Demi Lovato The Actor’s Scene NFL Pro Bowl The Ellis Hotel
No. 8
Georgia Tech ATL Jewish Music Fest Hawks Casino Night Kaity Moreira
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Art
Video Games
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Events
13 Music
10 Movies
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Recreation & Travel
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Sports
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Arts & Culture
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE All content and images are property of The Peach Review速 unless otherwise noted
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Manhattan View Looking South in Large Room
Paper-Self
Cuban-born American artist Abelardo Morell has become internationally renowned over the past 25 years for employing the language of photography to explore visual surprise and wonder. In “Abelardo Morell: The Universe Next Door,” the High Museum of Art will present the first major retrospective of Morell’s photography in 15 years. The High’s exhibition, on view until May 18, 2014, will include new works by Morell that the Museum commissioned in 2013 for its ongoing “Picturing the South” series, which asks noted photographers to turn their lenses toward the American South.
series from the artist’s career— including many newer color photographs never before exhibited—the exhibition demonstrates how Morell utilizes photography’s earliest techniques and the power of artistic perspective to reveal the contemporary world in fresh, inventive ways. The exhibition highlights Morell’s innovative and celebrated use of camera obscura – a technique that allows him to transform entire rooms into giant cameras and
record mesmerizing scenes from the outside world projected onto interior environments. Also Organized by The Art Institute featured in the exhibition are his of Chicago, in association with the pioneering explorations with a custom-made tent camera and his J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, and the High Museum of series of works based on the Art, “Abelardo Morell: The classic fantasy novel “Alice in Universe Next Door” showcases Wonderland.” more than 100 works created from 1986 to the present, including 11 To complement the works in the prints from the High’s permanent show that span his career, the collection. Showing a range of High will unveil the images Morell All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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Down the Rabbit Hole
created for his “Picturing the South” commission in an adjacent gallery. For the commission, Morell focused on representing trees—an iconic subject that has captivated artists throughout the history of photography—in playfully unusual and imaginative ways. In addition to trees of the Southern landscape, he has employed a camera obscura to capture their urban counterpoint in select views of the Atlanta skyline. Morell began traveling through Southern states in the summer of 2013 and will complete the series by early 2014 for inclusion in the exhibition. More information about the results of the commission will be released in the coming months. Morell joins past participants in “Picturing the South” including Sally Mann, Dawoud Bey, Richard Misrach, Emmet Gowin, Alex Webb and Alec Soth.
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View of the Brooklyn Bridge in Bedroom
“Morell approaches photography with remarkable wit and creativity. In the age of digital photography, it’s refreshing to see how his work returns to the principles of optics and perspective to offer revelations for the viewer,” said Brett Abbott, curator of photography at the High. “The opportunity to present a retrospective of his career and at the same time celebrate the creative potential of our region with his new work is a great honor for the High.”
“Camera Obscura: Santa Maria della Salute in Palazzo Bedroom, Venice, Italy,” 2006
Key works in the exhibition will include:
“Paper-Self,” 2012 (a portrait of the artist’s profile as delineated by a stack of paper)
“Down the Rabbit Hole” (From “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”), 1998 “Camera Obscura: View of Atlanta Looking South Down Peachtree Street in Hotel Room,” 2013 “Tent-Camera Image on Ground: View of Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming,” 2011
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“Abelardo Morell: The Universe Next Door” is accompanied by a 176-page catalogue with 40 color and 100 duotone illustrations. The catalogue includes an illustrated chronology of Morell’s life and works by Abbott, as well as an essay by Elizabeth Siegel (The Art Institute of Chicago associate curator, department of photography) and an interview with the artist conducted by Paul Martineau (associate curator of photographs at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles). -TPR Page 5
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This amazing experience all began at a small yet very impressive school of acting called The Actor’s Scene, located in Buford, Ga. I had the privilege of meeting a lovely young lady named Jonna Johnson, who is one of the leading coaches at The Actor’s Scene. I witnessed the well-educated acting coach live inaction during her improv workshop for kids. The kids were so adorable, wellbehaved, and professional. Bursting with creative ideas, the kids were able to create a 15 minute improv scene displaying their talent as young, upcoming actors. I sat in the corner of the room in awe of how well these little thespians performed their skits. I absolutely loved and thoroughly enjoyed spectating the last day of the improv workshop. It was apparent that The Actor’s Scene provides essential tools to equip their students with a solid foundation into the world of acting. Before Mrs. Johnson started with her class, I asked her a few personal and work related questions: How long have you been acting?
My background is musical theatre and I’ve been acting since 2004 professionally. This is a film school and I recently wrapped my 2nd film but I don’t audition much, teaching is my passion. As far as acting its just whenever I can because its an extra job but my students are most important. I do a lot of hosting, speaking events, theatre, and speeches for women empowerment. But as far as acting that’s something that’s growing for me without doing much, just word of mouth and networking.
like it though, I’m sort of like the goto coach for kids. I don’t teach actors, I teach artists (smile).
For young adults, would you recommend for them to go to Graduate School? Within the industry, that’s a huge conversation that has a lot of controversy over it. You don’t have to have a degree in this industry. If you have a passion, motivation, can accept being judged, be your own self and don’t get discouraged? you can make it in this industry. I don’t encourage going and spending How long have you been with Actors money on tuition on college when you can really meet good coaches Scene? and get affiliated with good schools Two years. I came from Tennessee, like this one. We have huge graduated from MTSU (Middle showcases every year and we invite Tennessee State University), my those high-profile agents. We set the husband was in the NFL a few platform for our relationships, push years, had children, and did my our students, and they book agents. studies while taking care of them. I Janna Van Dyke, J Pervis, and Alpha was in film and commercial until I was certified to apply with the Tyler were at our last event, people school system. of that caliber. We back students up, they have their head-shots, and they How large are your classes? have their résumé together so they It ranges. My young ones when I go into it prepared. have parents bring their kids in its mainly for confidence. My 4-7 year Based off of my experience at The old classes are 5-7 students, our Actorʼs Scene I would highly max now is 10. Towards the end of recommend this school for anyone the semester my classes are at interested in Acting classes. 15-16 students a class. We go by 3,6, and 9 month periods and I ! always have returning students. So ! -Natalie Rojas within the past 2 years I have 4 year- ! olds that are signed with agents. I
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STYLE UP FASHION charities to bring clients the
Her aesthetic is inspired by
best of luxury, fashion, and inspired living.
nature, architecture, and design, and informed by her experiences as a yoga teacher, new mom, and entrepreneur.
A native of Hershey, PA, Kaity studied Economics at New York University and interned in finance before deciding she wanted a career that combined creativity, a service-oriented mindset, and business savvy. At age 21, she co-founded the NY/NJ chain Bamboomoves Yoga Kaity Moreira is a fashion innovator, wardrobe stylist, author, speaker, and new mom. Her company Style Up Co. provides wardrobe and fashion services to men and women in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles and around the globe. Named as one of CBS's Top Atlanta Fashion Blogs, Style Up Co. has collaborated with local emerging designers, national fashion brands, and global
studios where she led classes, trained yoga teachers, and led international service retreats. In 2012, life changes brought her to Atlanta, GA, where she founded STYLE UP CO. to combine a passion for fashion and style with inspired living and personal transformation. Known for her bright spirit as well as her attention to detail, Kaity enjoys styling fashion shows and photo shoots in addition
Naturally with this type of talent, we decided to join forces to show off her and her team’s fashion prowess for the spring. She was clear that her aim was something sexy and feminine but very classy at the same time. It was a great opportunity working with Kaity and the Style Up Co. team. All of them have a great, positive attitude which makes for a comfortable environment to work/style/shop in. It’s no wonder we’ve never seen lingerie look so classy! Perhaps even folks like us need to step our ‘style up’.
to her private clients.
