Free Tickets To Heineken Inspire Featuring Big Boi (ATL)

If you missed out on the amazing Microsoft Kin/Big Boi show that was held here in Atlanta a few months ago it's now time to redeem yourself. On Saturday, September 4 Heineken Inspire will be holding a free show featuring Big Boi, Jermaine Dupri, and more at Opera in Atlanta. I'm sure this show is going to be just as crazy as the Kin show so if you're in Atlanta it's definitely wise to be there.

On top of the concert there will also be food, drinks, games, and other entertainment.

To RSVP to the show sign up for a pair of tickets on ShowClix.com. Use the code INSPIREATL. Be sure to print out your ticket and bring it with you the day of the event. Oh, and you have to be 21 and up. Sorry kiddies.

Shout out to @Likeshawndavid for the heads up on this one!

Lush Life: Bacardi's Premixed Classic Cocktails

If you're looking for a fuss free cocktail this Labor Day Weekend then you may want to check out Bacardi's Classic Cocktail Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri. Since the drinks are already premixed there's pretty much no effort on your part, just simply pour and garnish.

Their fruity, refreshing flavors make the Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri cocktails perfect for the unofficial end of sumer. And as an added bonus, the health conscious out there will be happy to hear that the Pina Colada Classic Cocktail contains zero fat because it's made with coconut water and not coconut milk.

The Bacardi Classic Cocktail is also available in Mojito and Raspberry Mojito. If you happen to take pride in your bartending skills then check out some Barcadi drink recipes that do require some mixing.

Bacardi Torched Cherry Torched Colada
1 part BACARDI TORCHED CHERRY Flavored Rum
1-1/2 parts BACARDI COCONUT Flavored Rum
1-1/2 parts pineapple juice
Pour over ice and garnish with maraschino cherry or lemon wedge

Bacardi Torched Cherry Storm
1 part BACARDI TORCHED CHERRY Flavored Rum
1-1/2 parts pineapple juice
1-1/2 parts cranberry juice
Shake ingredients, pour over ice and garnish with pineapple wedge.

Bacardi Torched Cherry Torchade
1 part BACARDI TORCHED CHERRY Flavored Rum
3 parts Lemonade
Shake ingredients together, pour over ice and garnish with lemon wedge.

Fashion's Night Out Atlanta

I was browsing through my inbox the other day and I saw an e-mail about an event that would be taking place in NYC during Fashion's Night Out. After reading the e-mail I thought to myself, "It sure would be nice if they brought Fashion's Night Out to Atlanta." Low and behold, shortly after reading that e-mail I saw a message on Twitter about Mayor Kasim Reed bringing the event to Atlanta! Details are still sketchy and I'm sure it won't be nearly as grand as New York's Fashion's Night Out, but I'm sure it'll be a fun night nonetheless.

Fashion's Night Out will take place in participating cities on September 10. So far in Atlanta about 75 stores have signed on to take part in the event. For more information on Fashion's Night Out in Atlanta and to find out about events that will be taking that night visit the Fashion's Night Out Atlanta Facebook page. Also, check out footage from the press conference that was held announcing Fashion's Night Out Atlanta.

Rimmel London's Waterproof/Sunproof Products

Summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn't mean you have to ditch the waterproof makeup. Fortunately, makeup brand Rimmel London provides a line of waterproof makeup that's perfect all year long. From eyeliner in sultry shades to polishes that pop Rimmel definitely has you covered.

Although it isn't necessarily waterproof, one of my favorite products from Rimmel is the Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel. It lasts much longer than your average polish and includes a number of crazy "features" like UV fade protection to protect nails against the fading sometimes caused by the sun. The polish includes a Mistake-Free Pro Brush which I can't completely vouch for because I've definitely made a mistake or two while using it. And to be honest you might be more likely to make mistakes because the brush takes a little getting used to in my opinion.

As far as waterproof products Rimmel does sell both a waterproof mascara and eyeliner: Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer and Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara. The mascara gives your lashes lots of volume while the eye definer is perfect for a sultry look that'll last even after contact with water.

