BREAKING NEWS

Peplums Are Here To Stay In 2014

The peplum trend may have been at its peak last spring, but do not give up on it in 2014!

Very few clothing styles look great on every body type, but the peplum does. If you don’t have curves and want them, wearing a nice peplum dress or skirt will create the illusion that you have an hourglass figure. The short overskirt draws attention to the tinier waist area, and then puffs out to give your hips some shape. It also works for curvy bodies. Rather than creating an illusion, it accentuates your natural shape. Please, ladies, take advantage of this all around flattering trend.

The peplum is also just as versatile as it is flattering. These adorable dresses with the little overskirt come in a variety of lengths, materials, colors and patterns. While a solid colored, polyester dress is most common, there is a tremendous amount of options to fit your personal preference. They also give you the opportunity to go from office to outing with minimal fuss. Adding a simple blazer over the dress creates a polished, professional look that will catch everyone’s eye. But, remove the blazer and you have a wear-anywhere chic and vintage outfit on. It really can’t get any easier than that.

Most peplum dresses fall just above the knee, so your shoe choice has a great effect on your outfit. Go for your favorite pair of pumps or high-heeled sandals to lengthen your legs and add elegance to the dress. If you’re not comfortable in heels, throw on some flats! Your comfiest flats give the dress a more playful and casual appearance. Peplum dresses are one of the only dresses that can be fun and feminine regardless of shoe choice.

Finding room in your wardrobe for one of these dresses is also great for your wallet. Although they’re most commonly worn in the spring, they can be fall or winter ready with a pair of tights and a warm sweater. Wearable year-round and anywhere, you’ll be glad you have one.

Love peplums but not dresses? No problem. Designers have made a variety coats, shirts, skirts, and even pants with the little overskirt. Give it a shot and look your best this year.

Design and Violence—MoMA’s online experiment

by Austin Arrington

boxcutter — Boxcutter—tool or weapon? Photo credit: HomeSpot HQ

We are often accustomed to think about design in light, happy terms. Design is a way to shape the built environment in beautiful and functional ways. However, design can also be viewed as a creative act of destruction. Design and Violence, an online curatorial project at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), is currently exploring this relationship.

In the 1971 book, Design for the Real World,Victor Papanek writes, “There are professions more harmful than industrial design, but only a very few of them.” Papanek was a designer and educator who advocated for social and ecological responsibility in the design of products, tools, and community infrastructures.

Designers, whether architects, fashion gurus, or web developers, create new ways for people to interface with reality. In doing so, they play a major role in reconfiguring society and culture.

There are two main questions posed by Design and Violence. How is violence embedded in design? And how does design impact society’s idea of violence?

Design and Violence is organized by Paolo Antonelli, Senior Curator, Department of Architecture and Design, MoMA; Jamer Hunt, Director, graduate program in Transdisciplinary Design, Parsons The New School for Design; and Kate Carmody, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design, MoMA.

The curators invite experts from a wide range of fields (science, literature, philosophy, journalism, and politics) to comment and theorize on the relationship between design objects and societal violence.

The project defines violence as “a manifestation of the power to alter circumstances, against the will of the other and to their detriment.”

One example of such a manifestation of power is gentrification—in which entire communities are displaced through interdependent socioeconomic and cultural shifts in design.

The curators at Design and Violence have mostly collected objects designed after 2001, to signify the paradigm shift that occurred after the 9/11 attacks. One case study was performed on the box cutter/utility knife, due to its role in the 9/11 plane hijackings.

Other concepts that have been explored by the project include the global shift from symmetrical to asymmetric warfare, as well as the development of cyber-warfare.

There are seven thematic categories through which the curators organize objects—Hack/Infect: disrupting the rules of the system; Constrain: binding, blocking, and distorting; Stun: causing blunt trauma; Penetrate: infiltrate the boundaries, breaching; Manipulate/Control: drawing into the realm of violence with suasion; Intimidate: promising damage and death; and Explode: annihilating visibly and completely.

The most mundane of objects can be the subject of a Design and Violence case study. Take a look at Daan van den Berg’s Merrick Lamp. According to the curators, ‘virus’ is a versatile term that can mean an infecting agent for either biological life or computer files. This fact led van den Berg to hack CAD files, 3-D printing a mutated IKEA lamp named after “Elephant Man” Joseph Carey Merrick.

Elephant man — Joseph Merrick, the inspiration for van den Berg’s Merrick Lamp.

