It was truly a GIRLS NIGHT! The lovely team at Nike wined us and most definitely dined us. 6pm Thursday evening we we’re escorted by a black Escalade and driver outside our Dimepiece office and handed a pretty little silver key. Soon the surprise unraveled in our hands as we found ourselves at L.A. live in the heart of downtown. Dinner, drinks, 12 gorgeous ladies, and a pop idol named Lady Gaga.
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Thanks to our girl at KidViskous for mentioning our brand in this issue for Style In Progress magazine based in Austria. Great article and great info on upcoming brands in Los Angeles, including DimePiece
In honor of the material girl’s 52nd birthday, Flavorpill comprised a list of 52 interesting facts. Then, I copied and pasted the hell out of it. Here’s some parts of the list that I found interesting. View the full list at the source.
7. Madonna once described her childhood self to Vanity Fair as a “lonely girl who was searching for something. I wasn’t rebellious in a certain way. I cared about being good at something. I didn’t shave my underarms and I didn’t wear make-up like normal girls do. But I studied and I got good grades…. I wanted to be somebody.”
12. She dropped out of college in 1977 and moved to New York City with only $35 in her pocket.
13. Madonna worked several minimum wage jobs to make ends meet, including one at a Dunkin’ Donuts.
20. Madonna’s often-copied signature ’80s look was created by stylist and jewelry designer Maripol.
22. Family organizations tried to get the video for “Like a Virgin” banned for promoting premarital sex. They were even more upset after Madonna’s now infamous performance of the song at MTV’s Video Music Awards. As she recalls it:” I remember my manager Freddy shouting to me, ‘Oh my God! What were you doing? You were wearing a wedding dress. Oh my God! You were rolling around on the floor!’ It was the bravest, most blatant sexual thing I had ever done on television.”
32. The Pope asked people not to attend Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour, which involved Madonna simulating masturbation on stage while caressing two male dancers. Her response: “I am Italian American and proud of it. [...] The tour in no way hurts anybody’s sentiments. It’s for open minds and gets them to see sexuality in a different way. Their own and others.”
35. Madonna dated Vanilla Ice for eight months. (girl, what?)
39. After a series of sexual escapades (including handing David Letterman a pair of her underwear during an interview and asking him to smell it) many critics wondered if Madonna’s career was over.
VICTORY! Today Judge Vaughn Walker overturned Prop. 8 sighting among other details:
“Proposition 8 places the force of law behind stigmas against gays and lesbians, including: gays and lesbians do not have intimate relationships similar to heterosexual couples; gays and lesbians are not as good as heterosexuals; and gay and lesbian relationships do not deserve the full recognition of society.”
The passing of the proposition was confusing, and thankfully our legal system has reacted appropriately. The full decision is here. I believe it’s 139 pages so sit back and take in all the legal jargon.
It’s great to get good news, so celebrate!
My friends and I were out to dinner last night when one of them brought up the subject of a man whom she had previously been seeing who was uncomfortable with the fact that she had her own condoms before they were physically intimate. She jokingly retorted, “I thought it was weird that he didn’t have any.” As we discussed this situation further, I began to wonder what being prepared with sexual contraceptives (and specifically condoms) implies to the opposite sex and whether those implications are negative.
First of all, I definitely think that being prepared by taking the birth control pill and being prepared by having condoms in your bureau are regarded differently by the opposite sex. Birth control can be used to stabilize a menstrual cycle and many women start taking it as a young age before they’re even sexually active. Condoms, on the other hand, have a clear definition: protecting you and your partner from unwanted pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infection. When presented in those terms, it’s hard to see why anyone would be uncomfortable with a woman wanting to protect herself from such things. Unfortunately, I think that a lot of men still believe that while it is their job to be prepared “just in case”, women should take a more antiquated approach to sex. When a woman is prepared for a ”just in case” situation, it can imply that she may be receptive to casual sex or, to whomever she is currently with, that she is not being exclusive. Neither of those things is necessarily wrong or reflects poorly on a person, but I think that a double standard still exists there.
As for my personal beliefs, I think that if anything, it should be a sign of maturity and responsibility that your partner is being safe and is prepared for the unexpected. However, I could probably count on one hand how many times I have bought condoms. There are a couple of reasons for this, the most pertinent being that I don’t put myself in situations where things could get out of hand and I do something that, while it may be fun at the time, I could end up regretting later on. When I am ready to take the next step, it is discussed beforehand and my partner or myself will have made arrangements. Another reason that I do not keep condoms: they’re expensive. I figure that if a man cares about me and is serious about a physical relationship, he should have no problem spending that money. I suppose that may be an old-fashioned way of looking at things and perhaps I’d be willing to rethink this position if I were in a long-term relationship, but so far, I have not had any complaints. I think that more often than not, spending $10 on condoms is better than the alternative, which is having no use for said condoms.
What do you guys think? Are you prepared with your own contraceptives or do you leave it up to your partner? Would you judge someone for being prepared? Have you dealt with condom judgment before? If so, how did you handle it?
