IMAGINE MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL LINEUP FOR 2021 EVENT

After a challenging 2020 that derailed festivals globally, the world is finally ready to dance again. Imagine Festival organizers are excited for the festival's comeback September 17 - 19, 2021, and today are releasing the official 2021 lineup. Tickets go on sale March 23rd at 1.00 pm EST. Earlier this year, the festival also revealed the big news that it would be moving locations to the breathtaking Bouckaert Farm in the City of Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia. This new chapter for Imagine allows endless potential for a more immersive experience. Guests will now feel the embrace of Mother Nature while bathing in the forest and enjoying the magic of Imagine Festival.

Loaded with massive B2B sets and record label takeovers, the lineup for 2021 includes Excision; Illenium; Kaskade; Gryffin; Madeon; 3LAU; Adventure Club B2B Riot Ten; Black Tiger Sex Machine, Blunts & Blondes, Carnage B2B Borgore; CharlestheFirst; Clozee; Dabin; Dion Timmer; Ghost Rydr (Ghastly B2B Joyryde); Kasbo; Kayzo B2B Subtronics; Liquid Stranger; Peekaboo; Subtronics (“Wooked on Tronics” set); Shpongle Droid (Simon Posford Live, featuring Android Jones); Virtual Riot B2B Barely Alive. The Disco Inferno stage will feature Fisher with the Catch & Release Takeover and including Lee Foss; Malaa; Shiba San; Walker & Royce; John Summit; Noizu; Sidepiece; SNBRN; VNSSA; Dillon Nathaniel; Deeper Purpose; LP Giobbi; Subrinse, and Westend. The Wakaan Takeover will feature Liquid Stranger; Champagne Drip B2B Luzcid; Shlump; G-Rex; Esseks; Sully; Mize, and a Wakaan Family B2B set. Other artists joining the Imagine lineup: Abelation; Alber-K; Blackgummy; Brondo; Corrupt UK; Devault; Dieselboy; Eddie Gold; Joyce Muniz; Kaivon; Laser Assassins; Leah Culver; Lick, Mersiv; Moore Kismet; No Mana; Of the Trees, and Reaper. Local and regional support, along with much more detail of activities and surprises, will be released along our journey to the gates opening to Imagine. Stay tuned.

Also returning in 2021 is an even bigger Imagine Festival Daytime Pool Party where Kaskade will heat up the decks for fans as part of his second set of the festival.

“The diversity and special B2Bs make this one of the most exciting lineups to date. We are putting together an experience we hope will help relieve some of the pain we have felt over this past year- nature is now our ultimate special guest. I get chills thinking about the moments we will share again,” says Imagine Festival co-founder, Glenn Goodhand.

3-day General Admission passes are available starting at on $35 down. GA passes start at $269 and VIP passes with express entry into the festival, commemorative VIP wristband, exclusive viewing areas, VIP bars, and lounges, and private air-conditioned VIP trailer restrooms start at $399 for a 3-day pass, before fees. 2-pack bundles and camping options are also available. Payment plans are now available all tickets types. Tickets are available online at www.imaginefestival.com. Imagine Music Festival is an 18 and over event.

FASHIONADO

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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How to Celebrate International Women’s Day

Celebrate International Women’s Day with homemade crepes © Anna Lanfreschi

The best way to celebrate International Women’s Day is to spoil your favorite lady with a decadent brunch spread. We’re talking homemade crepes served with all the toppings, as well as mimosas with fresh squeezed orange juice and fresh cut flowers.

International Women’s Day – March 8 – falls on a Monday this year, but that’s no excuse not to pull out all the stops for your best friend, mom, sister, partner, etc. And if your schedule doesn’t allow for an extensive morning celebration, you could always have brunch for dinner – it’s a holiday after all!

As a good friend of mine told me, International “Women’s Day should be celebrated by everyone, including and especially men.” So here’s your step-by-step plan for how to pull this off.

Step 1: Pick up some fresh flowers

Neighborhood farmers markets are a great source for beautiful bouquets – they’re well-priced and you’re helping to support your local farms with your purchase. But Trader Joe’s also has a great flower selection, if that’s more convenient for you.

You could choose any color scheme you’d like, but if you’re a history/tradition buff, you’ll go for the mimosa flower – the flowers that’s been gifted on International Women’s Day since 1946. If you can’t find mimosa flowers, try to pick up something yellow. Along with pale-yellow crepes and bright yellow/orange mimosa cocktails, yellow flowers will help create a vibrant color palette.

Get creative with the presentation of your homemade crepes © Anna Lanfreschi

Step 2: Make crepes and drinks

Crepes are easier to make than you think! There are tons of recipes online, like this one or this one, and there are a couple of tricks to keep in mind:

-Make sure your batter is pretty runny – that’s what helps make crepes thin

-Don’t overcook your crepes – cook each side for just a few minutes on medium-low heat

Serve your crepes with fresh sliced berries. Strawberries work really well, but any berries will make for a delicious filling – blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. Nutella is a must for sweet crepes, but you could also use your favorite jams, jellies, or dark chocolate squares.