Sorry ladies, but Rimmel doesn't offer a waterproof lipstick/lipgloss/etc. In fact, I'm sure that probably doesn't exist. But if you're looking for protection against the sun their Moisture Renew Lip Colour does protect lips from the harmful effects of the sun with a SPF of 18. I'm big on SPF, I know that sounds corny but please believe that the sun is NOT my friend. I always make sure that whatever moisturizer and lip balm I'm wearing has some kind of SPF in it. So it's really nice to be able to buy a lipstick that already offers SPF coverage. As an added bonus the Lip Colour provides enough moisture so you can pretty much skip the lip balm altogether.

For more on Rimmel London and to make a purchase visit RimmelLondon.com.

Fat Beats Schedule Of Events For Final Week

Music lovers were hit with a major blow earlier this month when it was announced that the iconic Fat Beats record store in both New York City and Los Angeles would be closing their doors. Both locations plan on going out with a bang with events planned for their entire final week. The schedule of events for the NYC location is as follows:

Monday, August 30th: Artifacts, Da Beatminerz, Immortal Technique, and more
Tuesday, August 31st: Ras Kass, Sav KIllz, DJ Ready Cee, panel discussion, and more
Wednesday, September 1st: Bobbito, Mayhem, Riz, Juggaknots, Sputnik Brown, and more
Thursday, September 2nd: Rob Swift, Torae, DJ Concept, DJ Amir, and more
Friday, September 3rd: Masta Ace, J-Live, Pacewon, Tanya Morgan, and more
*FINAL DAY* Saturday, September 4th: Just Blaze, A-Trak, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and more

All events will take place from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. The schedule of events for the L.A. location has yet to be announced since they won't be closing until September 18.

Playboy Tre - The Last Call (Download)

Decatur's own Playboy Tre gave fans something to look forward to this (Music) Monday thanks to the release of his latest project The Last Call. The mixtape features a little under 20 tracks and appearances from the likes of Joell Ortiz, Lil Jon, Sean Falyon, and more. I've only listened to about three tracks from the mixtape so far but Playboy Tre has always impressed thus far so I'm sure it's a worthy download.

Click here to download The Last Call. Tracklisting for the mixtape is posted below.

Twitter Take: Kanye West's "Monster"

Last night, as midnight grew closer a lot of us became a little skeptical of rapper Kanye West's promise to deliver a new track per week as part of "Good Fridays." But shortly before midnight Kanye finally delivered with the track "Monster". The song features Kanye, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, and some dude named Bon Iver.

Following the release of "Monster" it seemed like everybody and their mama hit up Twitter to give praise to Nicki Minaj for her verse on the song with some people even labeling her the greatest female rapper out right now (umm that's BS). I've listened to the song twice and yea it's kinda hot, nothing mind blowing though. And I'm sorry folks but Nicki Minaj just doesn't do it for me. Just my personal preference, no hate. The random voices and accents...weird and unnecessary. I think if other lesser known female rappers got as much hype as Nicki Minaj does then we would really see how mediocre she is, but unfortunately real female rappers don't get any play these days. With that being said let's take it to the Tweets!!

Late Pass: Aleon Craft's The Stargazing Soundtrack

Earlier this month Atlanta rapper Aleon Craft teamed up with SMKA to release The Stargazing Soundtrack. The project features Aleon Craft as well as Hollyweerd, Playboy Tre, Bobby Creekwater, and more. The project was released a few weeks ago and since I downloaded it this week I had to give myself a late pass on this one :-\ But better late than never because Aleon Craft and SMKA definitely put out a nice project. Click here to download The Stargazing Soundtrack.

Also, be sure to check out the next stop on SMKA's Stargazing Tour. This weekend (August 28) they'll be hitting up the Park Tavern in Piedmont Park for an all day event that will feature performances from Aleon Craft, Cloudeater, Kontraband, and much more.

Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats (A Stiletto Wearers Dream Come True)

Ladies, I think I have just come across the most amazing product yet. Ready? Okay, it's the Dr. Scholl's For Her Fast Flats. Initially when I first saw the commercial I thought it was a joke then I thought about it and realized just how amazing this product is.

The Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats are perfect for those nights out when you're towering around the city in your highest stilettos and you feel like your feet are minutes away from falling off. And you don't have to feel or look like an ass carrying around a pair of throw away flats because they give you this cute little clutch to put them in! It doesn't get more perfect than that. The Fast Flats are available at Walgreens, Target, and a number of other stores for only $9.99.

