National Geographic Launches ‘Starstruck,’ A Yearlong Celebration Of Space Across Its Global Networks, Magazines, Books And More

Starstruck Kicks Off With Second Season of Critically Acclaimed Series MARS and Fifth Season of Emmy-Nominated Series STARTALK With Neil deGrasse Tyson

Event to Also Include Two New Specials: MARS: INSIDE SPACE X and MISSION TO THE SUN, Plus Fall Book Releases “Space Atlas” and “Apollo to the Moon“

Starstruck Continues Into 2019 With a New Season of COSMOS and Weeklong Celebration of the 50-Year Anniversary of Apollo 11 Lunar Landing in July

Visit New Starstruck Portal for All Things Space, Including National Geographic Space Photography and In-Depth Reporting on the Latest Space News

For 130 years, National Geographic has been helping people explore the unknown, from the deepest oceans to the farthest reaches of the universe. Today, National Geographic announced that it will embark on a new storytelling odyssey, exploring the past, present and future of space across its vast media and entertainment platforms with Starstruck: National Geographic’s Yearlong Celebration of Space.

From the very dawn of the space age, National Geographic has covered the science, mystery and adventures of space exploration with unrivaled access, in-depth news reporting and cutting-edge science and technology.

National Geographic logo. (PRNewsfoto/National Geographic Society)

In 1935, National Geographic and the U.S. Army Air Corps jointly launched aeronauts into the sky in the Explorer II Stratosphere Balloon, helping to pave the way for the space program and marking a manned altitude record that lasted for 21 years. Later, in recognition of National Geographic’s contributions to space research and photography, astronaut John Glenn carried the National Geographic flag on the first U.S. manned orbital space flight in 1962. And on July 16, 1969, a National Geographic flag was again vaulted into the sky on the 238,000-mile voyage to the moon, with Neil Armstrong observing to his team that it was a privilege that the flag that had “accompanied every major recent expedition,” should also accompany the first one ever to set foot on the lunar surface. In 1977, National Geographic was part of the curation of the Golden Record, and more recently, presented the first-ever Instagram Live from the International Space Station with Will Smith in April 2018.

National Geographic Launches ‘Starstruck,’ A Celebration Of Space Across Its Global Networks, Magazines, Books And More

With Starstruck, National Geographic aims to once again inspire people to “look up” by bringing the awe and wonder of space to audiences around the world.

The yearlong commitment to presenting the best of space content kicked off this past week with the launch of the Starstruck Space Portal, as well as the recent release of National Geographic’s updated “Space Atlas.” The celebration continues Nov. 4 with an all-day marathon of the critically acclaimed series One Strange Rock beginning at 10 a.m., and with new seasons of MARS and STARTALK with Neil deGrasse Tyson in an intergalactic block of programming that premieres Monday, Nov. 12.

Additionally, two new specials will air this fall: MARS: INSIDE SPACE X also on Nov. 12, and MISSION TO THE SUN on Nov. 19.

Culminating with the 50^th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing next July and a coinciding week of blockbuster Apollo programming on the National Geographic channel, Starstruck will rally National Geographic’s unrivaled portfolio of storytelling platforms around the spirit of space exploration and the nostalgia, curiosity, and feeling of limitless possibility that it brings.

With this announcement, Natgeo.com/Starstruck will be National Geographic’s one-stop digital hub for all things space.

Highlights of the content across all platforms include:

OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD TV PROGRAMMING:

• Season 2 of Nat Geo’s groundbreaking, genre-busting, hit docudrama MARS premieres Nov. 12 at 9/8c.
  

  A scene from the first episode of Season two of Mars.

• A new season of the award-winning STARTALK with Neil deGrasse Tyson debuts Nov. 12 at 11/10c.

  

  MARS: INSIDE SPACE X, premiering Monday, Nov. 12, at 8/7c, is an unprecedented glimpse into one of the world’s most revolutionary companies’ plan to make Mars home.

• MARS: INSIDE SPACE X, premiering Monday, Nov. 12, at 8/7c, is an unprecedented glimpse into one of the world’s most revolutionary companies’ plan to make Mars home. Filmed over the course of three years, this journey will take viewers behind the scenes with Elon Musk and his engineers as they persevere amid both disheartening setbacks and huge triumphs to advance the space industry faster than thought possible.
  

  Mission To The Sun: The United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket is seen in this long exposure photograph as it launches NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to touch the Sun, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018, from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Parker Solar Probe is humanity’s first-ever mission into a part of the Sun’s atmosphere called the corona. Here it will directly explore solar processes that are key to understanding and forecasting space weather events that can impact life on Earth. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

• MISSION TO THE SUN, debuting Nov. 19 at 8/7c, goes behind the scenes as NASA preps for the launch of the Parker Probe, a historic quest to explore the last great frontier of our solar system — the sun. The special will feature new NASA footage, interviews, and animations to further capture this groundbreaking mission, and a behind-the-scenes look at the exclusive team of NASA scientists who have made this skillfully planned endeavor a reality.
• A brand-new season of EXPLORER programming will launch Nov. 12 at 10/9c, with a special Starstruck episode featuring space lemurs, flat-earthers and real space cowboys, premiering Dec. 10.
• Following a wildly successful run in 2014 as the most-watched series ever on National Geographic Channels internationally — seen by more than 135 million people worldwide on National Geographic and FOX — the highly anticipated Emmy award-winning worldwide phenomenon COSMOS returns this spring with COSMOS: POSSIBLE WORLDS. Neil deGrasse Tyson, the famed pop-culture icon, astrophysicist and host of the Emmy-nominated StarTalk, returns as host of COSMOS.
• A special week of Apollo programming in July shines a light on the grit and glory of the Apollo missions and a look at the new era of space travel and exploration.

LATEST SPACE NEWS, SKY WATCH GUIDES, AND STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY:

• Up-to-the-date reporting from National Geographic’s prize-winning editorial team on the Starstruck news page, including live news coverage of the NASA InSight Mars landing (Nov. 26) and the NASA Kuiper Belt flyby (set for Jan. 1, 2019), the latest insights on the upcoming blood moon eclipse, and more
• Exciting National Geographic magazine space content, debuting in various issues over the next year, including an essay from November guest contributor Bill Nye on space sailing, and future features celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing
• Monthly sky-watching guides, best space pictures of the month and a spacecraft love letter series (featuring first-person essays written by journalists, scientists, educators and enthusiasts who have a personal connection with the space probe), starting this month on the Starstruck portal.

Martha Stewart to Debut Fashion, Skin Care, Garden and Gourmet Food Collections on QVC.com

Live Beautifully With QVC and Martha Stewart

Make your world a more beautiful place this fall with the help of QVC and Martha Stewart. The Emmy® Award-winning television show host, entrepreneur and best-selling author have long dedicated her career to teaching and inspiring people to live more beautiful, more functional and more meaningful lives. And now she is bringing that devotion to her signature QVC collection, spanning multiple categories including fashion, skin care, garden and food, all inspired by her impeccable taste and incomparable passion. Stewart made her QVC debut on August 13 with “Martha Stewart’s Slow Cooker” cookbook.

Live a more beautiful, functional and meaningful life with a new QVC collection from America’s most trusted lifestyle expert

“We were blown away by the tremendous response to Martha’s cookbook, which sold out in its first airing,” said Doug Howe, Executive Vice President of Merchandising for QVC. “Our customers welcomed Martha back with open arms, and we can’t wait to impress them with Martha’s full product assortment. At QVC, we are constantly striving to bring our customers not only the newest and most innovative items but products that are designed to solve everyday problems and make life easier. Martha shares this philosophy and has worked with us to develop a collection that will truly inspire people to live more beautifully, in all aspects of their lives.”

QVC viewers and Martha Stewart fans can tune in to QVC® on September 7 during “Inspired Style® – Live from New York City” at 10 PM (ET) for a first look at select items from Stewart’s fashion collection, and check back on September 25 for the premiere of “Martha Stewart – Fashion” at 6 PM (ET), featuring items ranging from knit and woven tops to denim essentials, designed for easy, everyday living. On September 19 at 10 AM (ET), Stewart will unveil all the tools and tips needed to beautify any backyard or outdoor space in the first “Martha Stewart – Garden” show.

