Posts made in July 2020

Rita Azar illustration featured in 360 MAGAZINE for LA restaurant article.

Best Covid Curbside Restaurants

By Krishan Narsinghani

Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Angelenos have seen their favorite restaurants close, reopen, provide takeout and everything in-between. 360 Magazine is on the hunt for the hottest eateries still available in the Los Angeles area (ranked in no particular order).

Patxi’s Pizza Porter Ranch

Established in San Francisco, Patxi’s Pizza opened up it’s second SoCal location in Porter Ranch, California at the end of July. The patio has ample seating while following strict six feet social distancing guidelines. Having tried Chicago deep dish several times, Patxi’s recipe does not disappoint. Try mix and matching signature favorites like the half Spinach Pesto (vegetarian) and half Old Chicago Style (meat) on one pie. The sauce is zesty and packs a flavorful punch reminiscent of that in Little Italy. Pro tip from the servers – try a little honey on the crust! The new obsession.

The Independence

The Independence in Santa Monica is a classic go-to for “upscale American flare.” Having eaten here before, the renovated menu and patio give it more to look forward to than just their bottomless mimosas. Hands down the Lil Mama’s Cauliflower is a 360 favorite. These delectables exude a nice balance of heat and pickled galore, which was a fresh experience from traditional cauliflower wings. Don’t forget to grab a signature handcrafted cocktail during happy hour and pair it with the Grilled Branzino.

Ballerina illustration done by Mina Tocalini of 360 MAGAZINE.

SF Ballet Release Film

San Francisco Ballet announces the premiere of Dance of Dreams, a new dance film directed by Benjamin Millepied, featuring San Francisco Ballet dancers performing choreography by Justin Peck, Dwight Rhoden, Janie Taylor, and Christopher Wheeldon. Filmed in iconic San Francisco locations including the Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the new six-minute film is set to “Scène D’Amour” by Bernard Hermann from Vertigo, Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco–based thriller film from 1958, played by members of SF Ballet Orchestra. “The connection of this company to the people of San Francisco is so strong. It’s a die-hard audience,” says director Benjamin Millepied. “Dance of Dreams is a moment of dancing, a moment of reconnecting dancers to the city and the thing they love most.” Click here to see the film trailer. “Here in San Francisco, we’re still sheltering in place and I wanted to explore new work under these circumstances. Dance of Dreams celebrates San Francisco, while giving our dancers the freedom to move outdoors in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Bay Area, and with choreography by some of the finest choreographers of our time,” says SF Ballet Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson. “Benjamin [Millepied] felt like a natural fit to direct this project. I am thrilled to be able to work with him in a capacity that integrates his background in film and cinematography with dance.” 

Dance of Dreams offers a glimpse of San Francisco as the city enters its fifth month of shelter-in-place restrictions. The film is choreographed for six dancers, including solos for Principal Dancers Joseph Walsh and Frances Chung, choreographed by Peck and Taylor, respectively; and pas de deux for Soloists Ellen Rose Hummel and Daniel Deivison-Oliveira, choreographed by Rhoden, and Soloist Madison Keesler and Principal Dancer Benjamin Freemantle, choreographed by Wheeldon. SF Ballet Orchestra Music Director Martin West mixed and mastered the recording, which incorporates more than 150 tracks recorded remotely by more than 60 musicians from the Orchestra. With this project, the Company enters an era of unprecedented digital engagement via uncharted territories, grappling with what is lost while ushering in new future possibilities. Millepied and all of the choreographers generously donated their time, working remotely from their respective locales.

The film begins with Joseph Walsh on the grounds of the iconic San Francisco Art Institute in movements that suggest a yearning for what the past and future hold: community, connection, and love. Shifting to an evening scene beside the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco’s foggy weather greets Hummel and Deivison-Oliveira, leading to Chung in solitude against the rugged shores of Sausalito. Among the swells and sonorities of Hermann’s “Scène D’Amour,” the film ends at the Palace of Fine Arts, a location featured in the film Vertigo. Keesler and Freemantle offer a closing pas de deux—an ode to perseverance through challenging times.

Social distancing rules were observed during the filming process, and the pas de deux are danced by dancers who have been sheltered in place together. Dance of Dreams will be available to the public at 12 noon U.S. PDT on August 13, 2020 on SF Ballet @ Home, YouTube, Facebook, and IGTV.

