All things Atlanta! Steeplechase Caribbean Carnival Food & Wine Festival Jazz Festival Interviews! Dikembe Mutombo Derek Anderson Tiffany Newberry Around town! LEGOLAND BODIES EXHIBIT and much more!
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38 LEGO Land Discovery Center Join us as we explore the wonderful land of LEGO for their very first “Adult Night” and take in all the sights and sounds of this new Discovery Center.
KAWS
Atlanta’s New International Airport Terminal
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4 ! Abstract appreciation for the young and old alike! The KAWS exhibit displays the perfect blend of gritty, urban style and a witty, creative imagination. Come and see how a one-time graffiti artist grew into a globally recognized phenomenon.
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Atlanta Caribbean Carnival brings
you a cultural experience featuring dancing, music, beautiful costumes, and food. All of this comes together for a true island experience right here in our own city!
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Kollaboration ATL delivers
empowerment through entertainment. It’s a chance to delve into Asian culture and absorb a myriad of art forms all in one place!
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Prototype 2
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As the world’s busiest airport consumer satisfaction has to come first. With this addition to the already vibrant airport, Hartsfield-Jackson is sure to stand out from other airports across the globe. With neon lighting and a bounty of airline kioks, Terminal F is ready to take Flight!
Prepare to meet your maker, Alex Mercer. Turn on him and his minions and save the infected New York City! Check out the review conducted by TPR’s very own TBZ!
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Join us as Johnny Hill takes you into the
world of Parkour!
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Ever wondered how much money you
could save by riding a bike? maybe a moped? read about the 2 wheel community that’s growing here in Atlanta!
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a
wonderful film that proves that it’s never too late for anything.
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Marvel’s first movie with all of its super
heroes combined is what The Avengers delivers to the screen. Find out what goes on when you take independent superheroes and ask them to work as a team!
Travel to the trendy Castleberry Hill
district of downtown Atlanta to find a true gem amongst some of our cities’ historical sites. This one of a kind art gallery is a look into the future of what an art venue should be. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Atlanta rolled out the red carpet for it’s
very own Michael Beasley as he showed family, friends, and fans a sneak preview of the first episode of Magic City.
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Atlanta Jazz Festival “My wife and I have been coming for 10 years and this has been the best one yet. Because of the artist line up and the crowd. It’s so lively!”
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— Chris B.
BODIES: Exhibition
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People
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Foster the People
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KAWS “Upbeat in Down Time”
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“Wow” is all there was to say after going through the KAWS exhibit at the High Museum of Art in Midtown. The exhibit displays amazing artwork from the Brooklyn-based artist KAWS (Brian Donnelly); A graphic artist with an international following that’s created toys, paintings, drawings, and sculptures that break down any type of class/culture barrier imaginable. Mr. Donnelly grew up in Jersey City, NJ and made his mark as a graffiti artist. Later he moved to New York City and studied at the School of Visual Arts. KAWS: Down Time presents new paintings where cartoon-related images are abstracted and explode to life in dynamic eye popping colors and shapes. There are 3 different locations in the High Museum to see his work; The Sifly Piazza, the Stent Family Wing, and the Wieland Pavilion. KAWS: Down Time will be on view until July 29th, so you have a few weeks left to check out his amazing art before it’s gone. It’s definitely a collection you don’t want to miss! -Jon J.
All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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The 2012 Atlanta Caribbean Carnival
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A day of Mas and Music! If you were in Atlanta for Memorial Day weekend, you probably noticed massive traffic and many streets that were blocked off for hours. Well the reason why was because of a festive celebration of Mas and Music took over the city! The Atlanta Caribbean Carnival began with a parade that started at the Civic Center Marta Station (West Peachtree & Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd) and ended in the Auburn District (Auburn Ave & Fort St.). The streets (especially Peachtree St.) were jam packed with family,
friends, tourists, random onlookers who came after hearing the music, and employees of local businesses. On Saturday, I am honored to say we were present for the 24th Annual Atlanta Caribbean Carnival presented by the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association. The first Caribbean Carnival in Atlanta was held in 1988 and became the official kick-off of
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the U.S. carnival season. The Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association (ACCBA) was formed in 2003 (as a 501 c (3) ) and have been producing this annual event since 2005. (Refer to ACCBA ) We have pictures of everything from kids on stilts, people themed as lions, mirrors, 8
The Peach Review™
queens, and pictures of the Festival Village. Congratulations to everyone who participated: The bands, the performers, the DJ’s, everyone who played (participated in the masquerade), the volunteers, and the ACCBA. Here’s a rundown of all the bands that participated in this years carnival: Bimshire Band
Paradise Carnival Troupe
Calabash Alley
PRIZM International
Classi Waves
Taste of Elegance
Dadli Mas Troupe
Thunderbirds USA
Dynamic Image Carnival Troupe
TruDynasty
Dysfunctional Kaos Masquerade
United for Haiti
For the Love of Haiti
United Ramplers
Impulse Mas
We Kinda Ting Inc.
Inferno Island Fuzzion Carnival Troupe Madd Colors MaddFlava Entertainment
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All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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The Hosts of the Festival Village MC Wassy & Giselle D’Wassi One. Festival Village performers and their country of origin Kerwin Dubois- Trinidad & tobago Burning Flames- Antigua Djakout Mizik- Haiti Tallpree- Grenada Claudette Peters- Antigua Small Axe Band- St. Kitts & Nevis Crossovah feat. Ricardo Dru- Trinidad & Tobago Kenne Blessin- Antigua Showtime Band- Tortola 418 Band- USA (Jacksonville, FL)Edwin Yearwood- Barbados Iwer George- Trinidad & Tobago Tanto Metro & Devonte- Jamaica Skinny Fabulous- St. Vincent Pumpa- US Virgin Islands Jadine Greenaway- Montserrat Rebels Band- St. Eustacius Exodus Band- Anguilla Revolution Band- USA (Atlanta, GA) All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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Competition Winners are as follows: 2012 Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Pageant Results: Junior Miss, Zakiya Thomas, Trinidad & Tobago Queen, Norna Augustave, Haiti 2012 Atlanta Caribbean Children’s Carnival Results: Children’s Band of the Year – United for Haiti 2nd Place – Classi Waves 3rd Place – Thunderbirds USA 2012 King & Queen of the Band, and Best Individual Competition Results: King of the Band, Madd Colors, Sparta (1st Runner Up – We Kind A Ting) Queen of the Band, We Kind A Ting, Goddess of the Sea (1st Runner Up – Thunderbirds USA) Best Male Individual, Calabash Alley, The Wizard (1st Runner Up – Calabash Alley) Best Female Individual, Madd Flava, Flavalicious (1st Runner Up – Paradise Carnival Troupe) 2012 Parade of Bands Results: Band of the Year – We Kind A Ting 2nd Place – Paradise Carnival Troupe featuring Mocko Jumbies R Us 3rd Place – Thunderbirds USA
Story by Jon J. Photography: Kent Foster, Jonathan Davis, Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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KOLLABORATION Kollaboration Atlanta has been a non profit organization dedicated to providing a creative platform for Asian American performance artist’s to showcase their talents within the greater Atlanta community.
Kollaboration ATL5
Their mission, “Empowerment Through Entertainment.” I did not know what Kollaboration was before my research, but I will say after walking in and witnessing the talent first hand, I was blown away and entertained the whole time. The host Paul Pk Kim had the audience on their feet and some crying with laughter (and I was one of them). The talent was really amazing! There was a lot of dancing, singing, rapping and one spoken word artist. The Victorious one was the spoken word artist Kavi Vu. All in all it was a awesome show, and for its 5th year here in Atlanta I’ll definitely be going back next year.
Story by TBZ Photography: Kent Foster Jonathan Davis 15
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ZUCOT GALLERY Today’s visit was an art gallery downtown that has totally changed the way I think about art galleries. Not only did this place have soothing surround sound music, but the art was amazing. This two level venue has a lounge area & bar, 4 projectors setup to show a presentation onscreen, and the screen reflects outside so people on the street can see it too. Their website also sports a “virtual viewer” where you can email them a picture of a room/area and they can show you what it would look like with one of their pieces. It has a clear view of the Georgia Dome, parking is very easy to find, and it’s in the trendy Castleberry Hill district. You can visit the Zucot Gallery at: 100 Centennial Olympic Park Drive Atlanta, GA 30313 and their website at: http://premierart.net/ -Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a film where the stories of 7 British retirees cross paths on a trip to India. Directed by John Madden (and not the one who makes the football games) did a fantastic job with the cast as all the characters were a perfect fit for their roles and made a comedy that features all emotions across the board. Judi Greenslade (played by Judi Dench) is a widow that’s still trying to deal with the loss of her husband. She makes the trip to India to get away from England and the stress of trying to sell her flat, and unbeknownst to her new friends is searching for a job to support herself. As the story continues she falls in love in India, finds a job, and even becomes fond of a traveling companion. Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) is a cantankerous old woman that’s alone and is extremely bitter. If being cantankerous, old, lonely, and bitter isn’t enough, she’s also a racist. She’s lured out to India by her desire to go through with an operation that would relinquish her hip pain. Her time in India softens her up to enjoy her new habitat and takes a new outlook on life after being befriended by her fellow travelers and her Indian caretaker. Doug & Jean Ainslie (Bill Nighy & Penelope Wilton) are a married couple who’s troubles are financial and marital. Marital because of her unwillingness to be open to new things and financially after they invested all of their money in their daughters company only for it to sink. Doug is quite open to the India expedition and winds up taking in a new experience everyday (and even did handyman work for a day, which he was ecstatic about). His wife on the other hand was not so open, sitting at the hotel reading books while waiting for whichever of the group would return first from their daily rounds. All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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The Peach Review™ Doug becomes good friends with Judi to the chagrin of his wife and ends up finding true happiness towards the end of the film in her companionship. Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) is a retiree looking for a man who knows how to have a good time. She finds while in India that sometimes it’s easier to just adapt to your surroundings. She assists lonely traveler Norman Cousins (Simon Pickup) in finding a companion who’s as equally energetic and single as he is. That ladies and gentleman leaves us with Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson). Graham’s story is probably the most intricate out of everyone’s in the film. A retired judge, Graham appears to be going to India to get away from it all. But in secret, he is looking for a long lost love from many years ago. While Doug is growing fond of Judi his wife Jean begins to take a liking to the judge. That is until she finds out that his long lost love is a gentleman by the name of Raj. For the duration of the trip the retired travelers also discover that Graham was hiding a heart condition as well, which ends up causing his demise. So with a group of British retirees that set sail to India, what better actor would come to mind to play a youthful, energetic, extremely funny hotel host? The always positive Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) balanced the movie with his comical gestures, quick wit, and never-ending positivity . While working full time to make his dream of restoring the hotel into a retirement resort come to life, he’s balancing a girlfriend with an overprotective older brother and a mother who he can never please. The film is a beautiful balance between youthful exuberance and old British wit that comes together to make “a feel good” movie for the summer. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel touches all the senses while challenging the viewer to implement lessons learned in the film to their own lives. It’s definitely a film geared towards a more mature audience, but it’s broad enough to where everyone can enjoy. -Jon J
*Images from ©FoxSearchlightPictures
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The AvengersThe Avengers We went to the 3D showing of Marvel’s The Avengers and it definitely lives up to all of the recent hype we’ve been reading online. If you are a Marvel fan or just a fan of good action movies you will thoroughly enjoy The Avengers! What I like about this movie the most is that you can watch this movie and enjoy it without having seen any of the other Marvel superhero movies. The film gives enough background on all of the characters that you can understand what’s going on and not feel lost about the film’s direction. The Avengers all star lineup features the likes of Iron Man, The Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Captain America, and Thor, all of whom first appeared in Marvel’s comic book series in the early 60′s. Stan Lee (the original creator of the comic book series) spared no chance at an average movie series featuring mega-stars for their roles. The most popular of the Marvel Avenger-related films is definitely Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jr.) and his display of humor and intellectuality in this film is amazing! *Image used from marvel.com
It’s rare to find a movie that has it all: comedy, action, drama, romance, adventure, suspense. But Joss Whedon (director/ screenplay) did an excellent job taking all of the characters from their respective movies and merging them together to make this one of the best action movies of the summer. The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) did a great job of doing what he does best….. smashing things. He of all people even has a few comedic scenes in the film. One of which takes a jab (and I mean literally, a “jab”) at Thor after they used teamwork to take down an opponent. Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans),and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), round out the rest of the team with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) leading the squad. Their enemy? A demigod named Loki (Tom Hiddleston) who’s also Thor’s brother who’s bent on taking control of earth and releasing humans from a tortuous plight with “freedom.”
