Dianna Agron

Date of Birth
30 April 1986, Savannah, Georgia, USA

Birth Name
Dianna Charlotte Agron

Nickname
Di

Height
5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Biography
Dianna Agron was born in Savannah, Georgia, to parents Ronald and Mary Agron. Even though Dianna was born in Georgia, she was raised in San Francisco, California due to her father's career as a general manager for Hyatt. Dianna and her brother, Jason, grew up in a middle class Jewish family, and she graduated from Burlingame High School with honors.

While Dianna was growing up, she spent much of her time performing. She began dancing at the age of three, focusing mainly on jazz and ballet, and she later began hip-hop dancing as well. Dianna also spent much of her time performing on stage, appearing in many local musical theater productions when she was younger.

After graduating from high school, Dianna decided to pursue acting as a career and began appearing in several commercials and television shows including "CSI: NY" (2004), "Numb3rs" (2005), "Veronica Mars" (2004), and "Heroes" (2006/II). In 2009, Dianna won the role of high school cheerleader, Quinn Fabray, on the FOX television series, "Glee" (2009). Since the premiere of the hit television show on May 19th, 2009, Dianna, as well as her fellow cast mates, have received critical praise for their incredible work on the show. In addition, to her work on "Glee" (2009), Dianna has begun to venture into films, such as Burlesque (2010/I), where she had the opportunity to star alongside Christina Aguilera, Cher, and Stanley Tucci, and the action thriller I Am Number Four (2011). There is no doubt that due to Dianna's beautiful gift and talent, we will continue to see her shine on the silver screen.

Logan Lerman

Date of Birth
19 January 1992, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Birth Name
Logan Wade Lerman

Height
5' 8½" (1.74 m)

Mini Biography
Logan Wade Lerman was born in Beverly Hills, California. His mother Lisa (Goldman), is his manager, and his father, Larry, is a businessman. He has two siblings, Lucas (a brother), and Lindsey (a sister). Logan and his family are Jewish.

Logan wanted to become an actor at an early age. So he told his mother of his desire to be an actor when he was 2 1/2 years old. At the age of 4, Logan had an agent and was booked for two commercials. His first appearance on the big screen was as William, the youngest son of Mel Gibson's character in The Patriot (2000). Also in 2000, he appeared with the same actor (Gibson), this time as the younger version of his character Nick Marshall, in What Women Want (2000). After a small role in 2001's Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), he starred in John Grisham's A Painted House (2003) (TV).

He played the younger version of Ashton Kutcher's character, Evan, in The Butterfly Effect (2004). After making his small screen debut in a guest-starring role in "10-8: Officers on Duty" (2003), he stared as Bobby (Robert) McCallister in the WB Network's series "Jack & Bobby" (2004), where he portrayed a teenager who will be a future president of the United States. After the show's cancellation in 2005, Logan returned to film, starring in the family adventure Hoot (2006). The next year, he played the son of Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey) in the dark thriller The Number 23 (2007), and co-starred with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in the well-reviewed Western remake 3:10 to Yuma (2007). His next two roles were playing a foul-mouthed private school student in the comedy Meet Bill (2007) and a younger version of actor George Hamilton in the period drama My One and Only (2009). Both were independent films that received limited releases. Also in 2009, Logan appeared with Gerard Butler in the R-rated action thriller Gamer (2009), as a teenager who controls Butler's character in a real-life video game.

In 2010, Logan played the title character in the fantasy adventure Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), giving him notice among a wider audience. He will next star as D'Artagnan in a remake of The Three Musketeers (2011), and has signed on to star in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), a film adaptation of the 1999 book of the same name.

When Logan is not working, he likes to play soccer and baseball. He is an LA Lakers fan, and even though he plays mostly dramatic roles, he enjoys playing pranks on his friends.

Mariah Carey Gives Birth to Twins on Wedding Anniversary

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon celebrated their fourth anniversary with another milestone -- becoming parents to a baby girl and boy.

Carey's representative, Cindi Berger, confirmed the births to The Associated Press. The singing superstar gave birth Saturday (Apr. 30) at 12:07 p.m. EDT at an undisclosed hospital in Los Angeles. Berger says the baby girl was born first, weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 18 inches long; her brother was next, at 5 pounds 6 ounces, and was 19 inches.

Berger says the couple has not named the children yet. Cannon drove Carey to the hospital in their Rolls-Royce Phantom. Berger said the 41-year-old Carey, who had gone through false labor, was calm, thinking that it was another false alarm.

Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Cannon was so nervous he went to the wrong department at the hospital, and was guided to the maternity ward by a nurse.

"It was like right out of an 'I Love Lucy' skit," said Berger.

Berger says they were listening to Carey's "We Belong Together" after the children were born.

The couple are expected to renew their wedding vows on Sunday. The pair got married in 2007 after a whirlwind romance. They were the subject of endless baby rumors, and the couple actually were expecting shortly after their marriage, but Carey had a miscarriage; they did not reveal the miscarriage until she announced her pregnancy last fall.

The couple plan to live a bi-coastal life, and have luxurious nurseries in both New York and Los Angeles.

As far as more children, Carey recently declared she's done.

Penampilan Victoria Beckham Dihina Kritikus Mode

Kita semua tahu siapa yang jadi pemenang gaya busana terbaik dalam acara pernikahan kerajaan Jumat lalu (Kate Middleton), namun yang perlu diketahui tamu mana yang mendapat julukan busana terburuk?

Bukan, mereka bukan anak-anak Pangeran Andrew dan Fergie. Menurut guru mode Entertainment Tonight Steven Cojocaru (alias "Cojo"), penerima julukan busana terburuk dianugerahkan kepada Victoria Beckham, yang biasanya gaya pakaiannya selalu sempurna.

"Dia terlihat seperti pemain ekstra di Twilight," kata Cojo kepada Us Weekly mengenai gaun biru yang didesain sendiri Victoria dan topi Philip Trecy yang dikenakannya. "Dia terlihat seperti janda yang sedang berduka. Perlengkapan kepalanya juga tidak terlihat seperti topi, lebih terlihat seperti bola hoki besar yang di lem ke kepalanya. Dan buntut kudanya (gaya rambut) terlalu santai dan imut untuk suatu acara formal yang penting."

Berbeda dengan istrinya, Cojo punya kata-kata yang lebih baik untuk gaya berpakaian David. "Dia (David) terlihat begitu gagah dan tegas. Dia benar-benar Pangeran Tampan."

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Also Known As : Transformers 3
Genres : Action/Adventure and Sequel
Release Date : July 1st, 2011 (wide)
Distributors : Paramount Pictures
Production Co.: Di Bonaventura Pictures, Inc., Kurtzman/Orci
Studios : Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Studios
Filming Locations: Moscow, Russia; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas, USA; China; Africa; Florida, USA; Chicago Film Studios, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Gary, Indiana, USA
Produced in : United States

Starring : Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Ken Jeong
Directed by : Michael Bay
Produced by : Don Murphy, Tom De Santo, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura

When a mysterious event from Earth's past erupts into the present day it threatens to bring a war to Earth so big that the Transformers alone will not be able to save us.

Green Lantern

Genres : Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Release Date : June 17th, 2011 (wide)
Distributors : Warner Bros. Pictures

STARRING: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, Tim Robbins, Temuera Morrison, Jay O. Sanders, Taika Waititi, Jon Tenney
DIRECTED BY: Martin Campbell

Test pilot Hal Jordan is the first human ever chosen to wear the power ring and join the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps.
In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan. Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris, if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax... he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

X-Men : First Class

Production Status : In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres : Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Adaptation and Sequel
Release Date : June 3rd, 2011 (wide)
Distributors : 20th Century Fox
Production Co. : Donners Company, Marvel Studios
Studios : 20th Century Fox
Filming Locations : London, England, United Kingdom; Georgia, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA
Produced in : United States

STARRING:
James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Kevin Bacon, Nicholas Hoult, Jason Flemyng, Edi Gathegi, Zoe Kravitz, Oliver Platt, Lucas Till
DIRECTED BY:
Matthew Vaughn

Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men working together with other Mutants to prevent nuclear Armageddon.
Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Water Elephants
Sara Gruen

Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen is a boy meet girl story. How ever the setting is unique and the descrip­tions of early American circus scenes are well worth the admission price.

464 pages
Pub lisher: Algo nquin Books
ISBN: 9781616200718

"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen is simple to read, an interesting story with engaging characters

Even though this novel is not perfect and a standard "boy meets girl" story it does have a charming setting, the descriptions are colorful and the characters are a variety of misfits; but some how it all works and comes together very nicely for an entertaining read.