To assist with holiday meal planning and preparation, She will return to QVC on October 18 with the Today’s Special Value®, scheduled to debut at midnight (ET). Each day, QVC picks one special item it believes shoppers will love and offers it at an exceptionally low price from midnight (ET) until 11:59 PM (PT) that day. Tune in at midnight (ET) and 7 PM (ET) on October 18 for “Martha Stewart – Gourmet Food“, featuring an assortment of gourmet foods and decadent confections. “Mario Badescu Skin Care with Martha Stewart“, a collaboration with Mario Badescu, is scheduled to launch on November 10 at 9 PM (ET) and 10 PM (ET) on Beauty iQ.

“Working in new product categories and with QVC—a multi-platform, multi-network shopping experience—has been very exciting,” said Stewart. “I have developed signature collections that reflect my passion for beautiful living and I look forward to expanding our product offerings.“

Martha Stewart is the author of 89 books, and America’s most trusted lifestyle expert and teacher. Millions of people rely on Martha Stewart as a source of useful “how-to” information for all aspects of everyday living—cooking, entertaining, gardening, home renovating, collecting, organizing, crafting, holidays, healthy living and pets. Currently, the Martha Stewart brand reaches approximately 100 million consumers across all media and merchandising platforms each month.

Interiors and Design: Herman Miller Broadens Consumer Reach with New York City Retail Store

Opening Of Physical Retail In North America Part Of The Company’s Multi-Channel Consumer Strategy

Global design manufacturer Herman Miller, Inc. announced the opening of a Herman Miller-branded retail store anchoring the company’s New York City flagship. Open to the public as of Tuesday, November 22, 2016, the store occupies 6,000 SF on the ground and second floors of Herman Miller’s multi-level presence at 251 Park Avenue South (251 Park Avenue South at 20th Street, www.hermanmiller.com/new-york-city-flagship 212.318.3977, Open Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm.) in Manhattan. The store is part of Herman Miller‘s transformation into a premium lifestyle company, and will offer consumers the opportunity to connect with Herman Miller through a new channel. Herman Miller has had a physical store in Tokyo since December 2010, and launched online stores to serve customers in India and the United Kingdom earlier in 2016.

“We’ve made great progress with a consumer strategy that allows us to engage with the communities we serve across multiple channels and touch points,” said Chief Executive Officer Brian Walker. “In addition to growing the Design Within Reach studio footprint and our global e-commerce platform, having our own physical retail presence in a major U.S. market will further cement Herman Miller’s position as a premium lifestyle brand with unrivaled multi-channel capabilities. Our goal is to create fans, not customers, and this store will connect us with new fans in a tangible way.“

Located in the retail hub where Union Square, Gramercy, and Flatiron meet, the new store is designed to appeal to the high concentration of design-driven consumers that made this market a top choice when Herman Miller began exploring locations for expanding its retail presence. The tri-state area consistently ranks highest for Herman Miller’s consumer sales, proving George Nelson’s assertion in 1948 that “there is a market for good design.” Nelson, who served as Herman Miller’s design director from 1945 until 1972, strongly believed that if the company made good things, people would buy them.

Herman Miller Opens New York City Flagship Store – Photo credit Nicholas Calcott. (PRNewsFoto/Herman Miller, Inc.)

The distinctive in-store experience was inspired by another Herman Miller partner, Charles Eames, who said the role of the designer is that of a “very good, thoughtful host.” The new store’s floorplan is laid out as a modern home, with rooms that demonstrate problem-solving designs for living, working, dining, socializing, and sleeping. The display and inventory blend current and vintage Herman Miller furniture, lighting, and accessories with a curated set of complementary products from likeminded vendors and skilled artisans from around the world. These include rugs from Danskina and Breuckelen Berber, kitchen and tabletop items from Deborah Ehrlich, pillows and bags from Maharam, accessories by Doug Johnston, Knotwork, Carl Aubock, and Helen Levi, and Nelson Bubble Lamps along with lighting from Wastberg, Noguchi, and Michael Anastassiades. (Through seasonal programming and merchandising, the two-story retail space will demonstrate the many interpretations of modern living supported by Herman Miller.)

Consumers throughout the United States can also shop with Herman Miller online at www.store.hermanmiller.com, which has been operating since October 2010.

In addition to the new store, 251 Park Avenue South houses commercial showrooms for Herman Miller and Geiger, and corporate office space for Maharam, Design Within Reach, and Geiger, all Herman Miller owned companies. In total, Herman Miller occupies eight floors, equaling almost half of the 120K SF building.

Herman Miller is a globally recognized provider of furnishings and related technologies and services. Headquartered in West Michigan, the global company has relied on innovative design for over 100 years to solve problems for people wherever they work, live, learn, and heal. Herman Miller’s designs are part of museum collections worldwide, and the company is a past recipient of the Smithsonian Institution‘s Cooper Hewitt National Design Award. Known and respected for its leadership in corporate social responsibility, Herman Miller has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the past 12 years, and has earned the Human Rights Campaign Foundation‘s top rating in its Corporate Equality Index for the past nine years. In fiscal 2016, the company generated $2.26 billion in revenue and employed nearly 8,000 people worldwide.

http://www.hermanmiller.com

http://store.hermanmiller.com

2016 Holiday Gift Guide: Find the Joy of Giving This Holiday Season With Magnificent Gifts From Macy’s

From Fashion And Tech To Home Goods And Stocking Stuffers, Macy’s Wide Assortment Makes Holiday Shopping A Breeze.

Plus Extra Help Is Always Available From The Gift Specialists At My Stylist@Macy’s

The holiday season is a celebration of happiness that brings loved ones together, and Macy’s has the perfect gifts to make family, friends, and all those near-and-dear feel special. Whether it’s the runway show-obsessed fashionista, the diehard athlete, the tech fanatic, or the master chef, Macy’s has an abundance of items at every price point sure to warm the hearts of those who mean the most.

“No [other] time of [the] year inspires the sentiments of love, caring and generosity quite like the holiday season,” said Kathy Hilt, Senior Vice President of My Stylist@Macy’s. “This year, we’ve truly topped ourselves with the most unique assortment of gifts for every person on your list. Plus, if you need a little help, Macy’s dedicated gift specialists at My Stylist@Macy’s make picking the perfect present easier than ever.”

The Gift of Style

Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list this holiday season at Macy’s stores and on macys.com; I.N.C. International Concepts Slippers, $39.50. (Photo: Business Wire)

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With a roster of top brands and celebrated designers, Macy’s is the ultimate destination for items to elevate that special someone’s wardrobe this holiday season. For her, handbags, shoes, jewelry and always-on-trend athleisure items will inspire pure joy. Jewel-embellished slip-ons from MICHAEL Michael Kors are chic, sporty and rendered in luxe velvet, applying the must-have fabric of the season in a unique and unexpected way. A signature Mickey Mouse wristlet in a bright hue from Coach is whimsical, practical and stylish, while a funnel neck hoodie and tights from Nike, or Calvin Klein Performance logo joggers and sweaters can take her from yoga to brunch with flair. Give her the gift of both comfort and glamour with a pair of fabulous faux fur-trimmed glitter moccasins from I.N.C. International Concepts.

Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list this holiday season at Macy’s stores and on macys.com; Kenneth Cole Reaction Wallets, $48 each. (Photo: Business Wire)

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For him, a velvet sport coat from Alfani immediately adds panache to any look. Pair the coat with bar III slim trousers and a tie for a more formal approach, or layer with jeans and loafers or boots for a look that is relaxed, yet polished and urbane. Polarized aviators from Ray-Ban are a classic, but undeniably sleek and stylish way to protect his eyes from the sun, and a zipper slim billfold wallet from Kenneth Cole Reaction is an excellent way to update a staple he uses every day.

Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list this holiday season at Macy’s stores and on macys.com: YSL mon paris parfum spray, $122

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Beauty and grooming are the finishing touches, and Macy’s has a wide array of fabulous products that are sure to delight. The Impulse Beauty artistry palette and 9-piece brush set allows her to experiment with countless looks in an awe-inspiring number of colors and shades. For him, Kiehl’s 4-piece Hydration Hits set gives the oft-coveted gift of smooth and healthy skin.