RIP Aaliyah

Today (August 25) marks the nine year anniversary of the unfortunate death of singer Aaliyah Dana Haughton. I was about 16 around the time of Aaliyah's death so you know I was a HUGE fan. Her death definitely came as a shock because it seemed to come out of nowhere and there's always something really haunting about singers who die in plane crashes.

RIP to Aaliyah and the others who died in the plane crash: Luis Morales III, Eric Forman, Anthony Dodd, Scott Gallin, Douglas Kratz, Christopher Maldonado, Keith Wallace, and Gina Smith.


How cool was it to write a four page letter to your boo after this song? Exactly!


Although this isn't my favorite Aaliyah song I think it's definitely by far one of her most popular songs.


Ahhh! I don't know! I think this might be my favorite Aaliyah song! I can clearly remember my friends and I trying to learn the choreography to this song during sleepovers lol. Ah the good ol' days.

Picture Diaries: N.E.R.D. At Cuervo Games ATL

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check out the Cuervo Games I blogged about last week on TheDDiaries.com and for awhile I was wondering if the games actually happened because I didn't see many Tweets about it or any recaps following the event. I finally came across some pictures of N.E.R.D. performing at the Cuervo Games here in Atlanta on RapDepot.com. It looked like the fella's put on a great show and now I'm glad I finally have proof that the event actually happened.

Antoine's "Bed Intruder" Song (Video)

By now I'm pretty sure we've all seen the news footage of a family in Alabama speaking on an intruder who broke into their house in the middle of the night. The subject matter is serious, but the brother Antoine is friggin' HILARIOUS! The news clip has gotten millions of hits on YouTube and now a group of brothers has remixed the clip autotunes style. The result is easily one of the funniest things I've ever seen on YouTube. Check it out below.



Oh, and be sure to cop the Antoine t-shirt!!!

HP Envy 14 Laptop Giveaway

Anyone in need of a brand-spanking new HP laptop? I sure as hell know I am. One of the Websites I write for, RefinedHype.com, is giving away a new HP Envy 14 laptop (retail price $999). The contest ends on Monday so make sure you enter before August 23. Click here to enter and good luck!

Jessica Simpson Collection

I've never really been too impressed by a celebrity collection of clothing/shoes/etc., but I recently saw an amazing pair of Jessica Simpson Collection sandals in Macy's and following that I checked out her collection online. I was even more impressed with what I saw online. The Jessica Simpson Collection consists of clothing, shoes, accessories, coats, and handbags all for a decent price.

I was most impressed by the shoes and the collection has tons of them. Only thing is the shoes in the collection must sell out really quickly because the few I've seen are only available in small sizes (6, 6.5, you get the idea). Also, at the moment they only have about six pairs of boots for sale. Hopefully, they'll add more of those as we get closer to fall because I looove my boots!

Here's a sampling of my favorite pieces from the Jessica Simpson Collection.

Rosie Clutch, $34.99


Wasima, $98


Junie, $89


Berry Bijoux Bracelet, $42


Belted Strapless Dollars, $69


Cadiz Western Shirt, $59


Mely, $69

Cuervo Games ATL!

I was super psyched when my pal Iz'e hit me up a few days ago about the Cuervo Games taking place in Atlanta this weekend. The games have been on tour for the past few weeks hitting up cities like Boston, Chicago, and San Diego. It's all going down at Atlanta's Centennial Park from 1 p.m. to about 10 p.m. on Saturday, August 14.

As part of the Cuervo Games teams will compete in various obstacles in an attempt to win it all and head to Vegas for the finals. Walk on teams are welcomed, but be sure to get there early for the qualifier round which begins early in the afternoon.

ASocialMess.com says there's going to be "margaritas galore," but don't hold your breath on that one. I'm sure the last thing the City of Atlanta wants is a bunch of drunk people running a muck in Centennial Park.

Oh, and I almost forgot the best part...the Cuervo Games ATL stop will conclude with a performance from N.E.R.D.

Free Tickets To B.o.B: Unplugged (NYC)

Are you a huge fan of rapper B.o.B? If so the folks over at Gotham Casting and VH1 would like to invite you to apply for free tickets to B.o.B: Unplugged. To attend the concert you must live in the New York City area and be available all day on Wednesday, August 18. Here's more info from Gotham Casting on how to apply for the free tickets.

