Streamline Media Group Showcases The Fashion Industry's First Immersive Gaming Experience with Balenciaga's Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow

Today, Streamline Media Group  announces its key role in developing Balenciaga's Afterworld "The Age of Tomorrow" game. This project turned the fashion industry on its head in December 2020, delivering the first prominent interactive, immersive 3D gaming experience to launch its Fall 2021 Collection.

"Afterworld is a game-changer," says Sallyann Houghton, Epic Games Innovation Lab. "A guiding light in the industry that allows people to see that interactive media is the future of marketing."

Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow is a prime example of how the enterprise can incorporate video games in the digital transformation of the global economy. Streamline's production team, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, worked directly with a worldwide network of collaborators from Balenciaga, Substance and Inhalt, Dimension Studio, and others. The group then pulled together the concept, cinematics, audio, and streaming elements in the Unreal Engine to bring this experience to life. An experience that Vogue called "a quantum leap for the fashion industry.

"It was amazing to work with non-gamers on a creative project of this magnitude," says Alexander Fernandez, CEO and co-founder of Streamline. "Their creative concepts had no limits or constraints, it was a welcome challenge to bring this vision to reality. It helped us deliver, and showcase to the world, an advanced interactive experience that is now a key milestone for the games industry in the enterprise."

While Balenciaga is not the first to incorporate interactive gaming into its brand, it is the first time an international luxury fashion brand has launched a wholly digital in-game experience. Over its 20-year history, Streamline has supported global brands across entertainment mediums to deliver ground-breaking creative technology to mainstream audiences. Notable examples include the Coke Zero AVTR commercial tie-in with the world's top-selling movie, Avatar, a multi-purpose virtual television studio for BBC Sport, and the first virtual reality TV show, Rival Peak by Genvid Technologies.

It's not hard to see the future of the enterprise gaming space. The 'Metaverse' will open up new opportunities for product discovery, commerce, virtual co-working, education, and social interactivity.

"This is only the beginning," continues Fernandez. "Digital transformation of industry has arrived and video game technology is the infrastructure that will bring immersive interactive experiences to every aspect of life. Welcome to the Metaverse.”

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Patio Brunch at Buena Vida

Buena Vida is a tapas restaurant between the Beltline and O4W © Anna Lanfreschi

Not many things can compete with eating brunch on a lovely patio on a sunny Sunday. Buena Vida in Old Fourth Ward is the perfect restaurant to do just that.

Buena Vida’s beautiful outdoor patio © Anna Lanfreschi

Buena Vida’s interior is gorgeous © Anna Lanfreschi

The Spanish tapas restaurant is located right off the Beltline, and its expansive outdoor patio overlooks the Historic Old Fourth Ward Park.

There’s lots of the shade and the tables are well-spaced for social distancing. (The interior is also beautifully designed, but I’m waiting for a Covid vaccine before dining indoors). The whole place has calming, beachy vibes that make you want to reach for a refreshing cocktail and nosh on delicious small plates.

And Buena Vida’s brunch menu is chock-full of them. Think patatas bravas, pan con tomate, and croquetas – these tapas dishes are a great way to start your meal. But the menu also features more traditional brunch entrées with a Spanish twist, such as flan French toast, gambas and grits, or steak & huevos. Both sections of the menu have several clearly marked vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items, should that be up your alley.  

Seasonal brunch salad topped with a poached egg; the Valencia spritz at Buena Vida ©Anna Lanfreschi

If you’d like to start with a cocktail, try the Valencia Spritz – it is delectable and not too sweet. There are also more classic brunch drinks, like bloody Mary and mimosa.

Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays, 11 am – 4 pm. Buena Vida also serves dinner (obviously) 5-10 pm Tuesday through Saturday, and until 9 pm on Sundays. And their dinner menu is certainly worth checking out, but now that the weather is finally starting to cooperate, I’m all about enjoying the great outdoors by drinking on a dreamy patio!

Regardless of when you go, be sure to make a reservation for Buena Vida on Resy. And let me know what you think of this restaurant – send me a DM on Instagram. I hope you enjoy!

Anna Lanfreschi is a digital content creator and strategist based in Atlanta. She posts about food and travel on her blog, AnnaFeasts, and on Instagram @AnnaFeasts. 

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Grana: Your new go-to spot for pizza and meatballs

Grana is an Italian restaurant in Midtown Atlanta known for pizza and meatballs © Anna Lanfreschi

Handmade pizza, from-scratch pasta, meatball flights, and make-your-own cannoli. These are just a few of the authentic Italian dishes you can expect from Grana.

Grana doesn’t just serve any Italian food: The Morningside restaurant specializes in true Neapolitan cuisine. If you’ve ever been to Naples, Italy, or met anyone from Naples, you will have undoubtedly heard that Neapolitan food is the best kind of Italian food. Afterall, Naples is the birthplace of pizza… and every Neapolitan dish, from antipasti to desert, tastes soulful, soothing, and oh-so-satisfying.

 And there’s no better person in Atlanta to bring the robust flavors of southern Italy to our city than Chef Pat Pascarella, who helms Grana’s kitchen (as well as White Bull in Decatur). Pascarella grew up tasting and cooking with the Italian matriarchs of his family, and you’ll see nods to his family recipes throughout Grana’s menu.

 Grana is known for its meatballs, and you’ll see both mom’s and grandma’s polpettes on the menu. Best not to choose through, and simply try one of each with the meatball tasting, which is a flight of all six meatballs on the menu and makes for a hearty start to your meal.

Crispy Brussels sprouts (R) and the meatball flight (L) at Grana © Anna Lanfreschi

Before you move onto the pizzas and the pastas, get your veggies in. There are several options on the antipasti menu section, and the crispy Brussels sprouts with truffle honey and ricotta are divine.

Now, for the delicious carbs… you really can’t go wrong with any of the pizzas or pastas at Grana! The truffle pizza is a memorable option because it comes with three types of cheese, including burrata (mozzarella’s fancier cousin), and is topped with black truffle sauce.

The truffle pizza at Grana © Anna Lanfreschi

Regardless of your main entrée selection, definitely, absolutely, categorically save room for dessert. There’s really only one item on the menu – cannoli – but your options are limitless because you get to fully customize your sweet treat. You can choose the type of ricotta it’s filled with (yes, there is more than one choice!), the various toppings to add to each side, and whether to top it with chocolate. Hands down, these are the best cannoli I’ve had in Atlanta!

Make-your-own cannoli (R); Grana’s rooftop patio (L) © Anna Lanfreschi

Grana is open for happy hour and dinner nightly, and also serves brunch on the weekends. When the weather is nice, do check out their expansive rooftop patio, especially during happy hour. Reservations are not required, but highly recommended.

Anna Lanfreschi is a digital content creator and strategist based in Atlanta. She posts about food and travel on her blog, AnnaFeasts, and on Instagram @AnnaFeasts. 

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