Proto-Astronauts, There Were Aeronauts. What a Way to Kick Off the Holiday, Amazon Prime's "The Aeronauts' Incredible Journey."

By Laura Medina

https://www.theaeronauts.movie/

When hot air balloon was literally taking off, the sky was the limits.  Almost a good hundred years before space exploration and astronauts, there were aeronauts.

Building on Richard Holmes' 2013 "Falling Upwards: How We Took to the Air.  The book then the movie focused on scientist and pioneering meterologist (the forefather to weather reporters), James Glaisher's first hot air balloon exploration thru earth's sky stratospheres and atmospheric currents and clouds, on September 5, 1862.

For a movie smacked dabbed in the middle of the Victorian Era, it deals with a Victorian scientist focusing on today's current event of climate change and predicting the weather.

His hot air balloon pilot was the equally pioneering hot air balloon woman pilot, Amelia Wren, based on two women balloonists, Margaret Graham and Sophie Blanchard.

Whereas James was methodical and reserved, it was the gutsy and ballsy experienced balloonist, Amelia, who survived the day and his life.

To celebrate the launch of "The Aeronauts' Incredible Journey," starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, Amazon Prime kicked off with a touring Steampunk Victorian Fair with costumed cast, ...

the most advanced Steampunk innovations of the Victorian Era, sipping the latest and trendiest of Victorian trendiness, sipping new concoctions of an exotic drink, roasting, grinding, and sipping coffee (drinking tea now is a throwback) and guzzling this new-found health tonic, thanks to santizied plumping infrastructure, botanical herbs and spices, made edible with carbonized mineral water and sugar-sodas.  Fentimans sodas...

https://www.fentimans.com/index.php/drinks/soft-drinks

For today's kids, small and big, as it was for Victorians, Amazon Prime's Fentimans Victorian Soda Bar with original Victorian flavors of: Rose Lemonade, Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic, ginger ale's stronger forefather), the medicinal Dandelion (yes, that weed) & Burdock (Dandelion is rich in vitamin A and C and iron and zinc, treats anemia, skin problems, and blood disorders), Elderflower, and Mandarin & Seville Orange.  Drinking history, isn't that the point of Amazon Prime's Victorian Fair.

The theme of Victorian derring-dos continue with high walker on a tight rope...

Remember, it's about the hot air balloon as advanced flight technology.  Guests were lucky enough to ride an hot air balloon lift ride.  What a thrill.

Amid...

Warm salt and cinnamon pretzels,...

Victorian Sweets Table Tent, portrait sketching, Victorian wind tunnel experiment and...

Fortune teller...

The highlight of the evening was a screening of The Aeronauts on the world’s first Fly-In Theatre: a breathtaking 20-foot LED screen wrapped 360 degrees around a second hot air balloon. 

It was family night outdoor screening picnic, snacking on Victorian treats, wrapped in Amazon Prime blankets.

For those suffering from FOMO, this is a touring attraction promotion, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-aeronauts-incredible-journeythe-cross-country-ballooning-fair-tickets-81631286375  sign up here for free tickets for a cross-

country tour hitting: San Francisco, Austin, Phoenix, Atlanta, then returning to Los Angeles, at The Grove's holiday time, December 20th to 22nd.

As Eddie Redmayne said, "Today, we're looking inward, down on the ground.  We oughta be looking up."

Amazon Prime's "The Aeronauts' Incredible Journey" in theaters December 6th then on Amazon Prime Video on December 20th.

Miracle Wands, Detox, Recharge. No Knives. No Needles. Not a Massage.

By Laura Medina

https://www.miraclewandswellnesscenter.com/

After a strenuous gig, your muscles are tighten up, a bad internal sign of built-up stress and toxins.

For relief and toxin release, you need a holistic, gentle but effective approach.  Miracle Wands is acupressure using heated quartz crystal wands that press, release, and roll away the accumulated toxins and stress out of your pressure points.  You can feel the internal crud fall off internally, internal cleanse.

The practitioner press and roll over the pressure points, the quartz crystals imparts minerals into your system, simultaneously absorbing the toxins out of your body.

