All things Atlanta! Georgia Aquarium Great Atlanta Beer Fest ATL Fashion Week Festival Latino
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People! Hale Woodruff Kaitlyn Singh Michael Beasley J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
The Peach Review™ Art
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Entertainment
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14 People
Music
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Events
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Attractions
54 Travel
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Arts & Culture
THE HIGH MUSEUM 3
Rise Up: The Talladega Murals
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Talladega Murals by Hale Woodruff In 1938 Alabama’s Talladega College commissioned acclaimed African American painter Hale Woodruff to create 6 large-scale murals portraying the Amistad mutiny and its aftermath, as well as the founding of Talladega College. Last year the college teamed up with the High Museum of Art to restore the murals and therefore produced the “Rising Up” exhibit. Hale Aspacio Woodruff was born in Cairo, Illinois, and raised in Tennessee. In 1927, after formal art study in the United States, Woodruff moved to Paris. There he
trained at the city's progressive art academies, admired Old Master paintings, and studied the work of the avant-garde, and met with African American expatriates, including Henry Ossawa Tanner. He began collecting African art and, after seeing works by Picasso and other modernists, started to incorporate African imagery into his paintings. In addition to his distinguished career as a painter, Woodruff was also known for his contributions as an educator. In 1931 he returned from France to establish the first art school for African Americans in the Southeast at Atlanta
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University. He taught students at AU, Spelman College, and Clark University as well as high school and grade school children around Atlanta. In 1938 he also began teaching classes in art regularly at Talladega College. In 1946 he became a teacher at New York University, where he taught art for more than twenty years until his retirement in 1968. During the mid-1960s Woodruff and fellow artist Romare Bearden were instrumental in starting the Spiral Group, a collaboration of African American artists working in New York. *Info from HERE 5
Picturing the South
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Picturing The South New commissions from the High Museum of Art present work from 3 contemporary artists- Martin Parr, Kael Alford, and Shane Lavalette.
Their projects represent the latest additions to the High’s longstanding commission series, which offer photographers an opportunity to develop
self-directed bodies of work that engage deeply with our region.
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Picturing New York
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Picturing New York
Picturing New York from the Museum of Modern Art. New York is both an exploration of the life of the city and a documentation of photographs that show the city on New York in all its vitality, ambition, and beauty, depicting the iconic New York that captivates the world’s imagination, as well as the idiosyncratic details that define New Yorkers’ sense of home. We were glad we had a chance to view this exhibit while it was here. Picturing the South - New York had the most space allotted for their respective artwork and definitely made a statement.
*information was obtained HERE
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MISRACH’S CANCER ALLEY The last stop on our tour of art was at Misrach’s Cancer Alley. You can see all of Cancer Alley until October 7th, 2012. “Norco, twenty-five miles upriver from New Orleans, is the site of a massive Shell Oil refinery. Throughout the day, natural-looking clouds, nicknamed “Norco cumulus,” hover over the site, created by the comingling of moisture and volatile hydrocarbons that originate in the process of refining gasoline, jet fuel, cooking oil, and other products. In 2009, the EPA ranked Louisiana as one of the top ten polluters of air and water in the United States.” – Richard Misrach “Dow Corporation is the largest petrochemical company in Louisiana; it began its operations in the state in 1956. Between 1958 and 1973 Dow buried forty-six thousand tons of toxic waste in unlined pits that now cover more than thirty underground acres. The company attempts to pump the waste back to the surface before it reaches the drinking water aquifer for the city of Plaquemine. These efforts notwithstanding, every time the Mississippi River rises it floods the waste site, likely carrying toxins into the river and polluting the water supply as it makes its way down toward New Orleans.” – Richard Misrach -TPR *information from HIGH website
Norco Cumulus Cloud, Shell Oil Refinery, Norco, Louisiana, negative 1998, print 2012
Hazardous Waste Containment Site, Dow Chemical Corporation, Mississippi River, Plaquemine, Louisiana, negative 1998, print 2012 *All image from pgs. 3-10 are from High Museum
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VIDEO GAME REVIEWS The war between the Autobots and the Decepticons continues with the destruction of their planet. But you get to see other memorable characters, like the Dynobots, Insecticons, Constructacons, and Metroplex. WOW! That’s what I have to say about this game and if you are a Transformers fan you would say the same. You almost get to play with every transformer that you know, if not you get to see them. You get to see Metroplex, control Bruticus, and play with Grimlock. How awesome is that and what more could you ask for?
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Now I did experience a couple of glitches and freezes in the game, but it can be overlooked because that’s how awesome the game is. Now for the multi-player mode, its loads of fun. You can customize your character from a scouter to a scientist, and from there you can go from team battle to free-for-all and cause mayhem. Transformers Fall of Cybertron gets a 9.5… I say go get this game.
This is a special report. I stumbled upon this game in the free downloads section on PS3 and from the start I’m going to say this game sucks! I give it a 1.5. I would give it a complete 0, but I was addicted to it for a little while.
The Expendables 2
*images are from gamezone.com and gamesvib.com
The control stick is stupid, you have to use one analog to aim, while using the other to move. To shoot, you have to press the right trigger and did I mention its an overhead view, with bad voice acting? The only cool part about this game is that when your character dies, you get to choose another character in play mid-game. It reminds me of a Playstation game call Loaded and Reloaded which was ok, but this Expendables game sucks. Do not buy or even download the demo of this game… It’s a waste of life.
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VIDEO GAME REVIEWS Taking place between RE2 and RE3, you’re leading a team of covert ops on a mission to eliminate anyone who knows the truth about Umbrella. In this game your going against government soldiers, police officers, zombies, monsters, and tyrants. The storyline is pretty good, it explains what goes on between RE2 and 3, but the game is short. I also went through the game without knowing that my character had abilities that I had to purchase with the points earned in the game. The graphics are great, the A.I is decent, the story is good, game play is ok but the game itself could have been longer. Its like their version of Gears of War. I give Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City a 5.5 out of 10.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
Max Payne tried to leave his life behind in New York City in hope of starting a new life as a private security guard for a wealthy family in Brazil. Max then becomes a one man army when a gang tries to kill the family that he’s hired to protect.
Max Payne 3
*images are from gamezone.com and gamesvib.com
The game play is awesome, it still has the game play as the first two Max Payne games, but it’s a little more updated. The bullet time is still the awesome feature the game has. The game kept me on the edge of my seat! I did not want to put the controller down. Its like you’re playing a movie, that’s how intense it is. Story wise, its amazing. There are so many twists and turns, you don’t know who to trust and it takes a peek into his past. Max Payne 3 is a must buy, I give it a 9 out of 10.
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VIDEO GAME REVIEWS Dubai has turned from a rich wealthy land, to a desert war zone with refugees. You lead a Delta Recon team to investigate a routine mission to search for survivors and a easy evac. But things are not what they really seem to be, nor are they easy. In this third person shooter many things are going on. You don't know who to trust, you're fighting refugees who are in cohort with military soldiers, and you're going against C.I.A and military ops as well. But you don't know why and on top of that, you're in sandstorms the majority of the time which makes it hard to aim. The game has more of a philosophical edge to it. So many uncanny things go on in the game to where you question it. Even your teammates argue with each other about whether they’re making the right decision or not, or should you be leading this team on a suicide mission. There really wasn't much I could pick out from this game. Game play wise, its pretty much leaner, the AI was a little difficult. They really didn't change up their patterns of things. The graphics were pretty good, story line was a little confusing. I kinda didn't know what was going on until the end. To me Spec Ops could have been a little better. I guess only military people would understand this game. I give Spec Ops a 6.6.
