If you’re free on Saturday, June 17th, an incredible dance benefit, dubbed Get Heisty might just be your ticket to a night of childlike fun. It’s open to anyone 21+ and costs $20 at the door, but all proceeds will go to a number of different charities, including Save the Children, Operation Gift A Smile, InHerShoes, and Anything is Possible Foundation.

The event allows adults to dance like kids while helping underprivileged children access to a better life. Unique and exciting, this benefit promises to be full of wonder for both kids and adults throughout LA.

What do we think this will be like? Honestly, it may not be what you’re looking for if you prefer life as an adult. But for anyone willing to regress to a younger time through music and dance, this event promises to dazzle. No, there won’t be a bouncy castle, piñatas or clowns, but there will be other adults who look just as silly as you dancing like children.

Want me to conveniently rehash the event details in one section? Why didn’t you just ask?! Get Heisty takes place on Saturday, June 17th at the Reserve (650 S Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90014) from 6 PM to 10 PM. You must be 21+ to get in and the theme is an 80’s Heist. Ridesharing is encouraged since street parking will be sparse (though still available), and tickets cost $20. Snacks will be provided and all proceeds will go to one of four great charities. More information can be found at the event page at the link provided below.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-heisty-a-dance-benefit-tickets-34335022978?aff=es2

                                                     Works Cited

Ellis, Shane. "Valentine’s Day Formal Ball This Saturday." The Bangor Daily News. The Bangor Daily News, 11 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 May 2017.

"Get Heisty - A Dance Benefit." Eventbrite. Eventbrite, n.d. Web. 26 May 2017.

"The Reserve LA Insider's Guide." Discotech - The #1 Nightlife App. Discotech, n.d. Web. 26 May 2017.

Gen Art, a talent incubator for film, fashion, music and art, celebrated the re-launch of their art program, Art at Gen Art, at Miami Art Basel.  The legacy program is developed with an “artist-first” strategy aimed at giving emerging artists visibility, while providing a platform for creativity and expression.  With 15,000 members and a loyal fan base, the legacy program is back with a goal to inspire international emerging artists.

From L to R: Keri Ingvarsson, Sheikh Zayed, Noor AlSuwaidi. Photo Courtesy of Gen Art.

After a six-year hiatus, the Gen Art art program’s official re-launch took place on December 2, 2015 at the Mondrian South Beach where art industry insiders and influencers came to celebrate.  Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Karen-Eileen Gordon, Gaia Matisse and Kyra Kennedy were spotted at the event, in addition to Gen Art’s new President, Keri Ingvarsson, and their Art Program Director, Noor Alsuwaidi.  Event partners included Flaunt Magazine and Peroni.

Arrival by William Mackrell.  Photo Credit: Particle Miami Correspondent, Ashen Alexandra, Instagram @AshlenAlexandra

Brooklyn-based collective, Dawn of Man, Ping Pong Pool Installation. Photo Credit: Sam Deitch, BFA

Source: Instagram: NationalKidneyFoundation

As we reach the end of October, we can begin to think about what the remaining months of 2015 have in store for us. This time marks the exciting start of the holidays—where gift giving, celebrations, food, and precious memories with friends and familyall await us. Why wait until Christmas to start giving? In Los Angeles, there is a ton of easy ways to give back to your community this holiday season!  In return, you can expect to gain a rich, eye-opening experience with fun-filled memories to share!

Kicking off November is the nation’s largest walk to fight kidney disease at Griffith Park! The Los Angeles Kidney Walk raises awareness and funds to programs that support and educate those at risk of kidney disease. Because kidney disease is one of the top 10 leading public health problems, the NKF (National Kidney Foundation) is rallying up as many people as they can to help support the millions of Americans at risk! As of now, they have funded enough to reach about 50% of their goal—help support this organization by donating or participating at www.donatekidney.org.

