Bombay Sapphire has launched a global campaign called ‘Infused With Imagination’ that pays tribute to the heritage and the origin of the luxury spirits brand. The artwork was created by a group of designers, led by Darren Simpson, and is formed through a series of illustrated panels decorated with a total of 75,000 crystals. Illustrator Yehrin Tong was inspired by the definition of infused to create a dream-like image that “feels like an organic mixture of images both natural and mythical”. The work was installed in a disused church. Panels were positioned to appear as though they were spilling out of the top of a bottle of Bombay Sapphire, if viewed from the right perspective. Photographs of the installation will be used for print, outdoor and digital ads and a film about its creation will be seeded online and shown in cinemas.
I’ve said many times before that I spent the majority of my growing up in the 90′s. Video games, movies, and television shows were all the building blocks of the person I am today (just like Bob Marley had an influence on my parents). I came across a video recently that pretty much sums up everything I knew and loved as a kid growing up in the 90′s. And if you had access to media, you know most of it too. Check the method.
It’s easier than ever to produce professional looking photographs. Some mobile phones can produce stunning results but ask any professional photographer and they’d say people are diving into the prosumer market without understanding key fundamentals like framing and composition. The SLOW concept turns your mobile phone into a camera that gives you control over three built-in lenses; fixed, macro and fisheye. Frame your composition and push the shutter.
This is how it works:
To operate, slide the front face open and insert your mobile phone.
Turn the lens to select which lens effect you want.
The Slow Photography camera has three lenses; fixed focal length, macro and fisheye. Carefully compose your shot by looking through the viewfinder and push the shutter release to capture your shot.
T-Pain never ceases to amaze me when it comes to his ability to release bangers. Be they club hits or songs that just stay on repeat in my iPhone, so much of his catalog are just tracks that I vibe with. So when the track ‘Booty Work’ dropped, I wasn’t exactly thrilled by incredibly innovative subject matter, but I was happy with the track. The video however is even better. The video is all in one take, (the camera doesn’t cut at all) and there are some dope camera tricks sprinkled throughout. Check the method below.
A-cero architecture studio has recently finished this contemporary home in The La Finca estate in the town Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid). The façade of the house is made of travertine marble which is combined with dark grey granite in several areas, as in the vertical plane of the main façade. White has the main role in the building (in interiors and exteriors). Furthermore, it has numerous ample windows. Both elements give to the house a lot of light and vitality. In the exterior area of the home there is a barbecue and a spectacular bar designed by A-cero besides a exterior swimming pool (with jacuzzi). The basement contains a gym, a cinema room, wine vault, and the garage. House furniture has been designed by A-cero with top quality materials and finishes.
Yesterday was father’s day, and I spent the day talking to a few of my friends lucky enough to be proud parents. One of the complaints I heard from a homegirl of mine was that her son was being an “asshole-ish version of Satan himself” because his adult teeth were growing in. I don’t remember all of what it was like going through the process (cept for realizing the tooth fairy was my mom noisily shoving a dollar under my pillow every other month while she thought I was asleep), but coincidentally I came across a scientific art piece that helped me shed some light on her predicament. Below is a REAL skull of a human child with their adult teeth growing in. Seeing it made me understand that sometimes kids go through things I’m happy I don’t have to. So if you have a little one who’s adult teeth are coming in, cut them some slack. It can be a painful process.
The Destruction Company is a member only club that offers its rich clients the unique chance to smash anything they desire with any weapons they choose. Members can pick from a list of objects to smash – including furniture, televisions, guitars, fax machines, motorcycles, lap tops and pottery. Members can also request a particular item they want to destroy – including luxury cars and pianos – which they pay to have brought in. They are then given a choice of weapon including baseball bats, golf clubs, battle axes, sledgehammers, lump hammers, swords, and chainsaws. The members then visit the club’s warehouse and roof top space to don protective clothing and destroy the object bit by bit. The smashing – either individually or in group sessions – is filmed on camera so members can visit a control room and watch back footage of themselves in action. The Destruction Company is now open in New Jersey and is hoping to expand its business to Los Angeles and London. Members pay an annual fee plus the cost of what is destroyed during each session – with prices ranging from $10 (set of plates), baby grand piano ($2,000), to luxury cars costing over $100,000 (see the list below).
French luxury house Louis Vuitton has released a unique Tambour Diver Chronograph for Only Watch 2011 charity. It was designed in collaboration with a young boy afflicted with Duchenne muscular dystrophy named Paul Pettavino. The sporty timepiece is made of black gold, which is white gold that’s been given the old PVD treatment. ‘Only Watch 2011′ is engraved in the back. The dial details, rotative bezel and bracelet are in orange rubber – which is a favorite color of Paul Pettavino. The transparent back enables the wearer to see the LJP 8181 movement with column wheel, and the watch is 100 meters water resistant. The trunk is in Damier Graphite canvas, personalized by Paul Pettavino with a message and a ‘nautical sound’ recorded by Paul himself. Paul Pettavino also contributed to Louis Vuitton’s Only Watch piece for Only Watch 2007 and Only Watch 2009. Even for a non-watch-enthusiast, this one’s pretty dope.
