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Girls of the

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Blockbuster Movies

Travel

The 10 signs your girlfriend likes another guy

The Team at The Raw Real Estate Group and Black Dawg Construction—

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Contents Vol. 1 Issue 1 • JULY/AUGUST 2013

FOOD 5 Five Best Places to Get a Steak in Atlanta 6 Five Fast & Healthy Food Places SPORTS 16 Top 10 Sports Icons 18 MLB 2nd Half Predictions

36 40

LIFESTYLE 22 12 Cigars for the Summer 24 LIFESTYLE: Cigar Etiquette DRINKS 25 10 Wines Under $20 27 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Relationships 28 101 Things to Never, Ever Say to Your Girlfriend 30 Ten Signs Your Girlfriiend Likes Another Guy FASHION 32 Ten Men’s Shoes You Must Try BUSINESS 36 Ten Facts About Accidents TRAVEL 38 TRAVEL: Dubai ENTERTAINMENT 40 Ten Movies That Will Make Their Money Back 42 GQ Beats 43 Dwayne Boyd DRIVE 44 DRIVE: Audi R8 COVER STORY 8 Girls of the Summer Cover photo of Crystal Bailey by Brent Thacker wardrobe by Crystal Bailey’s personal collection.

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Wow! We are finally here! Brandon McGriff, Curtis Kaufman, and Mark Link the partners that make up The Loop Media Group LLC. The Loop Magazine, published by three men from different backgrounds with different points of view started something together and it’s now finished and we’re still friends, Amazing! Getting to this point has been a long road of disappointments, set backs, delays, sleepless nights, butting heads and sacrifices made to create a product that has made us proud. We are excited, and extremely honored to share The Loop Magazine with you our readers. The Loop Magazine is a fun, chic, cutting-edge, descriptive experience of fashion, food, travel, sports, entertainment, business and relationships. Our mission is to consistently provide an exclusive platform for all things current while catering to a diverse audience highlighting creative debatable topics coupled with meaningful content focused on the issues that affect all aspects of everyday life! We are now here, our relationship with you has now begun and we look forward to being your resource for all things cool fun and informative. To know us, and the creative minds that were involved in making this project a success is to read the magazine…Turn the pages and dig in! To build a relationship with you the reader is our sincere desire. Everyday we were thinking about creating a document worth your time to read. We feel we did a good job! We believe with your support of our print and online media that you will continue to get in and stay in…. The Loop! Owners/Publishers The Loop Magazine The Loop Magazine® The Loop Media Group LLC. 570 Piedmont Ave NE #54184 Atlanta, GA 30308 (404)895-8825 Customer Service www.TheLoopMagOnline.com Sales@theloopmagonline.com

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#1. Kevin Rathbun Steak

154 Krog Street, Ste 200 Atlanta, GA 30307 (404) 524-5600 (Inman Park)

Best Places to

You can’t go wrong with any of Kevin Rathbun’s locations (all on Krog Street b/t/w) but the Steakhouse is the best of the best when you want to show off Atlanta cuisine. Great food, attentive service and smooth atmosphere makes this a great place to eat for business or pleasure.I can honestly say the Porterhouse steak was the most supremely delicious and tender cut of meat I ever enjoyed!

get a steak

In Atlanta

#2. Chops

70 W Paces Ferry Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30305 (404) 262-2675 Neighborhood: Buckhead An Atlanta icon known for its exceptional food & service, Ranked as one of the Top 10 steakhouses in the country. Fresh seafood & USDA prime aged beef served daily. Signature items: Famous Jumbo Batter Fried Lobster Tail. lobster bar will deliver you a delicious delicious steak dinner and then try to send you straight to heaven with their incredible incredible velvet cake....it’s decor is great and the location is perfect. it’s an excellent place to daydream about! *Reservations recommended.

*Reservations recommended.

#3. Hal’s on Old Ivy 30 Old Ivy Rd NE, Atlanta, GA (404) 261-0025

The most underrated place in Atlanta to get an excellent steak. It is a refreshing change of place from the more traditional stuffy steakhouse atmosphere. Piano player and the bar scene are noteworthy and really make for a fun time. Stiff pours on the cocktails also. I split a crabmeat and shrimp appetizer to start. It was nothing creative, just chilled, fresh seafood served with an overly creamy remoulade type sauce. Tomato and onion salad was quite simple, yet delicious. After visiting, I can see why people talk about their filet. I am usually not one to order a filet, as I usually opt for a bone-in and/or USDA prime cut, but Hal’s really makes a tasty steak. Maybe it is the massive amount of butter they use, but doesn’t Peter Luger use a lot of butter as well? It is also great that you get to choose a side to come along with your steak. *Reservations recommended.

#4. Bone’s

#5. McKendrick’s Steakhouse

3130 Piedmont Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305 Neighborhood: Buckhead (404) 237-2663 www.bonesrestaurant.com Bones... man this place is great . So many restaurants have the same bland, generic atmosphere and food. Not Bones. Bones is a man’s restaurant. It’s a place where you want to wear a sharp jacket and tie. A place to make business deals and talk shop with your fellow executives after hours. The sort of place where you might rub elbows with Ron Burgundy. It’s not romantic, it’s not cute, and it’s not pretentious. It’s masculine, classy, and cool. Bring your Amex and your appetite and settle in for some serious steak. For my money, or my vendors’ (woo hoo!) I usually order the Caesar salad, the eight ounce filet mignon, and a baked potato. And of course a nice vodka or cabernet to wash it down. *Reservations recommended.

4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd. Atlanta, GA 30346 (770) 512-8888

Excellent steak and fantastic service. Overall very nice experience with attention to detail. Probably not an every weekend restaurant, but certainly something for special occasions and high-end business dinners. McKendrick’s is a great alternative to chains.You can get a decent steak lots of places, but McKendrick’s delivers more. The food is always terrific, but the people are a lot more like family. Most of the staff has been there forever and it is like they are welcoming you to their special place. *Reservations recommended.

LooPFive Fast & Healthy Food the

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food

Places

Chipotle

1. Panera Bread Over 1,230 locations nationwide Panera Bread is a bakery and cafe rolled into one. The Bakery At Panera Bread, they make their own bread every night so it will be fresh for their customers every day! The Panera Bread bakery creates fresh artisan breads, specialty breads, bagels, and pastries and sweets! The Cafe Panera Bread also has a varied cafe menu featuring fresh salads, sandwiches, panini, soups, and fruit. On this page you’ll find my personal review of Panera Bread. No, I’m not employed in any way by Panera Bread, but it is one of my favorite restaurants! 2. Jason’s Deli Over 206 locations in the West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, SouthHow did this up-and-comer snag second place? Largely because of its devotion to organic food: About one-fifth of all its ingredients are organic, from blue-corn tortilla chips and whole-wheat wraps to field greens and spinach. Plus, its creative salads—like the Nutty Mixed-Up Salad with organic field greens, grapes, chicken breast, feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, pumpkinseeds, raisins, and organic apples—make you actually want to order the greens. Our judges applauded the portion-control option: Reduced sizes of, say, a stuffed baked potato, are $1 less. Jason’s menu also highlights ultrahealthy sandwiches and provides the nutitional info. We love: Being able to build any sandwich on an organic whole-wheat wrap.Danger zone: High-sodium counts on some sandwiches; if sodium is a concern, stick to the ultra healthy choices. 3. Chipotle 800+ locations nationwide Buffet-style Chipotle gives every customer complete control over her burrito, taco, or salad. (Take that, Taco Bell!) And you get to build it with fresh, local ingredients. In fact, Chipolte won high marks for its commitment to organics, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, and produce sourced from local suppliers, which is revolutionary in a chain this big. Many of its entrees can be low-sodium, if you choose add-ins such as the fajita veggies and green tomatillo salsa. We love: Burrito Bowls, which let you skip the tortilla—and the extra carbs. Danger zone: The dark side of a buffet is that you can go wild. So you have to go light on cheese and sour cream. 4. Atlanta Bread Company 106 locations in 24 states (Southeast, West, and North) Someone at Atlanta Bread must be a Seinfeld fan:There are muffin tops (half the size of regular muffins) on its breakfast menu—the low-fat pumpkin muffin top has only 200 calories, compared with 320 to 640 calories for regular-size muffins. But this chain’s got more going for it than skinny muffins. This innovative bakery also features whole-grain bread, fresh sandwiches (including paninis), and hearty, healthy soups and salads. It earned high marks for great sides, too, including fire-roasted black bean and corn salad.