While the book has its ups and downs, the narrative seems hurried at some points, the plot contains drama galore (stampedes, murders and many fights) Ms. Gruen's man aged to take an outrageous premise, com­bined with romanticism and make it enjoyable. There are pictures of real American circus scenes from the first half of the century peppered through out the book which really hit home and actually helped visualize the narrative and the bizarre sub culture which is presented.

Granted, the book is not going to be put on a shrine of the schol arly lit er ary Olym pus, but to me this book felt as if I was read ing a fairy tale — and I tremen dously enjoyed it.

Synopsis:
Jacob Jankowski's parents have been killed in a car accident and he decides to leave his veterinary studies in Cornell and aimlessly climbs on a train carrying Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. When the circus' owner Uncle Al and strong man August Rosen bluth dis cover that his stowaway is a test away from being a certified veterinarian he is hired on the spot.

Jacob soon discovers Mrs. Marlena Rosen bluth, a beautiful horse enter tainer and animal lover. Riding around the nation, buying bankrupted shows, the circus gets Rosie, an elephant who is stubborn and uncooperative. Jacob and Marlena can not stand the acts of cruelty in the circus and decide to take a stand.

Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright and David Leslie Johnson

Red Riding Hood
Sarah Blakley-Cartwright and David Leslie Johnson

Like most small communities, the village of Daggorhorn is not without its secrets. An impoverished community in the heart of the woods, it is one that has seen more than its fair share of loss, and an undercurrent of fear pervades its every aspect–particularly when the sun sets and the full moon rises. Daggorhorn is at the mercy of the Wolf, a fearsome half-human, half-wolf beast kept at bay only by the village’s long-time habit of providing sacrifices and staying as far as possible out of its way.

But this full moon, things are different. A blood moon hangs above the forest, and the villagers know that despite their best efforts, the outcome will be nothing less than horrific. As the small, close-knit community becomes victim to the brutality of the wolf, tensions rise, and so do suspicions–and finger-pointing and condemnation abound. Valerie, whose sister is one of the victims, finds herself at the centre of the villagers’ accusations about the true identity of the wolf. But Valerie has her own suspicions about the wolf’s identity…

A hotly anticipated 2011 release, Red Riding Hood has been written to tie in with the film of the same name, and unfortunately it shows. Adapted from the film’s script, it’s the barest bones of a story–and by bare, I mean thoroughly picked clean of any last morsel of meat. It runs at just over three hundred pages, but the length is misleading, given that over sixty of these are taken up by chapter headings, and that the final chapter will be belatedly released online to coincide with the film’s release. Yes, you did read that correctly–the final chapter (admittedly touted as a “bonus” chapter, but really rather essential to the reading experience given the extreme ambiguity of the novel thus far) has been embargoed until mid March, a fact that has raised the ire of readers who have shelled out the big bucks for what is effectively an extended theatrical trailer. And rightfully so, because it is a marketing gimmick that does leave rather a bad taste in one’s mouth.

The utter lack of an ending, however, is only one of Red Riding Hood’s myriad problems. The book is plagued by all manner of narrative and stylistic issues to the point that it would give me RSI were I to painstakingly sit down and document them all. It’s a shame, because fractured fairytales and retellings of famous cautionary works can make for rather interesting authorial fodder, and from afar this one seems to tick all of the requisite boxes. But after even a few pages one can see that the book is listless, slapdash, and uneven. The village setting should intrigue, but is so reminiscent of M Night Shyamalan’s The Village that it feels derivative–and painfully so. But where The Village manages to inure its creepy little setting with moral ambiguity and paranoia, Red Riding Hood suffers from a distinct lack of atmosphere. There’s a sense of poverty, isolation, and alienation, but it’s never explored: rather, we’re given a few jolting anecdotes and a mass of blow-by-blow character descriptions that never slip deeper than the superficial, and the setting as a result feels like a Potemkin village rather than anything that might truly exist.

The plot, too, is slim, and its various turning points difficult to fathom. We’re led to believe that the villagers live in fear of an awesomely powerful and horrifically slavering wolf, but yet there has been no effort made to prepare a vaguely functional contingency plan in case things go wrong. The fact, too, that the village seems to run by the lunar calendar, and harvests accordingly, yet is utterly unaware of the possibility of a harvest moon seems, well, slightly problematic. Furthermore, the fact that it takes perhaps half of the book to lead up to this point is problematic, particularly given the leisurely pace of the book beforehand, and the subsequent hasty scramble of the narrative afterwards. The villagers run amok, accusing various individuals of lycanthropy in a manner that feels unmotivated and unplotted, and the way the narrative reaches its climax feels truly messy. Our protagonist is accused by one of her friends of being a werewolf, but mere moments later is exonerated by the same girl in a sudden change of heart that follows no rhyme or reason. Similarly, the author alludes to several characters as possibly being the werewolf, but does so by throwing in so many red herrings that the book as a result smells revoltingly fishy. If this were a better novel, I’d say that this is ostensibly to highlight the sort of inherent paranoia that comes of inward-looking societies subjected to an external threat. But given the overall quality of this book, I’m rather more inclined to say that there’s a distinct unfamiliarity with both the mystery and horror genres going on here.

I wish I could say that the prose and characterisation were the standouts here, as I’m notoriously lenient on plot provided that these two things are done well. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. The prose is bizarrely uneven, aiming for a lyrical quality in some parts to the degree that one could play a game of bingo with all of the similes and metaphors on offer, but then falling back. on. staccato. sentences. in others. The use of an omniscient point of view makes for problematic reading, as well–omniscient is a notoriously challenging viewpoint to write well, and I think that the choice to use it here is largely due to the fact that this book is truly at its heart a script rather than a novel. It’s fine to flash between characters in a movie, but in a novel it can be a cheap device if done poorly–particularly if it’s used to obscure information from the reader. Worse, the prose is peppered with painful explication, with the scenes with the bad guy priest perhaps the most evident exemplars of these. Readers are perfectly able to make their own judgements about characters’ motivations and to read at a level beyond the literal without being told what’s going on, and to explain to reader such things as the fact that the villagers have become animals themselves in their determination to cast blame, or that they have allowed both a literal and spiritual evil into their home is just a touch patronising.

Perhaps the weakest element of this book, and thus the major cause of its downfall, is its characterisation. While we’re given more than enough in terms of physical descriptions, we’re never truly let inside the various characters’ heads, and in those few cases that we are, the characters suddenly insist on acting entirely out of character, thus invalidating our readings anyway. Why does independent, tomboyish Valerie suddenly fall for cruel and bitter Peter at first sight (and after a grand total of one line of dialogue, or monologue to be exact])? How are we supposed to believe that Lucie is in love with Henry when he scarcely even appears at all? Why does Valerie’s friend suddenly do an about face after accusing her friend (with reasonably good reason) of being in cahoots with the wolf? And must the literary folk of the world endure yet another evil priest character? Truly, the only character with whom I felt some sort of vague empathy was Valerie’s mother, but her role is unfortunately vanishingly small.

While Red Riding Hood has been much hyped in both the blogosphere and in the cinemas, it’s unfortunately not a book that I can recommend. While it draws on the strong foundations of the classic fairytale, the elements where it succeeds in doing so are few indeed. In addition to the weak plot, the book suffers from poor characterisation and awkward writing, and the cheap gimmick regarding the final chapter will no doubt raise some eyebrows–if you must, buy the updated edition further down the track.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Twenties Girl
Sophie Kinsella

Format : Hardcover, 435 pages
Published : July 21st 2009
Publisher : The Dial Press
ISBN : 0385342020
Primary language : English
Original title : Twenties Girl

Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?
When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie–a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance–mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man.

Sadie, however, could care less.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from each other along the way. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.

The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks

The Best of Me
by Nicholas Sparks

Format: Paperback 320 pages
Published : 13/10/2011
Publisher : Sphere
ISBN : 9781847443212

Synopsis
They were teenage sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks ? with a passion that would change their lives for ever. But life would force them apart. Years later, the lines they had drawn between past and present are about to slip ...Called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter when they needed it most, they are faced with each other once again, and forced to confront the paths they chose. Can true love ever rewrite the past? The new epic love story from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Notebook and The Last Song. Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved authors.

David Cook To Release 'This Loud Morning' Album in June

Former "American Idol" champ David Cook has set a summer date for the follow-up to his 2008 self-titled debut. The singer will issue his sophomore album, "This Loud Morning," on June 28 through 19 Recordings/RCA Records.

"This album is the culmination of one of the loftiest endeavors I've ever undertaken," says Cook in a statement. "The end result is an album that I cannot wait to share with everyone."