Grandin Road Halloween Comes to Life in Pop-Up Shop at Macy’s Herald Square for a Stylish Hallow’s Eve

The Wickedly Wonderful Concept Shop Brings Consumers into the Grandin Road Halloween World through Inspiring Design and Spooky Surprises

Grandin Road, a retailer of home décor products featuring inspired design, casts a fashionable spell on shoppers as it launches its newest retail experience to celebrate the Halloween season. Grandin Road will bring its first-ever retail concept store to Macy’s in the heart of Herald Square, a store known for bringing holidays to life. Complete with magical, mysterious accessories and enchantingly elegant décor, the retail space is designed to inspire, spook and entertain Macy’s visitors throughout the months of September and October. The Grandin Road Shop at Macy’s Herald Square will bewitch customers now through Halloween on October 31^st, inspiring consumers to create their own personalized Halloween tableaus, with styles ranging from elegant to fresh, chic to ghoulish, and just down right chilling.

Grandin Road Halloween Concept Shop Entrance at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City. (PRNewsFoto/Grandin Road)

The 1,400 square foot pop-up on the main floor will be Macy’s first Halloween concept shop, immediately greeting customers as they enter the store’s 7th Avenue and 34th Street entrance. The Grandin Road Halloween at Macy’s Herald Square pop-up experience includes two fashion windows that showcase the dramatic décor of the shop to passersby and continues inside of the store with four sophisticated vignettes: “Frightfully Fun,” “Bewitching,” “Halloween Glam” and “Macabre and Mystical“. The invitation – with a wink – to customers is, ‘Enter if you dare!‘

Grandin Road Halloween Concept Shop at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City, (PRNewsFoto/Grandin Road)

“To us, and millions of Americans, Halloween is not just a holiday – it’s a lifestyle,” said Jennifer Reeves, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at Grandin Road. “Our concept will bring the holiday to life with a witch’s brew of sight, sound, movement and lighting effects. It will be a sophisticated and fashion-forward display that – for the first time – gives customers the opportunity to see, hear, and touch Grandin Road’s one-of-a-kind Halloween décor.”

The store will give fans of the catalog and online retailer a “touch and feel” experience of the brand’s collection, which includes over 250 unique designs. The Halloween enthusiast will swoon over a selection of Chrome Skeletons and Designer Pumpkins, in addition to a variety of its well-known animatronic props, including Haunted Typewriters channeling messages from another realm and life-like Crawling Monster Hands. Fans will also have the option to shop exclusive items available for purchase only at Macy’s Herald Square, such as Halloween-themed bar and serveware, artisan-crafted skeleton figures and the ability to buy fan-favorites such as Eyeball Orbs and Window Crasher Ghosts individually for the first time. Product prices range from $3.00 – $1,299.

“Macy’s Herald Square is one of the most dynamic retail environments in New York City, and one of the most exciting selling spaces to launch a first-ever Halloween concept shop,” said Patti Lee, General Manager of Macy’s Herald Square. “We are beyond thrilled to be welcoming such a holiday fan favorite as Grandin Road to our store, and creating a unique experience for our customers that brings the best of department store and online shopping together. For the person who loves the ghoulish glam of Halloween, the Grandin Road shop at Macy’s Herald Square is the must-shop destination this year.”

The success of Grandin Road‘s Halloween line has been developing steadily for over a decade, with the brand’s clever and aspirational designs striking a chord with a growing specialty consumer market. Once only a single day of costumes and trick-or-treating, Halloween has expanded to a full season of ghoulish fun and spooky fantasy that people of all ages enjoy through celebrations, parties and home entertaining. According to the National Retail Federation, in 2015, Americans spent $6.9 billion celebrating Halloween, with $1.9 billion spent on decorations alone. Last year, 49 million Americans were predicted to attend or host a Halloween party.

“Halloween is not only about candy and haunted houses. It’s also about decorating for that wickedly wonderful party!” said Lauren Sullivan, Marketing Director at Grandin Road. “We love to celebrate, and Halloween gives us another opportunity to bring decorations and unexpected twists into the homes of our consumers.”

For more information shoppers can call MyStylist, Macy’s complimentary personal shopping service at (212) 494-4181 or visit www.grandinroad.com/macys.

“Sword Art Online The Movie – Ordinal Scale” Coming to Movie Theaters in Spring of 2017 for Nationwide First-run Release

“Sword Art Online The Movie – Ordinal Scale” Key Visual

Sword Art Online, the mega anime hit that has sold 16.7 million copies worldwide, will come back as an animated feature with a brand new original story by author, Reki Kawahara. Based on the wildly popular light novels published in Kadokawa’s Dengeki Bunko, Sword Art Online The Movie – Ordinal Scale is set to be released nationwide in spring of 2017. Since the first volume of the novel was published in April 2009, the series has proved extremely popular, spawning two TV anime adaptations, video games, comic books, and merchandise.

Preview still Image from “Sword Art Online The Movie – Ordinal Scale” Coming to Movie Theaters in Spring of 2017

The series takes place in the near-future and focuses on various virtual reality MMORPG worlds. In 2022, a Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online (SAO) is released. With the NerveGear, a helmet that stimulates the user’s five senses via their brain, players can experience and control their in-game characters with their minds. On November 6, 10,000 players log into the SAO’s mainframe cyberspace for the first time and discover that they are unable to log-out. They quickly discover from Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of SAO and NerveGear, they must reach the 100th floor of the game’s castle and defeat the final boss if they wish to be free. Those who suffer in-game destruction or remove the NerveGear out-of-game will result in their real-life deaths.

One of the players, Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya, is one of the 1,000 beta testers in the game’s previous closed beta. With the advantage of previous VR gaming experience and a drive to protect other beta testers from discrimination he isolates himself from the greater group and plays the game alone, bearing the mantle of “beater”, or “beta cheater”. As the players progress through the game Kirito eventually befriends a young girl named Asuna Yūki, forming a relationship with and later marrying her in-game. After the duo discover the identity of Kayaba’s program Heathcliff in SAO, who was discovered to be the leader of the guild Asuna joined in, they confront and destroy him, freeing themselves and the other players from the game.

In the real world, Kirito discovers that 300 SAO players, including Asuna, remain trapped in their NerveGear. Several months later, he is informed by Agil, another SAO survivor, that a figure similar to Asuna was spotted on a giant tree (known as “The World Tree”) in another VRMMORPG cyberspace called Alfheim Online (ALO). Assisted in-game by his cousin Suguha “Leafa” Kirigaya and Yui, a navigation pixie, he quickly learns that the trapped players in ALO are part of an evil plan conceived by Nobuyuki Sugō to perform illegal experiments on their minds. The ultimate goal is to perfect mind-control for financial gain and to subjugate Asuna, whom he intends to marry in the real world, to assume control of her family’s corporation. Kirito eventually stops the experiment and rescues the remaining 300 SAO players, foiling Sugō’s plans. Before leaving ALO to see Asuna, Kayaba, who has uploaded his mind to the Internet using an experimental and destructively high-power version of NerveGear at the cost of his life, entrusts Kirito with The Seed – a package program designed to create virtual worlds. Kirito eventually reunites with Asuna in the real world and The Seed is released onto the Internet, reviving the VRMMO industry.

Soon after, at the prompting of a government official investigating strange occurrences in VR, Kirito takes on a job to investigate a series of murders involving another VRMMORPG called Gun Gale Online (GGO), the AmuSphere (the successor of the NerveGear), and a player called Death Gun. Aided by a female player named Shino “Sinon” Asada, he participates in a gunfight tournament called the Bullet of Bullets (BoB) and discovers the truth behind the murders, which originated with a player who participated in player-killing in SAO. Through his and Sinon’s efforts, two suspects are captured, though the third suspect, Johnny Black, escapes.