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1. Jacket- Ted Baker Panties- American Apparel Socks- American Apparel Shoes- Jessica Simpson Clutch- Tasha Jewelry- Givenchy
2. Jacket- Helmut Lang Bra- Cosabella Skirt- Vince Camuto Necklaces- Givenchy Bracelets on left hand- Givenchy Bangles on right hand- Nadri
3. Sweater- Ted Baker Shorts- American Apparel Tights- La Perla All Jewelry- Givenchy
4. Jacket- Helmut Lang Slip dress- In Bloom by Jonquil Coat- Milly Shoes- Jessica Simpson
Stylist: Kaity Moreira Assistant Stylist: Caroline Nunan Makeup Artist: Keisha Campbell Photographer: Anna Lira Model: Chloe Warren Nordstrom Stylist: MJ
*All clothes can be found at Nordstrom
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Video Game
Reviews All content and images are property of The Peach Review速 unless otherwise noted
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Beyond Two Souls, from the same makers as Heavy Rain, is the first game I’ve played that seemed like an actual movie (more like I was directing a movie). It’s about this girl named Jodie and she has paranormal powers or more likely she’s connected with a lost soul. She goes through many trials and tribulations starting as a kid till an adult, from being in a gifted school to joining the military and being homeless. The story is very deep and interesting. Don’t think of this game as an all-out action game, there is some action in it but you’re not putting in any combinations. It’s more like you’re just solving puzzles, so basically it makes you think a lot. You get to control two characters, Jodie and Aiden, (Aiden is the invisible entity she has a link to). The controls are very simple, you only use both analog sticks and a trigger but, most of the action you are doing is with Aiden. It’s actually pretty cool, you’ve got to possess people and scare the crap out of them because with Aiden you’re practically a ghost. The story for this game is really deep! Jodie feels like an outcast because she has this link with Aiden, but everyone else thinks that she’s just a crazy little girl. She gets taken into a research facility where she lives most of her life at and they are also doing research on her. She joins the military, but didn’t want to use her powers to kill people, so then she runs away and meets up with a homeless guy. There she learns the values of life but also wants to commit suicide. But we come to find out the government just wanted to use her for an experiment, the same way they did with her mom, but she found that out the hard way. They also wanted to open up a portal to another world, but Jodie put an end to that. The only thing that confused me about the game is that you have multiple endings which most of them don’t make sense, and in the middle of the game you stay with some Native Americans. They could’ve left that part out because it kind of had nothing to do with the story. They could’ve REALLY left that part out, but all in all the game is good. It doesn’t have any replay value so after you beat it, it’ll just collect dust. I give it a 8 out of 10. -TBZ All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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Deadly Premonition, I may not have much to say about this game (in a positive manner). I tried it and yet I did not want to play it after 5 minutes, but it’s one of those type of games you have to finish (or is it just me?). I understand the game was based off a show called Twin Peaks that everyone keeps telling me about, but I haven’t heard about the show, let’s hope it’s better than this game. So the game was meant for the PS2 but was put on the PS3, you can tell by the downgraded graphics. The game gave me a Silent Hill feeling, it was just really eerie and creepy which might be the only thing it had going for it. Besides the PS2 graphics, the game was also slow and it took a while for everything to happen. Then when you got to the action, everything was slow again. Everything was too far apart: it’s supposed to be a small town but everything is REALLY spread apart and the vehicles are stupid slow. They move as slow as the main character from Parasite Eve and she runs pretty slowly. Now let’s see if this makes sense: you can walk and hit zombies or ghosts or whatever they are with a blunt object like a pipe, knife, golf club, or a sword, but you can’t hold your gun and move at the same time? I wanted to be able to walk or run while I’m aiming my gun, it’s a third person shooter why couldn’t I have that option? Now let’s get back to the zombies (ghosts or whatever they are) like... what are they? It was never explained in the game what they are, the only thing you know about is the Rain Coat killer, but the people who would say “kill me” you didn’t know if they were zombies or anything. Then they never explained how Detective Frank York could see them, he just appeared in the town and was like… “I can see dead people.” He didn’t say that but we just assumed without any explanation why he could. Then what was up with the main bosses? one transformed into Blanka from Street Fighter and the other dude became more like the Blob from the X-men and started bouncing around everywhere. Deadly Premonition, it could have been a good game if only they would have taken a scrub brush, went over it, made some improvements and upgraded the graphics to make it look like it belongs on the PS3. I give them a A for the eeriness/creepiness, but I give them a F overall everything else. -TBZ All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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EVENTS
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Suwanee Beer Fest
We have to be honest, living in Atlanta can spoil you if you’re a fan of beer. With numerous beer festivals throughout the year and 17 Breweries/ BrewPubs around the city, it is easy to claim Atlanta as the Beer Hub of the Southeast. Saturday March 15, marked the 4th annual Suwanee American Craft Beer Fest. Normally we may seem a bit bias because we are always spotted ITP (Inside The Perimeter) but we can tell you with confidence, that this is worth the drive no matter where you live.
There was live music, food samples, tons of vendors and food vendors, a cornhole tournament, and over 100 Breweries were represented this year. There was also a Beer Growler Tent, an Irish Tent, and Beer Draught Trailers. Brews included: Red Hook, Jekyll, Kona, Full Sail, Sam Adams, Boulder, Founders, Heavy Seas, and Boulevard. We couldn’t think of a better place to host this event than Suwanee Town Center Park. If you haven’t been, it’s a beautiful green-space with restaurants, shops, and their City Hall. The festival has made a tradition in donating a portion of all proceeds to Kingdom Kids, a Gwinnett & Forsyth County nonprofit that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. So people were drinking beer for a cause... cool right? Everyone at the festival was fun and a pleasure to be around. The guidebook you receive upon entering even has a section titled “Tips for making this year’s beer fest epic.” So remember, this time in March next year to get ready and save your special edition glass you’ll receive, because the beer will be flowing!
-TPR All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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T he
Pre view
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The Preview Trade Show was the perfect platform for already established and up-and-coming clothing brands to unite and give a “preview” of what’s to come for the new season. It was a great opportunity for urban/skate/indie brands to come together in one place and show off their proudest work and latest creations. This amazing show took place at the Georgia International Convention Center. Media, buyers, and guests alike came and basked in all of the awesomeness Preview ATL had to offer, and it was hosted by ATL’s very own Publik Trust. A few brands we saw in attendance were BBC/Ice Cream, Moss Clothing, Veritas Apparel, GMI Clothing (Get Money Industries), Dope, Coke Boys, CBC (Chemical Baby Clothing), Grind Stone, L.A.T.H.C. (Los Angeles Tree House Club), Fly Supply, Yums, and Silvano.
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The Preview Trade Show What makes this trade show so special is that it focuses solely on the urban perspective of clothing. This is very important and coincides directly with Atlanta’s influence on the music industry (its URBAN influence) as the backdrop of Atlanta is guess what? Urban. You can’t list a top 10 set of producers, artists, or studios, and NOT mention Atlanta, because they’re either from here or live here. So hosting a gathering of creative minds that feed into the very culture that makes Atlanta special, is altogether special in itself. With the trade show spanning 2 days and hosting companies from California, Texas, New York, and even Connecticut, it was a great success and definitely something you don’t want to miss next time if you’re into the latest urban/indie/skater trends! Big shout to Publik Trust for providing a platform for such an event.