"This Loud Morning" was executive produced by Matt Serletic (Matchbox Twenty, Taylor Hicks) and features collaborations with songwriters like Ryan Tedder, David Hodges and Marti Fredericksen. The full-length's first single, "The Last Goodbye," will first be performed live when Cook returns to the "American Idol" stage for the elimination episode next Thursday (Apr. 21). The track will be digitally released on Apr. 19, and fans will receive the track for free when they pre-order "Morning" on Cook's official website.

Singles like "Time of my Life" and "Light On" helped push "David Cook" to sales of 1.3 million when it was released in November 2008, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Three years after trumping David Archuleta for the "Idol" crown, Cook remade the 1985 Simple Minds hit "Don't You (Forget About Me)" as the farewell song for season 10 of the show.

Michael Buble

Born
Michael Buble was born September 9, 1975 in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Quote from Michael Buble

“Although I like rock & roll and modern music, the first time my granddad played me the Mills Brothers, something magical happened.”

Michael Buble's Early Life
At a very young age, Michael Buble’s grandfather began exposing him to a great deal of swing era music such as Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, and Ella Fitzgerald among others. It didn’t take Buble long to realize that he wanted to be a singer, and this was the type of music he wanted to perform.

Gaining Experience and Exposure
After learning dozens of swing era hits and pop standards, Buble began performing with several local bands as a teenager. With his grandfather’s assistance, Buble continued to land live gigs and eventually won the Canadian Youth Talent Search at the age of 17. After releasing a couple of independent albums and traveling with a number of musical reviews, Grammy-award winning producer David Foster heard Michael Buble at a wedding performance, and helped sign him to Reprise Records.

Michael Buble Trivia Fact
Michael Buble’s grandfather was a plumber and would offer local performers free plumbing in exchange for allowing Michael to sing on stage with them.

Mainstream Breakthrough
In 2001, David Foster and Michael Buble began work on the singer’s major label debut. Containing unique reworkings of classic tunes from the 30’s and 40’s, as well updates of Van Morrison and Lou Rawls hits, Michael Buble’s self-titled debut was released in early 2003. With help from a great deal of label promotion and a successful world tour, the album became a hit in Canada and Australia as well as eventually going platinum in the U.S.

After becoming a household name to many, Michael Buble followed his early success with the album It’s Time. Released in early 2005, the album hit number one in Japan, Australia, Italy, and Canada, and it has sold over 2 million copies in the U.S. The disc contains more classic covers, as well as some original work including the hit single “Home.”

Buble toured throughout 2005 and 2006, and took home four trophies at the 2006 Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent to the Grammys. His third studio album, Call Me Irresponsible, was released in May 2007 and topped album charts around the world including the US and the UK. His single "Everything" topped the adult contemporary chart and nearly broke into the mainstream pop top 40.

Michael Buble's third live album, Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden, was released in June 2009. It topped the jazz chart and reached #14 on the pop chart in the US. While the concert included pop standards, Buble also performed more contemporary pop and R&B material such as Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones," Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," and Leon Russell's "A Song For You."

With the release of the album Crazy Love in the fall of 2009, Michael Buble headed toward a new landmark in his pop career. The album became his third consecutive #1 studio release, and, for the first time, it spawned a top 40 pop hit single in the US. "Haven't Met You Yet" was a slow climber, but it ultimately reached #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2010. It was followed by a new EP and expanded version of Crazy Love in the fall of 2010. The Hollywood EP included the new single "Hollywood" and live tracks. The EP brought Michael Buble another top 10 hit on the album chart.

Enrique Iglesias, Shakira Big Winners at Billboard Latin Music Awards

After a year that saw pop going bigger than ever, it's perhaps not surprising that two crossover superstars -- Enrique Iglesias and Shakira -- were the big winners at the 2011 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Leading the fray with nine honors was Iglesias, while Shakira followed with six Billboard Latin Music Awards. Newcomer Prince Royce, who continued the Aventura tradition of blending danceable bachata with urban sensibility, won four trophies, including Latin Artist of the Year, while Aventura themselves, along with Camila, Daddy Yankee and Juan Luis Guerra received three awards. The 2011 edition of the Billboard Latin Music Awards, presented by State Farm, was broadcast live on the Telemundo Network from the BankUnited Center in Miami and also seen in more than 35 countries.

Iglesias' wins included Latin Artist of the Year -- a category launched last year, which combines both sales and airplay -- on the strength of his hit album "Euphoria," which was also the Latin Album of the Year and Latin Pop Album of the Year. "Euphoria" spawned several big hits, including "Cuando Me Enamoro" (featuring Juan Luis Guerra), which won Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event and Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year. Iglesias also picked up the trophy for Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year Male and Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Male, for his sales.

Shakira won honors as Latin Pop Airplay Artist of the Year, Solo and Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year Female for her airplay accomplishments, and Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Female, for sales of her album "Sale el Sol." "Sale El Sol" also won Latin Digital Album of the year while "Waka Waka," the Shakira track featuring Freshlyground was the Latin Digital Download of the Year. Shakira also took home the newly minted Social 50 Latin Artist of the Year, based on performance on Billboard's Social 50 chart.

Prince Royce, the young singer who gained attention with his bilingual cover of "Stand By Me," took home Latin Artist of the Year New, as well as Tropical Airplay Artist of the Year Solo and Tropical Album of the Year for his self-titled debut.

Aventura, the group responsible for the mass popularity of urban bachata, won for Tropical Albums Artist of the Year Duo or Group while their song "El Malo" won Tropical Airplay Song of the Year.

Other notable wins of the year included pop star Chayanne, who took home Latin Touring Artist of the Year, based on ticket sales as tallied by Billboard Boxscore, and Don Omar, whose phenomenal hit "Danza Kuduro" (featuring Lucenzo), won Latin Rhythm Airplay Song of the Year.

Pop phenomenon Camila demonstrated both sales and airplay clout, winning Latin Pop Airplay Artist of the Year, Duo or Group and Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group and Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group, largely on the strength of their 2010 release "Dejarte de Amar."

In the regional Mexican realm, up and comer Larry Hernandez took home two awards: Regional Mexican Airplay Artist of the Year, Solo and Regional Mexican Albums Artist of the Year, Solo. Perennial favorites Banda El Recodo won Regional Mexican Song of the Year for "Dime Que Me Quieres" as well as Regional Mexican Airplay Artist of the Year, Duo or Group.

The night before, during the Billboard Bash, awards were given to labels and publishers, with Universal Music Latin Entertainment and Sony Music Latin dominant.

Leading the charge was Universal Music Latin Entertainment and its imprints -- Universal Music Latino, Machete, Disa and Fonovisa -- with six wins, including Top Latin Albums Label of the Year (Universal Music Latin Entertainment), which is given for overall sales.

UMLE also picked up awards as Latin Rhythm Albums Label of the Year and Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year. Meantime, UMLE imprint Universal Music Latino won for Tropical Airplay Label of the Year and Latin Rhythm Airplay Label of the year, while Disa won for Regional Mexican Airplay Label of the year.

Sony Music Latin was the Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year, and also won for Latin Pop Airplay Label of the year, Latin Pop albums label of the year, and Tropical Albums Label of the year.

For the second in a row, Arpa Musical, which specializes in regional Mexican catalog, won the Publisher of the year award while Arpa writer Espinoza Paz, who is also an artist on Fonovisa Records, also encored with a win for Songwriter of the year.

Regional Mexican music also determined the winner of the producer of the year award, which went to Fernando Camacho Tirado, the producer for La Arrolladora Banda El Limón, among other acts. Publishing Corporation of the year went to EMI Music, which boasted a robust catalog that included Don Omar and Ricky Martin, among other writers.

Labels, publishers and songwriters were honored at the annual Billboard Bash, which also featured performances by Billboard Latin Music Awards finalists.

Big Time Rush Brings Boy Bands Back

It's been nearly a decade since the Backstreet Boys and *Nsync ruled the charts, but all of those who thought the era of boy bands was dead and gone are about to stand corrected. Nickelodeon is bringing synchronized dancing, catchy melodies and precision harmonies back in the form of Big Time Rush.

BTR follows in the same vein of "Hannah Montana," in which an artist-based television show extends into CDs and touring deals. Kendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson, Carlos Pena and James Maslow were the lucky four teen heartthrobs cast to play the group of Minnesotan hockey-playing best friends given the record deal of a lifetime -- to become the world's next big boy band, Big Time Rush. In addition to acting in the show, the boys pull the double duty of recording and performing as the band around the country.

The debut album from BTR, which was released Oct. 11, features 11 pop songs previously featured on the show, as well as tracks that will be integrated into upcoming episodes of the show's second season. "Big Time Rush" had the most viewed premiere in Nickelodeon history.

"I think when [Scott Fellows, show creator] wrote the script he really specific personalities in mind and waited until he found four people that fit those parts," Schmidt tells Billboard.com on Oct. 11, the same day the band appeared on the "Today Show."

