Posts made in July 2020

Mina Tocalini, 360 Magazine, Hotel

Road Trip Hotels

Three hotels around the country are ready to safely host road-tripping guests

The Shore Club Wisconsin, The Inn Hotel, and The Penn Stroud have recently joined Choice Hotels International, Inc.’s Ascend Hotel Collection,  a global portfolio of resort, boutique and historic hotels. All three hotels are just a few hours’ drive from major U.S. cities and bustling suburbs, making them optimal destinations for guests who are looking to hit the road and start exploring again.

“Research shows that more than two-thirds of consumers miss traveling and can’t wait to hit the road again, and many people will take more trips by car as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dianne Taylor, head of brand, Ascend Hotel Collection, Choice Hotels.

“The addition of these hotels to our Ascend Hotel Collection reaffirms that the road forward is paved with opportunity – both for guests ready to return to travel, and for the hotel owners who are ready to welcome them,” said Mark Shalala, senior vice president of development, upscale brands, Choice Hotels. “Guests value both the security of brands they trust as well as individuality, and the Ascend brand brings them the best of both. Backed by Choice’s industry-leading technology, robust distribution and reservation channels, and comprehensive Commitment to Clean initiative, Ascend hotels are poised for continued success in the months and years ahead.”

All Choice-branded hotels are participating in Commitment to Clean, which is the company’s global, holistic approach to supplying franchisees and their employees with the tools to address health and safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative enhances existing best practice guidance for deep cleaning, disinfecting, hygiene and social distancing.

About The Shore Club Wisconsin:

Located at 276 Victorian Village Dr. in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, this recently renovated hotel provides guests with convenient access to charming attractions surrounding the shore and boasts 600 feet of private beach. Guests can lounge lakefront or try out a number of entertaining watersports, such as paddle boarding, kayaking, water skiing, wakeboarding or tubing. The Cottonwood Social and world-famous Tiki Bar are also on-site for guests seeking a drink or bite to eat.

About The Inn Hotel:

Found at 15 Dam Rd. in Arnolds Park, Iowa, this hotel channels the storied history of the building’s predecessor, which was an epicenter for social life along Lake Okoboji from the late 19th century until 2018. The new hotel leans into an Art Deco style that transports guests back to the Roaring ’20s, while still delivering the modern amenities that today’s leisure travelers seek. Embraced by tranquil lakes on three sides and quaint attractions and eateries to the south, The Inn Hotel is a true midwestern gem.

About The Penn Stroud:

Located at 700 Main St. in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, this hotel reflects nearly 200 years of history while offering guests upscale amenities in a premium location following a multi-million-dollar renovation. The Penn Stroud, nestled in the heart of the Pocono Mountains, is close to the Appalachian Trail – one of the country’s most traversed hiking routes. Downtown Stroudsburg is home to several art galleries, cafes and historic sites, and the hotel is also close to attractions including Mountain View Vineyard and Alpine Mountain Skiing.

360 Magazine, Hotel

Puerto Vallarta Reopens

After new standards helped the State of Jalisco to obtain the WTTC ‘Safe Travels’ stamp, Puerto Vallarta reopens with health and safety protocols in place for locals and visitors

Last week, Puerto Vallarta’s reopening showed the first visitors renowned tourism intact and comforting health and safety protocols to meet the realities of a world of COVID-19.

Since local officials put Puerto Vallarta under quarantine in early March, the city has since undergone a multi-phase reopening process led by local officials following state, federal and international protocols. The process ultimately contributed to the State of Jalisco obtaining the “Safe Travels” stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) last week.

The measures implemented in Puerto Vallarta began at Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport allowed the airport to receive the WTTC “Safe Travels” stamp. Some of the safety measures include social distancing being practiced by airport workers and thermal video cameras being used as people enter the immigration zone, and disinfectant mats used at all airport entrances and exits.

The health and safety of locals and visitors are of the utmost importance across Puerto Vallarta. In addition to the preventive and precautionary measures at the airport, the city is requiring extensive and continuous sanitization in hotels, public transportation, and public spaces. Restaurants must maintain physical distance between tables and patrons, and establishments must place disinfectant mats at entrances. Local officials are also distributing antibacterial gel and conducting temperature checks.