Once upon a time, I knew I wanted to start about blog that revolved around the things and experiences I found interesting, and sharing those things with the world. The blog had no real format, or direction, but when it came to interesting things, I knew the HBO show Entourage was number one on the list. (The very first post EVER on this blog was about Entourage on DVD.) So its only logical that as the show is coming to an end, that I post up whatever new info I can find about it. The final season debuts on July 24th, and the teaser for it dropped recently on HBO. It’s a simple look, and the music (‘High For This‘ by The Weeknd) makes everything a bit somber. I have to admit, I even got a little sad the first time I saw it. But check the teaser below.
As a person who’s always combining, mixing, and mashing things up, I know the importance of paying homage to the original. BMW recently went back to the drawing board to recreate one of their classics. The BMW 328 Hommage looks like a futuristic funky fresh remix of its original, but with visual features like the X’ed out head lights, I’m all about it. Check the method below.
Its always interesting to hear a remix that contradicts the original song. (In fact its the best kind of remix). But recently my good friend, and talented musician Neiko DeLuv sent me a remix of Drake’s newest single “Marvin’s Room“. The original song consists of Drizzy calling a girl’s phone and telling her to forget about her man. The remix however, is her man’s response. Nieko DeLuv has presented the world with quite an amazing, innovative, and interesting perspective on what happens when a guy calls a girl in a relationship. Check the method below.
I’m well aware that I posted up some footage by Derick G recently documenting behind the scenes of a music video, but going through his collection of work has led me to another gem. The documentary style footage taken of the “I’m On One” video takes an interesting peek behind the curtain of Miami life, the concept behind the music video, and the people who helped put it all together. Check the method below.
So a few of my boys, my assistant and I went the nerd route, and saw Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern last night. All in all, the movie was pretty good, and the only thing more impressive than Angela Bassets ass (which made an AMAZING cameo in the movie) was the details in the suits of the Green Lantern Core. Each suit was fashioned differently, and seemed to be based on the muscular structure of each species wearing it. After I saw the movie, I was compelled to look up some of the concept art, and the pictures below are what I found. (Unfortunately however, aside from the first and last picture, the rest don’t get too much bigger.) But check the method regardless… And if you happen to go see Green Lantern, stay after the credits.
It seems like in the entertainment business, just as in life, some friendships never diminish. Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne have teamed up multiple times in the past on tracks in the past, and now that Young Jeezy is back from his “absence”, they’re back at it again. The track Ballin has been climbing up the rap radio station playlists for a few weeks now, so it’s only right that they shoot a video. Check some of the behind the scenes footage below.
The incredible illustrator Randy Atwood has a portfolio full of treasures. But a series of his hyper-realistic pieces are all celebrity portraits are what really blew me away while looking at his collections. This artwork is extremely detailed, (and his focus on hair totally blows my mind). But out of all the illustrators I’ve seen who’s aim is to replicate photo-realism, Atwood is the only artist comparable to the also ridiculously talented Juan Francisco.
If you want to see what Earth looks like from space, become an astronaut (or, barring that, a space tourist). For the next best view, pay a visit to Tokyo’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation where a massive, nearly 20-foot spherical OLED orb–the world’s first large scale spherical OLED–offers a satellite’s-eye view of the planet in super high resolution.
“Geo-Cosmos” is made up of 10,362 OLED panels that display continuously-updating satellite footage of our tiny blue marble, representing what our planet looks like from space in something close to realtime. It replaces an earlier model covered in LED panels, offering museum-goers a full 10 million pixels, a resolution 10 times greater than its predecessor.
And like any good museum exhibit, Geo-Cosmos is interactive. Touchscreens surrounding the globe allow viewers to tap all kinds of earth science data streaming in from all over the world, like simulations showing the origin of the March 11 earthquake that devastated Japan and the dispersion of all of that energy via tsunamis that reached all the way around the Pacific. See it for yourself below.
Keyshia Dior is a stunning model out of Miami, Florida with a Jamaican background. An actress, stylist, and entrepreneur her stye and flare is evident in every thing she does, and as a model, its present in every photo she takes. She is well known for her unique, but edgy style from her mohawk to her taste for fashion. Keyshia has modeled and styled for some the hottest music videos like “4 My Town” with Birdman featuring Lil Wayne and Drake. She’s also has done “Bed Rock” with Lil Wayne Nicki Minaj, Drake, Tyga, and the Young Money family. Ms. Dior had a recent starring role playing Lisa, the jealous ex wife, in Timbaland’s mini movie video entitled “Say Something”, which featured hip-hop’s rising superstar Drake. She made a cameo appearance in Lil Wayne’s “She’s On Fire” rock video. In the styling part of her career, she has styled many well known celebs from artist to athletes. With measurements of 36C-26-42, I expect to see much more in 2011 from this edgy Jamaican ‘bad gyal’.