Photography: Hakim Wright, Yoh Phillips, and X
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-TPR
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Ladies Who Brunch On Sunday, March 16, 2014, I had the pleasure of attending the "Ladies Who Brunch: My Journey Seminar." The event, which was created by @dayybella and @sassymitchell of Instagram, has created a buzz not only in Atlanta but other major cities as well.
Callonwolde Mansion served as the venue on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The weather had no effect on the many young women who were in attendance. As you entered the venue, you were greeted by several vendors some of which were on the board of speakers. The hostesses were very much involved, taking pictures with attendees and answering questions. After the seminar began, we entered a larger room with white drapes accented with pink and yellow balloons. The color scheme continued onto the table settings with a bouquet of pink and yellow flowers. After the welcome, the "My Journey Seminar" began.
from careers in lash extensions, makeup artistry, baking, and even teeth whitening. Each of the ladies spoke of the struggles and triumphs of their careers and offered helpful advice. The seminar also included a segment that educated the attendees on the financial and legal sides of running a business. Ashley Fox, who is a former Wall Street Analyst turned Financial Leadership Coach, gave a very motivating speech on the importance of financial education.
The panel included several female entrepreneurs ranging
All in all this was an incredible event for anyone who owns a
business or is just starting out. It's easy to see why it is becoming such a huge success. Below you will find the Instagram names of all of the ladies that were apart of this wonderful seminar. If you are a business minded woman in Atlanta I would definitely add this to your to-do list! IG Names: @dayybella @sassymitchellhair @missconceited @thefitandfancy @makeupbyoz @myfairsweets @misshollywoodposh @sierra_glamshop_ @taylormadde @closureaddictz -Keisha Campbell
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Atlanta Hawks Casino Night
President of Basketball Operations Danny Ferry
Ryan Cameron
On Sunday, February 9, our Atlanta Hawks hosted their annual Casino Night sponsored by Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort at Opera nightclub. Over 600 tickets were sold for this year’s Casino Night and the entire Hawks roster was in attendance. On top of the roster, team legends, coaches, and executives were present and interacted with guests throughout the night. The Atlanta Hawks Foundation Casino Night fundraiser started back in 2001. Since the foundation’s beginning in 1988, it has contributed millions of dollars in monetary and in-kind donations to the Atlanta community. The foundation has 3 key focus areas: Education, Health & Wellness, and Recreation. To supplement these they came up with 3 programs in Scholarships, Charitable Giving, and Court Renovation.
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Celebrity attendees included singer Monica, Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins, Takeo Spikes,David Banner, NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo and many more! It was a fantastic event that was enjoyed by all and we saw first hand why it’s so important to the Atlanta community as it supports the Hawks’ Foundation vision.
Al Horford and wife Amelia
David Banner
Jeff Teague
Lisa Tanker-Potts (R) and guest All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted !
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Richard Seymour and wife Tanya
Guest enjoying the view
Gustavo Ayon, Pero Antic, Kyle Korver, and Shelvin Mack
Dominique Wilkins and Dikembe Mutombo Lou Williams, Mike Scott, and Jeff Teague
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Monica
All smiles in attendance
Elton Brand and Takeo Spikes
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Stan Mukoro and Greg Mabry from Bentley Atlanta
Nikki Mack (Cheer Captain) (R) with one of her teammates
Marvell Steeples
Hawks Cheerleaders
Newly arrived guests
This is one fundraiser you definitely want to attend! Tickets were a little over $100, it goes to a great cause and the fun and photo-ops are countless! The live music was great and Ryan Cameron did a great job with his MC responsibilities for the evening. It was a very calm and relaxed environment with food and drinks everywhere. We better see you there next year! -Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review速 unless otherwise noted !
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Lil Bibby Tree Sound Event
At the beginning of every year, Mali & Tree Sound have a winter social for press, DJs and promoters to mingle and enjoy a dinner with their peers. Each year Mali presents new music from an artist/project that is being worked on at Tree Sound; from Big Krit, Yela Wolf, B.O.B, Drake, J Cole, Killer Mike to Wiz Khalifa, T.I, 2 Chainz and Trinidad James.
These dinners have celebrated the success of their music, as it is happening, and gives press and the artist a chance to hang with each other, do Mali and Lil Bibby interviews, drops, etc. On Thursday, January 16, guests had the opportunity to meet and enjoy Lil Bibby as we celebrated the success of his Free Crack mixtape along with the unveiling of his video for his hit single "Water". If you ever have the opportunity to visit Tree Sound and experience Mali’s cooking, you are one lucky soul! We wish Bibby all the best and we look forward to bringing you more from Mali and the Tree Sound gang! -Story & Photos: Yoh Phillips and X
Music producer Kane All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
The Kooley Brothers
Mali with one of her guests Page 22
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MOVIE
REVIEWS All content and images are property of The Peach Review速 unless otherwise noted
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Let’s begin by saying 300 Rise of an Empire was awesome. Just straight, up, awesome. Obviously a guy movie, the muscle-bound adventures continue as Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) narrates and brings us up to speed as to what’s happening and how the world came to such a treacherous time. She goes back far enough to explain the root of Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) anger, which came when his father, King Darius (Igal Naor), took an arrow to the chest by our new protagonist Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton). Xerxes’ advisor and leader of the Persian Naval Fleet is Artemisia (Eva Green) who at one time also led the military under King Darius. Now with this film, I’m seeing a lot of what I remember when the initial 300 debuted: Bad reviews, epic box office sales. I’ve seen lots of 6′s and 7′s while holding the #1 spot in America. It’s an awesome movie but I know the problem that the hardcore Leonidas fans have with this film. It’s very simple actually… there’s no Leonidas. “Tonight we dine in hell!” “This! Is! SPARTA!” “This is where we fight! This is where they die!” Yeah, none of that in this one. So if you come across anyone that says “well…. I don’t know, something was different about this one,” that’s because the character that MADE the first 300 died by death of a trillion arrows. That and the battles in this film are at sea as opposed to the land battles that filled the first film. But was it still epic? Yes. Were Greeks jumping off cliffs to kill people? Yes. Were there more epic battle scenes? You better believe it! And although I caught a regular screening, you can tell this movie would be amazing in 3D! I’m giving this a solid 9 out of 10. If you never saw the first installment that’s ok. This movie brings you up to speed with everything that has happened and prepares you for what is to come. Also, if you’re new to the series you need to know there is lots of violence and a boatload of blood. Zack Snyder (screenwriter) you’ve done it again! -Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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I’ve been waiting for this movie to come out for a few reasons: A) It’s Liam Neeson. B) He’s probably going to find you and he’s probably going to kill you (if you haven’t seen the “Taken” series you don’t know the ‘new’ Liam Neeson). C) I enjoy movies that test your mind. In Non-Stop, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, an air marshal named Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk. The stakes? The antagonist has vowed to periodically kill passengers unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account. The challenge comes in trying to figure out who’s behind those text messages. With so many people on the airplane it literally could be anyone and the fact they’re in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean doesn’t help either. But it’s not all bad for our air marshal Bill. He develops a quasi-friendship with passenger Jen Summers (Julianne Moore). Non-Stop is thankfully unpredictable as you won’t find out who’s behind the plot until the end of the movie and it’s not too cheesy (love interest, lightly placed comedy). It won’t take up too much of your time at 1hr 46 mins. A cool thing is you get to see Liam Neeson texting on what looks like an old school T-Mobile Sidekick. I give it 8.5 out of 10. You won’t be disappointed for seeing this in the theater. -Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men is an action drama focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon that goes into Germany to rescue some of Europe’s greatest artwrok from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners. Directed by George Clooney, this film explores another side of the war that often goes untold. All of the precious pieces of art that were stolen was incredible, and if Hitler’s safety was compromised, they had instructions to destroy it. The Monuments Men consisted of Frank Stokes (George Clooney), James Granger (Matt Damon), Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), Walter Garfield (John Goodman), Jean-Claude Clermont (Jean Dujardin), Donald Jeffries (Hugh Bonneville) and Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban). It should also be noted that Clooney co-wrote the screenplay as well. While the movie was a learning experience and the acting was great (and Bill Murray was funny as always), the movie felt like it was dragging on. There were 3 different occasions when I checked my watch because the film is listed under 2 hours but I felt like it was pushing 2 hours and 30 minutes. Aside from wondering when the movie was actually going to end, it was a great film with balanced facetime. Meaning that no actor “stole the show.” Everyone had an even amount of coverage which I think is a big deal with so many A-list actors in 1 film. I give it a 8 out of 10. If you’re looking for a good movie to see on a weekend, this one won’t disappoint. -Jon J.
