plus 4, Stimulate senses with fab fragrances - StarPhoenix |
- Stimulate senses with fab fragrances - StarPhoenix
- Britney Spears: Beverly Hills Spending Spree - The Gossip Girls
- fashion series of Ed Hardy and Development - PRLog (free press release)
- Lady Gaga has multi-pronged campaign for self-awareness - Northwest Herald
- The Week in Culture - Daily Beast
| Stimulate senses with fab fragrances - StarPhoenix Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:55 PM PST Fragrance evokes the innermost sense of who we are. If we want to present a gift of scent, it's essential to get it just right -- and that's not easy when there are some 300 new fragrance launches each year. In 2009, though, we saw several gorgeous new fragrances, packaged in even more gorgeous bottles. Here are just a few to choose from: Estée Lauder Private Collection Jasmine White Moss This is the most recent in a series of lovely fragrances from creative director Aerin Lauder and inspired by her grandmother, the late Estée Lauder, and a fragrance formula she began (but never finished) many years ago. Jasmine White Moss is a modern yet classic lush green floral chypre fragrance. An opulent white bouquet is surrounded by delicate moss and rich woods, with citrus top notes. Price: 30 mL eau de parfum spray $80; 30 mL parfum spray $345. Holt Renfrew. Lise Watier Folies Neiges First there was Neiges, a lovely bouquet of white flowers. Now the Quebec designer has released Folies Neiges, a fragrance that is joyfully feminine and spontaneous. It is at once citrusy and filled with fresh spring blossoms, a happy scent for a winter day. Price: 100 mL eau de parfum spray $75 at Sears, The Bay, London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Mart. Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise Fans of the English perfumer Jo Malone know how much she loves the intense, pure scents of the natural world, and her latest is no exception. But Vanilla & Anise might just be her sexiest fragrance yet -- it's been shown that men consider the aroma of vanilla a true aphrodisiac, while women feel the same way about the scent of anise. Here she's captured the essence of the rare vanilla orchid, a fragile blossom that exists for only the briefest of moments. Price: 30 mL eau de toilette $70; 100 mL is $118. Holt Renfrew. Notre Flore Collection, Labdanum and Mimosa, by L'Occitane Those of us who love the ease and warmth of the Mediterranean will cherish the latest fragrances from L'Occitane en Provence's Notre Flore Collection. There are two new scents: the warm and enveloping Notre Flore Labdanum has citrus fruits and spices as a top note, labdanum (a fragrant resin similar to amber) at its heart, and a base of benzoin and vanilla; and the light, sweet Notre Flore Mimosa has violet leaf as the top, mimosa as the heart and almond accord as the base. Price: 75 mL eau de parfum $92, available at L'Occitane boutiques, online at www.loccitane.ca or toll-free mail order at 877-212-0238. Prada L'Eau Ambrée Amber is a luscious aroma to be sure, but it can be more than a little overwhelming. Prada's new take on it is surprisingly light and clean, without sacrificing its deep, warm, sensual notes. L'Eau Ambrée offers subtle floral notes as well as patchouli, vanilla and opponax. Price: 50 mL eau de parfum $95; 80 mL $120. Holt Renfrew. Couture Couture by Juicy Couture Juicy's latest fragrance is for the gal who likes to break the rules. It's bursting with fruit aromas like mandarin and pink grape and rich floral notes of orange flower, honeysuckle and star jasmine, with seductive sandalwood, amber and vanilla beneath. Price: 50 mL $76. 