Posts made in January 2021

Kusama with Pumpkin, 2010 for 360 Magazine, Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, David Zwirner, Victoria Miro

NYBG Newest Installation

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The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) has announced the dates for its expansive 2021 exhibition, KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature, featuring work by internationally celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibition will include four experiences that will debut at the Botanical Garden. NYBG is the exclusive venue for KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature. On view April 10 through October 31, 2021, the exhibition will be installed across the Garden’s landscape, in and around the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building. Advance, timed, limited-capacity tickets for the landmark presentation go on sale to the public March 16, 2021.

The exhibition, related programs, and accompanying publication will reveal Kusama’s lifelong fascination with the natural world and its countless manifestations, beginning in her childhood spent in the greenhouses and fields of her family’s seed nursery in Matsumoto, Japan. The exhibition will include works from throughout Kusama’s prolific career and multifaceted practice. By integrating seasonal horticultural displays, KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature will further illuminate the power of nature that pervades the artist’s practice and dynamic body of work.

Multiple outdoor installations will be on view, including monumental sculptures of flora that will transform the Garden’s 250-acre landscape and visitor experience. Her signature polka-dotted organic forms and mesmerizing paintings of plants and flowers will also be presented. These vivid observations of biodiversity will be shown along with archival material that has never been publicly exhibited, and more that will be on view for the first time in the United States.

Among the works created for and debuting in the exhibition are:

  • Flower Obsession(2017/2021), Kusama’s first-ever obliteration greenhouse;
  • Dancing Pumpkin(2020), a monumental sculpture presented on the Haupt Conservatory Lawn;
  • I Want to Fly to the Universe(2020), a 13-foot-high biomorphic form presented in the Visitor Center; and
  • Infinity Mirrored Room–Illusion Inside the Heart(2020), an outdoor installation reflecting its environs.

Spectacular seasonal displays will complement the artworks on view, making each visit unique as new plantings, textures, and palettes are introduced. Glorious outdoor displays of tulips and irises in spring give way to dahlias and sweet peas in summer, and masses of pumpkins and autumnal flowers in fall. In and around the Conservatory, Kusama’s plant-inspired polka-dotted sculptures will be nestled among meadow grasses, bellflowers, water lilies, and other plantings. Stunning floral presentations will bring to life one of Kusama’s paintings on view in the Library Building through a seasonal progression of violas, salvias, zinnias, and other colorful annuals. In fall, displays of meticulously trained kiku (Japanese for chrysanthemum, one of that country’s most heralded fall-flowering plants) will create a dramatic finale for the Conservatory displays.

KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature guest curator Mika Yoshitake, Ph.D., said, “For Kusama, cosmic nature is a life force that integrates the terrestrial and celestial orders of the universe from both the micro- and macrocosmic perspectives she investigates in her practice. Her explorations evoke meanings that are both personal and universal. Nature is not only a central source of inspiration, but also integral to the visceral effects of Kusama’s artistic language in which organic growth and the proliferation of life are made ever-present.”

In the Garden

On the Conservatory Lawn, visitors will encounter the monumental Dancing Pumpkin, a 16-foot-high bronze sculpture in black and yellow. Both playful and powerful, it will be sited in an immersive landscape of river birches, flowering plants, grasses, and ferns. The setting is inspired by the sculpture itself and the plants native to Kusama’s childhood home.

Visitors can marvel at the bright, purple-tentacled floral form with a vivid yellow primordial face of I Want to Fly to the Universe in the Visitor Center Reflecting Pool, and then behold Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees (2002/2021), where soaring trees adorned in vibrant red with white polka dots will pop in the landscape along Garden Way.

Narcissus Garden (1966/2021), 1,400 stainless steel spheres each nearly 12 inches in diameter, will be installed in the 230-foot-long water feature of the Native Plant Garden. The reflective spheres will float on the water’s surface, moved by wind and currents, each mirroring the environment around them to captivating effect.

The exterior of Infinity Mirrored Room–Illusion Inside the Heart, a cube-shaped structure with a reflective surface, will be on view, revealing and repeating the changing landscape throughout the seasons. Interior access to the installation, which responds to natural light through colored glass throughout the day, is planned to begin in summer, per New York State and New York City guidelines for COVID-19. A timed-entry ticket will be required for limited-capacity access.

In the Galleries

In Flower Obsession, visitors may opt to apply coral-colored floral stickers to the glass-paned walls and interior objects. Over the course of the exhibition, the stickers will transform the greenhouse. Through works like this, Kusama employs the repeating patterns and forms of flowers to represent the concepts of obliteration, infinity, and eternity.

Three galleries in the Conservatory will be transformed into a horticultural celebration of Kusama’s self-proclaimed biophilia. My Soul Blooms Forever(2019), colossal polka-dotted flowers made of stainless steel and painted in dramatic colors, will greet visitors under the newly restored dome of the Palms of the World Gallery.

In the Seasonal Exhibition Galleries, Starry Pumpkin (2015), adorned with pink and gold mosaic, will be featured in a woodland garden of foliage and flowers chosen to harmonize with the sculpture’s pink polka dots. Using Kusama’s vibrant painting Alone, Buried in a Flower Garden (2014) as inspiration, NYBG horticulturists have designed a living work of art to mimic the painting’s bold shapes and colors, with plantings that will change seasonally. The patchwork of shapes in the painting reads as garden beds seen from above.

In the Conservatory Courtyard Hardy Pool, the exuberantly colored and patterned sculpture Hymn of Life:Tulips (2007) featuring outsized, fiberglass flowers will be bordered by water lilies and other seasonal plantings. The buoyant flowers echo the stunning horticultural displays in the Conservatory.

Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity (2017) comprises a glass cube with two-way mirrors reflecting an infinity of glowing polka-dotted pumpkins within it. The work, one of Kusama’s signature mirrored environments, will be installed in the Visitor Center Gallery. Viewed from the outside, the installation is accompanied by a statement by the artist that reads, in part, “My pumpkins, beloved of all the plants in the world. When I see pumpkins, I cannot efface the joy of them being my everything, nor the awe I hold them in.”

On display in the Mertz Library Building, Kusama’s 1945 sketchbook reveals the 16-year-old artist’s keen eye for detail in some 50 drawings capturing the bloom cycle of tree peonies. This early work is the product of a lifelong connection with the natural world that has inspired her practice across mediums, and also portends the avant-garde ideas she developed while living in New York City between 1958 and 1973 as a contemporary of Joseph Cornell, Eva Hesse, Donald Judd, and Claes Oldenburg, and continues to explore rigorously today.

The Library Building presentation will feature examples of her botanical sketches, works on paper, biomorphic collages, assemblage boxes, and recent soft sculpture and paintings on canvas depicting flora and its limitless variety of patterns.

Kusama’s considerable body of performance works is represented in the exhibition by projected photographs of Walking Piece (ca. 1966), a performance in which Kusama walked the streets of New York wearing a bright-pink floral kimono and carrying an umbrella decorated with artificial flowers. Art historians have analyzed Walking Piece as a carefully calculated representation of the artist’s ethnicity and gender, one that was intended to demand attention. Interpretation will provide further context for the artist’s performance works.

From monumental polka-dotted pumpkin sculptures to abstract paintings that suggest cells magnified thousands of times, Kusama’s works suggest the patterns that can be observed all around us. In Patterns in Nature: Science Walk, a self-guided walking tour bringing together living plants and images of magnified laboratory specimens, visitors will explore the visible and microscopic patterns that can be found in nature, and how they reveal what makes species unique, as well as how all living things are connected at the genomic level.