Recently, I got into a debate with a friend about the merits of seeing a musician live versus listening to their album or hearing them on the radio. Seeing as how I have made a small career out of attending concerts, I argued vehemently in favor of the live music experience. While I do agree that not every musician you like will impress you live, for me, an artist’s live show really dictates to what degree I will continue to support their music. Oftentimes, I find myself leaving a venue in awe, feeling as though the music is still coursing through my veins, my head buzzing with adrenaline, remembering the way the musician’s body curled and swayed as their own lyrics overtook them. How can you translate that experience completely onto a cd? It’s impossible.
The Top Ten Must-See Upcoming Tours:
10. LCD Soundsystem: Fronted by music producer James Murphy, this experimental electronic group is perhaps one of the most exuberant and belligerent acts you will have the opportunity to see live. James Murphy is known for being a bit of a loose cannon, often bringing a bottle of champagne on stage with him and taking generous swigs throughout his set. As if that weren’t enough, opening for the group at the Hollywood Bowl will be Hot Chip, an electro-pop hailing from the United Kingdom, known for their catchy dance tunes and energetic sets. In addition, newcomer Sleigh Bells has just been added to the roster. The noise-pop duo recently released an album in May to critical acclaim and the LCD show will be a great time to catch them live since their recent show HARD M.I.A was suddenly cancelled. Tickets for the October 15th tour date should be on sale within t
he next week.
9. Blonde Redhead: This multi-lingual rock trio has been making music for about fifteen years, yet never fails to impress. This September they will release their highly anticipated eighth studio album Penny Sparkle and tour shortly afterwards with the German DJ, Pantha Du Prince. Whenever you are given the opportunity to see musicians with such a large, yet consistently good music catalogue, seize it! Blonde Redhead will be performing at The Glass House on November 14th and The Music Box on November 15th, tickets are currently available on ticketmaster.
8. Grizzly Bear: For those of you who prefer something a bit more lowkey, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to Grizzly Bear. The Brooklyn-based folk band has developed quite the resume, perhaps their most notable achievement being headlining a tour with Radiohead in 2008. In fact, Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood has since claimed that Grizzly Bear is his favorite band. The band, who has not performed in Los Angeles since October of 2009, will be playing at the Hollywood Bowl on September 18th with the bands Phoenix and Girls.
7. Dirty Projectors: This experimental rock group began to gain notoriety with the release of their sophomore album, Bitte Orca released last year. A stellar performance at Coachella Music Festival in April sealed the deal for the group and they seem to have only gained popularity and acclaim since. Most recently, the band released a digital ep entitled Mount Wittenberg Orca with musical legend Björk and although she won’t be joining them on tour this time, this young, energetic band alone promises not to disappoint. The Dirty Projectors will be playing at Pomona’s Glass House on September 23rd and The Wiltern on September 24th.
6. Florence & the Machine: Whether or not you realize it, you’re already familiar with Florence Welch’s music. The familiar drumming from her single ‘Dog Days are Over‘ can be heard on movie trailers (such as Eat, Pray, Love) and in your favorite television show’s score. Pretty impressive for an artist that has only released one album, right? Florence has not returned to California since Coachella and the fiery redhead’s highly anticipated US tour is sure to exceed all expectations. You can catch the English songstress at The Wiltern on November 6th.
5. Gorillaz: Who doesn’t love Gorillaz? The virtual band recently unveiled their faces at Coachella, proving themselves to be fairly non-descript outside of their music, which continues to impress and break boundaries. The band’s live show also tends to include at least a few prolific guest stars, past performers include Bobby Womack, Little Dragon, Snoop Dogg and Lou Reed. The band will be performing their 2010 release, Plastic Beach at Gibson Ampitheatre on October 27th and tickets will be available for purchase after August 6th.
4. Jónsi: Best known for his vocals with the Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós, Jónsi released his first solo album Go in April of this year, surprising audiences with an innovative orchestral sound that paired nicely with his falsetto vocals. Jónsi will begin his first American solo tour this fall, with a single stop in Los Angeles on October 17th at The Wiltern.
3. The Black Keys: Following the success of their most recent album, Brothers, blues-rock group The Black Keys will be bringing their soulful tunes to Los Angeles for a single date in September. The Black Keys music is reminiscent of classic Southern blues and only a precious few talented artists are experimenting within this genre. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear your favorite old and new hits from this Ohio rock band at the Hollywood Palladium on September 27th.
2. AIR: You might remember first hearing their sensual, lulling music as the score of 1999’s blockbuster Virgin Suicides. AIR, a backronym which has come to stand for Amour, Imagination, Rêve (Love, Imagination, Dream), consists of two talented Frenchmen who have, since their debut, redefined electronica music. The duo will be promoting their 2009 release Love 2 as well as performing some of their older catalogue, on October 23rd at the Shrine Auditorium. In addition, opening for AIR will be newcomers Quadron, an electronic soul duo whose self-titled premier album has garnered much attention since it’s debut only a few months ago.
