Madonna MDNA Tour Costumes

Madonna is set to vogue her way around the world on her MDNA concert tour, which kicks off Thursday in Tel Aviv and she’s enlisted a cadre of fashion designers to create an array of showstopping looks for the stage.







Madonna's parade of costume changes includes outfits from longtime collaborators Jean Paul Gaultier and Jeremy Scott, shoes from Prada and Miu Miu and pieces from Alexander Wang. Dolce & Gabbana made suits for the band and background vocalists, Fausto Puglisi created menacing bandolier vests and rams head masks for the backup dancers and even J Brand whipped up custom-made jeans.

Bras and panties , including one heart-shaped style from Madonna’s new intimates line "Truth or Dare", are incorporated into some numbers, as are shoes from the new "Truth or Dare" footwear line, at retail this fall. A somber, elegiac version of the usually peppy "Like a Virgin" will be sung by Madonna in an Agent Provocateur bra.




"It’s a real journey from the first act to the fourth, and the way she constructs her shows is like a theater piece," stated costume designer and stylist Arianne Phillips, who oversaw the entire wardrobe design for Madonna, her backup singers, musicians and 22 backup dancers. Scott, for his part, has been camped out in Tel Aviv this week, working till the last minute on some costumes.

The original Gaultier design is worn during the "Vogue" number and includes a white shirt, black tie, opera-length black gloves and a rigid skeleton corset. The getup references the iconic pink bustier-with-pin-striped suit look the designer created for Madonna’s 1990 "Blond Ambition" world tour, widely considered a pinnacle of both of their careers.




"We played with the ideas of a suit and a corset. But the corset is now like a cage," explained Gaultier. "What I have done this time is a nod to the conical bra corset of the Blond Ambition tour but reinterpreted in 3-D, in patent leather on the outside with metallic leather on the inside. It’s all about masculine and feminine, Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier classics reinterpreted for 2012."

The designer and Phillips also re-created some archival Gaultier pieces for Madonna’s dancers, as an homage to his long relationship with the iconic singer. Gaultier was also responsible for the kinky equestrian and "Saturday Night Fever"-inspired looks of Madonna’s 2006 "Confessions" tour, and she once walked his runway with her nipples exposed.

"I love Madonna. She is the only woman I have asked to marry me. She refused, of course," added Gaultier. "But when she asked me to do a costume for her for this tour, I couldn’t refuse."




Prada created high-heeled shoes for the male dancers in the gender-bending "Vogue" performance, which includes imagery of the Vogue magazine logo on massive video screens , similar to "Madonna’s Super Bowl" performance of the song, which was viewed by 117 million people.

"This show is epic and bigger than anything she’s done before. There are many more costume changes. We’re taking 700 shoes on the road. Madonna changes outfits seven or eight times and the dancers change 10 to 15 times, depending on the dancer," quoted as saying Phillips of the production, which includes multiple appearances on stage by two of Madonna’s children, Lourdes and Rocco, in supporting roles.

Prada has supplied custom-made shoes for many of Madonna’s previous tours, noted Phillips. "They have been generous for so many years. Her relationship with them is really special. Everything is specially made and they made some incredible high-heeled boots for the boys," she added.





Phillips, who has done the costumes for Madonna’s four previous tours, designed a number of looks herself, delivering a wide range for her famously chameleonlike boss. The lineup veers from a forbidding Joan of Arc-inspired outfit fashioned from metal mesh and Swarovski Elements to a vernal, miniskirted majorette getup for Madonna.

"It’s inspired by a 1940s majorette and I was looking for something playful and fun," explained Phillips.

Masks are a big component to many outfits, with dancers hiding their faces behind gargoyle and bunny guises. "The show explores the idea of stripping away layers of identity and discovering the layers of who you are," claimed Phillips. There’s a menacing streak to some looks, with themes of violence explored in certain segments, which are accessorized with swords, guns, armor and holsters.

One designer missing from the MDNA tour roster is Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci, who designed the showboating Cleopatra-on-Mars outfit Madonna donned for her "Super Bowl" performance. Phillips attributed Tisci’s absence from the collaborator list to scheduling conflicts.