More than 45 hotels have reopened to visitors, with a maximum 30% occupancy, and are offering modified access to on-site restaurants, pools and beaches. A second group of hotels will open before or during July and the remainder will open in the last trimester of the year for the winter high season.

Connectivity has improved in a notable way since last week. Mexican airlines are offering continuous flights to main domestic destinations, including Mexico City (CDMX), Guadalajara, Tijuana, Aguascalientes, and Monterrey. Internationally, four airlines are connecting U.S. cities with Puerto Vallarta.

Given the dynamic nature of the situation, new measures are expected from Mexico’s federal and state governments, aimed at continuing to advance the reopening of activities in a gradual and safe manner.

With Puerto Vallarta entering Phase 1 of its economic and tourist reactivation and the reopening of its beaches, Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel & Romantic Getaway is ready to open its doors on June 22, adopting new hygiene and safety protocols to ensure safe spaces and experiences for its guests. For more information, please visit www.visitpuertovallarta.com.

Marvel Alien and Predator visual

Marvel Comics – Alien and Predator

MARVEL COMICS TO PUBLISH NEW ALIEN AND PREDATOR STORIES ALL-NEW ALIEN AND PREDATOR STORIES TO KICK OFF IN 2021

Today, Marvel Entertainment announced three iconic franchises – ALIEN, PREDATOR, and ALIEN VS. PREDATOR – will be launching all-new stories with Marvel Comics starting in 2021! Revealed exclusively by IGN, the new comic series will feature new and classic characters from Earth and beyond to explore never-before-seen corners of both the Alien and Predator universes.

Following the debut of Alien in 1979 and Predator in 1987, the films built a cult following and expanded rapidly to include toys, games, novels, and comic books, eventually leading to 2004’s landmark crossover Alien vs. Predator. Marvel’s new stories will draw from all of these properties, building on decades of multimedia storytelling. Get a first look at next year’s deadly new chapter with spine-chilling cover art by David Finch!

“There’s nothing more thrilling than a story that will keep you at the edge of your seat, and Alien and Predator have delivered that time and time again!” C.B. Cebulski, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel, told IGN. “I can clearly remember where I was when I saw each of these modern masterpieces for the first time, and reveling in how both masterfully weave extraterrestrial dread and drama into some of the most iconic scenes we’ve ever seen on film. And it’s that legacy that we’re going to live up to!”

“The incredible legacies of both franchises offer some of the most compelling and exciting world building in all of science fiction,” said Marvel Editor Jake Thomas. “It is a thrill and an honor to be able to add to that mythology and continuity with all-new stories set within those universes.”

“Alien and Predator are the two of the most identifiable, iconic characters of all time, and I love them for that,” said Finch. “But mostly, it’s being fortunate enough to be a kid when they were new. I’ve seen every movie they’ve ever been in, and I cannot wait to see them wreaking havoc in the Marvel Universe. I drew my pictures of them with a massive smile on my face.”

“As a visual medium, comics are the perfect place to build on those moments, and we here at Marvel are honored to begin telling these stories for fans everywhere,” added Cebulski. “As our release schedule continues to return, we can’t wait to share more in the coming months!”

Details on upcoming ALIEN and PREDATOR comic book titles, collections, reprints, and creative teams will be shared at a later date.

For Marvel’s most up-to-date release schedule for your favorite comics, visit HERE.

Be sure to ask your local comic book shop about their current business policies to observe social distancing or other services they may offer, including holding or creating pull lists, curbside pick-ups, special deliveries and other options to accommodate. Find and support your local comic book shop HERE or by visiting HERE.

To find a comic shop near you, visit HERE

About Marvel Entertainment:

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years.

Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit HERE.

Mina Tocalini, 360 Magazine, COVID-19

Rice University’s Charcoal Research

Researchers at Rice University find that charcoal, and other materials described in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Applied Nano Materials, could aid treatment COVID-19 patients.

In the project co-led by Rice chemist James Tour, researchers found oxidized charcoal nanoparticles are not only effective antioxidants, but can also be made from an activated carbon source that is inexpensive, good manufacturing practice (GMP) certified, and already being used in humans to treat acute poisoning.

