TV Review: Project Runway 6×1 “Welcome to Los Angeles”

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Watch Project Runway on Lifetime, Thursday nights, 10 pm et/pt.
Buy Project Runway: Season Five on Amazon.com

On the whole, I despise reality television. Yet, there’s something about actual creative people competing that seems entirely different than people trapped in a house shouting at each other (sorry Heidi). So when Project Runway went through the trauma of switching networks from Bravo to Lifetime, I missed it.

But now it’s back, and in my hometown! Yay!

While I was not worried about the move to LA, I was curious to see if it would change the show’s feel any. Anyone who has visited LA’s garment district knows it’s a lot different than New York’s. Plus, downtown LA is a much different than downtown New York. As much as I love the Fashion Institute, the designers should be at a beach house somewhere. Thankfully they do get to run around LA some it looks like.

Season 6 Ep 1 “Welcome to Los Angeles”
Rating: [rating:3.5]
Quote of the Episode: “I don’t watch the red carpet. I don’t differentiate between different color carpets.” – Malvin Vien

Spoilers after the cut.

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Kenny Chesney Rocking Vegas

kenny_chesneyCountry music superstar Kenny Chesney is launching his new clothing line Blue Chair Bay at MAGIC Marketplace in Las Vegas and is kicking his latest venture off in style with an invite-only concert at the Hard Rock Hotel on Tuesday, September 1, 2009.

Chesney’s new clothing line Blue Chair Bay, a vintage brand of ageless, simple styles, will launch at MAGIC in the Premium Men’s platform – on the Concourse (Booth PR20800). A non-traditional booth set-up, Blue Chair Bay will exhibit in a vintage Airstream trailer (a first for MAGIC!) and will also host a Corona-sponsored Happy Hour on Monday, August 31st from 4:00 – 6:00 pm.

“They tell me MAGIC is the biggest show for this sort of the thing in the world, and I love the idea that these clothes are out there for the buyers who truly know – to get to see them,” says Kenny Chesney, the biggest North American concert draw this century. “The clothes are casual, comfortable and easy to wear wherever you’re headed… and that was the whole point. Whatever you’ve got to do, something in this line will work — and for someone who lives gone most of the time, one place to find everything — like MAGIC — is a real gift.”

“MAGIC offers the ultimate exposure to its exhibitors and is the perfect setting for Kenny Chesney’s clothing launch,” said Chris DeMoulin, MAGIC International President and Executive Vice President of Advanstar’s Fashion Group. “MAGIC provides a day-to-night platform that encourages a variety of exciting lifestyle launches like this, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have Kenny.”

Blue Chair Bay captures Chesney’s laidback style for men and women. The line reflects his casual lifestyle with ageless, simple styles and a focus on quality fabrics, textures and details. The mid-priced line (ranging from $35 for a T-shirt to $72 for khakis) will include t-shirts, khakis, shorts and button-down shirts with the feel of that shirt that you’ve had forever. Chesney was extremely involved in the design process and even named a few items after friends.

Revo Offers Recycled Eyewear Featuring Eco-Friendly Revo Re-Use Technology

Revo __ Revo Offers Recycled Eyewear Featuring Eco-Friendly Revo Re-Use(TM) TechnologySource

Performance eyewear maker, Revo, has long been recognized for its industry-leading polarized lenses and advanced, lightweight frame materials. Today, Revo continues its legacy of innovation by offering recycled eyewear featuring new Revo Re-Use technology.

At Revo, sustainable and eco-friendly practices are a major initiative. This commitment to the environment is exemplified through Revo Re-Use technology which is incorporated into select frames within the new Revo Polarcast collection. The result is an assortment of unisex sunglasses that are precision molded from 100% recycled pre-consumer nylon plastics. Available in five stylish frames with eleven total colorways, the Revo Re-Use line is one of the largest collections of recycled eyewear on the market.