Source: Facebook: Foundation Fighting Blindness

On November 7th, 2015, The Foundation Fighting Blindness hosts LA’s 9th annual Vision Walk, which raises money for organizations that fight against retinal degenerative diseases. With over 10 million Americans victimized by these diseases, the Foundation Fighting Blindness works to find cures through research in genetics, gene therapy, transplantation, and more. Over the years, the Foundation Fighting Blindness has partnered up with Genentech and Regeneron to make this incredible 5k walk possible. Help them reach to their goal of $110,000 by registering now at www.fightblindness.org!

Source: Heal the Bay

Every third Saturday of the month, you can be a part of the Nothin’ But Sand Beach Cleanup, organized by the nonprofit environmental organization, Heal the Bay. They follow the motto, “when we heal the earth, we heal ourselves,” which represents their action to protect the coastal waters of Southern California. Through a variety of different projects, Heal the Bay addresses the issues of ocean pollution by educating and advocating the importance of beach cleanups! Not only is it easy, it also makes a HUGE impact on the animals that roam the beach. The next scheduled beach cleanup is going to be on November 21st at Playa Del Rey Beach, so don’t forget to sign your waiver form! It can be found at www.healthebay.org.

Source: Mustache Dache

November 22nd marks the most unique and fun-filled event of the month: The Los Angeles Mustache Dache! Embrace your inner Mario and Luigi at the nation’s leading mustache-themed race to support men’s health. Starting at the Gene Autry Museum, you can choose from a 5k or 10k running trail that goes through the beautiful Griffith Park. Although the Mustache Dache is not a nonprofit, it proudly supports ZERO, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization to end prostate cancer. In addition, every registered volunteer gets a Mustache Dache shirt, a finisher medal, and free professional photos! You can find registration information at www.mustachedache.com/los-angeles/.

Source: SPCR

Despite America being known as the “land of the plenty,” there are millions of people out on the street and living in poverty. With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, what better way is there to give back to the community than serving food to the less fortunate? All over Los Angeles, you can find food kitchens looking for volunteers to help serve hungry citizens in our local neighborhoods. One of these is the Midnight Mission, an organization whose goals are to help men, women, and children suffering from homelessness. Every year, the Midnight Mission hosts their annual Thanksgiving feast, which tends to hundreds people affected by homelessness. In addition, volunteers can also buy an entire turkey for a family in need! To find more information, visit www.midnightmission.org.

The holidays are a reminder of our blessings, and it is important to remember that a helping hand goes a long way. Nonetheless, the winter months shouldn’t be the only time to give; there are plenty of opportunities all year round to help out your community! So grab a friend, and experience the joy in helping others.

Big names are no longer the only ones playing the game. Reading your monthly style magazine subscription is no longer the only way to find out about the newest trends in spring fashion or learn how to style those new boots you just bought for the fall. The Internet has changed how the world accesses fashion and online media has evolved from websites to personal style blogs and now YouTube vlogs. As popular beauty vlogger, Michelle Phan, says, “The Internet is the future.” Instead of flipping through print pages, you’re now scrolling through the webpages, searching for videos that might help you style your ugly Christmas sweater that grandma knitted you, choose the perfect hair and makeup combination to compliment your interview outfit, or browse for the perfect dress to wear to a wedding. And the journey is not yours to take alone, as a face similar to yours with a warm smile and a friendly voice narrates with their chosen accompanying music.

Michelle Phan - Photo Credit: CNET

Creating, uploading, and watching style vlogs on YouTube exploded long before this blog post but it’s still a growing phenomenon. Throughout the years, we have seen ordinary people on the other side of the screen become icons, celebrities, and brands. We have watched them launch successful careers as style vloggers, all from creating and sharing their beauty and fashion content on YouTube. Michelle Phan, one of the first and most popular beauty tutorial bloggers, started with brand endorsements with companies such as Lacome, to later branding her own makeup line Em-Cosmetics, and starting the unique Ipsy bag service. Bethany Mota, known best for her channel Macbarbie07 with style that reflects her bright, cherry personality, has gone on to start her clothing line at Aeropostale and was named one of “The Most Influential Teens of 2014” by Time magazine.