Andrew Blauvelt, Senior Curator of Design, Research, and Publishing at the Walker Art Center, calls the Merrick Lamp an act of “aesthetic terrorism.” It serves as a subversive commentary on the industrial homogeneity perpetuated by corporations like IKEA.

The Design and Violence website also acts as a forum for design experts to critique each other’s ideas. For example, the Republic of Salivation by Michael Burton and Michiko Nitta is a project that imagines a dystopian future of food shortages, rationing, and synthetic feeding devices. Philosopher and sustainability advocate John Thackara recently critiqued the Republic of Salivation, on the basis that the global food crisis can be solved in more holistic, environmentally conscious ways.

Design and Violence is an ongoing experiment, with no definite end scheduled. The second phase of the project, currently under development, is its Google Earth extension. This phase will enable users to locate the physical location of each object within the collection, allowing for more traditional viewing of the artifacts.

Green Roofs and the Science of Sustainable Design

by Austin Arrington

Perfecting urban green roofs for their environmental and social benefits is a good example of where science and design meet.

The benefits of green roofs include insulation, reduced energy use, the removal of air pollutants and green house gases, increased roof lifespan, reduced heat stress, stormwater runoff management, beautification, and improved health.

There are two types of green roofs—extensive and intensive. Extensive green roofs have a soil depth of 1”- 5,” and are planted with sedums and short grasses. Intensive green roofs need at least one foot of soil and can be vegetated with trees, shrubs, and perennials.

Biology PhD candidate at York University in Toronto Scott McIvor has questioned the performance of sedum to absorb water and promote biodiversity, claiming that plants adapted to local conditions work better.

Sedum doesn’t absorb water as efficiently as some native species, while it is useful for lowering the building energy requirements of air-conditioning and heating.

Determining which green roofs plants best support biodiversity requires finding the right soil composition for microorganisms to live in. This is an ongoing question scientists are exploring.

Figuring out how to best integrate sedum with other plants, to maximize the potential benefits of a green roof, is where design comes in. Producing a green roof for rainwater run-off and climate management requires creative and efficient design.

Alive Structures is a company of landscape designers and environmentalists based out of Brooklyn. They do residential, community, and educational green roof and garden projects across the five boroughs. Their green roofs often integrate locally grown sedum mats with native plants.

Part of what makes a particular landscape architecture piece interact well with its environment is its artistic quality—a design for beauty as well as function.

I learned this from a friend and gardener, who taught me that working with plants is an art, as much as working with musical notes, letters, or pictures.

The shape and placement of plants produces a wide array of feelings in us, and can contribute dynamically to how we interpret the city’s architecture.

Of course, as a green roof is a part of a whole building, it must also function in support of the people that work or live within that building. One of the most present benefits of green roofs to urban dwellers is the chance to interact outdoors with plants.

Being outdoors and spending time around plants have both been shown to correlate with increased wellbeing, health, and social functioning. This makes sense, as the design function of humans is to actively interact with our environment.

Rooftops play an important role in New York City’s culture and architecture. The conscious Manhattanite is aware of the city on multiple levels—horizontal, vertical, urbane and environmental. Plants are the city’s symbiotic allies—an extra set of lungs to help us breath and continue growing.

Imagine if at the office you could take five minutes to walk outside onto a small field basking in the sun. A space to think and develop a relationship with some part of nature.

The good news is that Bloomberg’s PlaNYC initiative offers a tax abatement to green roof property owners for up to $150,000.

Green roofs can contribute to LEED certification as well—by protecting or restoring habitats, maximizing open space, storm-water quality control, reducing the heat island effect, and increasing water efficiency.

Green roofs support biodiversity by providing a habitat for native plants, invertebrates, birds and other animals.

Small-scale, local food production is also possible with green roofs—creating opportunities for urban communities to partake in healthy, in-season produce.

Green roofs do require maintenance, especially if you expect to grow food on them. But that’s sort of the point—taking time to slow down. If “getting lost” in nature sounds like a waste of time, you can look it as a chance to recharge your battery.

Much of the health benefits of green roofs are rooted in aesthetics. Green roofs give us something beautiful to look at and meditate on. They also reduce noise pollution, which is a major contributor of urban stress.

Evidence shows that simply being around plants leads to lower blood pressure, increased attentiveness, productivity and job satisfaction, lower anxiety, and improved wellbeing. Green roofs can serve as collective spaces for individuals to cooperate and work in, while enjoying the beauty of nature together.