5. Einstein Bros. Bagels Over 649 locations nationwide OK, we all know that bagels are pretty high-carb, but slathering cream cheese or butter on them is what really gets you into trouble. No worries at this chain: Einstein Bros. offers healthier alternatives like reduced-fat shmears, hummus, and peanut butter—a great way to add healthy fat to breakfast (or lunch). It also serves a Good Grains bagel that has an impressive 4 grams of fiber. In the mood for a salad? You can order any in a half-size. For kids, our panel of judges gave a thumbs-up to the bagel dog (picture a Pig-in-a-Blanket with bagel-style bread as the “blanket”) and a fruit salad upgrade.We love:The high-fiber Veg Out on a sesame seed bagel. Danger zone: “Overstuffed” size sandwiches are a calorie nightmare. 6

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

The FLO Hot Sheet: Your Quick Source for FLO Wine Info – May 2013 FLO Brands is a lifestyle company created by Marcus Johnson, an internationally renowned, Billboard Top 10, NAACP Image Award-‐nominated jazz musician and entrepreneur from Washington, DC. Over the last decade, the self-‐starting Johnson has released 15 studio albums – all of which have been met with critical and commercial success. FLO Wine, part of FLO Brands, produces and sells two types of wine – a Chardonnay and a Red Blend. The wine is bottled in northern California using grapes from the best appellations around the state.

WHERE CAN YOU PURCHASE FLO WINE?

Location California Florida Illinois Maryland Nevada South Carolina Virginia Washington, DC

Off-‐Premise Retailers Distributor Albertsons, Total Wine & More Southern Wine & Spirits – CA Total Wine & More Southern Wine & Spirits – FL Jewel-‐Osco, Kroger, Southern Wine & Spirits – IL Caputo’s, Schaefer’s Many locations including Giant, Adega Southern Wine & Spirits – DC&MD Wine Cellars, Old Line Fine Wine (NEW) Albertsons, Total Wine & More Southern Wine & Spirits – NV Harris Teeter, Kroger, Target Southern Wine & Spirits – SC Total Wine & More Costco, Farm Fresh, Giant, Shoppers Food Virginia Imports & Warehouse, Total Wine & More, Wal-‐Mart, Associated Distributors Whole Foods, Evo Bistro (NEW) Four Seasons, Giant, Harris Teeter, Target Southern Wine & Spirits – DC&MD

Retail locations coming soon in GA with National Distributing and NC with Mutual Distributing. Additional retailers in all markets can be found at www.flobrands.com.

WHERE ARE FLO WINE EVENTS?

FLO WINE INFO

Date Apr 28 May 3 May 4 May 7 May 8 May 9 May 11 May 15 May 18 May 25 May 29

Event Sips & Sounds @ Spaghettini Jazz Club Private Performance Private Performance for Washington Bar Assoc. Performance @ Mandarin Oriental Sips & Sounds @ Dakota Jazz Club Performance for N. Illinois Food Bank Performance @ All American Jazz Festival Corporate Performance @ Aloft Arundel Mills Performance @ Jazz On The Grass Sips & Sounds @ Whole Foods Performance @ 21st Amendment

Location Seal Beach, CA Washington, DC Washington, DC Washington, DC Minneapolis, MN Chicago, IL Fayetteville, NC Arundel Mills, MD Fredericksburg,VA Alexandria, VA Washington, DC

Marcus Johnson, CEO marcus@flobrands.com

Rob Piziali, President rob@flobrands.com

Sean Johnson, COO & CFO sean@flobrands.com

www.flobrands.com FLO Wine @MarcusJohnson3k

WHO IS TALKING ABOUT FLO WINE?

Media Coverage!!! Marcus profiled in The Washington Informer. http://washingtoninformer.com/index.php/lifestyle/entertainment/item/13001-‐jazz-‐musician-‐becomes-‐a-‐renaissance-‐manv

Consumer Feedback!!! “Tried the red for the first time...it's great. Drinking it as I type.” ~ Lee F.

FLO … MAKING YOUR LIFE BETTER ONE SIP AND SOUND AT A TIME!

Sum mer Women of

Photos by Brent Thacker

Crystal Bailey

Joanna Ortega

Victoria Ward

Photographer - Thomas Mclain Makeup Artist - Lacy Crittenden Stylist - Johnakeisha Thompson

The loop magazine â&#x20AC;˘ JULY/AUGUST 2013

Theloopmagonline.com

LooPSports the

M A G A Z I N E

Top 10 Sports

Icons 20th of the

Century

10. Magic Ervin Johnson, Larry bird From the moment these two legendary players took the court on opposing sides, they engaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. In Celtic green was Larry Bird, the hick from French Lick, with laser-beam focus, relentless determination, and a deadly jump shot, a player who demanded excellence from everyone around him and whose caustic wit left opponents quaking in their high-tops. Magic Johnson was Mr. Showtime, a magnetic personality with all the right moves.Young, indomitable, he was a pied piper in purple and gold. And he burned with an inextinguishable desire to win. 9. Jim brown James Nathaniel Brown. . .Syracuse All-America, 1956. . . Browns’ No. 1 draft pick, 1957. .Awesome runner, led NFL rushers eight years. . .All-NFL eight of nine years. . .NFL’s Most Valuable Player, 1957, 1958, 1965. . . Rookie of the Year, 1957. . . Played in nine straight Pro Bowls. . .Career marks: 12,312 yards rushing, 262 receptions, 15,459 combined net yards, 756 points scored. . .Born February 17, 1936, in St. Simons, Georgia. 8. Jack Nicklaus “The Golden Bear” is widely considered the most accomplished professional golfer ever to step on a course. He was so good in fact, that he didn’t even play in many tournaments because he focused solely on Majors. In 25 years, Nicklaus garnered 18 championships, 19 second place finishes, and nine third place finishes in Major events on the PGA tour. Amazingly, he is still second on the PGA All-Time tournament list with 73 wins without even concentrating on many tournaments outside of Majors. I can only imagine the amount of victories he could have amassed had he played as much as he could have. 7. Tiger Woods Tiger woods may have slipped in recent years due to problems in his personal life but he is still regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time .

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

6. Jackie Robinson He was a famous African-American baseball player and a sporting icon. He received innumerable sporting awards and is widely regarded as an American sporting legend. He also played a role in the black Civil Rights Movement. I wonder how many good players would we have missed out on if it wasn’t for Robinson breaking the color segregation that was prevalent in the late-1800s to early 1900s baseball. 5. Babe Ruth George ‘Babe’ Ruth was an American Baseball player who has been named the greatest baseball player of all time. He is often credited for boosting the popularity of Major League Baseball in the 1920’s due to his influence. 4. Wayne Gretzky His nickname “The Great One” doesn’t need much explaining. Considered by most to be the best hockey player to ever exist, his plethora of NHL records is almost unbelievable. In his 20 years in the league, Gretzky became the NHL’s leading point scorer in history. When he retired in 1999, he held 40 regular seasons records and 15 playoff records. He is the only player in history to score more than 200 points in a season, and he did that four times! No other player, not even the young stars of today, can match Gretzky’s popularity. It’s safe to say he will probably always be the face of hockey. 3. Vince Lombardi He is solely responsible for the word “dynasty” in the National Football League. His Green Bay Packers coached teams in the 1960’s were absolutely dominant, winning five league championships in seven years, as well as the first two Super Bowls. He epitomizes what a coach should be, and what football and winning are all about. No player can realistically be compared to the effect Lombardi had on the sport, and that is validated with the Super Bowl Trophy being named after him. 2. Michael Jordan Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time and one of the most famous professional athletes in the world. He has won the NBA Championship 6 times and was renowned for his leaping and slam-dunk ability with the nickname ‘Air Jordan’. He also had a brief stint as a professional baseball player. Hard to not say number 1.

NotableS Lance Armstrong Tony Hawk David Beckham Arthur Ashe Bill Russell Joe Montana Jerry west (NBA logo) Walter Payton Barry sanders Emmitt Smith Jerry rice

1. Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali is the most recognized boxer of all time and the most loved and respected athlete that has ever been. He won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome and went on to win the heavyweight title 3 times in his career. He became world renowned after having his title stripped for his refusal to be conscripted into the US Army during the Vietnam war but won his title back after defeating George Foreman.