trusting Nick Fury (who randomly brought them together) over come their personal differences and come together for 1 common goal: to defeat Loki and save the human race from annihilation.
It takes a good while for the action to begin but it’s worth the wait when it happens. Watching all of the heroes come together after being so against teaming up and
“If we can’t save the human race, then you can be damn certain we’ll avenge it.”- Iron Man
In an era where Hollywood thinks everything should be in 3D, The Avengers actually delivers with in your face, arrow shooting, car tossing, plane flipping action. So if you decide to spend the extra $3$8 on the 3D version you won’t be disappointed. A new feature that I just noticed with this film is in certain scenes half the screen will blur and other parts will not. This is because the filmmakers want you to focus on certain areas of specific scenes to take notice of subtleties that would otherwise be missed. This was undoubtedly the best movie to kickoff the summer! And remember, after the movie ends, watch past the credits. There are 2 surprises for you!
-Jon J.
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The Peach Review™
Raid: The Redemption The Raid: Redemption The Raid: Redemption was first discovered on one of our team members’ Macbook applications called “Front Row,” which allows you to watch movie trailers for films in theaters and unreleased projects. We discovered this action thriller back in January and couldn’t wait for it to be released in Atlanta! The Raid: Redemption is a subtitled film that takes place in Indonesia, which is where we find our special forces team member Rama. Rama is a rookie on the force and is married with a child on the way.
*Image from SonyClassics.com
As the movie begins it shows different angles of him training. What Rama is training for is the mother of all raids into a 15 story apartment building thats run by a crime lord. Their goal? To successfully sneak onto the complex, break into the building undiscovered, and climb 15 stories to take down the crime lord Tama. But the stakes are raised once Rama and his team are spotted! The crime lord Tama offers lifelong residence to anyone in the building who kills them. We’re talking 15 floors of carnage!
Many of Rama’s team get taken down before they can make it halfway up the building, but Rama finds the strength and courage to press on and do what’s right. There’s a setup on both sides (the good guys & the bad guys), tons of martial arts action, and we even discover a familial tie between a member of the gang and the task force!
-Jon J.
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The Peach Review™
Bully is a documentary by the Weinstein Company that gives the public insight into a world often over looked with excuses and an "ignorance is bliss" attitude. Bullying is a serious problem in American schools and the subject matter is finally gaining the attention of the masses."Bully," a documentary directed by Lee Hirsch and produced by Lee Hirsch & Cynthia Lowen takes us on an adventure through the lives of 5 young people and shows us how bullying has affected their lives at home and at school. I would also like to state that all schools may not have this problem, but it is serious enough for the country to pay attention. Anytime you can discount bullying as "teasing, being young, boys will be boys," and the end result is that child commits suicide? That alone should show you what's taking place is not as innocent as it's claim. If you haven't heard there's a lot more to this movie than it's title. Just one was the MPAA debacle before the movie was even released to 55 new markets across the country. The scene in question that caused all of the drama to begin with was when a student, Alex, was on a school bus and was bullied so extremely that they wanted the scene removed from the film. The producers Lee Hirsch & Cynthia Lowen followed their young subjects through the 2009/2010 school year in different cities and being a part of their lives, they took place in their subjects' activities. In Sioux City, IA where Alex is from, he has to take the bus. So everyday they rode the bus and Alex would get picked on. The scene in question occurred closer to the end of his school year and caused concerns after what they filmed was shown to the principal, superintendent, and the parents. People came out in protest to the MPAA's decision to try to have the scene removed, especially because it looks like a lackluster attempt to discourage the truth from being shown. Now having seen the movie myself, I don't think it should've been removed. It's one of those things where you as a movie-goer will just have to see yourself. You feel bad for Alex but it's nothing so extreme it should restrict the film from being aired. All of this controversy came literally days after "The Hunger Games" has a successful box office debut (and that movie came with controversy of it's own). I for one totally agree with the Weinstein Company when they went on TV to defend their film. Why you might ask? First off as I stated, the scene was not that bad (as far as it not being viewable for teens/ kids) but there was a lot of vulgar
terms thrown left and right in that scene. Secondly, if you haven't seen "The Hunger Games," it's a movie where the Hunger Games themselves is a competition where 24 kids representing 12 districts across the globe KILL each other in "tribute." So you must consider the irony. A fictional movie about kids actually killing each other (by bow & arrow, neck breaking, stabbing, etc) gets a PG-13 rating by the MPAA but a documentary showing real events affecting children across the country, kids that are crying for help, almost comes to the point of being restricted? I thought that was absolute nonsense, and it's not to take anything from THG, because aside from those kids killing each other it was a pretty cool movie. But when I see a child that's 17 break the neck of a younger child that's probably 12, and it's PG-13, and I see "Bully" receive problems for a "bullying" scene? It makes me question the judgement of the MPAA and what parameters are used to rate these movies. But I digress, let's meet the courageous children who shared their lives with us: Alex is a 12 year old middle schooler from Sioux City, IA. He gets most of the face time as he has a constant presence throughout all the stories and the trailer. Alex's problems arise before he can even step onto school property. He gets threatened at the bus stop in his neighborhood, on the bus route to school, at school, and on the bus ride home. A simple kid that enjoys learning but has problems making friends. Alex's bullying gets so serious to the point when his mom asks him "how does it feel when they hit you and shove you like that?" he responds "I don't know. I'm not sure I feel anything anymore." Kelby is a 16 year old girl living in Tuttle, OK. After she came out as a lesbian her and her family become outcasts in their own community. Her father was quoted saying "we have friends that we've known for 10 years, watched their kids, family events...that don't even talk to us anymore." Kelby notes how her life has gotten so bad that she's not welcome at her church and even the teachers at her school take part in the bullying. Heck, some of them even initiate the discrimination. Kelby recounts one day at school where the teacher read all of the names in the classroom; girls, then boys, then hers. Tyler Long, the son of David and Tina Long committed suicide back in October of 2009 after dealing with years of abuse from his classmates at his school in Murray County Georgia.
In the film we get to know David and Tina and follow them on their quest in pursuit of holding the school accountable for their child. The movie shows their sorrows and stress but captures their strength and the essence of turning this horrific event of their son taking his own life into a movement in bringing awareness in their community and across the country. In Mississippi 14 year old Ja'Meya was picked on every morning and afternoon on her hour long bus ride to and from school that her breaking point was sneaking her mother's firearm onto the school bus and pointing it at her aggressors. We follow Ja'Meya and her mother as they await her court date to see what the fate of her daughter will be. Tyler Smalley was an 11 year old who also took his life because of the constant bullying he faced at school. His parents, Kirk and Laura Smalley, (simple, happy people by their own admittance) take it upon themselves to commit their time to making sure that no other child has to endure what their son Tyler had to endure. Kirk starts a Facebook Page as an experiment and finds hundreds of thousands of other kids and parents who have dealt with bullying as a recurrent part of their lives. I highly recommend “Bully� because it was a great documentary that showed real people with real issues that are being ignored by their communities. It shows the naivety and aloofness of faculty and local law enforcement (after one scene where Alex is shown being strangled and called multiple vulgar terms, his assistant principal is shown saying "I've been on that bus, and those kids...are as good as gold." Then proceeds to show Alex's parents pictures of her new grandchild) and highlights an area that people will have to acknowledge before it's too late. It's highlighting a problem that's being faced across the country and can totally be prevented. But it's an issue that needs everyone's attention, including law enforcement, school officials, parents, and especially kids. You get to actually see the Smalleys make their Facebook Page and the film shows how and where we the viewers can get involved. everyone see it as I'm sure most of you can relate to it (either having been bullied, you yourself bullied someone, or you've seen/heard about a fellow student being bullied).
-Jon J.
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THE PEACH REVIEW™
We are back from the red carpet! The Peach Review™ team was very excited to be in attendance at the early screening of “Magic City,” (you can watch the entire first season online at starz.com). If you aren’t familiar with the Starz! Channel it airs other great shows like Spartacus (starring Lucy Lawless and Peter Mensah) and Boss (starring Kelsey Grammar). Magic City is set in 1959 Miami and shows Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) trying to hang on to his hotel empire and the struggles that come along with it. Including settling with a mob boss to keep finances afloat while keeping his polished image with his wife, children, and hotel patrons. The red carpet event was hosted by actor Michael Beasley who plays the character “Grady James” on the show. He plays a retired athlete who owns a shoe shine business in Miami. The Peach Review™ was in attendance along with Paul Biagui Photography and Access Atlanta. We wish the best of luck to Michael Beasley and are happy to see the show has already been picked up for a 2nd season! -Jon J.
