A Look Inside America's Coolest Beach Homes

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As the summer winds down, TopTenRealEstateDeals.com has a look at America's Coolest Beach Homes. These are the 'coolest' of the 'cool' -  the best times of the summer beach sizzle like suntan lotion, bikinis, surf boards and Jimmy Buffett songs. They have it all from top-of-the-line design, technology and upscale amenities to breathtaking ocean views and crashing waves. All are now for sale.  

California's Malibu Beach has been a popular surf & sun site with 32 beaches on 21 miles of ocean since the Pacific Coast Highway came through town in the 1930s. More visitors and surfers hit the Malibu beaches after the 1960’s teen bikini movies were filmed there, followed by a wave of hit television shows including “Charlie's Angels,” “Hannah Montana” and “Two and a Half Men.” Past and current celebrity residents range from Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston to Halle Berry, Ellen DeGeneres and Charlie Sheen. The Hollywood stars can choose from a large inventory of expensive homes to live on the Malibu sand. It is the site of the 2015 #1 Beach Home.

Malibu architect Ed Niles has long been known for functional cubist glass and steel homes designed to maximize natural light and landscapes. It’s the type of home he's built for years for his clients, including the late Johnny Carson’s Malibu home. In 1910, Niles built a dream beach home for Dr. Wei-Tzuoh Chen, a California nephrologist. In addition to maximizing the beach experience, Dr. Chen wanted to incorporate his Chinese heritage and his vast collection of Asian art, antiques, and 80,000 classical albums into the home. He also asked for the exterior to be unassuming, but the good luck color of red should be prevalent.  Even with the striking modern architecture, the house can barely be seen from the Pacific Coast Highway and almost everything from the open triangular cooking area and dining structure to the museum-quality art incorporates something red.

Located on one of Malibu’s best beaches and with the Santa Monica Mountains rising in the background, the 8,989-square-foot residence includes walls of steel beams, concrete, translucent fiberglass and glass walls with 29-foot ceilings that provide for Dr. Chen's art collection, while allowing prisms of sunlight and breezes to sweep through the house and expansive ocean views. The home is now for sale at $53 million.  The listing agents are Aitan Segal of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties in San Diego and Ari Afshar of The Agency in Beverly Hills.

Other 2015 cool beach homes include Casa del Cielo (House of the Heavens) located on over an acre of prime Florida beachfront on Siesta Key Beach, voted the #1 Beach in America by Dr. Beach in 2011, for sale at $5.999 million, and a contemporary home of 7,473 square feet on Oahu, President Obama’s favorite Hawaii vacation beach, for sale at $18.5 million.  

To see the complete beach homes list and more celebrity, historic, famous and spectacular homes, visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

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Lady Gaga as The Countess at Hotel Cortez / American Horror Story: Hotel

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If this images from Entertainment Weekly of Lady Gaga don't get you excited about American Horror Story: Hotel, then nothing will. Lady Gaga is joining the American Horror Story AHS cast as the glamorous, blood-sucking, though apparently not a vampire, The Countess.

Naomi Campbell, Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates will also be a part of the AHS cast and residents of the Hotel Cortez. We'll see new faces, old faces and I'm sure plenty of twists, sex and irony.

There seems to be a prominent fashion angle to next season of AHS - I love that. I hope they regain the darkness and mystery of the first season that in my opinion has been the best one.

American Horror Story: Hotel returns to the FX Network on October 7th!

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Celebrate National Dog Day with Zulily

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No one can resist a puppy - even if he's just on a t-shirt! The folks at Zulily are pooch-passionate people and they have a number of dog-inspired apparel that will make the dog lover in you howl. For men, women and kids, Zulily has something for everyone. Zulily is a discovery-based online retailer so browse through their website and celebrate your dog today (and who knows what else you'll find!)

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MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUS SYLVESTER MUSICAL

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MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUS SYLVESTER MUSICAL, the hit musical celebration of the life and music of the original 1970s “Queen of Disco,” Sylvester, continues to spread “DISCO HEAT” across America, and will next play a special one-night-only performance on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM) at The Variety Playhouse (1099 Euclid Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307).  

Produced by AnthonyKen LLC and Sheryl Lee Ralph/The DIVA Foundation, MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUS SYLVESTER MUSICAL is written by and stars Anthony Wayne (Pippin, Anything Goes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert) and is co-directed by Mr. Wayne and Kendrell Bowman, who also serves as the show’s costume designer.  

Sylvester James, Jr. (September 6, 1947 – December 16, 1988), better known as Sylvester, was an American disco and soul singer-songwriter. Known for his flamboyant, androgynous appearance, he became known in the United States as the "Queen of Disco."  Born in Watts, LA, Sylvester developed a love of singing through the gospel choirs of his Pentecostal church, which he left after being persecuted for his homosexuality.  His career started as an early founder of a group of black cross-dressers and trans women known as The Disquotays. After that group disbanded, he moved to San Francisco and embraced the counterculture, joining a drag troupe, The Cockettes, and he eventually produced solo shows heavily influenced by female blues and jazz singers like Billie Holiday and Josephine Baker. Sylvester left the Cockettes to focus on his solo career, and by 1978, his acclaimed album Step II spawned the disco classics "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" and "Dance (Disco Heat).”  He released 12 albums in his career, and had several more hits, including “Do Ya Wanna Funk,” and “Can’t Stop Dancing.” An activist who campaigned against the spread of HIV/AIDS, Sylvester died from complications arising from the virus in 1988.  In 2004, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame, and one year later in 2005, Sylvester himself was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for his achievement as an artist.