Spec Ops: The Line
*images are from masonicgamer.com and
gamereuphoria.com
-Game Reviews by TBZ
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Raid: The Redemption Beasts of the Southern Wild On Saturday July 7th, a sold out crowd attended the sneak preview of the award winning film, “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Director Benh Zeitlin’s 2012 film has created quite the stir this year at both the Cannes Festival (in May by winning the “Camera d’Or” rookie of the year award) and by packing the house at the Sundance Film Festival (in January). The preview was shown at the High Museum of Art in the Rich Theatre, past the current exhibits that are on display dealing with the pollution in Mississippi and Louisiana. The *Image from filmmonitor.wordpress.com
story which is originally written by Lucy Alibar – shows the struggles of a community and the ways in which they pass on their values, myths, beliefs and attitudes to their youth. This film is very deep, symbolic, and poetic, ensuring conversation afterwards of how inevitably we all end up in the same boat. The main characters are the brave strong-willed six year old girl Hushpuppy (played by Quvenzhane [say Kwah-vahnJAHN-ay] Wallis and her father Wink (Dwight Henry). It depicts the story of, “Once there
was a Hushpuppy, and she lived with her daddy in the Bathtub.” To learn more about this, “Striking narrative film” visit www.welcometothe bathtub.com or www.beastsofth esouthernwild.com for previews and more information. We don’t want to give out all the details but this movie is so provocative and touching. The music, cinematography and writing were just RIVETING! “Beasts of the Southern Wild’, is a must see film! Review by: Desmond McLennon & Johnny Hill 14
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This story takes us into the lives of Jackie and David Siegel. David Siegel owns a timeshare company called Westgate (which at the time was the largest timeshare company in the world), and our story begins with him and his family in their 26,000 sq. ft. home in Florida. As if that isn’t big enough, they soon announce their plans on building North America’s largest home in a 90,000 sq. ft. mega-plex inspired by Versailles (hence the title of the film). During the next two years, their empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis. While watching this film you could hear moans, groans, and shouts of laughter from the audience. One of the best one-liners from Jackie (whilst talking to their 9 children) “Listen, you guys are gonna have to think about what you want to be when you grow up. The money isn’t there anymore so you all need to take a serious look into college.” That insulated from reality? Yes, yes they were. But the family slowly learns to adapt (in their own way) and the documentary sheds light on how ruthless banks and lenders were when the crisis happened. Not even the super wealthy were immune from the aggression of banks and the virus mentioned in the film most widely known as “foreclosure.” We don’t think this will win any awards or change your life but definitely think it’s worth seeing. If not for the adventure of a rags-to-riches to rags story, then for sheer entertainment. One last quote to grease the runway for you to see this movie? Jackie (the mother) speaks on her children: “Well when I first had 2 kids I stopped because I was like wow that’s too much work. But when I found out you could have nannies I kept having kids because I could keep hiring nannies!” Image from news.birds-eye-view.co.uk All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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The Avengers We enjoy bringing movies to the forefront that fly under the radar so to speak. The movie “Intouchables” would be one of those films. A month or so ago we told you the feel good movie of the summer was “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” We had no idea how another independent film could surpass that but we’d have to say this french-subtitled masterpiece fits the bill. Both are excellent films but this one is a comedy and at first glance you may think you’re about to watch a film featuring Dustin Hoffman (you can’t tell us he doesn’t look like Dustin Hoffman!). The main character Philippe (Francois Cluzet) is an extremely wealthy man who injures himself in a paragliding accident which led to his quadriplegic state. After going through numerous caretakers *image from cineinternational.com
the movie opens with him interviewing a large mass of hopeful applicants. He ends up hiring a man named Driss, (Omar Sy) a Senegalese immigrant from the projects. The greatest example of opposites attracting are seen before we get into the thick of the film: A good-looking white aristocrat who adores the arts hires a tall african american with a record who lives with his mother. The beauty of it all was that they had a lot in common from their first meet. We don’t want to give too much away but I have never in life seen a subtitled movie provide so much comedy. You may wonder where comedy can come from with a caretaker and a handicapped man? No need to feel sorry for Philippe because he doesn’t feel sorry at all. His strength and courage in the
movie keeps the moviegoers from feeling any sort of sadness while Driss can provide the comedic relief. Trust me when we say it’s funny! The success of this films’ global appeal? On opening weekend last year it made €10,675,385 in France ok? To this day, globally, it has grossed $351,019,943 So if anything see the movie to see why it’s grossed over $350 million in less than a year! This movie will not disappoint in any way and we highly suggest you take the time to see this one.
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Raid: The Redemption Back in August I saw “The Bourne Legacy” and we have to say …… It wasn’t too bad. Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) has some gigantic shoes to fill in the absence of Jason Bourne (Matt Damon). Oddly enough they decided to keep the “Bourne” name in the mix even in his absence (his name is shown twice, face was shown once on a credential). The government decides to discontinue the program which created these super soldiers (like Jason Bourne) to begin with. After Aaron Cross’s curiosity leads him to discover *Image from HDwallpapers.in
the truth behind the government’s intentions, he runs off to find answers from chemist Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz). I was excited to see her since she’s been missing in action for a while after starting a family (you may remember her as “Evelyn” or “Evey” from The Mummy & The Mummy Returns). There are a few scenes that may take you by surprise with explosions and there are two fight scenes that are worth watching. But after that I’d say this movie is pretty basic. At one point I thought the movie was in a transition spot preparing us, the
audience, to go in a different direction? Nope, that was the movie ending. So needless to say that was very unimpressive. Sadly this film doesn’t come close to anything Matt Damon gave us in the past. Three films of greatness, switch the direction, throw in Jeremy Renner as the new protagonist, and yea… you get a par movie at best. If I were you I’d save that $10.50 (or even more depending on where you live) and wait until your local Red Box decides to provide it for you at the exponentially low price of 4 quarters.
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RED BULL SOAPBOX RACE
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Soapboxes and Shenanigans! Well what do you expect besides shenanigans with Red Bull? The race had comedy at every corner along the Piedmont Park area!
The race is for fun and the shear joy of being there amongst thousands of onlookers but there are prizes too.
Aside from what to expect from Red Bull there was still a race to win. Not to be confused with the youth soapbox derby, Red Bull Soapbox Race is a national race for amateur drivers, which is fueled by creativity and competitive fun. This unique non-motorized racing event challenges both experienced racers and amateurs alike to design and build outrageous, human-powered soapbox dream machines and compete against the clock in a downhill race.
1st Place will be treated to a once-ina-lifetime experience for the whole team. Ride along in an off-road truck with Red Bull athlete Bryce Menzies, the 2011 SCORE Trophy Truck and TORC Pro-2 Champion. Or share the cab with Red Bull athlete Ricky Johnson, 2011 TORC Pro-4 Champion. The winners will also be guests of Team Menzies at the TORC
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Race in Charlotte in July of 2012. 2nd Place will receive a day of professional high performance driving instruction on a closed professional course for all team members. 3rd Place will receive a day at your local go-cart track for all team members. This experience includes food, drinks and racing time for you and a guest (10 total).* -TPR *from Red Bull Soapbox race website
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The Peachtree Road Race
JULY 4, 2012 All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
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Peachtree Road Race The AJC Peachtree Road Race has distinguished itself as one of the premier Fourth of July traditions in Atlanta with its festive atmosphere, scenic city course and beloved finisher’s Tshirt. Organized by the Atlanta Track Club, the event attracts runners of all ages and paces eager to take part in the Fourth of July tradition.