*images from starz.com and prlog.com
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VIDEO GAME REVIEWS Prototype 2 is the sequel of Prototype, and if you missed the first one you won’t have a problem jumping into this one because it briefs you on it. Prepare to meet your maker, Alex Mercer. Turn on him and his minions and save the infected New York City (and you’re also infected as well). Playing as Sgt. James Heller you’re running around New York City shape shifting and causing hell looking for Alex Mercer. Venom vs. Carnage (you may know Venom from Spider-Man). The alien symbiot that first took over Peter Parker but then later took over Eddie Brock and then he became Venom. Well that’s who your character James Heller is. He’s Venom and Alex Mercer is Carnage; two alien symbiots that can shape shift and cause damage to the world. But one doesn’t like what he is and he wants to save the world from what’s going on. The story line of the game is ok but there are too many run arounds to it. You have to shape shift into a military officer to get intel about your past and the reason why they are hunting you down, or just to find other people. Besides fighting the military, you have to fight other monsters and jump into holes to gain new powers, and fight other super human beings just like you. Now when it comes to your powers, you only get five of them. Claws, blade arm, rock hands, whip arm, and a weird, bloody tentacle. Only 3 out of 5 are handy, but when you fight Alex Mercer you’re only going to use 2. Then you get to use guns, tanks, or the weapons on the tank and you get to use helicopters. Oh did I mention you can use people as bombs, and throw cars around? Does this game sounds familiar to you, by throwing cars and destroying the city? … oh yeah the PS2 Hulk game where you did nothing but just destroy the city. Mainly that’s all you’re doing in this game. The AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the game is not all that bright. I mean if I was to see a military officer walk up a building or jump down from the highest building I would be very suspicious. The AI in this game really wasn’t the greatest. The only time they became suspicious is when you’re either a regular civilian, or your James Heller. I will say the game has an interesting script to it (almost everyone in the game is cursing, which had me in hysterics) and after a while of playing it, the game kind of grew on me. If you like games where you basically can destroy buildings and what not? then this is the game for you, but if you’re not into that type of stuff, then your may not like it. I give Prototype 2 a 7.8 out of 10.
The game that everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived, but I’m most definitely not impressed. This game has been hyped up for two years! it had awesome trailers telling a good storyline and all. But it was all to believe the hype. The storyline is bad and none of the character’s stories doesn't make any sense. They don't explain nor tell how the Street Fighter characters know the Tekken characters. The audience is suppose to assume that the characters already know each other and they already live in the same universe. The only character’s story that makes sense is Ogre. Game play wise, the timing is weird, really can't pull off combos. This game is using the SF4 engine, but SF4 is better than SF x TK. The very first week when the game came out, everyone was online. Now you hardly see anyone playing it anymore. I give Street Fighter x Tekken a 6 out of 10. Hopefully Namco’s version will be better. *Game reviews by TBZ
*images are from prototype.com and capcom.com
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THE PEACH REVIEW™ Mass Effect is a title that used to inspire the greatest feeling of unbridled joy in the hearts of gamers everywhere. Tales of how everyone’s various decisions produced vastly different outcomes shaping every gameplay experience in a new and different way made was a major part of what made it so great. Now with the last instillation it seems all that has vanished. At this date the controversy surrounding Mass Effect 3′s ending is overshadowing what is an amazing trilogy of games. Somewhere between EA and BioWare the ball got dropped on the finale and as a result the backlash has been absolutely brutal. Going as far as earning EA the title of Worst Company of 2012 (and they beat out Bank of America to get it Yikes!). However as lame, confusing and dissatisfying as the ending was, it was a small portion of an absolutely amazing series overall. When I saw how my adventure ended I didn’t really know what to make of it so I shrugged and started playing all over again. I was just unwilling to dismiss three whole games because the last ten minutes were bad (okay awful but my point still stands). Mass Effect is by far the most immersing game I have ever played, and though titles like Batman, Uncharted and Skyrim all managed to get me deeply involved Mass Effect will do it on a much deeper level and moreover it’s personal. The choices you make can range from minor to life altering but I found myself taking each one seriously. From relationship choices to who gets sent out on a mission, all of these things can effect the outcome of your story and by the end of the first game you have a character that you have put quite a bit of yourself into. When the tough choices came I often found myself sitting in front of my XBox thinking hard about which option to choose feeling seriously torn about what to do. Regardless of what I picked my decision was final and I would have to deal with the repercussions of my actions across all three games. That is an experience I don’t take lightly. The draw of the game wasn’t so much the story as the players ability to be drawn in; it wasn’t about the missions it was about the ethical and moral choices you would have to make to complete them. That said the ending really was trashy, but even then there is the ‘Indoctrination Theory’ floating around that explains the ending in a way that makes that confusing flustercuck make a reasonable amount of sense. So if you’re worried that all your hard work will result in nonsense there is always that fallback. As for Mass Effect 3 in and of itself (and excluding the end) there were a few things I wish could have been handled differently, like the way you would get to missions. Let’s say travel to the far end of the universe to discover a cure for a rare unknown disease, but never talk to the person who needed it. You’d just overhear a phone conversation, get the mission and turn it in (though the concept is hilarious when you really think about it). I also would have liked to have seen the war assets take a greater part as you spend two and a half whole games trying to gain their favor only to find out about most of their contributions through copious amounts of text. Not to mention the various bugs (like characters disappearing while speaking or the way Shepard’s eyes roll up sometimes) but given all of that the game did right. These issues are minor complaints in comparison. Overall Mass Effect 3 is not a game to be overlooked, I highly recommended it and it’s prequels played in order to get the full effect (on Xbox since it is currently the only system that allows you to transfer your character across all three games). No game is perfect and the ending of the last one was crap, but that was 1% bad in a sea of 99% awesome. Go get you some awesome. Skyrim. You may have heard of it. It was awarded PC Game of the Year, RPG of the Year and Overall Game of the Year. It may have come to your attention through commercials or as you surfed the web and stumbled upon endless references to it. And if not I am here to tell you there is an amazing little gem at your local game store called The Elder Scrolls Skyrim. It is an action adventure RPG where you are Dovahkiin ’Dragonborn’ and as such are on a quest to find what that really means, why dragons are suddenly appearing after being thought long extinct and your place amidst a civil war that brews erstwhile. Magic and melee play a crucial role in your quest and are deftly handled as you can mix and match the two (sword and spell) or double up (fire and more fire). It is an amazing buy and is available for all systems, I highly recommend you shuffle out and get a copy now. If you do play video games and (somehow) haven’t played it yet there are some things you have to ask yourself. Do you like video games really? Do you like fun? If the answers are yes then the only holding you back must be a severe deficiency of cash or lack of understanding as to what this game really is. Well let me tell you; it is an adventure at your fingertips. It is hours upon hours of gameplay sending you on tasks that range from dragon killing to retracing your steps after a wild drunken night with a stranger. The controls are tight, the music is epic, the gameplay is totally immersing all while telling an intriguing story. There have been many improvements made from previous installations. For instance, Skyrim finally makes it possible to grow as a character while you grow as a player whereas before you had to make advanced decisions about your character’s stats and makeup before you even knew how the game worked. Not to mention the addition of kill cams, the upgraded constellation of perks and a much smoother third person mode. Whether you are new to The Elder Scrolls series or a gamer who has dabbled in the other titles Bethesda has to offer and didn’t think them up to par, Skyrim will surprise you like it surprised me. Reviews by Alana C. Images are from elderscrolls.com and masseffect.com All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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Atlanta Steeplechase
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THE PEACH REVIEW™
“It’s Atlanta’s Kentucky Derby!”
Left: AYA Medical Spa Top: Advertisement for casino getaways
It was our first time ever attending the Atlanta Steeplechase and we can tell you it was more fun than we ever expected! Everyone had heard of the event but none of us had ever attended, so what better time than now?
and escape the sun (even though it was 82 degrees with a light breeze…perfect weather). There was a corporate presence there as Ferrari of Atlanta, RBM Mercedes of Atlanta, and the Kentucky Derby™ stole the show. There were enough vendors there that everyone The Atlanta Steeplechase is could’ve participated in the held on the 2nd Saturday of April at the Kingston Downs in hat parade and contest. Food, fun, and cigars was the name Kingston, GA. Tents were of the game, and everyone setup for eating, mingling, was dressed to the T! and just somewhere to relax All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
Perfect weather and a full day’s list of activities (including the hat parade & competition, food tents, raffle prizes, silent auctions, and more) equated to a well spent Saturday by The Peach Review™ team. On the next page you can find the full schedule for the Steeplechase.
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Here’s a list of the events that took place: 10:00 a.m.!
Registration for the Subscriber Tailgate Contest
10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.! Jack Russell Terrier Races, pony rides, hay rides, camel rides, rock climbing, and shopping in the infield 11:00 a.m.!
Inaugural Atlanta Peoplechase 5K Canter
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.! Parade of Hats
Registration for the Hat Contest &
11:45 a.m.!
Air Show & Skydive demonstration
12:00 p.m.!
Parade of the Bear Creek Hounds
12:15 p.m.!
Bagpipers perform for Opening Ceremonies
12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.!
Hat Parade & Contest
1:30 p.m.!
The Maiden Claiming Hurdle
2:10 p.m.!
The Enghouse Transportation Sport of Kings
Maiden Hurdle 2:50 p.m.!
The Coca-Cola Refreshments Georgia Cup
3:15 p.m.!
The Camp Southern Ground, Inc & UGA College
of Veterinary Medicine Hurdle Stakes 4:00 p.m.!
The Turf Race
After the races there was a post race party.
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The Silent Auction
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BENEFICIARIES The Atlanta Steeplechase, Inc. (a tax exempt organization Section 501 (c) 3 of the U.S. tax code) benefits Camp Southern Ground, Inc. and the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Camp Southern Ground is the passion project of GRAMMY-Award winning musician Zac Brown. The Camp's mission is to operate a camp to allow children to overcome academic, social and emotional difficulties so they may reach their full potential. Camp Southern Ground will offer a destination for youth of diverse socio-economic backgrounds, race, and religion to come together to learn life skills and teamwork in a positive, healthy, and organic environment. *INFORMATION FROM ATLANTASTEEPLECHASE.ORG
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BENEFICIARIES The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine promotes the art and science of veterinary medicine through the education of tomorrow’s veterinarians, research in animal diseases, and service to the public. Proceeds from the Atlanta Steeplechase will go toward building a much needed new hospital for animals and supporting the educational programs of the College.