The multi-platform premise of the show was an intention from the start. It became clear to Nickelodeon after the first few demos that Big Time Rush would be more than just a small screen venture. "From the beginning it was always important that we could find people that could act and sing," says Henderson. "After the first few songs that we cut, it was that moment where they thought, 'I think we should go big on this.'"

Although the boys play exaggerated versions of their own personalities -- the leader, the geeky one, the funny one and the conceited one -- they put their true selves into the music as much as they can.

"Pop music makes the world go round," Henderson jokes, "but we're all super well-rounded. I listen to a whole lot of stuff growing up -- from old jazz to Billie Holiday to Radiohead. [We want] to create an original sound but still keep what our true roots are."

The songs are mostly pre-written for the band and designed to fit into the plotline of the show, but they get input. The members wrote the bass-heavy club anthem "Oh Yeah" with hit producer Kevin Rudolf.

"All the producers we work with have been extremely cool," says Schmidt. "I don't think we've come across anyone that hasn't let us have our input. We'll throw a harmony or something in there, and they'll love it so they put it in there."

Now that the album is released, the boys will continue on a nationwide promotion tour (when not filming the show), stopping in malls across the country through October. There's also possible plans to take BTR overseas, spreading ultra-contagious pop music and the message of a boy band revival abroad.

"The possibilities are limitless," declares Henderson, "This is what we're passionate about and want to do. We want to go worldwide."

Captain America : The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Release Date:July 22nd, 2011
Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, Neal McDonough Sebastian Stan, 16 more cast & crew
Director:Joe Johnston
Studio:Paramount Pictures, Marvel Studios
Genre:Superhero, Action, Adventure, 3D
Official Site:captainamerica.marvel.com

Born during the Great Depression, Steve Rogers grew up a frail youth in a poor family. Horrified by the newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to enlist in the army. However, because of his frailty and sickness, he was rejected. Overhearing the boy’s earnest plea, General Chester Phillips offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a special experiment… Operation: Rebirth. After weeks of tests, Rogers was at last administered the ‘Super-Soldier Serum’ and bombarded by ‘vita-rays.’ Steve Rogers emerged from the treatment with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. Rogers was then put through an intensive physical and tactical training program. Three months later, he was given his first assignment as Captain America. Armed with his indestructible shield and and battle savvy, Captain America has continued his war against evil both as a sentinel of liberty and leader of the Avengers.

Fast Five

Also Known As:

Fast Five: The IMAX Experience; The Fast and the Furious 5; The Fast and the Furious V
Untitled (Universal Pictures/The Fast and the Furious Sequel)
Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres: Action/Adventure and Sequel
Running Time: 2 hr. 10 min.
Release Date: April 29th, 2011 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content and language.
Production Co.: Original Film, One Race Films
Studios: Universal Pictures
Filming Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Puerto Rico; Atlanta; Georgia; USA
Parker; Arizona; USA
Produced in: United States
STARRING: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Matt Schulze, Sung Kang, Dwayne Johnson
DIRECTED BY: Justin Lin


Since Brian O'Conner and Mia Toretto broke Dom Toretto out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey... before someone else runs them down first.

Shopaholic & Baby - Sophie Kinsella

Shopaholic & Baby, Si Gila Belanja Punya Bayi
Sophie Kinsella
Fiksi - Chicklit
Alih Bahasa: Monica Dwi C
PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Jakarta, April 2007
Bahasa
536 halaman, 18 cm


Setelah selesai bertualang mencari saudaranya Jess-yang memiliki sifat yang sangat bertolak belakang dengannya- Rebecca Brandon (d. h. Blommwood) atau Becky atau Bex atau si gadis dengan syal Denny and George atau yang pasti sang maestro shopaholic kembali beraksi, kali ini dengan kehamilannya lagi-lagi Bex membuat keributan dan selalu dengan tanpa sengaja semuanya selesai dengan brilliant, catat: tanpa sengaja, lho!

Tentu saja, untuk calon bayinya Bex menginginkan semuanya yang terbaik bagi anaknya nanti. Tentu saja untuk calon bayinya Bex sekali lagi melanggar janjinya untuk berhenti belanja gila-gilaan, bahkan kali ini Jess tidak mampu menghalanginya lagi. Kehamilannya tentu saja merupakan sebuah pasport untuk belanja baginya. Mulai dari tempat tidur bayi dengan harga selangit, kereta bayi sebanyak lima buah untuk setiap acara berbeda dan salah satunya harus berwarna pink, sampai baju pesta bayi yang bermerk pun diborongnya. Tapi bukan Bex namanya kalau dia tidak menginginkan segalanya harus yang paling nomor satu atau harus yang paling populer atau harus yang paling terkenal, glamour, dan segalanya yang berbau ter-, karena itu dia pun memaksa Luke Brandon suaminya, untuk pindah dokter kandungan, yang asalnya ditangani oleh dokter kandungan senior yang yang menurut Bex biasa saja, kemudian pindah ke Venetia Carter, seorang dokter kandungan para selebritis dunia dan supermodel top.

Seperti biasa, kemudian masalah satu demi satu muncul, dokter kandungan yang cantik sempurna yang ternyata mantan pacar Luke dan memiliki hidden agenda terhadap Luke, depstor tempat Bex bekerja yang sepi pembeli, dan masalah pekerjaan Luke yang memiliki klien yang bermasalah, sehingga masalah mencari rumah baru yang wajib ada kamar sepatunya.

Tapi hei! Bex sudah berubah! Kalau dulu belanja dan belanja adalah pengalih pikiran dari permasalahan hidup, sekarang rupanya dia sudah belajar dari kesalahan...

Seperti biasa juga, kisah si Bex shopaholic ini mengalir begitu saja, mudah diikuti alurnya sekaligus menghibur. Walaupun plot ceritanya masih menggunakan racikan yang sama tapi saya tidak (atau belum) bosan bosannya membaca kisahnya. Tanpa ba-bi-bu saya lahap habis novel ini hanya dalam waktu 5 jam saja, termasuk kilat untuk ukuran saya yang lamban dalam membaca. Dan sekali lagi Kinsella berhasil membuat saya semakin jatuh cinta pada Becky.

Shopaholic & Baby memang bukan bacaan berat atau bacaan yang bisa membuat kita tampak semakin cerdas, smart atau apalah, tapi saya percaya, seseorang yang bisa menulis cerita seringan dan serenyah ini hanyalah orang-orang yang cerdas.. Bravo Kinsella, you're the best!!

Paris

Dibawah ini adalah tempat-tempat yang wajib dikunjungi jika Anda mengunjungi Paris.
Menara Eiffel

Tempat wisata ini adalah hasil rangkaian 18.083 besi yang dibangun antara 1887 dan 1889. Meski dibangun untuk merayakan seabad revolusi Perancis, pembuatannya sendiri mengundang kritik dari seluruh Perancis. Kalangan seniman menilai tidak adanya keindahan dari Eiffel, sedang para arsitektur mendebat ketahanan angin pada strukturnya. Meski begitu, ikon Perancis ini tetap setia dikunjungi jutaan orang setiap tahun. Mungkin lebih banyak orang yang ingin melihat Paris dari ketinggian 275 meter lewat Dek Observasi, termasuk Tom Cruise yang melamar Katie Holmes di restoran yang terkenal romantis.

Champ Elysee
Menjadi salah satu kawasan elit di Paris yang digunakan sebagai tempat wisata. Di sini agan akan menemukan etalase berisi barang dan parfum ternama, selain cafe-cafe mahal yang berjejer di sepanjang jalan. Kenyamanan pedestrian juga terjamin, mengingat lebarnya bagian trotoar di sini. Dulunya, bilangan ini pernah digunakan tentara Sekutu untuk berpawai merayakan kemenangan pada PD II.

Arch de Triomphe
Di ujung lain Champ Elysee, tempat wisata yang akan agan temukan adalah bangunan menyerupai gapura besar. Arch de Triomphe dibangun Napoleon pada 1806 sebagai simbol kemenangan Perancis. Sayangnya, "Si Pendek" Napoleon keburu digulingkan sebelum bangunan ini rampung didirikan.

Place de la Concorde
Lain lagi dengan cerita Place de la Concorde . Tempat wisata yang merupakan alun-alun terluas di Paris ini, dibangun pada 1755 di lahan seluas 86.400 meter. Ciri khas tempat ini adalah monumen dan air mancur. Dulunya, kaum bangsawan tertawa-tawa sambil menonton eksekusi terbuka para penjahat hingga penentang kerajaan. Pasca Revolusi Perancis, ganti wajah-wajah para borjuis itu yang murung menghadapi eksekusi. Nama tempat wisata ini sendiri berubah beberapa kali. Dimulai dari "Place Louis XV", "Place de la Révolution", dan terakhir "Place de la Concorde" sebagai simbol rekonsiliasi.