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The Atlanta Street Food Festival is an event that showcases the top Atlanta area food trucks and bring awareness to this growing community that provides high end, quality food in a unique way. All in attendance enjoyed a variety of food trucks from all over Atlanta, unique vendors, specialty tents, and live music.
Atlanta Street Food Festival
With this being its inaugural year things went smoothly and it was enjoyable for sure. As you can see from the pictures the lines were quite long, but the food was definitely worth it. One thing people should know about food trucks (which also accounted for the long wait times) is that your food is cooked once you place your order. The Happy Belly food truck was voted the best of the festival at beautiful Piedmont Park. Congratulations to them and make sure you support our amazing food truck community! The food is amazing! -TPR
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ATL Beer Fest All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
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Every year, Labor Day weekend in Atlanta is jam-packed with events, and this year was no different. From Dragon*Con to black gay pride events, the city was busy. With all of this going on, my favorite event after the long weekend was the Great Atlanta Beer Fest at Turner Field. While the non-stop beer would be good enough to solidify its top spot in my weekend, there was much more to enjoy. Despite the rainy afternoon prior to the festival, skies were clear and sunny by the 3:00pm start time. Upon entering the grand entry plaza outside of the stadium, I was greeted with live music from the band, Ocean Street. They provided the crowd with great covers, ranging from Dave Matthews band to Kings of Leon. The leader of the band summed up the atmosphere best, saying that it felt “…like a big backyard party.” College football played on big screens and televisions throughout the plaza as food was eaten, games were played, and beers were sampled… And oh, were beers sampled! With a selection of over 140 beers, to this beer festival novice, it felt like the World of Coca Cola for adults! As I have been actively refining my beer palate for only 2 years or so, I would not classify myself as a beer connoisseur. Either way, here are some of my favorites. Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo and Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy will definitely be making appearances at future get-togethers, while my personal favorite and new staple in my refrigerator was Your Black Heart from the local O’Dempsey’s Brewery. To top it all off, there were some pleasant surprises at the Frozen Pints booth with their delicious beer ice creams! All-in-all, the Great Atlanta Beer Fest was a wonderful experience, with wonderful people all around. I’m looking forward to more great times exploring the wonderful world of beer next Labor Day!
-EDB
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The BB&T Open
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$477,900 up for grabs as Men’s Tennis takes over Atlantic Station Saturday July 14 was the opening day of play with singles qualifying taking place at the BB&T Atlanta Open Tennis Championships. This event featured many of the World’s top ranked tennis players including #10 and top seed John Isner, #13 defending Champion Mardy Fish, and former #1 Andy Roddick. The winner of the singles main draw took home $86,270.00, while the total prize money equals $477,900.00. While today and Sunday’s matches will feature 32 players fighting for the 4 remaining spots to play in the main draw, the tournament literally took over the very crowded grounds of Atlantic Station. The Stadium Court and United Way Grandstand courts were down the street from L.A. Fitness / Regal Cinema building and behind Dillard’s, while Court #3 and the practice courts were on 17th Street across from the BB&T corporate building.
In addition to the courts, the child themed minitennis courts known as the SmashZone was located on 17 ½ Street with many kids packing the area to get in some good play while taking in the tournament. Then you have the Publix Family Zone located between restaurants Strip and Rosa Mexicano. That along with Cadillac’s Car Gallery and numerous vendors such as Your Serve tennis setting up shop — made Atlantic Station all about tennis for the whole week. I’ll be here next year for sure! -Desmond McLennon Photography by Kent Foster
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Atlanta International Fashion Week 2012
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Atlanta's 6th Annual International Fashion Week 2012 To all of our Fashion Followers out there, let's take a moment to talk the art of fashion! For the 6th year in a row our city has successfully brought together a week full of fashion from all across the world. Curious to know what all the fuss is about when it comes to International Fashion Week in Atlanta? No problem, that's what we're here for, we'll be glad to enlighten you! Originating in 2007, Atlanta International Fashion Week is an annual event designed to showcase fashion designers as well as models. It's a week full of fashionable events taking place at various venues, that consist of runway & fashion shows, celebrity events, fashion expo's, workshops, and more. AIFW has also featured some of the catwalk favorites in the past such as Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, Juicy Couture, Rock & Republic, Sean John, Ed Hardy, Dereon, & True Religion. Past celebrity appearances include Kim Kardashian, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, and more. AIFW is also committed to contributing to several nonprofit organizations that are geared toward helping fight the aids epidemic in support of our youth community. This year's event was held on July 24-29, 2012 at various downtown Atlanta locations. The Peach Review was most definitely honored to be apart of this international fashion sensation! On Tuesday, July 24th, the festivities began with a VIP Welcoming Reception at Buckhead Bottle Bar & Bistro. This intimate, chic, social affair welcomed everyone from international designers and models, to stylists, media and sponsors. Treating them to good food & cocktails throughout the evening while everyone mingled with their fellow fashion lovers! Also to welcome everyone, we had Motives by LaLa join us providing mini-style makeovers. While the opening ceremony went extremely well, the entertainment didn't stop there. The fashion, entertainment, networking, & parties continued to flow over throughout the week! Just to name a few of the many events that took place throughout the week, we had Couture & Cocktails, Tour de Atlanta , The Ultimate Summer Fashion Show, Fashion In the City – SHOP Atlanta, Fashion Café, Celebrity Walk for Charity , Pretty Academy School of Fashion, Fashion In the City Runway Shows, Fashion ICONs, etc. All taking place at various downtown Atlanta locations, including Hotel Indigo, World of Coca-Cola, and other various Atlanta Boutiques. Designers include Black Russian Label, Simply Beautiful Designs, Luichiny and AguaViva Swimwear! All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted! -Toronda Lewis
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Simply Beautiful Designs
We wanted to share our photo-shoot with the models of Simply Beautiful Designs. The SBD team traveled down to our great city for Atlanta International Fashion Week. We were able to catch up with them and they even made time for a photo-shoot to show off the SBD swimwear. The team of Canadians were an absolute pleasure to work with and everyone had a great time. Below you can catch our interview with the brainchild behind SBD Monique Edwards. Be sure to follow Simply Beautiful Designs on Twitter: @SBDCollection and you can contact them at simplybeautifulhd@gmail.com Visit their website HERE
TPR: Hello Monique How are you? ME: Hi I’m doing great thank you. TPR: So tell us how you got into fashion & design? ME: Sure! I actually started designing about 2 years ago during the summer in July. The motivation for that was primarily on the basis that I always wanted to do it, never had the opportunity to. I was working part-time and figured that I could put some more development and energy into developing myself. I enrolled in a fashion show called Frugal Fashion Week in Toronto? and that’s
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literally the fashionista on a budget trying to incorporate what you have in your closet, reinventing it, and I created 3 pieces for that and they were accepted quite highly (smiles). As a result I just continued with the design aspect and that’s how we have Simply Beautiful Designs today. TPR: Wow that’s fantastic! Are you originally from Toronto? ME: Yes I’m originally from Toronto and of Caribbean descent. Shout out to Trinidad & Barbados (laughing). TPR: Can you tell us about the outfits that we saw on Tia and Shareen? ME: Shareen (pictured left) is wearing the 3 piece monokini and that’s zebra print with a bedazzled embellishment. I came up with that outfit primarily because I love the fabric. Which is another thing, the signature to my clothing line is prints. It was a fantastic print and I figured I’d test out the fabric making a swimsuit initially and loved it! TPR: Ok and how about Tia’s? ME: Tia’s print (pictured left) was originally derived from the dress version because there is a dress in the same fabric that I have created. That one I fell in love with the fabric, the shimmer, and I love the glow that it provides when you’re wearing it and it just exudes sexy. So I figured I’d create a 2 piece with a twist, and Tia wears it very well (smiles).