-Jon J
*INFORMATION FROM ATLANTASTEEPLECHASE.ORG
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SweetWater 420 Fest
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The SweetWater Brewery at Candler Park Recently we stopped by the 8th annual 420 Fest, thrown by one of Atlanta’s much loved craft brewers, Sweetwater Brewing Company. The festival, held in historic Candler Park, featured 2 music stages, a comedy tent, artist booths, environmental workshops and a slew of festival staples including carnival food, handcrafted trinkets, and yes of course, “herbal remedy paraphernalia”. Sweetwater provided beer trucks throughout the park offering 16oz cups of their more popular year-round brews for $6. Pricey, yes, but a portion of the proceeds went to park improvement projects – the perfect reason for me to keep a cup of their IPA (my favorite Sweetwater brew) in hand at all times.
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The music artists performing at the festival included guys like Soulive, Perpetual Groove, Maceo Parker, The Mickey Hart Band, Donna the Buffalo and the very entertaining Yo Mama s Big Fat Booty Band. I was able to catch the last three acts on Saturday, the final and most looked forward to by myself being the great saxophonist, Maceo Parker. The performance proved to be beyond the expected! Along with one of the tightest and most professional rhythm sections I ve heard, Maceo lit up the crowd! It was an awesome show indeed.In all it was a nice time. Next year you can count on my return. By then I m sure the craving for great jam bands, jalapeño corn dogs, devil sticks and an overdose of tie dye will have returned.
Story and Photography by Barto
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“Zootopia”: The Beastly Feast at Zoo Atlanta On Saturday May 5th, as the sun sets, sophisticated elegance, along with a unique locale and spectacular live and silent auctions made the Beastly Feast one of the year’s most highly anticipated nights. The Peach Review™ was there to catch all the action and interact with the patrons and supporters of this black tie gala celebrating its 15th year.
items that are available to make bids on through Bidpal. Some of the popular items displayed included art, jewelry, antiques, lamps, travel opportunities, accessories, along with sports and music memorabilia from the likes of Herschel Walker, Bruce Springstein and Led Zeppelin.
Such a regal event just does not happen overnight and it is the hard work of many that ensure the ultimate goal of raising well needed money for Zoo Atlanta is attained. The presenting sponsor for the night was the Ford Motor Company Fund, who has been a very generous sponsor to the zoo for the last 25 years. The event chair Patricia L. Dickey, leads a strong group of other committee chairs and board members to ensure the night will be one to remember.
After the tour concludes and you peruse through the auction area, guests are then invited into the Ford Pavilion for a seated dinner, dancing, and live music. The room was beautifully Rhoncus tempor placerat. decorated by Tony Brewer and Company who also created the night’s theme: “Zootopia”. When we asked a guest what the theme meant to them she stated, “Zootopia is an ideal place for all living beings. So tonight, we all want to celebrate and raise awareness that the planet is for all creatures and inhabitants. By having a unique night like this ensures Zoo Atlanta remains a leader in the nation in missioncritical conservation and education efforts.”
The event commences with a nice walk around the zoo with designated areas for socializing. There were various kiosks for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres being served by some of Atlanta’s premiere restaurants, which were situated around key junctures during the tour of the grounds; restaurants such as Ocean Prime, Imperial Fez, Renaissance Hotel, The Shed at Glenwood, Cornbread & Caviar, and Cibo e Beve. It all culminates to lead the distinguished guests to the silent and live auction areas to observe the stellar
Now, we all know what really goes on at the Zoo!
“The room was beautifully decorated by Tony Brewer and Company who also created the night’s theme Zootopia.”
Story by Desmond Mclennon & Johnny Hill
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THE PEACH REVIEW™!
LEGOLAND
DISCOVERY date
location
time Come join us on noted a landmark adventure featuring monsters, mayhem, 4D All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise
PHIPPS PLAZA
8:30 P.M.
movies, interactive rides, and a mini replica of Atlanta. LEGOLAND Discovery Center’s Adult Night is where you can be a kid again.
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Adult Night at LDC Atlanta! Hello TPR faithful! Just 2 days ago we attended LEGOLAND Discovery Center’s (LDC) very first “Adult Night” at their Atlanta location inside Phipps Plaza. To say that our night was amazing would be an understatement! The instant you mention LEGO’s you can’t help but feel a hint of nostalgia. I know we weren’t the only adults excited about their first adult event either. Take a look at this line: and this is 15 minutes before it opens. If any of you are familiar with Phipps Plaza, the line went past the elevator going towards the AMC Movie Theatre! It was a great turn out of people young and old who just came to enjoy themselves and be a kid again The great part was after you bought your ticket, you received a complimentary itinerary. Our activities were as follows: -Kingdom Quest competition: Ride our first ride Kingdom Quest, record your score, and enter to win 2 free tickets to our next adult night -Master Model “2012″ build: Visit with our Master Model Builder, Josh, in the neighborhood, learn some new tricks, and help create a large “2012″ build.
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-Head to the Build & Test area where you can learn how to build an amazing race car, which you may enter into our Racers competition later in the evening. -Don’t forget to ride Merlin’s Apprentice, check out your favorite Atlanta hot spots in Miniland, and watch our movie!
Learning about the blocks So after you enter the LEGO factory you have a guide that shows you how LEGO’s are made. From the little yellow pellets in front of you to the blocks that you put together to build your gas stations, storm troopers, farmers, and everything else you’ve ever made from a LEGO set (and the list literally is endless). There is a special scale on hand that converts your present weight into its equivalent in LEGO blocks. Well, my weight was about 78,000 LEGO blocks (wow) and thankfully my turn was last so that number wasn’t shown to anybody. Then you’re led to their first ride called Kingdom Quest.
An interactive ride where your goal is to shoot and take down as many bad guys as possible to save the medieval LEGO’s from harm. All the while protecting a princess and a dragon egg while it hatches. MINILAND After your quest you are led to an amazing new world called MINILAND. This is where you can find what Atlanta would be like if it was made out of LEGO blocks. It’s truly amazing how their Master Builders were able to recreate downtown Atlanta
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and other landmarks of the city on such a small scale. Landmarks such as the King & Queen Towers, The Westin Hotel, Centennial Park, CNN Center, MLK Memorial, Stone Mountain, Turner Field, the Georgia Dome, and many more! And you can’t have a recreated Atlanta without Delta right? They made a LEGO Delta plane that circles over the city (that was truly impressive). We dedicated the next page to the creations in MINILAND. See how many landmarks you can find. 40
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After you depart from MINILAND you can talk to the LEGO Masterbuilders, build a race car, ride “Merlin’s Apprentice” or you can watch their absolutely amazing 4D Movies. First I stopped by the LDC Cafe just to grab a quick snack. Their food was fairly priced and tasted great to my surprise. After I took the opportunity to chat with a few of the cafe staff I continued to the 4D theatre and watched not one but two of their high quality animated movies. I can tell you first hand that they are better than most 3D movies in theaters right now. I know that may sound crazy but it’s true. It’s something you’ll just have to experience yourself, but first I had to get my ticket…. thank goodness there wasn’t a line As an adult, I would say try LEGOLAND Adult night at least once. You’d be surprised how much fun it is and that was their first one. I had the opportunity to hear a few ideas that will be incorporated into future adult nights, and you definitely won’t want to miss out. If you want to attend the next Adult Night it’s every month on the 2nd Thursday at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. It’s located upstairs right next to the elevator by AMC Theaters and Johnny Rockets. I can only assume what the LDC looks like during the day with no school and it’s location being in one of the more popular malls in the city, but if you have the opportunity to come to their Adult Night you should try it. A tad different than going to Houston’s or Shout but it’s a guaranteed good time and their staff is extremely welcoming. Why take a date out for seafood when you can build a race car? -Jon J. !
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Story and photos by Jon J.
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STEVE MOAKLER Smith’s Olde Bar Steve Moakler is a singer/ songwriter I discovered while living in Nashville. One night back in 2010, a few friends and I went to the famous Bluebird Cafe, and he happened to be there playing an in-the-round show. We were all blown away by his songwriting, his voice, and his incredible way of projecting emotion through his music. The show at Smith’s left me feeling no different. He is such a humble artist, and that comes through in everything that he does. It is clear to see that he truly loves and appreciates what he does.
photo from stevemoakler.bigcartel.com
I was, again, blown away by the incredible dynamics of his performance. I would even venture as far as to say that he sounds just as great (if not better) live than he does recorded. That is not an easy thing to accomplish.I think my favorite part of his set was during a song of his called “This Ain’t Rock and Roll”. He wrote the song about being a Northerner who has fallen in love with the south. There is a line in the song that says, “I cheer on the Pittsburgh Steelers, I don’t watch the SEC.” When this part of the song came along, he just cut out the music, because I think he knew what was coming his way. Some people cheered, but he overwhelmingly received a large crowd of “boo”s. I love that he knew it was coming, accepted it, said “Sorry, guys!” and continued performing. It was a great moment.
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NATHAN ANGELO Following Steve Moakler was the headliner Nathan Angelo. Nathan is an ATL-based singer/songwriter on Warner/Chapel who has been a touring fool the past few years. He has made his mark around Atlanta, building a solid and dedicated fan base, and has since toured with bands like The Fray, Marc Broussard, and even part of my Southern Ground family, Zac Brown Band! His albums are heavily pop based, but I was pleasantly surprised with the way he sounded live. His shows are infused with so much of a bluesy feel and it’s easy to see his soulful influences, such as the Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder. In fact, during his show he even covers a Jackson 5 song or two…. In case you are planning to go to one of his shows, I won’t spoil his secrets by telling you which ones he plays, but I will say that they are certainly fan favorites. There was not one person in the building that was standing still. Even the stiff and rugged doorman with hair halfway down his back and a death metal t-shirt was dancing and grooving. It was quite a sight to see. To be honest, the dancing continued for the remainder of the show. He is truly a wonderful performer and knows how to get a crowd going.
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One of the best moments of his set, aside from the Jackson 5 tribute, was when he brought fellow Atlanta artist Micah Dalton on stage to play a song with him. Then at the very end, he brought Steve Moakler back to the stage to play a song with him as well. Overall, it was a fantastic show and I don’t think there was a person in the building that night that would have disagreed. Whether you like pop, rock, country, or blues, there was a little something for everyone. They are still continuing their tour, so check out their schedule and if they are coming to a city near you, I highly recommend that you check it out! You will not be disappointed.
By: Lauren Brumley @Laurenbrumley Laurenbrumley,tumblr.com
photo from nathanangelo.com
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Party in the Park!
Sky-high shooting confetti, oversize balloons in every color of the rainbow, alien costumes, smoking megaphones, moving pictures of dancing naked women with rounds of glowing fire in between their thighs, and a HUGE ball big enough to hold lead singer of the Flaming Lips, while he surfs the entire crowd? Yeah, that happened this
past Saturday at Centennial Park’s first “Party in the Park”.