Notre Dame de Paris
Adalah sebuah katedral tua yang menjadi salah satu warisan terbaik arsitektur gotik Perancis. Mulai dibangun sejak 1163, katedral ini baru benar-benar rampung di tahun 1345. Selain menjadi tempat wisata, katedral "Bunda Kita di Paris" masih digunakan untuk misa Uskup Agung Perancis. MDers yang berkunjung ke tempat ini, juga bisa menikmati kesejukan sungai Seine, tak jauh dari bangunan ini.

Musee Du Louvre
Museum Louvre merupakan salah satu museum seni terbesar di seluruh dunia. Jika anda tidak menyukai seni, tetapi ingin memenuhi rasa ingin tahu anda akan lukisan Monalisa (di Paris disebut “la joconde”), atau mungkin tertarik karena buku “The da vinci Code”, anda tetap harus masuk ke museum ini.Dahulu gedung yang dijadikan museum Louvre adalah istana (Palais de Louvre) yang dibangun tahun 1190 dan mengalami tahap penyelesaian menjadi seperti gedung yang terlihat saat ini di tahun 1870. Dan tahun 1989 arsitektur Amerika asal China, I.M Pei membuat piramida kaca yang dijadikan salah satu dari 3 pintu masuk.
Untuk bisa menikmati Museum yang memamerkan lebih dari 35000 obyek seni dari jaman pra-sejarah hingga abad ke-19 ini, anda harus datang pagi-pagi sekitar jam 09.00 karena antrian yang panjang, dan anda pasti tidak akan menyia-nyiakan uang 9 euro anda setelah membayar tiket masuk.

Parc de Sceaux

Taman indah di selatan Paris, tidak ada tiket masuk, anda dapat menikmatinya selama anda mau, piknik, berfoto di taman, depan kanal dan danau buatan, atau kastil, bermain bola atau merebahkan diri di atas rumput.
Transportasi yang akan membawa anda ke Parc de Sceaux : Metro atau RER yang turun di Stasiun Parc de Sceaux.

Le Pere de Lachaise

Kompleks pemakaman ini berada di 16 rue de Repos, arrondissment 9. Komplek pemakaman seluas 118 acre yang berisi makam orang-orang terkenal seperti antara lain penyanyi Edith Piaff, Jim Morrison, Chopin, dan Oscar Wilde. Buka jam 08:00 – 19:00. Biaya masuk gratis, peta dijual 2 euro di pintu masuk. Kuburan di sini pun seperti karya seni, dengan bentuk makam yang besar dan unik.

Musee D’Orsay
62 Rue de Lille, Paris arrondissement 7, dulunya adalah bekas stasiun kereta Gare d”orsay yang dibangun tahun 1898 hingga tahun 1910. Galeri seni kedua terbesar di Paris ini memamerkan karya-karya seni pelukis Perancis yang dibuat sejak tahun 1848 hingga tahun 1915. Bentuk seni yang dipamerkan lukisan, foto, patung dan furniture dari perupa aliran impressionist dan post-impressionist seperti Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, Seurat, Gauguin dan Van Gogh.

Gereja Sacre Coeur & Montmartre

Terletak di 35 Rue de Chevalier-de la barre, Montmartre, Basilica bergaya Bizantin yang dibangun antara tahun 1876 dan 1912 ini menjadi ikon yang mencolok di distrik terindah Paris. Dari atas gereja anda akan disuguhi pemandangan kota Paris yang terhampar di bawahnya.
Berjalanlah ke bagian lain dari Montmartre di belakang gereja, anda akan disambut banyak pelukis jalanan dan juga café –café serta restoran yang nyaman.
Montmartre adalah bukit tertinggi di sekitar Paris, yang terkenal sebagai “rumah” dari banyak perupa terkenal dunia seperti Dalí, Modigliani, Monet, Picasso, van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, dan Degas.

Aktor dan Aktris Remaja Hollywood Paling Berkilau

1. Miley Cyrus

Destiny Hope Cyrus (lahir di Nashville, Tennessee, Amerika Serikat, 23 November 1992; umur 18 tahun) adalah seorang aktris dan penyanyi pop,aktris,pengarang lagu,dan pemain musik. Ia mencapai ketenaran lebar untuk perannya sebagai Miley Stewart / Hannah Montana pada sitkom Disney Channel Hannah Montana. Cyrus direkam musik untuk soundtrack, Hannah Montana (2006) dan Hannah Montana Miley Cyrus 2/Meet (2007), dirilis oleh Walt Disney Records. Dengan keberhasilan waralaba Hannah Montana ia menetapkan dirinya sebagai idola remaja. Pada tahun 2007, Cyrus menandatangani kontrak dengan Hollywood Records untuk mengejar karier solo. Dia melanjutkan The Best of Both Worlds Tour pada tahun yang sama, di mana ia menunjukkan dirinya sebagai dirinya dan sisi lain sebagai Hannah Montana. Tur ini akhirnya berubah menjadi sebuah film terlaris tinggi-konser berjudul Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008). Pada bulan Juli 2008, Cyrus merilis album solo pertamanya, Breakout (2008), yang sukses secara komersial.

Dia mulai terjun ke dalam film dengan memberikan suara "Penny" dalam film animasi Bolt (2008). Cyrus memperoleh nominasi untuk Golden Globe Award untuk Best Original Song untuk penampilannya dari lagu tema Bolt, "I Thought I Lost You". Dia juga reprised perannya sebagai Miley Stewart / Hannah Montana dalam Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009). The Hannah Montana: soundtrack The Movie 'diperkenalkan ke pemirsa baru di dalam negeri dan pasar kontemporer dewasa.

Dia mulai menumbuhkan kedewasaannya pada tahun 2009 dengan merilis The Time of Our Lives (2009), yang disajikan dengan suara pop lebih utama, dan dengan film The Last Song (2010), sebuah drama yang rilis ditahun 2009. Salah satu singel yang terlaris, "Pary in the U.S.A" (2009). Sebuah album studio berjudul tidak dapat dijinakkan dirilis pada tahun 2010 dan menyajikan suara tari-pop baru. dan Video musik dan lirik album di lead single, "Can't Be Tamed", menggambarkan citra yang lebih seksual untuk menghibur. Cyrus menduduki peringkat nomor tiga belas pada 2010 Forbes Celebrity 100.

2. Emma Watson

Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (lahir di Paris, Perancis, 15 April 1990; umur 20 tahun) adalah seorang aktris Inggris yang memainkan peran Hermione Granger dalam film Harry Potter. Emma Watson adalah anak dari pasangan pengacara Chris dan Jacqueline Watson yang sekarang telah bercerai. Ia mempunyai adik laki-laki bernama Alex. Dia menghabiskan tahun-tahun awalnya di Paris, Perancis, dan Oxford, Inggris. Semasa sekolahnya, Watson mengikuti Dragon School, sebuah sekolah persiapan swasta, hingga Juni 2003.

Sebelum perannya di film Harry Potter, pengalaman beraktingnya sangat sedikit. Selain sekolah, aktivitasnya antara lain menulis sebuah puisi, ia pernah mengikuti sebuah kompetisi puisi. Saat berumur tujuh tahun, ia menang peringkat pertama untuk tingkat seusianya. Emma adalah seorang gadis yang pintar dan ramah. Ia tinggal bersama ibunya sejak kecil sedangkan adiknya Alex Watson tinggal bersama ayahnya.

Penampilan Watson pertama kali di TV adalah sebagai anak terbaring di tempat tidur di Rumah Sakit Norwich di dalam film berjudul Knowing Me, Knowing Yule.

Emma memulai akting sebagai Hermione Granger di Harry Potter and Sorcerer's Stone pada tahun 2001. Aktingnya banyak mengundang perhatian banyak orang. Setelah itu Emma melanjutkan film Harry Potter yang selanjutnya.

Pada tahun 2009, Emma akan bermain pada film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Yang sebelumnya, sempat ada rumor Emma tidak akan memainkan film Harry Potter selanjutnya setelah bermain di Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Dan tanggal 17 April 2009, film Harry Potter and the half blood prince akan diputar di bioskop-bioskop Indonesia

Sejak tahun 2008, Emma sering diincar majalah-majalah untuk menjadi Covergirl. Seperti majalah Flare(November 2008), Sunday Times Style(Desember 2008), VS. Magazine, dan Italian Vogue. Emma dikabarkan sempat disukai oleh Robert Pattinson lawan mainnya dalam film Harry Potter yang berperan sebagai Cedric Diggory.

