• Beauty,  Gift Guide,  San Diego,  Toronto,  Vancouver,  WorldWide

    Premier Below-the-Waist Hygiene Brand Asks Canadians an All-Important Question on a Totally Taboo Topic: Have You Embraced the ‘Scape?

    MANSCAPED, the first and only brand dedicated to men’s below-the-waist grooming, is venturing… above-the-belt. The leading and fastest growing male hygiene company is bursting at the drawstrings, having officially announced its hotlyawaited arrival in Canada. This milestone launch answers the strong Canadian demand the brand has received across multiple platforms for MANSCAPED‘s sought-after products.

    “We’re beyond excited to pioneer the men’s below-the-waist grooming movement in Canada, catapulting off a successful groundswell in the U.S. and, most recently, Australia,” said Stephanie Hinze, Director of Global Operations at MANSCAPED, who hails from U.S.’s neighbor to the north. “Canadians across provinces and territories are embracing the global trend toward more progressive male grooming. Now, they will finally have access to the right tools for the job.”

    MANSCAPED has developed a full line of top-tier products that have quickly become a staple and part of the daily grooming regimen of more than 1,000,000 consumers in the U.S. – and counting. The intelligently designed product range includes precision-engineered tools, unique formulations and innovative accessories that ensure a simple, effective and hygienic manscaping routine.

    With a reported 85% of women who prefer men who groom their goods, MANSCAPED is sure to be warmly welcomed by Canadian ladies and gents alike. “We believe our notion of Refining the Gentleman aligns with the multi-faceted culture in Canada and will spearhead a new era for the country’s modern consumer, across all genders and walks of life,” added Hinze.

    “The MANSCAPED Movement is more than providing the proper tools for the job; we’re on a mission to empower men and end the stigma that comes with tending to one’s nether regions,” said Paul Tran, Founder and CEO of MANSCAPED. “Together with our amazing partners at the Testicular Cancer Society, we are opening up the conversation, answering questions and clearing up any misunderstandings about the subject – and in our signature light-hearted and humorous way that Canadians have been very receptive to already!”

    Dedicated to cultivating relationships directly with their customers, MANSCAPED offers a one-stop-shop online at ca.manscaped.com. Here, manscapers can purchase a range of packages and hygiene plans, get limitedtime offers, and even learn some trimming tips and tricks on the highly educational and entertaining blog, The Man Cave. In addition, Canadians can find MANSCAPED products on Amazon.ca, with Prime and pickup options available. Major retail updates throughout Canada are to follow, after a successful national rollout in Target stores in the U.S. last fall.

    About MANSCAPED:

    Founded in 2017, San Diego, California-based MANSCAPED is the only brand dedicated to men’s grooming and hygiene below-the-waist. The product range includes top-of-the-line precision-engineered tools, unique formulations and accessories to ensure a simple and effective manscaping routine. With direct-to-consumer shipping in the U.S., Australia and Canada, as well as in-store options across the U.S., MANSCAPED is a one-stop shopping destination for men looking for a brand that is focused on the needs of what has, for too long, been a sensitive and often taboo subject. For more information, visit MANSCAPED.com or follow on FacebookInstagramTwitter, and YouTube.

  • Toronto

    Chilly Gonzales and Chico Marx: New album Solo Piano III

     The tempo shift happened when Chilly Gonzales discovered Chico Marx. Through a screening of the Marx Brothers film A Night At The Opera, it was the childhood moment when he unsnarled his strict classical piano training and glimpsed a new way to play piano. To see Chico Marx play the piano and blow the mind of his audience while creating such a playful yet sophisticated, but silly childlike experience really stood out in contrast to the pretty stiff atmosphere of my music lessons. I credit Chico Marx with showing me that the piano could be used as a tool of righteous entertainment.

    Today he unveils his new song, Chicofrom his upcoming album ‘Solo Piano III’, out via Gentle Threat on September 7, 2018. Named for this early childhood inspiration and dedicated to the modern-day equivalent of Marx (and accomplished Berklee-trained bassist) American Comedian Eric André, the song embodies both Marx’ and André’ ethos; Chico is playful stopping/starting, shifting, edge-of-your-seat musical storytelling.