Opening acts for the show included a lineup of awesome bands: Ponderosa, Dawes, AWOLNATION and Its been awhile since a ticket Young the Giant. Each artist amped the crowd up event was held in the park progressively. but I over heard a fan say, “This is well worth the 15 bucks I paid to get in here, I feel like they undercharged me.”
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The crowd was full of diverse fans laying out in the grassy knolls and sipping beer. A perfectly sunny day 43
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“You never know what to expect” continued into a beautiful sunset when Wayne Coyne and his band entered the stage through a hidden door in the humungous digital video screen. Crowd participation was high as confetti rained on them and everyone waited for their chance to hit
popped with his guitar a few times all over the stage. I loved hearing the many voices sing the cute lyrics to “She Don’t Use Jelly”. The song “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” made me feel like I was in one her knees in tears of my favorite after meeting Wayne movies, “Almost Coyne made me smile. I love when music touches someone’s soul in that way. Before the show he was nice enough to greet fans next to the stage and happily took pictures with big hugs. the bouncing Famous”. I was a colorful balloons. “band-aid” for a Live music is always Many of the balloons moment lost in the heart warming to me were full of confetti music. Seeing a but when combined which Wayne young girl drop to All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
with a mind-blowing performance where you never know what to expect and every one of your 5 senses is rocked, it becomes orgasmic. This was my first time attending a Flaming Lips show and all I can think is when will they be back in Atlanta?!
Story & photography: Angela Caquias
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FOSTER THE PEOPLE
“Before Foster the People came on, the stage was full of smoke and bubbles.” This past week Foster the People came to Atlanta’s Verizon stage with a spotlight on each of them and immediately Amphitheatre on their way to Bonnaroo 2012. Twitter was started jamming away! already buzzing from their last performance on Tuesday Mark Foster was wearing white pants with a matching in Austin, Texas where a guy proposed to his white blazer and gray screen tee underneath. His girlfriend right on stage! Sidenote: Word on the hair seemed perfectly in place and his boyish street is that Taylor Swift is dating lead singer good looks only amplified this. The stage was like Mark Foster so I was kind of hoping for an a playground for musicians. The music was Foster the appearance of the country super star because upbeat and fun with drums, piano, bass guitar, People I’ve had her song “Dear John” on repeat for synthesizer and a variety of percussion days! LOL (no such luck) instruments. They all took turns playing at different points of the Finding the backstage media entrance was a little bit songs and their ability to sing as well as play so of challenge or yours truly because one of the streets I many different instruments was impressive. Mark’s was supposed to turn on was covered by bushes! (Of voice is captivating and he had the crowd mesmerized with course) But I made it right before show time. This was my every word. first time at this venue and it was packed to capacity! I couldn’t help but to dance along while taking pics and Opening for Foster the People were Kook and Kimbra. even though I was working I felt as much of a fan as the Kook is a cool indie British band and you may know kids screaming in my ears behind me! I was sad I had to go Kimbra from the female vocals of the song “Someone I home after this show because I was definitely in the mood used to know” with Gyote. to hit up MJQ’s dance floor. After hearing it live, my new In between the set right before Foster the People the stage favorite song by them is “Miss You”. Overall, this was a fun, was full of smoke and bubbles. I’m assuming to entertain uplifting show that makes you bop around to the beat before the waiting crowd, which was full of aviators, Chuck Taylors you even realize it. and jorts. Suddenly, the lights went pitch black and all you could hear was the screaming of fans throughout the entire -Angie Caquias venue. The four band members all took their places on
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THE 35TH ANNUAL
ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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Cyrus Chestnut
Kathleen Bertrand
Master of Ceremonies
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Robert Glasper
Roy Ayers
Cyrus Chestnut
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Jazz fans enjoying the nice weather
Tito Puente Jr.
Thousands gather at Piedmont
Tito Puente Jr.
Food Vendor
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Patrons enjoying the park
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“We’ve been coming here for years, this is our favorite event in Atlanta.” Days 1 & 3 Well, the 35th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival certainly lived up to all its pre-festival hype --- and The Peach Review team was there to take it all in! On Saturday night May 26th Roy Ayers rocked Piedmont Park! Roy, accompanied by a host of local Atlanta musicians brought Festival attendees to their jazz loving knees! From “Running Away”, to “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”, Roy did all the favorites --- and did them well! Of course this was only after Dwight Andrews, The Cyrus Chestnut Trio, and Kathleen Bertrand seriously greased the runway. What a glorious day – great music, great food (courtesy of yours truly there’s one less turkey leg in the world!), a wonderfully well behaved crowd, and if there’s such a thing as a musical orgasm, then the crowd at Piedmont Park smoked a collective cigarette after the evening ended! If you’re one of those music lovers that enjoys live performances that mirror the recorded song, Roy’s rendition of “You Send Me” (one of my all time favorites) was just like listening to the song in my
1975 TR6’s cassette player back in the day.
selection and quality at Jazz Fest was anything but average. And whatever you While this is just a review of showed up craving, it was Day One, Day Two (featuring probably there for you to Tito Puente, Jr.) and Day gorge on. After taking part in Three (featuring The Robert some good chow and some Glasper Experiment) were awesome Arnold Palmers equally exciting! made with fresh-squeezed lemons, I came to and Day 2 remembered why I was there - the music! Last weekend I rolled over to the 35th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival, one of the largest I made my way through a free Jazz festivals in the crowd of camped out nation. Tens of thousands families and friends grilling gathered in Midtown and enjoying the spring air Atlanta's Piedmont Park to (as much as one could in 91 watch some of the world's degree weather), over to the most revered performers do main stage where Jazz their thing. harmonica player, Gregoire Maret was midway through 100 plus food and art his set. I was impressed with vendors lined the walkways Maret's command of the throughout the park, serving instrument, floating through festival-goers with some some complex, but easy to delicious, often fat and enjoy jazz changes with sugar-laced treats and Jazz ease. I was a little Music-themed paintings and disappointed that I hadn't crafts. My first stop was the seen the whole set, but Siri Grill tent. These guys luckily we got to hear him came all the way from perform a few more nicelyManassas, VA, offering very composed, tightly-performed delicious and juicy grilled records when he came out chicken skewers - much for an encore. different from the assembly line-style carnival foods Around 9PM crowds offered by most other gathered by the thousands vendors who set up shop. at the main stage to see the Just one guy, one grill and main act of the night some very tasty chicken! percussionist, Tito Puente Nothing against the turkey Jr. I was especially excited legs, funnel cakes and gyros to watch the son of late, we find at most events like great Latin composer and these. I love it all. But I'm performer Tito Puente Sr. pretty happy to say the food pull off some of the classics I
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had grown up hearing. Puente came on stage with an electric, aggressive and exciting energy, evocative of his father's expert showmanship, commanding the crowd's attention instantly. In the first few minutes, his rhythm section was less than cohesive, not something I was expecting, having heard Tito Sr's always driving, never staggering band perform in the past. But with a little warming up and with the monitor engineer backstage, I'm sure, fixing the band's monitor mix on the fly, things gelled a little better. Nostalgia filled the air as Tito pulled out some of his father's most famous classics like "El Cayuco" and "Oye Como Va". Fans received Puente with such love and energy, you'd think we were watching OG Puente at his 1980 performance at the Montreaux. While definitely not quite the caliber of musicianship displayed by the true "Rey del Timbal", Jr's confidence, polished showmanship, good chops and witty humor on stage is nothing to pass up.
Day 1&3 story/photos- Keith Jones Day 2 story/photos- Barto
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BODIES EXHIBIT We recently took a trip to the amazing Atlantic Station and saw BODIES: The Exhibition. We were fortunate to see real human bodies, dissected and preserved for visitors to see in a way like never before. The exhibit is open from 11am-6pm Monday through Thursday, and 11am-7pm Friday through Sunday. After walking through the entire showcase and reading all of the excerpts and summaries I can honestly say I felt about 1 medical journal short of a physician. But that’s a good thing right? It’s good to feel empowered and know about your body. The statistics that are provided are important bits of info to note! Did you know to lose 1 pound you must burn 3,500 calories more than your body needs and vice versa if you’re trying to gain one pound? Did you also know that the lining of the stomach secretes gastric juices that break down food & mucus to protect the stomach from being digested itself? Our bodies are so amazing and capable of performing so many tasks that it’s hard to pick which ones to tell you about.
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An Ancient Disease with a Modern Impact Do you ever find yourself wondering, “What do ancient China, ancient Egypt, and 19th century Europe have in common with today’s societies?” If so, then I hope to illuminate you. If not, then hopefully you will find something of interest to take from this article. One interesting similarity between all of these time periods is the presence of tuberculosis, or TB. Throughout history, this disease has gone by various names. In Greece, Hippocrates referred to it as pthisis. The Hebrew word for Tuberculosis, originating from the ancient word for “a wasting disease”, is schachepheth. The word that most readers of 19th century British literature may be more accustomed to is consumption. The causative bacterial agent of TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has been found in the remains of mummies dating as far back as 4000 years ago, as found by Zink et al. in their 2003 research article, which can be found here: http://jcm.asm.org/ content/41/1/359.full . This disease has peppered American history as well. In fact, gunslinger and friend of Wyatt Earp, John Henry “Doc” Holliday, as well as Lake Lanier namesake and poet, Sidney Lanier are two Georgia natives known to have succumbed to TB. While tuberculosis has very interesting origins, a fact that many of us in the U.S. may be unaware of is that this disease is still quite prevalent today. Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial infection that is generally
split into two categories. Active TB infection, which results in clinical symptoms and transmittable disease, and latent infection, in which the bacteria is present in the body , but has not yet caused active infection. Although TB is not very prevalent in the U.S., the World Health Organization reports that 1 in 3 people worldwide are latently infected with tuberculosis, and that 8.8 million people fell ill with TB in 2010 with the highest incidence in Asia and subSaharan Africa. These numbers, coupled with the fact that 1.4 million people died due to TB related illnesses in 2010 indicate that this ancient disease is one that has not only evolved with us, but that continues to flourish today. Multiple steps are being taken in order to combat tuberculosis. In 2001, the Stop TB Partnership was formed in an effort to eventually eradicate TB. This is a worldwide partnership which assists in providing treatment and awareness to this curable disease to those most at risk and in need. This effort also assists in funding research to find better vaccines and drugs for TB. While progress is being made, a lot still needs to be done in order to eradicate this disease. Thankfully, there are many ways that we can aid in these efforts by familiarizing ourselves with the problem, and then spreading awareness. Just because we have lived the past four millennia with TB does not mean that we must live with it forever.