Lauren Turchio, NYBG Vice President for Garden Experience, said, “When the exhibition had to be postponed last spring, Yayoi Kusama shared a moving message that read, in part: ‘The passion that I and those at The New York Botanical Garden have poured into this exhibition is still burning. Everyone, I hope you will wait.’ We are so grateful to our visitors for waiting for this once-in-a-lifetime presentation.”

Programs and Publication

KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature will be accompanied by a roster of public programs for all ages, including pop-up performances by musicians, jugglers, and puppeteers; self-guided “Kids Get Cosmic” activities in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden; and more. Signature exhibition merchandise will be available for purchase at NYBG Shop.

Coming in summer 2021, a fully illustrated exhibition catalogue, co-published with Rizzoli Electa, will include essays by KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature guest curator Mika Yoshitake, art historian Jenni Sorkin, curator Alexandra Munroe, and NYBG curators and scientists that focus on Kusama’s lifelong engagement with nature and the ways in which her interest in nature and plants has formed her career-long investigation of themes of the cosmos and the interconnectedness of all living things. Images of works displayed at The New York Botanical Garden will be featured.

Ticketing

Since reopening July 28, 2020, the Garden has incorporated safety measures based on best practices and guidelines from health authorities and government agencies. Admission to the Garden is currently available through the advance purchase of timed tickets.

KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature tickets go on sale for NYBG Patrons beginning on March 9, 2021, Members on March 11, 2021, and the general public on March 16, 2021. The new, limited, timed-entry ticketing system staggers visitors’ arrivals and promotes social distancing. Advance purchase of timed tickets is required and will be confirmed by e-mail with the option to print or download a mobile ticket.

The following options will be available:

  • KUSAMA Garden & Gallery Passincludes access to all KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature outdoor installations across the grounds and access to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, installations in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building and Ross Gallery, as well as interior access to Flower Obsession and Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity in the Visitor Center Gallery, plus the Tram Tour and Garden features including the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden and outdoor collections.
  • KUSAMA Garden Pass (Non-NYC Residents)includes access to all KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature outdoor installations across the grounds, plus Garden features including the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden and outdoor collections.
  • KUSAMA Garden Pass (NYC Residents) includes access to all KUSAMA: Cosmic Natureoutdoor installations across the grounds, plus Garden features including the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden and outdoor collections.
  • A timed-entry ticket will be required to access the interior of Infinity Mirrored Room–Illusion Inside the Heart. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

NYBG will welcome Bronx Health Care Heroes and Bronx Neighbors to KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature with complimentary tickets. Communities in the Bronx are among the most severely impacted by COVID-19 in New York City. Through these community access initiatives, the Garden seeks to acknowledge, with gratitude, the dedication, strength, and resilience of Bronx frontline health care workers and residents. Additional information about these initiatives will be available in the coming weeks.

About The New York Botanical Garden

Founded in 1891, The New York Botanical Garden is the most comprehensive botanical garden in the world and an integral part of the cultural fabric of New York City, anchored in the Bronx. Visitors come to the Garden to connect with nature for joy, beauty, and respite, and for renowned plant-based exhibitions, music and dance, and poetry and lectures. Innovative children’s education programs promote environmental sustainability and nutrition awareness, graduate programs educate the next generation of botanists, while engaging classes inspire adults to remain lifelong learners. The 250-acre verdant landscape, which includes a 50-acre, old-growth forest and the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, support living collections of more than one million plants. Unparalleled resources are also held in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the world’s most important botanical and horticultural library with 11 million archival items spanning ten centuries, and William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere with 7.8 million plant and fungal specimens. Committed to protecting the planet’s biodiversity and natural resources, Garden scientists work on-site in cutting-edge molecular labs and in areas worldwide where biodiversity is most at risk.

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KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature is presented by:

Major Sponsors: Tom and Janet Montag and MetLife Foundation

Generous support provided by: Citi and Delta Air Lines

Digital experience provided by: Bloomberg Philanthropies

Additional support provided by: Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts; and The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Exhibitions in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory are made possible by the Estate of Enid A. Haupt.

LUESTHER T. MERTZ CHARITABLE TRUST: Providing leadership support for year-round programming at NYBG

The New York Botanical Garden is located at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10458. For more information, visit their website.

DBYB Fest Promotional Poster

The Don’t Block Your Blessings Festival

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Out of loss and adversity emerges an uplifting global project and festival, led by Erez Safar (who produces under the name h2the), in honor of his late mother, “Frida Levona bat Shalom”.

“I lost my mom to cancer two months ago,” Safar shared, “and the pain was so intense, I knew I had to do something with it. My mom had an incredible light inside her and navigated the world with hope and positivity. I realized the best way to honor her memory would be to turn that pain and darkness I was feeling into a light that I could share with others. So I put together this project called ‘Don’t Block Your Blessings’ (DBYB), and I hope it can become a space for people to share wisdom for leading better, happier lives.”  

Safar comes off as warm, playful, and relaxed as he speaks with me over video chat, from his LA apartment. He tells me he looks at the DBYB platform as a form of “Cheat Codes To Happiness,” where people can trade stories as they navigate the ups and downs of life, and share how they have been able to bring more blessings into their lives via perspective, faith and gratitude. In addition to live-stream festivals (the next of which will take place this month), the project also lives on the site here, as well as an active discussion and healing space on the new and wildly popular mobile app, Clubhouse. 

Don’t Block Your Blessings (DBYB) first launched two months ago, with a one of a kind live-stream festival by the same name, featuring musicians, artists, and some of the most innovative minds in self-growth and healing. The DBYB Festival is hosted on an exclusive virtual platform, which boasts three interactive rooms and allows festival-goers to easily move from room to room, as then explore various talks, musical performances, and the creation of visual art, live in real-time.

This is not the first time Safar has wowed with his creative approach to online events. His first live-stream festival, Lo-Freq Fest, was featured in Billboard and shared around the globe. The debut DBYB festival featured over 40+ world-wide presenters with 25,774 viewers.

The next festival will be free to attend virtually and is set to take place on Valentine’s (Sunday, February 14th), between 6-9 pm PST.

The festival will feature contemporary artists, musicians, and teachers in the fields of self-growth and healing. Presenters include: 

Alicia Dunams

The founder of Bestseller in a Weekend, Dunams has helped more than 1500 leaders write books. She is also a leadership trainer, executive coach and certified peacemaker. She will be presenting in the healing room “The Slippery Slope vs. The Conscious Climb – Managing Our Unconscious Bias.”

Dr. Aparajita (AJ)

A social psychologist, a diversity and inclusion consultant, a certified life and executive coach, an author, a speaker, an immigrant, and a two-time traumatic brain injury survivor. She will be presenting in the healing room “Making Your Invisible Visible for Happiness.”

The Boom Bap Kids

Purveyors of funk and hip hop, founders Woes Martin, Silent John, and Mike Steel will be bringing their fabric puppetry and beats to the festival.

Shantala

Founders Benjy and Heather Wertheimer have been leading kirtan (sacred chanting) worldwide since 2001. They are known for their special gift of bringing audiences into a vast and loving experience through their unique blend of exquisite voices accompanied by instruments of India and the west. In 2020 alone, their music has garnered over 14 million streams.

Bomani X

The face of Clubhouse and the host of its #CottonClub, Bomani X is an artist in every sense of the word, a guitarist, singer songwriter, and a celebrity digital strategist who has worked with Jill Scott, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Wyclef, and more.