3. Abigail Breslin

Abigail Breslin tiba - tiba menjadi populer saat dia mulai memerankan Olive Hoover dalam “Little Miss Sunshine”. dia adalah salah aktor termuda yang terpilih dalam penghargaan oscar
BErperan juga sebagai Bo daalam “Signs” n Anna di filem “My Sister’s Keeper”, Abigail Breslin semakain menancapkan kukunya di dunia entertainmen

4. Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning adalah bagian penting dalam filem seperti “I Am Sam” dan “The Secret Life of Bees”. Dia juga berperan sebagai Jane dalam serial “New Moon”.Pada umur 16 tahun dia telah membintangi 11 filem juga serial TV komedi situasi seperti “Friends” dan “Malcolm in the Middle”.

5. Miranda Cosgrove

Miranda Cosgrove paling terkenal daalm perannya sebagai Megan daalm “Drake & Josh”.dia juga bagian dari filem 2003 “School of Rock”. album pertamanya due dirilis tahun 2000

6. Selena Gomez

Selena gomez paling dikenal dalam penampilannya di “Wizards of Waverly Place” sebagai “Alex Russo”. dia dipasang bersama Miley Cyrus dalam “Hannah Montana” dan menjadi bagian dalam Disney film “Princess Protection Program”. dia juga menandatangani kontrak dengan Hollywood Records untuk album pertamanya “Kiss & Tell” th 2009.

7. Dylan and Cole Sprouse

Dylan and Cole Sprouse are twin brothers who play the role of Zack and Cody in the popular Disney situation comedy “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”. It has been known that the Olsen twins have signed an agreement with them for their own costumes.

Negara Wisata Kuliner

Setiap negara pasti punya makanan khas dengan ciri - ciri dan keunikan masing - masing. Meski ada beberapa makanan yang merupakan hasil perpaduan atau pengaruh dari makanan daerah lain, hal ini tidak mengurangi keunikan suatu negara yang pasti membuat siapapun ketika memakan makanan khas langsung teringat dengan makanan tersebut.
Apa Indonesia termasuk di dalamnya?

1. Yunani
Makanan Yunani memang belum familiar di Indonesia, tapi makanan Italia dengan pasta dan tomatnya tidak asing dengan lidah kita. Begitu juga dengan makanan Turki yang mirip - mirip makanan Arab dengan daging, lemak, dan rempahnya yang berani.makanan Yunani dengan pengaruh Italia adalah Pastitsio.makanan ini menggunakan pasta makaroni.

Dengan cita rasa asli Yunani yang sederhana, Italia dengan tomat dan pasta, Mediterania dengan olive oil, Turki dengan dagingnya, dan Arab dengan rempah - rempahnya yang berani membuat masakan Yunani kaya cita rasa. Semoga bisa cepat menikmatinya di Indonesia yah!

2. Mexico
Bisa dibilang, makanan Mexico tidak tercampur dengan cita rasa makanan lain kecuali daerah sekitar Amerika karena makanan - makanan Mexico sudah ada sejak ribuan tahun dibawa oleh Suku Indian Inka dan Aztek dan kemudian dimoderinisasi.
Contoh masakan Mexico itu, Pambazo, Flautas, Champurrado,dan dulce de leche

3.Austria
Seperti kebanyakan makanan Eropa, makanan Austria sangat classy. Tipe - tipe makanan yangdengar namanya saja bikin ciut dompet! Apalagi Austria terkenal sebagai tempat lahirnya musisi - musisi dan seniman yang juga classy dan Austria memang dikaitkan dengan gedung - gedung konser mewahnya terutama di Vienna (Wina).
Ciri khas makanan Austria yang terkuat adalah pada pastry dan cake.

Makanan Eropa memang selalu menang di kue dan salah satu ciri khasnya adalah selai. Yang di atas adalah Apfelstrudel, pastry yang diisi apel, kayu manis, dan kismis. Gambar nomor dua adalah Sachertorte, kue cokelat dengan selai aprikot. dan yang ketiga adalah Kaiserschmarrn adalah pancake dengan selai raspberry.
Wiener Schnitzel adalah makanan berupa daging tanpa tulang dengan roti kering dan saus lemon atau raspberry. Makanan ini sangat terkenal dan menjadi ciri khas makanan Austria.

4. India
Makanan India terdapat di berbagai belahan dunia. Meskki orang Indonesia, makan makanan India tetap harus berhati - hati atau rempahnya yang kuat bikin kaget!Tapi yang pasti kalian seharus sudah sangat familiar dengan kari, roti cane, nasi biryani, dan martabak, kan?

5. China
Di setiap sudut negara, pasti ada yang namanya makanan China. makanan Cina dibagi menjadi empat macam dan kemudian dibagi lagi menjadi delapan. Keempat kategori makanan Cina yaitu Kanton yang ada di Provinsi Guangdong, Cina Selatan. Makanan Guangdong memang paling terkenal termasuk di Indonesia karena orang Kanton banyak yang merantau. Kalian pasti tidak asing dengan telur asin, kan? Ya, makanan ini adalah makanan asli Guangdong yang disebut Ham Aap Dam.

6. Korea
Berita baik untuk para penggemar K-Drama! Enggak salah memang, berkat K-Drama dan boybandnya, kebudayaan Korea semakin terkenal, bahkan mulai menggeser Jepang. Korea mulai dilirik sebagai kiblat fashion dan pariwisata baru.Tahu Bibimbap? Ya, makanan Korea ini memang terkenal. Tapi dulu, Bibimbap hanya boleh dimakan oleh keluarga kerajaan. Sama juga seperti guksu, mie asli Korea yang mirip bihun tapi lebih tebal. Guksu ini nanti diolah menjadi macam2 makanan, contohnya Japachae, memil guksu, dan jjolmeyon. Kalau dilihat dari gambarnya, enak tuh dimakan pas musim dingin(atau di Indonesia mah musim hujan)

7. Italia
Siapa yang enggak kenal pasta? Spageti? Makaorni? Lasagna? Ato jenis lain macam pizza? Bisa dibilang makanan Italia adalah makanan Eropa yang paling Indonesia. Dari mulai yang paling mahal hingga yang paling murah, makanan Itali bisa ditemukan dimana - mana.

Tempat-tempat yang wajib dikunjungi di London

London merupakan kota terbesar dan paling padat penduduknya di area metropolitan Inggris. Sebagai pusat Inggris, London tentunya banyak menyimpan sejarah dan tempat-tempat menarik untuk dikunjungi. Jika Anda berkesempatan datang ke London, beberapa tempat dan kegiatan menarik di bawah ini bisa Anda kunjungi.

1. Menara London

Menara London yang terletak di pusat London merupakan peninggalan sejarah dan telah melayani keluarga kerajaan selama ratusan tahun. Selain itu menara ini juga pernah menjadi penjara, gudang senjata, dan bahkan kebun binatang. Menara ini juga merupakan rumah bagi mahkota kerajaan yang yang bisa Anda lihat. Menara ini buka dari hari Selasa sampai Sabtu mulai pukul 10.00-18.00 waktu setempat. Dengan biaya masuk 17 Euro (sekitar Rp 230 ribu) Anda bisa mengunjungi salah satu tempat yang banyak dikunjungi wisatawan ini.

2. Tower Bridge di London

Sebuah struktur dan situs yang paling mengesankan di ibukota, Tower Bridge di London telah berdiri di Sungai Thames sejak 1894 dan merupakan salah satu landmark yang paling dikenal di dunia. Di sini Anda bisa melihat mekanisme dan panel informasi menjelaskan tentang teknologi yang digunakan selama bertahun-tahun untuk menjaga Tower Bridge bergerak. Anda bisa mengunjungi tempat ini setiap hari mulai dari pukul 10.00-18.30 dengan membayar uang 7 Euro (sekitar Rp 95 ribu).

3. Katedral St Paul

Anda bisa mengalami dan merasakan kejayaan Katedral St Paul's yang telah menjadi ikon dan mendominasi pemandangan langit London. Tempat lain yang teletak 55 meter di atas Whispering Gallery adalah Golden Gallery yang menawarkan pemandangan menakjubkan dari pusat kota London bagi mereka yang mempunyai energi untuk menyusuri 530 tangga. Katedral ini buka dari Hari Senin sampai Sabtu mulai pukul 08.30-17.00 waktu setempat dengan tiket masuk 12.5 Euro (sekitar Rp 170 ribu).