Bell & Ross‘s one-off timepiece for the Only Watch auction features a roulette design built on top of their popular BR 01 watch. This timepiece, done in all 18k pink gold, is a tribute to the country of Monaco which will be hosting the Only Watch auction this upcoming September. The “0″ number on the roulette wheel indicates the hours (there are 12 little diamonds on the outer edge of the dial for standard timekeeping), the roulette ball indicates the minutes. The roulette spinner which will rotate once every 60 seconds. The auction will take place in Monte Carlo during the Monaco Yacht Show on September 22th 2011. The watches will be exhibited in an eight-city tour that includes: Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Milan and Geneva.
Everyone has been hearing the hype about one of Hip Hop’s newest contenders Frank Ocean. When his track Novocaine hit the radio waves, it was an instant hit, and now that the video has dropped today, the songs success, along with Frank’s seems to have no limits.
Anyone who lives their life at a professional level knows full well that writing emails is an essential part of everyday life in the work place. (And if you mess up and send the wrong one to the wrong person, it can be disastrous.) But seeing a Bridgestone commercial for the first time reminded me about how paranoid people can get over it. The first time I saw it was during the Super Bowl, but after seeing it last night again for the 40th time, it was too funny for me not to put up.
In the pic above, Angelina Jolie poses for Louis Vuitton Core Values Campaign on a wooden boat in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province where Jolie shot Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2000. Louis Vuitton’s president says, “People are not used to seeing Angelina in this situation. I like the fact that it’s a real moment.” Four of Angelina’s children were also present at the photo shoot, shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz , with lily pads and verdant foliage everywhere. Previous “Core Values” campaigns featured people like Bono and Sean Connery. Angelina reportedly donated part of her paycheck to charity. Angelina has a special connection with Cambodia as she adopted her eldest son, Maddox, from this region. Angelina and Brad Pitt established the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which is active in community development and conservation in the country. As for the LV bag she carries in the photoshoot, it’s six years old and has been Angelina’s “go-to” bag for years. Though it’s not longer in production, Louis Vuitton says they’re thinking of bringing back the collection. But all in all, I still prefer miss Jolie without clothes.
This is one of the first times I’ve been writing a post about something that’s happening AS I’m writing. My good friend from Paris, France, Maelys and I are in a heated debate about the difference between Paris and New York. (We started off debating about Paris and New Jersey, but there was no competition.) But in the midst her saying “Paris has so many things New York doesn’t and their similarities don’t compare” I happened to come across a few simple pictures to demonstrate my point… That neither city is better, and when you take out your own personal bias, they’re on the same level. (Prenez cette, chienne)
C.I. Bang is back at it again along with Karasi and Bay Area producer Sideshow. The new single off the mixtape “The Process”, features production and a chorus by Sideshow, along with samples quoted from the infamous Charlie Sheen. Both Bang and Karasi demonstrate incredible lyrical talent, and it all comes together on a track that is the first of many bangers on C.I.’s dedication mixtape. Click the pic to download.
A futuristic airplane concept could herald a future where business and economy class give way to work and play areas on board the aircraft of the future. That’s the vision of Airbus, which this week unveiled its ideas of the plane of 2050, complete with a ‘bionic’ shell which turns partially transparent to provide a panoramic view for passengers. In the front, the company has integrated a relaxation (“vitalizing”) area, while the rear of the aircraft includes a “smart tech” space for working and virtual conferencing.
In the middle, an “interactive” zone allows passengers to move around a virtual reality cocoon, with the walls transforming to offer them lifelike experiences such as rounds of golf or video conferences. Passengers will be able to enjoy seats that mold to their body shape, and an automatic bag loading system which delivers hand luggage to the correct place above their seat. Some of this technology simply doesn’t exist yet, but in many cases the airline is building on ideas which have already been implemented, to some degree, by today’s airlines — if you can’t wait, here’s how to enjoy tomorrow’s technologies today:
Fully stocked bar: Already a staple of Virgin Atlantic’s offering, a place where business class guests can mingle, sip cocktails and tuck into nuts.Electronic passenger identification using handprints: not used on aircraft, but used to speed up security by some airports (often as part of a premium package).Mood lighting: available on some carriers and is set to become even more so — it comes as standard on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, set to go into service with All Nippon later this year.
Angled seats: A variant is offered in the new business class cabin on board Cathay Pacific‘s long-haul routes, where the long seats have been angled to point towards the windows to give a better view.
Seat canopies: Emirate’s first-class suites feature electronic sliding doors, while some KLM business class services feature “privacy canopies.”
Virtual screens: Not quite in cabins yet, but the size and shape isn’t a million miles away from the wide screens offered to passengers bySingapore Airlines, Etihad and Emirates (among others), some of which offer a view from the front of the aircraft via cameras mounted on the fuselage.
Virtual golf: Space restrictions mean this isn’t a reality yet, but Air France already offers a virtual art gallery using touch screens on board its A380 aircraft.
I’ve always been a fan of humorous songs, and when I started working on ‘The Mix Up‘, I really wanted work a bit more comedy into the music I was putting together. The song “White Gurls” is funny because of both the content in it, and the subject matter itself. Verses from Lil Wayne and Nas, mixed with samples from Jay-Z, E40, Joe Buddens, and Kanye West all blend together to create when I still think is one of the best songs on ‘The Mix Up‘. Click the pic to take a listen.