Kirito is later recruited to assist in testing an experimental FullDive machine, Soul Translator (STL), which has an interface that is far more realistic and complex than the previous machine he had played to help develop an artificial intelligence for the Ministry of Defense (MOD) named A.L.I.C.E. He tests the STL by entering a Virtual Reality cyberspace created with The Seed package, named UnderWorld (UW). In the UW, the flow of time proceeds a thousand times faster than in the real world, and Kirito’s memories of what happens inside are restricted. However, Black critically injures Kirito with suxamethonium chloride but the MOD recovers Kirito and places him back into the STL to preserve his mind while attempts are made to save him.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Announces “Shakespeare 400 Chicago,” The Largest Global Celebration Of Playwright’s 400-Year Legacy In 2016

Celebration Will Engage Top Chicago Cultural Institutions in Yearlong International Festival

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was joined by Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Barbara Gaines, Executive Director Criss Henderson, and leaders of the City’s cultural institutions today to announce Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a yearlong international arts festival in 2016 celebrating the vibrancy, relevance and reach of Shakespeare. As the world commemorates the four hundred years since Shakespeare’s death in 1616, Shakespeare 400 Chicago brings together the city’s resident world-class institutions across disciplines, and welcomes leading artists from around the globe to make Chicago their stage. Anticipated to be the world’s largest and most comprehensive celebration of Shakespeare’s enduring legacy, Shakespeare 400 Chicago is making “no small plans.”

“Chicago will take center stage in 2016, as more than 1,000 local and international artists will create a global celebration of Shakespeare like no other in the world,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “During this landmark year, Shakespeare will be alive on our stages, in our schools and across our neighborhoods. The power of our world-class cultural institutions uniting behind one theme serves to amplify Chicago’s role as a global destination for cultural tourism.”

Spearheaded by the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, this yearlong Quadricentennial festival will engage more than 500,000 Chicagoans and visitors to the City through 850 events exploring how Shakespeare’s words continue to live in Chicago and throughout the world’s great theater, dance, literature, music, cuisine and spectacle.

Shanghai Peking Opera’s The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan based on Hamlet, featured at the Harris Theater of Music and Dance as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago in 2016. Photo by EFE/Leopoldo Smith Murillo.

With leading support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, a diverse array of work across artistic disciplines will highlight Shakespeare’s timeless inspiration of playwrights, painters and poets, composers and choreographers. Among the more than 60 Chicago institutions joining Chicago Shakespeare in offering performances, events and exhibitions are: the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Humanities Festival, Chicago Mariachi Project, Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Libraries, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Illinois Humanities, Joffrey Ballet, Logan Center for the Arts, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, Negaunee Music Institute, Newberry Library and WTTW.

Jonathan Pryce as Shylock in Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre’s production of The Merchant of Venice, featured at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago in 2016. Photo by Manuel Harlan.

Highlights from Chicago partners include: Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Charles Gounod‘s soaring Romeo and Juliet; Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Maestro Riccardo Muti culminates his cycle of Verdi‘s Shakespeare operas with Falstaff; Art Institute of Chicago highlights Shakespeare-inspired visual art in a special exhibition; Chicago chefs and restaurateurs, including Rick Bayless, Alpana Singh and Ryan McCaskey, will create a culinary “Complete Works” in restaurants across the city; and Newberry Library’s “Creating Shakespeare” exhibition will bring together treasures from the British Library and the Folger Shakespeare Library alongside the Newberry’s own renowned Shakespeare collection.

Back from L to R: Jackson Doran (Cassio), GQ (Iago), JQ (Loco Vito) and Postell Pringle (Othello) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Othello: The Remix, featured as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago in 2016. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Chicago Shakespeare‘s centerpiece of the celebration is Barbara Gaines’ electrifying six-play history cycle, Tug of War, including Edward III, Henry V, Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 3, and Richard III. Two action-packed dramas in the spring and fall of 2016 trace the rise and fall of kings—and the uncommon courage of common men.

Belarus Free Theatre’s King Lear, featured at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago. Photo by Nicolai Khalezin.

The company of the Company Theatre of Mumbai’s Piya Behrupiya, a Hindi version of Twelfth Night, featured at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago. Photo courtesy of Company Theatre.

“Chicago Shakespeare has been honored to serve as a cultural ambassador for our city—importing astonishing work from around the world and exporting our work to leading international festivals,” reflected CST Executive Director Criss Henderson. “Shakespeare 400 Chicago deepens our role as a global theater reflective of our global city—and demonstrates how Shakespeare’s timeless words continue to inspire artists across disciplines and across cultures.”

Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Maestro Riccardo Muti culminates his cycle of Verdi’s Shakespeare operas with Falstaff. featured at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago.

International artists participating in Shakespeare 400 Chicago will hail from Australia, Belarus, Belgium, China, Germany, India, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and beyond. International highlights include: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre‘s The Merchant of Venice, starring Jonathan Pryce at Chicago Shakespeare; Shanghai Peking Opera‘s The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan (based on Hamlet) and the Hamburg Ballet‘s Othello at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance; (In)Complete Works: Table Top Shakespeare from Forced Entertainment at the Museum of Contemporary Art; Also, the Cheek by Jowl/Pushkin Theatre of Moscow production of Declan Donnellan‘s Measure for Measure; Belarus Free Theatre‘s King Lear; National Theatre Studio‘s Sancho: An Act of Remembrance, written by and starring Paterson Joseph; The Company Theatre of Mumbai‘s Hindi translation of Twelfth Night—Piya Behrupiya; Songs of Lear from Poland’s Song of the Goat; and Filter and the Royal Shakespeare Company‘s music-infused Twelfth Night—all at Chicago Shakespeare.

Golden Door Spa Named #1 Destination Spa by Readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine In 2015 World’s Best Awards

Golden Door Spa, 2015 “World’s Best Destination Spa” award from Travel + Leisure Magazine in their annual World’s Best Awards issue (Photo courtesy of Travel + Leisure magazine)

Golden Door (777 Deer Springs Road, San Marcos, California 92069) recently received the 2015 “World’s Best Destination Spa” award from Travel + Leisure Magazine in their annual World’s Best Awards issue. The property, inspired by traditional ryokan inns in Japan, provides guests with an all-encompassing spa experience characterized by Asian influences, like a Watsu water therapy pool and Reiki chakra-balancing massages. The Golden Door experience empowers each guest to achieve a healthy mind, body and spirit. Guests relax, restore and refresh on a journey focused on personalized fitness, spa and nutrition programs, thoughtfully designed to meet the specific goals and needs of each individual.

Golden Door. (PRNewsFoto/Golden Door Properties, LLC)

Every year, the publication invites readers to rate travel categories such as airlines, cities, cruise ships, hotels, etc. In the category of destination spa, readers rated five characteristics–accommodations/facilities, treatments, service, food and value–in which Golden Door scored 98.33 out of 100 points.

“We are so pleased and humbled to be recognized with this award,” said Kathy Van Ness, Golden Door General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. “We thank our loyal guests for their support and our dedicated employees who make this magic happen every day. During the past several years, we have worked hard to make improvements for our guests, including a $15 million renovation of the facilities and upgrades to the guest rooms.”

Located in a serene coastal valley between San Diego and Los Angeles, Golden Door provides seven-day stays for a maximum of 40 guests, each in a private room, with a ratio of four staff members to each guest. With a nod to busy individuals, the spa recently added three- and four-day-stay options. Guests are encouraged to pursue a healthy mind, body and spirit with a focus on fitness, spa and nutrition programs, all personalized to meet the goals and needs of each individual.

In addition to a complete range of daily and optional spa services, Golden Door offers hiking and mountain-biking trails, a 2000-square-foot equipment gym, two swimming pools and a therapy pool, three group exercise studios, a Pilates studio, cycling room and tennis court.

The 600-acre property features mature Japanese gardens, bamboo forest, woodlands, mountains and citrus, avocado and olive groves. The culinary gardens and orchards, which are organically and bio-intensively farmed, provide a large portion of healthy garden-to-table meals for guests. With more than 30 miles of hiking and walking trails, mountains to climb, vistas to discover and a bamboo forest that gives voice to the wind, guests are surrounded by breathtaking beauty that nurtures the soul.