100 mL $99 at major department and drug stores. Circus Fantasy by Britney Spears For a star whose life was something of a circus for a good long time, it's interesting that Britney Spears would have chosen that for the theme of her new fragrance. It may come in a cheesy-looking bottle, but is actually a luscious blend of rich fruits, tempting florals and creamy musks: you may detect sugar-coated raspberry, apricot blossom, blue peony, water lily, red sweetheart, sweet vanilla wood, creamy musks and violet candy. Price 50 mL $63; 100 mL $78. Sears and Shoppers Drug Mart. Mariah Carey Forever Opulent is the only way to describe Mariah Carey's latest fragrance, and it seems only fitting, for a recording artist who embodies the very ideal of opulence. Forever comes in a gorgeous Art Deco-inspired bottle, and a luscious bouquet of tuberose, gardenia, neroli and lotus blossom with a depth of exotic woods and white musk. Price: 50 mL $63; 100 mL $78. At select department stores. The Body Shop Love Etc ... Collection Love comes in many forms, all of which are poured into The Body Shop's new fragrance. Love Etc... is the world's first eau de parfum made from community-trade alcohol sourced from organic sugar cane farmers in Ecuador. It is redolent with luscious notes of vanilla, jasmine and sandalwood. Price: 30 mL eau de parfum $24; 50ml $29.50; gift set with body wash and lotion $60. Available at The Body Shop. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Britney Spears: Beverly Hills Spending Spree - The Gossip Girls Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:12 PM PST Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| fashion series of Ed Hardy and Development - PRLog (free press release) Posted: 08 Jan 2010 12:17 AM PST PR Log (Press Release) – Jan 08, 2010 – What you wear reflects the type of person you are. Your fashion sense has always been considered to be something that is uniquely you. Nowadays, there are a lot of fashion styles that may range from simple and classy to eye-catching and trendy. Unfortunately, most of the brands do not make you stand out in a crowd. If you want to get attention and at the same time, like people to admire you for your fashion sense, you should consider Ed Hardy Clothing.
Ed Hardy, the king of Fashion, is taking the the whole world by storm. It is not only Pursued by the youngsters ,Celebrities from Britney Spears to Justin Timberlake, have been spotted sporting vibrant and distinguishable clothes ED Hardy, even in Aisa people are hard to rest it is Charm. Ed Hardy is in so demand that it is not limited to US Market, AND NOW it has so many branches across the world and still it is glowing. Ed Hardy has a wide randge of products such as bags, caps , T-shirts, belts, jeans, Hoodies , Intimates, shoes, skirts, and shoes. We can't say much bad about this brand. AS the Superstar of today, Ed Hardy has created a virtual who's who of celebrity hipsters wearing making it and household name. It is so exicting that Dangerstyle.com has large quantity of Ed Hardy clothes in stock SUCH AS: ED Hardy Bags,ED Hardy Belts,ED Hardy Caps,ED Hardy Hoodies,ED Hardy Intimates,ED Hardy Jeans,ED Hardy Shoes,ED Hardy Skirts,ED Hardy Slippers,ED Hardy T-shirts,ED Hardy Vest,ED Hardy Watches,Christian Audigier Belts , Christian Audigier Hats,Christian Audigier Hoodies,Christian Audigier Sneakers, Christian Audigier Tee shirts. Get one piece of your own Fashion Ed Hardy now!
Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Lady Gaga has multi-pronged campaign for self-awareness - Northwest Herald Posted: 07 Jan 2010 09:54 PM PST By ANN POWERS - Los Angeles Times Almost immediately after she deposited herself in a corner booth at L'Espalier, the restaurant at Boston's Mandarin Oriental Hotel on the December afternoon after the first American date of her Monster Ball tour, Lady Gaga made a confounding statement. "I don't see myself as ever being like anybody else," said the 23-year-old known to her mom (eating lunch nearby) as Stefani Germanotta. "I don't see myself as an heir." Yet there she was, in a blond Hollywood bob and black tuxedo-bra combo much like the costumes Madonna wore 20 years ago, discussing a show that conjures the spirits of Michael Jackson, David Bowie and the punk-rock drag queens of downtown New York and promoting music – the newly expanded edition of her 2008 debut album, "The Fame," greatly enriched by eight new songs and repackaged as "The Fame Monster" – that pays blatant homage to ABBA, Queen, Eurodisco and Marilyn Manson. Gaga doesn't care. She wants you to trace her references. "John Lennon talked about how with every song he wrote, he was thinking of another artist," she said, making a less expected connection to a pop deity. She has yet to attain the status of the Beatles, but in the ever-accelerating pop cycle, Gaga is a top sensation, and many people's vote for the most exciting artist of 2009. "The Fame" has sold nearly 2 million copies in the U.S. and reportedly double that internationally; her album and the single "Poker Face" both made the top three on the year-end tally of top iTunes downloads. "The Fame Monster" continues this sales sweep, but it also considerably advances Gaga's artistic project with some of her strongest songs yet, including the ear-worm-infested "Bad Romance" and the sumptuously emotional ballad "Speechless." The world is responding. She has made friends with Madonna, been interviewed by Barbara Walters and met the Queen of England at the annual Royal Variety Performance. The Monster Ball has sold out multiple nights in major cities. This is all happening not because Gaga is cute or takes off her clothes but because (to use one of her favorite words) she is a monster – a monster talent, that is, with a serious brain. During nearly two hours of conversation, she not only reiterates her assertion of total originality but also finesses it until it's both a philosophical stance about how constructing a persona from pop-cultural sources can be an expression of a person's truth – a la those drag queens Gaga sincerely admires – and a bit of a feminist act. "I'm getting the sense that you're a little bit of a feminist, like I am, which is good," she said. "I find that men get away with saying a lot in this business, and that women get away with saying very little ... In my opinion, women need and want someone to look up to that they feel have the full sense of who they are, and says, 'I'm great.' " Gaga's casual use of the term "feminist" was interesting; like many female pop stars, she has rejected the term in the past. But she's evolving. She is growing "more compassionate," she says, and focusing more on ideas of community, especially the one formed by her core fan base, a mix of gay men, bohemian kids and young women attracted by Gaga's style and her singable melodies. -- Her new songs address serious themes including women's shame about their bodies and the need for open communication in relationships; her often physically distorting costumes show that the pursuit of the feminine ideal is far from natural. Her commitment to confront the changing notion of what's "natural" puts Gaga on the same road traveled by artists she admires, such as the photographer Cindy Sherman. Her frank talk about how female artists aren't expected to write their own songs or about how young women are afraid to ask for what they need from their sexual partners inches her toward a new articulation of feminism. "If you ask somebody where you see sexism in your life, all they think of is the old stuff," said Nona Willis Aronowitz, co-author of the new book "Girldrive: Criss-Crossing America, Redefining Feminism," by phone. "Equal pay, that's not really on their radar. Domestic violence and rape aren't necessarily in the forefront. But you ask about double standards or restrictive gender roles, they don't think of that as sexism; they think of that as the way it is. That's kind of like what Lady Gaga is talking about." Gaga does view her music as a liberating force. "When I say to you, there is nobody like me, and there never was, that is a statement I want every woman to feel and make about themselves," she continued. "I don't make it as a defense. I make it as, OK, guys, it's been two years, and I've made a lot of music, and I know my greatness is individual. And I want every woman to be able to say that." This is one of Gaga's gifts, maybe the one that most distinguishes her from the other talented women directing the pop zeitgeist right now, such as her recent collaborator Beyoncé, her fellow couture hound Rihanna or her rival in redefining blondness, Taylor Swift. Gaga makes outrageous declarations – which, when you break them down, actually make sense. And then she backs them up, not only through her now famously provocative interviews but in her videos, her collaborations with designers and artists, her live performances and those infernally catchy hits. --- As good a game as she talks, Gaga's real language is visual and, of course, musical. Discussing videos like the