The mental state induced by working with plants has deep evolutionary roots. Tending plants can help the mind form a conscious relationship of stewardship to the environment.

At some level, green roofs might be viewed as a built-in escape mechanism. For me, they are a welcome refuge from the stress, anxiety, and noise of the city.

There is no single or obvious solution to designing sustainable cities. Green roofs may work well in some places, but they are certainly not a fix-all for the environmental shift that we are now experiencing.

However, if designed well, green roofs can support biodiversity, reduce the energy use of buildings, and help mitigate the effects of climate change. Their design and implementation can positively influence how city dwellers interact with and are conscious of their environment.

Year End List: Best albums of 2013

by Rio Toro

Excuse me for the misleading title, but these are not the best albums of 2013 — saying something as extensive as that would be beyond my reason for making this list. Keep in mind, this is not necessarily because this year didn’t produce albums that could be called “the best”, but because of my predicament of being only 1 person, I clearly could not have listened to, as well as properly digested every single one of them. With that being said, these 10 picks are the albums I have deemed to be the most special; the ones which have impacted me as an individual and are perfect despite any minor or major flaws they may have. Through my travels, I have come to the conclusion that best-of lists aren’t about being “correct”, but about an expression of one’s individuality, and most importantly, a representation of our freedom to love any piece of crap we choose to.

So yes, I have decided to limit this year-end list to but 10 albums. I had originally planned for it to be 20, but then I thought it might as well be 25, and if it was going to be 25, it might as well be 30, or any other random number. So I decided to do away with attempting to commemorate every album I enjoyed this year (I only had about 5 negative reviews, so there were quite a lot) and instead focus on the ones that were always in the back of my head; the ones that happened to latch on to memories and grab hold of something real that was going on in my life through these past 12 months.

What writing album reviews has really taught me though, is that there is no album no matter how horrendously bad or typical, that I can’t derive some sort of pleasure from. Maybe this means that I shouldn’t be a critic, as when I think about it, there wasn’t one album I listened to this year that some part of me doesn’t love and admire. Even the ones I wrote negative things about I find myself returning to time and time again, and it really makes me feel bad for critics who are known for writing excessively negative and scathing reviews. I mean, music is supposed to be enjoyable right? Saying something like “we need bad albums to make the good ones be good” is just ridiculous, and can be equated to a religious conservative saying that gay marriage ruins marriage for everyone else. Anyhow, I sure am happy that I enjoy music as much as I do, and I continue to pray every night that I don’t wake up deaf. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my reviews throughout this year and can see why I’ve chosen these as my top 10.

P.S. — I cheated on this list, a lot… (There is a particularly ugly tie, I’ve included EPs, mixtapes, as well as lumped together releases from artists who had more than one release over the past 12 months)

Runner Ups: Kelela: CUT 4 ME, Neko Case: The Worse Things Get…, Baths: Obsidian, Julia Holter: Loud City Song, Forest Swords: Engravings, Wolf Eyes: No Answer Lower Floors, RP Boo: Legacy

10.) James Holden: The Inheritors

I still have yet to make up my mind between whether The Inheritors is a noise record, a chill out record, or one disguised as the other. I do know, though, that it’s the reason Boards of Canada’s Tomorrow’s Harvest didn’t come anywhere close to making this list. Built out of long, single take analog keyboard improvisations, these 15 tracks are all about balancing the unfolding chaos that ensues when an artist has access to such a massive horde of equipment. James Holden fully harnesses the ability to create stirring, raw, and off balanced compositions with his virtuosic talent. No matter whether he was chronicling free jazz, hauntology, krautrock, trance or techno, The Inheritors never once lost its drive/

9.) James Blake: Overgrown

This release doesn’t quite fit in with the others in my top 10. Unlike my other choices, Overgrown isn’t what one would call experimental. It’s not boundary pushing, and the sound it offers ventures closer to the mainstream than I’m usually accustomed to. But being the Blake fanatic that I am, I really forced myself to listen to Overgrown a lot, and its transformative secrets were soon revealed to me. Truly though, what we have here is actually a rather straightforward soul record that draws as much from Joni Mitchell as it does from the UK bass scene. If until now Blake has been in a state of constant flux, this is by far his most reserved and contemplative release yet. It’s no misstep for a producer as immaculate as Mr. blake though, as this is a record that proved to provide a draw unlike any other this year. With a chilly, isolated vibe that feels as though it was carved out of ice, to the deeply passionate and often profound lyricism, to Blake’s newfound vocal prowess that matches the oft used sub aquatic bass pulses with ease, Overgrown can stand right up with James’ greatest accomplishments.

