Month: June 2011 (Page 1 of 6)

Rockport Day-to-Night Wingtips review

Looking ahead to fall what styles will catch our eye? What are the latest trends in shoes? Rockport clued Bullz-Eye in on a few of their star releases and our feet thanked them for the gesture. We first tested the Rockport “D2N Wingtip” in which are Suede wingtips in winter smoke colorway and let me tell you my friends these are some very sharp shoes. They will be released in July 2011 and they are eye grabbing footwear.

Comfort is right on target with leather lining that provides moisture absorption and abrasion resistance. The premium suede is easy to clean and the leather socklining provides durable moisture absorption and sonforms to the shape of your foot. These Day to Night Wintips are some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve worn in many a moons. I found out part of the reason is that the footbed incorporates Adidas Adiprene highly shock absorbent cushioning which protects the heel at impact. As far as the classic look is concerned the Italian leather and rubber outsole provides durability and helps protect the product life. Looking good in the box is one thing but with Rockport quality the D2N Wingtips will provide plenty of mileage for those who appreciate the best for your feet.

These kicks from Rockport are Fall 2011 styles and will be available for retail at Rockport retail stores and Rockport.com!

New things from Ford

We joined Ford this past weekend in Dearborn with bloggers from all over the country to see what Ford has in store for the future. How does a car company deal with changing times and new trends? All companies have to react to the changing world around them and marketplace developments, but spotting trends early can be a big advantage if a company is nimble enough to capitalize on these trends.

Some of the subjects addressed included Living Green, Aging Population and Youth Influence and Global Convergence of Design. Malcolm Gladwell kicked off the event with a keynote speech that addressed the issues of change. Gladwell is always entertaining, but I learned much more when we got to see up-close some of the real trends Ford is addressing and how they are directly impacting products.

Other companies may have been first with green initiatives like electric cars and plug-in hybrids, but Ford is pushing very hard in these areas and we’ll see new vehicles in 2012. Ford has teamed up with well-known conservation and green advocate Ed Begley Jr. who gave us a compelling presentation on what was coming from Ford in this area. Some of the changes are not obvious. One interesting innovation involves soy-based foam which is being used in the seats of cars. This foam is biodegradable and offers a great alternative to petroleum-based foam products.

We got to spend time with J Mays in the Ford Design Center and I was blown away by what they can do now in the design process. Everything is digital, and now they can see and test everything on a massive digital high def screen that covered the entire wall in a large room in the design center. Digital version of the car concepts can be places in all sorts of digital settings so the designers can see what the car can really look like in real life, all the way down to how different types of light would reflect off of different paint jobs, Even the promo “photographs” are now digitally created which saves on time and money.

On the last day we had the opportunity to drive a bunch of Ford vehicles in different settings on the test track in order to learn about various Ford vehicles and initiatives. The events were fun and I learned quite a bit. I started with the F-150 drag races and managed to win my heat. I definitely enjoyed the feeling of flooring the truck from a dead stop on a straightaway!

The most revealing exhibit involved the all-new Ford Explorer. Ford had a series of dirt hills and other obstacles built so we could put the new Explorer to the test in off-road setting. They were showing off the vehicle’s Terrain Management System and I came away very impressed. The system takes the guesswork out of 4WD capabilities. Drivers can pick from four settings – Normal, Mud, Sand and Snow. It was a breeze going up and down steep dirt hills.

It was definitely an eye-opening weekend, so we’re expecting some big things from Ford over the next couple of years.

Drink of the Week: Tom Collins

Tom Collins.Summer is on in earnest now. Even here at drink-of-the-week central, in late-to-warm-up semi-coastal Southern California, the temps are finally starting to hit the eighties. So, it’s time to highlight some good warm weather drinks and Tom Collins is an excellent place to start. Though the genesis of the name remains a topic of speculations — we’d go into it, but it’s just too hot — and rather nasty Collins mixes have besmirched its mysterious monicker, this is an excellent and easy to make classic refreshment. It’s also substantially less rich in sugar and calories than drinks containing pre-made sodas, including the venerable gin and tonic. (Tonic water might taste slightly bitter, but it’s as high in calories as most sugary sodas.)

Tom Collins

2 ounces gin
1-2 ounces lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons superfine sugar
Soda water
Lemon slice and maraschino cherry (garnish)

Dissolve sugar in lemon juice in, naturally, a Collins glass. Add ice, gin and fill the balance with soda water. Stir with swizzle stick or cocktail spoon, add lemon wedge and a very optional maraschino cherry as garnish.

As you can see, we’ve left a considerable amount of wiggle room here. If you like your drinks very tart, use two ounces of lemon juice and one teaspoon of sugar. If you have a slight sweet-tooth like we do, use just one ounce of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar. It’s still fairly tart but not alarmingly so, and those two teaspoons of sugar only have 32 calories, about half of what you’d get out of half a can of soda. Of course, the gin has more.