Madonna herself was closely involved with the show’s costume design, stated Phillips, who was nominated for an Oscar for her work on Madonna’s film "W.E." earlier this year. "This is her brainchild and her concept. We have a 15-year relationship and there’s a rhythm to how we collaborate. She’s very open-minded but she expects a lot," she explained. "She’s always challenging herself and pushing herself constantly to learn new things and she pushes me further than I would myself. When you’re on the world stage with her, you really have to bring your A game."

As for the media dustup this week when Madonna supposedly lobbed a grenade at Lady Gaga by mashing up her own "Express Yourself" with Lady Gaga’s allegedly reductive "Born This Way" in rehearsals, it wasn’t just a ploy for attention and it’s part of the permanent show. At the end of the song, Madonna throws in the line "She’s Not Me," from her recent song of the same name.

"Whether it’s an homage or a smack in the face or just being funny, I don’t know," stated Liz Rosenberg, Madonna’s spokeswoman. "People can decide what it means. Madonna isn’t one to explain herself."



 
What do you think of Madonna's "MDNA Tour" costumes?

Source: allaboutmadonna.com

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Shenkeng 深坑, Taiwan's tofu capital

Taiwan's tofu village

Shengkeng 深坑 is Taiwan's tofu town and some experts claim, that the sleepy little town near Taipei is the world's tofu capital. Tofu is seen and felt all over Shengkeng: Every business is related to tofu, every lane smells like tofu and on every corner someone is cooking or eating tofu. You think I kid you, but I kid you not.

Shenkeng has a well preserved old street from Japanese times, that is plastered with tofu shops. It's a fairly narrow and not always "old" street, that's also undergoing renovation in many parts. It is however very lovely and I recommend you a stroll on a Sunday afternoon (if you love crowds) or during the week (if you prefer solitude). The little town and its famous street are very crowded during the weekend, so you better be prepared for Taiwanese tofu gourmets standing in long lines to try some of the famous fried tofus there. I highly recommend you to try the barbecue tofu skewer 烤臭豆腐 and the tofu ice cream 豆腐冰淇淋, the first one a delicious street food experience, the second one a uniquely tasty dessert. To reach Shengkeng, the easiest way is to exit at Taipei Zoo MRT Station and then take a cab - the village is nearby. There are also buses heading in the direction (check a map of Shengkeng here).

Let me share some photos of my Shengkeng visit in 2011:

The main road in Shenkeng.

And old house from the Qing dynasty.

The main road again - your typical Taiwanese small town ambiance.

And this is the part where the tofu fun begins.

Tofu soups in huge pots for the soup tofu fans (I'm not one of them).

This part has a wet market feel.

Tofu and chicken in harmony: Tofutopia? 

A map of the old street with some information about the renovations.

A neocolonial red bricked house from the Japanese times.

The Shengkeng old street.

A pot where tofus enjoy their hot spring adventures.

This small river slowly drags itself through Shengkeng.

This uncle knows how to equip himself well for... fighting Mr. Vader, perhaps?

One thing is sure: If you ever come to Shenkeng, be sure you are an enthusiastic fan of this:

Tofu is Shenkeng's biggest attraction. The Chinese word 豆腐 is pronounced similar to the common English swear word "dough-foo".

Tofu-bonus: Here are my top 3 Shenkeng tofu dishes, a must try for every Shenkeng visitor:

1 Barbecue tofu skewer 烤臭豆腐

Simply a delishes tofu "xiao chi" - I wish they had them in Taipei.

2 Tofu pudding 豆腐布丁

It is not cheap and big, but worth a try. Tofu pudding is one of my fav Taiwanese (tr)eats.

3 Tofu ice cream 豆腐冰淇淋

Ice cream, that tastes like tofu? Don't be scared, you will love it! It's fab!

More about Tofu in Taiwan here>>

This is when Richard first tried stinky tofu. Ain't he cute? (I don't know who is Richard)

[TAIWAN TRAVEL][My TAIWAN FOOD page][All photos by MKL, 2011]

Madonna Donates 600 Tickets To Israeli And Palestinian Peace Activists !

Madonna has donated 600 tickets to her concert in Israel to Israeli and Palestinian peace activists.