4. Benteng Windsor


Benteng Windsor merupakan benteng pendudukan tertua dan terbesar di dunia. Benteng ini dibangun 900 tahun yang lalu dan lantainya meliputi 480.00 meter persegi. Benteng ini dikelilingi beberapa taman yang indah dan pemandangan desa. Benteng ini berada di pinggiran kota London dan Anda dapat sampai ke sana sekitar 30 menit dari stasiun kereta Paddington. Benteng ini buka setiap hari mulai pukul 09.45-17.15 waktu setempat dengan tiket masuk 16 euro (sekitar Rp 220 ribu).

5. Hampton Court Palace


Hampton Court palace adalah bekas kediaman Raja Henry VIII yang flamboyan. Dia memperluas dan mengembangkan istana megah ini setelah memperolehnya di tahun 1520-an. Istana kerajaan yang terletak di barat daya London ini banyak memiliki perabotan istana yang menakjubkan, permadani dan lukisan. Di dalamnya juga ada kebun seluas 60 hektar yang meliputi labirin terkenal dan Great Vine. Istana ini buka setiap hari mualai pukul 10.00-18.00 waktu setempat. Dengan mengeluarkan uang 14 Euro (sekitar Rp 190 ribu), Anda sudah bisa berkeliling di Istana ini.

6. Istana Kensington


Istana Kensington di London ini telah dibentuk oleh generasi perempuan kerajaan dari Queen Mary ke Victoria dan baru-baru ini Diana, Princess of Wales. Istana ini memiliki beberapa taman dengan gaya elegan seperti Sunken Garden, sebuah oasis yang tenang dan nyaman dan merupakan tempat yang tepat untuk bertamasya di hari sibuk. Istana ini merupakan tuan rumah dari berbagai pameran yang menarik sepanjang tahun yang buka setiap hari dari pukul 10.00-18.00 waktu setempat dengan tiket masuk 12.5 Euro (sekitar Rp 170 ribu).

7. Kebun binatang ZSL London


Kebun binatang ini dibuka tahun 1828 dan merupakan kebun binatang ilmiah tertua di dunia. Saat ini kebun binatang yang terletak di Regent's Park, London ini merupakan rumah bagi 650 spesies binatang yang berbeda, dan hanya di kebun binatang ini Anda bisa merasakan pengalaman dengan binatang besar seperti jerapah dan gorila. Dengan lebih dari 12.000 sebagai koleksinya, Anda tentu tidak akan kecewa bila mengunjungi tempat ini. Kebun binatang ini buka setiap hari mulai jam 10.00-18.00 waktu setempat dan Anda dikenakan tiket masuk 18 euro (sekitar Rp 250 ribu).

Keindahan Alam Queenstown

Film trilogi "The Lord of the Rings", yang meraih 17 Oscar, menjadikan Selandia Baru sebagai salah satu tujuan berlibur dunia yang wajib dikunjungi. Selandia Baru memiliki segudang pemandangan dan tempat wisata lainnya yang mampu memanjakan mata Anda, seperti ditulis oleh Express on Sunday asal Inggris: "Jika saja lokasi film bisa mendapatkan Oscar, Selandia Baru akan memenangkannya."

Tetapi Selandia Baru tidak melulu soal lokasi pengambilan film dan bungy jumping (yang, ngomong-ngomong, merupakan tradisi suku Kiwi). Negara termuda dunia ini masih kental dengan kekayaan alam dan aset wisata lainnya yang menjadikannya sempurna sebagai tempat berlibur.


Dengan ruang terbuka yang sangat luas, lanskap pegunungan, pantai-pantai menawan, iklimnya pun hangat serta pemandangan alam yang indah. Dengan segala kesempurnaan ini, para pasangan baru yang ingin berbulan madu, penikmat petualangan sampai keluarga yang berlibur bisa pergi ke negeri ini, karena Selandia Baru bisa membuat terbuai.

Kota wisata Queenstown adalah salah satu dari lebih 150 lokasi tempat sutradara Peter Jackson melakukan syuting film Hollywood-nya. Di kota ini terdapat danau empat musim kebanggaan New Zealand dan tempat penginapan pegunungan. Terletak di tepi Danau
Wakatipu, tempat ajaib ini akan membawa imajinasi Anda melayang, meningkatkan gairah hidup dan semangat Anda.

Sejarah kawasan ini terkait dengan emas. Pada 1862, dua orang pencukur domba ’ketiban rezeki’ emas di tepi Sungai Shotover. Kemudian, kota yang hidup karena penambangan emas itu diberi nama Queenstown karena "..cocok untuk Ratu Victoria."

Kegiatan petualangan seperti olahraga di salju, bungy jumping, perahu jet, berkuda dan arung jeram. Anda juga dapat memanjakan diri saat berlibur sambil mencicipi makanan dan anggur, berperahu di danau, perawatan spa, belanja di butik dan bermain golf.

Queenstown penuh dengan restoran, klub malam dan kafe dan petualangan lainnya, serta penuh dengan aktivitas semangat. Selama bertahun-tahun, kota ini telah cukup banyak melakukan perluasan di bidang pariwisata lain, termasuk perkebunan anggur, galeri seni, kesenian jalanan dan program menantang dari olahraga golf.

Makan malam mungkin sebuah hal yang biasa di negara lain, tapi istimewa jika Anda sedang berada di Queenstown. Ada lebih dari 100 restoran cita rasa tinggi di sini – mulai dari restoran berkelas, kafe stylish, restoran keluarga, bar sushi, tempat wine ... Anda bisa pilih sesuai selera.

Selama musim panas dan musim gugur, biasanya penduduk lokal senang menyantap makan malam mereka di kafe pinggir jalan, seperti restoran taman, sambil menikmati makanan dan segelas anggur. Anda bisa menikmati semua itu di kala hawa sedang hangat sementara matahari terbenam pada pukul 10 malam. Saat musim dingin, perapian yang menyala serta makanan hangat yang khusus dibuat oleh restoran siap untuk disajikan dengan segelas anggur untuk menghangatkan tubuh Anda.

Queenstown merupakan bagian dari wilayah Central Otago. Anggur setempat telah sering mendapat penghargaan. Setiap saat adalah waktu yang tepat untuk berkunjung ke Central Otago yang terkenal dengan anggur jenis Pinot Noirs. Ada 45 kebun anggur di Central Otago dan anggur-anggur itu terus berkembang pesat hingga terkenal di selurh dunia. Pinot Noirs dari wilayah itu sangat diakui dan dicari, meskipun jenis anggur lainnya berhasil tumbuh juga dengan kualitas tinggi – ditanam di atas tanah shaly dengan iklim keras yang dipercaya sangat kondusif untuk produksi anggur.

Danau di Queenstown tampak makin indah dengan warna-warna musim gugur. Kredit foto: Tourism New Zealand Image Library/Bob McCree

Jika berminat, Anda bisa ikut tur mengenai anggur atau bisa menyewa mobil dan mengunjungi kebun anggur di Gibbston Valley, kawasan utama penghasil anggur di Queenstown. Gibbston Valley Wines, kebun anggur komersial pertama di Queenstown, terkenal dengan jamuan makan siangnya dan mencoba rasa anggur. Anda juga bisa melakukan tur ke gua anggur dan pabrik keju.

Berpengalaman melayani pengunjung selama lebih dari satu abad, Queenstown telah mengembangkan infrastruktur akomodasi di setiap pasar. Terdapat lebih dari enam perwakilan hotel internasional di sini. Banyak hotel dan resor yang bisa dijangkau dengan berjalan kaki dari pusat kota sambil menikmati pemandangan. Beberapa penginapan mewah menampilkan gaya arsitektur yang indah dengan furnitur serta pelayanan yang luar biasa. Tempat penginapan biasanya berukuran kecil, melayani hanya cukup 4-6 orang, dan biasanya termasuk dengan pelayanan yang mewah.

Selain itu, Anda juga bisa menikmati olahraga golf. Queenstown memiliki empat program, termasuk Millbrook. Anda bisa meluangkan waktu sehari dan memanjakan diri Anda di spa, atau menghabiskan waktu di pagi hari dengan berbelanja di butik yang tersedia di Queenstown.

Pelangi yang indah bisa Anda lihat di Danau Wakatipu. Di sana, Anda bisa menangkap ikan tawar pelangi, ikan tawar berwarna coklat dan quinnat salmon sepanjang tahun. Izin bisa didapatkan di kota dan pemandu bisa membawa Anda ke tempat pemancingan
terbaik.

Jika Anda ingin bepergian ke danau, Anda bisa menyewa kapal pesiar, yang disesuaikan untuk individu atau kelompok. Jika Anda ingin menyendiri, Anda bisa bepergian dengan kapal pesiar dari Queenstown kemudian berteduh di kawasan pegunungan, terutama di Danau Wakatipu.
Saatnya Bertualang

Jika Anda seorang petualang, Queenstown adalah tempat yang cocok untuk menguji adrenalin Anda. Tempat ini dijuluki sebagai "Adventure Capital of the World" – ibukota petualangan di dunia. Sebuah julukan yang dibuat oleh para pencari sensasi, yang berani memainkan adrenalin mereka, dan bertualang di lingkungan liar.