8.) Arcade Fire:Reflektor/Kanye West: Yeezus (tie)

I find it funny that what were arguably the two most anticipated albums of the year also turned out to be the two most polarizing. Even a mention of one of these two albums on Facebook or Youtube will get you spammed by two varying sides to the unsolvable equation. You may feel like you’ve already heard enough about them, but the way I see it, whenever the line of approval is cut in a way like it is with these two albums you know something genius must be at work. Polarization isn’t the only thing these two masterpieces have in common though. In fact, besides Yeezus being brief and Reflektor being extensive, they pretty much offer identical listening experiences. Both are obsessed with pushing boundaries, draw heavily from the influence of their producers, have thematic elements about the warped state of humanity, and proudly declare themselves to be a work of art. When it comes down to it though, whether you liked these albums or not, these were the absolute essential albums you couldn’t not listen to if you were part of 2013. I’d personally argue that this also makes them two of the most important. If this is the sound of cockiness and overindulgence and pretentiousness, these words have never sounded better and meant more.

7.) Arca: &&&&&

This year saw some truly extraordinary and adventurous mixtapes — most notably from the likes of 18+, Le1f, and Kelela — but the most jaw dropping one for me was by far Arca’s &&&&&, whose alien tendencies have yet to diminish from my mindset throughout the extensive time I have spent with it. With this release, his production work on Yeezus and FkA Twigs’ EP2, the enigmatic producer dominated on all fronts this year and made a pretty undeniable case that he is one of the true forces to be reckoned with in electronic music. His music represents the current extreme of where beat making can go, and how far samples can be mutilated to the point of taking on entirely new forms. If you had half an hour to kill in 2013 , there were very few ways to do it that were better than this.

6.) These New Puritans: Field of Reeds

This spot was a fight between this album and Julia Holter’s Loud City Song for the year’s best orchestrally based indie record. To be honest, Julia Holter crafted an equally compelling statement, but for some reason, I’ve listened to Field of Reeds countless more times and feel an compulsive attraction towards it. The album has a certain elusiveness to it that I still to this date am unable to shake – and I’m happy continuing this undying trend until my listens reach the triple digits. Maybe it’s just my obsessive personality, but no matter how many times I listen to Field of Reeds I’ll still be dying to listen to it again in a week no matter how many other great albums I seem to find elsewhere. The orchestrations are the perfect mix of grand and minimal, the cast of characters is varied and cohesive, and I haven’t heard the type of rare beauty present here since Sigur Ros’ finest achievement, ( ).

5.) Oneohtrix Point Never: R Plus Seven

There were a whole lot of artist transformations that occured this year, but i’d say none were as fluent and as gapless as R Plus Seven. Daniel Lopatin’s new world was so fluent, in fact, that is was hard to see exactly how much had changed since the artist’s previous release, Replica, without comparing the two side by side. R Plus Seven brought all the abstract noises, found sounds, and vintage synthesizers of Replica hurdling into the 3rd dimension. These were some of the most labored over and sublimely intricate electronic manifestations of the year, as well as some of the most stripped down and otherworldly atmospherics — like a dystopian epic and a lazy Sunday wrapped into one. It’s the kind of music that makes my brain amazed it can even comprehend such a thing. It wasn’t necessarily the compositions that made this release so great though. For every time I listened to R Plus Seven, I found myself lost in existential thought, dreaming about some absurd idea that would never make sense within our world. This is music about escaping reality and concentrating on the components of life that aren’t really there. It’s the year’s best thinking man’s (or woman’s) record, in a sense.

4.) Dean Blunt: The Redeemer + Stone Island

Now this guy is a real screw up, isn’t he? Everything he puts out is sorely crafted, crumbling at the edges, only warranting a spin or two for a laugh. Only somehow, through our mocking, this music manages to grab a hold of something internal, and when it hits you it might just make you realize why you love music in the first place. All joking aside though, I always “liked” The Redeemer. Truly, I did. But I didn’t think it would be an album I would enjoy coming back to time and time again as the months went on. I thought of it as being too damaged to truly love. Admittedly, its impact didn’t entirely sink in until Stone Island: a secretly released sequel which furthered the majestic orchestrated sounds of its predecessor. These two releases together continue to stand as a grand expedition of heartache, lost souls, and the power of music in overcoming life’s greatest torment: the relationship.