If you are a HUGE fan of B.o.B’s and would like the opportunity to receive Complimentary Admission to this concert, please reply back to
Tickets@GothamCasting.com. Put “B.o.B” in the subject line and include the
following:

NAME:
AGE (must be at least 18 years old):
PHONE:
CITY/STATE:
RECENT PHOTO:
GUEST NAME & AGE (you may bring ONE
guest with you):
Favorite B.o.B Song:
Why you are such a fan of him:

The show is taping Wednesday, August 18th…You MUST be in the NYC area to
apply for this concert.

The time is still TBD, so be sure you will be available ALL DAY before you reply for tickets. These shows do tend to tape in the Mid-Afternoon. hese spots will go FAST, so reply back soon!

Upon receiving your email, we will contact you with all of the final details, should
you receive admission.

Nina Sky's The Other Side (Download)

Twin musical duo Nina Sky provided fans of theres with a little treat this week thanks to the release of their latest project The Other Side. Due to label issues it's been a minute since Nina Sky released a studio album so it's cool hearing some new music from the two although there's still no news on their next album. I'm listening to The Other Side as I'm writing this up and I'm feeling it. It's really pop/R&B/electro-y. So far my fav's are "Only You" and "Too Long To Let Go."

The tracklist for The Other Side is listed below. Click here to download.

1. The Other Side (Prod. by DJ Yonny)
2. You Ain’t Got It (Funk That) (Prod. by DJ Yonny)
3. Too Long To Let Go (Prod. Salaam Remi)
4. Beautiful People Refix (Prod. by Damien Major & David Berrie)
5. Only You (Take Me Away) f. Naledge (Kidz In the Hall) (Prod. By Double 0)
6. Never Look Back (Prod. by DJ Yonny)
7. Love Song (Prod. by Double 0)
8. You Ain’t Got It (Funk That) Remix f. MeLo-X

Shabby Apple's Boysenberry Pie Collection

Online retailer Shabby Apple recently introduced their new line of adorable kitchen aprons entitled the Boysenberry Pie collection. The collection is very Stepford Wives meets Betty Homemaker, but it's still a really cute collection. The aprons definitely make for a unique gift and would be a fun addition for any dinner party hostess. The aprons range in price from $32 to $42 and can be purchased at ShabbyApple.com.

Strawberry Shortcake


Key Lime Pie


Blackberry Pie


Wildberry Pie

SMKA Stargazing Tour At The Glenn Hotel

The SMKA and ChemLab sponsored Stargazing Tour will be hitting up the Glenn Hotel on Friday, August 13 for a special evening dedicated to fans, media, and artists. The tour stop at the Glenn Hotel this week is completely free and will include performances from Spree Wilson, Aleon Craft, and much more. The show starts at 7 p.m. so be sure to get there early because I'm sure there's going to be quite the crowd.

Handbag Diaries: Black And White Semi-Vintage Bag

It's been a minute since I hit ya'll with a "Handbag Diaries" piece and that's actually kind of surprising because there's nothing that I love more than talking about my handbags lol. I hope that didn't sound too vain :-\

Today's handbag is yet another bag I purchased at Atlanta's Rag-O-Rama in Little Five Points. Since Rag-O-Rama is one of those "recycle your wardrobe" type stores, you can bring in gently used items and trade them for store credit or cash IF they choose to buy any of your items. I brought in a couple of things and they took one shirt and offered me $3.15 in store credit or about $2 in cash. I took the store credit and headed straight to their selection of handbags and I came across this little gem.



The bag was $10 so with my store credit I paid almost $8. Not too bad, right? I love the combination of black and white colors. I initially thought the bag was leather, but I don't think it is although it could definitely pass for it. I've been really drawn to cross body bags for some reason, I guess it's because of the convenience of them so that was another perk of this handbag. Below are a few more pictures of my new bag.

Front


Inside


Back

Cubannie Links August Promotions

I've blogged about Cubannie Links several times on The D Diaries so I had to share some news about various promotions they'll be holding this month. Cubannie Links will be doing a giveaway via Twitter, giving away a free gift with a purchase from their site, and also holding an event in New York City on August 24.