Bethany Mota - Photo Credit: Aeropostale

While the grass looks pretty green for style vloggers and it’s also very green for established brands that endorse and work with them. The power of product and service reviews from style vloggers has a large impact on what is being consumed and what is being rejected. Established brands as big as Target and JCPenny are reaching out to work with style vloggers to reach wider markets. A recent consumer survey done by Defy Media shows 63% of respondents, between the ages of 13-24, said they were more likely to try a product endorsed by a YouTube star versus 48% for traditional media celebrities. Even viewers can also expect greener grasses as endorsements usually comes with promotional discounts and giveaways.

KIM - Photo Credit: The Chic Natural

So what how did YouTube style vloggers become so successful that style vlogger Zoella has a larger following on YouTube than Drake? How do the style channels on Youtube dethrone fashion magazines as the source for the latest news in fashion? It can’t all be due to how readily available access to the Internet is. Nope. Instead its that Youtube style vloggers are disrupting the long standing fashion industry where slim-figured models with pale complexion wear what we could never see practical to spend thousands of dollars on for the everyday person to sit in through a regular 9 to 5 desk job.

Shameless Maya - Photo Credit: Shameless Maya

Style vloggers are bridging the gaps between editorial and reality. You have vloggers like KIM from The Chic Natural who sports naturally glam chic outfits toned down for everyday. Then you have vloggers like Cassie and Ricci from To The 9’s with clean minimalistic aesthetics, looks that are simple yet fashionable. You have vloggers like Stephanie and Melissa from The Fashion Citizen who emphasize frugal, affordable fashion by styling thrift pieces.

Alexandra - Photo Credit: YouTube

Style vloggers bring diversity to the faces in fashion, from ethnic backgrounds to sizes to genders and even purpose to vlog style on YouTube. There is a style vlogger for everyone. Ruba Zai styles stunning outfits and makeup that centers focus on her hijab. Alexandra of Learning To Be Fearless styles for plus size women with complimenting beauty looks and life advice. Jo from The Gentleman’s Cove delivers gentleman vibes with hair, style, dress, and reviews catered for men’s products and services. Maya from Shameless Maya started her channel as a social experiment to see what would happen if she shamelessly promoted herself for a year and now it’s a lifestyle, sharing her tips and guides on how to shamelessly be yourself.

Photo Credit: Tube Filter

It’s amazing how much vloggers have impacted how the world consume fashion in such a short amount of time. They have attained a level of celebrity, yet are not too different or distant from their viewer. They’re from all over the world living in regular towns, not always just fashion capitals. They speak like you and I and they enjoy the same foods. On the other hand, they’ve accomplished the things we’ve wanted to do. There is a uniqueness to them that sets them apart from the viewer. Yet vloggers are so socially active with their YouTube audience, connecting with them through different social media platforms and interacting with them in person, reminding followers that they are very much just like us. With style vloggers being so relatable, aspirational, and reachable, it is only natural that the majority follow after. The power has shifted in the people’s favor showing there’s a lot more to fashion and style that has yet to be explored.

Source: Back of the House

Thousands of people gathered together in West Hollywood bright and early on Sunday, October 11, 2015 in support of the annual LA AIDS Walk. Continuing its 31 years of tradition, the walk starts and ends at West Hollywood Park, and is estimated to take about 2.5 hours to complete. However, this 10 kilometer walk is not your everyday walk in the park—it is filled with volunteers cheering on the sidelines, loud music, snacks, and a celebration of different food trucks available to you to enjoy at the end of the walk.

As an attendee of the AIDS Walk in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, I am happy to say that the LA Aids Walk holds a special place in my heart. Why? Here in LA, locals can experience some fun in the sun as they parade the streets of West Hollywood in support of APLA and other organizations aiming to make a difference. Despite the walk being in the middle of October, volunteers can always expect to enjoy LA’s sunshine— they came prepared with their sunblock, shorts, and sunglasses!

Source: Diversity News Magazi

Of the 20,000 registered volunteers, many came from large businesses and organizations, such as Paramount, ABC7, Delta, Time Warner Cable, Anthem Blue Cross, Wells Fargo, and many more. During the opening ceremony, mayor Eric Michael Garcetti delivered a heartwarming speech about his own experience loosing a loved one to AIDS: “31 years ago all of our lives changed,” he says. “For me its my cousin Jimmy Hester, a proud, [loud] Latino that is one of the first men to be diagnosed with AIDS in this county.” His speech touched many people’s hearts as they, too, were walking for someone they lost.