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Sports

MLB 2013 s n o i t c i d e r P f l 2nd Ha

AL East (In predicted order of finish) 1. New York Yankees 2. Boston Red Soxs (wild card) 3. Baltimore Orioles 4. Tampa Bay Rays 5. Toronto Blue Jays

NL East (In predicted order of finish) 1. Washington Nationals 2. Atlanta Braves (WIld card) 3. Philadelphia Phillies 4. New York Mets 5. Miami Marlins

AL Central (In predicted order of finish) 1. Cleveland Indians 2. Detroit Tigers 3. Chicago White Sox 4. Kansas City Royals 5. Minnesota Twins

NL Central (In predicted order of finish) 1. Cincinnati Reds 2. St. Louis Cardinals 3. Pittsburgh Pirates 4. Chicago Cubs 5. Milwaukee Brewers

AL West (In predicted order of finish) 1. Los Angeles Angels 2. Texas Rangers (wild card) 3. Oakland A’s 4. Seattle Mariners 5. Houston Astros

NL West (In predicted order of finish) 1. San Francisco Giants 2. Arizona Diamondbacks (WIld card) 3. Colorado Rockies 4. San Diego Padres 5. Los Angeles Dodgers

Notable Acquisitions

Boston Red Sox – The Red Sox signed Shane Victorino, which should provide a good outfield duo with Jacoby Ellsbury. They have also agreed to terms with Mike Napoli, which should give the Red Sox a veteran presence at catcher. New York Yankees – The Yankees got Kevin Youkilis to turn over to the dark side this off-season, which should be a good replacement for Alex Rodriguez until he returns from a hip injury.

Toronto Blue Jays – Baseball’s most active team this off-season certainly gave the impression that they are ready to compete in baseball’s best division. Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera will give the Blue Jays’ offense a jolt, and R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle are three solid starters in a rotation that will arguably be the best in baseball.

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

Cleveland Indians – The Indians finally opened up their wallets and found $56 million to give to Nick Swisher over four years. Detroit Tigers – Torii Hunter joins a trio of big bats in Motown. Hunter will join Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez in what probably is the best offense in the American League. Kansas City Royals – The Royals made a few good additions to their pitching staff, in James Shields, Wade Davis and Ervin Santana that could help them compete in baseball’s weakest division. Houston Astros – In their first season in the American League, the only big splash the Astros made was signing Carlos Peña. Los Angeles Angels – The Angels reeled in the biggest fish in this year’s free agent pond in outfielder Josh Hamilton. Ryan Madson should be a good addition to the Angels pitching staff.

Texas Rangers – The Rangers haven’t had a lot of luck in the playoffs in recent years, and they didn’t make any big moves this winter. They signed veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski and reliever Joakim Soria, but they will have to make up for the loss in offense caused by Hamilton’s departure. Atlanta Braves – Landing BJ Upton is definitely a boost to Atlanta’s outfield.

Arizona Diamondbacks – A busy off-season in the desert helped the Diamondbacks land Brandon McCarthy and Heath Bell, which should give the D-Backs a strong rotation and Cody Ross should be a good fit in the Arizona lineup. Los Angeles Dodgers – The freespending Dodgers added Zack Greinke, which makes their rotation one of the best in the National League.

Philadelphia Phillies – Adding veteran Michael Young should be a good addition to a veteran-laden lineup in Philadelphia. Washington Nationals – Denard Span will give the Nats a dangerous leadoff hitter and Dan Haren will bolster an already dangerous rotation. Chicago Cubs – Adding Edwin Jackson gives the Cubs depth in their pitching rotation. Cincinnati Reds – Shin-Soo Choo should be a good addition to the Reds outfield. They also signed Jack Hannahan to be a utility infield man. Pittsburgh Pirates – Russell Martin is an upgrade at catcher and Francisco Liriano is a good addition to the pitching staff.

Theloopmagonline.com

Playoff Predictions A.L. Wild Card BaltimoreÂ over Texas N.L. Wild Card Atlanta Braves over Giants A.L. Division Series Detroit Tigers over Baltimore 3-1 Texas Rangers over New York Yankees, 3-2 N.L. Division Series Arizona Diamondbacks over Braves 3-2 Cincinnati over Washington, 3-2 ALCS Detroit over Texas Rangers, 4-2 NLCS Arizona Diamondbacks over Cincinnati Reds, 4-3 World Series Detroit over Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-3

The loop magazine â&#x20AC;˘ JULY/AUGUST 2013

LooPlifestyle the

M A G A Z I N E

C gars for the summer REVIEW BY LEO ROSS

VIAJE ORO RESERVA CORONA: Excellent build & burn. Great draw. Medium power, with creamy hints of nuts, honey, and toast. Very smooth and enjoyable.

ROCKY PATEL VINTAGE 2003 CAMEROON TORPEDO: Medium brown and toothy. Firm draw with great construction. Medium Power, with flavors of spicy tea, gingersnap, and floral hints. Very smooth and enjoyable.

ILLUSIONE EPERNAY LE FERME PANATELA: Golden brown, smooth wrapper. Perfect build and near perfect burn. Smooth and creamy smoke with notes of honey, nougat, nuts, and toast. Great after lunch.

GUILLERMO LEON TORO: Dark and toothy. Excellent build and burn, with a beautiful draw. On the fuller side of medium, and notable flavors of leather, dark spices, and mocha coffee. Great evening smoke.

TATUAJE FAUSTO CORONA: Well built, with very good burn. Very dark and smooth wrapper. Medium to full, and quite earthy, with notes of dark wood, black pepper, and chocolate. Great smoke, but be ready for it!

KRISTOFF SUMMATRA CORONA GORDO: Mottled, toothy wrapper, with a pig-tailed head. Needs the occasional touchup as it burns. Flavors of spice, floral, with some pleasant barnyard hints. Very good smoke with good complexity.

ATABEY TORO: A smooth, veinless, perfect build & burn. Rich woody, toasty and creamy smoke with undertones of savory nuts. An outstanding smoke that is very reminiscent of the Cuban vitolas it resembles. Expensive but worth every penny.

TATUALE COJONU 2012 HABANO: A medium strength smoke with classic Nicaraguan flavors of coffee, raw cocoa, some white pepper, and spices. Well-built and box-pressed, with a great draw. Overall – excellent with scotch or cognac.

Rm. 101 NAMAKUBI ECUADOR PERFECTO: Very dark and dangerous-looking, with a dray, toothy wrapper. Strong flavors of earth, pepper, raw cocoa, a hint of leather, and earthiness. A bit of an open draw. Very good smoke, but leaves the palate a bit dry.

FLOR DE ANTILLAS ROBUSTO: Cigar of the Year 2012. Perfect build and burn, and great draw. Floral notes, with mocha, leather, wood, and a faint hint of lavender. Outstanding and very enjoyable smoke.

OLIVA SERIE V MEALNIO PERFECTO: Smooth, veinless wrapper, with an excellent build and draw. Honeyed, word, nougat, nuttiness and creamy smoke. Excellent.

ALEC BRADLEY BLACK MARKET CANDELA: Bright green Toro, with very good build and burn. Mild smoke with flavors touching mint, eucalyptus, wheat, hay and some grassiness. Well done, but…seriously? Tree Frog Green? Okay then.

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

Cigar

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Lifestyle 22

Etiquette

There is something of an art to lighting. Some say you light only with a wooden match. Others insist you light only with a sheaf of cedar, called a spill. Most agree that lighting with a Zippo type will spoil the taste of the cigar because of the fluid they use being drawn into the cigar, while using a butane lighter is fine. The jet type lighters also toast the foot more thoroughly and faster (for the more impatient of you). Long cigar marches also do great job. Whichever you use, toast the foot first to warm the tobacco-two matches will do the trick. Lighting it then will do a better, more uniform job and give it the right start. Be patient-it will be worth the wait. Take your first puff, smoothly, fully, but without rush. Roll the smoke around in your mouth, like you would fine wine. Then, blow some out of your mouth and some out of your nose. Together, they will give you the best aroma and flavor. Spice will tingle and prickle, creaminess will flow smoothly, and harshness will burn somewhat. You will get a sense of the flavors-and you should linger over them a moment to judge the finish as well. Yes, just like wine, cigars have a lingering finish, which is one more way to judge the quality of your selection. And as you smoke, take note of how the flavors change. Some vitolas will remain consistent with few changes, while other take on different flavors as they burn: moving from slightly sweet to tangy, or from coffee to cafe au lait, from a bit floral to pronounced lavender. It is called complexity, and while some stics are blended to be complex, others are not. It depends of what the maker is trying to achieve, and what you are looking to experience. When you have had your fill, place it down in the ashtray and leave it. Cigars are natural things, with no fillers or additives to keep them burning as cigarettes are. They will go out on their own, and will typically not produce a stench as they do when stubbed out. And if you are putting it down, planning to come back to it later (I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really recommend this practice), make sure to clip just above the ash before relighting. Must try New cigar Introducing the Cellar reserve Limitada By Gurkha cigars coming fall 2013 Cellar Reserve Limitada will be a unique encore addition to this prized cigar brand, featuring many of the characteristics of the Cellar Reserve, but with an enhanced layer of sweetness, richness and body. This special edition cigar will be available in three vitolas: 5 x 58 Solara, 6 x 58 Hedonism and 6 x 60 Kraken.The Cellar Reserve brand has become one of the most successful cigar launches in the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and has established itself as a flagship cigar of the portfolio. The vintage Cellar Reserve is a rich, medium to full bodied cigar using the finest quality 15-year old aged tobacco.

