't have to. Check out these three hot new restaurants in between the games!
Duck & Waffle: This place opens in August right in time for the Olympics. From the creators of Sushisamba, this new restaurant will amazingly be open 24/7, just to make sure all you travelers pack in the fun every minute of your trip. Chef Daniel Doherty offers an array of dishes designer for sampling and sharing that emphasizes a modern take on European cuisine. The menu items include rustic, local, seasonal, and sustainable (say that 5 times fast) ingredients. So stop by between the discus throw and javelin to have a great meal.
Christian Louboutin has been giving fashionistas something to talk about for over two decades. This year, he celebrates his 20th anniversary with much more than candle-laden cake or fine china. His 20th anniversary capsule collection (feted with a visit to NYC’s Bergdorf Goodman) and self-titled book offering an inside look into the world of Louboutin debuted earlier this year. But that’s not all. Most excitingly—and buzz worthy—has been London’s Design Museum retrospective of the designer’s past twenty years.
2012 is shaping up to be an unforgettable year in the celebration of fashion. Definitive exhibitions are popping up all over the globe honoring fashion greats both past and present. As we awe over the recently opened Schiaparelli and Prada exhibit at The Metropolitan, our style savvy counterparts across the pond are lining up for an equally exciting view inside the heritage of Hermes. Leather Forever examines the brand’s love affair with the luxury material as they showcase their unique design and craftsmanship that makes this year’s 175th anniversary possible.
With a penchant for mixing vintage with new and combining unexpected colors, textures, and shapes for an ever-so-chic result, we are loving the style of the gorgeous Peony Lim!
Though you may not be familiar with the London-based stylist and blogger by name alone, if you have ever looked through street-style sites such as The Sartorialist, Citizen Couture, Vanessa Jackman or even Vogue.com, you have most certainly spotted Lim in one divine look after another.
If there’s one thing she is not, it’s afraid to take risks and stand out in a crowd!
Her polished yet slightly quirky aesthetic comes together as a culmination of sleek, structured shapes with a touch of fun, unexpected embellishments and a nod to old Hollywood glamour. To achieve a look similar to Lim’s, be sure to anchor your outfit with a tailored piece such as a sharp trouser, or a blazer or coat, and mix in vintage or vintage-inspired elements; the more colorful or furry the accoutrements, the better.
While we all go around complaining about $15 dollar cocktails, someone in Kentucky is dropping a G on some mint julep. And that's mere chump change compared to the drink that takes the #1 spot. Here are the ten most expensive cocktails in the world.
10. Kentucky Derby Mint Julep, $1,000, Churchill Downs, KY (above)
This $1k cocktail is made of Woodford Reserve Mint Julep, turbinado sugar, Louisville-grown mint, and ice from a 10,000-year-old glacier. But the expense isn't as much in the ingredients as it's in the experience of drinking out of limited-edition Tiffany & Co. silver cup while watching the 2 minute long race in a really large hat, of course.
9. Original Mai Tai, $1270, Merchant Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland
This is J. Wray & Nephew Jamaican rum sourced from the real Trader Vic Bergeon "Trader Vic" of the 1940's. Only six bottles from the original harvest remain and the Merchant Hotel owns one of them, so they charge an absurd amount of money to really rich people with cash to spare.
Hunter boots will be expanding its popular line of iconic rubber rain boots into new product arenas in 2012. A longtime favorite of Brits, Hunter “wellies” (after the first Duke of Wellington, who modified the original design in the 19th century) recently sold a controlling stake of the company to U.S. private equity company Searchlight Capital Partners. The sale marks the first time in the brands 150-year history that the owners will not be British.
Hunter boots have been a staple of British farm life since World War I. While the Argyll style remains
popular for those who rely on wellies for everyday wear, the knee-high Hunter green welly is the most popular version of the boot. Spotted on aristocracy, supermodels and movie stars the Hunter green welly is synonymous with a stylish escape to the countryside. In 2009, Jimmy Choo and Hunter worked together to release a limited-edition version of the boot, in black crocodile print with leopard lining. At Joonbug, we wear our wellies in a variety of colors but our favorite is the bright red knee-high – it really is just perfect for remaining chic and dry while stomping through snow and mud.
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.
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