Aksi bungy jumping yang menakutkan ternyata berasal dari negeri ini. Ada segudang aktivitas yang bisa Anda lakukan disini, seperti: sky diving, mendaki gunung, arung jeram, kayak, memancing, berkuda, bersepeda, berjalan di hutang, terbang indah, berlayar, berselancar, jet boat, meluncur dan bungy Nevis! Di musim dingin, pegunungan diselimuti oleh kabut putih yang membuat tempat itu menjadi tempat yang bagus untuk melakukan ski, snow car, snowboard, heliski dan parapent.

Wanaka terletak di balik pegunungan Southern Alps di South Island, Selandia Baru. Tempat ini sangat damai, hanya sekitar satu jam jika Anda berkendara dengan mobil dari Queenstown. Dekat dengan Mount Aspiring National Park, kawasan ini adalah surga alam yang terletak di sebelah danau yang indah.

Hiruk-pikuk kehidupan di Wanaka jauh lebih tenang daripada di Queenstown, namun kawasan itu juga menawarkan kegiatan yang sama. Jadi, jika Anda ingin melakukan paralayang, perahu jet atau rap jumping dalam suasana yang lebih tenang, Wanaka adalah tempat yang cocok.

Terdapat pula restoran dengan cita rasa yang baik dan beberapa bar. Banyak rumor yang menyebutkan, kue wortel terbaik bisa didapatkan di kafe-kafe tepi danau di Wanaka.

Danau Wanaka terletak tepat di tengah danau-danau lainnya. Ia merupakan pintu gerbang menuju Mt. Aspiring National Park, yang terkenal dengan gletsernya dan tempat mendaki. Gunung-gunung di sekitar danau adalah surga bagi pecinta ski. Kota itu sendiri memiliki sebuah desa untuk berbelanja dengan berbagai macam suasana untuk bersantai, makan dan minum.

Perlambat langkah dan hayati suasana sekitar. Anda tidak akan bisa merasakan suasana tempat itu sebelum menjelajahinya dengan berjalan kaki.

Eely Point Walk adalah aktivitas berjalan kaki di samping Danau Wanaka. Anda bisa mencapainya dalam waktu 15 menit. Terlindung dari angin, Eely Point adalah kawasan terkenal untuk berperahu dan piknik. Kemudian, hanya butuh waktu lima menit untuk melanjutkan perjalanan ke Bremner Bay, teluk yang dangkal yang sangat populer untuk tempat berenang keluarga.

Dublin Bay di Wanaka, Selandia Baru. Kredit foto: Tourism New Zealand Image Library/Gilbert van Reenen

Dari Bremner Bay, jalur ini akan mengikuti garis pantai Danau Wanaku hingga ke Pantai Penrith, yang menampilkan pemandangan indah danau dan gunung sekitar. Dengan mengikuti jalan dari Penrith Beach, Anda bisa menikmati Lake Outlet Walk.

Waterfall Creek Walk dimulai dari sebelah kiri Roys Bay – yang merupakan pantai utama di Danau Wanaka. Tempat itu mengikuti garis pantai hingga ke bagian Wanaka dari Damper Bay. Wanaka Station Park, di sebelah kiri dekat Waterfall Creek Walk, adalah tempat yang cocok untuk piknik. Rute itu terus berlanjut ke sepanjang jalan di depan Edgewater Resort Hotel dan Rippon Vineyard hingga ke Waterfall Creek. Kemudian terus hingga ke puncak tertinggi, yang menawarkan pemandangan indah dari Wanaka Township dan danau.
Arrowtown

Salah satu pemukiman yang paling indah di New Zealand adalah Arrowtown yang berada di sepanjang Sungai Arrow, yang dulunya merupakan tempat mendulang emas. Kota itu mempertahankan nilai sejarahnya dengan lebih dari 60 bangunan yang dibangun kembali dari abad ke-19. Pesona emas itu bisa Anda lihat di sepanjang jalan (meski Anda masih bisa mengambil emas di sungai).

Hanya 20 menit jika Anda berkendara dari Queenstown, Arrowtown adalah pusat perkebunan anggur terbaik, galeri artis, lapangan golf, memancing dan daerah ski. Anda juga bisa menjelajahi pemukiman para penambang Cina, dan berkunjung ke Museum Distrik Danau, bermain di lapangan golf lokal yang menantang atau mencoba perjalanan 4WD hingga ke Macetown, sebuah kota hantu yang hanya dapat diakses oleh jalur kereta. Arrowtown memiliki berbagai macam kafe, restoran dan toko-toko yang menarik.

Warna-warna musim gugur di Arrowtown, Selandia Baru. Kredit foto: Tourism New Zealand Image Library

Cuaca saat musim dingin dan rindang di musim semi menggantikan hari-hari musim panas yang panjang dan musim gugur yang menakjubkan. Perubahan musim merupakan cerminan terbaik dari sejarah pepohonan yang berjajar di pinggir jalan. Festival musim gugur menampilkan para fotografer handal dan artis yang bisa memberikan inspirasi.
Glenorchy

Sekitar 40 menit dari Queenstown, terdapat sebuah kota pedesaan di Glenorchy, ujung barat Danau Wakatipu, dengan latar belakang hutan milik penduduk asli dan pegunungan yang tertutup salju.


Surga di Glenorchy. Kredit foto: Kredit foto: Tourism New Zealand Image Library/Ian Brodie.

Tempat ini dikenal sebagai pintu gerbang menuju Routeburn, Caples, Greenstone, Rees dan rute jalan Dart Valley. Selain itu, bisa juga jadi lokasi bermain perahu jet dan kayak di Dart River. Anda bisa menghubungi otoritas setempat jika Anda merencanakan untuk berjalan di salah satu trek. Menunggang kuda juga sangat disarankan. Kota ini juga memiliki berbagai macam penginapan, satu hotel dan beberapa kafe. Ide yang bagus untuk membeli perlengkapan mendaki dekat Queenstown.

5 Hal Aneh yang Bisa Anda Temukan di Singapura

Hanya di Singapura, Anda bisa kehilangan S$100 sebelum berada di dalam kasino, mengantri dua jam untuk bubble tea, dan bergabung dengan agen kencan yang dikelola pemerintah.

Kita semua tahu tentang pendingin ruangan Singapura, mal-mal, pusat jajanan (hawker), denda untuk membuang sampah sembarangan dan membawa durian. Namun tahukah Anda bahwa Singapura juga memiliki agen kencan yang disponsori oleh pemerintah dan Hotel Merlion? Berikut ini adalah lima fakta unik lainnya tentang negara-kota ini.


1. Antrian panjang bubble tea
Kami tidak pernah melihat antrian seperti ini sejak Hello Kitty muncul di McDonald's. Toko bubble tea trendi seperti Koi, Gong Cha dan I Love Taimei benar-benar menangguk untung besar dari para penyuka bubble tea yang rela antre sampai dua jam untuk mendapatkan minuman favorit mereka.

2. Kafe pelayan
Gadis-gadis ini mengenakan bulu mata palsu, bermata besar seperti Bambi, dan kostum pelayan Perancis versi Jepang di Akibanana Café and Bar (Tanjong Pagar Road 108, +65 6222 2087) demi memenuhi setiap keinginan Anda.

Para Meido-san ini akan menyuapi Anda, merapikan kuku, bahkan memberi pijatan.


3. Hotel Merlion
Patung berbentuk setengah ikan, setengah singa ini menjalani transformasi dari tanggal 7 Februari sampai 9 Maret menjadi sebuah kamar hotel sementara untuk menerima tamu yang akan bermalam.

Seakan Merlion tidak cukup dipermalukan, kini sebuah hotel pun didirikan atas namanya.

4. Bea masuk S$100 untuk kasino

Singapura adalah satu-satunya negara di dunia yang menerapkan bea masuk ke kasino bagi penduduk lokal — sesuatu yang sangat absurd.

Banyak penduduk setempat yang sudah ditahan, didenda, dan bahkan dipenjara karena menggunakan izin kerja orang asing untuk mencoba masuk ke kasino tanpa membayar bea masuk.


5. SDU = Single, Desperate, Ugly?
Oh salah, maksudnya Social Development Unit, sebuah agen pencari jodoh yang disponsori pemerintah. Bersiap-siaplah menerima undangan keanggotaan eksklusif (dengan biaya tahunan S$10) dari SDU jika Anda berusia di atas 30 tahun dan masih melajang.