Millepied and Tomasson’s professional relationship began two decades ago at New York City Ballet (NYCB), when Millepied danced a principal role in Tomasson’s Prism as part of NYCB’s 2000 Diamond Project IV. Millepied began choreographing while at New York City Ballet and created his first work for SF Ballet—set to John Adams’ “The Chairman Dances”—in 2017. He is now Artistic Director of L.A. Dance Project, and his career has expanded to include filmmaking; he founded The Amoveo Company, a multimedia production company, in 2012. For Dance of Dreams, Millepied selected the music and settings; Tomasson invited the participation of the four choreographers whose work the film features.

Director Benjamin Millepied is a choreographer, filmmaker, and artistic director distinguished by his career as a dancer at New York City Ballet and his growing body of creative work. Born in Bordeaux, France, Millepied trained with his mother, Catherine Flori; at the Conservatoire National de Lyon; and at the School of American Ballet before becoming a principal dancer with New York City Ballet. His choreography is performed by New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Berlin Staatsoper, Mariinsky Ballet, among many others, and was featured in Darren Aronofsky’s award-winning film Black Swan, in which he also starred. Millepied founded the L.A. Dance Project in 2012. In 2013, he was appointed director of Paris Opera Ballet, where he was the subject of the documentary film Reset. He returned to Los Angeles in 2016 to focus on L.A. Dance Project and his own choreography and filmmaking. Among many awards and honors, Millepied was made a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture. 

Choreographer Justin Peck is Resident Choreographer and Artistic Advisor with New York City Ballet (NYCB). Peck joined NYCB in 2006 and was promoted to Soloist in 2013. He began choreographing in 2009 at the New York Choreographic Institute. In 2014, after the creation of Everywhere We Go, Peck was appointed Resident Choreographer of NYCB. He also served as a member of NYCB’s interim artistic team from December 2017 until his appointment as Artistic Advisor in February 2019. He has created more than 30 ballets, which have been performed by Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, L.A. Dance Project, Dutch National Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Pennsylvania Ballet. In 2014, Peck was the subject of the documentary Ballet 422, which followed him as he created Paz de la Jolla, NYCB’s 422nd original dance. Peck choreographed the 2018 Broadway revival of Carousel, for which he was awarded the 2018 Tony Award for Best Choreography. In addition, Peck choreographed the feature film Red Sparrow, and will be creating new choreography for the upcoming film remake of West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg. His Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes won the Bessie Award for Outstanding Production in 2015. Peck created his first work for SF Ballet, In the Countenance of Kings, in 2017. His second work for the Company—Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming—was created for the 2018 Unbound: A.

Choreographer Dwight Rhoden is founding artistic director and resident choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Born in Dayton, Ohio, he performed with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballets Jazz De Montréal, and as a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He has choreographed for New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, BalletMet, Colorado Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, The Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadanco, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, The Washington Ballet, Ballet Nice Mediterranean, Rome Opera Ballet, and Tulsa Ballet, among others. Rhoden has directed and choreographed for television, film, and theater, including So You Think You Can Dance, Cirque du Soleil, world tours for Prince and Lenny Kravitz, and the feature film One Last Dance. Rhoden was nominated for a Benois de la Danse Award for his The Great Gatsby for the Mariinsky Ballet. He’s been an artist in residence at USC Kaufman, Boston Conservatory, The Juilliard School, New York University, and Southern Methodist University. Honors include a New York Foundation for the Arts award, induction in the NYFA Hall of Fame, the Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography, and an Honorary Doctorate from Boston Conservatory. Rhoden created LET’S BEGIN AT THE END, his first work for SF Ballet, for Unbound: A Festival of New Works in 2018.

Choreographer Janie Taylor is a dancer and stager with L.A. Dance Project and a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet. Born in Houston, she trained in Texas and Louisiana before attending the School of American Ballet in New York, where she received the Mae L. Wien Award. She joined New York City Ballet in 1998, and was promoted to soloist in 2001 and principal dancer in 2005. Taylor appeared in the 2000 feature film Center Stage. Since retiring from the New York City Ballet in 2014, she has staged ballets on companies around the world. She has also started a career in design, creating costumes for New York City Ballet and L.A. Dance Project. In 2016, she joined L.A. Dance Project as a dancer and rehearsal director. 

Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, OBE, trained at The Royal Ballet School and danced with The Royal Ballet and New York City Ballet (NYCB). Wheeldon was named NYCB’s first resident choreographer in 2001 and has since created works for many of the world’s major ballet companies. He founded Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company in 2007. Wheeldon now serves as artistic associate of The Royal Ballet, where choreography credits include Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale. He choreographed Dance of the Hours for Ponchielli’s La Gioconda and Richard Eyre’s Carmen for the Metropolitan Opera, as well as a special excerpt for the London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony, ballet sequences for the film Center Stage, and the Broadway musical Sweet Smell of Success. In 2014, Wheeldon directed and choreographed the musical An American in Paris, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Choreography and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography and Direction. Other recent credits include a reimagination of The Nutcracker for The Joffrey Ballet, a gala presentation of Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon starring Kelli O’Hara and Patrick Wilson at New York City Center, the premiere of Corybantic Games with The Royal Ballet, and productions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in Tokyo, The Winter’s Tale with The Bolshoi Ballet, and a re-staged version of Cinderella for the English National Ballet at The Royal Albert Hall. Among Wheeldon’s awards are two Olivier awards for Aeternum and Polyphonia, and two Benois de la Danse awards for Cinderella and The Winter’s Tale, as well as the Martin E. Segal Award, American Choreography Award, a Dance Magazine Award, multiple London Critics’ Circle Awards, and the Léonide Massine Prize for new choreography. In 2016, Wheeldon was named an OBE and made an Honorary Fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

San Francisco Ballet, long recognized for pushing boundaries in dance, has enjoyed a long and rich tradition of artistic “firsts” since its founding in 1933, including performing the first American productions of Swan Lake and Nutcracker, as well as the first 20th-century American Coppélia. SF Ballet is one of the three largest ballet companies in the United States and currently presents more than 100 performances annually, both locally and internationally. The mission of SF Ballet is to share its joy of dance with the widest possible audience—in its community and worldwide—and to provide the highest caliber of dance training in its School. Under the direction of Helgi Tomasson, the Company has achieved an international reputation as one of the preeminent ballet companies in the world.

Follow San Francisco Ballet: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Murda Beatz × Kidrobot

Grammy nominated Canadian superproducer, songwriter, and DJ Murda Beatz has returned with a new single “Doors Unlocked” with longtime collaborator Ty Dolla $ign and fast-riser Polo G. Following a busy first half of 2020 producing tracks on Lil Baby’s My Turn, Lil Wayne’s Funeral and more, Murda’s second single of the year as a solo artist is a spacious and summertime feel-good anthem that leaves room for his features to shine in their own right.

To commemorate this new release, Murda has also unveiled an exclusive collaboration with the premiere art toy brand Kidrobot and Loot Launcher to create a limited-run 8” skeleton figure priced at $85.00. “It’s an amazing opportunity to see something that was on a T-shirt, come to life as something tangible,” said Murda Beatz. “This will be the first figurine of me to ever exist, it just feels like a monumental achievement for me!” This is an exclusive figure and limited edition with preorder available on August 3rd at 10am PDT on Kidrobot’s site.

Stream “Doors Unlocked” here.

FOLLOW MURDA BEATZ: Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Misbehavior Trailer

Check out the official trailer for MISBEHAVIOUR, the charmingly provocative true story of how two very different groups of women made their voices heard in the fight for equality, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“The Morning Show”) and Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice).

In 1970, the Miss World competition took place in London, hosted by US comedy legend, Bob Hope. At the time, Miss World was the most-watched TV show on the planet with over 100 million viewers. Claiming that beauty competitions demeaned women, the newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement achieved overnight fame by invading the stage and disrupting the live broadcast of the competition. Not only that, when the show resumed, the result caused uproar: the winner was not the Swedish favourite but Miss Grenada, the first black woman to be crowned Miss World. In a matter of hours, a global audience had witnessed the patriarchy driven from the stage and the Western ideal of beauty turned on its head.

Directed by: Philippa Lowthorpe

Cast: Keira Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessie Buckley, Keeley Hawes, Phyllis Logan, Lesley Manville, Rhys Ifans, Greg Kinnear

BabyJake – Don’t give me problems, give me wine

Today, singer, songwriter BabyJake drops his highly-anticipated debut EP, Don’t give me problems, give me wine—listen HERE! The seven-song genre-blurring EP includes his latest single, “Head In The Clouds,” out now.

Don’t give me problems, give me wine jumps from exuberant pop to moody sunset-slicked folk. The EP features BabyJake’s breakout songs, “Confidant,” “Blue Cellophane” and “MadHappySad,” alongside four new tracks, “Head In The Clouds,” “(Consumption)(Addiction),” “Bread & Butter” and “Anywhere,” which are each accompanied by unique and compelling visuals shot by Alex Hall.