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Lone Survivor was one of the most intense films I’ve seen in recent memory. The film is based on a true story of courage, when Marcus Lutrell (Mark Wahlberg) and his team set out on a mission to capture or kill a notorious terrorist in late June 2005. The mission began with a smooth start, but quickly goes awry once Lutrell’s communication devices lose signal. There begins the ultimate fight for their lives where instinct and experience are all they have to keep them afloat. This film was directed and co-written by Peter Berg. If you aren’t familiar with him as a director you may remember him as an actor from films like Cop Land, Lions for Lambs, and more notably with Tom Cruise in Collateral. His most recent directorial appearance was the movie Battleship (which I thought was OK but got pretty bad reviews overall). I’ve been hearing questions like “Is Peter Berg the next Martin Scorsese?” I’m not sure about that, but with this film he has a solid movie to support him in the argument. Also working in his favor, is the fact he has experienced actors such as Mark Wahlberg and Eric Bana in the film (and both do an excellent job). I can give this a solid 9 out of 10. The film is about 2 hours long and remember, it’s about a military mission (lots of guns and people being shot) as a forewarning for those who may be squeamish about blood or guns.
-Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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Out of pure coincidence (after our Lone Survivor comments), we review The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by that’s right, Martin Scorsese. Oh where to begin with this movie… ? We meet Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) and follow him from days as a small-time player on Wall Street to forming one of the biggest firms in existence. But he couldn’t achieve this feat alone, he had a co-captain and Vice President in Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill). Their story is crazy, hilarious, ridiculous, and involves a lot of partying and a lot of drugs (and I mean TONS of drugs). Jordan’s life only gets crazier after he marries Naomi Napaglia (Margot Robbie) and ignores the sound advice of his father Max (Rob Reiner). As in most rise-and-fall stories, many rules were broken here. The only one I’ll divulge before you see the movie is the most expected “keeping a low profile,” which is hard to do when you go from nothing in your bank account to 7 figures. But the office parties included prostitutes and drugs, so just imagine what life was like outside of the work place! The 2 most common things I hear about this movie are “it’s a great movie” and “it’s just too long.” Well after watching for myself I can agree with the first, it’s a great movie. I can understand why people thought it was too long, because after the inevitable happens people expected the movie to close. But instead it continues on, and not just 5 or 10 minutes, the film in total is about 3 hours long (3 hours? The Neo of Wall Street? No wait, the The Wolf of the Rings?). Yes, although there’s never a dull moment in the film, you will eventually glance at your watch like “how long have we been here?” I’ll give The Wolf of Wall Street 8.5 out of 10. Leo acted his tail off in this movie and you’ll leave the theatre with the same feeling if you can withstand all the vulgarities in this film. A name to look out for in the future? Margot Robbie. This is her first BIG film and I have a feeling we may see more of her very soon. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
-Jon J.
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Ben Stiller directs and stars in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, an amazing story of how a daydreamer changes his boring life and makes it adventurous. Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) lived an extremely boring life and on top of that he was single. Working at LIFE magazine hadn’t brought any excitement to his life and the work never changed. Until one day, when he and co-worker Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig) found out they were getting laid off, Walter decides to take matters into his own hands. He sets off on an adventure to find a missing negative that was sent to him with a folder full of pictures. All of them were there with the exception of one, that one being the last cover shot for LIFE magazine. That is when his quest to find the photographer to get the missing negative takes him everywhere from a volcano to the arctic. His wild imagination involving events in his life gives the film a more genuine feel, because the audience can relate to it. Every few minutes he imagines something and it forces you to think not if, but WHEN did you daydream the same thing? It’s a wonderful film everyone should enjoy! 9 out of 10.
-Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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THE PEACH REVIEW®
It Happened in Saint-Tropez It was going to take more than an ice storm to keep moviegoers from this years’ Atlanta Jewish Film Festival! Spanning theaters across the city, the AJFF actually increased their movie selection from last year. Our first 2 film choices were postponed due to the weather (or as we’d like to say Snowpacolypse Part Deux). So our first screening was at Lefont Theatre in Sandy Springs for “It Happened in SaintTropez,” with guest speaker Amanda Brandenburg of PJ Library. Zef's wife dies in an accident just as Roni (Kad Merad), his wealthy brother, marries his daughter. When the widower arrives with the coffin containing his wife's body right in the middle of the preparations for the wedding feast he immediately becomes irritated. The tensions between the two brothers who are polar opposites continues to grow while others in the family discover hidden secrets. The root of their problems come from opposed views on jewish traditions. Roni is “new school” so to speak, while his brother prefers the old, traditional ways of living. This is a hilarious film that examines integrity, religion, family, and life. It’s a French film with English subtitles and its run-time is 1 hour 40 minutes. Did I mention I love Monica Bellucci (pictured above)? 8.5 out of 10.
-Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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American Jerusalem American Jerusalem begins in Germany, and in the countryside of Bavaria, where 150 years ago the Jews were impoverished, second-class citizens denied basic rights. It follows them through the jungles of Panama by boat and on foot, to their arrival in Gold Rush San Francisco. These pioneering trailblazers built upon their skills as peddlers, one of the few occupations open to them in their native Germany and one that was poorly valued, to become powerful merchants in San Francisco as well as civic leaders and philanthropists. What you also see in this movie are all of the gifts from Levi Strauss to the community. Jews in San Francisco (from Germany) didn’t take kindly to new Jews moving in (from Poland/Russia) and more often they would reject them and send them southward towards Mexico (now Southern California). They let very few Eastern European Jews settle in their region out of fear of interfering with the lives they setup and having disagreements on religion. Its an educational adventure through Europe, South America, and eventually Northern California. I enjoyed it thoroughly so I can give it an 8 out of 10. It’s interesting enough that you won’t get bored and it’s great historical information. So even if you’re not Jewish you’d still be able to appreciate the body of work. -Jon J. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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MUSIC
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The Neon Lights Tour
THE PEACH REVIEW®
DEMI LOVATO
Demi Lovato Takes Over ATL By Lauren Brumley
On the night of February 21, Atlanta was swarming with teenagers decked out in their Friday Night Best, ready for a night full of Spice Girls-esque Girl Power. Phillips Arena was scattered with sparkles, neon, sequins and spunk. While Demi Lovato was probably backstage styling her electric, fun pink hair or tweeting her favorite song lyrics, an arena full of excited girls and boys took
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their seats and got ready for the show. While we all made our way to our seats, I realized that the music playing overhead was actually being spun by a live DJ who was already on stage.
years old, he had a brilliant maturity and stage presence that was the perfect way to kick off the night.