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For more information on how to get involved with the Stop TB Partnership visit: http://www.stoptb.org/ getinvolved/ To learn more about TB visit the WHO website here: http://www.who.int/ mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/ index.html
-Erica Bizzel
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Anderson DEREK
Beyond the basketball court, Derek Anderson is a loving father, successful businessman, philanthropist, and all around good guy. To hear this man’s story was awe inspiring. You know the age old question “if your life was a book would people read it?” People would read his, guarantee it. A lot can be said for his drive and determination, and you can tell when you sit down with him he’s not just an athlete. He’s a well versed, intelligent guy. I’m honored he made time for us today.
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Kindness overshadows stardom
An afternoon with Derek After a long, nightmarish afternoon at Hartsfield-Jackson, Mr. Anderson still made time for us to speak with him. It’s almost like you’re talking to a big kid. He doesn’t look like he’s aged at all since I watched him play with the Trailblazers years ago. I vividly remember him asking myself & my photographer at least 3 times “are you guys still ok? would you like anything to drink?” even before the interview started. I can’t say enough good things about this guy, so let’s give you a chance to get to know him like we did!
So I wanted to talk to you today and learn more about the business side to Derek Anderson. Most people already recognize you as an athlete so I wanted to give people a chance to learn there’s a lot more to you than meets the eye. But for those who may not know who you are, can you tell us where the Derek Anderson story begins? The Derek Anderson story begins in Louisville, Kentucky (born and raised). Moved to Flint, Michigan to live with my mom for a little bit. Childhood was a little different, at 10 years old my father
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left us (he was an old, ex-army guy), then my mother when I was 12 years old, she left. So I kinda wound up being a lost child for a little bit. I ended up at a shelter home for 2 weeks, nobody knew where I was because I didn’t have anyone to call. Wound up getting helped by a basketball coach....he saw something in me and ended up giving me a place to stay. I ended up staying with my uncle, a friend of mine, and my high school coach. I had a child at 14, ended up working at a candy store to pay child support at 16, so I pretty much have always been an entrepreneur kinda guy because of necessity. 55
“Fame comes with a price, but success always comes with happiness.” So I’ve always been able to find jobs and be creative, innovative through circumstance. So Derek Anderson’s come a long way and then to go to college and play 11 years in the NBA was great. But I had to turn another corner and be an entrepreneur out of necessity. I didn’t want to play basketball anymore so I had to get a job and find out my trade. I went off into the movie industry and started writing scripts (14 of them), feature films, stage plays, and a few TV shows. So I’ve been pretty busy at the age of 37 but it’s been a blessed time, it’s been trying, and it’s been a long road. Wow what an adventure! that’s pretty amazing, everything that you’ve had to go through to get where you are now. How inspiring! So you said you went to the University of Kentucky. Was it the hometown roots that made you decide to go there? Well actually I went to Ohio State my first 2 years? and when I was transferring I needed to be back home closer to my son. So that was an instance where everything worked out: I had to sit out a year (knee injury), my son was getting older and you know how teenage boys get mischievous. So without me being around enough I wanted to be closer, and that was basically my 2 decisions. Knowing I was going to sit out and Coach Pitino was a great guy for me. He told me what he was going to allow me to do and to better enhance myself as a player and a person. So I felt like I was going to win all the way around.
Wow that’s great! So you said that you’ve always been a hustler and an entrepreneur out of necessity your whole life. So what made you decide to pick media once you finished the NBA? Once again, out of circumstance. I wrote a lot of things down as I was growing up. I was having struggles, and I always wanted to express myself. But not being in a way where it was convenient, it was more or less the truth. I always wanted people to see that there are certain situations you have to go through in order to be successful, and I wanted to express that. So for me choosing media was basically being a vision of success and being able to inform people how...life can be successful not just in sports but in life. I had a lot to give verbally, more than I did sports-wise. With all the avenues that you’ve gone, what were some of the difficulties in starting a business after you retired? Well...basically everyone thinks of you as an athlete, they don’t think that you can think for yourself. They put you in a category where....well a lot of people put people in categories. If your from a rural neighborhood they think your a certain way and if your from an urban neighborhood they assume your a certain way. I think all of its fighting the same realms that the world fights against itself. It’s just “perception is reality” and people take that all the way through without having the chance to meet people. Its been very very difficult
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but I keep beating the door down like I’ve done everything else. I didn’t just go to the NBA from middle school. I went to middle school, high school, college, THEN to the pros. So I figure that’s the same way you gotta do it in any other business you do. You gotta go through those runs of meeting people and doing certain things. That’s terrific. With all of these avenues that you have, what’s your favorite part about owning your own business?? Owning your own business.....you don’t so much call the shots, you get to see the advantages of helping other people come along. So instead of seeing my own success story I get to see other people be successful, and that’s exciting! Being able to see people get better, it means everything....Fame to me comes with a price, but success always comes with happiness. That being happy could be, you owning your own lawnmower, then you end up having your own lawn service? THAT success and happiness. As opposed to just getting a bunch of money and then figuring out what you’re going to do with it. So to me I’ve always loved the success part more than fame. What exactly are your businesses?Is there more than just LMG? LMG is one of the companies but the corporation is the Loyalty Corporation. LMG is basically a film production company where I can do filming, editing, scriptwriting, all in-house.
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“How come Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson didn’t work together to build their own team?” Do you live in Atlanta full time? Yes I’m here full time but I fly back to LA a lot so I need another place lol What made you to decide to start business here, being that you’re a Kentucky guy? Again I wanted to be close to my family. My kids wanted to be close to Kentucky. Also when I came here Atlanta was growing, and it was growing in a way that was benefiting a lot of people and I wanted to be a part of that growth.
How do you balance work and family with your given schedule? Balance comes with sacrifice. You have to be inconvenient to be
successful. Sometimes... you have to be out of the ordinary to be successful. That’s what happens because I don’t get to see my kids everyday. Thankfully we have Skype, cell phones, so we have multiple ways to stay in touch. It’s not easy but the sacrifices my family makes for me is making us successful altogether. After the NBA, was there anyone around you to mentor you business-wise? That was the biggest problem I found. Nobody
Bill Gates, the two richest men in the world work together, but I can’t get another athlete to work with me? Wow that’s a shame. It’s a shame because they don’t have the sense to know that there’s strength in numbers. Now that I’m getting some of these older guys that are about to retire they’re starting to see that, and there’s success guys that could’ve maximized off that. How come Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson didn’t work together to build wanted to mentor people. their own team? They It was sad because I’ve could’ve had 2 or 3 teams written stories and I’ve by now. No one wants to done speeches on....... get off their egos & their (pauses to think)......How mindsets and work can Warren Buffett and together. If I was in the
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corporate world and I knew an athlete and he knew a banker, I’d get us together and work. No one works together anymore, and that’s what I wanted to do but no one helped me with that. There’s not one person I could say you know what they helped me along the way. They’re asking for money, their knowledge is very vague, I get some good knowledge but VERY few people are willing to help. Well good for you for having the drive to go out and do it yourself because that’s not an easy feat. Especially without a mentor. No mentor, no agent, no secretary, no nothing. You just gotta knock down on people’s doors, some of them close it on you, but that doesn’t stop me. That’s very impressive. So what are some things that people don’t know about you that people should know? Most of my life is an open book, people see me they say “oh he always smiles” or “he’s always speaking to people he works hard, he’s respectful of people.”
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“I grew up without a lot of leadership” I sacrifice a lot, giving a lot with nothing in return, and I guess that’s part of life. The thing about me is I grew up with not a lot of leadership around me. Even now in the business world everything I do I have to do on my own. Even having a child and fending for myself, paying child support, all those things at that age are things that parents usually do, not what a teenager would do. How would I go to make myself breakfast, lunch, AND dinner? at 14 or 15 years old? I had to learn those things because I had a child. Even now learning the industry I’m the one that has to do all this stuff. I can’t call an agent and say “hey help me out and get into Hollywood.” As opposed to if I had a relationship with people and connections they would actually get me in... and I know a lot of people but for some reason they don’t want to share their information. I can’t make em’, I could never blame anyone or judge anyone for the way they are. Most of those people aren’t afraid of me, they’re afraid of what’s inside of me. Well played I like that. What’s a typical relaxed day for Derek Anderson? I haven’t had a relaxation day in .... 3 years. WOW That’s when I had my last son (laughs aloud). That’s the last time I was able to relax. I’m praying that I’ll get some time soon, because your health is more important than anything
you know? I started to figure that out after I started getting tired, losing a lot of energy, I was putting too much out without getting enough rest. But there’s something in me that’s a drive that I can’t control that I need to control because I work so hard. That sacrifice has been putting my family first always. This concludes the interview my friend, and again I truly appreciate your time! No thank you!
If you’d like to support Derek Anderson or learn more about what he’s doing you can visit his DAF and you can also check out his new brand of water Victory H20 at VICTORY .
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Photography by Jonathan Davis Graphic by Bob Jeffreys
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Tiffany NEWBERRY
Tiffany Newberry is a true example of hard work, dedication, and having what it takes to succeed. Originally a native of Dayton, Ohio, Tiffany shares with us her story as she went from Ohio, to New York, and finally to Atlanta where she achieved her Telecommunications’ dream by landing a job with cable news network CNN.
