Last week, Stella Artois hosted a stellar bash in celebration of their official sponsorship of the 65th Cannes Film Festival. Stella Artois transformed the Tribeca Cinemas into a booming casino nightclub, amply titled ‘Cannes Cinema Club’ where guests experienced an evening of stylish reverie.

The evening featured a classic “Ocean’s Eleven” theme, which included a live showing of the original film, live music, a wrap party and some familiar faces…

The Cannes Cinema Club interactive experience included:

· RFID Bracelet: This bracelet connected us to social media networks to share experiences with our friends and to win special prizes;

· Photo Experience: We don 1960s attire and pose for a professional Cannes Cinema Club headshot which we uploaded to Facebook using out RFID bracelet; and

· Safe Rides Home: Uber, an on-demand car service, provided each guests the experience of a private driver to ensure all attendees arrive home safely.

Overall, it was a fun Saturday afternoon and a chance to experience the 60s amongst friends. Find our more about Cannes Cinema Club at www.stellaartoiscinemaclub.com

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Writer: Etan Cohen

Producer: Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald

Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg and G. Mac Brown

Stars: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Michael Stuhlbarg and Emma Thompson

Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent J (Will Smith) has come back to the big screen after a decade. Men in Black Ⅲ  —Available in 3D— is one of the best comedy Sci-Fi movies this year. This special agent duo, who fight disturbing aliens in the precisely tailored black suit and fashionable skinny tie, never fail to achieve their mission to protect the earth while providing global laugh, surprise, tears, and love to the audience.

The story starts from a powerful jailbreak scene of the key alien villain, Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement). This incident changes the usual days for the Men in Black agents and dangering the whole universe. While the earth starts to get attacked by the aliens, agent K is nowhere to be found. Worried and confused, agent J was oddly informed by his boss, agent O (Emma Thompson) that agent K had passed away 40 years ago. Finding a way to save agent K, agent J time travels to MIB’s early years in the 1960’s to help and work with his long time partner and friend by changing history, and of course saving the earth together. Meeting 29 year-old agent K (Josh Brolin) during the risky adventure allows agent J to see the part of K’s life that he had never shared with him before, in addition to learning about some secret in his own life.

Keeping the crew behind the camera seems to be part of the successes in this film. Unlike many Blockbuster movie sequences, this funny yet deep and relatable story line has the incredible cohesiveness from the previous Men in Black films. The mesmerizing special effects were definitely worth watching in 3D. There are many fantastic additions to the film as well, including special guest stars and the pretty retro 60’s fashion. Co-staring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, there is no doubt Josh Brolin did a magnificent job playing young agent K. This movie is highly recommended to the family audience—perfect for the father’s day— as well as all the people who want to feel that a ‘miracle is not impossible’.

Men in Black Ⅲ will be in theaters starting this Friday, May 25^th, 2012.

Though Summer doesn’t officially begin until mid June, most consider memorial day weekend as the officially unofficial start of the summer party season. Weather permitting this weekend is usually filled with garden parties, barbeques and for us city dwellers rooftop soirees. Bar d’Eau is one of many venues opening up to the public this week. The intimate oasis is on the 7th floor of the beautiful Trump Soho. Summer came early for team JSD as we were cordially invited to attend the exclusive preview before the official public opening.

The space has an enclosed bar area and lounge as well as an out door deck. The deck is 6000 square feet with 1 pool surrounded by modern lounge chairs, several table settings and a small bocce ball court. Within the lovely surroundings guests may enjoy a variety of small plate items along with their specialty cocktails. One of the most interesting cocktails is the “Moet Ice Imperial”, one of the first champagnes created to be served over ice. Very few venues will have access to thus refreshing cocktail, making the experience at Trump Soho all the more exclusive. Also available at the bar are, The Belvedere Lemon Ice Tea which is a refreshing libation, featuring Belvedere lemon tea vodka and black tea and the Rose on Spring which is also made from Belvedere and features a spritz of rose water for a fragrant finish.