This is why the same Miracle Wands are never shared over multiple bodies and why this is different from a massage.  The practitioner always wear medical gloves.  The wands are heated and sterilized multiple times.  Each Miracle Wand is assigned and reserved to each individual.  No cross-contamination.

More than a tension-release, Miracle Wands realign and detoxify the body inside sans medications, surgery, knives, and needles.

Go Ahead & Make a Spectacles of Yourself, Spectacles Video and Camera Sunglasses.

By Laura Medina

https://www.spectacles.com/

Imagine capturing a moment or filming a moment in action, sort of hands-free.

From the people of Snapchat, they took the video and camera out of the phone then into a pair of sunglasses, https://www.spectacles.com/

The lenses are inserted near the sunglass lenses.

Where's the button?

See where the lady is pressing and holding on top of the frame, near the lenses.  That's where the button is located.

Simple, quick hit and release, you're filming a 10 second video.

Hold, you're photographing a still.

This is how you charging your sunglass video and camera.

If you're sick of pulling out your phone, you can wear your camera. 

Just make sure it's off when you need to go.

So 007.

What We All Need Fresh, Eco-Friendly and Wallet-Friendly Shoes for Fall 2019, Blowfish Malibu Shoes' Harvest Cocktail Party.

By Laura Medina

Over a decade ago, two famed footwear executives decided to combine their business and creative talents to create a unique brand of shoes. Their goal was simple: make quality fashionable shoes and sell them at affordable prices. For every season since, Blowfish Malibu, https://blowfishshoes.com/ have delighted shoe lovers with on-trend styles that embody emerging fashion trends from Europe and Asia and capture the fresh youthful spirit and casual living that is distinctively Southern California. 

Their shoes feel like an afternoon in Malibu. They’re comfortable on your feet and good for your soul.

So, what sets them apart, you ask? Each collection is curated to reflect the fresh, laid-back aesthetic that defines the California lifestyle and honors the spirit of youth. Their talented team of designers interpret current global trends to bring you the newest and hottest original styles. The creative process includes careful attention to the details that add quality, style, and an unexpected twist to final designs. They are inspired by those who know that age is an attitude and that looking and feeling great doesn’t relate to a price tag.

Here’s what sets THEM apart:

• Skilled, experienced, and forward-thinking designers
• Obsession with comfort
• On trend, original designs
• Fresh and creative details
• Quality shoes at affordable prices

Blowfish Malibu Shoes also went vegan.

To celebrate launching their new Fall 2019 Collection, they reap the bounty of Fall Harvest then unleash a fancy vegan cocktail party with White Navy Bean Pesto and Dips on simple chic toasts. Something anyone can do.  Puree in blender or food processor then toast French Bread slices then you got your own Blowfish Vegan Cocktail Shoe party.  Healthy, simple, clean, yet so elegant...

https://www.vitacoco.com/products/sparkling/grapefruit Vita Coco Sparkling Water provide the beverages to wash down the vegan hors d' oeuvres and The Work Bar LA's cocktails.

What more could a girl asks for?  An antioxidant, vegan, all-you-can-munch feast while guzzling sparkling coconut water...and shoes!

Cheers to Fall!

Vulture Culture 2019 when Hollywood is Hungry for Brain Candy: Elizabeth Moss, America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, Joel McHale, Alison Brie,Ken Jeong, Norman Lear, & Rita Moreno

By Laura Medina

It helps to be New York Magazine.  It's prestige attracts Hollywood's hottest, hippest, and coolest stars and luminaries to LA's intelligentsia, hungry for brain candy, suffering from eye candy diabetes.