Demi Lovato’s Neon Lights Tour is a collaborative show incorporating artists and other talents from DJ Cole Plante created reality TV phenomena, The an atmosphere of energy X Factor and America’s Got and excitement that could Talent. The first talent not have been achieved with featured in the show was just a playlist running on the America’s Got Talent overhead speakers. At 17 comedian, Collins Key. Page 33
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I went into this show not having a clue who he was, but as soon as he came out on stage and the arena full of young, teenage girls went absolutely nuts… I knew that I was definitely out of the loop. ! After Key made it to the finals of America’s Got Talent in September 2013, Key went on a tour with the show and his career blew up from there. Somewhere down the line, Demi got a hold of him and decided to bring him on tour. He was a great segue between the acts and had such a great way of controlling a crowd. (And most importantly, the girls were swooning over how *TOTALLY OMG CuTe* he was.)
previously heard their music before, but I found myself singing along to The first musical group to at least 3 or 4 songs that I just open was Fifth Harmony, a girl group that was formed on Demi’s didn’t realize belonged to them. One of my favorite moments of first season of judging on The X Factor. The five girls started their set their set was when they covered “No Scrubs” by TLC. Though I by emerging from a set of white was probably the only person in an dollhouses, singing one of their arena of thousands of people that notoriously catchy pop hits. Each actually knew who TLC was (due girl had their moment to shine in each song, and it was really great to to the fact that Lisa “Left Eye” passed away before most of these watch each of their personalities come out in their performances. All kids were even born), I really enjoyed their cover and thought five girls have beautiful and they did a really fun performance powerful voices, which is not hard to believe seeing as they made it to of the song. the finals of a “live talent” show. Finally, the lights went They were such a pleasure to down and music started playing watch, and I look forward to and the crowd went absolutely nuts watching their careers take off. screaming to let Demi know that they were ready. The curtain came Next out to the stage was UK’s own X Factor winners, Little up and Demi was on stage with Mix. With the massive backdrop of her long, pink hair and a black, studded, sparkly leather outfit. I the Union Jack, their power pop always love seeing what Demi tunes, and their synchronized wears, because she has an dance numbers, their set was incredible style. insanely reminiscent of the Spice Girls. I did not think I had All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
She opened up with arguably her most massive hit, Heart Attack. Every person in that entire arena was singing every word, and she had them wrapped around her finger from the get-go. She went on to perform a collection of hits from her newest album and some from her older albums as well. One of the key moments for me from her performance was a section where she grabbed a guitar and played a few songs acoustically. She played one of my older favorites of hers, “Catch Me” from her 2009 album, “Here We Go Again.” She also played possibly my favorite song from her latest album called “Nightingale”. She has an undeniably killer voice. She sounds just as great live as she does on her recordings. I don’t think anyone could argue—that girl has pipes. Demi has not been a stranger to confronting her struggles in the public eye. In a quiet, stripped down portion of the show, she took to the baby Page 34
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grand to play “Warrior.” Before starting the song, she gave a heartfelt shout-out to anyone in the audience struggling with bullying, self harm, or substance abuse and let them know that they were not alone and she understood their pain. A vast majority of her “Lovatics” are fans of hers for just this reason. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It was a beautiful speech and a beautiful rendition of one of her Neon Lights hits. Another really cool thing about this tour is the Demi Lovato App. At the start of the show, she encouraged everyone to download it. At the end of the show, Demi asked all of the audience to open up the app and hold their phones up. She started playing her new album’s title track, “Neon Lights”. All of the phones started lighting up different neon colors in time with the music. It was a really neat and unique way to involve the whole crowd in the production of the show. Also, it made for some really cool pictures. Then an explosion of confetti spewed across the
arena, and that made for some even better pictures. After “Neon Lights”, Demi sank into the floor and disappeared backstage while the crowd urged her to come back out for her encore. For her encore, she performed her hit song “Skyscraper” and was raised up in the air on a moving platform. It was a great moment and a great way to bring the show to a close. She then finished off with her hit single, “Give Your Heart A Break.” Overall, this was an incredibly fun show. Demi’s enthusiasm for her work and passion for sharing a bigger message make her a notable artist in today’s watered down pop community. Her voice is remarkable, her bravery is stunning and her songs make you want to dance and smile, but also reflect and remember the important things. I think I speak for everyone in that arena when I say that it was a show to remember.
-Lauren Brumley
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Tribute to Ray Charles
Jazz Roots Tribute to Ray Charles at the Cobb Energy Centre was a wonderful event to experience. This was my first time at the Cobb Energy Centre and I was definitely pleased with the staff’s service and knowledgeable information of the venue and events to come. Clint Holmes was an amazing host! His Las Vegas flare made you feel like he was sitting right beside you performing these classics. The way Holmes connects with the audience was a blissful experience. This event brought Holmes returning to Atlanta after a 15- year gap. He did an amazing job sharing Ray’s fondest moments not only as an artist but the man that touched the hearts of millions. Holmes also had the pleasure of performing on stage with gospel-R&B sextet Take 6, Jazz singer Nnenna Freelon, smooth jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, the Clark Atlanta University Big Band and the Ebenezer Baptist Church Choir. The soul of Ray couldn’t have been performed any better! If Ray had the opportunity to sit in the audience and watch this beautiful display of his greatest and cherished music, I’m sure we would’ve seen that signature smile that he is so well known for! -Johnny Hill All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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THE PEACH REVIEW®
5th Annual Atlanta Jewish Music Festival
The Afro Semitic Experience
The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival started off with a soulful, groove-filled bang courtesy of the Afro Semitic Experience! The opening night performances of the AJMF took place at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs, which provided a super intimate and comfortable environment. After arriving, and once seated and beer’d up, the adventure began. The Afro Semitic Experience took the audience on a musical journey through funk and jazz and even introduced some of us to Jewish cantorial music. Pianist, Warren Byrd and Bassist, David Chevan started the night off as they led a few of the slow grooves early in the night. The horns were awesome, with Will Bartlett’s artistry on the sax and clarinet, and Saskia Laroo’s unique groove on the trumpet. Every member of the band shined as drummer, Babafemi treated us to a lesson in funk. Before the end of the night, The Afro Semitic Experience had everyone standing and dancing, making a room full of strangers feel a little more like family. The AJMF opening night proved to be a fun time for all! -EDB All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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THE PEACH REVIEW®
Mikey Pauker
The AJMF (Atlanta Jewish Music Festival) finale was a lot of fun and had great music. We were fortunate to have 8 days of #freshjewishmusic (one of the many hash tags used throughout the week) and the finale was no different. What better place to keep the good times rolling than Little 5 Points? So we made the trek to hipster-ville with our final destination being Variety Playhouse. The lineup had Basya Schechter and Mikey Pauker opening for the headliner Yo La Tengo. Seeing these new acts reminded me of my first AJMF experience last year. It was there where I discovered a love for live music after watching Lisa Loeb perform. So this year something special happened as well! Although I enjoyed all of the performances, it was the one by opener Mikey Pauker that stood out to me. I enjoy listening to opening bands because it gives you a chance to get familiar with groups on the upswing. AJMF gets better and better each year, and we’re already looking forward to 2015. Remember to check their WEBSITE as they have activities throughout the year.