While guests of the Trump are the only people allowed to enjoy the pool, the bar is open to the public.  As with most roof top spaces this venue is only available for a short while, so you should catch while you can. If the view and gorgeous setting isn’t enough of a reason, go for the world class cocktails and ambiance. You may have to work all summer but that’s no excuse not to play, drop by Bar d’Eau for a little grown up fun. Bar d’Eau is located on the 7th floor of the Trump Soho Hotel @ 246 Spring Street (at Varick Street).

Directed by: Peter Berg

Written by: Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber

Stars: Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna, Liam Neeson

After initiating contact with an alien race Earth finds itself under attack. The fight to save humanity begins at sea  as the US and Japanese Navy engage in a competition that turns into a real fight to the death. At the core of the battle is Lieutenant Alex Hopper (Kitsch), a reluctant naval officer who is forced into a role of leadership despite his ineptitude.  Motivated by his love for his beautiful fiancé (Decker) he discovers the strength and courage to forage ahead.

Battleship is a traditional summer blockbuster filled with action, laughs and large scale explosions.  As with most end of the world movies the final battle takes place in the good old U S of A with American soldiers and officers saving the world from devastation. One brilliant twist is that the Americans are joined by Japanese sailors in the same waters where the Pearl Harbor attack took place. Scene to scene the movie is an enjoyable thrill ride with amazing special effects. The cast for the film is especially unique as it features the USS Missouri a real naval vessel as well as actual war veterans. Gregory D. Gadson a double amputee who survived war in the middle east makes his acting debut as Lieutenant Colonel Mick Canales a patient of Sam (Decker) wrestling with his loss of mobility.

This film hits theaters just in time for Memorial Day and makes a great night out with friends.  Despite the violence of the film, it is not so graphic that children under 13 shouldn’t see it. The movie may serve as a great opening for dialogue on war and the sacrifices people make in keeping our country safe. If not for the patriotism see it for the intense battle scenes and sheer enjoyment.

Battleship hits theaters this Friday, May 18th, 2012!

On a rainy Thursday morning, May 10, more than 2,300 women came together at the New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) 25^th Anniversary Celebrating Women Breakfast Honoring Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Al-jen Poo and Merble Reagon. The inspiring breakfast included a choir performance, speeches from various NYWF board members, local NYC officials, and of course the guests of honor.

The New York Women’s Foundation is a cross-cultural alliance of women, serving as a voice for women and a force for change. The Foundation identifies innovative organizations that are effecting change in the communities they serve for women. NYWF funds programs that promote economic security and justice, anti-violence and safety, and health, sexual rights and reproductive justice for women and girls in New York City.

The Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir energized the audience at the start of the breakfast with uplifting songs like “We are Family” and “Celebration,” followed by brief remarks by Christine Quinn, NYC Council Speaker and NYWF Board of Directors member. Quinn praised Obama for his recent stance on gay marriage as she shared with the audience that she is getting married next week. Quinn also shared a story of how organizations part of the New York Women’s Foundation are helping to inspire women in their own businesses. She shared a story about a partnership with Center for Family Life in Sunset Park which has empowered women to start their own businesses. One young woman in particular shared with Quinn upon her recent visit to the institution that seeing her mother start her own cleaning business in Brooklyn inspired her to go to college and changed her vision of who she can be.

Merble Reagon, one of the Celebrating Women Award recipients, worked to create self-sufficiency standards to calculate how much income it takes for families to live in the five boroughs, which is now used by thousands of case workers across the city to assess poverty levels. She noted how she was deeply honored and humbled and acknowledged the outstanding leadership of the organization and work of the organization for creating change. The tool she created for self-sufficiency standards was not just to assess poverty levels, but empower families to know what they need and give them some semblance of financial stability – economic security. The tool today reaches more than 30,000 families and $350 million in work support and tax credits.

