944

JANET premiered the video for her new single, "Make Me", last night on ABC.

The song is "classic" Janet; upbeat, danceable, and chock full of Splenda-sweet melodies...It looks a like a subtle sequel to the "Scream" video, the 1995 collaboration with her brother MJ, which was classified in the '90s as the most expensive video ever made at $7 million.

Well, this video is not as advanced as "Scream", but its still fun and Janet looks amazing (what is it about the 40s? Demi Moore looks incredible as well. Jeez!)

The song is a light-tribute to MJ (Janet sings "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" in the chorus) and she pays homage to MJ's iconic look by sporting a tipped, high-style fedora in the video.

Janet has resigned with her original record label, A&M, where she began at 16 years-old and she opens the American Music Awards tomorrow on ABC reportedly with an 8 min performance.

P.S. Janet we see that you have also jacked (along with Beyonce) Leomi's (from Vogue Evolution) signature head swag...it works... :)

Check out the video below:




Isoul H. Harris
Managing Editor Atlanta
Follow Me on Twitter: isoulharris
Written by: Isoul H. Harris

With Thanksgiving a mere eight days away, it’s time to get in to the holiday spirit with a plethora of events. To start the weekend off right, there’s the Newport Beach Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament Thursday, November 19 at Newport Lexus. Benefiting the Boys & Girls Club and hosted by NFL Superbowl Champion Willie McGinest, the V.I.P. dinner begins at 6 p.m. with the tournament starting at 7 p.m. An array of ticket packages are available, from $50 to $300. For more information, visit www.jedweinsteinpresents.com/newport or call 212.353.4862.

Moving into Friday, it’s Masters of the Mix presented by 944 and Platino at Sevilla in Long Beach with DJ Nameless. Put simply, this is not an event to be missed and without a doubt 944 Orange County’s biggest event to date (yes, we are well aware that Long Beach is in LA County -- it’s a moot point). With an incredible V.I.P. area and hosted Platino bar from 9 to 11 p.m. and $5 Platino specials for the rest of the evening, we suggest you wear your dancing shoes and get plenty of rest before stepping out for the night. If you don’t want to drive home, opt for the AVIA Hotel (www.aviahotels.com). To reserve $100 bottle service per bottle of Jose Cuervo Platino Tequila, e-mail VIPLB@Sevillanightclub.com.

You must also RSVP to this event; there are no exceptions: www.944.com/mixoc, and to check out the flash evite, go here:

www.944.com/mixmasters/invite_oc/

To top off those two days, opt for a wine auction. Spectrum Wine Auctions, the new wine auction division of Spectrum Group International, has scheduled its premiere live auction November 21 at 5:00 p.m. at The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. It will also be simulcast at Crown Wine Cellars -- located 20 meters underground in a former munitions bunker -- in Hong Kong at 9:00 a.m. local Hong Kong time on Sunday, November 22. For Spectrum Wine Auctions complete catalog, visit www.spectrumwine.com

And one last thing, tune in to www.artrocks247.com or www.artrocks.ws for Art Rocks! Talk Show tonight between 7 and 8 p.m.. I will be giving a sneak peak of what's going in the December Smart Luxury issue and talking about our Masters of the Mix event this Friday -- my segment starts right 7 but you can also download the podcast if you miss it. Written by: Katie Pegler

A like a lot of things the TLC network does are great -- interesting documentaries, insightful medical shows, heck, even some the home shows are great. But like most networks, they certainly know how to put some crap on the air as well. Cue "Happily Ever Faster," a show that looks at the business life of Chapel of the Flowers on the Las Vegas Strip.

Here's a riveting example:



Yup, that's their "sizzle roll." Wow. Just wow.


Written by: D.B. Mitchell

Okay, so not many celebs excite me all that much truthfully...

I have been apartment hunting in NYC with Janet Jackson, stood there while a tipsy Drew Barrymore dropped her wine glass and it shattered among our feet in LA, joked with Will Smith on both coasts, etc., etc., etc...

But, there are rare moments when something excites and entertains

Enter Beyonce and Lady Gaga.





I love Beyonce's post-Ghetto fab gum-chewing and Gaga's Marilyn-meets-Sylvester soul.

These are two pop stars who get it. They play with image, attitude, sexuality and fame with a seriousness in execution, but always with a wink in meaning.

Many people are criticizing Bey for supposedly jacking Rihanna's style (the sharp blond swoop).

Whatevs.

Gaga says she wanted to pay homage to Beyonce and this is why she is dressed like her, hair down and flowing and she is singing like her if you listen to the vocals.

This video is visually striking (thanks to veteran music director Hype Williams) and just plain fun.