Of the EP, BabyJake says, “‘Don’t give me problems, give me wine’ is a special project for me. It’s the first time in my life I’ve really felt like the songs all make sense and have a genuine feeling. It took me awhile to figure out who I was as an artist, and this project fully embodies that,”

This past spring, BabyJake teamed up with Dillon Francis on his tracks, “You Do You” and “Touch,” which Billboard Dance praised, saying, “Florida vocalist BabyJake delivers the track’s smooth-as-silk vocals over Francis’ slinky production.” The singer, songwriter capped off 2019 with over 25 million streams across his first three singles and live performances of “Blue Cellophane” and “239” for Vevo DSCVR’s ‘Artist to Watch’ 2020 campaign, which he was 1 of 20 emerging artists selected.

Don’t give me problems, give me wine EP TRACKLIST
1. “Blue Cellophane”
2. “MadHappySad”
3. “Head In The Clouds”
4. “(Consumption)(Addiction)”
5. “Confidant”
6. “Bread & Butter”
7. “Anywhere”

FOLLOW BABYJAKE: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Pop Smoke Virtual Tour

Rolling through in style, you can now experience a fully interactive tour of New York and London, while virtually exploring the places that meant most to Pop Smoke. First, fans can choose their Pop song of choice to bump in their virtual Rolls Royce during the tour. By tapping different locations, fans will unlock exclusive, never-been-seen-before footage. Saving the best for last, the tour ends at the new mural of Pop Smoke in Canarsie, Brooklyn. There, fans can leave a message and scroll through a gallery of photos taken at the mural over the past couple of weeks.

Take the Virtual Tour HERE.

Listen to Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon Deluxe HERE.

Mati Gómez – Hola Ma

Talented Chilean singer Mati Gómez releases “Hola Ma,” his second promotional single under the wing of La Industria INC record label. The song is available today on all digital platforms.

Listen to “Hola Ma” HERE

Watch the official “Hola Ma” music video HERE.

Mati Gómez’s artistic career has survived the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being a relatively new artist, his audience on social media and digital platforms continues to grow every day. The release of his first single, “Yo No Sé,” followed by its official remix with Latin Music stars Nicky Jam and Reik, has quickly positioned him as the new great urban music promise.

His romantic and innate talent combined with his melodious voice give Mati Gómez the right tools to achieve success. Proof of it is his brand-new promotional single, “Hola Ma,” which was composed and produced by Pablo Feliu Martinez, with La Industria INC as his official record label. 

“I am ready to show the world who I am, regardless of the adversities, I want to use my music as the perfect distraction to escape the dramatic reality we are currently facing as a society,” said the artist.

Mati Gómez releases “Hola Ma” with its official music video, recorded in the beautiful city of Medellin, Colombia, specifically on Isla Fuerte Bolívar. The video was directed by Pablo Tobon Gallon and produced by Paulo Restrepo Sepulveda, with 1008 Creative Studio.

Follow Mati Gómez: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

Watermelon illustration done by Mina Tocalini of 360 MAGAZINE.

Celebrate National Watermelon Day

Celebrate National Watermelon Day on Monday August 3rd, with a fun quarantine cocktail. Watermelon inspired cocktail recipes below will refresh your summer day!

D’USSE Watermelon Spritz

Ingredients

  • 1.5 parts D’USSE VSOP
  • 0.5 part Aperol
  • 2 parts fresh watermelon juice
  • 0.5 part simple syrup
  • 0.5 part fresh lemon juice
  • 1 part Sparkling Wine

Garnish

  • ​Watermelon ball skewer & orange peel

Method

Add D’USSE, Aperol, watermelon juice, simple syrup and lemon juice into a shaker with ice.  Shake and strain into an ice filled wine glass.  Top with Sparkling Wine.  Garnish with a watermelon ball skewer and orange peel.

JAJA Pink Panther

Ingredients

  •  2 parts JAJA Tequila Blanco
  • 3.5 parts Watermelon Juice (or 3 chunks of muddled watermelon)
  • 1 small slice of Jalapeño (can be omitted)
  •  0.5 part Simple Syrup

Garnish

  • Slice of watermelon & lime

Method

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake hard. Strain into a glass over fresh ice and garnish with a slice of watermelon and a lime. 