The loop magazine â&#x20AC;˘ JULY/AUGUST 2013

720 Moreland Avenue SE Atlanta, GA 30316 Hours: Monday-Saturday:

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday:

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Contact

(678) 609-3747 Email:

hodgepodgecoffee@gmail.com Website:

hodgepodgecoffeehouse.com

T en Wines for $20 and under

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drink Wine

10) TIE Trivento Reserve Malbec 2011 - Your New Rich, Spicy and Smooth House Red. Anyone who says wine under $10 can’t be great needs to give this rich, juicy and spicy Mendoza Malbec a try. And while there’s lots of good Malbec out there, it’s hard to find great Malbec for this cheap. Available for as little as $8 this is definitely a strong option for a house red. 9) TIE Ravenswood Napa Valley Old Vine Zinfandel 2010 Bold Without Being Bombastic. 76% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah and 1% Carignan from Napa Valley (44%), Oakville (27%), St. Helena (23%) and Sonoma County (6%), California. Blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and lots of warm spice combine with silky tannins to make your mouth go yum in this delicious, full-bodied, almost hedonistic wine. The finish is very long and dry and features sweet, never-ending blackberry, lots of spice and a hint of chocolate. While this is definitely a bold wine, it is not totally overblown like a lot of Zins can be these days. 8) La Massa Toscana 2010 - More Massa for me please. 60% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon/Alicante Bouschet from Chianti, Italy. Another wine that was part of our recent Costco Week 2013 series. The La Massa retails for $12.99 at my Costco location but compare that to the average price on the 2010 vintage on Wine-Searcher -- a whopping $25! So basically Costco is selling this wine for almost 50% of the average price sold elsewhere. For Reverse Wine Snobs trying to stay under $20 that opens up a whole lot of intriguing possibilities. Massively good, I’ll take more please -- especially at this price! 7) Ex Libris Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - One Cool Cabernet. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot from Columbia Valley, Washington. If you haven’t

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Lake Law firm

Servicing individuals throughout the entire State of Georgia, helping families recover damages for the seriously injured. We focus in the following areas:

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FOR A FREE CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTATION CONTACT THE LAKE LAW fIRM www.attorneylake.com E-mail: ted@attorneylake.com Phone: (404) 521-1529 Fax: (678) 904-5555 Hours: 24 hours, 7 days 8 Lenox Pointe Atlanta, GA 30324

SE HABLA ESPANOL

sampled the delights of a cooler climate Cabernet, here’s a great place to start. This one features lots of wonderful, rich and juicy fruit flavors packaged within a delicious, dry and smooth texture. In addition you won’t find any toasty oak or excessive heat from high alcohol levels like those ever-present California Cabernet.There’s also a nice bit of spicy pepper that lasts into the long, dry finish. A wonderfully delicious expression of Cabernet Sauvignon! 6) 2011 Hahn Winery California Pinot Noir - A Brilliant Bargain. My very favorite Pinot Noir under $20. This wine hails from California and can be had for as little as $10, which truly is a brilliant bargain for a wine as good as this. This wine features just about the perfect mix of berry flavors, spice and pepper. Pairs wonderfully with anything. 5) Scala Dei Priorat Prior 2003 - A Heavenly Blend. 65% Garnacha Tinta, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Syrah from Priorat, Catalonia, Spain. A small, isolated area with poor soils sure makes one heck of a wine. This one begins with nice, strong aromas of dark, ripe fruit plus a little vanilla and pepper. Tasting this big and savory wine reveals loads of rich, concentrated fruit along with strong tannins, lots of dried herbs and a dense and delicious mouthfeel. It ends with excellent peppery spice and wonderful mineral notes. This one lingers in the mouth for minutes, not seconds. Heavenly! 4) 2008 Saladini Pilastri Pregio del Conte - Montepulciano Plus Aglianico Equals Love. An unusual blend of 50% Montepulciano and 50% Aglianico from Le Marche, Italy. Made with organic grapes and available for as low as $12. It begins with a wonderfully inviting aroma of black cherry, plum, pepper and a little smoked meat and only gets better from there. Get ready for a rich, silky and substantial wine with a very long, dry finish featuring nice grippy tannins. Fabulous! 3) Colognole Chianti Rufina 2007 - The Definition of Savory. Sangiovese from Chianti Rufina, Tuscany, Italy. A wonderful aroma dominated by savory sour black cherry and violet notes leads into saliva-inducing flavors of juicy sour fruit, dried herbs, a little smoked meat and excellent acidity when tasting. A fabulous match for a sausage pizza, this is currently my favorite Chianti. On the wonderful, long, dry finish the flavors of the wine intensify into tasty spice and bright mineral notes. Fantastic -- this is the definition of savory! 2) Quinta De La Rosa Douro Red 2009 - Perfection From Portugal (And It’s Not Port). 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca and 30% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) from the Douro, Portugal. If you’re a fan of wine under $20 and you’re not working Portuguese wine into your weekly rotation then you need to get a new rotation. This is an awesome example of the value you can find from this country starting with the succulent ripe fruit that sucks you right into the fabulous bouquet and followed by the smooth, silky and rich texture featuring concentrated, succulent fruit and layers of tasty spice. The oak aging is done to perfection adding all the right notes to this seriously big and seriously delicious wine. 1) 2007 Vina Eguia Rioja Reserva - Run, Don’t Walk To Get This Wine! A Rioja Reserva for only $10?? Sounds too good to be true, but lucky for us it’s not.This wine is 100% Tempranillo and features strong and rich tannins, delicious mixed berry flavors, a nice dense mouthfeel and wonderful vanilla and cinnamon highlights. When I originally reviewed this wine last summer I recommended buying a case (or two) and letting it sit for a year or two, but I gave one from my cellar a try during the Super Bowl and it is absolutely drinking beautifully right now! I’ve started to see the 2008 vintage roll into stores, so grab as much of the 2007 as you can before it is gone.

LooP the

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drink

F our Roses 2011 L E S B imited dition mall Bourbon Whiskey

atch

Four Roses is one of the great names in American bourbon and their 2011 Limited Edition Small Batch bourbon may be their greatest effort yet. Master Distiller Jim Rutledge has artfully mixed four different bourbons, two 13 year old bourbons coded OBSK and OESQ along with a 12 year old coded OESV and an 11 year old coded OESK. The codes offer insight into the flavor and aroma profiles of the whiskies selected for this great bourbon. Only 3,500 bottles of this non-chill filtered, barrel strength masterpiece are being released, so keep an eye out for this delicious bourbon.Four Roses is unique among bourbon distillers, using two different mashbills (the percentage and types of grain, the OB mashbill contains 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley while the OE mashbill contains 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley) and five different yeast strains allowing them to make 10 different types of bourbon and then blend them for maximum flavor and complexity.Four Roses 2011 Limited Edition Small Batch bourbon has a long, rich, warm finish. Notes of dried cherries, fresh roasted almond, bitter orange and cacao nibs make for an entirely satisfying end to this whiskey. This is a world class whiskey, and absolutely not to be missed. Buy 2 bottles if you can, as once this is gone, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it for this masterpiece.Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be quite glad you did. Body and Palate This bourbon has a rich, warm mouthfeel that coats the palate with an elegant banquet of flavor. Apricot marmalade, cinnamon, brown sugar and plum pudding appear first, before receding and leaving notes of dark chocolate, almond, cherry and toasted oak. This is a complex bourbon, constantly revealing flavors and teasing the palate with fleeting hints of spice notes and wood sugars. Theloopmagonline.com

101 LooPRelationships the

M A G A Z I N E

Things to Never, Ever, Say to Your Girlfriend

Note: The things in italics are the femaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comment, the repsonses being what you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say. The things in parentheses are credits to whatever movies or people we stole them from. Got it? Good.