TPR: Indeed (we both laugh). Can you let us know of somethings to look forward to from SBD? ME: Well I just recently launched my couture collection which is going to be higher-end fancy dresses which will be more runway inspired/high fashion looking. A lot of the pieces I make now are more ready to wear outfits that can be also dressed up. I’m also looking forward into breaking into a Men’s line eventually but I’m trying to master my craft for right now. But I definitely am going to continue to the path I’m on right now and incorporating a lot of prints and just try to be creative in reinventing fashion as we know it! TPR: Thank you Monique! ME: Your welcome, thank you!
-TPRPage
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Taste
Fashion Events We made our way to Aurum Lounge (located in Midtown) Thursday night for another smashing event…Let’s just say that if you missed it, you missed out! “TASTE,” presented by Social Cravings & Digital Fashion Group is an event put together to bring forth some of Atlanta’s most talented, hardworking individuals in the fashion industry. Along with all the sexy, hot & unique fashionista’s mixing and mingling the night away, amongst the crowd we had celebrity chef Jason Ellis giving us a ”taste” of his work. He performed live food demonstrations, wooing us with some of his amazing dishes. While Mr. Jason Ellis brought his chef skills to the table, we also had Bama Vodka and Courvoisier in the building preparing premium cocktails to wash it all down. This event was a definite success. Bringing together good food, drinks, entertainment, fashion, and professional individuals that are looking to have a good time? now that’s what we call “taste“ & might I add, the venue was perfect! This event will occur once a month! Make sure you stay tuned & catch it if you missed out this time around. Trust us you won’t be disappointed!
LABELatlanta
Friday, Sept. 7, we attended another one of our city’s many fashionable gathering’s. LABELatlanta, held on the roof top of one of Atlanta’s hot down town locations, is a one of a kind event happening once a year. It supports and promotes emerging designer’s here in our city while gathering together fashion, models, designers, socialites, media, and networking! With a constant flow of great designer’s here in Atlanta, when it comes to fashion and style? We are definitely on the map and this event was the perfect example of why we feel that way! The fashion show was a huge part of the night and it was put together absolutely beautifully, offering many unique and trendy styles from 6 extremely talented designers such as: Cleah Murray, Cerese & Deborah Dolman, Jasmine Elder, Shenelle Evans, Christian Harris, and Tian Justman. From the runway they brought us a tremendous variety of style in women’s clothing, menswear, plus sizes, and accessories! All the while cameras were flashing the entire night, and might I add the “tweeting” was crazy from the beginning of the show until the end. Oh, and before we go, we can’t leave without giving compliments to Chef Taylor, for our four course tasting menu, and STATUS vodka for providing us with premium cocktails throughout the night. Overall, this event gets two thumbs up from us, & we’re glad that we “saved the date!” See ya next year LABELatlanta!
-Toronda Lewis Page
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Sunshine Anderson’s Tweet & Greet
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Aside from the many events & activities that went on this Labor Day weekend, we had to make our way back to Aurum Lounge, to get an earful of the soulful songstress Ms. Sunshine Anderson. Attending the “Tweet & Greet” gave us the opportunity to get up close and personal with her. The Grammy-Nominated R&B sensation is still well-known and popular for her single “Heard It All Before” released back in 2001. Performing live,Ms. Sunshine Anderson gave us a sneak peek of what to expect out of the new album & I must say that we’re definitely in for a treat! She also brought the house to their feet when she began to perform the single that she’s so well-known for “Heard It All Before.” It definitely took us back! Also in attendance we had Anthony or “Q” (who you may all remember from the show “Making the Band“) serenading us with some of his new work. Q had the ladies going crazy when he performed a couple of his songs from his upcoming solo album. Last but not least we can’t forget another one of our R&B sensations “Lil Mo” stopping through to show support for the evening! On top of this being the perfect venue and setting for this smooth and sexy event; the vibe, people, and music was so hot that we decided to stay after the concert to enjoy the crowd and mingle. Overall this event was a success, and we definitely look forward to attending more like it! For more on Ms. Sunshine Anderson, you can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and follow her on Twitter @SunshineAnderson, or visit her website HERE -Toronda Lewis (Photos are courtesy of Key Perspectives Photography CLICK)
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For years Timex has often been thought of as the safe, go to choice for watches. They’re sturdy, built to last, and if you’ve been a lifetime owner like myself you know the batteries last for ages. I as well as other watch collectors are very happy to see Timex shake things up with their new line of watches. I’d compare it to when Michael Kors came out with their Rose gold collection or when Kia came our with their new 2012 line of cars featuring LED lighting and Audi-esque lines. This Elevated Classics Dress watch sports a red dial and stainless steel band. It’s perfect for any dress or casual event with its bracelet sporting a smooth, clean look. It has the date in the III position and comes with a 1-yr. warranty. Not to mention that with its sleek, sophisticated look, it comes with a Timex price of $65. For a casual watch that’s going to last a lifetime is a STEAL (especially compared to the price of most watches now) which leads me to boast their price point: With Fossil watches the most inexpensive red dial watch we found was still $75 but it was interchangeable so that doesn’t include the band. Also that $75 won’t provide you with the days’ date. Swiss Army? you have your choice of $1,050 or $525 for your red dial watch. So believe me when I say Timex has a niche when it comes to fine quality watches at an affordable price. I asked 3 people at random what they thought of this Elevated Classic when they first saw it and all 3 had a look of shock. “Wow that’s really clean look” “That’s a nice watch” and my favorite “Wow that’s really nice, was it expensive?” and I was very happy to explain how compared to most casual watches available it was very inexpensive. The same reactions came when I explained it was made by Timex. “Wow, I didn’t know they made pieces outside of sports watches” was the congruent statement made by all 3 of them. Like I said, Timex has always been a safe pick for a durable watch to just “have”, but now people will have to strongly consider them for style as well as durability. You can find this Elevated Classics Dress piece at Timex.com or click HERE and the style# is T2N802
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Simple Math Equation: Art + Time = Rohaun Villainy Collection Art – the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture. Time – the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present and future regarded as whole. How many products are able to provide both art and time? The first thing that comes to mind is Villainy watches by Rohaun. Art and time are infused with concepts of contemporary fashion and this is called Villainy; a collection of canvas art compressed into a series of functional timepieces. These timepieces are creating quite the buzz here in Atlanta. Over this past summer, it was featured at the Artlanta 2012 exhibit. Here is what a few revelers had to say about the Villainy Gallery: •
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“I really enjoy coming here to see the emerging talent in the city and the watches are definitely a main attraction this year” Celeste, Marietta GA “I first thought who could do such a small painting and then frame it as art!? Little did I know that each is actually compressed canvassed art….way to cool!” T.J., Atlanta “Very extraordinary, and I like the fact that one can commission to create their own timepiece for special people in their lives. I am looking at getting a piece done for my boyfriend and getting that Notorious BIG timepiece for myself” Shenice, Stone Mountain GA
Just one look at their products and you can see how much time and dedication are needed for each individual art piece. The Villainy timepieces are created by Hasan Marius and Robert Stephenson who ensure that every commissioned piece requires client input to keep customer satisfaction at a premium level. “Rohaun applies a modern take on the artistry of watch crafting using the mechanical movements of time to give life to the art. Adding motion to the paintings promotes the transmission of each piece’s of energy, complementing its versatility as an element of style and décor” – Hasan Marius We at the Peach Review enjoy the finer things in life as do our readers, which is why we have provided photos of their designs along with a youtube link HERE to show other timepieces crafted by these young entrepreneurs. For more information including pricing visit HERE All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
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V H ictory
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“VICTORY H2O™ Enhanced Bottled Water is launched inKentucky by former UK Legend / NBA Champion Derek Anderson.” Derek Anderson knows what ingredients are needed to give oneself the best opportunity to claim victory. Last weekend, he successfully launched his branded theme night, “VICTORY H2O Water – Victory is Ours!” The event took place in Lexington at the Convention Center and The Peach Review™ was
invited to cover this exclusive Blue carpet event.