B Hill

A lifelong passionate artist and designer. Native to Harlem-New York City, Hill now exhibits and paints live, showcasing her nine-year figurative subject matter: “A Woman’s perspective.” In conjunction with her exhibitions, she directs an international art education foundation, “Art Education with B. Hill”, which brings art curriculum to underserved schools and communities. She will be joining the festival’s Live Art room. 

See below for the full list of presenters at the multi-room DBYB festival:

Featured Musicians:

Ada Pasternak, Adam Cola, Caitlin Jemma, Deborah Stokol, DJ Beatific, Drew Angus, Eko Zu, Eli Lev, Gattison, Gentleman Brawlers, Gerle, h2the, Kevin Daniel, Kindred Melodies, Kirsten Collins, Klezmer Juice, Latch Key Kid, Louii King, Lucinda Belle, Luke Kohen, Mikey Pauker, My Silent Bravery, Nina Grae, Psychic Twin, R E L, Ray Bean, RYNO, Shantala, Talia Dalton, Willow Stephens

Featured Healers:

Alexis Ware, Alicia Dunams, Casilda Zackhariyas, Danielle Grozavu, David Sacks, Dr. Aparajita Jeedigunta, Emi Ollin, Hard Charlie, Jen The Rainmaker, Kimberly Ariella, Krystal Aranyani, Lisa Stuart, Melissa Drake, Mendi Baron, Rhyanna Watson, Robyn Stern, Sara Mandel, Sarah BL, Sovereign University, The Breathe Center, Yoni Temple School

Featured Painters:

Abreesha*, B Hill, Domogee, Meira Batya, Sey x Yes, Shlome

In a time where so many of us have been confined to our homes and have lost our outlets for social connection and engagement, the DBYB festival promises to lift us up and create a community where we can come together, feel inspired and discover our own cheat codes to happiness.
Festival Producer: Erez Safar
Healer: Alicia Dunams
Musician: Bomani X

Meet the Man Behind Bronx Night Market

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By Hannah DiPilato

360 Magazine recently had the opportunity to sit down with Marco Shalma, founder of Round Seven Media and MASC Hospitality Group. He is responsible for beginning a food and culture festival in New York called The Bronx Night Market. In this interview, he talks about everything from advice for young entrepreneurs to his favorite food spots in New York. 

How did you begin Round Seven Media and why did you decide to start this?

I started in 2013, which was after my education at NYU for undergrad and pursuing a master’s degree in film and tv. Marketing was my passion, and I wanted to run a campaign in a different way. I wanted to use the concept of getting people into the mix of the story and I wanted to get that into a narrative for clients in marketing. In 2013, I sold my shares in restaurant groups and I wanted to begin marketing for myself. I went around and started looking for clients in restaurant and hospitality for about 20 years, which I had experience in. With the explosion of Instagram and technology, it was the perfect time to explore marketing opportunities.

When the company started, the first thing was to go find professional people with a school of thought from film and writing. Our business is known for being a launch campaign for ideas, projects, etc. and we will build an online presence for our clients by finding the key demographic. We are focused on the launch period so our work doesn’t really go further than the six month period.

You also founded MASC Hospitality Group, what made you start another business as well?

MASC Hospitality is one of those situations that happened backward, meaning we first took on the Bronx Night Market project in 2017, which then branched out to many other events that were affiliated with the Bronx Night Market. At one point, we needed to incorporate all of these events, so we decided to create MASC Hospitality Group. If you think about it, MASC Hospitality is a company that basically creates different events while Round Seven Media is the one promoting these events. Sometime around 2018, I started taking fewer clients for Round Seven Media and started adding more of my own companies to Round Seven Media. 

What is your favorite event that MASC Hospitality Group is responsible for?

My favorite event hands down is Bronx Night Market. The Bronx Night Market is my baby, it’s a proud moment for me because it came from a vision of bringing something to the Bronx community, my community, that is a prideful event and a reason to be proud of the borrow, without needing to commute to Manhattan or Queens to experience a festival that celebrates culture, cuisine and commerce. 

We always say culture, cuisine and commerce because culture encompasses the diversity of the city with so many different flavors, cuisine because this is the grand unifier, everyone can enjoy a meal together no matter what skin tone or nationality and commerce is the idea of creating space for young entrepreneurs and small local businesses to present what they do to a large number of people and promote their business to help them move into the next stage of their success. This encompasses everything we are about, supporting small businesses, young entrepreneurship and of course, good, good food. 

Have you encountered any problems while being a business owner for these two organizations?

When you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, you always encounter problems. It’s always a matter of hiring the right people, navigating through resources, financing and funding, but mostly it’s identifying and understanding the demographic. I think for me, as a serial entrepreneur, a good idea is a good idea, but you need to identify your key demographic. You need to identify what you do and who it’s for. Then, you work for months or years fine-tuning to make everything connect and basically build a community around your brand.

For example, Round Seven Media is a brand that understands the power of our way of doing business. We are known as one of the top agencies in New York to run launch campaigns for brands because we are dedicated to doing that. With something like The Bronx Night Market, it’s about identifying Bronx-based foodies and people that want to explore offerings and now they have the opportunity to do that in a place where they feel safe, secure and happy. The event is really designed for the community instead of something that could be done anywhere else. 

What do you look for in employees that you hire for your company? 

We hire on a regular basis, we continuously hire for different projects on behalf of companies. When we finish a launch campaign at Round Seven Media, we like to hire people to replace us, younger people, hungry people that can do social media for those brands. When we look at hiring, the most important thing for us at the moment is consistency and the ability to have a follow-up and a follow-through. I think those are the three very, very important elements because in today’s field of business, having consistency and bringing your A-game every time is something that is critical to the success of any business. I’ve unfortunately had to work with people that can bring 120% one day and 30% the next day. This also has a lot to do with company culture and the idea that you need to create an environment that allows people to be consistent.

Another big part is the ability to follow up and follow through. I can’t even tell you how many times you will be doing things where you need to follow up with clients and partners and sometimes it even takes up to 20 emails. Each and every opportunity for you to accomplish something or to create something if you don’t follow through, you have failed. We are also looking for employees that are super savvy with communications and social media because this is becoming a crucial part of any brand. The ability to understand how media works and how to maximize these services is important to our brand. 

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs like you once were?

If I had to give one piece of advice to young entrepreneurs, it would be to not bite off more than you can chew: focus, focus, focus. I keep seeing a lot of young entrepreneurs that I work with trying to do too much. They try to put on six or seven different hats and be the CEO of the universe at the same time. I always say, focus on the one thing, take your time, become the best in your field and then explore from there. From what I’ve seen, the ability to focus and distill your message and brand into the simplest form and show it to other people such as the investors and partners, showing your dedication to a single idea is the most valuable.

When I used to work on movies, right after grad school, one of the exercises I had that influenced me completely was an exercise of writing a logline for a feature film. You have a script of like 90 pages that you need to turn in to a 25-word logline that will explain exactly what that movie is. It’s almost an impossible mission, but once you start on this, you understand how important the focus is. I now tell people you need to understand your business so well that nothing will get in the way. That’s how you get investors and money. 

I know you’re passionate about food, what are some restaurants you would recommend to our readers?

It’s hard to talk about restaurants right now when the restaurant industry is suffering so much. Every day we see another one of my favorite restaurants closing down and the industry is struggling especially when it seems like the industry won’t open soon. I’ll tell you about food in general, as a foodie the most important thing for me is not chasing trends, but a restaurant that has a focused menu, where they know what they’re doing and they’re focused on creating the best experience with a sense of consistency. I know I probably sound like everything is driven like that, but honestly, it’s so important.