1. 
of Montreal & Janelle Monae: What could be a better way to kick off your Halloween weekend than to treat yourself to what is sure to be a theatrical and spooky show with the Georgian rock band of Montreal and petite songbird Janelle Monae? of Montreal is currently gearing up to release their tenth full-length studio album False Priest, which has been described by its members as “very dancy, very funky…” and with a “thick R&B influence.” Janelle Monae’s recent release The ArchAndroid features of Montreal on one of her more notable tracks while the rest of the album proves to be creatively genius as it tells the story of her heroic alter-ego Cindi Mayweather through song. The singer is known for art-inspired cinematic performances and surely we can expect no less from her on her Hallow’s Eve date with of Montreal. Janelle Monae and of Montreal will be performing on October 30th at the Hollywood Palladium.
Last night I was sitting around listening to Portishead’s album, Dummy. I thought everyone should know this album and this is my way of making sure you do. If you’re already aware then congratulations on being so phenomenal. Otherwise, listen:
There’s just certain things that are so great that you have to remember to keep sharing them. A few weeks back, I recall hearing about kids in highschool not knowing who Tupac was, and it hurt my heart. Seriously, he was so profound to me at seven years old and I feel like everyone should know his name.
It’s the same with Portishead. I always felt this performance. I even recall the first time I played it. It’s not often that a musician sounds better live than on the track, but to me this is one of those cases. I feel because a musician is giving you an added sense of their visual presence and the vocal imperfections more relied on feeling – they have a better chance to connect. She did that, with nice cigarette accessory.
Westboro Baptist Church decided to protest outside a Lady Gaga concert in St. Louis. This specific congregation is known for it’s “God Hates F*gs,” anti-Jew and anti-Obama attacks. They basically love God by being bigots, I’m assuming. When asked why they were protesting the concert they say a number of things, but namely that Lady Gaga fans are tone-deaf.
“Now what type of wicked hypocrites would we be if we did not warn this little false prophetess and all of her over-indulged sycophants that they are each one, individually heading straight to hell in a gender-confused, self-loathing, tone-deaf hand basket and that a gift from the God they hate?”
Clearly those are fighting words, and I will never understand why fanatical God lovers adore the threat of Hell so much. They’re advertising hell gift baskets. Hell. Gift. Baskets.
But now for the good part, Lady Gaga puts her Twitter to use and shuts them down. This is over 140, but NY Mag said it’s from Twitter, so I believe them. (I just know it becomes a rant and people hate to read pass 140 in the Twitter streets.)
“At the risk of drawing attention to a hateful organization, I would like to make my little monster fan aware of a protest being held outside the Monsterball in St.Louis tonight. Although we have had protesters before, as well as fundamentalists at the show this group of protesters are hate criminals and preach using lude and violent language and imagery that I wish I protect you all from. Their message is of hatred and divisiveness, but inside at the Monsterball we preach love and unity. My request to all little monsters and public authority is to pay these hate criminals no mind. Do not interact with them, or try to fight. Do not respond to any of their provocation. Don’t waste your words, or feelings, no matter what you hear or see. You are more fortunate and blessed than they are, and in your heart just pray for them. Although I respect and do not judge anyone for their personal views on any politics or religion, this group in particular to me, is violent and dangerous. I wanted to make my fans aware of my views on how to approach, or rather not approach, these kinds of hate activists. Be inspired to ignore their ignorant message, and feel gratitude in your heart that you are not burdened or addicted to hate, as they are.”
Now, there’s some Godly action. Although counter-protest is awesome too and has happened on occasion with the Westboro clan. I believe I watched some special on this group but it was so long ago. I just remember thinking “wow, how unfortunate for their kids.” I believe they introduce hate speech to their kids – well, of course they do. I just hope they get extremely rebellious around their teens and break down the logic (or lack thereof).
Sidenote: I love that Lady Gaga calls her fans monsters. I personally would be like… “the fuck?” I do understand the concept, but yea… you’re not calling me no damn monster, heffa.
Katy Perry was recently seen in our ‘Hold Me Tight’ dress with ivory patches. Available here. She looks so adorable in the dress. Love it!
Credit: Katy Perry Fansite
It’s ridiculous how far yet behind we are as people. I’m sad that I’m honestly not surprised at our “justice system.” Justice really just lacks meaning and weight to me. Justice means so little in these times – it has no correlation with what is right. There’s a line between right and justice and it’s thick as hell.
My heart goes out to Oscar Grant’s mother, his family, his child. Yes, Mehserle was found guilty, but someone can accidentally shoot themselves and get the same conviction. It obviously wasn’t an accident. Unarmed, face down, a gun was pointed at him and fired. Where’s the accident? Officers need to be held accountable, they hold a lot of responsibility. When something is senselessly done the justice system should let officers know how great that responsibility is. Did officer Mehserle even look down and see a human life?
It just makes me wonder what will have to be done to cure our social sicknesses. We’ve had the Civil Rights Movement and peaceful protesting, and we’ve made LA burn. How do you protect yourself from those vowed to protect you? I’m angry but I’m mostly tired – just tired of expecting the justice system to be fucked up when it comes to color, something so simple.