3.) Burial: Truant/Rough Sleeper + Rival Dealer

The bookends of 2013 were over taken by surprise releases from London’s finest, AKA Burial. With Truant/Rough Sleeper in January and Rival Dealer in December, the producer took on a wealth of new ideas and crafted what I consider to be quite inarguably his two best releases to date. In fact, if this whole reviewing process were entirely up to me (god damn you editors!) this would have been at #1, as half of these other albums wouldn’t have even existed without Burial in the first place. Ok, maybe that’s a blanket statement, and I wouldn’t say it’s true for the next artist down the list who may have in fact…oops, I’ve already said too much! Anyway, read my reviews if you want to learn more about these stunning releases. Off to number…

2.) The Knife: Shaking The Habitual

No other album to come out this year feels as permanent as Shaking The Habitual. Contrary to popular belief, this is a complete, unmovable statement that is 100% worthy of its sky high ambitions. Not one sound or electronic ripple could be taken away or replaced to make this release any better than it already is. And although at its surface — the schizophrenic patterns, 20 minute ambient stretches, themes about gender/identity crisis — it may seem like a hard left turn for a supposed “pop” group, Shaking The Habitual is really just a continuation of what The Knife have always done best: atmosphere and sounds. Through their 12 year career they’ve continuously pushed and twisted and scrambled their formula until they’ve arrived at a new, ultimately meaningful destination to make an album (or opera) about. With its cinematic worthy running time and emphasis on extremely mutilated found sounds, Olaf and Karen have undoubtedly put out their most challenging and mystifying work yet, but unlike most double albums, it’s devoid of what one would call “filler”, and continues to be rewarding through innumerable amounts of playthroughs.

1.) Autre Ne Veut: Anxiety

This was an easy pick for me. Even if “Play By Play” was the only great song on this album — which it’s absolutely not — it still would have been album of the year for being the most groundbreaking and inspiring pop song of the last several years. Autre Ne Veut speaks towards the apex of human creativity and imagination just as Grimes and Death Grips did last year. But there’s something I find even more special about Autre though. The way he channels all his energy into belting out one awkwardly sung phrase after another; the way he grabs hold of the listener’s attention through abrasiveness, only to come off like Whitney Houston a moment later; and how he does all of this with a desperate, bleeding intensity that lays his innards scattered across the floor for us to inspect. As one would expect, the effect this sort of music has is beyond polarizing, but luckily, in my case, this demented form of pop music gives me insurmountable pleasure. These are the songs stuck in my head all day, the ones I (try to) sing in the shower, as well as the ones that inspire me to try my hand at creating my own “pop” music. Autre Ne Veut may not be the future of where pop music is headed, but with Anxiety, Arthur Ashin has made a perfect and masterful album of what pop music is truly about, as well as the heights that this tainted genre can still take us in 2013.

Sweet Spot at Philip Marie

by Jaime Kohl

You know you are home when you taste the love on the plate. When you walk into John Philip Greco’s second home, Philip Marie, you can feel that homey draw. You can taste the passion of the chef in each perfectly cooked muscle and shrimp that he will present to you. And if you have a palate that leans towards the sweeter side; you will find yourself a new regular spot.

From the opening bite you can taste the sweet tilt of the meal. There was a cornbread that seemed like a cross between a bread and dessert piece. The warm, crumbling cornbread was sweet and grilled with a sweet butter sauce, but the crispy rosemary I truly enjoyed. I just needed more balance, maybe just some white pepper; and maybe something else. But none the less I did not want that level of sweetness to start out a long meal. But the crust on this bread and crisp rosemary was delicious….the rest just not as much.

Chef Grecoo officially opened up the meal with a perfectly balanced salad. Bitter arugula with sweet raisins, cranberries and currents in a warm Israeli couscous and beet salad; all dressed with bright lemon vinaigrette. This was one of the highlights of the meal. Although there was sweetness in the dish everything was brought into balance. The bitter and sour notes sang just as loud as the sweet ones.

Next off was butternut squash soup with breadcrumbs. This bright orange soup was one noted and really in need of some additional flavors. Butternut squash is delicious and naturally very sweet and often needs acid and or bitterness or just something else to bring it together. The breadcrumbs did offer some salt and slight contrast in texture in the first moments that followed the food being presented; but quickly became soggy and quickly got lost.