Vulture Festival presented by AT&T, wrapped up day 1 of this year’s pop culture extravaganza. Saturday morning’s programming began with D'Arcy Carden and Manny Jacinto aka The Good Place’s Hottest Boyfriend and Girl (Not A Girl) Friend, followed by an afternoon with Dascha Polanco, Susan Kelechi Watson, Candice Patton, and Cameron Esposito for Movers and Shakers and Mentors Presented By AT&T Hello Lab. Just in time for the hunger pangs to kick in, Jerry Saltz joined David Chang for an Eating Demonstration, where the two shared a meal and discussed the intersection of food and culture. Bachelor Nation’s  Eric Bigger, Nick Viall, Jade Roper-Tolbert, Tanner Tolbert, Ashley Iaconetti, Jared Haibon, Katie Morton, Chris Bukowski, Colton Underwood, and Cassie Randolph joined us for cocktails at Couples Game Night, and rounding out the evening, Vulture’s own A Star Is Born stan, Hunter Harris, hosted a sing-a-long poolside screening, presented by Virgin Voyages.

 

Other talent highlights for the day included Marc Evan Jackson, Tony Hale, Claudio de Oliveira, America Ferrera Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Nico Santos, Kaliko Kauahi, Tracy Clayton, Tamron Hall, Anne Konkle, and Maya Erskine.

Vulture Festival presented by AT&T, wrapped up day 2 of this year’s pop-culture extravaganza. Amazon Prime Video kicked off the morning with The Man In The High Castle followed by cast reunions for Community and Party Down. Bringing us the latest gossip from the Upper East, Josh Safran joined us to talk about Gossip Girl and his latest project, Soundtrack. We had dinner with Rita Moreno and the One Day At A Time cast and Casey Wilson and Adam Pally took us on a Star Tour through Hollywood where we ran into a few friends (Abby Elliot) along the way. Closing out the evening, and festival, Will Forte and John Solomon provided live narration during a McGruber fan screening, presented by Screenvision. 

Other talent highlights for the day included Jerry Saltz, Isa Dick Hackett, David Scarpa, Rufus Sewell, Jason O'Mara, Chelah Horsdal, Joel de la Fuente, Frances Turner, Lizzy Caplan, Adam Scott, Megan Mullally, Jane Lynch, Martin Starr, Dan Etheridge, John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Ryan Hansen, Ken Marino, Steve Guttenberg, Joel McHale, Jim Rash, Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Dan Harmon, Chris McKenna, Ken Jeong, Yvette Nicole Brown, Tim Robinson, Ruben Rabasa, Akiva Schaffer, Zach Kanin, Norman Lear, Brent Miller, Gloria Calderon Kellett, Mike Royce, Rita Moreno, Justina Machado, Isabella Gomez, Marcel Ruiz, Stephen Tobolowsky, Todd Grinnell, Elisabeth Moss, Hannah Einbinder, Vanessa Gonzalez, Steph Tolev, Whitmer Thomas, David Gborie, Irene Tu, andCameron Esposito.

Davines Haircare's "Tomorrow and the Butterfly," Documentary Shows How Aesthetics Has a Ripple Effect on Society, Urban Planning, & Artists Patronage, Beauty Thru Design.

By Laura Medina

Davines Haircare, the Italian family haircare company, continues the Italian tradition of wealthy families taking care and continuing patronage of artists, creatives; and now, the environment then integrating with today's urban planning and architecture for a better environment while improving hair care products and the local economy.

Their documentary,  "Tomorrow and the Butterfly," shows small changes can cause ripple effects in all directions.  Davines is using "Butterfly Effect," sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.

This is why this documentary is split in climate-changing conscious urban planning and architecture; environmentalism in preserving an olive oil tree that Davines use in their haircare products as a form of preservation and conservatism; saving sex trafficking victims by training them to be Davines stylists; then supporting musicians through sponsoring concert tours.

Jorge Blanco, Creative Director North America at Davines, hosted the documentary premiere.

At their documentary premiere, obviously they showcase Davines Haircare products, derived from the produce they preserve and harvest for their haircare.

As any "beauty-ista" knows, whatever you eat, comes out in your skin.  Davines practice what they preach.  

This the list of organic bakers and cheese-makers that practice what Davines support.  Beet and pesto hummus dip and spreads with cranberry bread toasts, gourmet cheeses, and fresh and dried fruits.

They included, on display, their rare, out of print cookbook where the same ingredients they grow and use in their products, is also used in their recipes.  Jorge happens to also edit and author this rare, limited edition, out of print cookbook, based on his New Jersey childhood.

Beauty as food, food as beauty.