1. You used to buy me flowers! You used to weigh 120 pounds. 2. You never listen to me! What? 3. Why would I want a thin, big-chested woman when i can have you? 4. Does this make me look fat? No, your hips do. 5. Was it good for you? I’ve had better. (Liar Liar) 6. Your ass isn’t fat... it’s proportionate to the rest of your body. 7. Wow, that sounded just like your mother. 8. Oh, come on... my last girlfriend did it for me. 9. Calling her any woman’s name but her own 10. Anniversaries and Valentine’s Day are solely chick holidays. 11. With my last girlfriend, it was only about great sex- with you, it’s nothing like that. 12. The great part about dating you is that I never have to worry about another guy stealing you away. 13. How do you grow such a great mustache? 14. I see women as nothing more than baby-producing machines. (Jerry Lewis) 15. Oh, come on, honey- your hair doesn’t look that bad. 16. Of course I like looking at naked women? What do you think? 17. 50 bucks?! You’re just going to end up naked anyway. 18. Christ, are you on the rag or something? 19. I like full-bodied women. 20. Not now, the game’s on. 21. Could you hurry up with the bitching? Half-time’s almost over. 22. Oh, would you just shut up? 23. Do you always talk about just yourself? 24. If I was going to dump you, I would have done it a long time ago. 25. Gosh, that made you sound like a real bitch. 26. Are you through yet? 27. Come on, I was thinking of you the whole time. 28. Has your voice always been that grating? 29. I just realized how sad it is that I’m the best you can do. 30. All women are prostitutes in some way or another. 31. You are ugly when you’re angry. (Spaceballs) 32. I like you better when I can only see the top of your head. 33. Hey, let’s try something new... 34. For someone who’s done this as much as you, you’re not very good. 35. Come on, you were a slut in college. 36. To be subtle- You make the rockin’ world go ‘round... (Queen) 37. Thirty-seven?!?!?! (Clerks) 38. Finger cuffs? (Chasing Amy) 39. You know, your sister’s kinda hot. 40. Have you ever thought about getting it on with me and another chick? 41. Christ, you’ll never fit your fat ass into that. 42. This is how my ex used to do it... 43. Bring up an ex in an intimate situation (i.e., whilst cuddling naked) 44. Did you ever think about exercising more? 45. Have you ever considered a boob job? 46. But honey, they’ll be tasteful nudes. 47. So.... you gonna play or what? 48. Its only herpes. Consider it a loving gift from me to you. 49. Here, hide this in your cleavage, and if security frisks you, run like the dickens. 50. Honey, why can’t your ass be as cute as hers?

51. Your ass may be the size of a semi, but im sure we could get through the K-Tag toll booth without any trouble. 52. Is your ass going to be as big as your mom’s when you get that age? 53. You’re WHAT? Is it mine? 54. You’re WHAT? Why don’t we take a walk to the stairwell... just to get a bit of exercise. 55. You’re WHAT? I’ll meet you six feet under. 56. She was the greatest I’ve ever had. 57. He was the greatest I’ve ever had. 58. You remind me of my mom. 59. You look just like my mommy. 60. You’re just here because of my lack of options.(in a serious tone) 61. Will you help with putting on these fishnet stockings? 62. My bra is just chaffing. It does that once in a while. 63. It was just an experiment. I never caught any genital rabies or anything like that. Well, ‘cept the parisites, but that’s it. 64. We need to talk. 65. You ought to sit down. 66. Would you pretend to be my roommate’s girlfriend while my real girlfriend’s in town? 67. Really- that’s my mom’s lipstick on my collar. 68. If you loved me, you would. 69. You’re not near as tight as the next door neighbor’s kid. 70. Mind if I call you “Britney” tonight? 71. Where’d you learn to do makeup- clown college? 72. You are so much more fun when you’re drunk. 73. I’ve seen leeches less clingy than you. 74. I’d take you out for dinner, but I spent my last $10 on that lapdance. 75. Maybe if you got your hair cut, you wouldn’t look like such a dyke. 76. I don’t give a shit what you think. 77. I get my relationship advice from Eminem. 78. What was your name again? 79. Are we gonna screw or what? 80. The money’s on the dresser. 81. Try not to wake me in the morning when you get the hell out. 82. Y’know, your brother’s kinda hot. 83. Your mom’s a MILF. 84. I’m done. 85. Of course she’s hotter than you- but I can’t have her. 86. I thought the cop was a hooker. (the Simpsons) 87, I didn’t think you’d find out. 88. You weren’t supposed to be home for another hour. 89. The “C” word 90. What in the hell took you so long in the bathroom? You fall in or something? 91. The handcuffs don’t chafe near as much as you’d think. 92. As we’ve discussed, wearing women’s underwear is strictly a comfort thing. (the Simpsons) 93. I love you. I love...cake. (That 70’s Show) 94. It’s tasty... but not as good as what my mom makes. 95. You listen to [band/artist]? *maniacal laughter* 96. I’ll leave the seat down when you start putting out more. 97. Women as lovers are all the same- they just have to be there. (Clerks) 98. Would you just make up your fucking mind so we can go? 99. Hey, you get your bitch ass back in the kitchen and make me some pie! (South Park) 100. Oh, is that all? I thought it was something important. 101. Basically anything you say is going to get you yelled at.

Theloopmagonline.com

The 10 signs

LooP the

M A G A Z I N E

Relationships

your girlfriend likes another guy 1. She avoids going out with you. If your girlfriend has suddenly started to avoid going out in public with you, she may like someone else. When a girl is really into you, she wants to be with you and show the world that you’re together. If she doesn’t want to be seen with you, that’s not a good sign. 2. She doesn’t call. When a girl stops calling, it’s a sign that she could be losing interest. When you ask her why she hasn’t called and she says, “Because I didn’t have anything to say”, that’s a cop-out! Don’t buy it. She’s probably with someone else. 3. She won’t hold your hand. One of the 10 signs your girlfriend likes another guy is when she won’t hold your hand. This could be in public or private. If she won’t hold your hand, it’s her way of slowly disconnecting from you.

4.She’s not in the mood. If she was jumping your bones last week, and is suddenly not in the mood to fool around, she may be into someone else. Most girls use sex to keep a guy interested. If she’s not giving sex to you, she may be giving it to someone she likes more. 5. She talks about other guys. All girls talk about other guys sometimes, and there’s nothing wrong with it. But if your girlfriend has suddenly started to talk about one guy, or group of guys in particular, there’s a good chance that she’s not just making small talk. 6. She checks out other guys. If you notice your girlfriend openly checking out other guys with you right there beside her, it’s her way of letting you know she’s ready to move on. Girls will typically only check out other guys for fun, but when they are doing it in FRONT of you, they are sending you a subtle message. 7. She gets unexplained calls. One of the 10 signs your girlfriend likes another guy is if she gets a lot of unexplained calls. Does her phone ring frequently and she won’t pick it up? Or does she flat out refuse to tell you who’s calling? It’s probably because it’s another guy. 8. She ignores your calls. When a woman is really into you, she makes herself available to you as much as possible. If you’ve started to notice that she isn’t answering your calls or returning your texts, chances are she’s trying to distance herself. 9. She puts you down. This is one of the 10 signs your girlfriend likes another guy, and it’s something you may not have even noticed yet. Think back to when you first started dating. Was there a certain behavior that she admired about you? Is this same behavior beginning to annoy her now? If she has suddenly began putting you down, or has started to complain about the things you say or do, chances are she’s losing interest and is into someone else. 10. She won’t make eye contact with you. Lastly, one of the biggest signs your girlfriend likes another guy is if she won’t make eye contact you. If she’s avoiding your glances, it’s because she is feeling guilty that she’s into someone else. Ask her straight out if she likes another guy. If she looks down or moves her eyes around without looking directly at you, then the answer is fairly clear.