Speaking of gin, there are, of course many variations using other booze. The most popular being the vodka Collins and John Collins (aka, the whiskey collins). We love the latter a lot, but looking at the Wikipedia entry for the drink, we’re joansing to try the Jose Collins (with tequila, naturally), the Ron Collins (with rum), or the Sandy Collins (with Scotch). On the other hand, we have no desire to try the Phil Collins, a mocktail, which substitutes 7-Up for the booze. However, we are still trying to figure out a good “Susudio” joke, except that there probably is no such thing…

Friday Video – Gary Numan, “Cars”

Following last week’s tribute to “The Green Lantern” with a couple of green-themed songs, we would have been fools not to take advantage of a similar tie-in with a certain Pixar movie that a certain someone’s four-year-old son is positively dying to see. Maybe we’ll see someone singing this at a karaoke bar during one of the Tokyo scenes. (As it turns out, no one sings “Cars,” but Weezer sings “You Might Think” by the Cars. And it’s pretty lame.)

It seems amazing that this song was such a big hit at the time. Not because it didn’t deserve to be, because it absolutely did, but because there wasn’t anything else on American radio at the time that sounded remotely like it. What’s even more impressive is how well the song has held up sonically. Whenever someone makes a record using cutting-edge technology, it almost instantly sounds dated. Not this song, and it’s likely because Numan was smart enough to use real drums and an analog bass to anchor the track.

Bonus video: here’s a clip for the B-side to “Cars” (yes, we had the 45), a nifty little track called “Metal.” Almost as awesome as its A-side.

Preview of TK’s Fourth of July Party at 5 Star Island

party girls

Some people really know how to throw a party and also have the means to do it. Thomas Kramer (also known as TK) has been hosting spectacular parties at his 5 Star Island Mansion for years, and he’s planning a huge bash for the Fourth of July. All of his parties feature tons of beautiful women and party girls and a much smaller group of successful men, and part of the proceeds for this party will go towards relief for the earthquake victims in Haiti. You can go to World of TK for more information on how to purchase tickets for this exclusive event or donate directly to the Haiti victims.

We’ve posted some photos from TK’s last party at 5 Star Island where our current Featured Model, Rose Chiauzzi attended, and below you can see a video prepared by TK’s staff for the last party. With a spectacular location, amazing guests and great music, everything is possible!

I spoke with TK this week to ask him about the upcoming Fourth of July party and I started with the selection of the charity. He explained, “I’m working closely with Michael Capponi, and part of the proceeds of whatever ticket sales we have will go to Haiti and the people in the camps, and that’s our main objective, to address the immediate needs of the earthquake victims.” TK hosts numerous charity events at 5 Star Island through his Thomas Kramer Foundation, saying that “it’s made for parties and events” so he takes advantage of that for charitable causes as well.

The party will be held on 5 Star Island, which we visited recently with the Bullz-Eye Bikini Team. TK told me how back in the 90s this island was used as a “waste bin” by Miami Beach until he bought up most of the homes on the island and began the process of transforming it into one of the most luxurious and exclusive residential areas in South Florida. TK is also known for his development South Pointe, which helped to transform South of Fifth neighborhood of South Beach with high-rise luxury apartments.

I asked TK what guests can expect at his Fourth of July party, and he said, “The greatest group of beautiful girls you’ve ever seen in bikinis all over this world! So far about 250 female guests are attending.” Women get in to all of his parties for free, but they need to apply for tickets. TK explained the importance of the ratio of having many more women compared to the small number of male guests make these parties. “That’s part of my whole pitch. I’m having people flying in from Saudi Arabia, Germany, London and from all over the world for my parties because they know the ratios are quite favorable for the boys at my events. I just don’t let anyone in like night clubs and that’s why I do events at my house.”

He also explained the importance of networking and how the parties he throws are more than just a great time. He’s sees his work and his lifestyle as intricately intertwined – “It’s a mindset. For me, it’s all one. You don’t divide it. My main work is networking. Instead of traveling through the world, nonstop, like most executives, I have the world come to me. With honey you catch bees, and that’s what I’m doing.”

This of course, is an added benefit for the people who purchase tickets to his events. Not only are they surrounded by beautiful women in the ultimate party atmosphere, the networking opportunities with the other guests are significant. “I have the highest average of billionaires per party than anyone else in the world.” He went on to explain: “I’m asking for a competitively high donation because I just want to have a certain group of people partying with my girlfriends and friends. And I don’t want to lower the standards and make the hurdle to low. You want less people and therefore higher quality and more beautiful girls, and the 30 to 40 guys you are going to meet here are something you aren’t usually going to be able to mingle with in such an intimate location.”

You can still >purchase tickets to this event and probably have the best Fourth of July you can remember. If you can’t make it, check back here for photos of videos from the party!

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