“That these nanozymes are made from a GMP source opens the door for drug manufacturers,” said Tour, who led the project with A&M neurologist Thomas Kent and UTHealth biochemist Ah-Lim Tsai. “While coal was effective, an issue is that it can have a variety of toxic metallic elements and impurities that are not consistent across samples. And the clusters made from carbon nanotubes are very expensive.”

The researchers noted it may be worthwhile to study the application of their nanozymes to treat the cytokine storms – an excessive immune system response to infection – suspected of contributing to tissue and organ damage in COVID-19 patients.

“While speculative that these particles will be helpful in COVID-19, if administration is timed correctly, they could reduce the damaging radicals that accompany the cytokine storm and could be further chemically modified to reduce other injury-causing features of this disease,” Kent said.

Gang Wu, an assistant professor of hematology at McGovern, and Rice graduate student Emily McHugh are co-lead authors of the study. Co-authors are Vladimir Berka, a senior research scientist at McGovern; Rice graduate students Weiyin Chen, Zhe Wang and Jacob Beckham; Rice undergraduate Trenton Roy; and Paul Derry, an assistant professor at Texas A&M’s Institute of Biosciences and Technology.

Tour is the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry as well as a professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering at Rice. Kent is the Robert A. Welch Chair Professor in the Institute of Biosciences and Technology at Texas A&M-Houston Campus and an adjunct chemistry professor at Rice and at Houston Methodist Hospital. Tsai is a professor of hematology at UTHealth. Click here to read all of the findings of the Rice University researchers’ work.

Instrument illustration by Ivory Rowen for 360 Magazine

Lil Tecca – “Out of Love”

LIL TECCA RELEASES NEW VIDEO “OUT OF LOVE” 

Today, chart-topping multiplatinum rapper Lil Tecca releases his new video “Out of Love” today.

Watch “Out of Love” HERE

Lil Tecca’s hot streak continues in 2020. Most recently, he released his song “Out of Love,” which will appear on his joint project with Internet Money Do They Really Love You coming soon. He additionally served up “All Star” feat. Lil TJay as well as his banger “IDK,” which tallied 12.5 million Spotify streams while the Cole Bennett-directed music video has racked up 5 million YouTube views and counting.

At 17-years-old, Tecca affirmed himself as modern rap’s preeminent prodigy. His debut mixtape, We Love You Tecca opened at #4 on the Billboard Top 200, moving 68K in total consumption and gathering over 100 million audio streams in under seven days. Not to mention, it claimed #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart, placing him in rarified air among rap’s top talent. The lead single “Ransom” surpassed 1 billion cumulative streams, ascended to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit #1 on the Billboard Streaming Songs Chart. It recently received a double platinum certification from the RIAA too. The accompanying, We Love You Tecca Tour, proved to be a worldwide success as it primed fans for more. 2020 marks the next phase for Lil Tecca as he further solidifies his mark on hip-hop and establishes himself as an international superstar.

ABOUT REPUBLIC RECORDS:

A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company, Republic Records is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists such as Ariana Grande, Drake, Florence + the Machine, Greta Van Fleet, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack Johnson, James Blake, James Bay, Jessie J, John Mellencamp, Jonas Brothers, Julia Michaels, Kid Cudi, Liam Payne, Lil Wayne, Lorde, Metro Boomin, NAV, Nicki Minaj, Of Monsters and Men, Pearl Jam, Post Malone, Seth MacFarlane, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and more.

Founded by brothers and chief executives Monte and Avery Lipman, it is also comprised of innovative business ventures, including American Recordings, Boominati Worldwide, Brushfire, Casablanca Records, Cash Money, Lava Records, Monkeywrench, XO, Young Money, among others. Republic also maintains long-standing strategic alliances with Universal Music Latin Entertainment (Karol G) and Hollywood Records (Zendaya). In addition, Republic has expanded to release high-profile soundtracks for Universal Pictures (Fifty Shades of Grey), Sony Pictures (Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse), Lionsgate (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) and NBC TV (The Voice), as well as other notable film and television franchises. Extending further into the worlds of film, television, and content, Republic launched Federal Films during 2017 in order to produce movies and series powered by the label’s catalog and artists. Its first production is the Jonas Brothers documentary Chasing Happiness for Amazon Prime Video.