one for "Bad Romance," which she says is about "how the entertainment industry can, in a metaphorical way, simulate human trafficking – products being sold, the woman perceived as a commodity," or the Ace Bandage-adorned costume she wore at the American Music Awards, which she said was "meant to be feminine, healing, bondage gothic," she sounds more like an art critic than an evolving club kid. "It's a feeling," she says of the way she builds these little horror musicals. "There is a narrative, but the narrative isn't nearly as important as the images are, sewn together." As for the songs that serve as the foundation for all of her other forms of expression, Gaga says she never wanted them to be anything but massive hits. "I don't want to make niche-oriented music," said the songwriter, who entered the music business writing hits for other artists, including Britney Spears. "I don't like it! I don't mean that to be in a rude way. But my taste is not there." At a time when pop genres are colliding and collapsing, Gaga is contributing to their downfall. She notes that "Boys Boys Boys," the first song that she wrote with her main producer RedOne, is a club track that borrows its "gang chorus" from the hard rock of AC/DC. "I told him, I want to make pop music that my heavy metal friends will listen to," she explained. "Aside from her few piano ballads, which are like early 1970s Elton John, her dance music is pretty much on-the-money current Euro dance," said her recent collaborator Adam Lambert in a separate interview. "But she's a rock star in her mentality. (Her attitude is) like, 'I hope this makes you look. I'm going to be subversive and out there because it makes me feel good and liberated to be that way.' " It's arguable that Gaga could realize her artistic vision only in the center of the pop mainstream. Her critical supporters laud her for reconnecting pop to other cultural forms and for revitalizing the stream of art-into-pop first opened up by bands like Roxy Music and the Patti Smith Group. But she's not alone in that effort. Kanye West played a gala at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art before she did; Beyoncé referenced Bob Fosse. Go a notch lower in visibility, as Gaga's critics point out, and examples abound of rock and club kids with art connections, from Karen O to Alison Goldfrapp. Gaga has done something more specific: She has tapped into one of the primary obsessions of our age – the changing nature of the self in relation to technology, the ever-expanding media sphere, and that sense of always being in character and publicly visible that Gaga calls "the fame" – and made it her own obsession, the subject of her songs and the basis of her persona. "Celebrity life and media culture are probably the most overbearing pop-cultural conditions that we as young people have to deal with because it forces us to judge ourselves," she said. "I guess what I am trying to do is take the monster and turn the monster into a fairy tale." That stars embody the social concerns of their age is a pop-culture truism. But only rarely does an artist dig beneath the dermis of our shared anxieties, exposing the liquid matter that runs through the shared fantasies and delusions of a particular moment. "It's kind of like a crusade in its own way," she said. "Me embodying the position that I'm analyzing is the very thing that makes it so powerful." Lady Gaga When: 7:30 p.m. today through Sunday Where: Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont (Changed from Chicago Theatre) Tickets: $37.50-$75 Info: 800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com CommentsFive Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| The Week in Culture - Daily Beast Posted: 07 Jan 2010 10:08 PM PST This week, Denzel and Green Day come to Broadway, Ke$ha is anointed the first pop star of the new decade, and will Lost get an island at Disneyland? VIEW OUR GALLERY. Welcome to a brand new decade. Doesn't it feel refreshing? We can forget all of the problems that plagued 2009 and start anew! Except...everything happening culturally still seems a bit attached to last year. Ke$ha, a new pop tart who has the number one single of the week (and therefore of the 2010s so far), seems like a Britney Spears for the new generation. Perez Hilton and Tila Tequila are still at it. But of course, there are some new developments. A trailer for a superhero movie is already eliciting parental outrage, while both Denzel Washington and Green Day make the move to Broadway. All this and more in our Week in Culture. Click Image To View Our Week In Culture Gallery Vancouver's Out and Proud Sculpture The Winter Olympics are right around the corner, and this year, the Games are getting a bit more gay friendly. The PRIDE house, a special haven in Whistler "where Olympic and Paralympic athletes, coaches, family, fans and allies can come out and be their authentic selves," will now feature the work of sculptor Edmund Haakonson in front. The work, a bronze nude hockey player, will no doubt prove controversial, but for now, the artist had this to say of his piece, "There is an element of the absurd in a hockey player wearing only skates, gloves and helmet, especially for anyone who has actually played hockey. There is however, no conflict in the absolutely serious and the humorous co-existing in a single work, I would suggest that it reflects the true reality of life." Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast. For more of The Daily Beast, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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