June 30, 2010

MTV Breaks Down Deathly Hallows Trailer

MTV.com
posted an interesting write-up this week featuring highlights from the latest Deathly Hallows trailer. In their story MTV highlights six important moments from the trailer which is a little over two minutes long. Their six key moments are:

The Attack at the Ministry
There are only two quick shots of the Ministry battle, but they promise greatness from that scene. At 1:24, there is a shot of Ron (Rupert Grint) running away terrified, and then at 1:46, there is another shot of the Ministry employee who is pursuing him.

Godric's Hollow
Another section of "Part 1" that made it to the trailer is Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione's (Emma Watson) journey to the home of Harry's parents, Godric's Hollow. Their entrance can be seen at the one-minute mark, and even though it looks like only Hermione is walking, that is because Harry is under the invisibility cloak. There is a lot more to the location than meets the eye, though, and you can see Harry being attacked by Voldemort's snake Nagini inside Bathilda Bagshot's home at 1:47.

Ron Destroying the Slytherin Necklace Horcrux
In the scene that has long been assumed will close out "Part 1," Ron reunites with Harry in the woods and helps him destroy one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. At 1:17, Ron can be seen looking terrified of the images the Horcrux is showing them (some pretty scandalous scenes between Harry and Hermione), and then at 1:48, Harry can be seen encouraging Ron to "kill it!"

The Gringott's Break-In
Switching to moments that will (assumedly) occur in "Part 2," it might seem a bit confusing to see Harry riding alongside his enemy Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) with a goblin named Griphook (Warwick Davis) at :54, but that's actually because Hermione is impersonating Bellatrix, a scene Carter said she enjoyed playing. The shot of a half-blind dragon at 1:16 also comes from the Gringott's scene, and the dragon flying away from the wizarding bank at 1:39 is the trio's escape route to safety.

Harry's First Confrontation With Voldemort
It was an interesting move to open up the trailer with one of the final scenes in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," but the shots of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) standing with his Death Eaters in the woods and Harry approaching them actually come toward the end of the story. "Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, come to die!" Voldemort announces dramatically in the trailer, before seemingly casting the killing curse — Avada Kedavra — on Harry.

The Final Battle
A good portion of the action scenes that are shown in the trailer are taken from the final battle sequence that will take place at the end of "Part 2." USA Today announced that the battle was expanded for the film, which means those shots of people running at each other in the woods are probably from the creative mind of director David Yates. But the wand confrontation between Harry and Voldemort at 1:59 is right out of the book, and Voldemort's final line of the trailer — "Only I can live forever" — is a daunting way of teasing the final installments of the "Harry Potter" franchise.

I have to admit I'm getting really excited about this movie. I kind of jumped on the Harry Potter bandwagon a little late (I've only read the last two books), but I'm extremely impressed with the two books I've read and all the movies they've put out thus far. The movie for the last book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be divided into two parts with the first part being released November of this year. I'm pretty sure both movies will be nothing short of epic. The trailer below features bits from both part one and part two.

June 29, 2010

Mimobot Giveaway

Thanks to the good people over at Mimoco I'm giving away one of the Mimobots pictured below. Each Mimobot comes with 2GB of storage, MimoByte sound software, MimoZine digital magazine, and other perks.

Golden Panda


Giddy Up


To enter the giveaway hit me up at Danielle@TheDDiaries.com with the name of your favorite Mimobot. A winner (must reside in the U.S.) will be chosen next Tuesday, July 6 and notified via e-mail.

To view other Mimobots visit Mimoco.com.

Stream Big Boi's New Album Before Its Release


If you want to get a sneak peek at what is sure to be one of the hottest albums this year then you're in luck, MySpace is letting fans listen to Big Boi's new album in its entirety. I've yet to hear the full album, but as soon as this janky ass internet connection gets it together I'm on it! I've posted several songs/videos from the album in the past month because I'm feeling all of it. Be extra sure to cop the album when it's released on Tuesday, July 6.

Click here to stream Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son Of Chico Dusty.