Before covid I used to go to a restaurant once a month in West Harlem that used to make the most amazing eggplant pasta, there was also a place I used to go with the most amazing salmon dish and I used to go to another place with the most amazing pad thai. That’s the best thing about living in New York, you get exposed to so much food and you’ll try a lot of trends, but at the end of the day, when you hit something that you know is going to be just as good every time you get it, it becomes the place you go for that dish.

The older I get I realize that’s the most important thing because I want to go back to the restaurant five years later and get the same food and experience. I’m hoping we’ll come out of this soon and be able to go and enjoy restaurants again. Even if you don’t like restaurants and you’re a great cook, you miss sitting down with your friends in a restaurant, eating some food, enjoying a bottle of wine and sharing a good laugh. It’s not about the food, it’s about the experience. 

Where do you see yourself going next in your career? 

At the moment we are trying to get back to normal life especially with Bronx Night Market and other events that we have. I’m working very hard to define what we can do in public spaces to help restaurants and other brick and mortar restaurants come back to life.

At the moment, I’m really dedicating a lot of my time to working with city and state agencies to create programming that will allow brick and mortar businesses to have more visibility as well as helping small businesses that began at home during the pandemic. I like to call these businesses “homentrepreneurs” and they will need a place for their businesses outside to get more traction in the community once the pandemic is over.

I am taking my experience within marketing and media, my ability to push forth different agendas and my ability to plan different activities to bring these skills to neighborhoods around New York and support these businesses and give a place for new entrepreneurs to grow outside of their homes. This is something I have been very excited about for a few months. 

After Covid is over, are there any events you would hope for the MASC Hospitality Group to execute?

Help New Yorkers get back to normal as soon as possible. Possibly that will be creating open-air markets and events relating to many different niches, and just to let New Yorkers come to celebrate returning to normalcy. After covid, trying to figure out with different partners how to help businesses survive the next few months and thrive as soon as we get out of this crisis. This has been a focus for us to do. We have seen way too many friends of ours close shop and disappear. 

Be sure to keep up with Marco Shalma and the Bronx Night Market on Instagram. 

photo credit foodcre8tive
Photo credit to r.ace.me

Debut Music Video for QueloQue – Major Lazer × Paloma Mami

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Major Lazer debuts the music video for “QueLoQue” featuring multi-platinum, rising global artist Paloma Mami today—watch it here. The track is from Major Lazer’s new album and their first since 2015, Music Is The Weapon, out now to critical acclaim and featuring collaborations with Nicki Minaj, J Balvin, Anitta, Khalid and many more.

Directed by Sam Hayes, the video is a tribute to the iconic Hype Williams videos of the 90’s, featuring a playful performance from Paloma Mami as well as sci-fi backdrops and fisheye lenses. New York-born, Chilean artist Paloma Mami is one of Latin music’s biggest rising stars. In only 2 years Paloma has generated 1B+ streams worldwide as well as various multi-platinum and platinum singles capturing the eyes of some the biggest names in music.

Music Is The Weapon continues to fulfill Major Lazer’s goal of making the world smaller by making the party bigger. Coming five years after Peace Is The Mission and countless world tours—with stops in seldom-visited destinations including Pakistan, Cuba and Nigeria—Music Is The Weapon highlights the group’s thoroughly global approach. The album includes songs in five languages and features collaborations with a roster of emerging artists and superstars from around the globe whom the group has encountered on their travels.

In addition to Paloma Mami’s feature on track “QueLoQue,” Jamaican rising stars Sheensea and BEAM feature on “Tiny” and Indian producer Nucleya and vocalist Rashmeet Kaur on the desi bass track “Jadi Buti.” Anitta returns to the group’s fold on the Latin Grammy-nominated “Rave de Favela,” following their 2017 collaboration “Sua Cara,” which was one of the first times the now-superstar was heard outside of her native Brazil. Mr Eazi—who Lazer first collaborated with in 2017 and with whom they have toured Africa—joins fellow Nigerian K4mo and the legendary Nicki Minaj on the Afrobeat-inspired “Oh My Gawd.”

The chart-topping “Que Calor” with J Balvin and El Alfa embraces the reggaeton and dembow that have made the two titans of Latin music worldwide—sounds that Major Lazer first explored in 2013 with “Watch Out For This (Bumaye)” with Busy Signal (the Jamaican superstar who is featured on the Soca track “Sun Comes Up” and with whom the band has been collaborating since their very earliest releases). The result is the ultimate showcase of Major Lazer’s ability to produce massive singles and highlight vibrant sounds from up and coming artists around the world.

ABOUT MAJOR LAZER

Major Lazer is the global dance trio of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums. Named for the group’s fictional figurehead, a one-armed Jamaican Zombie War commando, Major Lazer’s mission is to free the universe with music. The band has released three acclaimed albums, 2009’s Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do, 2013’s Free The Universe and 2015’s Peace Is The Mission, featuring “Lean On” with DJ Snake and MØ—one of the most successful songs of all time.

ABOUT PALOMA MAMI

Paloma Mami is a New York born, Chilean artist that exploded onto the scene in 2018 with her independently released single “Not Steady,” a Spanglish viral sensation that left a huge digital footprint. The track was the first she ever recorded (!) and set her up to ink her first major recording contract. After her discovery, Paloma decided to focus her efforts and passion on establishing a musical career. Her efforts have proved to be successful, as she is the first Chilean artist of her generation with the potential to become a global artist. In only 2 years, Paloma has generated 1B+ Streams WW, 1.8M+ YouTube subscribers and has released various multi-platinum, platinum and gold singles capturing the eye of some of music’s biggest names. With a delicate but powerful voice, her music mixes Latin Urban, R&B, and Trap/Soul, creating an undeniably unique sound. Paloma Mami is very clear about what she intends to accomplish with her music.

MUSIC IS THE WEAPON TRACKLIST

  1. Hell and High Water (feat. Alessia Cara)
  2. Sun Comes Up (feat. Busy Signal & Joeboy)
  3. Bam Bam (feat. French Montana & BEAM)
  4. Tiny (feat. BEAM & Sheensea)
  5. Oh My Gawd with Mr Eazi (feat. Nicki Minaj and K4mo)
  6. Trigger (feat. Khalid)
  7. Lay Your Head On Me (feat. Marcus Mumford)
  8. Can’t Take It From Me (feat. Skip Marley)
  9. Rave de Favela (feat. MC Lan & Anitta)
  10. Que Lo Que (feat. Paloma Mami)
  11. Marijuana (feat. Nucleya & Rashmeet Kaur)
  12. Que Calor (feat. J. Balvin & El Alfa)
Nutrition article illustration by Mina Tocalini for 360 MAGAZINE

BAKING GOODNESS AND WELLNESS IN THE NEW YEAR

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Susan Bowerman, Herbalife Nutrition, Sr. Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training

Last year brought a convergence of trends. Consumers sought food and beverage products that tasted great and delivered nutritional benefits. A growing number of people took to making muffins, cakes and even pancake cereal – and social media was filled with images of these beautiful but often calorie-laden creations. With so many people enjoying baking while at the same time concerned about their wellbeing, there was a growing demand for healthy and delicious ways to make these recipes at home.

As a global nutrition company, we love to see our distributors’ and consumers’ creations made with our products, including baked goods, that allow them to enjoy the benefits of Herbalife Nutrition throughout the day. Witnessing the demand to satisfy cravings for nutritious baked items using our products, Herbalife Nutrition introduces Protein Baked Goods Mix. When combined with Herbalife Formula 1 and water, the mix can be used to create mouth-watering and nutritious, high protein muffins, pancakes, waffles, and donuts in minutes.