Another monument of this evening would be to celebrate the athletic achievements of the University of Kentucky Basketball program by bringing members of the 1978, 1996, 1998 and 2012 UK Wildcat Team back to the Big Blue Nation (that is what UK fans/alumni are referred as).
not your average drinking water! Whether you are exercising, playing sports, at home or work…you will enjoy and feel the difference that VICTORY H2O™ provides.” We can tell you that the water tastes GREAT and does and autograph provide such a refreshing opportunities. positive energy charge as we observed the guests VICTORY H2O™ is an visiting the auctions industry leading hydration items. The event experience that ensures a winning drop is achieved every time to fuel ones body towards victory! The core ingredients include enhanced electrolytes which help eliminate toxins and increase the rate of recovery to your body, which makes it your complete water in today’s stressful world. The featured samples of the knowledgeable and electrolyte enhanced courteous staff on hand water to guests, auction stated to many, “This is items, a full course dinner
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Some of the auctions items included Derek Anderson memorabilia, VICTORY H2O™ posters with pictures of current and past University of Kentucky players that would be signed at the end of the night to name a few. It must be noted that this event featured many of the current and past UK basketball players who came out to support Derek from the previous championship years. Those included Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, Walter McCarty, Anthony Epps, Jeff Sheppard, Cameron Mills, and many others. It really showed the high level of support, respect, loyalty, and teamwork that the current and former players of Kentucky have for their alma mater. As dinner was served guests had the opportunity to view, “The Untouchables of Kentucky” (http://www.untouchablesofkentucky.com/ index.htm), which is about the Greatest Team Ever during the 1995-1996 basketball season.
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What made the evening more exciting was the question and answer session along with trivia / prizes held through out the night. It was definitely a blast to hear the stories from all the teammates who were there to show their support to the launch of VICTORY H2O™. The evening concluded with autograph and photo opportunities with all UK Basketball players in attendance. All proceeds from the events and sales of VICTORY H2O™ go to the http:// www.derekandersonfoundation.com/ to order and claim your VICTORY H2O™ water visit Walgreens or online: HERE
Story & photos by Desmond McLennon
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FESTIVAL PEACHTREE LATINO
“I couldn’t decide between the fish tortillas or skewers so I went with both.” To no surprise Piedmont Park played host to yet another festival. That festival being Festival Peachtree Latino! An event lasting from 11am-8pm and truly turned into a non-stop party!
from on top of the skewers? The most popular drink by far were the piña coladas that were being served to attendees in huge pineapples (they were virgin by the way in case any of you noticed zillions of kids sipping these too).
Our favorite performers were Widy and Jerry Rivera (and let’s get one thing straight, we loved all the performers. We just danced the most to them). As a matter of fact, we had to rest at one point because of all the dancing. There was even a tent with a separate DJ away from the main stage that did nothing but play different genres of hispanic music with no breaks in between. It was absolutely amazing! Following that there were TONS of food vendors there. Too many frozen lemonade stands to choose
Peachtree Latino in Atlanta has been the largest family & multi-cultural event in the Southeast since 2000. The festival has featured hundreds of exhibitions, family activities, sporting events, parades, arts & crafts, food, and musical performances. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and cannot wait until next year! Until then, I quote Jerry Rivera “Amor existe” -TPR
“11th” logo from www.festivalpeachtreelatino.com All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
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Michael Beasley’s Acting Workshop On Monday July 23 from 7pm-10pm Actor, Director, Producer and Acting Coach Michael Beasley along with his wife Deena (Actor and Acting Coach) held a FREE Acting Workshop to 50 plus participants in Atlanta, GA. For those who are not aware, Michael Beasley has had a very successful career in one of the toughest industries. As his success continues to rise, he wants to make sure he gives back and
2 Guns (2013) – plays “Hard-Case Border Agent.” In theaters 2013.
The night was a very relaxed atmosphere that allowed participants to ask several questions,
Flight (2012) – plays “Officer Edmond.” In theaters 2012. The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012) – plays “Cop #1.” In theaters August 2012. The Bay (2012) – plays “Officer Jimson.” In theaters 2012.
submit their résumés and head-shots, and Magic City (2012) – Starz engage in one-on-one Network, recurring cast discussion’s with Beasley member. and his panel of successful and At the workshop he distinguished guests. shared his life story of Some of the topics growing up Omaha, covered included: Nebraska and his career as a successful professional • Being the Best basketball player; playing YOU! for many European teams. • Putting out the this workshop was one of In 2003 he decided to best product to pursue acting after his many events that are make Casting doing just that. Currently, basketball career came to Directors proud. Michael can be seen in the a close. He reflected on • Staying in your why he chose this career following shows and lane. in which he would follow movies: • Selecting Acting after his father, John Classes and Beasley who is a seasoned Steel Magnolias (2012) – Schools. actor in many TV series Lifetime Channel, he • Headshots and Films. plays the role of • Demo reel “Spud.” (Jill Scott’s standards husband) All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
• • •
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The Importance of Social Media Learning camera shots and angles Forming Relationships with Casting and Production Crew at all levels. Do a lot of reading and takes at home and the importance of putting Spiritual first.
This workshop also launched the announcement of upcoming classes and workshops. For information on classes and location email nextlevelacting@gmail.co m For more information on Michael Beasley visit: www.michaelbeasley.com
-Desmond McLennon
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M U S I C Here we share different artists, producers, and any other musical content that we feel you may enjoy. With that being said we have 4 artists and 2 producers we’d like to introduce to you!
J*Midd
From the moment that first guitar was placed into J*MIDD’s hands when he was eight years old his passion for music has continued to grow and a movement has been created. Even though he grew up performing in churches and following in his father’s footsteps, it was the passion to rap and sing in high school that propelled his musical career. Local producers, teamed up with J*MIDD and gave him the first tracks he needed to write his hits to. Shortly after writing his first handful of songs and learning the art of flow rapping from his basketball teammates, J*MIDD found his true passion and quickly developed a strong local following. J*MIDD’s first public performance to his local following was two years ago where he packed out a local bar and won the loyal attention of many more. Since then J*MIDD has rocked stages in front of thousands of people and even headlined small bars and clubs to large prominent nightclubs all over Georgia. He has hit the stages with big named celebrities such as Twista, Flo Rida, Travis Porter, Machine Gun Kelly, Roscoe Dash, Yung Joc, Dev, Gorilla Zoe and Ying Yang Twins plus many more. Some of the artists J*MIDD has collaborated on songs with major artists such as Gorilla Zoe, Ying Yang Twins, DJ Unk, BONECRUSHER, TQ (formally of Cash Money), Montana Da Mac, Juney Boomdata and legendary Kilo Ali and Raheem the Dream. He has also hit the road and performed all over the Southeast. J*MIDD’s main goal in life is to perform and write music which is fueled by a passion to keep things clean and positive. He writes all of his own songs and uses true life inspiration as motivation to all the words that make each song come to life. He wants to show the world that good music can rock out a club without sex, drugs or alcohol involvement, a mission to redefine the meaning of “party.” His style is clean, fresh and vastly versatile as he interchanges between pop-rap, R & B and even a little bit of rock. J*MIDD is looking to take his passion to the next level in efforts to prove the mission he has set out to accomplish, and the time is right to make a difference. You can find his website HERE
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“A breath of fresh air when it comes to music.” Recently we went to Publik Draft House in Midtown (next to the Fox Theatre) to listen to the smooth vocals of Marian Mereba.