June 28, 2010

"Don't Mean A Thing" Video Premiere At East Side Lounge (ATL)

If you're in the Atlanta area tomorrow be sure to check out the video premiere of Simp and Q-San's Beat Studies-produced track "Don't Mean A Thing." The music video also features Binkis Recs' Fluxwonda and is directed by Studio 8. It's all going down at East Side Lounge around 9 p.m. this Tuesday. And for those of y'all who don't know, East Side Lounge happens to have some of the best margaritas in town...just ask my buddy Amoura. Also, check out some Behind The Scenes footage of the video below.

Behind the Scene of "Don't Mean a Thing" Music Video from Studio 8 on Vimeo.



Ava Anderson Non-Toxic Lip Products (Review)


In a world full of products that are constantly being recalled because of harmful ingredients, toxicity levels, etc. there is Ava Anderson a product line that consists of makeup that is non-toxic. Check out my review of Ava Anderson's line of lip products which consists of lip balm, lip glosses, and lipsticks.

Ava Anderson Lip Balm - Of the three products I sampled this is easily my favorite. I love that it's made of a bunch of really good stuff like sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and shea butter. All of the products have an amazing minty smell thanks to the inclusion of spearmint leaf oil (which you can actually taste if you're into licking your lips, a la LL Cool J). It goes on really smooth and it keeps lips moisturized for hours. If it had more of a shine to it I would have no problem rocking the lip balm alone, no lip gloss or lipstick needed.

Ava Anderson Lip Gloss - The lip gloss is about average and I think a thicker gloss may have been more beneficial. I actually wish the line of glosses consisted of more colors. The line only consists of four colors: Tutu, Sunrise, Plum Tart, and Hot Chocolate. The first three I named have a reddish color to them and kind of look the same on (mostly clear with a slight reddish tint). I think it would be awesome if she incorporated a few darker colors and nude shades as well. Also, there's something about the applicator that kinda turned me off.

Ava Anderson Lipstick - First off, I must say that I'm not really the biggest lipstick fan. I hardly ever buy it because I've yet to find one that works for me. Okay, now that that's out the way...I'll first say that Ava Anderson's lipsticks are very moisturizing, one might even be able to bypass the lip balm all together. I know that's a sin in the world of lipstick, but it really is that moisturizing. Aside from that I found that the shade of the lipstick was somewhat different than how it appeared on the skin. Example...



I know that's not the best example. But I expected the color pictured above (Hot Cider) to be a lot darker on my lips than it really was. Also, the colors had a bit of sheerness to them which can be either good or bad depending on your preference in lipstick.

For pricing info or to check out more products from Ava Anderson visit AvaAndersonNonToxic.com.

Big K.R.I.T. Live In NYC

Big K.R.I.T., the latest addition to Def Jam and Hip Hop's next big thing, will be performing at S.O.B.'s in New York City on Wednesday, June 30. The show will serve as a celebration of K.R.I.T.'s signing to Def Jam. Attendee's can also expect performances from Curren$y, YC The Cynic, and more.

Also, for my Atlanta peeps I'm pretty sure K.R.I.T. has a show down here on July 10. Don't quote me on that, but I think I saw something on his Twitter page about it.

As always, peep the flyer below for more info.

June 26, 2010

Carol's Daughter's Hair Milk Line Review (Video)


Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to try out Carol's Daughter's new line of Hair Milk products. The line consists of a shampoo, conditioner, and Hair Milk lite. Like the original Hair Milk product the Hair Milk line is primarily for women with natural, curly hair. The line is supposed to help in creating soft, manageable, and frizz-free curls. Check out my video review of the entire Hair Milk line below.

P.S. This is my first video review so take it easy on me! Also, the picture above was taken a day after using the Hair Milk line.



The new Hair Milk line is currently available for order on the Carol's Daughter site (products will ship by July 1).