P.S. Beyonce, we see you swiped Leomi's (of "America's Best Dance Crew" group Vogue Evolution) signature back and forth head swag. It's okay though. ;)

Isoul H. Harris
Managing Editor Atlanta
Twitter: isoulharris

Written by: Isoul H. Harris

The venerable blog A Continuous Lean posted some pretty sweet panoramic photos from the early 1900s today. They picked them up from the Library of Congress archive (I believe, anyway), and are definitely worth a look.

www.acontinuouslean.com Written by: D.B. Mitchell

I know this video made the rounds this summer, but hey, I couldn't come up with anything else to blog about today �” not to mention that the kid in this video kills me (seriously, has anyone EVER thought about something this hard?).




And here's a thought: If they're putting this out as a toy (a toy!), imagine the kinds of things the military is using ... Written by: D.B. Mitchell

A documentary about multi-platinum selling, all-everything Lil Wayne, called "The Carter," is scheduled to come out on DVD Nov. 17. The film premiered last year at Sundance and racked up quite the raves by everyone from "Variety" to the "A/V Club." I haven't seen the film yet, and in fact I'm not even a huge fan of Wayne's music, but I've always considered the rapper/businessman to be one of the most fascinating people on the planet give his odd rhymes and eccentricities.

Just to illustrate that point, here's the trailer for the film. And if you aren't at least intrigued, then you should probably just stick to watching "Step Brothers."


Written by: D.B. Mitchell

So, at this point, you have probably heard something about the film "Precious", which is out today in most major cities. It is directed by Lee Daniels, who produced "Monster's Ball" (the movie Halle Berry won an Oscar for).

If you haven't, here's the Cliff Notes synopsis: the film is based on a book called "Push" written by Sapphire. The story, set in 1987 Harlem, revolves around "Precious, an overweight, young girl with a horrific, abusive mother and a father by whom she is pregnant with her second child.

This film is not for the faint of heart. Seriously. To call it raw and disturbing is mild.

Mariah Carey attempts to redeem herself from the campy disaster that was "Glitter" by going all the way there as a completely unglam and unattractive social worker attempting to remove Precious from the hell in which she lives.

Mariah looks NOTHING like the picture you see above and her acting is quite decent. I saw the movie a couple of months ago and was impressed with her performance. It was confident, slightly bold and consistent. She is stripped of everything that's made her a celebrity and it works.

However, its Mo'Nique's completely mind-blowing peformance that carries this movie and leaves you thinking about it well after you've left the multi-plex.. She is so utterly awful as a human being in this movie that you cringe while she's onscreen; but, you also can't wait for her to return when she's not.

The film won two top prizes at the Sundance Film Festival back in January and there is plenty of Oscar buzz surrounding Mo'nique. It's all well-deserved. Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton and Sherri Shephard also star.

"Precious" may seem like a film you wouldn't typically shell out $10 to see, but I think you owe it to yourself to do so.

Isoul H. Harris
Managing Editor
Atlanta Written by: Isoul H. Harris

I know, I know. It's the first week of my blog and I already skipped two days, but after the Lang Lang and Friends performance, I was at Studio at Fred Segal Wednesday for Philips' new Crystalize and then Thursday I was at a photo shoot for most of the day.

Mark Sacro, his team and I were in Laguna Beach yesterday at the Pacific Edge Hotel shooting for an article on Posh Productions for the December issue. A full-service events firm, I challenged them to create a 944 Holiday Martini. Lucky for us, we got to taste test and it was AMAZING. Although I was trying to wait to release the recipe until the December issue hit the streets, I just couldn't help myself.

Enjoy...

944’s White Chocolate Candy Cane-Tini
As culinary impresarios and drink-making maven’s, Posh Productions, Inc. met 944’s challenge to mix-up a 944 holiday cocktail worthy of the sacred digits. A little bit sweet, a little bit rich and a lot intoxicating, this 944 concoction is sure to be a hit on any holiday drink menu.

Ingredients:
2 oz. of premium vodka
1 oz. of white crème de menthe
1.5 oz. of Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
Crushed candy cane to rim martini glass, plus miniature candy canes for garnish

Pour all of the liquid ingredients into a shaker three-fourths full of cracked ice, shake vigorously for a full minute. Rim a martini glass with the crushed candy cane dust. Strain the elixir into the glass and garnish with a miniature candy cane. Savor.
Written by: Katie Pegler

Last night, I checked out Lenny Kravitz in concert.

Of course, he rocked it.

He's one of those performers who doesn't need a current hit song to pack venues.

His show is killer.

Janelle Monae, in all her Bjork/Judy Garland//James Brown/Elvis/Michael Jackson/futuristic glory , was in the crowd with rapper Nelly. Both of them are two of the coolest people you would ever want to encounter. Have known both of them for awhile and they are always consistent.

If you don't have Janelle's EP METROPOLIS: THE CHASE SUITE, please stop reading this, go to itunes.com and cop it.

Back to Lenny.

Who knew 20 years ago that Romeo Blue would turn out so cool? Lisa Bonet was ridiculed for marrying some unknown, hippie poser back then.