Marian Mereba
The 22-year-old Philadelphia native of Ethiopian descent is a breath of fresh air when it comes to music. Miss Mereba is a college-educated voice, with music that is the soundtrack for millions of universal stories. The echoes of her sensual voice over versatile, self-produced guitar and piano melodies coupled with lyrics that the whole world can sing to sets her apart from her competition. With lyrical, physical, and international appeal, it’s easy to close your eyes and get caught up in the imagination as her soothing voice glides through the soul. Not just as an artist but as a person, I can tell you she is a pleasure. Kind and humble, I received copious thank you’s for coming to hear her perform and I remember her being very personable. All too often you (especially in Atlanta) will come across artists and their lack of personality or extraneous arrogance will totally overshadow their performance. But with Miss Mereba it was the exact opposite; with friends and other supporters present after her set she happily blended in with everyone else. A kind and respectful Her music is great and it was a pleasure meeting such a talent. You artist shouldn’t be a rarity in these times but can follow Marian on since it is I don’t mind giving credit where its Twitter @MissMereba due. Visit her website at www.marianmereba.com View her music video HERE
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Empire City We met with Cory Armstead (Ceasar) a few weeks ago to talk about the rap group’s goals and how they plan to separate themselves from the masses (there is an extremely large contingent of aspiring singer/song writer/rappers here in Atlanta FYI). He told the story of how Empire City came to be and the road they’ve taken to get where they are today. Ceasar, Milli (Clifford Thurman) and Kidd Lucci (Lawrence Boddie) all grew up in Urban Atlanta. As many curious youth tend to do, they came together in high school selling candy to make money. Many may think that something as simple as selling candy is a waste of time or for lack of better words “not a big deal.” But anyone with an open mind would be able to see that 3 youth came together in high school sharing similarities in the entrepreneurial spirit, to start a business. As it turned out, they were
highly successful in their candy venture and it turned over into music. A car was the venue of their first freestyle battle when they came together and thought, “We can do this.” Ever since then the trio has been making tracks and promoting their music online and around Atlanta. Their album “Overplayed & Underrated” is available on their website to download for free. Forewarning the lyrics are explicit but to know this trio of young men is to love them. They are very respectable, intelligent artists that are willing to put in the work to achieve their dreams. Our favorite song was “Party Favor.” We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors! You never know what kind of talent is hiding in
Atlanta. That’s just a portion of why our city is so amazing. In a way the Empire City album title is directly relatable to Atlanta. Because of all of the great things we have to offer, our massive population, all of our talent, our hospitality, all the films and TV shows that are taped here, and hosting so many HQ’s of Fortune 500 companies, Atlanta is “Overplayed and Underrated.” Their website is HERE Their Twitter is HERE and Facebook is HERE Their Media rep is Sopheak So (404) 626-0644.
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2 days before 9/11 we attended a private listening party for Extream Bling’s new mixtape “Show and Prove- Words Mean Nothing.” The location was downtown off of Peters St. and it was a full house indeed. Lots of friends, fans, and avid supporters of Extream were in attendance along with DJ Bigga Rankin. A few members of Boss Squad were present and I was able to have a few words with their manager Sami D:
artists there’s only about 3 or 4 on the label. TPR: Is all the production inhouse or did you use anyone outside of Boss Squad? SD: Oh no no, we have Big Hurt, Complex Productions, Swole, and we work with a lot of DJ’s that do production as well.
TPR: When can we expect the mixtape to be released? SD: September 11th yes indeed... it’s a tragedy for some but it’s a celebration for us.
TPR: Good deal we appreciate your time. How can people follow you or Extream ? SD: @Callmevip (Twitter) @Depositmymoney (Instagram). To reach Extream Bling? @Extream_Bling (Twitter). To reach the label? @Bosssquadup (Twitter)
TPR: How many people are a part of Boss Squad? SD: Boss Squad is about 300 or 400 hundred deep (that’s a lot of folks!) but when it comes to
Extream Bling is not only a good artist but an entertaining character as well. He constantly had us laughing at his antics as he joked with the audience and
even messed with us by making his southern accent even thicker; saying things like “you see these diamonds on me boy!” What we enjoyed about the whole experience was the approach. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks were available, along with chips, cookies, vegetables and different kinds of fruit. Not your typical listening session at all, and we discovered our thoughts were echoed by a few others in attendance. His album hits across a plethora of subject matters from financial struggles, victims of domestic battery, and even his heartfelt sympathy towards single mothers. Extream Bling provides a bass thumping well written project that can be downloaded for free on datpiff.com Page 50
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J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League Now here’s a treat for your musical palette best known as J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League (Just Undeniably Some of The Illest Composers Ever). A trio of producers (Kenny, Rook, and Colione) from Tampa that made their way to Atlanta for our thriving music industry. The Grammy Award winning trio have produced for the likes of Drake, Young Jeezy, Keisha Cole, Rick Ross, Nas, Mary J. Blige and many more. I wanted to get a deeper understanding of how such a talented group of producers from Florida ended up in Atlanta so I
asked Kenny “Is there a big music scene in FL?” “There is in Miami, that’s when artists decide to fly to Miami for the scenery and the parties. Aside from that there’s hasn’t really been a flourishing music industry in Florida. There’s been some good studios here and there. Miami there’s a few good ones. Morris Sound studios is a good one in Tampa, some more good ones in Orlando. Before we moved up here we were already traveling up here once a month anyways.” You can hear some of their current work on the following tracks:
“No Introduction”- Nas “Hip Hop”- DJ Khaled “Sixteen”- Rick Ross “10 Jesus Pieces”- Rick Ross “Maybach Music IV”- Rick Ross We appreciate them speaking with us since there’s a lot going on that they wanted to keep private. But they did let us know they’re working on something for Kanye and Jay-Z. They have one last thing to tell everyone: “Everyone can expect us to kill the rest of this year, and really really... murder next year!” Page 51
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Honorable C.N.O.T.E
Another producer that’s a brand name in the music community is Honorable C.N.O.T.E. He has produced countless tracks for artists like Waka Flocka, Rocko, 2 Chainz, Gucci mane, FLO-RIDA, B.O.B., Future, LEP Bogus Boys, and many more. A very down to earth and humble soul, C.N.O.T.E. tells how he is originally from Benton Harbor, MI but resides here in Atlanta. His relocation can be described in one very powerful
sentence: “I asked God to help me out the hood and he told me to go, and made some things happen.” So just like that he takes his talents from Benton Harbor to Atlanta and the rest has been history. With copious tracks contributing to his success he stays a well grounded and humble person. Even if you look at his Twitter his profile quote says “One righteous man will out-clash 50 wicked people.”
You can hear his production on the following: “Candy paint and gold teeth”- Waka Flocka “Barry Bonds”- Waka Flocka “Goodnight”- 2Chainz “Murder”- 2Chainz “Leanin”- Stuey Rock His success story is a great one and we wish him the best. Atlanta has opportunity for everyone and stories like this are what keep this city thriving and the best in the country.