June 25, 2010

Str8 Killa No Filla Concert

It's no secret, summer is usually off the chain when it comes to live music in "The A." Example: Next week Freddie Gibbs, Aleon Craft, and more will be performing at 529 on Tuesday, June 29. It's definitely a show that is sure to be off the chain. Peep the flyer below for more info.

Also, be sure to check out Brittany Bosco and Quadron performing at Spring 4th Center tonight!

Twitter Take: RIP Michael Jackson


On the one year anniversary of the death of pop icon Michael Jackson the popular social networking site Twitter is of course full of Tweets about the legendary singer. While the King of Pop isn't necessarily the number one Trending Topic on Twitter (damn you World Cup!) I know my timeline is full of love for Jackson. Check out what is just a handful of Tweets being made about MJ.







June 22, 2010

Pinkberry Grand Opening In Georgia


All you frozen yogurt connoisseurs in Georgia are in luck! Famed frozen yogurt franchise Pinkberry is opening their first ever Georgia location this week. The new Pinkberry will be located at 2937 Cobb Parkway, SE in the Akers Mill Shopping Center. To kick off the opening of their newest location a grand opening party will be held on Thursday, June 24 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Attendee's will be treated to free frozen yogurt and music from Black Dominoes. The event is free to the public. The Pinkberry Georgia location will officially open its doors to the public on June 25.

I'm kind of bummed that they didn't open a location closer to the Atlanta area, but oh well there's always The Yogurt Tap in Downtown Decatur. Yummmm!

Guys, Wanna Date A Millionaire?


The Bravo television show "Millionaire Matchmaker" is looking for men 30-55 years old to possibly appear on a date with one of their single, female bachelorettes. You need an open schedule this week to meet with Patti and also to travel to another city for a date with the millionaire (if you make it that far). Also, I'm assuming you need to be located somewhere in New York City. Here's some more info from the e-mail I received:

REQUIREMENTS:
-MUST be between 30-55
-MUST be available the following days for shooting:
-3 hours tomorrow afternoon to meet Patti (on camera).
-if selected you would come back either Thursday or Friday to meet our female millionaires (we call it "the mixer" w patti and the mills) which is where they chose who to go on a date with.
THEN if selected by the millionaire there are a range of dates:
6/28- date with millionaire A in the city
6/25-626 (overnight stay required) you are going to fly somewhere and go on a date down there
6/27-6/28 (overnight stay required) you are going to fly somewhere and go on a date there
PAY:
$50 for 6/28
$100 if selected to participate in the mixer
$200 if selected to attend the date.

If you fit all of these, and are a single, handsome 30-55 year old Man who wants a chance to date a Female Millionaire please do the following ASAP:

Email:

CommercialCasting@gothamcasting.com

Put “Millionaire Matchmaker” in the subject line and include the following:
NAME:
AGE:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
2 RECENT PHOTOS:
ARE YOU AVAILABLE ON THE DATES GIVEN:
OCCUPATION:
DO YOU HAVE A VALID PASSPORT:

June 21, 2010

Black Women Film Festival (ATL)


As part of the Black Women Film Preservation Project a film festival focusing on the voice of black women will be held tomorrow, June 22 at the Woodruff Arts Center. I'm pretty sure the event is free and the theme for the evening will be "Celebrate Diversity in the Arts." The festival will kick off at 7 p.m. with a reception followed by screenings of feature films and short features at 8 p.m. Click here for more information.

Picture Diaries: Moet Rose Lounge Featuring The Dream


As an introduction to their Nectar Imperial Rosé mini bottles Moët & Chandon held an exclusive rooftop event hosted by Def Jam artist The Dream. Held at the AltoRex Rooftop Lounge (located inside the Palomar Hotel), guests at the event of course sipped on Nectar Imperial Rosé and other drinks throughout the day. Following The Dream's arrival attendee's were treated to an exclusive listening of his upcoming album Love King which will be releaed on June 29. Check out pictures from the event below (courtesy of The Garner Circle PR).





June 20, 2010

NonStop - "Be Your Man"


Being a music blogger/writer I come across a lot of new music and to be quite honest a good amount of it just isn't any good. Just because you're passionate about Hip Hop that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to succeed at being a rapper. But enough about that...let's talk about the good stuff.