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

LooPfashion the

M A G A Z I N E

Ten Men’s Shoes You Must Try

Kenneth Cole Productions Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. (NYSE: KCP) is an American fashion house founded in 1982 by Kenneth Cole. He originally named the company Kenneth Cole Incorporated in September 1982 and planned to showcase his new line of shoes during market week at the Hilton New York Hotel. Finding that he could not afford to purchase a hotel room or showroom to exhibit his line, he borrowed a truck and asked the mayor’s office for permission to park two blocks away from the Hilton Hotel in front of a fancy shoe building. Upon learning that permits were only granted to utility companies and production companies shooting full-length motion pictures, Cole changed the name of the company to Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. and applied for a permit to shoot a full-length motion picture entitled “The Birth of a Shoe Company”. With Kenneth Cole Productions painted on the side of the truck, they opened for business on December 2, 1982, in front of 1370 Avenue of the Americas. They had a fully furnished forty-foot trailer, klieg lights, a director, a rolling camera, models as actresses, and two NYPD policemen as doormen. A velvet rope allowed a limited number of people into the trailers and in two and a half days they sold forty thousand pairs of shoes. The company remains Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. to this day to honor this unusual beginning.[2] In 1985, Kenneth Cole opened his first store on Columbus Avenue in Manhattan, followed shortly thereafter by another store on Union Street in San Francisco. Kenneth Cole retail and Company Stores can now be found worldwide in countries such as Mexico, Canada,Venezuela, Colombia, Israel, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and South Africa.

Allen Edmonds Allen Edmonds - is an upscale shoe manufacturing and retail company based in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The company was established in Belgium, Wisconsin in 1922. Allen Edmonds operates 32 retail stores in 17 states. It manufactures the vast majority of its shoes in the United States and several pairs in Italy. It is one of four American shoe companies, along with E.Vogel, Alden and Johnston & Murphy, that still make men’s dress shoes domestically. The company delivers three lines of men’s shoes, including dress shoes, dress casual shoes, and, since 2006, a collection of Casual Comfort shoes, which are rubber-soled leather shoes with athletic styling.Allen Edmonds gained much of its following after providing shoes to the Army and Navy during World War II, with many of the recipients of the shoes being loyal to the brand for the rest of their lives. Allen Edmonds are an expensive brand of shoes that men typically wear for a very long time and repair rather than replace. The company offers recrafting services, rebuilding a pair of shoes for a fee, replacing soles and heels, creating a new cork base and strip, and reapplying the finish.

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

John Lobb Bootmaker John Lobb Bootmaker” is a company that manufactures and retails a luxury brand of shoes and boots mainly for men, but also for women. Leather goods such as wallets and belts are also available. John Lobb Bootmaker has been in business for almost 150 years. The company continues to maintain its bespoke shoe-making tradition in Paris, while also retaining core bespoke principles in the manufacture of its expanding ready-to-wear collection of shoes and leather goods.

Gucci Gucci -The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci, is an Italian fashion and leather goods brand, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR. Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1921. Gucci generated circa €4.2 billion in revenue worldwide in 2008 according to BusinessWeek magazine and climbed to 41st position in the magazine’s annual 2009 “Top Global 100 Brands” chart created by Interbrand. Gucci is also the biggest-selling Italian brand. Gucci operates about 278 directly operated stores worldwide (as of September 2009) and it wholesales its products through franchisees and upscale department stores.

Bruno Magli

A. Testoni

Bruno Magli is an Italian shoemaker, designing and handcrafting high-quality luxury shoes and accessories.After learning the art from their grandfather, Magli and his siblings Marino and Maria started crafting women’s shoes in a small basement in Bologna, Italy, in 1936. In 1947, the first factory was built, which also produced men’s shoes. The current plant was built in 1969. In the 1980s, the Magli company developed a franchising retail network which led, in about twenty years, to around 40 “franchises”, strewn around Europe, America, Japan, China and other Asian countries, and Australia. Magli is now a privately held upscale brand leader in men’s and women’s footwear, leather clothing, women’s handbags, luggage items, small leather goods, and other accessories.

A. Testoni men’s shoes are crafted in Italy using only the finest leathers and fabrics. Complex designs and Bologna construction give A. Testoni shoes unmatched flexibility. Each shoe is a masterpiece with a history that dates back to 1929. Founder Amedeo Testoni brought the essence of Italian craftsmanship to luxury markets around the world through the Testoni shoes line

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Johnston & Murphy

Johnston & Murphy Founded in 1850 by an immigrant English shoemaker, Johnston & Murphy couples old world shoemaking techniques with new world style and comfort. Johnston & Murphy has made shoes for every U.S. president since Millard Fillmore, earning a reputation for fine materials, meticulous craftsmanship and enduring comfort. Today, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Johnston & Murphy is one of the few companies in the world that makes a line of shoes entirely by hand. Johnston & Murphy is the real deal -- a man’s brand that values honesty, integrity, and excellence above all else. It’s the genuine article, unadorned by trendiness. It’s for the guys who avoid anything phony and simply want the best; secure enough to not seek fashion for fashion’s sake. Johnston & Murphy values style, craftsmanship over cleverness, and substance over sizzle. In a word, Johnston & Murphy is trusted.

Cole Haan

Cole Haan - is a fashion label that was founded in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in 1928. The name comes from founders Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan. Originally Cole Haan was a men’s footwear label. Today it offers many products, including men’s and women’s dress and casual footwear, belts, hosiery, handbags, gloves, scarves, hats, outerwear, and sunglasses.

Prada

Mario Prada established Prada in 1913 as a leather goods store in Milan, Italy. The boutique sold handbags, shoes, trunks and suitcases. After the store struggled financially for several years, the owner’s granddaughter, Miuccia Prada, took over the store in 1978. Within a short time, she transformed the store into a luxury goods and fashion house holding the Prada name. In 1984, the company relaunched the shoe accessories line, and Prada’s simple black bag made a successful appearance in 1985.Prada is known for using simple colors, clean lines, and luxurious materials like soft leathers and python in the construction of their shoes. They emphasize elegance and delicacy in the designs. Prada shoes typically have minimal ornamentation. Prada shoes, while classic over the years, still develop their own identity for every season. In the 2001 spring ready to wear line, Prada matched their accessories with ‘50s and ‘80s inspiration by selling brightly colored cone pumps, some accented by fluorescent fuchsias and greens. In Prada’s fall 2009 collection, they followed suit of the sleek, black thigh-high Chanel boots (mentioned in the film “The Devil Wears Prada”) to create their own version of a loose, rural-like, soft leather thigh-high. They also have a black leather boot similar to Chanel’s. 34

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

Salvatore Ferragamo Italia S.p.A. Salvatore Ferragamo Italia S.p.A. -is an Italian luxury goods company, with headquarters in Florence, specializing in shoes, leather goods, and ready-to-wear for men and women. It is the parent company of the Ferragamo Group. The company also licences eyewear and watches. With about 2.600 employees and a network of over 550 mono-brand stores, the Ferragamo Group runs operations in Italy and worldwide, which provide the brand with a broad footprint in Europe, America and Asia.

LooP the

M A G A Z I N E

Travel

Dubai

Advanced warning: Dubai is not for the short of cash. Glitzy, materialistic, well publicized and quite incredibly luxurious, this small corner of the Middle East is a real millionaires playground. From staying on your own corner of one of the famous man-made islands (or - if you’re truly flush - buying a part of it), to indulging in one of the towering five-star hotels, there’s little here which doesn’t revolve around luxury and money, and both are required in lavish quantities. There are only three seven-star hotels in the world, Dubai is home to one, Burj Al Arab Hotel. While the other two 7 star hotels are found in Abu Dhabi, Emirates Palace and Milan,Town House Galleria also known as the Seven Stars Galleria. Even adventure here is tinged with a certain velvety side. If you want some thrills, you can either drift through a sharks pen on a rubber ring (safety note: they’ll be a sheet of glass between you), hire an off road vehicle and blaze your way through the dunes, race some camels through the sand, or tour the entire place in a personally chartered helicopter. Then there’s sand skiing, cruising, diving, hot air ballooning, skydiving, paragliding, paintballing and even ice-skating. And that really is just scratching the surface. The rapidly developing desert city looks like something out of a computer game, surrounded by picturesque palms and soon to be home to both the tallest and most advanced buildings in the world. The commercial side is astounding too with designer names seemingly tucked around every corner, but look hard enough and you can still find the more traditional side of the Middle East tucked away amongst it all. Head to the creek, for example, and you can spend hours watching wooden dhows float by, sipping on your mint tea, or smoking a flavored traditional sheesha. The mosques – especially the nighttime under lighting of the Grand Mosque – make for impressive sightseeing spots, while the narrow winding lanes of Bastakiya take you back into an oldschool, market focused Dubai where wind towers were still employed to cool the houses before electricity came along. The Dubai Museum will give you plenty of insightful background, too. This is certainly not a spot for the budget traveler: playground to the rich and famous, modern Dubai is about sumptuous, unmatchable luxury. If you’ve got the money it’s the place to be though, it’s simply unmatchable.