Source: Aids Walk LA

When it comes to parking, things tend to get a little tricky. If you plan on attending next year, be sure to leave to the event early, and expect traffic. The city tends to block off surrounding streets of the event, making it difficult to get around Beverly Boulevard. I would recommend to take public transportation or to carpool with friends in order to avoid these inconveniences. If you do decide to drive yourself, keep in mind that some parking structures partner up with the AIDS Walk LA to make your driving experience a little less hectic. You can find out which parking spaces are free by going onto their website. This year, I parked in the Beverly Center, which offers complimentary parking to anyone who leaves the structure between 1-6 pm, regardless of what time you enter! It was great because the lot is not only spacious, but it was also directly beside the AIDS Walk trail.

Nonetheless, the struggles to find parking in combination with the high temperatures still aren’t enough to drive away foot traffic. With people quickly filling the streets of West Hollywood, walkers were able to take advantage of the free Gatorade, chips, and other snacks upon arrival.

Source: AIDS Walk LA

My favorite thing about the walk was getting the opportunity to socialize with people from all over Southern California! I met people from Irvine, San Diego, Long Beach, and a few stragglers visiting from the bay area—all very passionate about raising awareness for AIDS. By the end of the day, the event raised over $2 million dollars in donations! Isn’t that amazing? These donations will be distributed among HIV/AIDS services and other organizations in the LA county which help support people affected by AIDS. These incredible results go to show the tremendous support we have as a community.

The AIDS Walk has been around for just a little over 3 decades, and has been a success ever since. Raising over 80 million dollars, the AIDS Walk trend has spread to 39 different states. These funds go directly to healthcare programs whose mission is to care and support those who are affected by HIV/AIDS. Starting at merely 4,000 walkers in 1985, the AIDS Walk movement has grown into an exciting, heartwarming, and memorable experience to attend with family and friends.

Fans, dubbed VIPs, screams as soon as they hear the familiar music to their favorite song start and they begin to sing along, “I’m a loser…” but losers are the last things the five member Korean pop group BIGBANG would be considered. BIGBANG is one of the biggest K-Pop group with a huge fan base that includes Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas and fashion designer Jeremy Scott. It’s been three years since BIGBANG’s last world tour where they held two shows at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Although the show doesn’t start until much later in the evening, BIGBANG’s dedicated fans are already in line early in the morning, some having camped out the night before, waiting for their moment to see their idols live and sing along to their favorite songs.

YG Entertainment, BIGBANG’s label, revealed BIGBANG’s comeback earlier this year in April announcing their MADE album details but also the long anticipated second world tour with seven shows for North America – five in the United States and one each in Canada and Mexico. BIGBANG played two shows in the Los Angeles area, one at the Staples Center in Downtown LA on October 3rd and the other at the Honda Center in Anaheim on October 4th, drawing fans from all over the western parts of the North and South America.

Photo Credit: YG Entertainment

K-Pop has recently been making huge waves and gaining attention, fans, and followers from all around the world, including the United States. We often credit the West as the main players in setting trends and influencing global pop culture from music to fashion to speech, but K-Pop has also made significant influence in pop culture all around the world. Although Korean pop culture has had a large following since the 90’s, the internet has really allowed this genre to reach listeners all around the world, increasing not only fascination with K-pop but Korean culture. Korean pop culture knows no boundaries as international fans sing along to their favorite songs, learn basic phrases from soap dramas such as “saranghaeyo,” “mianhae,” “gamsamhabnida,” and “jugulae,” and trying Korean cuisine such as kimchi, kimbap, and bulgogi.

