Music Download: La Roux’s Comeback With “Let Me Down Gently”
British synth-pop dou La Roux is back with a new single that premiered today, and just like front-woman Elly Jackson’s hair, the song is brilliant!
Quite different from “Bulletproof”, “Let Me Down Gently” is a smooth, ballad-like track with a synth-pop audio. The beat of course then picks up, with Jackson’s lyrics still staying soft for a harmonious, balanced comeback track that’ll be great for to listen while cruising—whatever your method of transpo is. “Let Me Down Gently” is the lead single for La Roux’s return album, Trouble in Paradise, which is due in July. Listen to song below: Read the rest of this entry
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Grooming Essentials For Summer (And To Be Pride Ready)
Recently down in Curacao for South Caribbean Pride, it felt like no better time for a grooming essentials post on what you’ll need to be ready for summer, and also for what to bring if you’re planning a trip around any pride events or day/pool parties:
- Trim – Have a travel friendly trimmer with you for any rogue hairs. The Micro Touch Max Personal Hair Trimmer is an inexpensive trimmer that can take care of any unwanted facial, eyebrow, body or nose hairs, and has a built in light if needed. ($15)
- Be Fresh – ManCave Natural Grooming’s Deodorant is an eco-friendly, aluminum-free liquid deodorant that is easily applied and controlled by an on/off switch and will keep you fresh for a full day. ($13)
- Treat Yo Self – Feel good and get some lovely skin to turn heads with GlamGlow’s ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment. Use overnight or just 20 minutes during the day, the hydration mask mositurizes and replenishes your skin, and leaves you with a silky, reenergized feeling. ($69)
- To Keep The Hair In Check – Star Wax Premium Pomade in Clay uses a blend of jojoba, borage, primrose and Dead Sea mud for a strong hold with a matte finish that is easy to rinse off when your day/night is done. ($40)
- For The Sun – Epicuren’s Zinc Oxide Perfecting Sunscreen helps fight off sunburn and sun poisoning with it is SPF 27 level and zinc oxide property. It’s also fragrance free, leaving you to add a nice scent. ($50)
- A Sexy Scent – Top it all off with a scent others will love. Giorgio Armani’s Armani Code brought me complements from all over with its combo of bergamot and lemon with hints of orange tree blossom, warmed wood and tonka bean. ($65)
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Curacao’s South Caribbean Pride 2014: Photo Diary
The Dutch island of Curacao is one of the most gay-friendly escapes in all of the Caribbean, and that’s not just because of the colorful architecture that’s all over the island. Though there’s only one gay bar on the island, G-Lounge in the popular neighborhood of Punda in Willemstad, that doesn’t stop the community from having a good time, as they can be found through all the clubs and bars in Curacao. The island even now has two pride events, which the gay-friendly and gay managed Floris Sutie Hotel in the Otra Banda neighborhood recently hosted both. The former Get Wet weekend has transformed to Curacao Pride in September, while a new Pride week event just debuted.
This past week, from April 30th to May 4th, the Floris, Pink House (a local LGBT organization) and other members of the community on the island held the first South Caribbean Pride, which brought visitors from all over the Caribbean, the Netherlands, South America, Canada and the U.S. I attend all the events as I was visiting to work on a story for Passport Magazine, and the first night featured a welcome party at the Floris, which got an extra rainbow makeover (though they do have one rainbow flag out everyday in their front gates).
A drag cabaret dinner went down the next night, with local drag queens and others from New York and Florida performed favorite American and Latin hits (plus a French number thrown in). Other drag queens were walking around serving face and a delicious, artistically presented meal.
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Travel Inspiration: The Picturesque St. Croix
As the largest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix has a lot to offer those seeking a tropical getaway. Fairly easy to get to, at under three hours from Miami and under six from New York, beaches, food, culture and recreation make up the best of the island. I experienced all last month while on a trip for an upcoming article for Passport magazine.
From the architecture of the Victorian era Frederiksted and 18th-century Danish-styled Christiansted to the beaches and views of Cane Bay, Buck Island and The Buccaneer Hotel (above), get a visual taste of St. Croix below. Plus make sure to check out my article this summer on the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience.