During the past year, the spa has expanded its retail products, which until now were available only onsite and online. On September 1, Golden Door opens two retail kiosks, one at Westfield Century City and one at Westfield UTC in San Diego. These first off-site kiosks will feature selected products from the Artisan Food, Skin Care and Jewelry lines. Gift certificates for visits to the 2015 World’s Best Destination Spa also are available.

Perhaps the most innovative and far-reaching endeavor is Golden Door Foundation, established in 2013. The spa’s philosophy of helping to transform lives extends beyond those of guests to select local, national and international charities. As a show of support to those involved in making the world a more loving, more humane and more peaceful place, Golden Door pledges 100 percent of net profits from the resort to select charities that make a difference in the lives of children.

Netflix Announces Premiere Dates For Upcoming Shows for Fall And Dates For New Original Series For Kids

New Slate of Stand-Up Specials from Comedians Including Mike Epps, Demetri Martin, Anjelah Johnson, Anthony Jeselnik

Netflix has announced premiere dates for several of its highly-anticipated upcoming series. All, with the exception of Longmire, will be available globally upon release in all territories where Netflix is available:

Longmire, Season Four – Thursday, September 10, 2015

(available in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand)

Based on the novels by bestselling author Craig Johnson, the fourth season premiere of Longmire picks up moments after season three’s exciting finale. Walt Longmire (series star Robert Taylor), having found out who was behind the murder of his wife, succumbs to his darker impulses and takes off in pursuit of the killer with murder on his mind. Meanwhile, Branch Connally (Bailey Chase), the deputy who Walt fired for erratic, violent behavior, believes he has already figured out who the real culprit is. But during his confrontation with this suspected killer, a gun goes off. Now the audience will finally learn what happened, and whether Walt can be stopped before he makes a fatal choice. The 10-episode fourth season stars Taylor, along with Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Riddick), Lou Diamond Phillips (Southland, La Bamba), Bailey Chase (Damages), Cassidy Freeman (Smallville) and Adam Bartley (Justified). Gerald McRaney (House of Cards) and Ally Walker (Sons of Anarchy) guest star in the upcoming season. Longmire is produced by The Shephard/Robin Company in association with Warner Horizon Television. Hunt Baldwin (The Closer, Trust Me), John Coveny (The Closer, Trust Me), Greer Shephard (The Closer, Major Crimes, Nip/Tuck) and Michael M. Robin (The Closer, Major Crimes, Nip/Tuck) serve as executive producers.

Master of None – Friday, November 6, 2015

Based on the comedic viewpoints of Aziz Ansari, the show follows the personal and professional lives of Dev (Aziz Ansari), a 30-year-old actor in New York who has trouble deciding what he wants to eat, much less the pathway for the rest of his life. Ambitious, funny, cinematic, and both sweeping in scope and intensely personal, Dev’s story takes him through subjects as diverse as the plight of the elderly, the immigrant experience, and how to find the most delicious pasta for dinner. Ansari stars in and created the series with Alan Yang; both serve as executive producers alongside Mike Schur (Parks and Recreation), Dave Becky (Louie) and David Miner (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). The series also stars H. Jon Benjamin, Eric Wareheim, Lena Waithe, Noel Wells and Kelvin Yu and is produced by Universal TV and 3 Arts for Netflix.

Chelsea Does – Coming Soon

Chelsea Does is a documentary film series comprised of four films that feature Chelsea Handler exploring topics of personal fascination: marriage, racism, technology and drugs. Her talk show for Netflix will launch in 2016. Chelsea Does is directed by Oscar-nominated Eddie Schmidt (This Film is Not Yet Rated) and executive produced by Chelsea Handler and Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom) and produced by Gary Snoonian (Chelsea Lately).

Coming in Fourth Quarter

– The 4-episode, sketch comedy series With Bob and David, starring Bob Odenkirk and David Cross;

– Marvel’s Jessica Jones starring Krysten Ritter and David Tennant;

– Sofia Coppola’s A Very Murray Christmas, starring Bill Murray and a star-studded cast including George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus, and others;

– the third and final season of Hemlock Grove; and

– Bill Burr‘s animated comedy series F is for Family, starring Burr, Laura Dern and Justin Long, will all premiere in the fourth quarter of 2015. Exact dates to be announced later.

BoJack Horseman – Renewed for Season Three

The darkly hilarious, critically-acclaimed, serialized animated adult comedy BoJack Horseman has been renewed for a third season, and will return with 12 new episodes in 2016. Will Arnett voices BoJack, the legendary 90’s sitcom star, who has been trying to find his way through a muddle of self-loathing, whisky and failed relationships. The all-star voice cast includes Arnett as BoJack Horseman, Aaron Paul as Todd Chavez, Amy Sedaris as Princess Carolyn, Alison Brie as Diane Nguyen and Paul F. Tompkins as Mr. Peanutbutter. BoJack Horseman was created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The series is executive produced by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Steven A. Cohen and Noel Bright. Will Arnett (The Millers, Arrested Development) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) also serve as executive producers. BoJack Horseman was designed by graphic artist Lisa Hanawalt and animated by LA-based ShadowMachine. The show is a Tornante Production, brought to life by Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company. Seasons one and two are now streaming only on Netflix.

Original Netflix Comedy Specials Coming Soon:

Anjelah Johnson: Not Fancy – Premieres Friday, October 2, 2015 Anjelah Johnson’s newest comedy special features an evolving woman dealing with life on the road, settling into marriage and the lovable antics of her Mexican American family.

Anthony Jeselnik: Thoughts and Prayers – Premieres Friday, October 16, 2015

Shot at the historic Fillmore Theatre in San Francisco, Anthony Jeselnik’s latest special, Thoughts and Prayers, delivers an all-new hour of hilarious stand-up comedy.

John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid – Premieres Friday, November 13, 2015

In his new stand-up special John Mulaney regales a sold out audience at the Chicago Theater with stories about a temp job he once had, a realtor he knows, a different realtor he knows, and the night he met Bill Clinton.

Brent Morin – Premieres Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Through many mistakes and adventures, Morin comes to terms with the fact that he wants to be in love, but is nowhere near ready for a relationship.

Mike Epps: After Dark – Premieres Friday, December 18, 2015

It’s his time to shine…and Mike Epps wastes no time bringing his unapologetic and raunchy swagger to a howling live audience at the historic Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles.

Kids and Family Originals

Netflix sets dates for the fall line-up of six new original series for kids and families.

First, Dreamworks Animation took kids to the Mechazoic World of Dinotrux, an all new action-packed series featuring extraordinary creatures who are half dinosaur, half construction vehicle and are set to build and battle.

Preschoolers will enjoy Puffin Rock (Sept. 1) featuring a plucky young puffling, who along with her ever-curious little brother Baba, explores the diverse array of sea, sky, land and underground creatures.

Children – and children of the 80s – will love all-new stories about Popples (Nov.), the adorable species of brightly colored creatures that transform from fluffy balls to furry friends and back again, while keeping the same silly spirit of the original Popples characters and Care Bears and Cousins (Dec.) which will bring back the whole huggable gang.

TORRID, The Hottest Name In Plus-Size Fashion, Introduces Real Girls Campaign, #MyStoryMyTorrid

TORRID, the fastest growing Plus-Size fashion retailer in the country, is featuring its customers as models for their Fall 2015 campaign, #MyStoryMyTorrid. This is the first campaign of its kind in plus-size fashion showcasing real girls who wear sizes 12-28, a demographic representing the majority of American women.

“Our customers often ask us why we don’t show our clothes on ‘real girls’ as well as professional models, and we’ve answered,” states Lisa Harper, Torrid CEO. “It’s a powerful thing to turn the camera on them and give them a platform to express themselves. These young women have been ignored by the fashion industry for too long, we want to turn that around.“

TORRID designs and retails on-trend fashion apparel, accessories, swimwear and lingerie for young, stylish women who wear sizes 12 to 28 and has over 315 stores across the country and online at torrid.com.

The girls featured are devoted fans of Torrid, discovered on Instagram.