Globally, consumers are seeking foods that are high in protein – especially plant-based proteins – to help maintain a healthy diet. Protein options throughout the day help keep our diets balanced.  Protein Baked Goods Mix offers a new way for consumers to add protein to their diet throughout the day to help satisfy hunger and keep weight-management goals on track. While some may not consider breakfast to be the most important meal of the day, breakfast foods remain enormously popular. According to one study, half (46%) of consumers enjoy eating breakfast foods at non-traditional times, especially at dinner (56%). The popularity of breakfast foods may be tied to increasing protein-rich options and snacking occasions among millennial consumers.

When combined with Formula 1, Protein Baked Goods Mix will make a nutrient dense meal with protein and other key nutrients to help satisfy people’s hunger in a nutritious and delicious way. The Mix is gluten-free and low glycemic [i], and is suitable for vegetarians [ii] and diabetics [iii].

To make a protein muffin, just combine a serving of Protein Baked Goods Mix with a serving of Formula 1 Shake Mix and water, put it in a mug, and microwave for 3 minutes. The result is a warm, tasty, filling, high-protein meal with 24grams of protein, 190 calories, 21 vitamins and minerals, and 5 g of fiber. No eggs, no milk needed.

As a nutritionist, one of the top questions I get from consumers worldwide is how to add more protein to their diet. They love our shakes – but want new ways to enjoy our high protein products. With the addition of our Protein Baked Goods Mix, we are unleashing people’s creativity to enjoy a range of options – from muffins to pancakes and waffles – that will make a healthy, satisfying and delicious addition to a healthy diet.

[i] When combined with Formula 1 that is made with no artificial sweeteners, is Gluten-Free and Low GI.

[ii] Products do not contain any meat, poultry, fish, seafood, or insects.

[iii] Herbalife products do not treat diabetes, but diabetics can use them. When prepared with Formula 1.

SF Ballet Announces Digital Season in 2021

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San Francisco Ballet (SF Ballet) announces details for two world premieres of its groundbreaking 2021 Digital Season: a new ballet by Myles Thatcher and Wooden Dimes by Danielle Rowe, opening February 11 and March 4, respectively, during Programs 02 and 03. Each premiere has been filmed under strict safety protocols in compliance with the San Francisco Department of Public Health guidelines, which protect artists, production crews, and the greater public. Single program stream access and the Premium Plus Digital Package are on sale now. Full ticketing and calendar information is listed below, and casting can be found on SF Ballet’s website.

Streaming during Program 02 (February 11– March 3) of the 2021 Digital Season, Myles Thatcher’s new ballet is set in San Francisco locations including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Heroes Grove at Golden Gate Park, Yerba Buena Gardens, and the stage of the War Memorial Opera House, SF Ballet’s performance home. Thatcher’s work emphasizes saturated colors in its design and explores parallels between consuming art—as one might at an art museum—and creating it. “First and foremost, I want this piece to embody the joy that art of all kinds has afforded me in my life,” says Thatcher. “Yes, it has brought much needed beauty through this especially challenging year. But more importantly, art allows me to get a glimpse of someone else’s perspective. It allows me to see through another person’s eyes and walk in another person’s shoes. Art has a unique way of showing us that through all our beautiful differences, we still may share common truths. And ultimately, it teaches us empathy, one of the greatest gifts we can share.” Thatcher’s world premiere ballet is his fourth repertory season creation for the company. Thatcher is also a soloist with SF Ballet. His new ballet is set to Steve Reich’s Variations for Vibes, Pianos, and Strings and is directed for film by Ezra Hurwitz, with costume designs by Susan Roemer, and lighting design by Jim French. Click here to watch the first episode of a video series following Thatcher’s creative process.

Thatcher’s new ballet will stream on Program 02 (February 11—March 4) alongside archival captures of Dwight Rhoden’s LET’S BEGIN AT THE END and Mark Morris’ Sandpaper Ballet. Created for Unbound: A Festival of New Works in 2018, Rhoden’s LET’S BEGIN AT THE END is set to music by J. S. Bach, Philip Glass, and Michael Nyman and was noted for its “off-kilter moves, spinning promenades in arabesque and consistent drive” (Bachtrack) at its premiere. LET’S BEGIN AT THE END was the first work created for SF Ballet by Rhoden, who is co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Mark Morris’ Sandpaper Ballet, created in 1999 with costumes by Isaac Mizrahi, is a rare work in the repertory that sets neoclassical ballet to “funny” music—in this case, nostalgic pop-orchestral tunes by Leroy Anderson: “Sleigh Ride,” “Fiddle-Faddle,” “The Typewriter,” and more. “I didn’t trust ballet orchestras,” the choreographer writes in Out Loud, his memoir written in collaboration with Wesley Stace. “It turned out that the San Francisco Ballet orchestra was very good.” It was then Morris’ “apology and joke” to set the ballet, his second work for the Company, to Anderson’s novelty tunes. Sandpaper Ballet is one of seven ballets that Morris has created for SF Ballet.

Danielle Rowe’s Wooden Dimes premieres on Program 03 (March 4–24). Filmed at the War Memorial Opera House, Wooden Dimes is Rowe’s first ballet created for SF Ballet’s repertory season. “My appreciation for the art of filmmaking has developed tremendously throughout the creation of Wooden Dimes,” says Rowe, who also directs the film. “I adore the necessity and value given to details, the ability to transform a moment and play in post-production, and the attention and forward thinking required to piece a story together cohesively.” The ballet’s rehearsal process involved Director of Photography Heath Orchardworking both in person and remotely over Zoom, and remote collaboration with costume designer Emma Kingsbury, lighting designers Jim French and Matthew Stouppe, and composer James M. Stephenson, who has created an original score for the ballet. The ballet’s title alludes to the American idiom, “don’t take wooden nickels,” a warning to protect oneself from swindling and manipulation. Set in the roaring ‘20s with art deco stylings, Wooden Dimes follows two characters, Betty and Robert Fine, whose love becomes jeopardized as Betty soars to stardom. Click here to see an interview with Rowe about her creative process.

Wooden Dimes will stream alongside archival captures of Alexei Ratmansky’s Symphony #9and Yuri Possokhov’s Swimmer on Program 03 (March 4—24). Ratmansky’s Symphony #9from Shostakovich Trilogy, co-commissioned by SF Ballet, premiered in 2012 at American Ballet Theatre and is set to Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9 in E-flat major, opus 70. Drawing on ideas and themes from Shostakovich’s life, Symphony #9 features two leading couples and a soloist man who suggests the character of the Soviet composer. The ballet includes scenic designs by George Tsypin and costume designs by Keso Dekker. Program 03 closes with SF Ballet’s Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov’s Swimmer, a smash hit at its premiere in 2015. Swimmer is set to music by SF Ballet Orchestra double bassist Shinji Eshima, who incorporates recorded songs by Tom Waits and others into his score. Inspired by John Cheever’s short story of the same name from 1964, Swimmer includes animated projections by Kate Duhamel, costumes by Mark Zappone, and scenic design by Alexander V. Nichols.

TICKETS

The Premium Plus Digital Package, which offers access to all seven programs in the 2021 Digital Season in addition to bonus content, is priced at $289 and is on sale until April. Single program streams are on sale now and priced at $29 for 72-hour access. Tickets and packages may be purchased online at sfballet.org. For more information, call Ticket Services at 415-865-2000, Monday through Friday from 10 am to 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 8 pm. Click here to view digital viewing tips.