Designed to have a big impact on the eyes with little impact on the environment, all Revo Re-Use frames feature proprietary Revo Polarcast lens technology which is the result of several optical innovations. It begins with shatter proof lenses made from Serilium(TM), the purest form of polycarbonate available. Every Revo lens receives three coatings – a selective wavelength attenuation coating which allows usable light to pass through the lens while blocking glare from haze, fog or other forms of diffused light; an anti-reflective coating to eliminate light that bounces off the inside of the lens; and Revo’s exclusive Element Shed(TM) coating to ensure dust, sand and water will roll off the surface of the lens. To reduce eyestrain and promote high-grade optical clarity, all Revo lenses are infusion molded into a single layer of material.

In addition to recycled frame material and unparalleled lens polarization, Revo Re-Use(TM) sunglasses are also a step ahead when it comes to fit. A patented Motion Fit(TM) system positions sunglasses to ideal locations on the nose and ears which maximizes comfort by eliminating unwanted pressure points.

To further extend its commitment to sustainability, Revo has partnered with global water advocate, Alexandra Cousteau, and mountaineer, Jimmy Chin. Serving as brand ambassadors, Alexandra and Jimmy represent a new generation of visionaries who are dedicated to making a difference with their involvement in key environmental and social programs around the world.

Throughout the month of August, select Sunglass Hut stores will feature an exclusive advertising campaign featuring Revo brand ambassadors, Alexandra Cousteau and Jimmy Chin. Additionally, Revo Re-Use(TM) sunglasses are now available at all Sunglass Hut locations nationwide. Find out more at www.sunglasshut.com.

THQ Needs some Heroes in the UK – Contest for Kids Encourages Imagination

THQ Inc. today announced the launch of a nationwide competition to find the UK’s most imaginative and creative up-and-coming child artists.

To celebrate the upcoming launch of Drawn to Life(R): The Next Chapter(TM), the innovative new videogame releasing on the Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM), which actually allows children to create their own world by drawing directly into the game, THQ has launched the ‘Your Hero’ competition. This nationwide initiative invites children from across the UK to create their own videogame hero for a chance to win art supplies for their school as well as the unique opportunity to have their creation appear on advertising billboards around their home town as part of the game’s outdoor advertising campaign.

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New Yo-Yo Ma Box Set is “Outside the Box”

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Comprising ninety discs, Yo-Yo Ma: 30 Years Outside the Box is a salute to Yo-Yo Ma’s monumental musical achievements and to his 30-year legacy with Sony Masterworks. The exciting story of his life and work is eloquently told in a quality hard bound book of over 312 pages, lavishly illustrated with more than 150 color and black-and-white archival photos, original album artwork, liner notes and credits. Further enriching the story of this musical giant is a warm and insightful foreword by his longtime friend and esteemed fellow artist, pianist Emanuel Ax, as well as a lengthy, insightful essay by noted critic Richard Dyer. The set is scheduled for release on October 27, 2009.

Beginning with Ma’s debut recording of Saint Saens’s Carnival of the Animals, Yo-Yo Ma: 30 Years Outside the Box includes wide-ranging treasures, from his matchless performance of seminal cello works like the Dvorak Concerto to his tribute to film music maestro Ennio Morricone and last year’s all-star, world music holiday celebration Songs of Joy and Peace, which found him in the company of such luminaries as Ren e Fleming, Chris Botti, Diana Krall and Dave Brubeck.

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Netflix Gets Streaming Access to Some ABC Shows

netflix-1Netflix, Inc., the world’s largest online movie rental service, today announced an agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group that will make several of ABC’s most popular TV series available to be streamed instantly from Netflix.

In its entirety, the deal will allow Netflix members to instantly watch the first five seasons of the hit ABC franchise “Lost,” seasons four and five of the pop culture phenomenon “Desperate Housewives,” season five of the critically acclaimed “Grey’s Anatomy,” and seasons one and two of the syndicated epic action-adventure fantasy series “Legend of the Seeker” from ABC Studios. Many of the episodes, including the first four seasons of “Lost,” will be available from Netflix beginning August 1. The remainder will be available in subsequent months, beginning in September.

Overall, the agreement extends the online relationship between Netflix and Disney-ABC Television Group, which announced their first digital licensing deal last September. That agreement centered on original series from Disney Channel, including the hits “Hannah Montana,” “Wizards of Waverly Place,” “The Suite Life on Deck,” and Disney Channel’s two newest original series, “JONAS” and “Sonny with a Chance.” That deal, which will continue, makes episodes available day-after-broadcast.