A 16-year-old by the name of NonStop recently hit me up with a link to his track "Be Your Man." I checked it out and I'm actually kind of impressed. It's a very radio friendly track, not something I usually gravitate towards, but for a 16-year-old it's not bad at all. He's got his own style and a nice little flow. My advice to NonStop: try not to get too "grown" with your lyrics. It makes for an awkward situation when us grown folks are listening to your music lol.

Take a listen below and let me know what ya'll think about NonStop.

Magnum Live Large Awards (Video)

Earlier this weekend I had the opportunity to check out the Magnum Live Large Awards at Ventanas in Atlanta. The setting for the awards was amazing! It was on the rooftop of a hotel and included both an indoor and outdoor area as well as two bars. Prior to the awards ceremony guests mixed and mingled while sipping on a variety of cocktails.

The awards ceremony kicked off with a speech by actor Hill Harper and honoree's were given their awards which included the following:

Go Hard Award - Keyaron Fox
Make Change Award - Kwanza Hall
The Walk It Award - Bryan Michael Cox
The Stand Tall Award (Oh, the irony) - Jermaine Dupri
Make Change Award - Ludacris
Walk It Award - William Smith


After the awards ceremony Kid Capri hopped on the turntables to conclude the festivities for the evening. Be sure to peep the video below to check out some of my FlipCam footage from the event.

June 19, 2010

Get Lips In Tip Top Shape With Products From Ava Anderson


I'm sure beauty buff's hate to hear this, but the fact of the matter is a majority of beauty products being sold today contain toxic ingredients that can sometimes prove harmful. 16-year-old Ava Anderson has introduced an impressive line of beauty products that contain zero harmful, toxic ingredients. Most recently, Anderson released a line of non-toxic lip products. The line consists of a sugar lip scrub, lip balm, and lip gloss. Prices for Anderson's lip products are as follows:

Sugar Lip Scrub - $12.95

Lip Balm - $12.95

Lip Gloss - $8.95


(Sugar Lip Scrub is pictured above.)

LRG Introduces New Summer Board Shorts


Just in time for the start of summer urban retailer LRG has released a new line of board shorts and flip flops. Unlike your typical summer board shorts that consist of images of tropical flowers and dolphins and what not, LRG's board short sports a graffiti-inspired look. Also, be sure to cop the accompanying LRG flip flops. To make a purchase and to view more products from LRG visit L-R-G.com.




June 14, 2010

Big Boi - "General Patton" (Video)

Atlanta rapper Big Boi has been on a roll this month. It seems like every week there's either a new video, new track, or both! Most recently, Big Boi released the video for the cracktastical (meaning REALLY good) track "General Patton." Personally, I'm diggin' the video. I'm all for music videos that show people having a good time because that's what music is supposed to do.

Shortly after the "General Patton" video debuted I was on RapRadar watching the vid and someone in the comments section was upset because they thought it was just another mediocre, low budget video from Big Boi. I thought that was kinda bogus because the budget doesn't make the video, the music does. As far as the music video is concerned I would much rather see Big Boi chillin' at the bowling alley with his homies as opposed to Big Boi on a yacht in South Beach drinking absurd amounts of Hennessy with some video chics.

YANA Handbags' Keepin' It Real Collection

I am absolutely in love with these fanny pack/handbags by YANA! I'm definitely not a fan of the fanny pack trend, but you can also wear these bags over the shoulder. Cleverly titled the "Keepin' It Real" collection the bags include 18K gold doorknocker hardware and are made of lambskin. They also come in a variety of colors some of which I've posted below. They sell for about $180 and can be purchased at YANAHandbags.com. Also, check out this story on HoneyMag for a sneak peek at YANA's fall collection.



June 12, 2010

Are You A Bad Girl?