    Watch and share ‘Chico’ in PIANOVISION here: https://youtu.be/hfFyO65ufIg

     

    Find links to all of Chilly Gonzales’ music on various platforms at chillygonzales.com
    ABOUT CHILLY GONZALES & SOLO PIANO III

    Grammy-winning Canadian pianist, entertainer and composer Chilly Gonzales will release the final album of his Solo Piano trilogy, Solo Piano III, on September 7th, 2018. The album comes six years after Solo Piano II and, according to Gonzales, at “more problematic inflection point”.  “Like its predecessors, it’s a mostly happy ending in C major, but there is more dissonance, tension and ambiguity along the way… The musical purity of Solo Piano III is not an antidote for our times, it is a reflection of all the beauty and ugliness around us.”

    Known as much for the intimate piano touch of best-selling albums Solo Piano I and Solo Piano II as for his showmanship and composition for award-winning stars, “Gonzo”, as he is known to close collaborators, aims to be a man of his time, approaching the piano with classical and jazz training but with the attitude of a rapper. He holds the Guinness world record for the longest solo concert at over 27 hours. He performs and writes songs with Jarvis Cocker, Feist and Drake, among others, with recent collaborators including the likes of Ibeyi and Toddla T. With Never Stop, Chilly Gonzales composed a global hit for the inaugural Apple iPad 2 campaign. In 2014 he won a Grammy for his collaboration on Daft Punk‘Best Album of the Year’ and composed the best-selling book of easy piano pieces Re-Introduction Etudes. With his last album Chambers, Chilly Gonzales devoted himself to finding a modern take on chamber music.

    -30-

    TOUR DATES
    2018 
    Fri 31 Aug – GENEVA – Centre des Arts of École Internationale de Genève
    Sat 01 Sept – GENEVA – Centre des Arts of École Internationale de Genève
    Sun 02 Sept – GENEVA – Centre des Arts of École Internationale de Genève
    Fri 7 Sept – LONDON – Cadogan Hall
    Sat 8 Sept – LEEDS – Howard Assembly Rooms
    Mon 10 Sept – LONDON – Queen Elizabeth Hall (Southbank Center)
    Tue 11 Sept – MANCHESTER – Royal Northern College of Music
    Tue 18 Sept – KÖLN 1LIVE – SPIII Pop Music Masterclass Concert LIVESTREAM
    Sat 22 Sept – PARIS – Collège des Bernardins
    Mon 24 Sept – PARIS – Salle Gaveau
    Tue 25 Sept – PARIS – Salle Gaveau
    Wed 26 Sept – PARIS – Salle Gaveau
    Thur 18 Oct – TORONTO – Koerner Hall
    Sat 20 Oct – TORONTO – Koerner Hall
    Mon 22 Oct – OTTAWA – Southam Hall at National Arts Center
    Wed 24 Oct – QUEBEC CITY – Palais Montcalm
    Fri 26 Oct – MONTREAL – Maison Symphonique at Place des Arts
    Sat 27 Oct – MONTREAL – Maison Symphonique at Place des Arts
    Wed 21 Nov – BERLIN – Haus der Berliner Festspiele
    Thur 22 Nov – BERLIN – Haus der Berliner Festspiele
    Fri 23 Nov – BERLIN – Haus der Berliner Festspiele
    Sat 8 Dec – AMSTERDAM – Koninklijk Theatre Carré
    Tue 11 Dec – HAMBURG – Laeiszhalle
    Sat 15 Dec – DORTMUND – Konzerthaus
    Fri 28 Dec  – KÖLN – Philharmonie
    Sat 29 Dec – KÖLN – Philharmonie