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-Jon J.
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RECREATION & TRAVEL
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WhatsApp The timing is perfect to tell you about a great Instant Messaging application calledWhatsApp. Now some of you might wonder “why is the timing perfect?” The answer to that is this week’s headline: “Facebook buys mobile application WhatsApp for $19 Billion in cash and stock.“ So how cool is that? You work on an application for 3 years and become billionaires. Sounds good to us :) So what makes this mobile app so amazing? It totally relinquished the need to pay for texting via SMS . Its most useful for keeping in contact with people overseas. Because of its global appeal, its available in a myriad of languages: English, Arabic, Bokmål, Norwegian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
WhatsApp screen on Blackberry 10
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So exactly how popular can it be? You can use it for free to communicate abroad, its hosted in over 20+ languages, and its hosted across all major platforms. A lot of apps are available for iPhone and Android (they’re the most popular here in the USA), but there’s something to be said if you include Blackberry. Then if you go beyond that, you would include Windows Phone. Where WhatsApp separates itself is that it includes ALL of those platforms plus Symbian and Nokia phones (model specific). This is huge as the last 2 are more popular internationally and gives users the ability to use a great app without having a “smart phone.” 40
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Now there’s only one last piece of information to cap-off this perfect formula that attracted Zuckerberg and Co. to purchase this company. That little stat is that WhatsApp has 450 million active users. 450 MILLION! What they’ve done is absolutely genius: Become available across every major platform in the world, choosing not to store personal information, starting at 99 cents and then offering free service over time, then host this amazing free service in over 20+ languages across the world. Now, why would you want to download this? Even if you don’t have friends overseas, are you sick of paying for text messaging? Everyone likes saving money, and as long as your friends have WhatsApp you can message each other everyday, all-day, for free.
WhatsApp on Windows Phone
They offer personal messaging, group messaging, and best of all, quick, free delivery of images, video, and audio media messages! But wait, there’s more: Share location and places, Exchange contacts, Custom wallpaper, Custom notification sounds, Landscape mode, Message timestamps, and Email chat history. No need to worry about usernames or pins either. When you download WhatsApp just choose a display name, profile picture (or you can go without), and your phone number while integrating flawlessly with your contact book. By doing this once the app is downloaded to your phone you will see everyone you have in your phone that also uses the app. (It only accesses your contact book for this purpose, to save you time from having to contact friends to see who has the app and who doesn’t. WhatsApp does it for you!). This great mobile app is available to download for free. Even better news is Mark Zuckerberg is quoted as having no interest in making changes anytime soon. “WhatsApp doesn’t store the content. We would be pretty silly to get in the way of that.“ We use this app to communicate with friends the world over. It’s a great app to have! -Jon J.
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Scout- GPS Navigation & Traffic Application The Scout- GPS Navigation & Traffic App has a lot to offer. If you’re always indecisive about finding places to eat or you find yourself lost in an unfamiliar area, Scout is a great addition to your precious app collection. I’ve used it recently for finding addresses for my scheduled appointments and saving the location to my favorites list. It’s very simple to save the location with a click of the heart button. The POI (Points of Interest) database and map is very accurate to your current location. An updated list of what’s happening daily in the “Things to do” interface is one of the best parts of this app. For example, I looked up live music and not only did it show me a list of concerts for the day, but it also showed me the upcoming concerts with the times and venue. The detailed information is a big advantage to setting itself apart from the other locator apps in the market. The layout is especially user friendly for older adults that aren’t so in tune with all of the other sophisticated applications. I have used this for less than a week now and I have yet to come across any issues. If you’re looking for a new way to Scout out your town? Check it out, download it, and share it!
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-Johnny Hill
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The
ELLIS
Hotel
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Situated along Atlanta’s well-known Peachtree Street and Ellis Street, The Ellis Hotel resides only 15-minutes away from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta near prominent companies such as the World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Pacific, Bank of America and the American Cancer Society, The Ellis Hotel provides a convenient retreat for corporate guests. We’ve featured The Ellis Hotel in past issues as the backdrop for photo-shoots that we’ve done, but we think its about time you know why we like it so much. First off, its walking distance from Centennial Park (party in the Park, Sweetwater 420 Fest), SkyView Atlanta (aka The Big Ferris Wheel), the Peachtree Center Marta Station (just footsteps away), and if you’ve never seen the hotel before the brand-new Atlanta Streetcar has a stop right next to it. The Ellis Hotel features 127 guest rooms, 12 suites, an executive suite, and an entire floor dedicated to women. That’s right, a women’s only floor. The hotel secures the safety of the solo female traveler with keyed entry, complete with ladies amenities of a hair straightener and curling iron, robe and slippers, soothing sleep mask, and an online kiss cam. Their 1st floor restaurant Terrace Bistro seats 22 comfortably. Now that its spring you’ll want to dine in their new outdoor eating area which they recently expanded. Good food with a good view is a great combination!
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Each of the guest rooms and suites feature an espresso bamboo accent wall, pillow-top mattresses, 32" LCD Television and high-definition channels, natural lighting and ostrich leather headboards. High-speed wireless and wired Internet and an executive work area provide guests with everything they need to get their job done (because why on earth would we recommend a place without wireless internet?). Each room features plush king size beds and iPod docking stations. It’s important that hotels keep up with the times and that’s another reason why we love this place. Check-in, relax, and unwind while listening to your favorite playlist on your iPod/iPhone. Or if you don’t have a playlist just throw it on iTunes Radio or Pandora! The Ellis has adopted a number of eco-friendly requirements, including timed light systems installed in maintenance and housekeeping closets to save energy. Even the landscape and the linens are environmentally friendly, but you know what their biggest eco-luxury is? They have a private pure air floor. You heard that correctly, the 15th floor (for an additional $20) is accessible to those who want a TRULY relaxing experience. Air purifiers in every room and the foyer, and everything from bed spreads to pillows are HEPA cleaned to remove mites, dander, etc. Now you can take the phrase “breathe easy” to another level with their exclusive “pure air” floor. Your body will thank you later. 45
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Partnering with Flavours Spa Services, The Ellis Hotel is able to offer its guests a variety of spa treatments in the comfort of their rooms for 30 minutes or hour-long services. From hot stone, head, neck, shoulder and chair massages to stretching and reflexology, tired, traveled-muscles are relieved. So imagine getting that kind of treatment while in your “pure air” room? Relaxation overload! So there, the secret is out. Our favorite downtown spot can now be YOUR favorite downtown hotel. They have a great staff there so we know you’ll be fully taken care of! THE ELLIS HOTEL
-TPR
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HYATT HOUSE
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Hyatt House had its first birthday just a week ago on April 4, 2014. It’s been one whole year since it first opened and its the first of its kind in Georgia. Hyatt House is the mother of all extended-stay hotels in the North Atlanta Area. Located on Cumberland Blvd., Hyatt House can be seen from interstate 75 and stands out in more ways than just physically. They have 149 guestrooms and suites total, with features such as studio, 1 & 2 bedroom kitchen suites, complimentary wired and wireless internet (you know we’re big on that), complimentary remote printing, and 42” flat-panel swivel TV’s. The lodging options are endless as they have some plans that can accommodate up to 8 people! (King/Double Queen Trio) There are plenty of benefits to staying in a place like Hyatt House. It’s right next to the highway (yet the guestrooms are eerily quiet) so you have fast access to 75 and the 285 connector, its less than a mile from the mall, the post office, pharmacy, movie theatre, restaurants, and the Cobb Energy Centre. But the cool thing about having all of these things in the general vicinity is that the hotel offers free shuttle service within 5 miles of the hotel. If you’re in town for over 30 days they offer a grocery shopping service for guests. They offer complimentary hot breakfast buffet with made to order omelets daily, a 24-hour guest market for grab-and-go shopping, and same-day dry cleaning is available.
