NYAFF x Dramafever: Korean Short Film Madness (Watch it NOW!)
Even if you're not in town to catch the New York Asian Film Festival coming up on June 28th (they've got a cool Jackie Chan Retrospective during the fest!), you'll still be able to experience a part of the festival from your home computer with the Korean Short Film Madness. NYAFF and Dramafever have partnered together to release a collection of short films from Korea's Mise-en-Scène Film Festival (it's all shown exclusively on DramaFever!). The short films and talented new directors are: “The Visitor” by Kim Bo-young “Poison Frog” by Koh Jung-wook “Cheong” by Kim...
What Would You Do? Reactions to Racism In An Asian Nail Salon
We've all seen the endless jokes about Asians who work in nail salons, massage parlors, and donut shops. This is often an easy target for stand-up comedians such as Anjelah Johnson and her popular skit mimicking the Vietnamese nail salon workers: Why is it such as easy target? Primarily because such businesses are in fact heavily intertwined in the Asian American community. Its easy for people to make fun of this and yet they don't take the time to understand that this is a deeply rooted issue for Asian Americans that stems from early immigration into the U.S. These comedians don't...
A Summer Accessory for the Quirky Crowd: Shwings!
What I love about summer is heading out to a lot of outdoor music festivals - and being able to dress up in some quirky fashion - whether it's rocking the latest trendy accessory off the runway, or wearing a vintage piece from my closet. I recently came across these cute little accessories for my shoes: Shwings! They're definitely not for the conservative, but they do make quite the statement on your feet if you're wearing plain sneakers (I've been wearing them with my sneaker wedges!). Check them out here. Click below for some of our favorites.
Eyeball Licking: a Sexual Fetish?
While there are a good number of unusual sexual fetishes out there - this by far, is probably one of the more unusual I've discovered: eyeball licking. Yes, you're reading that right: eyeball licking. The sexual fetish came to light when a middle school teacher had written a post on the Japanese site Naver Maotome about an unusual trend amongst her students: eye patches. The teacher also had a described an incident between two students in the gymnasium: After class one day, I went into the equipment store in the gymnasium to tidy up. The door had been left open, and when I looked...
Marc Jacobs x Sephora: Our Favorite Beauty Collaboration of the Year?
Marc Jacobs, who's renowned for his own line, as well as his work with fashion house Louis Vuitton, will soon be coming out with a beauty line in collaboration with beauty retailer Sephora. The 122-piece collection will be Sephora's first global launch and will include concealers, color correctors, and lacquers, among some other products. You can get your hands on the goods this summer on August 9th! Click on more for more pictures of the line!
Want to be featured on the audreymagazine.com? Send us your applications to be an Audrey Style Gal! We’ll be featuring a fashionista every week – so here’s your chance to share your style with us (and the world!)!
Send us at least two photos of your best outfits (day, night, no matter!), with descriptions of your outfit. In your email, please also answer these questions:
1. Name
2. Location
3. Describe your style – who/what influences your style?
4. What is the most prized possession in your wardrobe?
5. Favorite hotspot/Place You’re Most Likely to Be Seen (and why you like it)?
6. Style tip for Audrey Readers?
7. Optional: Twitter/Blog/Website?
Send your submissions to online@audreymagazine.com. We’re looking forward to seeing them!
Image via 'The Ho's on 7th Avenue'
Robert Lee, executive producer of new web series ‘The Ho’s on 7th Avenue,’ has always wanted to produce a show that features local businesses’ products in the storyline. The first episode of the comedy about this dysfunctional Asian American family introduces John Ho, the oldest of three adult siblings, who returns to his parents’ house to live with his brother Reagan and sister Lily after getting laid off, divorced, and losing everything. Where will John fit in, with his parents doing business in Asia as usual and his siblings without need for big brother?
Watch the first of seven episodes here and see if you can find a product woven in the story. What do you think of the series?
Continue Reading »
Audrey and KoreAm catch up with the guys of YTF during a rehearsal in LA – watch as we talk to them about their concert tour.
Stay tuned for part two!