Now these are a few of my favorite things; bacon, oysters, spinach and goat cheese. The Five Eastern Roasted Oysters with crispy bacon, creamed spinach and goat cheese presented on a bead of pink Himalayan rock salts provided some of the most deliciously flavorful bites. But, if I didn’t see the oysters with my own eyes I would not have known they were there. Now this is a delicious and savory dish; but the main ingredient was hiding at the school dance like a wall flower. I would order this again, but I wouldn’t need the oysters to be there.

I couldn’t resist questioning the Captain Crunch crusted Mediterranean Sea Bass. I was wondering how anyone could keep this dish from turning into an odd dessert, but Chef Greco knew just how to do so. He crusted the branzino fillet with a mixture of captain crunch and panko breadcrumbs. It was served over some fresh tagliatelle with a tahini sauce and grilled fennel. The fennel and tagliatelle are delicious. I happen to love the way that fennel can transform with different heat applications. The grilling left a great char and caramelized some of the sugars in the fennel its self leaving and interesting and beautiful contrast to the sweet and tender fish. Although the tagliatelle and tahini were delicious they did not obtain the same marriage of flavor that some of the other pieces on the dish had. There was just something about the tahini that was not in line with the rest of the plate.

The Tuesday night clam bake. Well this is just dam good. The broth that Chef Greco creates with the chardonnay base is the perfect base to permeate the delicious and fresh seafood. Despite the perfect cook on the shrimp and muscles, the delicious half lobster (with all the major cracking of the shell taken care of) and clams, the broth stole the show. The dish is the Tuesday special costing $18.95, and is served with a baked potato and corn on the cob; it’s a steal. There are nightly specials served and I look forward to trying the rest of them. Be sure to check out the other nightly specials. And this winter there will be a great deal of game meats served as the winter menu arrives.

Dessert was a vanilla pound cake with spiced poached pear, grand marine sauce and fresh dense whipped cream. The pears were delicious as was the sauce but the pound cake was just there as a contrast in texture; which was nice, but honestly not needed. I would have just loved a bowl of those pears and sauce.

Chef Greco sat down with me for a little and shared with me some of his story. Philip Marie is the first restaurant Chef Greco opened, he also is the proud owner of 123 Burger Shot Beer, Bamboo52 Sushi Bar and Lounge and Posh Bar and Lounge. But Philip Marie is he’s first and your first always will have a special piece of your heart; and he proudly wears that piece of his heart on his sleeve as he cooks here. He has a sweet tooth; if you do too, this is where you need to eat. The restaurant opened when John Philip and his wife Suzanne Marie Greco returned from their honeymoon and decided to go all in and sell everything they owned to opened up 16 years ago here in Manhattan; the restaurant turn over capital of the world. But with great effort the husband/wife team opened up their New American restaurant and they have been in the same place (where every other restaurant but one has come and gone) since 1998. This is a quality place that you can feel the warmth from the leadership to the table staff. It was a pleasure dining under Chef Greco’s guidance.

2014 Grammy Nominations- Shockers, Delights and Kendrick!

by Ryan Shea

The 2014 Grammy Nominations were announced live last night in Los Angeles at the annual “Grammy Nominations Special” they do each year, hosted by LL Cool J. They had some pretty off the chain concerts from some of the biggest artists in the world, and it truly set the stage for a great night to come in February. When I read the list of nominees this year, some I expected, some I was somewhat surprised on, and some I was insanely baffled that got left out. Let’s break each category down and see what went right and what went really wrong.

Record Of They Year-

Lorde- “Royals”

Imagine Dragons- “Radioactive”

Robin Thicke Featuring TI & Pharrell Williams- “Blurred Lines”

Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams- “Get Lucky”

Bruno Mars- “Locked Outta Heaven”

In my original prediction blog, I had four out of five right (Hooray for me) with Imagine Dragons as an “Honorable Mention” but definitely a contender. Not surprised by any of these as they were all great nominees. Justin could’ve made this category, but I will delve much further into that on the next one. These five songs were really some of the biggest of the year, each of them representing a different genre of music in my opinion. Lorde on that pop/alternative tip, Imagine Dragons are pure alternative, Robin Thicke as the R&B crooner, Daft Punk bringing in the EDM and Bruno Mars giving us straight soul. This is going to be an interesting category of sorts because I don’t think there really is a clear cut winner here. Moving along.