Kiara Boughner (PRNewsFoto/TORRID)

On the cover of Torrid’s Fall Collection catalog, launching this week, is Kiara Boughner from Redondo Beach, CA, a wedding cake designer and newlywed, photographed at her family’s ranch. “It’s so cool to share my experience of where I grew up and do this awesome photo shoot with Torrid,” she says. “I love that Torrid is a movement empowering girls everywhere.”

Kia Billinger (PRNewsFoto/TORRID)

Kia Billinger from La Verne, CA, also appearing in the campaign, is a registered nurse who works the night shift in the emergency room at her local hospital. “At work I wear scrubs, but I also love dressing up,” she says. “Torrid’s clothes make me feel beautiful and fierce. This experience has been amazing.”

Zen Josey (PRNewsFoto/TORRID)

Zen Josey from La Miranda, CA, the third girl featured, works for a video game company and is passionate about burlesque. She explains, “When I discovered Torrid, it made me feel relevant and cool, not like an outcast because I couldn’t fit into a size 10. The shoot was a really amazing experience for me, I feel honored.”

They each spends a day doing a photo shoot in her respective hometown and then appears on the pages of Torrid’s catalog, in the windows and inside of Torrid stores, and prominently on Torrid.com. Each girl shares her story – a blend of video, personal photos and her favorite Torrid looks–as she normally would, via social media. A special meet-and-greet event is organized as well to celebrate each girl at her local Torrid store.
Due to the resounding success (so far) and overwhelmingly favorable response to the fall campaign, the company plans to continue showcasing their customers as models in their marketing for the upcoming holiday catalog and selling season.

2013 Internet Ad Revenues Soar To $42.8 Billion, Hitting Landmark High & Surpassing Broadcast Television For The First Time

Marks a 17% Rise Over Record-Setting Revenues in 2012

Fourth Quarter/2013 Numbers Climb to $12.1 Billion, A 17% Surge in Revenues Over Same Time in 2012

Mobile Sees Year-Over-Year Triple-Digit Growth for the Third Year in a Row

U.S. interactive advertising revenues for 2013 hit an all-time high of $42.8 billion, according to the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report for the full-year, exceeding broadcast television advertising* revenues ($40.1 billion), for the first time ever. This momentous figure marks an increase of 17 percent from 2012’s landmark revenues of $36.6 billion. The report, unveiled by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and prepared by PwC U.S., also reveals that fourth quarter revenues for 2013 came in at $12.1 billion, an increase of 17 percent from the $10.3 billion brought in during the same quarter in 2012. In addition, this total represents an uptick of 14 percent from 2013’s third quarter revenues at $10.6 billion.

Here are the results from the full year in comparison with last year’s numbers:

	Full Year 2012		Full Year 2013
	%	$	%	$
Revenue (Ad Formats)
Search	46%	$16,916	43%	$18,365
Classifieds and Directories	7%	$2,430	6%	$2,597
Lead Generation	5%	$1,689	4%	$1,749
E-mail	0%	$156	0%	$165
Mobile	9%	$3,370	17%	$7,084
Display-related
– Digital Video Commercials	6%	$2,330	7%	$2,784
– Ad banners / display ads	21%	$7,721	19%	$7,943
– Sponsorships	2%	$845	2%	$766
– Rich media	3%	$1,113	3%	$1,328
Total display-related	33%	$12,009	30%	$12,821
Revenue (Pricing Models)
Impression-based	32%	$11,709	33%	$14,297
Performance-based	66%	$24,093	65%	$27,788
Hybrid	2%	$768	2%	$696

Other highlights include:

• For the third year in a row, mobile achieved triple-digit growth year-over-year, rising to $7.1 billion during full year 2013, a 110 percent boost from the prior year total of $3.4 billion. Mobile accounted for 17 percent of 2013 revenues, whereas it was 9 percent of revenues in 2012.
• Digital video, a component of display-related advertising, brought in $2.8 billion in full year 2013, up 19 percent over revenues of $2.3 billion in 2012. As a result, it also increased its share to become the fourth largest format, directly behind mobile.
• Search revenues totaled $18.4 billion in 2013, up 9 percent from 2012, when search totaled $16.9 billion.
• Display-related advertising revenues in 2013 totaled $12.8 billion or 30 percent of the year’s revenues, a rise of 7 percent over $12 billion in 2012.
• Retail advertisers continue to represent the largest category of internet ad spending, responsible for 21 percent in 2013, followed by financial services and closely trailed by automotive which account for 13 and 12 percent of the year’s revenues respectively.

“The news that interactive has outperformed broadcast television should come as no surprise,” said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. “It speaks to the power that digital screens have in reaching and engaging audiences. In that same vein, the staggering growth of mobile is clearly a direct response to how smaller digital screens play an integral role in consumers’ lives throughout the day, as well as their critical importance to cross-screen experiences.”

“Our survey confirms that we are fully in transition to the post-desktop era,” said David Silverman, Partner, PwC U.S. “Triple digit advertising revenue growth from mobile devices contrasted the more tepid 8 percent growth from traditional computer screens. This is simply a reflection of the change in how and where consumers are viewing their information—on the go!”

“Digital marketing generates large reach and many possibilities to create impact across consumers’ purchase consideration processes, both critically important to advertisers as they seek marketing investments that have value ” said Sherrill Mane, Senior Vice President, Research, Analytics, and Measurement, IAB.

IAB sponsors the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report, which is conducted independently by the New Media Group of PwC. The results are considered the most accurate measurement of interactive advertising revenues because the data is compiled directly from information supplied by companies selling advertisements on the internet.

The survey includes data concerning online advertising revenues from Web sites, commercial online services, free email providers, and all other companies selling online advertising. The full report is issued twice yearly for full and half-year data, and top-line quarterly estimates are issued for the first and third quarters. PwC does not audit the information and provides no opinion or other form of assurance with respect to the information. A copy of the full report is available at: iab.net/AdRevenueReport.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 600 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C.

Conde Nast Entertainment Unveils Second Phase Of Digital Expansion

Conde Nast Entertainment (CNE) today unveiled the next phase of its digital expansion at its second annual Digital Content NewFront (organized by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)** which is comprised of more than 600 leading media and technology companies and responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States). CNE, which launched its digital video network in March 2013 with GQ and Glamour channels, has built the network into a growing force with eleven iconic branded channels inspired by storied Conde Nast titles, and nearly a billion views to date.  The next phase of the division’s digital expansion includes the addition of three new branded channels to its network – Bon Appetit, The New Yorker and Lucky – the production of over 100 new and returning digital series across all channels, and the creation of THE SCENE, the industry’s first platform devoted to curating and showcasing premium digital-first video content.  The announcements were made by Dawn Ostroff, president, Conde Nast Entertainment.

Conde Nast Entertainment logo (PRNewsFoto/Conde Nast Entertainment )

The company attracts more than 95 million consumers across its twenty industry-leading print and digital media brands:  Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Brides, Self, GQ, The New Yorker, Conde Nast Traveler, Details, Allure, Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, Epicurious, Wired, W, Lucky, Golf Digest, Golf World, Teen Vogue and Ars Technica.

According to Ostroff, “In just one year, CNE has set the industry standard for award-winning original video content that millions of influential millennials are watching and sharing. The addition of THE SCENE, which will feature content from all of our powerful branded channels and premium digital videos from leading traditional and digital media companies, will increase our reach to entirely new audiences.”

CNE’s digital video network has been widely recognized by the industry for the quality of its content including being honored with the company’s first Producers Guild of America Award, first Emmy nomination and fourteen Webby nominations this year. The network  is now widely available on over 25 platforms and devices including AOL, Yahoo, Roku, YouTube, Twitter, Dailymotion and Conde Nast’s brand sites.  Distribution is expected to continue to expand to more platforms and devices this year.

New CNE series debuting in 2014 include:

Allure
Cassandra To The Rescue – YouTube sensation Cassandra Bankson helps women tackle their insecurities and skin problems with makeup secrets and lessons in confidence.

Beauty Evolution – Top beauty insiders reveal the best moments – and not-so-best moments – of the most glamorous celebs on their journeys to becoming beauty icons.

Bon Appetit
I Effed It Up – Bon Appetit’s senior food editor, Dawn Perry, shares cooking techniques that will keep viewers from messing up their favorite dishes.