Anthony Wayne and Kendrell Bowman were inspired to create the musical after seeing the “Unsung” documentary about the artist on TV One in 2010.  Moved by his story – by Sylvester’s bravery to openly be who he was in an era in which that was not supported or encouraged by society - Mr. Wayne sought out his music.  Hooked, he discussed Sylvester's music and influence with Mr. Bowman and they both put their talents together with determination to bring the icon's story to the stage. 

*For Tickets ($65.00 - $75.00) Visit www.FabulousSylvester.com for tickets and information.

Get to know Sylvester a little bit better:

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My "Aspire Stylish" Eyewear

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e vincent martinez fashionado

Do you like my new glasses?! I am obsessed with them! I recently introduced you to Aspire Eyewear, a fashion-worthy, lightweight brand exclusively distributed by ClearVision Optical. These glasses- my glasses - sport a subtle grey-green fade, weigh next to nothing but are extremely sturdy. Aspire offers many styles to choose from and colors, but mine will work well with my wardrobe and silvered hair. Hey, these are things to consider when choosing eyewear. Form and function, as I've said many times, go hand-in-hand when establishing style.

aspire eyewear

Can you can see the translucency of the frames? I've never handled more lightweight glasses than Aspire's. They use a specially designed nylon material that makes Aspire Eyewear 50% lighter and thinner than regular frames. The designers of Aspire have achieved the perfect balance between style and technology. Make sure to visit their website for more information and to find a location near you!

Aspire Eyewear is a must have: vintage vibes with a modern twist. Classic, sophisticated but edgy.

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London Tube Commuters are Greeted with Colorless Figures

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london tube commuters

Earlier this year, Tube commuters in London were greeted by the strange sight of a group of 'colorless' passengers, as they set off to work in white Morphsuits and white, nondescript clothing.

The slightly creepy sight of a group of people dressed head-to-toe in white morphsuits was part of a study which suggests people in the city are shying away from using bright colors in their everyday lives.

london tube commuters

The stunt was arranged by Dulux, who claim Brits have been ditching bright colors for sand, grey and black since the 1990s.

A study found color is draining out of all elements of life from fashion and beauty, to technology, architecture and interiors.

london commuters

The pictures depict a colorless future in London, with commuters donning all white to show no individual personality.

The faceless commuters are seen flagging down a bus, while bland city workers are snapped leaving tower blocks.

Marianne Shillingford, Dulux creative director said: "We add more color when we are off duty as a celebration of freedom and an expression of individuality.

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What's Old Is New Again: Modern Designs With an Eye on the Past

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beetle bug

Whether it’s a quirky cocktail bar, a vintage-inspired car or a throwback fashion trend, modern design tends to have one eye in the future and one in the past. Make no mistake, designers are artists who strive to push their craft in exciting, new directions. But you can’t know where you're going until you know where you’ve been. Every new design innovation is a culmination of what has come before it. The key is to know when to borrow from history and when to push away from it. With that being said, here are three forward-thinking, modern designs that definitely paid attention in history class:

The Broken Shaker

Located in the heart of the River North district in Chicago, The Broken Shaker is undoubtedly on the list for the greatest cocktail bars in the United States. The cocktail menu constantly evolves to reflect the whims of the bartenders, who prepare each drink with such a high degree of care that you almost feel bad taking a drink. That feeling quickly dissipates, though, because each cocktail is completely out of this world. Think of the bar itself as a surreal reimagining of the last tiki bar on earth. With its palm tree wall paper and tchotchke-heavy decor, The Broken Shaker embraces the tackiness of late '60s, early '70s style. This bar is the epitome of modern design: You’ve never seen anything quite like it, and yet, you feel like you’ve been there your entire life.

The Volkswagen Beetle

The original 1933 Volkswagen Beetle was designed to be a cheap car that anyone could afford. This was also true (to some extent) of the New Beetle, which was released in 1997 to widespread acclaim and even wider sales. Since then, the Beetle has maintained a steady but enthusiastic following. It remains a prime example of a truly modern car that stands firmly on the shoulders of its forebears. Taken as a whole, the 2015 model looks almost unchanged from the 1933 model. It’s not until you focus on a specific detail that the modern flourish starts to reveal itself.

Grunge Fashion

In the early '90s, grunge fashion was often characterized by (and criticized for) its lack of design. Unlike the very deliberate fashion trends of the 1980s, grunge was defined by a lack of intention. It could be composed of whatever was lying around, such as an unwashed T-shirt or one of your father’s old, plaid work shirts. Back then, grunge meant that you weren’t trying very hard, and that was cool. Now, grunge means you’re trying to look like you aren’t trying very hard. Modern fashion design takes this oxymoron into account. That oversized, red-and-black plaid work shirt has transformed into a dress, complete with belt loops so you can create contrast by way of an accessory. How’s that for intentional?

There are plenty of other examples of current fads that borrow from the past. From the revival of records and books to antique furniture in a modern house, most designs straddle the line between past and present. Some just do it more successfully than others.

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