Album Of The Year-

Sara Bareilles- “The Blessed Unrest”

Daft Punk- “Random Access Memories”

Kendrick Lamar- “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis- “The Heist”

Taylor Swift- “Red”

No Justin Timberlake in this category, I am beyond shocked about that. I pegged “The 20/20 Experience” as winning this award beyond easily and I truthfully believe he was the biggest snub of the night. Kind of sad when you have the biggest album of the year and you are left off such a crucial list. I think Sara and Kendrick are the surprising nominees here, in a good way. I thought Bruno Mars was a shoo in as well for “Unorthodox Jukebox” but I am somewhat glad to see him left off this list as I think Sara and Kendrick had stronger showings. Not shocked by Macklemore, Taylor or Kendrick but for the sake of my sanity I pray that Taylor doesn’t win AOTY again because “Red” wasn’t really a strong showing. It was a continuation of her last album, and I hope when she releases her new effort it has a bit of maturity to it. This is a tough one to call right now, but if I had to be personal on this- KENDRICK. Please.

Song Of The Year-

Pink & Nate Ruess- “Just Give Me A Reason”

Bruno Mars- “Locked Outta Heaven”

Katy Perry- “Roar”

Lorde- “Royals”

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Mary Lambert- “Same Love”

In my original article, I had three out of five right (Pink, Macklemore, Lorde). Katy Perry wasn’t really on my radar, and this was the category I thought Sara Bareilles had a chance at with “Brave”, which Katy insanely ripped off for “Roar”. I actually had Drake in this category for “Hold On We’re Going Home”, a song he didn’t even get nominated for this year. That to me is frustrating, as it is one of the best tracks of 2013, and its the same sentiment I felt two years ago when his song with Rihanna “Take Care” got snubbed as well. This is a pretty standard list, so nothing too surprising. They could’ve given Miley something in the main categories, especially for the teen voters, and “Wrecking Ball” is in fact a very well written song. That being said, “Same Love” has got my vote. The lyrics are incredible and if there is one award Macklemore & Ryan Lewis should win it is this one folks.

Best New Artist-

James Blake

Kacey Musgraves

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Ed Sheeran

Kendrick Lamar

Two out of five in my original predictions, with Macklemore and Kendrick easily getting nominated. The others, I don’t really know how I feel about it. First off, where the heck is Imagine Dragons and Lorde on this? Ed Sheeran has been around for a while, so I don’t get why he is nominated this year and not last year. I am beyond floored that Florida Georgia Line didn’t get ANY nominations, and I thought that they would be the perennial country nominee as well over Kacey, but I am glad to see she got in here. The shocker here is EDM producer James Blake, who is following similar pathways with EDM being recognized in the main categories as Skrillex earned a Best New Artist nod last year. Fun! won this last year, something that I thought was completely shit as it should’ve been Frank Ocean, but this is a pretty strong group across the board. Best New Artist has proven to be an award that is never really cut and dry, and many artists that have won in recent years are the one you least expect (Bon Iver over Nicki Minaj, Esperanza Spalding over Justin Bieber). So James Blake really is the odd one out in this. Macklemore really isn’t a new artist in my opinion because he has been around a lot longer than people think, so once again I would love for Kendrick to take this one home. Country nominees never win this award, so it really comes down to Kendrick and Macklemore in my opinion.

Check out the official Grammy website for all the nominees and keep checking on Manhattan Digest for our official prediction blogs in all the categories for months to come. Congrats to all the nominees, especially Kendrick and my homegirl Kathy Griffin who got a sixth nomination for Best Comedy Album! 🙂

Paul Walker of “Fast & Furious” Fame Dies at 40

by Elise Pentz

Paul’s other credits include “She’s All That” and Varsity Blues”

It’s with the heaviest heart I’m reporting that Paul Walker, 40, star of the Fast and the Furious, has tragically died in a car accident. The car he was in crashed and exploded in Santa Clarita, California at around 3:30 p.m.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials on Sunday sought to sort out the circumstances of a fiery crash in Santa Clarita that left “Fast and Furious” actor Paul Walker and another man dead. Walker was apparently the passenger in a red Porsche that crashed Saturday afternoon, soon after the actor attended a charity event. Sheriff’s officials said speed may have been a factor in the crash, which took place on a normally quiet street with a 45 mph speed limit. The Porsche was badly burned and mangled.