Al-jen Poo, also a Celebrating Women Award recipient, defends the rights of women around the world. She led New York state to pass the first Domestic Worker’s Bill of Rights. She also organized the International Labor Foundation.  She dedicated the award to the more than two million women who are caregivers. She noted, “Despite the important role these domestic workers play, society does not adequately value the work that these women do on a daily base.” As a result, Poon shared the fact that New York passed the first Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights and three lessons:

• In New York, we don’t believe in the impossible – we are ever expanding the realm of what’s possible.
• When you look at the world through the eyes of women, you see the world more completely – both problems and solutions.
• The NYWF does not place domestic worker’s rights as a minority issue – it is central and the NYWF believed and supported the cause. When women come together to lead change, we can make a huge impact.

Poon has also worked to create “Caring Across Generations,” a campaign designed to focus on race, generation and experience around a simple notion that each of us should have the care and support we need to live with dignity – dreaming bigger to build better.

Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of the NYWF also presented to the audience. She remarked, “Change is a moment for us – and a special one now with the 25^th Anniversary.” She noted that the NYWF is no longer a possibility, it’s one with a lot of responsibilities in New York to enact great change in creating a better New York.

Robyn Brady Ince, Anne Delaney and Anita Channapati, NYWF board members and breakfast co-chairs presented remarks following Oliveira. Ince shared inspiration from her mother on how important it is to be part of the solution and create community wherever it is you call home and to stand with women. She said, “It’s not enough to know about the challenges, but we must do something about them.” Delaney shared that there is nothing more important than our collective best ideas and practices as a model to change our world. Channapati noted that everything happening on stage the morning of the breakfast is the reason she became part of the New York Women’s Foundation. She was raised to believe in the value of community service and be engaged as part of a real community – to make the city liveable for everyone and it takes all of us to do so.

Following a brief introduction, Hillary Rodham Clinton accepted the Century Award (a large walking stick) and shared how great it is to be in New York celebrating the foundation and all that it has done for women. She noted how pleased she is to travel around the world and go to countries where she has the business of state to conduct and do the best we can to promote American values and interest. She noted, “I try whenever I have time to meet with women to find out what they do which is often under very difficult circumstances. In places around the world, it’s almost unimaginable that there can be an organization that supports women making their journey through life.” She also referenced inspiration from her mother noting that her mother shared with her that it’s the someone who shared the kindness, those little steps of kindness along the way that truly make a difference because people need each other more than ever now with the stresses of today. She ended the breakfast saying, “For me, it is a great delight to be back in the city I love, wonderful to see you all here supporting the foundation, but your being here is in the best traditions of American caring. A lot of places in the world are just learning about volunteerism. They are finally understanding that the government can’t support them in everything. This space for civil society is growing everywhere. I am thrilled to be with you, proud to have this fabulous walking stick – either leaning on it or wielding it – but I mostly was looking forward to coming to be in my own country for a change to encourage you and be encouraged by you. Let’s get re-energized for the work that lies ahead and I would like to express, on behalf of my mother, great gratitude for reaching out that hand, providing that safe place and giving hope and love to so many in need.”

Please visit www.nywf.org for more information.

This week, top industry VIPs joined Bacardi as they unveiled their latest addition to the brand – a new ultra premium Cognac brand called D’USSE [dew-say], a bold new expression of Cognac that will debut this summer. Famed mixologist Justin Noel created opulent signature cocktails providing guests the opportunity to preview the luxury French spirit before it hit the market. We thoroughly enjoyed the specialty cocktails while enjoying music by Roc Nation DJ Jus Ske.

D’USSÉ Cognac is masterfully crafted at the prestigious Chateau de Cognac, the illustrious French house of Cognac with a 200-year legacy in blending some of the world’s finest Cognacs. It is the inspiration of a passionate Cellar Master who set out to create his own legacy. The result is a uniquely powerful, authentic Cognac that starts off with distinguished intensity and then gives way to a pleasantly smooth, balanced finish. The sleek, minimalist, modern and contemporary bottle is a work of art, donning only a gold Cross of Lorraine, the symbol for honor, courage and perseverance.

An endless amount of special VIP guests filled the posh Standard Hotel, including Jay-Z, Tina & Solange Knowles, Pharrell Williams, Kevin Liles, and many more. The new VSOP Cognac will retail at around $44.99 per 750-ml bottle and will be sold in other various sizes as well.

Photo – Nicholas Hunt / PatrickMcMullan.com