-TPR
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Racing 4 a Kure
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Even when you go out and explore there are still great stories that can be missed. Our story here begins with an email from an amazing mother who tells us the story about her equally amazing daughter. We’re happy to bring before you a “feel good” story to lead you into autumn. We are honored to present the story of Kaitlyn Singh, a 10-year-old girl with a strength 10 times that of her youth. She has recently been diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis; a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on any nerve in your body at anytime. There are no treatments for NF and no cure. NF is a progressive disorder where some people have few or no complications while others aren’t so lucky. It can cause learning disabilities, blindness, disfigurement, bone abnormalities, brain and spinal tumors, and many other complications. It affects 1 in 3,000 births and can show up at anytime. There’s a program however that’s helping to find a cure called Racing4Research. That my friends leads us to her heroic cousin Trevin Aswarnauth. He took time out to speak with us about what he’s doing to help. TPR: Hi can you introduce yourself to everyone? TA: Sure I’m Trevin Aswarnauth, I’m from Brooklyn, NY. I was originally living in Loganville, GA and I race legend cars. TPR: Could you tell us the model it is and what engine you use? TA: It’s a 34’ Ford Coupe and it runs off of a 1250 Yamaha motor. It’s a souped up type of motor coming in from 600 Racing which is based out of Charlotte. TPR: I also heard you race in a winter circuit too? TA: 600 racing provides us with different places we can race these cars. They’re all over the country, but for Atlanta they have things like Thursday Thunder (10 week season). The winter All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
fury season is more like our relax, race, have fun season but we still race based on points. TPR: How old are you? TA: 15, I was actually 14 when I started. TPR: So you’ve been racing since 14... and now you’re 15. You can’t drive but you can race? TA: That’s funny because everyone asks me ‘do you have your license?’ and I don’t. I have an INEX license, which allows me to run this division. TPR: What got you into racing to begin with? TA: Funny story because my whole family is based on cars, even before when I was born. They slipped a little motor oil in my baby bottle somewhere! 54
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“Oh yeah it’s family, blood comes first.” I originated out of Brooklyn but yea I call this home now. TPR: Fantastic. Now I see you have the custom hood over here... TA: Yes this is special to my heart. TPR: Could you tell us about this? TA: This is my cousin Kaitlyn, she has neurofibromatosis. It’s a form of tumors on your nerves, she’s only 11. TPR:11? TA: Yea. TPR: So I see, this is really special. TA: Oh yeah, it’s family. Blood comes first. TPR: Hey we appreciate you talking to us Trevin TA: It’s not problem! If you have sometime stop by and visit her website. If you’d like to donate it’d be going to a good cause! After we had a chance to talk to Trevin we had the chance to get to know Kaitlyn a little better. TPR: How old are you K: I’m eleven! (smiling from ear to ear) TPR: 11, and how long have you been coming out here for races? K: Maybe about ..... 3 months?
TPR: Nice! What are some of your interests? What do you like to do in your spare time? K: I like to dance. TPR: Oh really? Who’s your favorite music artist? You can pick more than one. K: Oh ok! I like Selena Gomez and ...... Nicki Minaj. TPR: How cool is that? (we both laugh). So is there anything that you would like to let everyone know? K: That this disease is out there... and not enough people know to donate or anything because it’s not really popular. So I think... that’s a problem. TPR: Alright well I think we can help you with getting the word out! Thank you for talking to us and sharing your story! K: You’re welcome! This beautiful story is taking place right here in Atlanta. Where a 15-year-old races twice a week in high hopes of finding a cure for his cousin. As if being a teenager doesn’t have its own obstacles he goes out in avid support of his cousin. We absolutely love what he’s doing and are honored we had the chance to meet them and their family! Please check out Kaitlyn’s site HERE you can make a donation and help spread the word about her disease and how it affects children just like her!
TPR: Do you like racing? K: Yeah! -TPR TPR: You like coming out here supporting your cousin? K: Yeah All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
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So take a wild guess who got to see the biggest and best aquarium in the world?! The Georgia Aquarium is absolutely beautiful, inside and out. Located in Midtown as part of “The Loop” the Georgia Aquarium is located directly across from the World of Coke with a beautiful park, restaurant, and statues of sea life outside to entertain its visitors. There are currently 7 areas that comprise the amazing Georgia Aquarium: -Tropical Diver - Cold Water Quest - Ocean Voyager - Georgia Explorer - River Scout - Dolphin Tales -Frogs: A Chorus of Colors Now we were lucky enough to have tour guides to give us background information on everywhere we went. Now some of you won’t be this lucky but don’t fret, there are plenty of staff in every exhibit to answer all of your questions. There are even designated “petting” areas where you can touch manta rays and even sharks! Speaking of which, did you know that the Whale Shark is the largest fish in the world? And the Georgia Aquarium has FOUR!? Also in the Tropical Diver exhibit they have real coral. It is a long, arduous process to replicate or grow coral, but our guides Keisha and Marcie told us their exhibit will be 100% coral in the next 8-10 years! The Georgia Aquarium is a must see! All throughout the year the Aquarium stays relevant with fundraisers and events such as Summer Sound Waves. The people are nice, the food is delicious, and the exhibits are breathtaking. These are all good reasons to check out the Georgia Aquarium for the first time or the fifth! -TPR Photography by Kent Foster
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Titanic Exhibit @Atlantic Station
When you first enter the exhibit you’re greeted by a host. He welcomes you and gives you a boarding pass. The cool thing about this is you actually have a boarding pass of one of the real passengers! How cool is that? I was Ernst Gilbert Danbom from Iowa. My wife and I went on a yearlong honeymoon to Sweden (now that’s a honeymoon) and were traveling on the Titanic 3rd class. Traveling 3rd class yet my wife and I took a yearlong honeymoon to Sweden? Doesn’t sound right does it? Well, come to find out a lot of people that traveled 3rd class could afford 2nd class, but they decided to save money instead. The difference today in ticket prices? oh let’s say the difference between $900 and fifty some odd THOUSAND dollars! (difference in a 1st and 3rd class ticket). Hence the reason why so many traveled 3rd class and saved their money. Also from my reading I discovered that many 3rd class passengers were actually All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
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immigrants that left the USA for whatever reason (bring back money, bring family back to the USA, etc), and were traveling back stateside. It was amazing to see a mock first class room and to see firsthand how people wrote, dressed, and what was considered luxury back then. Seeing how much coal was needed to power the massive Titanic and to learn about her sister ships were interesting as well. On the blog I posed the question “Does Ernst Danbom survive? Did I have any children? Were there any notable passengers traveling in 1st class?” Well sadly I (he) did not survive and had one child named Gilbert. The family as a whole died in the sinking and they only recovered the body of Ernst. In regards to notable passengers traveling in 1st class? I think you saw that picture on the previous page of Benjamin Guggenheim (last name sound familiar?) He also had one of the more interesting quotes I stumbled across. After the ship was struck he changed out of his life vest and sweater and into his finest evening wear. He said and I quote, “We've dressed up in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen.” The great thing about the exhibit is that there’s so much you can learn right there inside. It’s fun to look up things on the internet after you leave, but between their provided reading, artifacts, and representatives you can have all of your questions answered before you leave. You get a chance to see what it was like staying in 1st class and they even have a life size faux iceberg for you to touch. I was only able to keep my hand on the massive block of ice for a few seconds so I couldn’t imagine what it was like having to wade or swim in temperatures that extreme! Titanic the Exhibit is at Atlantic Station right next to the BODIES Exhibit and is well worth seeing. It’s the closest thing to a real-life experience of the Titanic you can get, and there’s always deals floating around you can take advantage of for discounted admission too!