LINK & SMITH, P.C. PH: 404-315-8840 www.linksmithpc.com

LooP the

M A G A Z I N E

Mark D. Link

So you had your first car wreck. Whether you’re a new driver or an experienced driver here are some useful tips to keep in mind when you are involved in a wreck. 1) Immediately check for injuries.Your health is more important than the damage to your car. When in doubt or if you have suffered an injury call 911 for help or an ambulance. Although you may feel fine at the time of the wreck you will probably feel worse the second or third day after the wreck. Therefore if you feel like you may have been injured ask that an ambulance come to the scene and check you out and if necessary proceed to the hospital. 2) If the accident is minor and there are no serious injuries move cars to a safe place, rather than risk being in moving traffic. There is no need to keep the cars on the road while the police are on the way. If you want to document the positions of the cars and you can safely do so, take pictures of the cars before you move them. 3) Make sure to exchange insurance information with the other party. This will help you file a claim with the other driver’s insurance if they are responsible for your damages. If you have a camera on your phone it is very easy to take a picture of the other driver’s license and insurance card for your records. Also exchange telephone numbers in case you need to get in touch with the other driver. 4) Be polite, but never tell the other driver that you believe you caused the wreck. Everyone is usually shaken up immediately after an accident, and it is wise to state only the facts. Limit your discussion of the accident to the police and your attorney. Many times there are other factors which you may not be immediately aware of that point fault to the other driver even if you think you are at fault. Once you admit you caused the wreck it will be very difficult to convince the other party’s insurance company that you were not at fault. 5) Many times the police make determinations of fault based on the statements of the drivers involved in the wreck. It is important for you to obtain witness names and phone numbers of people who saw the collision. Many witnesses will stop for a short time, but usually leave before the police arrive. Other motorists, passengers or pedestrians can be critical witnesses, so be sure to get their names and phone numbers even if they leave before the police arrive. 6) Almost everyone has a cell phone that can take pictures. If you are able to photograph the scene of the wreck you should take as many pictures as you can. Take pictures of

where the cars are on the road and any damage to the cars involved in the wreck. If you don’t have a cell phone with a camera it is a good idea to keep a disposable camera in your glove compartment. 7) If the other driver’s insurance company contacts you they may ask for a recorded statement. I would advise any person not to give a recorded statement without talking to a lawyer first. It will not cost you anything to contact an attorney that specializes in automobile accident cases as most of them will be happy to provide an initial free consultation about your wreck. In fact if you need to hire an accident attorney you will find many that work on contingency and only collect their fee when your case settles. 8) Many drivers do not have enough insurance to cover the injuries they may cause. Therefore it is imperative to look at your own insurance policy before you get into a wreck and make sure that you have enough Uninsured Motorist (UM) insurance which will protect you in case the other driver has insufficient insurance. The minimum coverage I would suggest is $100,000. Uninsured Motorist insurance is relatively cheap, but it is very important to have as much as you can afford. 9) If you’re injured and you seek medical attention make sure the doctor has your health insurance information. It is important that your health insurance be billed so you are not stuck with an unpaid bill. Many health insurance carriers may say they are not responsible for the bill since it was an automobile wreck but you have to be persistent and make sure they pay your bills. You may also have insurance called MedPay on your own vehicle which will pay your medical bills up to pre-defined amount. If unsure contact your insurance agent or a lawyer to help you get your bills paid. 10) No matter who is at fault for the wreck, you are entitled to collect damages for the diminution in value to your car. The simple fact is that a car that has been wrecked is not worth as much as an identical car that has not been wrecked. Thus you should make sure that you collect damages for diminished value from the person who caused the wreck. Even if you wrecked your own car into a telephone pole (which I did once) your own insurance company should pay you diminished value after repairing your car. Mark Link practices personal injury throughout the South east and at the firm of Link & Smith, P.C. located in Atlanta Georgia. He has handled over 1000 car wreck claims since 1991. Theloopmagonline.com

BUsiness

10 Facts about Accidents

LooP10 movies that will make thIER the

M A G A Z I N E

entertainment

money back this summer

Guaranteed 100 million doller gross movies in US theaters for the summer to see. Will they cash in? True or false 1. ‘The Lone Ranger’ On the surface, there is no reason for ‘The Lone Ranger’ to be considered an underdog in any way. It’s a Disney blockbuster from the director of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ starring Johnny Depp being released on the Fourth of July weekend. It’s got SMASH HIT written all over it. But take a step back and ask yourself: are you actually excited for ‘The Lone Ranger’? Do you know anyone who is excited for ‘The Lone Ranger’? Has anyone seen any of the posters or trailers for ‘The Lone Ranger’ and declared “Yep! That’s the movie to beat this Summer!”? This may be the team that proved that pirate movies can be blockbusters, but westerns are tricky and the Lone Ranger, while iconic, isn’t exactly a character the kids are chomping at the bit to see. It’ll be fascinating to see whether or not people end up embracing the film because as of right now, it’s looking like a bit of a shrug in a season that’s giving us ‘Pacific Rim,’ ‘Man of Steel,’ ‘Fast and Furious 6’ and ‘Star Trek Into Darkness.’ Budget - 250 million. Forecast - Us $135 million, Worldwide $270 million False 38

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

2.’World War Z’ What is there to say about ‘World War Z’ that hasn’t already been said loudly and publicly by every website and trade out there? Brad Pitt’s zombie epic survived a disastrous production and was delayed many months for extensive reshoots and rewrites. The trailers aren’t great and seem afraid of the film’s concept (they never even make it clear that this is a zombie movie). If ‘World War Z’ is good, it will be because everyone attached to it pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and pulled the production out of the fire. Unlike many of the films on this list, this is all but guaranteed some solid box office, but it’s a definitely underdog when it comes to actual quality. Budget - 200 million Forecast - US $40,000,000 Foreign $105,000,000 False 3.’After Earth’ How is it that a big budget sci-fi epic starring Will Smith is looking like an underdog? In most summers, ‘After Earth’ would be the film to beat, but 2013 is an odd beast, filled to the brim with genre releases that have left this one in the shadows. ‘Oblivion’ beat it to the “post-apocalyptic science fiction” punch and it’s currently wedged between ‘Fast and Furious 6’ and ‘Man of Steel,’ an unenviable position for a film that isn’t about a superhero and doesn’t have a number in

its title. There is no reason for ‘After Earth’ to not be blockbuster if not for the fact that it’s coming out in this particular summer. Budget - 150 million Forecast -Domestic: $105 million, Foreign: $310 million True

7. “Man of Steel” Director Zack Snyder (“300”) has teamed with Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight” trilogy) as the producer and cowriter to tell the Superman origin story in a new way. This interpretation shows Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) trying to find his way on a planet not his own while discovering the man he is meant to become. PG-13. Budget - 175 million Forecast- Us $108,000,000 Worldwide $325,000,000 True 8. Iron man 3 Picking up after the near-death events of “The Avengers,” Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces international terrorist The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), Iron Man’s most feared foe from the comic books. Forecast - Us 275,000,000. Worldwide $550,000,000 Answer - Yes True

4. The Great Gatsby Who knew that an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel that has put so many high schoolers to sleep would become one of the top 3 most anticipated films of summer? We sure didn’t. Then again, an all-star cast (Leo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Joel Edgerton), a celebrated director (Baz Luhrmann of Moulin Rouge fame) and a soundtrack masterminded by pop icon Jay-Z - featuring new music from pop stars like Beyoncé and Florence + Machine - all helps to explain why the general public has taken notice. Budget - 105 Forecast - Us $105,000,000 worldwide $187,000,000 False 5. Star Trek Into Darkness The crew of the starship Enterprise is back on a manhunt for a one-man weapon of mass destruction who wrecked Starfleet from within.The Enterprise crew is after John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), who fans speculate to be Khan from “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” PG-13. Budget - 185 million Forecast - US $125,000,000 worldwide $335,000,000 True 6. The Hangover Part III The wolfpack reunites one more time. In this adventure, the group returns to a familiar location — Las Vegas — under a new set of circumstances, not a bachelor party. A gangster (John Goodman) is holding Doug hostage until Alan, Phil and Stu can find and capture Mr. Chow. R. Budget - 115 million Forecast - Us 150 million, Worldwide$300 million Answer- True