360 Magazine, MoneyBagg Yo

Moneybagg Yo – “Said Sum”

MONEYBAGG YO RETURNS WITH BRAND NEW TRACK AND VIDEO WATCH “SAID SUM” HERE

2020 could be Moneybagg Yo’s biggest year” – COMPLEX 

N-less Entertainment/Interscope Records recording artist, Moneybagg Yo continues to make waves – at the top of the year he released his highly anticipated album Time Served, which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard 200 Chart and soon after released the deluxe version. Today the Gold selling artist is back with a brand-new trap hit, “Said Sum” with an accompanying video. On the track he addresses his haters “Talkin sh*t but they still ain’t sayin nothin’.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO DIRECTED BY BEN MARC (LIL DURK, TY DOLLA $IGN, NLE CHOPPA) AND MONEYBAGG YO HIMSELF HERE.  

Time Served was first released at the beginning of the year, the album garnered critical acclaim from Forbes, Hypebeast, Billboard and more and features star-studded collaborations with artists such as Future, Da Baby, Lil Baby, Megan thee Stallion, Summer Walker and Fredo Bang. The highly praised project includes “All Dat ft. Megan Thee Stallion” which has been certified Gold by the RIAA and has also become a global favorite on Tik Tok (2.1m videos made to the sound), “U Played ft. Lil Baby,” which also has been certified Gold by the RIAA and was produced by multi-platinum producer Tay Keith and “1 2 3 ft. Blacc Youngsta” which has charted in the top 5 and continues to rise on the Urban Published Charts. The deluxe features new tracks including the recently released “Me Vs Me” which has racked up over 27 million views on YouTube and a new Lil Baby collaboration, “No Chill,” which also features Rylo Rodriguez. TodayTime Served has gone to amass over a billion streams globally.

Moneybagg Yo – “Said Sum”

Retail | Amazon | Apple Music | Deezer | Google Play | iTunes

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KEEP UP WITH MONEYBAGG YO: 

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Mina Tocalini, 360 Magazine, Burger

Burger King VS McDonald’s

Burger King and McDonald’s are at it again. Burger King Finland places outdoor ads outside its competitors restaurants promising free delivery – if you set your order’s pickup location to a McDonald’s restaurant.

“Nearly every district in Helsinki has a McDonald’s restaurant. Sadly Burger King is not quite as common. We feel for the whopper-less city dwellers of these regions. We know how it feels like to yearn for the taste of our juicy flame-grilled burgers. But lucky for them, there’s an easy fix”, says Kaisa Kasila, Brand Manager of Burger King.

Burger King turns local McDonald’s into their delivery hot-spots. Helsinkians can order out Burger King and pick up their order from their nearest McDonald’s restaurants free of charge from the 29th of June to the 1st of July.

A local food delivery and takeout app Wolt (similar to UberEats) is in with the prank.

Burger King and McDonald’s have created a global prank war. Earlier this year in Scandinavia Burger King made “The Moldy Whopper” – a small jab at McDonald’s. The experiment wasn’t tasty, but more of a unique way to show how the classic burger is free of artificial preservatives.

And just because nothing is sacred, Burger King has pulled pranks on other franchises as well, like Star Wars.

Follow Burger King: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Lila Iké, 360 Magazine

Lila Iké New Video

Lila Iké drops the music video for “Forget Me” from her debut release The ExPerience

“Filled with fearless, confessional-style lyrics, the Phillip “Winta” James-produced track truly solidifies Ike as one of Jamaica’s rising stars through its use of classic dub motifs blended with elements of contemporary jazz, soul, R&B, reggaeton and rap. And though it’s easy to be instantly hypnotized, make no mistake that the song contains a much deeper and all-too-relatable meaning.” – PAPER

“The ExPerience is a valiant induction of Iké not only as a force to be reckoned with as a rising reggae artist in Jamaica, but globally…The ExPerience is a reminder that Jamaican artists aren’t singing about a season. They’re singing about their entire lives.” – VICE

Lila Iké sheds layers of emotion revealing her most vulnerable side on “Forget Me,” the standout track and music video from her debut EP The ExPerience. Director Oshane ‘Shane Creative’ Junior from Wikid Media JA & co-director Nickii Kane filmed a breakup to makeup sequence in Kingston, Jamaica.