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How To Partake In One Day Without Shoes
The One Day Without Shoes global campaign from TOMS is an annual event held since 2006 to bring awareness of the children in third world countries who don’t have proper, or in many cases any, footwear, which causes problems beyond the health risks. From TOMS: “Children in many developing countries are not able to attend school without a proper uniform. By providing children with a pair of shoes, school attendance can be increased by 62%. When shoes are integrated into programs with larger community development goals, they empower children and their families to get the care and support they need.”
Happening on April 29th, a simple way to partake in the event this year to share your support is to take and share a barefoot photo on social media and tagged with #WithoutShoes, to make a digital global impact. You can of course take a step (no pun) further and go the day with no shoes on to experience what it’s like, but to share the experience and not have it be so lonely, TOMS is hosting official events in their New York, Los Angeles and Austin stores. Also your a student or in education, odds are there’s a group on campus hosting something. Read the rest of this entry
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Travel Grooming Essentials For A Clean, Fresh Face
Changing up my travel grooming essential series a little, I’ve put together a set of men’s grooming products to have a nice clean face while in transit and during your trip, and paired it with an all purpose ready scent. Whether you’re in the U.S. Virgin Islands like I was or elsewhere, you’ll be fresh and ready to go about your day. All are also under 3.4 ounces:
- Fresh Shave – The eShave Travel Shaving Kit includes a pre shave oil, shaving cream, after shave cream and a badger hair shaving brush to use if you want to make your hotel’s bathroom like home, but you also just use your hands instead. Offered in four scents, I enjoyed the sweet lime scent of the Verbena Lime. ($45)
- Worry Free Face – Lab Series Pro LS All-In-One Face Treatment offers four skincase benefits in a travel friendly bottle. It soothes razor burns, moisturized the face, can minizmie lines and wrinkles over time and helps control shine, so pretty much takes care of your entire face for you after you shave. ($29)
- All Occasion Fragrance – Gucci Guilty fragrance features a moderate yet manly floral scent to spray on once you’ve cleaned up your face and are ready to head out. Notes include lavender, orange flower and cedarwood. ($88)
- Keep Fresh While On The Go – Niche For Men are male face and body deodorizing packaged wipes that fold to a hand towel (9″ x 11″) to help you fight sweat and any unpleasing smells from it, while cleansing and moisturizing the skin. More about them here. (Starts at $3 for 2)
- To Store It All – The Coach Crosby Leather Travel Kit is a spacious Italian leather dopp kit that has inside open pockets and enough space to also store any small electronics or cords. ($168)
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In The Bag: Sport Travel Gear For The Caribbean
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In The Bag: Sport Travel Gear For The Caribbean
In this edition of Vee Travels’ In The Bag series, sporty accessories for traveling to the Caribbean to destinations like the U.S. Virgin Islands. Shot at the B in St. Croix, these accessories cover you from running or horseback riding to swimming and snorkeling to just hanging out by the beach or pool afterwards while keeping your belongings well stored.
Backpack – Jansport
Super spacious, the Jansport Growler became a new favorite backpack of mine. Since I like to just do carry-on, was able to fit my 15″ macbook pro, cords, Canon Rebel DSLR, a couple tees and a lot more items in the backpack. There’s two main compartments (one for your laptop and the other for everything else), then there’s side pockets (one with an exterior mesh holder for your water or umbrella), a small front compartment for your wallet and other necessities, and a hidden bottom compartment if need to stick a wet bathing suit or something down there. A polyster body with nylon straps, the usualy Jansport logo has a stealthy leather makeover.
Swimwear – (2)xist
The (2)xist Core Ibiza Swim Shorts takes a simple, classic style and modernizes it with a low rise waist and trimmed legged, so perfect if you want to show off some leg but not so much like a pair of trunks or a brief style would show. Available in eight colors.
Sneakers – Asics
The Asics Gel-Scram Trail Running Shoe is built with a lightweight cushiniong for comfort, so works on hard runs and when having to take long walks if flying with transfer (as I often do). Overall the sneakers are also very lightweight, with a body combination of rugged synthetics and mesh. Read the rest of this entry
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Music Download: Lily Allen’s Playful “Sheezus”
I just heard/watched “Sheezus”, and I wait can’t for Lily Allen’s comeback album next month, which is named after the song. Sure “Hard Out Here” is a catchy tune, but with Allen poking fun at Kanye’s Yeezus alter ego and then name dropping Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Lorde, she has created a number that you have to listen to: Read the rest of this entry
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