I recently had the opportunity to meet the creator of this beauty line, Richard Anderson. When I met him, he explained all the products that he’s created as well as how to apply them. The great thing about all these products is that there are no brushes or sponges needed. Another great thing, they are all easy to apply on the go and travel friendly.

I was able to review a few of the Per-fékt products. Here’s some info on some of the products, provided by Per-fékt.

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While many countries have star athletes, few have star teams. China is a champion-making machine, turning young children into Olympic athletes through extreme training and discipline. Japan, a country still recovering from the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters that devastated the country a little over a year ago, has also turned out a couple of noteworthy teams as well.

Wang Hao and Chen Roulin. Courtesy of NBCOlympics.com.

China’s diving team
The Chinese diving team earned the title of “dream team” by winning five gold medals in Sydney and six gold medals in Athens. At Beijing, China hoped for a clean sweep in the diving events and the team almost succeeded. Australia’s Matthew Mitcham snatched the gold medal in the men’s 10 m platform though, and China had to settle for seven golds. While most nations would be ecstatic, “almost” is not good enough for the Chinese. This time around, the Chinese “dream team” is determined to accomplish their goal. At this year’s world championships, they successfully won all eight events. Qiu Bo, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, will be competing in the elusive men’s 10 m platform along with teammate Lin Yue. Currently, all the world No. 1 divers are Chinese. China has won 33 out of the 48 Olympic diving titles offered in the past 28 years. This may just be the year that China will add eight more to that medal count.

Winning Chinese men’s gymnastics team in Beijing. Courtesy of fulltwist.com.

China’s men’s gymnastics team
While China’s women’s gymnastics team has a chance for Team gold, they are not the overwhelming favorites. In contrast, the men’s team won Team gold in Beijing by a large margin, scoring the highest on all events except floor. They also won Team gold at the last world championships. China’s gymnastics team is extremely deep and all of the men competing were part of the winning world championship team. However, China does not have room to falter because another team from Asia is right on their heels…

All-around world champion Kohei Uchimura. Courtesy of fulltwist.com.

Japan’s men’s gymnastics team
Japan’s men’s gymnastics team settled for the silver medal in Beijing, after winning Team gold in Athens. Japan is back with vengeance and their team may be able to oust China from the top of the podium. The team is lead by Kohei Uchimura, the three-time all-around world champion who will compete on all the apparatuses for the team. Gymnastic siblings Kazuhito and Yusuke Tanaka (sister Rie Tanaka competes on the women’s team) are also part of the men’s team.

Winning Japanese women’s soccer team at World Cup. Courtesy of Washington Times.

Japan’s women’s soccer team
Controversy broke out last week when the women’s soccer team was seated in coach class while the men’s soccer team flew in business class. If seating had been decided by skill rather than sex, the women should have flown in first class. The winners of last year’s World Cup and ranked No. 3 in the world, Japan’s women’s soccer team may be able to upset the United States’ team again. Their star player is Homare Sawa who was voted world player of the year. However, Sawa is not a one-woman show. She has a disciplined team to back her up that includes Aya Miyama, Ayumi Kaihori, and Nahomi Kawasumi.

And more Chinese teams…
Alas, the Chinese method of training, while rigorous and demanding, has been proven to produce champions. In China, athletics is a profession and not a recreation. Children are recruited at the age of ten to begin training for a sport. For many people, especially those from rural areas, becoming an athlete is their best hope for leading a quality life. In addition to diving and gymnastics, expect China to dominate in table tennis, badminton, weightlifting, and shooting. These six sports alone garnered China 38 gold medals in Beijing during the last Olympics.

Los Angeles-based Korean American Minna Ha has made a name for herself in the makeup industry by founding UNII Cosmetics. Taking a hands-on approach in the development of her line, she has created an “innovative, re-usable and chic” makeup palette that has been featured in publications such as Marie Claire and Real Simple. Read our Q&A with Minna to find out more about her and to read our review of the UNII palette!

Minna Ha of UNII Cosmetics (Courtesy of The Collective)

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The GRAMMY Cultural Exchange Program concluded on Friday with an exclusive musical performance by ‘The C.S.C.L.F. – Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund Quintet’ along with alumni from the GRAMMY Camp – Jazz Sessions program at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles. The quintet is composed of musicians from the most prestigious music establishments in China. These talented young men and women were sponsored to come to Los Angeles and perform at various venues while taking in the city’s sights.