CALENDAR AND CREDIT INFORMATION 

LET’S BEGIN AT THE END

Archival capture from Saturday, May 5, 2018

Composers: Johann Sebastian Bach, Philip Glass, and Michael Nyman
Choreographer: Dwight Rhoden
Scenic Design: Alexander V. Nichols
Costume Design: Christine Darch
Lighting Design: James F. Ingalls
Assistant to the Choreographer: Clifford Williams
Rehearsal Assistant: Ricardo Bustamante

World Premiere: April 26, 2018—San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Myles Thatcher World Premiere

Composer: Steve Reich
Choreographer: Myles Thatcher
Director: Ezra Hurwitz
Costume Design: Susan Roemer
Lighting Design: Jim French
Director of Photography: Ricardo Campos
Editor: Ezra Hurwitz
Executive Producer: Christopher Dennis
Producers: Lauren Finerman and Lindsay Gauthier
Rehearsal Assistant: Katita Waldo

World Premiere: February 11, 2021—San Francisco Ballet

The 2021 world premiere by Myles Thatcher is made possible by Lead Sponsor Mary Jo and Dick Kovacevich; Major Sponsors Brenda and Alexander Leff, and Mrs. Joyce L. Stupski; and Sponsor Kacie and Michael Renc, with additional support from the TeRoller Fund for New Productions of the SF Ballet Endowment Foundation.

Sandpaper Ballet

Archival capture from Sunday, February 16, 2020

Composer: Leroy Anderson
Choreographer: Mark Morris
Staged by: Tina Fehlandt
Costume Design: Isaac Mizrahi
Lighting Design: James F. Ingalls
Rehearsal Assistants: Betsy Erickson and Tina LeBlanc

World Premiere: April 27, 1999—San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Symphony #9

Archival capture from Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich
Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky
Staged by: Nancy Raffa
Scenic Design: George Tsypin
Costume Design: Keso Dekker
Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton
Rehearsal Assistants: Ricardo Bustamante, Katita Waldo

Shostakovich Trilogy was co-commissioned by San Francisco Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.

World Premiere: October 18, 2012—American Ballet Theatre, New York City Center; New York, New York

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: April 2, 2014—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Wooden Dimes (World Premiere)

Composer: James M. Stephenson
Director and Choreographer: Danielle Rowe
Costume Design: Emma Kingsbury
Scenic Properties Design: Alexander V. Nichols
Lighting Design: Jim French and Matthew Stouppe
Director of Photography: Heath Orchard
Editor: Lindsay Gauthier
Executive Producer: Christopher Dennis
Producers: Lauren Finerman and Lindsay Gauthier
Rehearsal Assistant: Felipe Diaz

World Premiere: March 4, 2021—San Francisco Ballet

The 2021 world premiere of Wooden Dimes is made possible by Grand Benefactor Sponsor Margaret and Will Hearst; Lead Sponsors Beth and Brian Grossman, Kelsey and David Lamond, and Catherine and Mark Slavonia; and Sponsors Karen S. Bergman, Brian and Rene Hollins, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Smelick, with additional support from the Osher New Work Fund of the SF Ballet Endowment Foundation. 

Swimmer

Archival capture from Sunday, March 20, 2016

Composers: Shinji Eshima, Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan, and Gavin Bryars
Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov
Scenic Design: Alexander V. Nichols
Costume Design: Mark Zappone
Lighting Design: David Finn
Video Design: Kate Duhamel
Rehearsal Assistant: Anita Paciotti

World Premiere: April 10, 2015—San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

ABOUT MYLES THATCHER

Myles Thatcher is a dancer with San Francisco Ballet and a choreographer. After training at The Harid Conservatory, Ellison Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet School, he joined SF Ballet in 2010. As a dancer, he has performed principal or featured roles in many classical and contemporary ballets, including Lensky in Onegin, and Paris in the 2015 film of Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet for Lincoln Center at the Movies’ Great American Dance. Thatcher began choreographing while a Trainee at SF Ballet School and has created five works for the School. His In the Passerine’s Clutch premiered at SF Ballet’s 2013 Repertory Season Gala; followed by Manifesto, which premiered as part of the 2015 Repertory Season; Ghost in the Machine, which premiered as part of the 2017 Repertory Season; and Otherness, which premiered during 2018 Unbound: A Festival of New Works. In 2015, Thatcher also created Passengers for The Joffrey Ballet, Polaris for New York City Ballet, and Body of Your Dreams for the Rolex Arts Weekend in Mexico City. In 2018, Thatcher’sRedbird premiered at Charlotte Ballet, and in 2020, his dance film Frontiers debuted at My Light Shines On: An Evening with Scottish Ballet. He has also choreographed for Cincinnati Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. Thatcher was selected by Alexei Ratmansky to participate in the 2014–15 Rolex Mentor & Protégé Arts Initiative. He has been nominated for Isadora Duncan Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography for Manifesto and Ghost in the Machine.

ABOUT DANIELLE ROWE

Choreographer Danielle Rowe danced with Australian Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Nederlands Dans Theater. She originated roles in creations by Lightfoot/Leon, Wheeldon, McGregor, Ekman, Pite, and Goecke, and performed the title roles in Giselle, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Rowe has created works for San Francisco Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater’s SWITCH program, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Co.Lab Dance, Ballet Idaho, Grand Rapids Ballet, SFDanceworks, Diablo Ballet, Oakland Ballet, and Berkeley Ballet Theater. She also choreographed for the award-winning dance film Sirens Tango(featuring SF Ballet Principal Dancers Sasha de Sola and Luke Ingham), and the cross-disciplinary immersive theater productions of FURY (a collaboration between SF Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and indie-pop band YASSOU) and Before You Had A Name (a collaboration between Barak Ballet, SF Ballet Principal Dancer Sarah Van Patten, violinist Heather Powell, and multi-media artist Alisa Lapidus). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rowe has pivoted to filmmaking, creating Shelter with Garen Scribner and Alexander Reneff-Olson; Wilis in Corps-en-tine and I Am Spartacus with Scribner (The Australian Ballet); and The Animals (Ballet Idaho). The films garnered positive attention from Vogue, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and Dance Magazine.

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

San Francisco Ballet, long recognized for pushing boundaries in dance, has enjoyed a long and rich tradition of artistic “firsts” since its founding in 1933, including performing the first American productions of Swan Lake and Nutcracker, as well as the first 20th-century American Coppélia. SF Ballet is one of the three largest ballet companies in the United States and currently presents more than 100 performances annually, both locally and internationally. The mission of SF Ballet is to share its joy of dance with the widest possible audience—in its community and worldwide—and to provide the highest caliber of dance training in its School. Under the direction of Helgi Tomasson, the Company has achieved an international reputation as one of the preeminent ballet companies in the world.

CONNECT WITH SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

*Photo: Sarah Van Patten in Danielle Rowe’s “Wooden Dimes”. By Lindsay Gauthier*

COVID 19 by Symara Wilson for 360 Magazine, Covid Travel restriction

Coronavirus Mutations × U.S. Travel Restrictions

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By: Emily Bunn

A breaking news article featured in The New York Times announced that the United States will be imposing a mandatory requirement for negative COVID-19 test results from all incoming, international travelers. The requirement for proof of a negative test in order to fly will begin Tuesday, January 25th.