The new agreement, which was brokered by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, adds top broadcast properties to a growing library of more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes that Netflix members can watch instantly on their computers and TVs as part of their membership at no additional monthly cost.

“We’re excited about this new agreement since it builds on a strong foundation with Disney-ABC Television Group,” said Robert Kyncl, vice president of content acquisition for Netflix. “In all, we’re providing Netflix members with some of the most popular and avidly followed shows on TV while working with an important business partner to help grow several of its key franchises.”

As Netflix continues to expand the movies and TV episodes that its members can watch instantly, the company is also partnering with leaders in consumer electronics to bring to market a growing number of network devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to members’ TVs. Those devices include Blu-ray disc players and new Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console; TiVo digital video recorders; and, soon, Internet TVs from Sony and VIZIO.

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Cute Baby – Awwhhhhh

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Sea Life Park welcomed the newest addition to its ohana (Hawaiian for family) as Hi’iaka, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

The baby has been named Waiohakaupo, Hawaiian for joyous life and breath of the waters of Kaupo (name of beach fronting Sea Life Park).

Weighing approximately 40 to 45 pounds and measuring 45 inches in length, Waiohakaupo has been spending her time at mom’s side nursing on a regular schedule around-the-clock under the close care and supervision of the Park staff.

“Both mother and calf are doing well,” said Jesus Bravo, general manager of Sea Life Park. “They are happy and everything suits them – their living conditions, the quantity and quality of food, and the love and attention of our staff.”

Sea Life Park celebrated the birth of Waiohakaupo with a special Hawaiian blessing ceremony on Thursday, July 30th. “We’ve kept the good news under wraps for a few weeks to allow mother and child the privacy they need to stay healthy and strong,” said Bravo.

Starting today, the Park will be offering special guided visits for guests to see the new baby dolphin

The pregnancy was part of a planned breeding program instituted by Sea Life Park and once it was confirmed that Hi’iaka had become pregnant, immediate care and monitoring was given on a daily basis throughout her one-year pregnancy.

“So far, the bond between Hi’iaka and her calf continues to strengthen,” said Jeff Pawloski, curator. “Like any new mother, she’s proud of her new baby and we are also proud and honored to have her be a part of our animal family.”

According to Pawloski, Waiohakaupo was born at 8:26 a.m. after a very short labor. “Hi’iaka is an experienced mom and the birth went very smoothly.”

The success of the program is a result of a nurturing environment that includes veterinary supervision, nutrition and a large seawater pool for the mother and baby.

Sea Life Park Hawaii offers a variety of marine-life shows, exhibits and educational programs for all ages and is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Among its most popular features are the swim-with-dolphin programs. The Park is a member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Sea Life Park Hawaii is owned and operated by Parques Reunidos Group. For more information, visit the Park’s Web site at www.sealifeparkhawaii.com.

‘The Buried Life’ Asks MTV Viewers One Question: ‘What Do You Want To Do Before You Die?’

theburiedlife31Beginning in December 2009, MTV viewers can tag along for the ride of a lifetime with the new series, “The Buried Life.” This real-life adventure documents the epic journey of four young men, Duncan, Ben, Jonnie and Dave, as they travel the continent in their purple bus, Penelope, to pursue their wildest dreams, learning from their successes and struggles along the way. As the cameras roll, the group of four explores life with a list of 100 things they’d like to do before they die. This aspirational list includes everything from kissing the stunning Megan Fox to helping a woman give birth to a baby. Along the way, the guys make a promise that for each item they cross off their list, they’ll help a perfect stranger accomplish one of their dreams.

“These guys are on a mission to change lives, spread hope and make dreams come true, while also having the time of their lives and fulfilling their own dreams. It is an amazing journey, and we are proud to be a partner in this inspirational and uniquely entertaining series. It’s more than just a show. . . it’s a movement,” said Tony DiSanto, President of Programming for MTV.

“These guys are young, creative and committed to trying to change the world by helping others realize their passions and achieve their dreams,” said Howard T. Owens, Managing Director of Reveille. “We’re excited to work with our partners at MTV to bring ‘The Buried Life’ to a huge audience and inspire viewers to go after their own life goals.”

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