    2019 
    Fri 15 Feb – BORDEAUX – Théâtre Femina
    Sat 16 Feb – BORDEAUX – Théâtre Femina
    Sun 17 Feb – TOULOUSE – La Halle aux Grains
    Sun 3 Mar – LUXEMBOURG – Philharmonie
    Tue 5 March – BRUXELLES – Bozart
    Fri 8 March – FRANKFURT – Alte Oper
    Sun 10 March – STUTTGART – Beethovensaal
    Thur 21 March – DÜSSELDORF – Tonhalle
    Mon 22 April – LEIPZIG – Gewandhaus
    Tue 23 April – BERLIN – Philharmonie
    Sat 27 April – MUNICH – Herkulessaal

    ON TV THIS FALL
    Chilly Gonzales profiled as part of In The Making on CBC TV
    Episode airs October 19, 2018.
    Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TatE4Oj8rug

    IN CINEMAS THIS AUTUMN
    Shut Up and Play the Piano
    82 mins. career retrospective documentary directed by Philipp Jedicke
    First premiered at 2018 Berlinale Film Festival. Being released on October 5, 2018 in North America. The film will screen at Pop Montreal as Film POP 2018’s official closing film on Sunday, September 30, 2018. https://popmontreal.com/en/calendar/enspectacle/shut-up-and-play-the-piano/2018-71216/

  • Asian,  Austin,  Australia,  Baltimore,  Bitty,  Chicago,  Fashion,  Las Vegas,  London,  Los Angeles,  Miami,  New York,  Toronto,  Vancouver,  WorldWide

    Pumpkin Spice Latte Inspired Beauty

    It is finally starting to feel like fall around New York City, and that can only mean one thing: Pumpkin spice everything! Yes—that includes your beauty routine! Try a PSL-inspired look using glimmering bronzers, warm-toned eyeshadow, orange-hued lipstick and more. Shop our favorites below!

     

  • Asian,  Austin,  Australia,  Baltimore,  Bitty,  Chicago,  Gaming,  Las Vegas,  London,  Los Angeles,  Miami,  New York,  Technology,  Toronto,  Vancouver,  WorldWide

    Emmy Looks for Less From Azazie

    Television’s elite rocked the red carpet to celebrate the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards and a rainbow of fashion frocks took center stage.  If you want to sport a similar style, but not sure you can handle the price tag, don’t fear!  Azazie.com – an online bridal wear retailer that boasts made-to-measure dresses at a fraction of industry costs – has an array of stunning styles to make sure you look like a million dollars, without spending it. For some style inspiration, highlights of the night include:

     

    Wonderful in White – With summer wedding season barely in the rearview mirror, many celebrities – such as Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black) and Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld) – opted to wear white for television’s big night.  Trying to extend her newlywed status a little longer, Sofia Vergara joined the club, donning a beautiful strapless white Marx Zunino mermaid gown that showed off her amazing figure. For a similarly stunning look, Azazie’s Misty ($249) gown is a flattering sweetheart tulle strapless gown with a full pleated bodice and corset back that is sure to fit you like a glove, without breaking the bank.

     

    Red Carpet Ready  – Red is always a sizzling color that ensures you’ll stand out in a crowd. Helping her to do just that, Edie Falco wore a beautiful one-shouldered red gown that accentuated her curves in all the right places.  Similarly stunning, Azazie’s Carissa floor-length one-shoulder chiffon dress boasts a trumpet/mermaid silhouette, twisted flare in the back and one-sided ruching at the hip, all for the incredible cost of $129.

     

    Orange is the New Black – Color dresses were abundant at the award show and Viola Davis is always one to embrace a bold hue. Tonight was no exception, as she wore a bright orange Zac Posen gown with thick straps and front detailing. Azazie carries several similar styles that offer a ton of bang for your buck.  The floor-length Melinda dress (shown in Tangerine; $129) features spaghetti straps leading up to a halter neckline, pleating throughout the top of the bodice and pockets to stash some money and your favorite shade of lip-gloss.  Kaitlynn (shown in papaya; $119) is a floor-length, empire style dress with a heavily pleated bodice that is sure to flatter any figure.