It has to be noted that 30,000 fans are expected to attend what Madonna is calling a "concert for peace" on Thursday at Ramat Gan Stadium near Tel Aviv. The performance is launching the Queen of Pop's MDNA World Tour.

It has to be mentioned that on Wednesday Madonna met with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, according to Haaretz. Madonna claimed she would talk about peace during the show.

In March, Madonna had announced her show as a peace concert and declared she would invite activists, saying in a statement: "Music is so universal, and if there’s any chance that through my performance I can bring further attention and enlightenment to honor the peace efforts in the Middle East and help people come together, it would be an honor for me. It is my way of thanking those who are making so much effort toward bringing peace to the Middle East."

It has to be added that Madonna twice has performed sold-out shows in Israel, including the last performance of her "Sticky and Sweet" tour in 2009. She also has visited Israel with her children as part of her devotion to the study of kabbalah; they are with her now. 

Source: JTA.org

Amy Winehouse's Home On Sale !

Following her passing on July 23 last year, Amy Winehouse's Camden house was swamped with thousands of mourners wishing to pay tribute to the troubled star.

But the home where Amy Winehouse lived and died is reportedly being sold by her father Mitch for £2.7million.

The impressive Camden property, which is 2,500 square feet, has been listed just ten months after Amy died from alcohol poisoning.

It has to be noted that the online estate agent Housenetwork.co.uk describe the property as a "Substantial and impressive three double bedroom, three reception room semi detached period villa with well-proportioned private front and rear gardens, directly overlooking Camden Square and its communal gardens."

The agent makes no mention of former owner Amy, who suffered from alcohol and drug addiction for the last years of her life.

It has to be mentioned that the site notes the property has  undergone major structural and cosmetic refurbishment retaining many original features with modern upgrades including, new electrical and heating systems, integrated sound system, CCTV and magnetically secured front gate and an impressive Master Suite with vaulted ceiling.

A spokesperson for Mitch Winehouse told MailOnline: "The Winehouses have decided to put the house on the market, with great regret. Amy loved that house but none of the family felt it appropriate that they should live in it. It was not practical to keep it empty while paying for its upkeep. It is a wonderful place and will be a happy family home for someone."

It had been thought the property would be used by the "Amy Winehouse Foundation", which was set up by her father following her passing.

Shortly after Amy's death last year a source close to the family told The Sun: "They think it's too precious to give up hence the new HQ idea. They don't want to rent it out. And if they sold they think it could attract the wrong kind of buyer as it was where Amy passed away."

According to the paper Mitch bought the home for Amy in April 2010 paying £1.8million.

In the days after Amy's death fans flocked outside her home to pay tribute to her in their own way.While many laid flowers, pictures and gifts other were seen drinking and dancing to celebrate her life.

It has to be said that on the day of the funeral well-wishers celebrated her life with a party.

Meanwhile Amy's neighbours want to plant a rose garden in her memory to mark the first anniversary of her death.

Locals hope "Amy's Garden" will be a fitting tribute to the tragic star, who died last July aged 27.

They plan to ask her dad Mitch to open it in Camden Gardens, opposite her north London pad, which is now on the market for £2.7 million.

 Friend Karl St Claire stated: "Amy loved roses so the neighbours have been talking about chipping in and planting a rosebush for her and maybe getting a bench either side so people can go and sit there. They want to ask Mitch to plant it."

"I think it would be a lovely place for people to go and remember her rather than hanging around outside her house and her memory really will live on" Claire added.

One neighbour quoted as saying : "It felt a bit threatening in the days after Amy died, but it seems to have quietened down a lot now.You get groups of fans out there, but they're mainly tourists. You still get a few freaky people, but it is Camden.I feel sorry for whoever moves into her house though. I wouldn't want to live there. People are always outside it and ringing the bell. It would drive me mad."

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Bruce Jenner Dyslexia

Bruce Jenner was dyslexic as a child and remembers his early childhood education as being torturous. He was always afraid to go to school, feeling that he was inferior to other children doing better and often called lazy by his teachers.

It has to be noted that Bruce had a very low self-esteem. However this began to change when he was introduced to sports. He soon realized that dyslexia made him different and unique.