Cook Like A Pro – The country’s best chefs reveal the secrets to their most famous dishes.

Big Fat Weekend – Bon Appetit’s inimitable Andrew Knowlton bursts onto the scene of a new town in each episode and revels in the local food, drink and culinary indulgences.

Epicurious
1 Item 3 Ways – Viewers will learn how to take the seasonal food item of the moment and reinvent it in three unique and delicious recipes.

What’s In Your Bag? – Comedian Mike Kenton plays the most comically intrusive and revealing game with the residents of New York City – what’s in their grocery bags.

Epicuriousity – This visually lush and compelling docu-series explores the trends and personalities at the forefront of the artisanal food and wine movement in America.

Glamour
30 Things – From executive producers Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, this series presents the must-haves and must-knows for women on the cusp of, and beyond, the age of 30.

Glamour Documentaries – The next installment in the award-winning documentary series that brought viewers Screw You Cancer.

Golf Digest
Shanked – Outrgeous and hilarious pranks have finally made their way onto the golf course in this new hidden-camera comedy series.

Hungover Caddy – An animated series that follows the antics and shenanigans of an unruly caddy at the fanciest of country clubs.

GQ
45 Second Man – GQ’s new animated series demonstrates how to do everything – in style – with invaluable insight and expertise.

Most Expensivest Sh*t – Whether in good taste or totally over the top, this series looks at the most outrageously decadent toys of the rich and famous – the most expensivest sh*t known to man.

SELF
Rachel’s Rules – Nutrition expert Rachel Beller dissects the shocking reality behind the foods people think are healthy, and how to truly eat smart.

Treat Yourself – This series shows viewers how to enjoy a delicious indulgence without going up in jean size – the ultimate treat for every healthy food lover.

Style.com
In The Mood For – With her unrivaled style sensibility and hilarious irreverence, fashion blogger Leandra Medine (aka Man Repeller) demonstrates how to wear the hottest looks of the moment.

Beauty Icons – Celebrity makeup artist Kayleen McAdams transforms herself from glam squad team member to Hollywood icon, making every glamorous feature accessible and easy to achieve for viewers.

Teen Vogue
Bryanboy Goes To College – On a cross-country college tour, popular fashion blogger Bryanboy meets chic and stylish college students in this series that celebrates street style at the top of its class.

Strictly Ballet – This series presents an unprecedented, never-before-seen look inside the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center.

Get The Look – Teen Vogue’s Elaine Welteroth gives viewers the scoop on their favorite celebrities’ most iconic makeup moments straight from the source – speaking with their very own makeup artists who demonstrate how to achieve each look.

Vanity Fair
@VF Scandal – No one does scandal quite like Vanity Fair; this documentary series reveals the most salacious, scandalous and intriguing tales that exist, proving that when it comes to storytelling, it’s either Vanity Fair or it’s not.

Red Carpet Conversations – Red carpet footage like you’ve never seen it before – with irreverent lip reading that suggests a conversation between celebrities that you would never imagine.

Vogue
73 Questions – From director Joe Sabia comes a totally unique interview that takes us inside a celebrity’s home, where they’ll answer 73 very personal questions – on the spot.

Born Free – This gripping documentary series brings together top fashion designers with iconic photographer Annie Leibovitz as they embark on a quest to minimize the spread of HIV to children from infected mothers.

WIRED
Retro Grade – A gadget lab for antiquated and obsolete technology, this comic series offers tech demonstrations that viewers won’t believe were once possible.

Teen Technorati – Hundreds of thousands of dollars and a Thiel Fellowship await a select few teen inventors who are competing for the chance to develop their inventions.

Popular CNE series being renewed for 2014 include:

Glamour: Dressed to Kill, Elevator Makeover, The Single Life, Why Do Guys?, My Glamour Do

GQ: America’s Bartender

SELF: Girl vs. Sweat, Which is Worse?

Teen Vogue: Besties, Breakfast with Bevan, Get the Look, My Room Makeover: College Edition, Outfit of the Day

Vanity Fair: Vanity Code

Vogue: Vogue Weddings: The Dress, The Fashion Fund

WIRED: Angry Nerd, Codefellas, Design FX, The Window, What’s Inside

Further details on other new series and original programming will be announced closer to their launch dates. Teasers for the upcoming content can be found at their channel links below.

Allure’s Video Site: http://video.allure.com
Subscribe to Allure’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/Allure

Epicurious’ Video Site: http://video.epicurious.com
Subscribe to Epicurious’ YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/Epicurious

Glamour’s Video Site: http://video.glamour.com
Subscribe to Glamour’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/Glamour

Golf Digest’s Video Site: http://video.golfdigest.com
Subscribe to Golf Digest’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/Golfdigest

GQ’s Video Site: http://video.gq.com
Subscribe to GQ’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/GQ

SELF’s Video Site: http://video.self.com
Subscribe to SELF’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/SELF

Style.com’s Video Site: http://video.style.com
Subscribe to Style’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/Style

Teen Vogue’s Video Site: http://video.teenvogue.com
Subscribe to TeenVogue’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/TeenVogue

Vanity Fair’s Video Site: http://video.vanityfair.com
Subscribe to Vanity Fair’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/Vanityfair

Vogue’s Video Site: http://video.vogue.com
Subscribe to Vogue’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/Vogue

WIRED’s Video Site: http://video.wired.com
Subscribe to Wired’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/Wired

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES 98th ANNUAL PULITZER PRIZES IN JOURNALISM, LETTERS, DRAMA AND MUSIC

The 98th annual Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism, Letters, Drama and Music, awarded on the recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board, were announced today by Columbia University.

The Pulitzer Prize Board made its recommendations for the 2014 prizes when it met at Columbia on April 10 and 11 and passed them to President Lee C. Bollinger. It announced that the awards would be presented at a luncheon on May 28 at Columbia
University. Randell Beck, Robert Blau, Joyce Dehli, Steven Hahn and Keven Ann Willey were re-elected to membership on the board.

In any category in which board members have an interest due to the action of the various nominating juries, those members do not participate in the discussion and voting and leave the room until a decision is reached in the affected category. Similarly, members of nominating juries do not participate in the discussion of or voting on entries in which they have an interest.

The winners in each category, along with the names of the finalists in the competition, follow:

A. PRIZES IN JOURNALISM

1. PUBLIC SERVICE

For a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalistic resources, including the use of stories, editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics, videos, databases, multimedia or interactive presentations or other visual material, a gold medal.

Two Prizes of a gold medal each:

Awarded to The Guardian US for its revelation of widespread secret surveillance by the National Security Agency, helping through aggressive reporting to spark a debate about the relationship between the government and the public over issues of security and privacy.

and

Awarded to The Washington Post for its revelation of widespread secret surveillance by the National Security Agency, marked by authoritative and insightful reports that helped the public understand how the disclosures fit into the larger framework of national security.

Also nominated as a finalist in this category was: Newsday, Long Island, N.Y., for its use ofin-depth reporting and digital tools to expose shootings, beatings and other concealed misconduct by some Long Island police officers, leading to the formation of a grand jury and an official review of police accountability.

POV and The New York Times Join Forces to Present Documentaries Online

Previous collaborations by the two organizations include The Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg and The Times, a special New York Times Community Affairs/POV forum held in 2011. A panel moderated by New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson was the first public forum with Dr. Ellsberg and The Times since the Pentagon Papers were published in 1971. The event became part of POV’s broadcast of the Oscar®-nominated film The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers and it was streamed online. Other major Times screenings have featured the POV documentaries Reportero, The Light in Her Eyes and If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front. 

PBS’s award-winning independent documentary series POV (Point of View) and The New York Times today announced a

POV. (PRNewsFoto/POV/American Documentary, Inc.)

collaboration to present new documentaries on the organizations’ websites, www.pbs.org/pov and www.nytimes.com. Starting last Saturday, March 8 with the half-hour film “The Men of Atalissa” by Dan Barry and Kassie Bracken, POV and The New York Times will premiere a series of digital documentaries, with accompanying articles and interviews, throughout 2014.