The CDC has ordered for all travelers to provide proof of a negative test taken no more than 3 days before their travels. Without documentation of a negative test or documentation of recovery supplemented with a letter from a health care provider or public health official, passengers will be prohibited to fly.

The United States is not the only country to be putting in place tighter travel regulations. Due to new mutations of the virus, many countries are adopting stricter border protocol. The New York Times reports:

“Even as the United States moved to impose travel restrictions, citing the danger of the fast-moving variants, a case of the variant spreading in Brazil was identified in Minnesota.”

Variations of the virus in Brazil and South Africa, due to international travel, both pose the threat of COVID-19 mutating. If the virus does mutate, it is potential that the new strain of such will be unreactive to current vaccination efforts.

The New York Times reports that Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, an adviser to President Biden, has commented: “With the world travel that you have, and the degree of transmissibility efficiency, it’s not surprising.” Further, President Biden has broadcasted a ban on travel by all non-citizens into the United States from South Africa, the U.K., Ireland, and 26 other European countries.

An article published today on AP News reported that in attempts to increase vaccination efforts, President Biden announced that his administration is planning to purchase 100 million doses of each of the approved coronavirus vaccines–Pfizer and Moderna. Vaccination deliveries to states will be surged for the next three weeks. The Biden administration has announced that they plan to vaccinate 300 million citizens by the end of summer, as reported by The New York Times.

The President, in a White House briefing on January 26th, commented on importance of increasing vaccination supplies to help Americans:

“And to a nation waiting for action, let me be clearest on this point: Help is on the way.  We can do this if we come together, if we listen to the scientists.”

These efforts come at an especially critical time, as the global number of coronavirus cases has surpassed 100 million, reports The Wall Street Journal. However, that has been recent speculation regarding the accuracy of that number. In New York, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration has been accused of undercounting the amount of coronavirus deaths that occurred at nursing homes. A report released by Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, shows that the coronavirus death count appears to have been cut by approximately 50 percent. The report compares the number of facility deaths publicized by the Department of Health–1,229 deaths, versus the number of facility deaths reported the Office of Attorney General–1,914 deaths. This staggering discrepancy between reported deaths has spurred suspicion against Cuomo, and the Office of Attorney General (OAG) is conducting an on-going investigation concerning the cause of these variances.

However, there is still hope. In Los Angeles, Governor Gavin Newsom rescinded the county’s stay-at-home order this past Monday, reports The Los Angeles Times. This new jurisdiction will allow for all counties in California to return to the four-tier, colored-coded system of assessing coronavirus risk. Lifting the imposed stay-at-home order could allow for the reopening of personal care services and outdoor dining. While LA has been particularly hard hit by coronavirus, the city actually has a higher vaccination rate than most other comparable cities in the U.S. The New York Times reports that “83 percent of the doses the city has received have been administered, compared with 74 percent in New York City; 52 percent in Bexar County, which includes San Antonio; and 58 percent of the doses ordered in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix.”

While the coronavirus situation is still being closely tracked and monitored, hospitalizations and the number of patients in ICUs have been steadily declining. With hospitalizations at their national lowest since December 13th and an increase in vaccination efforts, there is progress to be recognized, despite current setbacks and uncertainties.

Despite progress in vaccination efforts and decreasing corona virus cases, new virus mutations pose critical cause for concern. In countries across the Asia-Pacific region, a new, more infectious variant–the Delta variant–is causing stay-at-home orders to be again put into place. This new variant was first identified in India, and has quickly been spreading. As restrictions begin yet again, countries across the globe are grappling with the harrowing fate that the pandemic is far from over.

In some major Australian cities, such as Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Darwin, residents have been forced into strict lockdowns. Flights are even being banned due to the new threat, with Hong Kong barring British entry. Indefinite stay-at-home orders were extended by the Malaysian government on Monday. In Malaysia, the new variant is especially threatening, as only 6% of the country’s residents are fully vaccinated, reports the New York Times.

India has faced a devastating, major second wave of coronavirus due to the Delta Plus variant, a sub-lineage of the Delta variant. This past spring, the dangerous variant caused thousands of deaths per day, and forced residents into partial stay-at-home orders, yet again. Much like in Malaysia, in India only 5% of the population is fully vaccinated. In fear of a third wave of the virus, Maharashtra’s chief minister, Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, has authorized the use of a fourth vaccine in an attempt to increase vaccination supplies.

In good news, the Covid-19 vaccination is largely effective against the new Delta variant. However, this Delta variant is 50 percent more contagious than several of the other variants of concern, such as the Alpha variant.

As countries continue reopening, people look toward high vaccination rates to change the coronavirus game. In the U.S. and Britain, officials are planning to, or already have, lift most pandemic restrictions. White House secretary, Jen Psaki, recently announced that the United States would send two million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to Peru. Additionally, the U.S. looks to send 2.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine to Pakistan. A third shipment of 1.5 million Moderna vaccination doses will be sent to Honduras from the United States.

Looking ahead to this weekend, July 30-Aug 1, 2021, the return of  a major musical festival threatens a super-spreader event. The highly infectious variant of COVID-19 has again created a surge in the number of recent coronavirus cases. As festival fans migrate to Chicago for Lollapalooza – the first of which held since 2019 – the Windy City braces for the potentially devastating impact.

Fortunately, the festival is taking several precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. All attendees must be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of event entry. However, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that not all guests will be honest about meeting these requirements.

The head of the BBB, Steve Bernas, warns of the potential for festival scammers who fabricate fake vaccine cards and negative test results. “We anticipate a double whammy this year not only the tickets but also the vaccine cards,” Bernas said in a statement. “The scammers will be out in full force.” He continues, cautioning ticket buyers to be on high-alert: “Just like finding tickets, there are countless ways for consumers to find vaccinations cards online, with online marketplaces, ticket sellers, resellers and the like…and unfortunately, some of them are rip-offs”

One of Chicago’s top coronavirus experts, Dr. Emily Landon, also weighed in on the weekend’s festivities. She argues that Lollapalooza’s 72-hour testing window is too lenient, and that the city is inviting in a massive spike of cases by holding the concert. NBC Chicago reports that Dr. Emily Landon commented, “Lolla has let us down with respect to how vigorously they’re restricting people based on the things that they sort of initially told us (about how) ‘we’re going to be really strict’ and now it’s like they’ve lightened up quite considerably on checking vaccines and negative tests.”

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady expressed concerns similar to Dr. Emily Landon’s. Recognizing the importance of getting vaccinated, she commented the following in a coronavirus update last week: “We want people to have a good time and we want this to be as safe as it can be…And so certainly we’ll be watching that just as we do any other gathering, but I am more concerned about the many people who have not chosen the COVID vaccine.”

Still, Chicago’s mayor and top doctor still haven’t wavered their support for the much-loved music festival. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot expressed her desire the event to occur as safely as possible, though she didn’t comment on the recent uptick in case numbers and coronavirus hospitalizations. NBC 5 Chicago reports on the current coronavirus statistics in the city:

“Chicago’s average daily number of new cases rose to 130 per day early Monday – a 76% jump compared to last week. The city’s average daily case rate was at 90 per day last week and 41 per day the week before that, meaning it’s more than tripled in roughly three weeks. However, it is still significantly lower than the more than 700 cases per day the city was seeing earlier this year and last, before vaccines were widely available.”

Additional safety measures, including mandatory mask-wearing on public transport, will also be enforced. The Chicago Transit Authority is offering reduced ticket rates this weekend for Lollapalooza travelers.

As Summer winds down, COVID-19 cases are beginning to rise yet again. Several virus variants, including the new Lambda variant, are causing major concern among Americans. In an attempt to quell concern, several cities have launched vaccine passport programs.