It has to mentioned that Bruce Jenner had to work really hard and persevere to overcome the obstacles in life. This special man who achieved greatness in sports, he quoted as saying: "I always felt that my greatest asset was not my physical ability, it was my mental ability."

Bruce Jenner is the host of Demystifying Dyslexia, a documentary that shows the challenges of living and learning with dyslexia.

It has to be said that it is common for school-age dyslexic children to fear school, teachers and reading. That is the reason why Bruce's behavior in the classroom , when he was a child , was mislabeled by teachers and as a result made him often daydream in class. 

Jenner described the school experience from Kindergarten through 6th grade as torturous. When glasses were suggested, Jenner's eyesight was tested at 20/20. Finally a school doctor recognized that he was dyslexic.

Today, dyslexia is a condition doctors, teachers, parents and the public at large are more aware of. However, Jenner cautions that dyslexia is still misunderstood. Most dyslexics are intelligent, creative people who have what he describes as a "short circuit" in processing reading, writing, spelling, and expression. Jenner describes a common misunderstanding that dyslexics see backwards, and says that is not so. 

The International Dyslexia Association describes what occurs in dyslexia:"Dyslexia results from a difference in the structure and function of the brain...problems in language processing distinguish them as a group. That means that the dyslexic has problems translating language to thought (as in listening or reading) or thought to language (as in writing or speaking)."

Bruce Jenner was undeniably lucky be cause the educational system finally recognized his dyslexia.

Bruce Jenner is active in dyslexia foundations and shares concern for children who grow up with dyslexia.

You may wonder:" What is Bruce Jenner's experience with dyslexia?" Check out below some extracts from Bruce Jenner's interview on "ABILITY Magazine" about his learning difficulty. 

" I was growing up in the 50's and 60's. Back then they didn't even know what dyslexia was. I probably went all the way to junior high school before a school doctor told me that I was "dyslexic." My reaction was, do you mean I'm going to die from this? Was I a bad boy? He said, no you'll be fine, go back to class. That was about the extent of it."

" It caused more problems as a young kid, because the simple process of perceiving words on a piece of paper was hard for me. Many people think dyslexic people see things backwards. They don't see things backwards " Bruce Jenner claimed.

" If you are dyslexic, your eyes work fine, your brain works fine, but there is a little short circuit in the wire that goes between the eye and the brain. Reading is not a fluid process. What happens is that you will start reading across a piece of paper and you can make out the first couple of words. The eye is working, the brain is working, but somewhere along the line that system breaks down some, so as you are reading along there will come a word that doesn't come up off the piece of paper and register like it should, but you are forced to read on. So you go to the next word, because your eye is continuing to move. When the time comes for your brain to process the information, the second word comes up faster than the first one. So when it's in your head, all of a sudden, it comes out backwards and you think of the word backwards. The truth is everybody does it from time to time. People dial telephone numbers and they get a wrong number only to find that they've read the last two digits backwards. Everybody does it, but dyslexics have this tendency to a higher degree. Dyslexia also varies in how severe it is. Some dyslexics make fewer mistakes. There are some dyslexics though that are at the point where they cannot even read words as they are driving down the highway. Dyslexia can get that bad. Mine isn't that bad, but it can be that bad. It can be a very big problem " Bruce revealed.

"The biggest problem with dyslexic kids is not the perceptual problem, it is their perception of themselves. That was my biggest problem. I thought everybody else was doing much better than I was. I'd look around to my peers, and everyone else could do this simple process of reading, but for me it wasn't working. If you are a kid, reading is really important stuff. My biggest fear was going to school. I was afraid the teacher was going to make me read in front of class, and I was going to look bad. I didn't only have a perceptual problem, I was also so nervous and so upset. The process just didn't work. I lost enthusiasm for school and I flunked second grade. The teachers said I was lazy. " Bruce quoted as saying.