The all-girl pop/rock band Nylon Pink recently released a cover of Big Bang’s latest hit, “Blue”. The video features an English cover of the Korean group’s first release off their latest mini-album “Alive” – whose video also boasts a 15 million view count (and counting!) in a month. The girls’ cover features a different take on the original – check it out!
Share us your thoughts! What are some of your favorite covers of “Blue”, Audrey readers?
Get your tissues ready.
Reminiscent of the Pixar film Up, Furiko (Pendulum) is a short film that is a 1038-page flip book illustrated by Japanese comedian Tekken. The comedian beautifully captures the relationship of a Japanese couple, beginning from their high-school romance – to their final moments together.
Furiko was featured on the late night tv program DO! Shinya and was uploaded to YouTube on March 17, reaching over 1,200,000 views since then.
Source: RocketNews24
This week’s Happenings 3.23- 3.30
It’s almost the end of March, and as the Cherry Blossoms start blooming, we can start whipping out our Spring/Summer ensembles. If our closets need a little help, this week’s Happenings can help us out in that area, from an Allison Izu release event to the launch of NAMI’s new online store. Additionally, if you are more the book-worm type, feel free to peruse the collections for something to wear on your way to DC’s SAALT leadership event.
Nordstrom Hawaii to host Allison Izu Release Event
When: Saturday, March 24, 2012
Where: Ala Moana Nordstrom 11am – 3pm
Calling all petites! Allison Izu will be holding a release event at the Ala Moana Nordstrom on March 24, Saturday from 11am – 3pm in Hawaii to help customers find the perfect pair of Allison Izu jeans.
Allison Izu is a unique clothing company which designs and creates clothing for petite women, so they can realize their true beauty comes in a “smaller package”!
During the event, customers who buy any pair of Allison Izu jeans will receive a FREE Allison Izu top (assorted styles and sizes, while supplies last). Also, come down to enter a giveaway for a pair of Allison Izu jeans and top (winner to be pulled at the end of the event).
NAMI to Launch New Online Store
What: Full collection for Spring/Summer 2012
When: Now
Where: www.onnami.com/shop
At the SXSW Style X fashion portion of the Austin, TX festival, NAMI announced the launch of its new online store to offer the full collection from Spring|Summer wear for 2012.
NAMI is a brand based out of Los Angeles, started by the multi-talented Korean-American designer Sarah Nami Ahn.
Rise Up! SAALT Young Leaders Institute
When: May 6-8; applications due by March 23, 2012
Where: Washington, DC
If you a South Asian American college student who wants to change your campus and community, then considering applying to the Rise Up! SAALT Young Leaders Institute to be held in Washington DC the week of May 6-8.
Rise Up! is a four-day gathering of fellow students who are looking to build better skills and strategies, create change and be more effective leaders in their respective campuses and communities.
THE RAID: REDEMPTION
When: Opens March 23, 2012
Where: NY, LA, DC, SF, and Chicago
The Raid: Redemption is an Indonesian martial arts action film directed by Gareth Evans and starring Iko Uwais. After its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), critics and audience alike hailed the The Raid as one of the best action films in years.
TV Guide Network roving reporter Audrey Cleo covered The Hunger Games red carpet premiere in Los Angeles last week. Here, the Malaysian-Chinese American girl-about-town gives us her a peek into her glamorous day.
As glamorous as reporting from a red carpet movie premiere can be, like many things in Hollywood, not all is as it seems. Sure, you’re hanging out with celebrities, hobnobbing with A-listers and dropping the occasional humblebraggy “Oh, it’s just my job to interview really really really hot people” tweet. And don’t get me wrong – that actually is the job. But you’re also multi-tasking the demands of your producers, your show, the star whom you’re talking to, and their handlers. Oh, and making sure you’re tracking all of this in realtime on Twitter and Facebook. The pressure is on.
And with a highly-anticipated movie like The Hunger Games, with legions of fans — many of whom criss-crossed the globe and camped out for days in downtown Los Angeles to catch glimpses of the actors – it can be a bit like working in controlled chaos, albeit the fun, glamorous kind with fake eyelashes and hunky guys with accents in Dolce suits. Here is my EXCLUSIVE Audrey Magazine red carpet diary covering the premiere of what’s poised to be one of the biggest movies of 2012 and possibly the biggest movie franchise since that other one with the sparkly vampires.
THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS
ISSUE: Winter 2011-12
DEPT: DestinAsian
STORY: Anna Park
The stylish terrace studio offers plenty of eye candy inside, right, and out (yup, that’s the terrace view overlooking the Bellagio water fountains).
For someone who isn’t into gambling or tanning, Vegas never held much allure. That is, until The Cosmopolitan came along. Over-loaded with style in every velvet-tufted niche, The Cosmopolitan is just a year old and already one of the hottest properties on a strip of hot properties. Everything is geared towards a more chic experience, from stiletto sculptures and fashion wall art, to the mismatched chair lounges complete with vintage pool table. Even their take on the obligatory all-you-can-eat buffet, Wicked Spoon, is done with panache: an abundance of vegetarian options, delicate small plates and portion-controlled servings. (What other buffet offers roasted bone marrow on brioche toast, duck meatballs, or a made-to-order mac and cheese station?)
The hotel’s pièce de résistance, however, is The Chandelier, a three-story bar dripping in curtains of dazzling crystals. Sipping a toasted marshmallow cocktail ensconced within its twinkling walls is enough to bring out the girly girl in anyone. Details CosmopolitanLasVegas.com.
ISSUE: Winter 2011-12
DEPT: Plugged In
STORY: Melody Lee
When she’s not portraying the smart, witty Alice Valko in ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Amy Rider is producing, directing and starring in her own web series, The Monogamy Experiment. Rider, whose mother is Japanese, gives us the inside scoop behind her not-so-secret life.
Audrey Magazine: Tell us about The Monogamy Experiment.
Amy Rider: It’s a film first and foremost, but we released part of it as a web series. It’s about a couple who’s too young to marry and decide to investigate whether people are biologically monogamous, so they try having an open relationship for 30 days.
AM: What was your inspiration for it?
AR: A lot of my friends have tried the whole open relationship thing and I just couldn’t wrap my head around how it would work out.
AM: What have you gained from the experience so far?
AR: I’m happy that I learned so much about what it’s like behind-the-scenes. I really, really like it. It’s very fulfilling in ways that I don’t get to experience through acting. I was challenged in a manner that I was never exposed to, but it was satisfying in other creative ways.
Details TheMonogamyExperiment.com.
— Melody Lee
As the runner-up on The Voice, Dia Frampton, who just dropped her solo album debut, loves songwriting and recording. Performing? Not so much.
ISSUE: Winter 2011-12
DEPT: Personalities
STORY: Y. Peter Kang
Singer Dia Frampton has a major case of stage fright.
The producers of NBC’s The Voice, a reality TV singing contest which Frampton narrowly lost last summer, definitely played up the Utah native’s shy personality, portraying her as a shrinking violet.
In many cases, reality TV is far from reality, but for Frampton it wasn’t that far from the truth.
“I probably went pee like every five minutes before I went on because I was so nervous,” says Frampton in a telephone interview. “I think it’s just recently come to the point where I don’t enjoy performing very much. It feels wrong to say that — I love songwriting, I love recording, but when it comes to performing I get so nervous it’s not fun for me sometimes.”
But the 24-year-old, whose father is Dutch and mother is Korean, says she is working on it. She’s started to take acting classes to help conquer her stage fright. “It’s getting me to take myself out of myself and it’s been really helpful,” she says.
She doesn’t have much time to conquer her fears since she’s set to go on a 26-date tour in January opening for country star Blake Shelton, who served as her mentor on The Voice. Frampton, once part of indie rock sister act Meg & Dia, will play songs off her solo debut album Red, released by Universal Republic in early December.
The doe-eyed singer collaborated with a number of notable names in the music industry for the album, including Mark Foster and Isom Innis of indie pop band Foster the People, and Isabella Summers of Florence and the Machine. On top of that, the first track off the album, “Don’t Kick the Chair,” features rapper Kid Cudi.
Frampton describes the music as pop, but with her signature. “It was kind of weird at first because I think pop is associated with bad things in a way,” she says. “When I think of pop I think of auto tune and people dancing around in their underwear, but I’m excited and proud. It’s pop done well and we tried really hard to keep what’s special to me.”
— Y. Peter Kang