Witnesses said the car was fully engulfed in fire. “When I went out there, it was just smoke. Just black smoke. I thought it was a brush fire,” Alyssa Yorton told the Los Angeles Daily News. “It was engulfed in flames. There was nothing. They were trapped,” Antonio Holmes, who said he was a friend of Walker’s, told the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. He added the actor had been at a charity event earlier in the day. Holmes said the Porsche appeared to hit a tree and then slam into a light standard. KTLA News reported that debris from the crash shattered a window in a nearby building. The single-vehicle crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. in the 28300 block of Rye Canyon Loop.

Paul Walker truly shot to fame in the late 90’s with scene stealing roles in the teen flicks “She’s All That”, “Varsity Blues” and “Pleasantville”, but actually got his start in Soap Operas back in the early 90’s on the popular CBS soap “The Young And The Restless”. Known for his dashing good looks and bad boy persona, he took both of those qualities and amplified them by turning the “Fast & The Furious” movies into a multi-billion dollar franchise along long time costars Vin Diesel and Tyrese Gibson to name a few.

Let’s just keep everything positive while his family & friends attempt to deal with this devastating loss.

New York City Photography: The Queensboro Bridge

by Mark Giarrusso

The Queensboro Bridge is one of the most iconic crossings in the world. It spans the East River along side the world famous Roosevelt Island Cable Car. The bridge draws thousands of tourists and commuters per day. It also is one of the only toll-free crossings in all of New York City.
One of the best parts of the bridge is that it is available to pedestrians. Along the walkway is a chain link fence where many people leave locks with messages on them. Others are blank, leaving only the ones that have placed them to know their true meaning. It’s definitely something you have to look for but priceless when you find them.

FDR Drive, New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

Queensboro Bridge, New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

1st Ave., New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

Roosevelt Island, New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

Three Women Freed in London After 30 Years Alleged Captivity

by Blair Kaplan

Three women have been rescued from a south London home after one of the women called a local London charity to report that she had been held against her will for three decades. Two other women were also rescued from the house.

The charity, Freedom Charity, notified police of the phone call which occurred in October. According to Metropolitan Police, the phone call to the charity was made after one of the women held captive watched a documentary regarding forced marriages.

Metropolitan police have commented that a 67-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman have been taken into custody upon a slavery and domestic servitude investigation.

“All three women, who were highly traumatized, were taken to a place of safety where they remain,” police said in a statement. They confirmed that an investigation of the “very serious” allegations was underway.

The three women rescued are reportedly a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman, and a 30-year-old British woman.

It has not been reported as to which of the three woman made the phone call for help or how long the other two had been held.

A Sequel May Not Be So ‘Wonderful’

by Blair Kaplan

Sixty-seven years after Clarence got his wings, a sequel has been confirmed to be in the works for Frank Capra’s classic 1946 Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

The original film, which centers around family man, and bank manager, George Bailey, who has given up on his dreams and tries to imagine what life in his small town of Bedford Falls would be like without him, has come to be regarded as a Christmas staple for millions around the world.

A news release from the film financier, Allen J. Schwalb, and his company, Star Partners, explains that “It’s a Wonderful Life: The Rest of the Story” will pick up with what happened to the Bailey family after the end of the original film, and is said to focus on George’s mean-spirited grandson.

Schwalb has financed many other films including “Rain Main,” “The Color Purple,” and “Thelma and Louise.”

The role of little Zuzu Bailey will continue to be played by actress, Karolyn Grimes. It is also rumored that there have been talks with other living cast members of the original to see if they would want to join the sequel.

It will be interesting to see if the film ever even takes off, as NBC controls the rights to “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and only airs the classic sparingly during the holidays.

For a film that is considered one of the most critically acclaimed of all time, many are understandably feeling that the creation of a sequel will be more like a lump of coal than a present under the tree. Only time will tell, though it remains difficult to imagine that a sequel will do such a classic film any justice.

Screenwriter for the sequel, Bob Farnsworth, seems to understand all of the uproar. “Look, no one can make another ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ But our story is solid, and we are going in with our eyes open. There is no doubt about it, there will be a ruckus. But I have this motto: All it takes to be a leader is to have a cause you believe in. And the stronger you believe in the cause, the more adversaries you will have. We strongly believe in this.”

The film is projected to be released in time for the 2015 holiday season.

BREAKING NEWS

Paul’s other credits include “She’s All That” and Varsity Blues”

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