She saw then what the world knows now.

Those Cosby kids are wise, huh?

Well, maybe not. Malcolm Jamal Warner did star in "Malcolm & Eddie"...

Isoul H. Harris
Managing Editor
Atlanta
Written by: Isoul H. Harris

I am a pop culture junkie. I have been since I was 9 years-old. While the other kids were lost in comics and cartoons, I was devouring Vanity Fair.

I simply found Annie Leibovitz far more interesting than Stan Lee.

Okay, I was odd. Kill me.

So, this blog will basically include any and everything I find relevant. Let me know if you agree, disagree, or basically think I am an idiot.

It’s all good.

I am just back from Mexico City, writing a travel piece on celebrating “The Day of The Dead”.

I dropped by the Frida Kahlo Museum. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Salma Hayek´s portrayal in the biopic, but it left me wanting to know more. At the museum, I was blown away. Not just by the greatness of Kahlo’s work, but more so by her intent.

With “The Mask” (1945), she was commenting on the fact that she felt she had to hide her true self in order to cope with the insincerity of the world. Of course, she never conformed, which is why she’s still part of modern day conversation.

I say we take a cue from Kahlo.

Dressing up for Halloween is cool, but trying to actually be someone other than yourself is, well…lame.

A guide at one of the museums told me that most kids in Mexico are ignoring “The Day of The Dead” and opting for Halloween. “They would rather run around in Spider-Man outfits,” he said.

Damn that Stan Lee.


Isoul H. Harris
Managing Editor Atlanta
Twitter: isoulharris
Written by: Isoul H. Harris

I'm pretty stoked today because I was tagged to MC a pretty amazing event tonight. The Dirty Heads and Dear and the Headlights will face off at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, AZ, in a head-to-head battle of the bands unlike anything you've ever seen before. This things going to be all over the musical map, and well worth checking out if you're in the area. Show starts at 8 p.m.!

Here's a small taste of the show, which was recorded yesterday at Platinum Studios in Phoenix:



For more info, check out www.redbullsoundclashusa.com Written by: D.B. Mitchell

After just blogging about Philosophy’s When Hope Is Not Enough body lotion and scrub, I realized I only had another hour or so to finish up my work day, head home, find an outfit and get ready for an event I’ve been looking forward to for almost three months.

Still in the middle of the whirlwind of events for “Ancient Paths, Modern Voices,” tonight is “Lang Lang and Friends.” Who is Lang Lang? Oh, just the pianist during the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics. A 27-year-old named “hottest artist on the classical music planet by the “New York Times.” One of the 2009 Time 100 by “Time” magazine. You know, essentially just a genius musician coming to perform at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall tonight at 7 p.m.

Although I am swamped in deadlines, making plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas, need to pack my house, am moving in two weeks and never seem to have enough time no matter how much I plan ahead, I am going to leave work early and go to a concert. Music, after all, is one of my other great obsessions.

I am also incredibly excited that I was invited to be a special guest of Elizabeth Segerstrom, who we interviewed along with her husband Henry, for the festival since the Segerstroms were instrumental in the partnership between the Orange County Performing Arts Center and Carnegie. If you missed the article in the October 2009 Art & Architecture Issue, we filmed some behind-the-scenes footage from the interview and photo shoot.


Written by: Katie Pegler

Levi's has a pretty cool promotion going on right now that's worth $100,000 to a resourceful chap. The PR story goes that Levi's archivists have "verified" the existence of a treasure buried by one Grayson Osias IV, and even some recordings that provide clues to its location. For those who log onto www.levis.com/goforth, there will be nine recordings released at various times to allow the community to work together to find this fortune.

It's an interesting marketing plan, involving everything from Craigslist postings to a Twitter page (www.twitter.com/graysonOziasIV). Hell, I just like it because there are Whitman quotes throughout the whole thing, which might just inspire a few folks to pick up a book. Just Google ol' Grayson and see the fruits of the labor �” and perhaps you'll even get a chance to make a few (thousand) bucks. Written by: D.B. Mitchell

The votes are in and Armin van Buuren has been voted the #1 DJ in the world DJ Mag - for a 3rd consecutive year. The 33 year old trance producer from the Netherlands earned the number one spot again after 300,000+ people from across the globe cast their vote with the prestigious ranking entity, DJ Mag. Armin is now so popular that his radio station “A State of Trance” broadcasts to over 30 million listeners a week. He also has earned residency at some of the most electrifying venues in the world including Amnesia in Ibiza. On New Year’s Eve 2008-2009, Armin managed to draw 35,000 people to his Armin Only show in the Los Angeles Sports Arena, one of the largest turnouts in the US for a trance performer. Apparently he also gave up the hooch so he can keep up with his skyrocketing career. Now that’s dedication.

To see his personal “Thank You” please see link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtWq4O7m_ZI&feature=player_embedded
Written by: Rob Opacki