If you consider yourself a fashionista, jewelrynista, or any kind of "ista" then you definitely need at least one item from Cubannie Links. I'm a huge fan of jewelry and I'm a huge fan of unique jewelry so Cubannie Links is of course a win-win for me. For more information on the promotions Cubannie Links is currently holding check out the flyer below.

A3C Begins Announcing 2010 Festival Lineup

The folks at A3C have finally given us music lovers a small taste of what we can expect this October at their festival. Earlier today an announcement was made revealing a handful of artists that will be performing at A3C. And they include...[drum roll please]...

Rhymefest
Camp Lo
Erick Sermon
De Beatminerz
Homeboy Sandman
Diamond District
Mickey Factz
And MORE!

So far, so good. I like who they have so far, but I'm definitely looking forward to hearing who else they'll be bringing down here. Also, if you have the money you may want to get your A3C tickets now. They're offering a pair of three-day passes for only $25 each! On top of that you also get a wooden medallion which will serve as your pass during the festival. Regular three-day passes are available for $33. Also, click here to find out more about the Twitter contest A3C is holding.

Atlanta's Salon Soy To Celebrate Their Second Anniversary

Atlanta based hair salon Salon Soy will be celebrating their two-year anniversary later this month and are inviting customers, both new and old, to the celebration. Salon Soy specializes in the up keep of healthy hair, something more and more salons are striving for these days.

"We really work hard to educate our clients about their hair. Most of them don't know what the real texture of their hair looks or feels like and that after years of relaxers, the integrity of the hair is broken due to the original molecules being stripped,” said owner Soyini Thwaites in a statement. “Then we have to rebuild by trying to add proteins afterwards, when in fact, we can start off with strong healthy hair because that’s the way it grows out of the scalp in the first place.”

The two-year anniversary celebration will take place on Saturday, August 21 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Salon Soy. The festivities will include lots of hair talk (of course), cocktails, food, and more. Salon Soy is located at 1519 Pryor Road SW in Atlanta.

Step Up 3D: Yay Or Nay?

Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the age of 3D. It's unlikely to find a movie that isn't provided in "stunning" 3D these days. The latest movie taking advantage of the increasing 3D trend is Step Up 3D which hits theaters today (August 6). The synopsis for the film is as follows:

New York’s intense street dancing underground comes alive in eye-popping Digital 3D in the third installment of the “Step Up” franchise as the raw, passion-fueled culture goes global. A tight-knit group of street dancers, including Luke (Rick Malambri) and Natalie (Sharni Vinson), team up with NYU freshman Moose (Adam Sevani), and find themselves pitted against the world’s best hip hop dancers in a high-stakes showdown that will change their lives forever.

Not sure how I feel about a dance movie in 3D, but if you're interested in checking out Step Up 3D below is a trailer for the film. Also, if 3D isn't your thing then you may want to check out the soundtrack for Step Up 3D which features tracks from Flo Rida, Trey Songz, and more.

Rain (Movie Trailer)

Earlier today I came across the trailer for a new movie entitled Rain. It looks like there's a lot of parallels between this movie and Precious, but Rain may be slightly more uplifting (thank God). Rain is centered around a young Bahamian girl by the name of Rain who travels to Nassau, Bahamas to find the mother who abandoned her and to also find a new life for herself. The film, which is directed by Mario Govan, has received international acclaim winning awards at the Toronto Film Festival, Bahamas International Festival, and much more.

Rain is currently available on DVD. Check out the trailer for the film below.

Picture Diaries: Black Eyed Peas At Bacardi VIP Room

I'm sure the Black Eyed Peas were in quite the celebratory mood at the Bacardi VIP Room event at New York City's Avenue last night (August 4). Earlier this week the Black Eyed Peas made music history when "Got A Feeling" became the best selling song in digital music history.

The Bacardi VIP Room event also served as the official launch for the Taboo Deltah 3008 Collection (available at Footaction). Pictures from the event are provided below.

Photo's courtesy of Dimitrios Kambouris.

BEP's Taboo rockin' the Taboo Deltah kicks. They actually aren't that bad. For some reason I absolutely love high-top, red sneakers so these of course get my approval.




Shout out to will.i.am and his man purse :-\