I'm in VANCOUVER trick!

I found these awesome panoramic photos of Downtown, Vancouver.  I wish I could acknowledge the person who took them but I honestly don't know who did.  Despite the rainy weather, this city is truly the most beautiful place to live!

The Aqua Tower | Studio Gang Architects

This is by far the neatest looking building! 
Located at 430 East Waterside Drive in Chicago.

Totaling over 1.9 million sf, Aqua Tower is an 82-story mixed-use high-rise that includes a hotel, apartments, condominiums, parking and offices. Unlike a tower in an open field, new towers in urban environments must negotiate small view corridors between existing buildings. In response to this, the Aqua Tower is designed to capture particular views that would otherwise be unattainable. Among the building’s notable features is the green roof terrace atop its plinth—which at 80,000 sf is one of Chicago’s largest—that contains an outdoor pool, running track, gardens, fire pits and yoga terrace.

A series of contours defined by outdoor terraces extends away from the face of the tower structure to provide views between neighboring buildings. These outdoor terraces, cantilevered up to twelve feet, differ in shape from floor to floor. The terraces inflect based on criteria such as the view, solar shading and size and type of dwelling. When viewed together, these unique terraces make the building appear to undulate, presenting a highly sculptural appearance that is rooted in function. Aqua creates a strong identity through its architecture and has become a landmark addition to the Chicago skyline.

Early and close collaboration between architect and builder, as well as the use of contemporary digital tools, allowed the variation in the shape of the floor slabs to be achieved without increasing the building’s construction timetable. The result is a high-rise tower particular to its site that allows residents to inhabit the facade of the building and the city at the same time.

“Aqua Tower was shaped by an organic, site-specific design process. Rather than starting out with the goal of creating an icon, we let the climate and views shape the building, weaving it into its surroundings and treating the building and its environment as interconnected not separate. Even though it may appear to be formally expressive, it is equal parts data and imagination.” – Jeanne Gang, Design Principal Architect

Source(s): www.contemporist.com, www.studiogang.net, Photography by Steve Hall for www.hedrichblessing.com 

Jay-Z | The Blueprint 3 | Empire State of Mind

I'm a HUGE Jay-Z fan!  I can't get enough of his new album, The Blueprint 3.  I currently have 'Empire State of Mind' featuring Alicia Keys on repeat.

Check out Jay-Z's latest single, 'Empire State of Mind' featuring Alicia Keys on Youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8

Brothers starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal & Natalie Portman

A remake of Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen's Danish film, 'Brødre'.  I thought this film was pretty good.  The chosen cast was perfect and Natalie Portman was amazing as usual.

About the Movie | Brothers

Thirty-something Captain Sam Cahill and his younger brother Tommy Cahill, are polar opposites. A Marine about to embark on his fourth tour of duty, Sam is a steadfast family man married to his high school sweetheart, the aptly named Grace, with whom he has two young daughters. Tommy, his charismatic younger brother, is a drifter just out of jail who's always gotten by on wit and charm. He slides easily into his role as family provocateur on his first night out of prison, at Sam's farewell dinner with their parents, Elsie and Hank Cahill, a retired Marine. Shipped out to Afghanistan, Sam is presumed dead when his Black Hawk helicopter is shot down in the mountains. At home in suburbia, the Cahill family suddenly faces a shocking void, and Tommy tries to fill in for his brother by assuming newfound responsibility for himself, Grace, and the children. 

Source(s): www.apple.com/trailers, www.imdb.com,

Precious | Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

I read 'Push' by Sapphire about a month ago after watching an interview of Mariah Carey describing how the role she played in this movie was completely unlike any of the roles she's played in her past movies.  MC bombed in her movie, 'Glitter' but she definitely shined in 'Push'.  The movie is definitely not as r rated as the novel.  If you read the novel before watching the movie you'll know what I am talking about.  Nonetheless, the novel was a great read and the movie was a work of art!     

About the Novel | 'Push' by Sapphire

Relentless, remorseless, and inspirational, this "horrific, hope-filled story" (Newsday) is certain to haunt a generation of readers. Precious Jones, 16 years old and pregnant by her father with her second child, meets a determined and highly radical teacher who takes her on a journey of transformation and redemption.

About the Author | Sapphire

Sapphire was born in 1950 and spent her first twelve years on army bases in California and Texas. As a teenager she lived in South Philadelphia and Los Angeles. She graduated from City College in New York and received an MFA from Brooklyn College. From 1983 to 1993 she lived in Harlem, where she taught reading and writing to teenagers and adults. Sapphire is a performance poet and the author of a collection of poetry and prose, American Dreams. She lives in New York City.

About the Movie | Precious

Watch the movie trailer here!
http://www.weareallprecious.com/
 
Life is hard. Life is short. Life is painful. Life is rich. Life is....Precious.
 

Claireece Precious Jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect.

 

Source(s): www.weareallprecious.com, www.imdb.com, www.chapters.indigo.ca, www.amazon.ca

Nikon D60 or Nikon D300?!?!

I'm ready to switch my Sony Cybershot for something a lot more pro.  With so many great camera brands out there, it's hard to decide on one.  I've wanted a Canon for so long but lately I've been veering towards a Nikon.  Which model though?

Nikon D60

Nikon D300

I'm in LOVE...

with this car!

The Mercedes Benz G Wagon

My sister and I were driving in the pouring rain today, when stopped at a red light I glanced over to my left and saw this beautiful powder blue Mercedes Benz G Wagon.  It's simply GORGEOUS!