"In the fifth grade I discovered something I could do better than the other kids. One day the teacher set up a bunch of chairs, and she had everyone run to the chairs and back while she timed us. I had the fastest time in the whole school! That was the first time I had ever really accomplished anything in school. Everyone was patting me on the back saying, good job Bruce! I liked the pat on the back. So all of a sudden sports became very intriguing to me. It became important especially later on when I was a little older. I would show up on the football field and challenge a guy who was a good student, good reader, and BOOM! I'd clean his clock! I said, boy, I like this, this is fun! I could do it better than most of the other kids in school. So for me sports became my little niche in life. "

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Bruce Jenner Plastic Surgery 2009

Bruce Jenner had plastic surgery - nose job and face lift -28 years ago. Jenner had plastic surgery in 2009 a second time to correct the mistakes of that decades old operation.

Kim Kardashian, Jenner’s step daughter, revealed in 2009 that it was Jenner she was referring to as a member of her family who would be undergoing under the knife. The results were shown on their reality show on May 17, 2009.

We have  to admire though the The Kardashian family for keeping Bruce Jenner away from the photographers the last few weeks without breaking the secret !This is undeniably a triumph for the Kardashians!

Kim Kardashian wrote about Bruce Jenner's plastic surgery in 2009:

 "Ever since I revealed in recent interviews that one of my family members would be going under the plastic surgeon’s knife on the show, I’ve been inundated with emails and calls asking who it is!! I can reveal that it was my stepdad Bruce!"

    

"Twenty five years ago, Bruce was ill-advised by a doctor to have a partial facelift and a nose job. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what Bruce had hoped for and for years since then he has been the victim of cruel taunts from the media. Since he’s turning 60 in October, Bruce felt it was time to correct the mistakes made by the previous doctor so he went to a new doctor for a second facelift." Kim Kardashian quoted as saying.

"The results are amazing! Bruce looks better than ever and he is extremely happy with the result"Kim Kardashian added.

The question is: "What Bruce Jenner thinks of his plastic surgeries?"

"If you Google my name, the worst plastic surgeries of all time, or whatever it is… They’ve compared me to Michael Jackson," Bruce once stated on an episode of his reality show "Keeping Up With The Kardashians."

Both Bruce and Michael were called out for going too far. After undergoing a nose job and partial face-lift in 1984, Bruce’s post-plastic surgery face has been ridiculed and attacked in the media.

"Because you’re Bruce Jenner, Olympic champ [people said], "Oh my gosh, you shouldn’t be doing things like that." The media kind of went nuts on that stuff," Bruce admitted to Maria Menounos on "Access Hollywood".

When asked why he underwent plastic surgery, Bruce claimed he "was just going through a bad time."

"I don’t think you ever had a lot of self esteem," his wife, Kris Jenner, added.

"I had just gone through my second divorce, lost a lot of money. I was in a little dinky house," Brue quoted as saying.

As documented on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," a family vote helped Bruce make the decision to have plastic surgery in 2009 to correct his previous procedures.

"It was exciting for us," Kris revealed. "Probably scary for [Bruce], but we were really excited."

But Bruce wasn’t the only one concerned. His stepdaughter, Khloe Kardashian, was also terrified.

"I was scared," Khloe told. "I didn’t want it to be worse than it was."

Bruce kept his plastic surgery a secret at first.

"I had it done and not even my close friends knew I had it done," he told Maria Menounos. "I mean that’s how good of a job they [did]."

You may also wonder: "What plastic surgeon experts beleive about Bruce Jenner's plastic surgery in 2009?"

According to Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer: "This is a good example of when the upper face (forehead) and periorbital area (around the eyes) is a mismatch with the rest of the face which as has been rejuvenated through surgery.  He might want to consider Botox cosmetic around the eyes and his forehead to help smooth out his skin."

Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Walden claims: "It was recently revealed that Bruce Jenner underwent a revisional facelift after his first "ill-advised" facelift and rhinoplasty. He was always a handsome man, and he passed on some of his traits to his son Brody Jenner. The results of his new facelift are more subtle, and his face looks less acute. He looks good for a man in his 60′s."

Dr. Paul S. Nassif, a Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Rhinoplasty Specialist in Beverly Hills, Calif., stated: "It is possible Bruce may have had a facelift. His cheekbones appear prominent, and it looks like he may have had Botox in a few areas on his face. Overall he still looks pretty good and nothing was severely overdone."

What do you think of Bruce Jenner's plastic surgery that took place in 2009?

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