'The C.S.C.L.F - Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund Quintet' and The GRAMMY Band (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images For GUCCI)

The ‘Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund’ is the result of the philanthropic efforts of Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry in partnership with the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (C.S.C.L.F.), one of China’s largest charitable organizations. Launched in January 2012, the Fund provides scholarships to students studying at China’s premiere music academies. The best of the best were selected to be part of ‘The C.S.C.L.F. – Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund Quintet.’ Participants enjoyed a number of activities in Los Angeles, including Q&A workshops with industry insiders. The select five students concluded their week with a performance at the GRAMMY Museum sponsored by Chong Hing Jewelers. Michael Benavente, managing director of Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry, served as host for the evening. Also in attendance were Neil Portnow, CEO of The Recording Academy and The GRAMMY Foundation, David Sears, the senior director of The GRAMMY Foundation, and Xikui Li, the secretary general of the C.S.C.L.F.

The GRAMMY Band kicked off the evening with a series of funky jazz tunes. Made up of Luke Celenza (piano/keyboard), Gabe Schneider (guitar), Evan Sherman (drums), Dominic Sbrega (acoustic and electric bass) and Patrick Bartley (alto saxophone and flute), these current college students all attended the GRAMMY Camp – Jazz Sessions program when they were in high school. The band members arranged the music themselves and took turns performing stellar solos. After a number of jazz pieces, the group finished off with an interpretation of Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” that got the whole audience clapping to the beat.

‘The C.S.C.L.F. - Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund Quintet' (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images For GUCCI)

Next up was sixteen-year-old Yi Lie Hao on the piano. Although the switch from jazz to classical music was abrupt, Hao kept the energy up with Ravel’s “Alborada del gracioso.” His hands moved so quickly across the keys that they looked like a blur. The rest of the quintet, consisting of Angi Lv (viola), Fang Liang Ning (violin), Yajing Su (violin), and Yi Chen Yang (violin/cello), joined Hao in performing a couple of songs, including music from the award-winning film La Vie en Rose. The GRAMMY Band took the stage with ‘The C.S.C.L.F. – Gucci Timpeieces & Jewelry Music Fund Quintet’ for a final piece – the overture from Candide, conducted by David Sears.

Afterwards, guests mingled on the beautiful rooftop terrace of the GRAMMY Museum, the sweet sound of the musicians’ songs reverberating long into the night. The evening successfully showcased the talents of China and America’s best musicians. This program is just the beginning of The Recording Academy and The GRAMMY Foundation’s efforts in China. They hope to launch a number of other initiatives in the near future, including a program that will send American musicians to China. Learn more about the ‘Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund’ here.

Did you miss our Days of Summer Guide? Read up on our hotspots, beauty and styling tips, best summer dishes, and our favorite products!

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London 2012 – the Summer Olympics are finally here! If you have missed some of our preview posts leading up to this year’s summer games, check below for our coverage. We rounded up our picks and spoke with some of the athletes competing in this year’s games. Let us know who you’re rooting for this year in the comments below!

Sung Jin Lee (Archery) of South Korea. Image courtesy of London 2012.com.

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L-r: Edward Chien, David Fung, John C. Wu, Jonny Hwang, Kana Lee, Brian Gi, Aileen Xu, Patricia Huang

Southern California, get ready for a bigger and better 626 Night Market on Saturday, July 28, at Centennial Square in front of Pasadena City Hall. Audrey Magazine, along with others that experienced somewhat of a logistical nightmare when the night market launched in April, is cheering the organizers on as they prepare for round two.

The 626 night market team has taken the public’s feedback into consideration – the new venue is four times larger than the last one with an area of 250,000 square feet across six blocks. Public and private lots usually closed on Saturdays will be opened along with 10,000 parking spaces nearby. The organizers are working with Pasadena officials to coordinate smooth traffic flow and will offer incentives to attendees who use public transportation to get to the event. 200 vendors (about three times more than last time) selling pan-Asian street eats, merchandise, and services are expected to participate. Details are available via the improved website featuring a blog, photos, and more.
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India’s Olympic hopes largely rest on the shoulders of several extremely talented women. These women are not only experts in their field, but they are also trailblazers for women’s athletics in India.

Krishna Poonia

Courtesy of thehindu.com

At 30 years old, Krishna Poonia is looking to capture an Olympic gold medal in the discus throw. She broke out onto the international seen in 2006 and entered the Beijing Olympics as a medal contender but failed to make the finals. The mother of a ten-year-old son, Poonia is looking forward to settling down and spending time with her son after these Olympics. However, Poonia admits that her son is one of her most avid fans. Poonia made history by becoming India’s first female athlete to win the discus throw at a major international tournament history when she won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

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Kosuke Kitajima (courtesy of Getty Images)

With the London Olympics only days away, here are a few of the athletes to keep an eye on from Japan.  Continue Reading »

With the London Olympics a little over a week away, athletes and fans are gearing up for the most prestigious sporting event in the world. This time around, a number of Asian Americans will be representing the United States in various events.

Swimming
This Olympics, the U.S. has two Asian American swimmers hitting the pool. Natalie Coughlin (she’s a quarter Filipina) and Nathan Adrian (he’s half Chinese) will be competing in London.

Courtesy of nataliecoughlin.com

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