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We are big fans of the outside of the hotel. The building structure itself looks great but the true beauty is in the patio layout outside. They also have a heated, indoor pool for guests. Rain or shine if you feel like knocking out a few laps you can do so safely. The Business Center and Fitness Center are available 24-hours a day. Here are some more perks of staying at Hyatt House: - They are pet friendly - There’s always a House Host available to acquaint you with the hotel and the neighborhood - You can earn free nights with no blackout dates with Hyatt Gold Passport loyalty program - 2,000 square feet of meeting and training space (that can also be broken down into 3 meeting rooms). - High-tech meeting rooms with A/V (audio/visual) available as well as all-inclusive meeting packages
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Their location is great, the rooms are spacious, and everything is brand new (remember they just had their first birthday a week ago!). Also, any businesses looking to put their employees in a fun, extended-stay property should look into Hyatt House because it sits right by where the new Braves Stadium is being built. Even though it sits on the highway and there’s construction down the street, you still experience near silence in the rooms (trust us, its very impressive). We also come across a lot of international students (in college) who have family that want to visit but can’t find anywhere reasonable for them to stay. Hyatt House is the perfect location as it sits right in the middle of the 3 major universities (Georgia St., Kennesaw St., and Georgia Tech). So if you’re looking for somewhere outside the city but still minutes within reach? You should check out our friends at Hyatt House. HYATT HOUSE CUMBERLAND
-TPR
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W Atlanta Buckhead 51
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If you’re looking for style, class, and a dash of sexy, then W Atlanta Buckhead is the hotel for you. Located in the heart of the Buckhead Business District, W Atlanta Buckhead is a hotel that’s as diverse and multifaceted as the neighborhood it resides in. So about the area... Buckhead is Atlanta’s version of Beverly Hills. This is where you’ll find everything from the finest dining options and upscale hotels to the Rolls-Royce dealership and the best in luxury shopping. With this perfect location you’re walking distance from both Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza to feed your inner shopaholic. If you’re looking for a good meal you could walk downstairs to W Atlanta Buckhead’s Cook Hall. If you’re looking to get out and try something new, you’re surrounded by amazing dining options. Including: Del Frisco’s, Twist, Morton’s, Ocean Prime, Bistro Niko, Ruth’s Chris, Maggiano’s and many more! If you choose to relax around the hotel you’ve made a great choice as well. You can mingle in the Living Room (beautifully decorated lobby), hangout at their pool with a view, go back to Cook Hall (because you can never have enough), or enjoy their rooftop bar.
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After trying their fully equipped gym, you can go back to your 1 out of 291 rooms and suites of theirs. Each containing signature W robes, flat screen TV’s, and lots of luxury amenities that only the W can provide. Speaking of which, some of you may have heard of their Whatever/Whenever service? If not, it’s just as the title implies, whatever you want, whenever you want it. We’ve heard of everything from shopping orders to people requesting iPhone chargers in the middle of the night. If you’re looking to host an event or business meeting, W Atlanta-Buckhead can accommodate that as well with 8,000 square feet of space. You won’t have to plan alone as you’ll be equipped with a team of dedicated and passionate professionals. There are a few nightlife options within reach, but nothing beats partying in your own hotel. That’s right, at the top of the hotel there’s a rooftop club called Whiskey Blue. At night time if you’re outside you can see guests riding the illuminated elevator to the top floor (as its the only way to get to Whiskey Blue) to go dance the night away. There’s always something fun going on at W Atlanta-Buckhead so make sure you check their website regularly for events. This is where we covered the “Punch Party” and just recently they hosted a Grammy Award Panel/Meeting, so you never know what they’ll have up their sleeves next! W ATLANTA BUCKHEAD
-TPR
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SPORTS 54
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2014 NFL
PRO BOWL
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Team Rice edges Team Sanders 22-21 in new Pro Bowl format
Left: Drews Brees and Tony Gonzalez Above: Deion Sanders
The NFL wanted to bring more excitement into the Pro Bowl this year and they got their wish!
example of this was the game winning drive led by Alex Smith. Mike Tolbert scored the winning touchdown for Team Rice and mocked Cam Newton’s With the new unconferenced superman celebration (his fellow format, each team for the first Carolina Panther teammate time ever, featured teammates during the season, but was going head-to-head in the Pro playing for Team Sanders). Bowl. To do this the teams weren’t divided by Conference This year’s Pro Bowl set the (NFC/AFC), it was Team Rice tone for Pro Bowls to come! the (Jerry Rice) versus Team crowd loved it and even though Sanders (Deion Sanders). An it rained in Hawaii, the response
was great and the players had a ball. We had to get out there and see Tony (Gonzalez) play one last time. Falcons fans will certainly miss him at the start of next season! If you have the opportunity to go to a Pro Bowl (because Honolulu is quite a distance) you definitely will get your money’s worth! Enjoy the pictures! -Jon J. 56 Photography: Hakim Wright
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Philip Rivers
DeSean Jackson
Cam Newton
Antonio Cromartie
Tyrone Smith and J.J. Watt
Dez Bryant
Patrick Peterson
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T.J. Ward and Jimmy Graham
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Eddie Lacy
Cam Newton
Eric Berry, Brandon Flowers, and Tamba Hali
Brandon Marshall
Tony Gonzalez
Jason Witten & Dez Bryant
Philip Rivers & Alex Smith
Tony Gonzalez
Falcons mascot58
U.S. Soccer The Peach Review速
USA vs. Russia 59
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There were many reasons to celebrate this game, USWNT (United States Womenʼs National Team) vs. Russia: It was the womenʼs first time here in history, itʼs a great opportunity to see soccer played at the highest level, and it gave everyone a reason to get out the house since we survived Snowpocalypse Part II. It was especially sweet for defender Kelley OʼHara who had the chance to come back to where it all began (a native Georgian). Thereʼs no doubt our girls came into the game confident after a 7-0 thrashing of Russia just last week. It didnʼt take long to break the Russian defense as the first goal came in the 11ʼ (11th minute). A shot by USAʼs Whitney Engen ricocheted off the post, off Russian GK Maria Zhamanakova, and into the netting. USA wouldnʼt let up, as we approached the 18ʼ, USAʼs Megan Rapinoe took a shot from about 10 yards away which was a bit off-target. As the game continued you could hear plenty of noise coming from the USA supporters club (Atlanta Outlaws) which came in a large number to support our ladiesʼ first visit to ATL! Right when USAʼs Heather OʼReilly was on a breakaway after receiving a lovely pass from Rapinoe the lines judge called an extremely late offside which brought the attack to a halt.