    Back to the Basics – Celebrities were looking to make their mark at the Emmys and did so with interesting necklines (plunging galore!), embellishments and back detailing.  Shailene Woodley showed off her sexy side, wearing a green spaghetti strap dress with double back strap detailing for a little edge.  Azazie’s floor-length Kailyn ($119) dress boasts a similar strappy look, featuring an overlay of chiffon for an illusion halter neckline and back straps held together with a jewel button.

    All Azazie.com dresses range in size from 0-30, as well as custom sizing and come in over 60 colors.

  • Asian,  Austin,  Australia,  Baltimore,  Bitty,  Chicago,  Las Vegas,  London,  Los Angeles,  Miami,  My dog Cami,  My Dog Jacob,  New York,  Photography,  Seoul,  Technology,  Toronto,  Vancouver,  WorldWide

    The Art of Mastering The Perfect Blowout

    It is time to drop your weekly hair appointment to the salon, and pick up the blow dryer yourself! You know what they say, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Okay so maybe it’s not that big of a deal, but what if your favorite hair dresser is on vacation and you have an important date? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep these skills in your pocket for a rainy day. Mastering the perfect blowout isn’t as hard as you think. Check out my tips below!

    The perfect blowout starts in the shower with a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for your hair. I have fine and frizzy hair so I like to use sulfate-free shampoos. My personal favorites are the Moroccan Oil Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner. The gentle hydrating shampoo and conditioner has antioxidant argon oil & replenishing nutrients to help cleanse & hydrate dehydrated hair. Make sure to get all the product out of your hair to make sure you have a long-lasting blowout. The conditioner leaves an oily residue in your hair that makes your blowout look greasy.

    Price: $9.50/$10.00 for a 2.4 oz bottle

    Apply a heat protecting spray to damp clean hair to avoid damaging your hair when using the dryer. I love the TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Leave‑In Spray. I have used this spray since High School when I flat-ironed my hair daily *cringe*. You can get it at Target for $4 and it works just as well as any fancy brand.

    Price: $3.99

    Next up, divide the hair into small sections. I divide my hair into 5 sections because my arm gets tired quite fast( I really need to hit the gym) and my hair is very thin making it easier to dry. There is no magic number for how many sections you can have but stick to working with a small amount of hair at a time to make sure that the hair is properly dried.

    Here’s a more visual description provided by NEXXUS:

    Start in the back of your head and using a large round brush wrap the hair around the brush. Start drying your hair with the brush vertically. Make sure the blow dryer isn’t directly touching your hair to avoid damaging your strands. Take your time with each section and add volume by putting the brush under the hair at the crown of your head. Twirl hair away from your face for that desired bouncy effect.

    Conair – Infiniti Pro Hair Dryer

    Price: $32.99

    Ceramic + Ion Thermal Hairbrush

    Price: $19.95

    Spray your hair with a finishing spray to avoid any fly aways. I personally use HASK Flexible Finish HairSpray- Light Hold. It helps seal my hair without making my hair stiff.

    Price: $4

  • Asian,  Austin,  Australia,  Baltimore,  Bitty,  Chicago,  Las Vegas,  London,  Los Angeles,  Miami,  My dog Cami,  My Dog Jacob,  New York,  Photography,  Seoul,  Toronto,  Vancouver,  WorldWide

    Game of Thrones: Daenerys Targaryen’s Best Outfits

     

    If you haven’t heard of HBO’s Game of Thrones yet, I don’t know what rock in bikini bottom you’ve been living under. Just this past Sunday alone the show pulled in a total audience of 13.64 million viewers. That’s more people than the population of New York City and Los Angeles combined! Based off George R.R. Martin’s best-selling book series “A Song of Ice and Fire”, the show takes you through every single emotion possibly imagined. The costumes are also pretty incredible! One of my favorite parts of the show is how fan favorite, Daenerys Targaryen, has a new outfit for literally every situation. The queen is truly ready for anything! I mean did you see her snow queen outfit this past week?! Elsa who? From her draped dresses to her sexiest fits, Here are some of her best looks throughout the Game of Thrones series!

     

    Let’s us know what you think of Daenerys Targayen’s outfits! Who’s best looks from Game of Thrones do you want to see next?