If so, Oxygen's notorious reality hit "Bad Girls Club" will be holding a casting in Atlanta. I'm not sure when or where the casting will take place, but I'm sure it's soon. To receive more info on the Atlanta casting shoot an e-mail to bgcasting@bunim-murray.com with the following info:

"...please email us a PHOTO and a brief BIO telling us why you are a "Bad Girl." Be sure to include your FULL NAME and PHONE NUMBER(s). Submissions without photos attached WILL NOT be accepted.

The subject heading of your email should include ONLY the name of the city you wish to audition in. Please choose only one city, and choose only from the cities listed above.

If you DO NOT live within driving distance of one of the cities above, you can still be considered. In this case, the subject heading of your email should be: "OUT OF AREA RECRUITING REQUEST."

Please email once. Multiple submissions may disqualify you."


Good luck and if you're chosen please don't make a total ass of yourself on TV!

June 10, 2010

DJ Hero 2 Screenshots

Let me tell you, I am incredibly amped for this new DJ Hero 2 video game. DJ Hero was fun and all, but with DJ Hero 2 you can actually add a singer/rapper to the mix. The game will come with two (yes, TWO) turntables and a microphone. Check out a few screenshots from DJ Hero 2 as well as the trailer for the game.

DJ Hero 2 will be released fall 2010. Prices are as follows: $59.99 Standalone Software, $99 Turntable Controller and Software, $149.99 Two Turntable Controllers, Microphone, and Software.









Tanya Morgan Sandwich Shop Listening Party

If you're a fan of Tanya Morgan, sandwiches, and beer then you better take your behind to the listening party for Donwill and Von Pea's Sandwich Shop. It's all going down tonight (June 10) at New York City's Sutra. Complimentary sandwiches and Japanese beer will be on deck! Peep the flyer for more info.

Father's Day Drink Recipes Courtesy Of Tommy Bahama Rum


This Father's Day show your dad how much you really love him by making him a drink! No offbeat ties, corny Hallmark cards, or golf ball sets needed. Just a bottle of Tommy Bahama Rum and the ingredients for your ideal cocktail. If you're looking to try something different check out these drink recipes from Tommy Bahama Rum:

Corn n’ Oil (Authentic Drink of Barbados and favorite of Master Distiller Richard Seale’s Father)
2 parts Tommy Bahama Golden Sun Rum
2 parts Velvet Falernum
Dash of bitters
Shake and pour all ingredients over crushed
ice into a rocks glass.

Golden Tea
2½ parts Tommy Bahama Golden Sun Rum
1 part St-Germain elderflower liqueur
Sweet tea
In a tall cocktail glass filled with ice combine
rum and elderflower liqueur. Top with sweet tea
and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Caselle – Created by Allen Katz
2 parts Tommy Bahama White Sand Rum
1 part Campari
1 part Sweet Vermouth
Shake ingredients over ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass ¾ filled with ice. Garnish with an orange twist.

Flat Bottom Punch - Created by Allen Katz
1 part Tommy Bahama Golden Sun Rum
1 part JC Cognac
½ part Fresh Orange Juice
1 part Fresh Lime Juice
½ part Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
Shake ingredients over ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange and lime twists.


Oh, and as always, be sure to drink responsibly peeps!

June 7, 2010

Rimmel London Makeup Giveaway


Ladies, you're in for quite a treat! Thanks to Rimmel London I'm giving away a package consisting of various products from Rimmel. One lucky winner will receive:

Max Volume Flash Mascara
Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel in Steel Grey
Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel in Electric Pink
Moisture Renew Lip Colour in Rose Passion
Royal Gloss in Peach Crush


To enter the contest, hit me up at Danielle@TheDDiaries.com with the name of your favorite Rimmel London product. I'll then choose a winner this Friday (June 11).

Big Boi - "General Patton"


This week, "General Patton," yet another song from Big Boi's upcoming album entitled Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son Of Chico Dusty was released. And let me tell you, this song is on fiyaaaaaah! Big Boi's album is definitely one I'm really looking forward to. Mr. Patton might even be Top 5 for me (hater's go 'head and hate).

Click here to listen to "General Patton."