For your mimosa cocktails, squeeze the juice of 4-5 fresh oranges to add to your champagne. Fresh-squeezed OJ makes such a difference!

Candle from Eating With Erica, Flowers from 3 Porch Farms © Anna Lanfreschi

Step 3: Set the scene

Get creative with plating your crepes. It’s easy to leave them unfolded on a round plate, but I chose to fold them in half twice and serve them on a wooden board.

In addition to your crepes and drinks, add the flowers arranged in a vase, and light a beautiful candle. I used the Mimosa & Mandarin candle from Eating With Erica, an Atlanta-based food blogger. Her candles are incredible! They smell great, burn really clean, and last a long time.

And there you have it: Your indulgent celebratory brunch is ready! Easier than you thought, right? Let me know how this goes for you – send me a DM on Instagram. Regardless of how you celebrate International Women’s Day, I hope you simply take the time to celebrate the ladies in your life this year.

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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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. 

FASHIONADO

The Sperry Sock Debate - With or without socks?

When sailor and inventor Paul Sperry created the first non-slip boat shoe in 1935, he inadvertently launched one of the most enduring debates about personal style in the history of fashion: Do you wear boat shoes with or without socks?

Very few style statements evoke such a polarized response.  John Legend, Sperry's Global Brand Ambassador, threw down the style gauntlet recently, stepping out in his cropped trousers and boat shoes asserting his bare ankles.  "It depends on the cut and fit of your pants, and how cool you are," he says of his sockless style.

Retailer J. Crew's men's style team shows Sperry boat shoes worn with their playfully patterned socks, while author of the New York Times bestseller Men and Style, David Coggins, prefers the sockless look.  "We can't have our feet shackled with grotesque tube socks, corseted and constrained," he says. "Go forth with a liberated ankle!" 

For those who want to wear socks with boat shoes, Brian Davis, owner of Wooden Sleepers, a New York based vintage American menswear brand, online store, and showroom sets some guidelines. "First things first - no 'fun socks.' This is not a time for stripes, argyles, or novelties. Grab a crisp pair of white cotton socks and wear with your favorite chino shorts (cut above the knee!) and pair with a worn-in polo, rumpled oxford cloth shirt, or breezy patch madras.  For a cooler day, substitute the shorts with a pair of chinos (not too slim, not too baggy) or a lighter wash denim like a broken in 501, and a vintage military shirt, cotton sweater, or chore coat," he instructs.

Others, like menswear editor and owner of the sock brand Bombas, Randy Goldberg, find a happy compromise in the no-show sock, cut low especially to be worn with boat shoes, without being seen. "Once the no-show sock is inside your Sperrys, it will disappear completely, giving you the advantage of stealth comfort. Sockless looks, sock feels. Best of both worlds," he says.

Elizabeth Drori, Sperry Chief Marketing Officer, strikes a happy medium. "The Sperry Authentic Original boat shoe is a timeless classic. Socks or no socks, with cuffed jeans or a skirt, wear them in a way that expresses your personal style."

Where do you stand? 

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Saks Fifth Avenue Unveils Here for the Future Spring Campaign Starring Tiffany Haddish and Maluma

Saks Fifth Avenue unveiled its Spring campaign, Here for the Future, starring comedian, actress and producer, Tiffany Haddish and global Latin music idol, Maluma. The 360-degree campaign celebrates forward-looking, innovative designers, artists and activists that are shaping the future of their industries and who Saks believes are creating the future. Here for the Future underscores the luxury retailer's focus on evolving for the future to continue delivering the best in fashion and beauty through a personalized and seamless experience.

"Saks is committed to using our voice to engage with our customers in meaningful and authentic ways," noted Emily Essner, Chief Marketing Officer, Saks Fifth Avenue. "As an arbiter of fashion, culture and lifestyle, Saks strives to elevate timely and relevant topics that are of interest to our customers. Here for the Future reflects the important issues impacting our world today and our focus on championing voices who are using their creativity and passion to help secure a bright future for us all."

Here for the Future spotlights an array of designers who push boundaries and deliver unique points of view through their collections, including A-COLD-WALL*, BruceGlen, Busayo, Christopher John Rogers, Farm Rio, Kimberly Goldson, Reese Cooper and Tove.

Saks' women's Spring 2021 Fashion Book includes the Saks It List, a forecast of the season's must-have trends, such as easy breezy dresses, statement earrings and knit dressing. Similarly, the men's Spring 2021 Style Book features Need Now, with trends like loungewear, high-top sneakers and sport luxe.

"As a fashion authority, Saks is focused on delivering the most distinctive and powerful luxury assortment for our customers," said Tracy Margolies, Chief Merchant, Saks Fifth Avenue.

"Our customers look to us for inspiration and to provide the best and latest in fashion. This season provides us with an amazing opportunity to use our platform to bring emerging designers to the forefront, so they can continue to pave the way for the future of luxury fashion."

The campaign, which can be found across Saks print and digital channels, is also featured in the iconic Fifth Avenue windows of the Saks New York flagship. The women's and men's Spring Books can be found in Saks stores or online at saks.com/c/content/catalogs.

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