Across the United States, metropolitan hubs including New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans are requiring residents to show proof of vaccination before entering indoor spaces. That means that visiting gyms, concerts, restaurants, and more will require citizens to have both of their required vaccination shots. Vaccine passports are not being put in place to stop public gatherings, but are intended to creater safer enviroments outside of one’s home.

However, many Americans are opting to stay indoors yet again, thanks to new variant threats. The Lambda variant, which was first detected in Peru and is quckly spreading through South America, is causing concern among citizens. The New York Times reports that “On June 14, the World Health Organization designated it as a “variant of interest,” meaning, essentially, that experts suspect it could be more dangerous than the original strain.”

However, it has been reported that the Lambda variant is likely not as contagious as other deadly virus mutuations, like the Delta variant. And fortunately, the Lambda variant is able to be combatted by the vaccines that have currently rolled out across the U.S. The New York Times records the climbing numbers of the Lambda variant, “As of mid-June, Lambda had been reported in 29 countries, territories or areas, according to a June 15 update from the W.H.O. The variant had been detected in 81 percent of coronavirus samples sequenced in Peru since April, and 31 percent of those in Chile to date, the agency said.” However, assessing the virus has been difficult due to Latin America’s limited ability to conduct geonomic surveillance and follow-up laboratory studies, reports the NYT. Scientists and medical professionals around the world are currently conducting research to better understand this new variant and its implications.

HotelPlanner’s Delta Variant Coverage:

America’s comeback is in jeopardy. The Delta variant is surging, prompting concerns that we need another lockdown. Travel executives are already huddling, discussing potential next steps to both protect guests and their businesses’ bottom lines. Americans were traveling in record numbers, and people are wondering if this could slow down the sector. How could the Delta variant, and other emerging variants, impact travel?

“We are watching the rapid uptick in Delta variant case infections closely, says Tim Hentschel, Co-Founder and CEO of HotelPlanner. “Although some families may choose to curtail their summer travel plans, we remain confident that the vast majority of Americans who were planning to travel this summer will keep their plans, while exercising more caution with crowds and destination selection. For those who are already vaccinated, the Delta variant shouldn’t be a deterrent to summer travel because they should be protected.”

ABOUT HOTELPLANNER

HotelPlanner is a leading travel technology company that combines proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, and a 24/7 global gig-based reservations and customer service network, to quickly and seamlessly serve all traveler hotel & accommodation needs from a single platform.

HotelPlanner is one of the world’s top providers of individual, group, and corporate travel bookings, specializing in unique “Closed User Group” discount rates.

Founded in 2004, HotelPlanner has enduring partnerships with the world’s largest Online Travel Agencies, well-known hotel chains, individual hotels, online wedding providers, ancillary lodging providers, corporations, sports franchises, universities, and government agencies.

Tech illustration for 360 Magazine

SMART CITIES X DIGITAL TWINS TECHNOLOGY

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Covid-19 drives international Smart Cities market boom with 500 urban areas around the world expected to adopt Digital Twin technology by 2025.

The need to increase resilience and optimise resource management in light of COVID-19 will be among the key drivers for the growth of Digital Twins over the next five years, according to ABI Research. The global tech market advisory firm expects the number of urban Digital Twins to exceed 500 by 2025, and that implementation will expand beyond limited pilots to widespread multi-purpose deployments.

The latest quarterly report from ABI Research entitled Smart Cities and Smart Spaces positions Cityzenith alongside Bentley Systems and Microsoft as businesses best placed to capitalise in this expanding market.It is estimated that the Digital Twin market will grow from $3.8 billion in 2019, to $35.8 billion per year by 2025, at a CAGR of 45.4%*

Dominique Bonte, Vice President, End Markets at ABI Research, said: “Real-time 3D models of cities-built environment allow scenario analysis through the simulation of the potential impact of natural disasters like flooding, [adoption of] generative design principles for new city developments [which optimise] energy savings and solar capacity, and saving costs by operating cities more efficiently and effectively.”

He noted that since the first Digital Twins were deployed in cities such as Singapore around three years ago, features have quickly expanded to enable a much wider range of application areas including infrastructure coverage planning and green infrastructure management. Boston is one city to have already employed the use of Digital Twins, alongside Helsinki, Jaipur and Dublin.

“The Digital Twin ecosystem system activity is growing quickly with more suppliers announcing more deployments in more cities,” said Bonte. “Vendors like Dassault Systèmes and others are paving the way for extending urban Digital Twins to marketplaces and opening access to key metrics and dashboards to the citizens themselves, increasing their overall involvement and helping gain approval of city government decisions and policies.”

In order to help cities achieve carbon neutrality, Cityzenith  announced in October 2020 that it will donate its Digital Twin software to up to 10 cities over the next year as part of their Clean Cities – Clean Future campaign. Additionally, Bentley Systems partnered with Microsoft to integrate Azure IoT Digital Twins and Azure Maps into its iTwins platform.

Michael Jansen, CEO and founder of Chicago based Cityzenith , said “We at Cityzenith welcome this news and are delighted to be a part of the growing Digital Twin industry. We believe our Clean Cities – Clean Future campaign can be a key component of this global effort towards cleaner cities and a safer environment.”

Drew Barrymore illustration by Kaelen Felix for 360 MAGAZINE

FLOWER Beauty Hair Tools Collection by Drew Barrymore

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Drew Barrymore is truly a jack of all trades from producing, directing, and acting on tv and in film, to hosting a talk show, and now producing a line of hair tools exclusively available at Walmart.

Introducing Flower Hair Tools, a collection of essentials curated by Drew Barrymore that are not only high-quality, but also bold and beautiful. These six must-have hair tools are multi-functional and versatile, ensuring users have many options when styling their hair. Each tool is carefully designed to make styling hair easier, offering solutions for all hair types and using innovative engineering techniques to give consumers the ultimate quality at an affordable price.

The Collection

Ionic Volumizing Styler

With two heat settings up to 400˚ F, this styler is perfect for adding limitless body to your hair while also helping you style luscious waves and/or curls. ($39.88)

Ceramic Styling Iron

With its beveled edges and rounded shape, this styling iron will help you create smooth, straight hairstyles without any snagging or creasing. ($69.88)

Ceramic Straightening Brush

This straightening brush will give you smooth, straight hair in less time with its 4 heat settings that provide consistent, even temperature. Instant heat recovery also provides better results with fewer passes and faster styling.($59.88)

Titanium Rotating Styling Iron

The rounded design of the revolving barrel straightens better than any flat iron. The ionic bristles and tourmaline ceramic plate polish hair to reduce frizz and deliver unbelievable shine. This glorious, rotating iron can add bombshell curls or beachy waves with a flick of the wrist. ($69.88)

Ionic Pro Dryer

This ultra-lightweight, advanced hair dryer will have your hair drying in half the usual time. The Ionic boost feature will dry the water from the surface but not remove the moisture within your hair. ($79.88)

Ionic Travel Dryer

This compact and lightweight, powerful hair dryer with dual voltage capabilities make it the perfect addition to your carry-on, gym bag, or hotel or dorm room. ($29.88)

Ionic Pro Diffuser

This finger diffuser enhances your natural curl texture to control and create soft, shiny movement. Get your curl’s best bounce, body and volume possible. ($14.99)

This colorful collection has a product to fit any hair routine at an affordable price point. You can find more about the FLOWER Beauty brand here.

Drew Barrymore FLOWER Beauty Hair Tools