Hope Solo & Abby Wambach 60
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In the 41ʼ Carli Lloyd fired a rocket straight at Russian GK Zhamanakova but was saved easily. The girls were relentless on offense! Rapinoe took a corner and crossed it perfectly to Abby Wambach whose header came up just short as Russiaʼs Zhamanakova knocked it away. In the 50ʼ another own goal was called as Russiaʼs Valentina Orlova took a deflection from Abby Wambach that rolled into the goal. Soon after that, Amy Rodriguez hit the sweetest volley any forward could ask for (served by Heather OʼReilly) and made the game 3-0 in favor of USA. The goals kept coming as Rapinoe nailed a low cross to Wambach and tapped it into the net. So to start the 2nd half, there were goals in the 50ʼ, 51ʼ, and 52ʼ minute of action. In stoppage time (because Wambach caught the Russian GK in the face during the goal) the score was then 4-0 USA. Megan Rapinoe was able to tally a goal of her own as she scored a long ball from outside the 17 yard box with an assist by Morgan Brian in the 65ʼ. After Lauren Holiday was fouled in the box (penalty box), she successfully converted her penalty kick to make the game 6-0 in favor of the USA. If that wasnʼt enough Heather OʼReilly nailed a volley in the near-side corner netting to tie last gameʼs tally of 7 goals.. Recent sub Christen Press wanted in on the action as she dribbled right through Russiaʼs defense and fired a rocket into goal. With that goal the game was now 8-0 in the 86ʼ (with another assist by Megan Rapinoe). With a 7-0 win in Florida and a 8-0 win at the Georgia Dome, the USWNT have to be feeling confident going into March to compete for the Algarve Cup. The lopsided victory for the U.S. was congruent with their stats:
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24 shots, 17 of them were on goal. 0 saves 8 corner kicks 1 offside With their match against Japan is just a few weeks away, our girls will want to keep their stellar run of form. After the game we asked striker Sydney Leroux if these back-to-back victories helped them going into the Algarve Cup: “I think that us getting minutes together and playing more together is going to be more of a help for us than beating a teammate (referencing playing against each other in the NWSL). Because thatʼs not gonna happen against a Japan or a Sweden or a Germany. I think that sometimes we get away with.. in games like these (points to the field), pure athletic ability. Whereas when we get into those big games that canʼt happen, so weʼre gonna to have to figure out some things and itʼll be a good test for us.” An 8-nil victory for USA was a perfect way to end an icy week in Atlanta. Hope Solo
-Jon J. Photography: Hakim Wright
Left & Middle: Sydney Leroux Right: Megan Rapinoe
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Mexico vs. Nigeria
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On March 5th the Georgia Dome went all-green with the much anticipated arrival of the Mexican National Team to face Nigeria, as part of their U.S. Tour. El Tri (Mexico) took on the Super Eagles (Nigeria) in front of a sold-out crowd at the Georgia Dome (total 68,212, a record for attendance in Atlanta for a soccer match). El Tri came off the blocks with immense pressure against Nigeria but they composed themselves well. The first 10 minutes saw the Super Eagles dominate possession. Action came in the 11’ as Emmanuel Emenike took a shot from close range which was deflected by Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa. More action came in the 18’ as Nigeria’s Victor Moses took possession off a Mexican turnover and fired a rocket just wide of goal. Mexico’s first SOG (Shot on Goal) came in the 22’ when Hector Herrera tried to bend one outside the 17-yd box. His shot went just a hair over the goal as the crowd responded with a loud groan. As time progressed the match became even sided with both sides having ample chances at goal. Possession was no longer dominated by Nigeria as Mexico was beginning to find their pace. All was well until the 35ʼ when a questionable decision to halt play was made when a Nigerian defender went down while Mexico was on a breakaway (4 on 2). Play would eventually continue but within 2 minutes after that it almost seemed like Nigeria was flopping every chance they could. After continuous stoppages the game eventually moved into halftime with the score nil-nil.
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The 2nd half had a fast-paced start to it and Mexico wasted no time testing the Keeper. Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama came up big for the Super Eagles making 2 back-to-back saves after saving an initial header from Javier (Chicharito) Hernandez and a long distance shot from outside the 17-yd box. From the Mexico side, the shots came flying in the 2nd half but Austin Ejide continued to be the wall for Nigeria blocking everything that came his way. Although the match was action packed and hosted record-setting attendance, the game ended in a deadlock of nil-nil. So even though the match ended in a draw, both sides looked solid. There were many scoring opportunities that weren’t successful just because they were off the mark (not taken accurately) but both sides should be happy with their keeping. Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide had spectacular performances as Mexico upped their offense in the 2nd half and kept up the pressure. Mexico is 21st in the FIFA World Rankings and Nigeria stands at 47th. Both teams are in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and this was a good warmup for both sides. The U.S. Tour for Mexico is about experience, for both the players and the fans. The big message that this match should send to the city of Atlanta? This city is ready, waiting, even starving, for more soccer. Only time will tell if the city will deliver. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
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-Jon J. 65 Photography: Hakim Wright
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Georgia Tech VS.
DUKE On Tuesday February 18th, our Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets took on Coach K’s Duke Blue Devils. The game started rather quickly as Duke pushed hard on offense, causing the Jackets to call their 1st timeout with 16:30 on the clock (just 3 and a half minutes into the game). Duke had the early lead but Georgia Tech was able to cut into that lead with a 3-pointer by Robert Carter Jr. to make the score 12-6 in favor of Duke.
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Just when it seemed that Duke was going to run away, the Jackets were able to come up with a steal and Daniel Miller finished with a dunk. Coach K remained calm and let his team form a response. Page Tech eventually called a timeout with 10:00 left on 66 the clock. It’s not that the jackets were playing bad D, at this point Duke just wasn’t missing, which is
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why the score was 24-14 in favor of Coach K’s squad. At the end of the 1st Half the score was Duke 43, Georgia Tech 27. Kammeon Holsey and Robert Carter Jr. led the Jackets with 9 points each. The ball was distributed evenly as the total points for Tech were 27, and their bench accounted for 11 of them. Duke had Georgia Tech beat on points-off-turnovers (10) and fast-break points (14) compared to the homeside’s 2 points-off-turnovers and 2 fast-break points. All content and images are property of The Peach Review® unless otherwise noted
The Buzz were able to find their form in the 2nd Page Half scoring a total of 24 points to Duke’s 25.67
It was the 1st Half that determined the ball THE This PEACH REVIEW® game. game was a good test of nerve for Georgia Tech as we saw that they could hang with the Top 25 teams (after that 1st Half adjustment). The difference in this game was points-off-turnovers and fastbreak points. The Jackets were outscored 16-5 on points-off-turnovers and 16-2 on fast breaks. The final score was Duke 68, Georgia Tech 51. Robert Carter Jr. led the Jackets with 13 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Kammeon Holsey with 12 points and 2 rebounds, and Chris Bolden with 10 points and 4 rebounds. Jabari Parker led the Blue Devils with 16 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 steal. Followed by Rodney Hood (14 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal) and Rasheed Sulaimon (11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal). When the college basketball season returns you must see a home game at McCamish Pavilion! The arena is brand new and has a great feeling of inclusion. It’s very low and close to the court, making visibility a breeze and maneuverability seamless.
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-Jon J. Photography: Hakim Wright
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Editor in Chief Jon Jones Editor KJ Games/Mobile Apps Titus “TBZ” Rowell Beverage/Festival Contributor Erica “EDB” Bizzell Music Contributions Lauren Brumley Photography Jonathan Davis
Yoh Phillips Malcolm “X” Lewis Anna Lira Hakim Wright Event Contributions Johnny Hill Natalie Rojas Keisha Campbell Consultant Desmond McLennon
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