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C N N
reating
ews with
ewberry
“The person I was working for created a position for me and hired me permanently.” We appreciate truly appreciate your time Ms. Newberry, so let’s start off with where your story begins? The Tiffany Newberry story begins in Dayton, OH. A little girl (Tiffany) who was born to Vickie Blake (a single mother of 2), but was a strong and wonderful mother who raised 2 girls by herself. Both of those girls graduated from college, Alabama A&M University, that’s where I majored in Telecommunications. After I graduated I moved to New York where I held an internship with MTV. After 6 months in New York I moved back to Ohio for about 8 months to help out my sister. While I was there I knew Ohio wasn’t the place I wanted to be for what I
wanted to do eventually in life because I wanted to be in a big city. Since it didn’t happen in New York I figured Atlanta would be good. At the time my friend Bisharah was interning for Rowdy Records and Dallas Austin was coming out with the movie “ATL”, he was the executive producer. She suggested I come out an audition for the movie, so I did. I came down and auditioned for Chris Robinson, who’s the director of the film. In my opinion the audition went well (smiles) and he offered that I could work as an extra for the movie. So I went back to Ohio, packed my car up, and told my mom “hey I’m moving to Atlanta.” So I packed all my clothes up and moved here. That’s it. Besides that I moved
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down here with nothing, but I was able to stay with one of my friends who told me “if you move down here you can stay with me for a month rent free,” so I did. I came down here and worked on-set for 3 weeks, and while I was grinding I had an idea and took it to Chris Robinson. Next thing I know he stops everything and shot my idea! Even though my idea got edited out (smiles) he still made sure my face was seen in the movie. So if you ever see the movie I’m one of the Fly Girls .... you’ll get 5 seconds of T-New! (we share laughter). After that I worked for a temp agency working with Kaiser Permanente. Then I applied for CNN, Turner Broadcasting. I knew a girl that
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“You have to stay on your grind, be persistent” that worked their because we interned together at BET in the summer of 2003. So she took my name to the right people and they called me for an interview, and that’s how I got put on with the Turner Temp program at CNN. It’ll be 6 years that I’ve been with the company in March. I started out as a Temp, as a Production Assistant for a year. The Temp program at the time was for a year and once you completed your year you had to sit out a few months. So I sat out, came back as a temp again, and the person I was working for created a position for me and hired me on permanently. WOW! So I’m the first person in my position, now my title is Awards Coordinator. That is truly amazing! Yeah you got to stay on your grind and be persistent, so that’s my story. Now if you would’ve asked me 5 or 6 years ago “Tiffany do you think you’ll be living in Atlanta working for CNN?” I’d tell you “no.” I thought I’d be in New York as an on-air entertainment correspondent or a host but you never know what life brings you know? It’s been a roller coaster and I’m just enjoying the ride. That really is an amazing story, I mean seriously, that’s fantastic. (blushing) Well thank you, thanks a lot. Now I noticed a repetitive theme while you were talking, “internship here, internship there,” getting you ready for this amazing ride. How
many internships did you have exactly? I held 3 internships. During the summer of 2003 I had an internship with BET in New York. Then when I came back to college my senior year I had an internship with Cumulus Broadcasting. After I graduated I held an internship with MTV and that was in New York as well. That’s terrific. Now when you were going through this internship at the time did you have a mentor at all? Actually yes, one of my colleagues! her name is Angela Jones. Whenever I was going through anything with the job, if I needed someone to talk to, or if I just needed to hear a good word she would be the person I felt comfortable with (especially at my job), I would talk to her. Excellent. Now you’ve lived in Atlanta how long? Wow.... I moved here August 2005 so ... almost 7 years, it’ll be 7 years this August. For people that are like you and hear this and use this for motivation, drive, and inspire them to work hard like you. What do you think Atlanta provides youth? Like when you were coming up, what does the city provide for young people? I know that it provides opportunity, it allows you to paint the picture how you want to. I came to Atlanta with nothing. When I say nothing? I mean I slept on an air mattress when I moved
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here. Then I stayed with my friend in her Town-home, then moved with some other friends’ in their apartment. I’ve been through a few apartments and I just recently purchased my very own home this past August. So it can be done, I came down here with nothing, then I was an extra in a movie, then I worked with a temp agency, and now I’m working for the biggest name in news in the world. So it definitely can be done, you just have to stay focused and stay hungry. Great that’s good advice! How would you describe your work environment? Is it stressful, is it easy going? Do they let you do your own thing? How would you describe it? I would say.. at times it can be stressful. January through April, for me is the busiest time of the year, we call it the “Awards Season.” That’s because that’s when all of the prestigious awards’ deadlines are due, between March and April. So sometimes it can be stressful working on 2 or 3 deadlines a week for a few months straight. But I work in a department full of creative and brilliant people; producers, graphic artists. We have a lot of creative people in my department that allow you to bring a lot of different ideas to the table, next thing you know your seeing your ideas on-air. It’s a great company to work for and from overhearing other people from different departments I work in an awesome department. I’m very blessed to be in this department, I don’t come to work angry or 61
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“I’m glad it all happened when it did.” say “oh I hate this job”. I like it I really do. Well that’s great. Do you have any advice for anyone trying to work for CNN? Well what a lot of my friends ask me is “how can I get on?” or “what do I need to do?” so then I’ll tell them to apply online and send me their requisition numbers, because I had help right? I try and do as much as I can and I’ll try and pass the resume’ along to somebody, so I don’t mind helping someone else who’s grinding, who is hungry, and trying to do better for themselves. So I’ll pass their resume’ along but at that point it’s out my hands, it’ll be on that person to do well during the interview. But I’d just say be persistent and stay consistent. It’s a hard company to get on with you know? But once you’re in the door, you’re in there. But I’d say stay persistent, if you don’t hear back in a week or two follow up with people and don’t give up! That’s it. Do you think that Turner Temps program was helpful as well? It was... I mean I’m sad it’s not there anymore. Mostly everyone I’ve come across at CNN started out as a Turner Temp or they started out as a tour guide. You just gotta work from the ground up, but it was a VERY helpful program. Now in your opinion, even though you had some interference running in your favor, how do you feel about their process? Is it fair? or do you think there’s a better way for them to discover talent?
Um..... I would say if they could have a better turn around as far as getting back to people in a more appropriate time instead of having people wait. “Did I get on or did I not?” you know, as far as letting people know so they can have peace of mind. “Oh I didn’t get the job” so let’s move on to the next one, so getting back to people in a more timely manner. Do you or have you volunteered in the past 4 or 5 years since you’ve been working? I do! My sorority is very big on volunteer work, I am a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. HA! I didn’t even have to ask! (Erupts in laughter) So yes my sorority is very big on volunteering and helping people out in the community so I’m volunteering all the time. Ok good deal, that’s fantastic. Now I heard about you doing something amazing (among the other amazing things you’ve done) and you made an awards website? How has the feedback been on that project? Well I work closely with a lot of different show producers and first launched the website June 1st of last year (2011) and got very good, positive feedback. To get the word out I setup a table of goodies with “Center Stage” on them and gave them out to people the day of the launch. So people would come to the tablet and I’d show them how to navigate through the website and they were all impressed.
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They felt like it was a long time coming and for me it was. I came up with the idea in 2006, 2007 and it just launched last June in 2011. So it was a long road but in the end it was all worth it and everything happens in HIS time and I’m glad it all happened when it did. I got a lot of positive feedback, all of the producers felt like it was a very valuable tool that they could use. Anytime I send out quarterly updates I always direct people to the website because theirs a lot of useful info on there. That was my baby and for me that was one of the most proud moments of my career. Launching that website and seeing all of my hard work pay off. Ok last question. Can you tell us anything to look forward to on TV or any awards or projects that you had a part in behind the scenes? Well right now I just got out the George Polk awards, I’m working on the Gracie Awards, and right now one of the most prestigious competitions we submit to are the George Foster Peabody Awards. Last year we won a Peabody Awards for our Gulf Oil Spill coverage, and we won that award because I put all of the clips and pieces together on one comp reel. It was a lot of research that went into it and me and my supervisor sat down and wrote everything we felt needed to go on the tape. I used Finalcut Pro to edit the tape and we won a Peabody Award. That must’ve felt good huh? Yeah it did! So we have some pieces we’re going to submit this 62
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“I always support a fellow bulldog!” year so hopefully we’ll win another one. So that’s actually my 2nd Peabody Award because we won previously for our election coverage. Oh so you have 2 Peabody’s under your belt? Um yes that is 2 (smiles and grins). But we submit to over 50 award competitions throughout the year and it does feel really good when the company comes back to you and says “you’ve won an award for your piece.” It feels good because I do a lot of work behind the scenes and getting to go to the different
awards ceremonies are great. Last year I went to the New York Association of Black Journalists Awards ceremony in New York and it just felt good to see the fruits of my labor right in front of me. To go up and accept an award for something I worked hard for and got out there. Alright well thank you so much for your time Tiffany it was greatly appreciated. Your welcome, I always support a fellow bulldog!
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Photography by Kent Foster Jonathan Davis Graphic by Bob Jeffreys
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Mutombo DIKEMBE
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“You want to have a place you can go to and pass on the knowledge of the game.” Thank you for joining us today Mr. Mutombo. Can you explain to our readers how you came to the United States? I came here as an American Exchange student to come study pre-medicine and then go to Medical School. Ok and which University did you attend? Georgetown. Ok and from there you were drafted into the NBA. Which teams did you play for? I went to Denver where I played 5 years. Then after that I went to Atlanta and
When you came to Atlanta and you retired, what made you want to live here full time? When we came here in 1996 we saw how the city was growing; the people, the culture, southern hospitality. My wife told me “we should consider living here.” and she’s right because we knew we weren’t going back to Washington D.C. The city was “coming up” so we just decided to stay in the south. In 2001 we decided to sell our home in Washington and keep this house to use as our main home.
played in 96’, just as the olympics were coming to town.
Some people don’t know that you have a foundation that supports
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your hospital back home in the Congo. What made you decide to build a hospital back in your home country? You know, I grew up very poor. I was always inspired finding a way to help my people, so I said “Ok I’m going to start the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation.” Then I decided there would be three goals: One of them would be to build a school, the second was to build a hospital, and to build a basketball court. Then after a year it came to the point where we had to decide which goal we were going to pickup first. I knew that building a hospital was going to be great because I was a pre-med student. My main focus while in pre-med was to help people, treat people, help them to live a better life. Building a school... I was raised by my mom and dad...and dad was a teacher for 37 years in high school. So coming from parents that were educators I wanted to find a way to get people a better education and a chance for them. Then building a basketball court was very important because I was a
basketball player and the NBA was good to me. You want to have a place you can go to and pass on your knowledge of the game. Does your location here affect fundraising for your hospital? No, you can do fundraising anywhere (laughs aloud). You know fundraising isn’t about where you live, it’s about who you know and how much they know you. That’s so important! Living in Atlanta was more about my wife and kids, my family. My foundation has its headquarters here because it’s a multicultural city. We have almost 20 of the top Fortune 500 corporations in America right here in Atlanta. We have the largest airport in the world, we have a flight that can take you anywhere in the world, any day, at any given time. So that opened up a lot of doors for me as a fundraiser. To have the ability to go anywhere and meet with anybody I want to see. With your foundation do you have any immediate goals or anything that you want people to know about? 65
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“So we’re asking people to donate $20” Well we’ve gone and built a $30 million hospital which I’ve donated $24 million out of my own. Right now our goal is to build on the endowment. We think if we can get a $10 million endowment we’ll be fine, which we’re working on the paperwork right now. We also feel that we shouldn’t just work with big corporations to give us money, it should be easy for anybody to contribute. Those who even have a little bit should be able to contribute, so we’re asking people to donate maybe ... $20 a year to the fund. Then you add as many people as you can and then you build it from there. Wow that’s great! So what’s the website where people can find your foundation? D-M-F dot org. That’s where you can go and pledge your $20 (big grin) Alright well thanks again for your time and we’re looking forward to your fundraiser. If you would like to know more about the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation and his hospital you can click the link HERE Interviewer: Jon J. Photography: Jonathan Davis, Kent Foster Graphic by Bob Jeffreys
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Tennis coach to published author The motivational story of Desmond McLennon Desmond Mclennon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunications, but he’ll be the first to tell you that his first love is tennis. “I’ve loved tennis since my dad first introduced me to the sport when I was 8 years old. It’s stuck with me all these years and even paid for my way through college.” On a whim, he went to visit a friend in Alabama and got discovered. “I was on a court with a random coach and told me to give it all I had. So after I beat all of his students one after another, another gentleman approached me and asked ‘I’d like to give you a tennis scholarship,’ and who can say no to free money?” And so that’s how the 30 year old Jamaican-Canadian immigrant from Toronto earned a full ride to college in the state of Alabama. Strings and Grips His love for Tennis hasn’t stopped. Now that he’s living in Atlanta he’s a tennis instructor full-time and loves every minute of it. “Tennis is my passion, so its not really work for me. I love it!” He’s so passionate for the game that he published a children’s book. So he can share with children how much fun tennis can be and to share the joy that he felt as a young child. His debut book “Strings and Grips” has sold over 800 copies in the state of georgia alone. Eventually he’s going to go back home and attempt to make headway up north. “It’s good to go to my home market and test the waters.” All content and images are property of The Peach Review™ unless otherwise noted
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The Future of Music Business The subject of music business brings us to these young ladies pictured left. Angie Caquias and Lauren Brumley attend Kennesaw State University and are both enrolled in the university’s Music & Entertainment Business program. Kennsaw State University sits 25 miles north of Metro Atlanta and is home to more than 24,000 students (undergraduate & graduate) representing 141 different countries.