While The ExPerience is a perfect display of Lila Iké’s soul-stirring vocal range, her fearless songwriting also explores the blissful and heartbreaking nuances of relationships. “If everyday we ah-go fight, I think it’s best that you forget me,” Lila says in the chorus. Producer Phillip “Winta” James constructed a sparse instrumental on “Forget Me” using a classic bounce of high hat, kick drum, and snare that gives space for Lila’s passionate confession. At the climactic bridge of the song, Winta James adds trumpets evoking the flavor of Jamaican dub, followed by Lila’s rapid nonchalant flow in her island country’s traditional patois.

About Lila Iké:

Since ascending in 2019 with a string of songs that fused contemporary reggae with elements of soul, hip-hop, and dancehall, Lila Iké has continued her atmospheric rise in 2020. She has earned critical acclaim from The New York Times, NPR, The Daily Beast, The FADER, and NYLON as an artist to watch, and The ExPerience proves these praises to be true.

The spotlight shines brighter on Lila Iké as she pivots from Jamaica’s independent singing sensation to global superstardom guided by her natural talents, co-signed by In.Digg.Nation Collective, Six Course and RCA Records. Lila Iké’s endearing tone can be felt in every word she sings, displaying equal amounts of vulnerability and dominance in her signature vibrato. While her early hits are foundational elements of her debut, “Forget Me” is the latest thread from The ExPerience that continues to tread through the thick, potent smoke of introspection and intimacy.

Follow Lila Iké: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Koe Wetzel, 360 Magazine

Koe Wetzel New Song

Koe Wetzel drops his newest song “Sundy or Mundy”

Today, singer/songwriter Koe Wetzel has shared his new single “Sundy or Mundy” with an accompanying video.

In speaking about “Sundy or Mundy,” Koe says, “It’s about losing your mind. When you’re sitting there in the studio, you can forget what day it is. It was written from the same perspective. You get delirious and numb to the whole situation. It’s got a gritty and heavy sound, but the choruses go down smooth and steady.”

The Texas-born singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer unapologetically trail blazes between grunge, country, Americana, and damn near everything else under the sun. Since 2015, he has sold over 200,000 units independently, cranked out 100 million streams and views, and went from playing bars with chicken wire in front of the stage to hosting and headlining his own Koe Wetzel’s Incredible Music Festival surrounded by fireworks and thousands of screaming fans.

Building a diehard audience, Koe’s 2017 debut Noise Complaint became a phenomenon powered by “February 28, 2016,” “Something To Talk About,” “Love,” “Fuss & Fight,” and others. The momentum continued with 2019’s Harold Saul High and its singles “Ragweed” and “Forever” as more sold-out shows ensued. Following this, he surprise-released the 2020 anthem “Kuntry & Wistern,” which exploded right out of the gate trending on Apple Music and garnering praise from The Boot who wrote “Wetzel has earned a reputation as one of the Lone Star State’s most high-energy and engaging performers.” Soon after, Koe scored a deal with Columbia Records.

Follow Koe Wetzel: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Marvel, 360 magazine, Vaughn Lowery

July’s New Marvel Comics

Marvel Unlimited expands this July! See all that the summer expansion includes below

Marvel Unlimited, Marvel’s digital comics subscription service, offers members unlimited access to over 27,000 issues of Marvel’s classic and newer titles on your web browser and mobile app. This month, Marvel Unlimited offers new issues a comic fanatic could only dream of.

For example, Luke Skywalker meets his father in Star Wars #1, the debut issue from the next installment of Marvel’s Star Wars saga. July also brings Iron Man #1! Artificial Intelligences present a clear and present danger and must be brought to heel! The Robot Rebellion has begun, and Iron Man: Arno Stark will stop at nothing to protect humanity. Later in the month, be prepared for a brand-new volume from fan-favorite cosmic misfits with Guardians Of The Galaxy #1.

In addition to those three exciting comics, there are many, many, more coming to Marvel Unlimited members this summer. Members also have access to some of the greatest Marvel Comics featuring the Avengers, Spider-Man, X-Men, Thor, and Hulk. You can become a Marvel Unlimited member here and if you’re new to comics Marvel Unlimited has an expertly guided reading list section to help you uncover the best parts of the Marvel Universe for you. If you’re looking into how to support your local comic book shops, Marvel can help you with that here.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

Follow MarvelFacebook | Twitter | Website