9. 2 Guns Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg as federal agents tasked with investigating each other. After the pair robs a bank while undercover-- and takes money they believe belongs to the mob -- they discover that they’ve been set up and are forced to work together to figure out the truth. Budget- 90 million Forecast - Us 115,000,00 Worldwide 280,000,000 False

10. The Wolverine “The Wolverine” is set sometime after “X-Men: The Last Stand” and follows Logan to Japan, where he’s protecting Mariko (Tao Okamoto) from gangsters. He teams up with Yukio (Rila Fukushima), a capable fighter in her own right.“‘He realizes everyone he loves dies, and his whole life is full of pain,’’ Jackman told Entertainment Weekly. ‘’So it’s better that he just escapes. He can’t die really. He just wants to get away from everything.’’ Budget- 100 million Forecast - Us 175 million Worldwide 289 million True

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The Future is Here Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, G.Q. Beats (aka Wes Brown) has become one of Brooklyn’s top music producers, creating beats and original sounds for hip-hop artists including Nikki Minaj, Lil Kim, Maino, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, plus more than 20 artists in hip-hop and pop genres, thus producing music for more than 50 tracks distributed globally. Born with one hand on the keys of a church organ and the other on an ASR Turbo, his music is undoubtedly his passion, and his success is widely attributed to his unique ability to carefully compose each track with the character of the artist in mind. G.Q. Beats continues to produce innovative sounds for today’s top artists, as well as provide studio services and mentoring programs for up and coming producers and artists. In addition to his beats being found on over 70 mix-tapes with hits that have enabled numerous upcoming artists to explode on the mix-tape scene, his work is repeatedly heard on DJ Kay Slay’s albums. GQ Beats Launches Website and Social Media Sites to Promote and Market Artists Including Maino, Busta Rhymes,Waka Flocka Flame, Fabolous, Uncle Murda *Brooklyn, New York – April 22, 2013* – GQ Beats, professional music productions, launches its new website and social media sites to promote and market artists who feature music produced by GQ Beats. Artists include platinum rapper Maino, 11-time Grammy nominee Busta Rhymes, platinum artist Waka Flocka Flame, 2-time Grammy award nominee, American Music Award nominee, and 5-time BET Award nominee, including one for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Fabolous, Sony-Epic rapper Uncle Murda, and more. In partnership with Edge Marketing Group, GQ Beats is using social media and digital entertainment to promote and market artists as brands, integrating iTunes and online music sales channels, mixtapes, Facebook and Twitter, YouTube channels, appearances and events, and other tools to support marketing and distribution efforts by the artists’ record 40

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

ALLSTAR CHEERLEADING

Spirit

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Georgia Non-Profit organization (501c3 Corporation) dedicated to the enrichment of Metro Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Youth Society~offering mentoring, team building skills & healthy lifestyle habits, while developing necessary tumble skills for future opportunity in athletics.

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Dwayne Boyd Dwayne Boyd is a Producer, Director and Actor as well as instructor at Premier Actors’ Network (PAN) - which he founded in 2003. As an actor Dwayne Boyd believes in delivering his true self in every performance. His ability to engage and affect his audiences through acting proves the potential of this rising star. Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Dwayne found his love for acting early in life. After completing high school, he served in the United States Army for seven years. Not long after leaving the Army, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue his acting career. Boyd’s acting skills were first honed in Atlanta-area theater productions, including To Kill A Mockingbird and A Man’s World. Boyd has since decided to train other aspiring actors to perfect their crafts by developing the Premier Actor’s Network, a group that holds weekly acting classes in Decatur, Georgia. With over 110 students currently on his roster, Boyd managed to impress accomplished actor, writer and director Robert Townsend with his commitment to give back. Townsend has since allowed Boyd to use rehearsal space at the network offices of the Black Family Channel to accommodate his growing and successful classes. Boyd’s commitment to the art of entertainment transcends his skills as just an actor. He has found himself writing, directing and producing short films as well through 34th and Askew Productions company. He has produced works such as Ruthless Company and Wanted:Video Girl. In 2004, he was tapped to produce several episodes of Gory Stories, a children’s program on the Black Family Channel. Pursuing dreams as an actor has been a labor of love for Boyd, who works as a barber part-time to cover his living expenses. Still, his talent began to pay off with a starring role as Oscar in the 2005 Screen Gems production ‘The Gospel’, starring Boris Kodjoe, Idris Elba and Omar Gooding. This film role follows Boyd’s work in television, which included appearances in episodes of NBC’s Surface, Lifetime’s hit shows Army Wives and Drop Dead Diva, Black Family Channel’s Playhouse 22 and Meet the Browns. He can be seen in the upcoming Disney film The Odd Life of Timothy Green starring opposite Jennifer Garner and Common and the highly anticipated film adaption of the enormously popular book series The Hunger Games starring Oscar Nominee Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harellson, Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland. As a talented actor who respects and continually improves his craft, Dwayne has positioned himself for further success as the filmmaking industry takes notice. Beginning with his feature film, a romantic comedy titled 4 Minutes, which he wrote, produced, and directed, was not only accepted into the prestigious American Black Film Festival (ABFF), of 2008 in Miami, but it was ranked top four out of 600 entries, and additionally accepted into the International Black Film Festival (IBFF), in Nashville. He recently directed the SAG feature; The Ivy League set to be released later this year and is in development for his third feature, The Legacy of Frank Wallace, which he is slated to direct. Additionally, Boyd’s success with Premier Actor’s Network (PAN) continues to soar as his classes include on-camera work, monologues, improvisations, scene study, and character development, to prepare for roles in TV, film, commercials, and theatre. He then provide his students with an acting showcase at least twice a year, where they perform in front of hundreds of family, friends and industry personnel, such as; agents, casting directors, and producers. His recent showcase deemed to be the best showcase thus far in metro Atlanta; as exclaimed by very prominent talent agents and casting directors in attendance. In addition to the many accolades, eighty percent of the actors obtained opportunities for agent representation following the showcase.That being an accomplishment within itself, Boyd finds great joy in seeing his diligent work with his students pave the road for their success; and this is what continues to drive him to strive for perfection in the art, live his dream, and fulfill his destiny! 42

The loop magazine • JULY/AUGUST 2013

LooP 2014 the

M A G A Z I N E

Audi R8

Drive The 2014 Audi R8 marks the first substantial revision for the supercar since it was launched in 2007.There are styling updates, the addition of a range-topping V10 Plus model and addition of a seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual transmission. There wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a 2013 R8. Instead, Audi will stretch the 2012 model until the 2014 goes on sale in the United States on March 20, 2013. On the outside, the retooled R8 distinguishes itself from previous cars with new bumpers and LED lighting, with the rear turn signals using 30 LEDs for a sweeping effect. In the cabin, the leather seats can now be had with a diamondstitch pattern. Sitting atop the R8 range is a new V10 Plus model that weighs roughly 110 pounds less than the regular V10, thanks mostly to more carbon fiber, forged aluminum wheels, carbon brakes, aluminum suspension wishbones and a conventional suspension in place of the magnetic damping system. Topping things off is an additional 25 hp from the 5.2-liter V10, for a total of 550 hp. European models get sport bucket seats which are comfortable and real supportive for smaller passengers but a little tight for larger folks. The bucket seats wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come to the United States-which is disappointing-because they lack side airbags. Keeping with the pure performance mission of the V10 Plus, it is available only as a coupe. Sorry, Spyder fans. The biggest news is the arrival of the S-tronic seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual transmission that replaces the pervious single-clutch R-tronic unit. The in-house developed gearbox is all-new and can skip gears, unlike the Rtronic that had to sequentially engage each gear for quicker shifts. Driving purists will be happy to know that the gated six-speed manual transmission remains available on all three R8 models-the V8,V10 and V10 Plus. Base Price: $128,000/$163,000/$175,000 (est) Drivetrain: 4 .4-liter, 430-hp, 316-lb-ft,V8/5.2-liter, 525-hp, 391-lb-ft,V10/5.2-liter, 550-hp, 398-lb-ft, V10; AWD, seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual Curb Weight: 3,494/3,626/3,516 lb (mfr) 0-62 MPH: 4.3/3.6/3.5 sec (mfr) Fuel Economy (EPA): 16/15/15 mpg (est)

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