VIDE Watermelon Vodka Soda

VIDE is a conveniently packaged, pre-mixed vodka soda with a hint of natural fruit flavor that comes in two varieties: Cranberry and Watermelon. Made with only three ingredients, VIDE is crisp, refreshing, and light! The 5% ABV beverage is 99 calories, gluten-free, and contains zero sugar or zero carbs.

Follow D’USSE: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow JAJA: Facebook | Instagram 

Follow VIDE: Facebook | Instagram

Sarcastic Sounds – Scared of the World

20-year-old producer/singer Sarcastic Sounds has released his latest song “Scared of the World” today via Columbia Records. Listen HERE. The atmospheric track follows the June release of “Laugh” and features Sarcastic Sounds himself on vocals.

In speaking about “Scared of the World,” Sarcastic Sounds says: “This is a song I wrote late one night after working hard on a different idea all day. I was feeling exhausted, and sorta discouraged about making music. I felt like I had the weight of the world on me, not wanting to disappoint myself or the people around me. I imagine it’s something that a lot of people go through, so I just tried to put those feelings into a song.”

Hailing from Toronto, Sarcastic Sounds has a very diverse musical direction that blends lo-fi, hip-hop, alternative, and pop. He has cemented himself as a staple in the lo-fi music scene with over 230M streams and previous hits such as “I Don’t Sleep” and “it’s OK to Cry.” In addition to his solo career, Sarcastic Sounds has carved his place as a young producer after garnering buzz from Battle of the Beat Makers and landing a producer credit on “Mahogany” from Lil Wayne’s album Funeral. He also produced and is featured on label-mate Powfu’s latest single “i’ll come back to you.”

Follow Sarcastic Sounds: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok Amazon Music | Apple Music | SoundCloud | Spotify | YouTube

Turbo – Bo Exotic

Calgary-born singer/songwriter Turbo releases his third single, with its title inspired by the Netflix quarantine hit Tiger King, “Bo Exotic” today via 10K Projects/ Homemade Projects/ Internet Money Records. His latest single blends a country twang with heavy bass and a fun EDM beat, similarly seen in past single “Racing After Me.” The new track follows the release of singles “Racing After Me” and “Heart Stop,” both of which were highlighted on Spotify’s New Music Friday (US). The latter was featured on Spotify’s Outliers, and Wild Country playlists as well and was heralded by Ones to Watch as a “confident and honest crossover track.”

LISTEN TO “BO EXOTIC” HERE

Born Nicholas LaMonaca, Turbo grew up on country thanks mainly to his father (a famed guitarist in the international bluegrass scene), but felt drawn toward rap music and obscure electronic genres like hardstyle, the fusion of techno and hardcore. At the age of 12 he started making his own music, a move heavily inspired by Avicii’s progressive-house classic “LE7ELS.” “Once I heard that song I couldn’t get enough of it,” Turbo recalls. “I was so obsessed, I ended up downloading FL Studio to try to recreate the melody on my own.” Although he instantly discovered a natural talent for production, Turbo put music aside for several years, until he graduated high school. “On my 18th birthday I bought a laptop, keyboard, and set of speakers, and figured I’d have rappers come in and do their thing,” he says. “But after a while I just started winging it, making beats and rapping over them myself.”

As he pushed deeper into his artistry, Turbo began mining inspiration from left-of-center country singers like Colter Wall, a Canadian musician he stumbled across while stocking the shelves at his full-time liquor-store jobs. “Colter Wall has one of the raspiest, rawest, rudest voices I’d ever heard in my life, and it just completely took me over,” he notes. From there, Turbo tapped into his own country roots and created a full-length project titled Sixth Gear, a 2019 release featuring his breakthrough single “Light Speed.” Soon after YouTube curator Astari shared the song’s video on his channel, “Light Speed” caught the attention of 10K, quickly paving the way for Turbo’s signing to the label, along with Homemade Projects and Internet Money Records.

In the making of his 10K / Homemade Projects / Internet Money debut, “Heart Stop,” Turbo embraced even more confidence in his songwriting, and followed his intuition more fully than ever. “The more music I make and the better I know myself, the more I’ve realized that the best songs come from me sitting in a room alone and just taking my time—that’s how I come up with something honest and timeless,” he says. “I don’t really follow a particular process. Instead of worrying about any kind of rules, I just do what I want, and go with whatever feels right to me.”

CONNECT WITH TURBO: Instagram | SoundCloud | Twitter