-TPR
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ATL MOVIE TOURS In August we had the opportunity to attend the “Big Southern Hollywood” tour presented by Atlanta Movie Tours! Add them to the growing list of new attractions popping up in Atlanta along with the city’s massive growth and popularity. We don’t want to show too many pictures because it gives away the excitement of the sites you visit. But while in transit you get to take in so much around you that you never knew was there. I’m downtown or in midtown almost everyday and I saw places I had never seen before. Which is another reason why I can highly suggest this your without second thought. The owner was nice and our guide was awesome. She has been in many movies and was really knowledgeable about the sites that we went to visit. Just to name a few, you’ll see where scenes were filmed for Walking Dead, Vampire Diaries, What to Expect When Your Expecting, Real Housewives of Atlanta, and many more! Definitely check them out! HERE -TPR 61
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A few pages back we brought to you the Victory Water H2O Product launch from Lexington, Kentucky. We were invited by Atlanta resident Derek Anderson to cover this product launch and before we knew it we were on our way. Lexington is a wonderful city full of kind people and the down home southern charm that the south prides itself on. Lexington is a city that further supports Atlanta’s claim as “the Crossroads of the South” (it’s a 5-6 hour drive and about a 1 hour flight). If you find yourself going to Lexington for any reason we highly suggest staying at the Holiday Inn Express Lexington Northeast. But don’t worry we have plenty of good reasons why. Their accolades include being a Two-year Torch Bearer Award and #1 on Trip Advisor
Features: Fitness Room- Very basic but you have the option of using the full gym next door to the property (Snap Fitness) 24 hours a day for free. You can get a key from the front desk and be on your way in minutes. Pool Area- Completely ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant and sport a new pool feature we hadn’t seen anywhere else. A mechanism that can lift a guest in a wheelchair and safely place them in the pool. It isn’t required everywhere just yet but they took the initiative to be one of the first. Location- They are close enough to the highway that you can access it within seconds but far enough that you can’t hear traffic. They’re a mile and a half from downtown Lexington, 5 miles from the airport and racetrack, and 8 miles from the Kentucky Horse Park. The hotel rests beside a beautiful apartment complex, across the street from restaurants, and to the left of a gas station. The pharmacy, gas station, and restaurants are all within walking distance. So if you need to run any errands at all you can save gas and just walk. Food- Their breakfast is absolutely amazing. Once you get to their buffet style breakfast room you have the choice of eggs, sausage, biscuits, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, bacon, and more. The best part about their free breakfast is that they won’t close until everyone has been fed. I witnessed it myself to my surprise. The hours are from 6am-9am. I arrived at 825am. At most hotels within the last 30 minutes the staff is already cleaning up because the hours are almost over. The last person came downstairs around 10:50am, so they closed at 11:05am. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Dining hours have always been a deal breaker with me. Almost everywhere I went it seemed like hours would get earlier than the last and the staff would clean up earlier than necessary. Not this hotel!
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Touch Screen- Their Touch Screen in the lobby features a weekly forecast, a list of restaurants in the area, shopping, local attractions, parks, and flight information. Member Recognition Board- Meetings, local events, Platinum, Gold, and Elite guests can all be found here. Staff- Extremely friendly and most are CTA certified (Certified Tourism Ambassador) Other features include Hearing Impaired rooms, ADA compliant rooms and bathrooms, and a 1,600 sq. ft. meeting room. What struck me most was when I checked my watch inch closer to Noon and people were still getting breakfast. That’s when the Assistant GM William Walker told me, “We try to treat every guest like family, not just another dollar. We treat guests extremely good, we build our reputation based off customer satisfaction.” I can tell you first hand that this quote isn’t just a motto, they truly believe it.
-TPR
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Recently we had the chance to review a great hotel that we think you should know about; The Residence Inn on Cumberland Parkway in Smyrna, Georgia. This is a very nice hotel with kind staff and a very personable General Manager in Philippa Monthrope. When bearing the Marriott name there’s a certain expectation that people have and as a chain, you definitely do not want to disappoint. Well, this Residence Inn is a clear representation of Marriott’s core values: “put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change.” Putting People First They give the people what they want, point-blank. I want a comfortable bed, a room with space that doesn’t give a “tight” feeling. As you can see I had PLENTY of room, the bed was a nice size, and the couch and love seat were comfortable as well. Did I mention the kitchen that comes standard with every room? Pursue Excellence When we first arrived they made sure to let us know “if you have any problems we’ll be happy to fix them.” What most would think is commonplace, we’ve actually found out to be false. We’ve actually been to places that would try to give us any kind of reassurance of our stay being comfortable or to our liking. But it’s the way they said it here ….. It was the same type of feeling we had when we were reviewing a hotel in Kentucky when we felt like family. I was able to enjoy my stay with the utmost confidence knowing that any problems that came my way would be rectified with no problems. Embrace Change Change is an inevitability and because of this we are hard on places that do not keep up with the times. That means social skills, vernacular, technology, you name it. So part of embracing change is entertainment. Most hotels have pools and makeshift gyms, but this hotel has a BASKETBALL COURT! So I can play basketball, then cool off with a swim? Sounds nice right? After that I can rest in my beautiful studio and watch my 42″ PLASMA screen TV and recollect on my days’ excitement in HD Their internet is free and site-wide (the signal is strong anywhere on the property) and it’s very simple to log on to. So they updated their TV’s, they have a basketball court, and not just internet but free wireless All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted!
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VIDEO GAME REVIEWS internet? I’d say that’s keeping up with the times with change. Since they’re an Extended Stay hotel, their residents tend to be people who come in town for long stays (training, projects, relocation, etc). With rates starting at $99 per night, it can play as host to a business team or a family on vacation. This Residence Inn is conveniently located by everything one could possibly need: Cumberland Mall, Cobb Energy Centre, Interstates 285 and 75, P.F. Chang’s, Stoney River, Macy’s, H&M, Walgreens, and AMC Parkway Pointe (Movie Theatre). So if you or anyone you know is looking for some quality lodging? We highly recommend this Residence Inn Hotel on Cumberland Blvd. They’ve been reviewed, they passed with flying colors, and they are surrounded by convention centers, attractions, restaurants, and plenty of shopping So what are you waiting for? Have your family and friends come and visit Atlanta!
-TPR
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VIDEO GAME REVIEWS
What to look for in our next issue!
Thank you everyone for reading The Peach Review™! We hope you enjoyed it and if there’s an amazing part of Atlanta that you feel should be acknowledged please let us know! Above we have just a few things for you to look forward to. Starting from the top left we have: Jazzoo at Zoo Atlanta, The Korean Film Festival, and Taste of Atlanta. Starting from the bottom left we have: A’von Semaj, Esperanza Spalding in concert, and ATL-Cruzers. We look forward to bringing you more reviews and even more exciting events! It won’t be long before you’re reading a review from TBZ on FIFA 13’, reading what goes into a song with A’von Semaj, or following fall fashion trends with Toronda Lewis. The Peach Review™ will continue to show why Atlanta is one of the greatest cities in the world!
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Editor in Chief Jon Jones Editor KJ Gaming Contributions Titus “TBZ” Rowell Beverage Contributor Erica “EDB” Bizzell Fashion Contributions Toronda Lewis Photography Kent Foster Jonathan Davis Recreation & Event Contributions Desmond McLennon Johnny Hill Graphics Bob Jeffreys
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-Jon Jones