“The Men of Atalissa,” produced by The New York Times, will kick off simultaneously on the websites of POV and The Times on March 8. Concurrently, an article by The New York Times’s Dan Barry will be published onThe Times website, and POV will feature a behind-the-scenes online interview with the journalists. Mr. Barry’s article will appear in the Sunday print edition of The New York Times the following day.

Produced by Kassie Bracken, John Woo and Dan Barry, “The Men of Atalissa” is the evocative, haunting story of a few dozen men with intellectual disability who lived in an old schoolhouse on top of a hill. For more than three decades, they were an integral part of an Iowa farming community, worshipping at the local churches, dancing at the local bars, working at a nearby turkey-processing plant; they were affectionately known as “the boys.” But none of their neighbors knew of the day-to-day abuse the men endured in that schoolhouse on the hill.

“Documentaries and journalism are natural allies, and our collaboration with The New York Times represents the best of both worlds,” said Cynthia Lopez, Co-Executive Producer of POV. “Americans are hungry for in-depth information. With this initiative, nonfiction filmmakers will join forces with the newsroom’s top journalists to inform and engage the public about critical social issues.”

“We are excited to be working with POV, television’s definitive showcase for independent documentary films,” said Ann Derry, The Times Editorial Director, Video Partnerships. “‘The Men of Atalissa’ continues The New York Times’s rich tradition of documentary filmmaking. It’s an extraordinary project and we look forward to an ongoing collaboration with POV.“

For information about future POV films, visit www.pbs.org/pov/. 

Gap Debuts “Back to Blue” Videos with Three-Screen Strategy

, Alexa Ray Joel, sings her version of father Billy Joel’s classic, “Just the Way You Are.”

Brand Returns to TV for the First Time in Four Years

Gap’s fall global marketing campaign – Back to Blue – continues today with the launch of two videos that reinforce the idea of getting back to what matters most—our truest selves. Grounded in the idea of expressing one’s authentic self, each spot features a contemporary musician, who for the first time is recording a song made famous years ago by their parent and making it their own. These raw, intimate renditions are modern takes on classic pieces and provide a rare glimpse into the soul and journey of each artist.

English musician, Dhani Harrison, performs “For You Blue,” a song written by his father, the late George Harrison. “For You Blue” was first recorded in 1969 and then released on The Beatles’ “Let it Be” album a year later.

“The entire Back to Blue campaign embodies what it means to be comfortable in your own skin. As a brand that is known for expressing itself through sight, sound and motion, we wanted to bring this idea to life through the voices of two individuals who are recognized for staying true to who they want to be,” said Seth Farbman, Gap’s Global Chief Marketing Officer. “To me, honest, open and heart-felt films like these are the future of video content. Anyone can relate to them because they’re real.”

Back to Blue is the broadest-reaching campaign in the company’s modern history, reflecting the dramatically changing media landscape. The Back to Blue spots will air in North America and globally in select markets in TV, cinema, digital, social, in-store, and taxi TV. In addition to TV, it celebrates the brand’s heritage through print, outdoor, direct, social, in-store and digital.

Illustrating her skills as a pianist, American singer and songwriter, Alexa Ray Joel, sings her version of father Billy Joel’s classic, “Just the Way You Are.” In 1979, the iconic melody won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Expressing his love for the blues, English musician, Dhani Harrison, performs “For You Blue,” a song written by his father, the late George Harrison. “For You Blue” was first recorded in 1969 and then released on The Beatles’ “Let it Be” album a year later.

Directed by Danny Clinch, who is well-known for bringing out the best in musicians, both films are shot in a single, unedited take. Both Dhani Harrison and Alexa Ray Joel selected the songs themselves and worked extensively on their renditions ahead of time, recording them live on a simple studio set. Personal touches like Alexa wearing her father’s ring and playing on the exact same type of piano used to record the original version of “Just the Way You Are,” add to the authenticity of the films and showcase how going back to your roots helps define who you are.

The entire “Just the Way You Are” and “For You Blue” tracks are available for download now on iTunes. All proceeds of the “For You Blue” track by Dhani Harrison will go to George Harrison’s Material World Foundation, which is currently focused on helping create awareness for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and its mission to cure spinal cord injury.

Catalog Spree Makes Back-to-School Shopping Easy With Mobile Shopping App

Shop Gymboree, Justice, Mini Boden, Quiksilver, and More in Digital Lookbook Format on the iPad and iPhone

Catalog Spree, the personal digital mall that lets consumers browse, discover and shop their favorite retail brands, today launched a series of children’s-focused lookbooks to help take the stress out of back-to-school shopping. The award-winning app brings the fun of window shopping to the iPad and iPhone, connecting consumers with the brands they love in a personalized, one-stop mobile shopping experience. Fashion and back-to-school products from top brands including

Catalog Spree. (PRNewsFoto/Catalog Spree)

Gymboree, Hanna Andersson, Justice, Lands’ End, Nordstrom, Reuseit, Tea Collection, The Children’s Place, and more, are now available in a visually engaging lookbook format for the iPad and iPhone. With so many popular brands in one mobile shopping app, Catalog Spree is making it easy for busy parents to browse and shop back-to-school necessities without having to go to the mall.

Catalog Spree features more than 350 catalogs and lookbooks from top-tier brands including Forever 21, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Stella & Dot, Target, The Land of Nod, and TOMS Shoes. Unlike online retail websites, Catalog Spree’s visually engaging, full-page lookbooks allow consumers to quickly and easily flip through pages to browse and shop fashion and products on an iPad or iPhone (also available on the web).

Catalog Spree is also launching themed, curated lookbooks featuring multiple brands to help parents shop as efficiently as possible. The creation of the Catalog Spree-branded “Back-to-School” lookbook is the company’s first foray into curated content from multiple retailers. It features top brands such as Crazy8, Mini Boden, Payless ShoeSource, Quiksilver, Roxy, Skechers, and TOMS Shoes. Additional curated lookbooks for children, women and men are constantly being published thanks to Catalog Spree’s new all-digital publication platform, Spree Studio. The platform enables the creation of exclusive, custom lookbooks and catalogs for nearly any e-commerce brand in a matter of hours.

“American families with school-aged children will spend an average of $634 on back-to-school fashion and products this year,” said Joaquin Ruiz, CEO of Catalog Spree. “Browsing, researching and purchasing products can be time consuming for parents – especially as they’re trying to enjoy those last few moments of summer. Catalog Spree is making the back-to-school shopping process easy but keeping it fun by offering the most engaging experience on mobile devices.”

To shop top back-to-school brands and products, visit Catalog Spree’s back-to-school department.  For additional information on Catalog Spree, go to www.catalogspree.com.

4TH ANNUAL TASTE AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT

The 4TH ANNUAL TASTE AWARDS is pleased to announce this year’s award winners. Award Winners were announced via livestream, and will receive their awards at the TASTE AWARDS RED CARPET GALA AND RECEPTION in Los Angeles on JANUARY 17TH, which will be filmed for later broadcast.

The TASTE AWARDS Medallion. (PRNewsFoto/TasteTV)

The ANNUAL TASTE AWARDS (also known as the TASTY AWARDS) in Hollywood celebrate the year’s best in Food, Fashion, and Lifestyle programs on Television, in Film, Online, and on Radio. In honor of their achievements, SCHILTZ FOODS ROAST GOOSE is providing complimentary holiday goose to winners of the Best Food Program: Television, Best Food Travel Series: Television, Best Food Travel Series: Web, Best Green or Organic Program, Best New Series, Best Food Program: Web, Best Film or Documentary, and Best Comedy categories. This gourmet roast goose will also be served at the January 17th Hollywood awards event. Additional award winner partner perks will be announced shortly.

The TASTE AWARDS RED CARPET GALA AND RECEPTION will feature a star-studded lineup of food and fashion TV celebrities, and has—in the past—included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and other media platforms such as the FOOD NETWORK, THE STYLE NETWORK, BRAVO, THE COOKING CHANNEL, TLC, DISCOVERY, LIFETIME, E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION, PBS, NBC, ABC, THE CW, HGTV, THE TRAVEL CHANNEL, HD NET, HULU, YOUTUBE, SONY PICTURES, and more.