Angie originally heard about the program through her affiliation with the group “Future Music Attorneys” which is overseen by Anita Kaigler (music lawyer) while Lauren heard about the program through Dan Pat (who’s the president of Kennesaw State) and received further support to start the program from friends who were taking part and loved it. The program is named after Joel Katz, who’s a very popular and successful entertainment lawyer in Atlanta. His first client was James Brown and he’s known all over the world for his work in music business. His clientele ranges from the likes of
Christina Aguilera, Cheryl Crow, and Kenny Chesny to Time Warner Telecom, The Coca-Cola Company, and Sony. A fun component of the program comes with the guest speakers. Every class they have a guest speaker that comes and interacts with the students and allows them to ask questions and learn the ins and outs of the industry before they break through. The other fun fact is that the speakers don’t just come and go, they stay and give the students the opportunity to network and ask further questions and learn about the industry they’ll be a part of.
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Every semester you’re required to do a different internship, to explore all the parts of the music and entertainment industry. I agree with the girls that this is a great requirement so the students can explore all aspects of entertainment and get a feel of where they can see themselves in the future. They’re advice to people interested in music/entertainment? Network and intern! Networking is key nowadays and it’s good to keep healthy relationships in business. We couldn’t thank the girls enough for making time for us and are looking forward to their growth & success! 68
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Student Profiles
Angela Caquias Born: Las Cruces, New Mexico Currently: Sandy Springs Major: Communications-concentration in Public Relations; Certificate in Music & Entertainment Internships: Treesound Studios “I chose Kennesaw State because of the Music & Entertainment Program. I was going in between Georgia State and Kennesaw, but I was told about the Joel Katz program (who the music & entertainment program is named after) and noticed it was only offered at Kennesaw. So the program is what stood out in my decision.” Career Plans: Attend law school, own my own law firm, and own a small recording studio. Website: Y0 Angie!
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Lauren Brumley Born: Baton Rouge, LA Currently: Roswell Major: Communications-emphasis in Media Studies; Certificate in Music & Entertainment Internships: Southern Ground (Record Label) “I chose Kennesaw because of the Music & Entertainment Program. It’s a growing school that’s become really expansive and they’re starting new programs every year. I like their vision and I wanted to be a part of that.” Career Plans: Find a job in the music industry and eventually start my own venue and get involved with tour management. Website: Music Reviews
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Terminal F In case you didn’t know, our city spent a few billion dollars on a new international terminal for our airport (Hartsfield-Jackson). I mean hey, a few billion isn’t bad when the airport has a direct economic impact of more than about $32.5 billion for the metro Atlanta area economy. The new terminal is a gigantic 1.2 million square-feet, boasting 12 gates, new restaurants, sleek ambiance, and technological upgrades at every corner. The plans for the airport were first announced in 2000 and the terminal recently opened on May 16th, 2012. The timing was perfect as it’s opening came right in the middle of spring (when most begin to travel for vacation). This beautiful new terminal is LEED-certified (Leadership in energy and Environmental Design) and will connect travelers to more than 150 cities in the U.S. and close to 80 destinations in over 50 countries! If you’d like to learn more you can visit the official website for the International Terminal HERE
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! ! ! Parkour of Atlanta Atlanta’s Parkour scene has been getting pretty busy over the last few years. We have had the opportunity to participate in some of the Jam’s/ Local Meets. What is Parkour you ask?!... Parkour is an art of movement in which you train the body and mind to overcome obstacles. A parkour practitioner, called a traceur (male) or traceuse (female), uses their surroundings to improve their ability to move in space. By
environment, the practitioner becomes more comfortable controlling his body and navigating any terrain. Parkour philosophy is that it is a discipline practiced by people of all ages and nationalities, as we grew older, society taught us to contain our movements and curiosity, walk in a straight line, and stick to the main path. Parkour traceurs forge their own path, seeing opportunities instead of
interacting with obstacles, be they urban architecture or the natural
obstacles, and free themselves to once again find delight in interacting with their
environment. Everyone the opportunity to go has practiced parkour out and do some sessions with the the Group here in Atlanta. They were very friendly and very helpful. One of the main instructors/ Traceurs Howard Palmer has helped and guided in the basics of Parkour. MOst of the guys/girls that train are usually open to helping if your in need of help or you want to learn something new. They without realizing it when usually have a meet at we were children, as Piedmont Park on we ran and jumped Fridays at 11am. There uninhibitedly, is another Jam/meet enjoying our coming up on July 14th environment the location has not with a child's been decided yet. If unbridled you're interested in delight and enthusiasm. This art is all about trusting yourself and knowing what you're capable of accomplishing. If you're looking for a new way to get in shape and you're not afraid to try something coming out to learn different and some skills come out challenging. We had and join us. Story & Photos by Johnny Hill
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Story & Photos by Johnny Hill
THE TWO WHEEL TAKE OVER Bicycles, moped, scooters, and motorcycles have all been in high demand with the rise of gas prices. Now that its spring and summer is right around the corner the time to ride is NOW! Expect to see more and more people on two wheels. Bikes/Road Bikes/Commuter Bikes Looking to avoid the pump? Bikes have always been a great way to exercise and also get from one place to another. Over the years the community here in Atlanta has really grown and received a lot of new enthusiasts. Being in the perimeter it’s common for you to see more bicycles. With seeing so many bikes in the area it made me interested in learning the differences between the bikes I’m seeing on the roads every day. With that being said I decided to stop by INTOWN BIKES (off of Monroe Dr. right across Piedmont Park). I had the pleasure of speaking with Bicycle expert Mike Goodman who gave the 411 on the different styles and purposes some bike have than others (which was very helpful by the way). If you’ve ever wanted to go bike riding through Atlanta or riding a bike through the park. SKATE ESCAPE (in Midtown off of Piedmont Ave.) not only sells bikes and roller skates but you can also rent them (Which is an awesome date)!!! I also stopped by another local bike shop OUTBACK BIKES (in Little 5 Points off of Euclid Ave) where I wanted to ask a few more questions (the do’s and don’ts when owning a bike). Another Bike expert by the name of Edgemont was there to assist me with the questions I had. By the end of the week I did enough research and had enough info to invest in my first Hybrid Fuji Bicycle! There are still numerous people that are not familiar with the correct ways to approach
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someone on a bike in front of them. Do your research to learn how to be more aware. Happy riding, and please share the road. Mopeds/Scooters ©
With gas prices at a crazy high people are converting over to mopeds and scooters which is why you’re seeing them more commonly in and around town. The difference between Mopeds and Scooters is the design. Some or most mopeds have pedals which are used to start the bike. Scooters do not have pedals they have a resting area for your feet and you sit in a upright position. Local businesses in the area have had a lot of specials going on for the high demand in these alternate means of transportation. Average investment of a Scooter or moped ranges between 500-1,200. To only spend 3.59 for a full tank of gas that will give you an average between 80-100 Miles per gallon is a great investment compared to filling up your car or SUV every couple of days with a average of 25-35 mpg and paying 60-100 dollars to fill up your tank. You may not go as fast but you will gain an appreciation of going at a slower pace where you’re able to absorb more of your environment and see things you may not have noticed on your way to work or just traveling around town. In the years of being here in Atlanta I’ve noticed there is always a new area of the city you have yet to discover. Scooters/Mopeds are not only cheap on gas but they’re also cheap to fix. Atlanta actually has a warehouse in Austell that sells parts for you to purchase and get you back on the road. So if you’re looking at investing in a Scooter or Moped there are plenty of local shops in the area for you to make your purchase. There are also Scooter/ Moped enthusiasts that get together and go riding or just help each other with parts and builds of other members’ rides so there is always help.
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What to look for in our next issue!
Thank you everyone for reading the very first issue of 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: The Red Bull Soapbox Race, The Georgia Aquarium, and the BB&T Open. Starting from the bottom left we have: “Rise Up” at the High Museum, Atlanta International Fashion Week, and Atlanta Movie Tours. We also have interviews with music producers J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Honorable C Note, Attorney Vincent Dimmock, Fashion Designer Monique Edwards, and much much more! So whether you’re looking forward to hip fashion tips from our Fashion Contributor Toronda Lewis from Fashion Week or anxious to see some of the greatest tennis players take the court at Atlantic Station, 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
Gaming Reviews
Titus “TBZ” Rowell
Health & Science Contributor
Erica Bizzell
Food & Beverage Contributions
K. Barto Keith Jones
Photography
Jonathan Davis & Kent Foster of Soulstice Photography
Music contributions
Angie Caquias Lauren Brumley
Recreation contributor
Johnny Hill
Editor
Keith Jones
Consultant
Desmond McLennon
Graphics/Logos
Bob Jeffreys
If you would like to contact us here at The Peach Review you can do so via Wordpress, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. We are “The Peach Review” on all social media except where spaces aren’t allowed (Instagram and Twitter). If you’re not into social media you can always email us at thepeachreview@gmail.com. We hope you enjoy our publication and remember to go out and explore Atlanta!
-Jon Jones