As we see shift into sleek, chic, and monochromatic trends in Western fashion, Korean pop culture emerges as the alternative. Each K-Pop group assert their presence with electrifying styles that can only be matched by their sounds. BIGBANG is legendary for setting the standard of uniqueness with each member managing to keep their own distinguished styles yet still managing to function as a one one-of-a-kind unit. Bright color patterns, neon blue hair, studded leather jackets, ruffled poet shirts, tattoos, cardigans, blazers, faux mohawks, and an array of other in-your-face styles cohesively come together to set each K-Pop group apart from one another. Korean pop culture is here and it’s not going anywhere.

Photo Credit: YG Entertainment

I arrived at the Honda Center with my friends a little before 11:00 AM but there were already at least 200 VIPs waiting in line. While waiting in line, my friends and I met fellow VIPs who traveled from different parts of the California and the United States, South America, and Canada. Hoping to catch the attention of their favorite BIGBANG member dubbed their “bias,” G-Dragon, TOP, Seungri, Daesung, and/or Taeyang. VIPs arrive decked in their BIGBANG gear, both purchased and handmade, carry yellow crow-shaped light sticks. Many VIPs brought along hand-made posters to support their bias, show their bias love, and even to ask their bias to marry them. A few showed up dressed as their bias from dress to tattoo to hair style and color.

At ten minutes after eight, the lights dimmed and the excited cheers of VIPs and the lights of their crown light sticks filled the room from the front of the stage in the pit to the very last seats on the top tiers. The show opened with the Western-styled BIGBANG MADE tour trailer while smoke poured into the arena. As the trailer ended, the screen split and the five stars emerged from the smoke and the rest of the night was a BIGBANG party that included laser lights, fireworks, and confetti.

Photo Credit: YG Entertainment

BIGBANG performed all eight tracks from their new album MADE which includes recent hits “Loser” and “Bang Bang Bang.” BIGBANG also performed from their previous albums Alive and Tonight, and their two iconic songs, “Day by Day” and “Lies.” Each member also performed a solo and GD and Taeyang performed their hit “Good Boy” together. G-Dragon switched in and out of rapping and singing falsetto skillfully, TOP delivered powerful lines to each performance with his strong voice, Taeyang mesmerized the crowd with his sultry singing, Daesung captivated fans with his strong vocals, and Seungri kept the audience wanting more with his energetic interactions. After an incredible encore, BIGBANG promised to return soon and finally ended the show. VIPs reluctantly left the stadium, wishing BIGBANG the best of luck and hoping to see them again in the near future.

Photo Credit: CNN

BIGBANG may be gone for now but K-Pop is still near. Los Angeles has always played a center of cultural exchange and although K-Pop is not exclusive to Los Angeles, it has become a hub for K-Pop. Los Angeles boasts the largest Korean American population and is home to one of the largest Koreantowns in the United States where fans can find K-Pop group specific merchandise, take pictures life size cardboard cut outs of their favorite idols, and purchase the foods they see their idols eat. Los Angeles is also home to the annual Korean Music Festival hosted by the Korean Times as well as the annual Korean convention KCON USA. K-Pop will thrive until VIPs can see BIGBANG live in concert again.

It was a big night for all at the 67th Emmy Awards hosted by the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star, Andy Samberg, on September 20. If you didn’t get an invite to the Emmy at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, you probably tuned in to FOX last Sunday night where primetime television’s best were honored with the gold, glistening statuette of the iconic winged woman holding an atom. And if you didn’t catch the Emmys on FOX or haven’t watched the re-runs, we’ve got you covered with what we think you should know about the 2015 Emmy Awards.

The Emmys aren’t the Emmys unless the red carpet is dazzling with the best dressed stars. This year’s Emmys red carpet fashion trend was the long gown with low necklines, bare shoulders, and cut-outs to beat the near 100-degree heat in Los Angeles on Sunday. The long gown trend seems to be catching on because even Lady Gaga surprised us all by ditching her out of this world fashion for a classic black dress by designer Brandon Maxwell. Now that’s something we all weren’t expecting! However, there are always a few stars who choose to not follow the trends and that includes best Actress in a Drama nominee and star of the show Orphan Black, Tatiana Maslany who instead donned an all-white Bouchra Jarrar tux. What can we say? All trends are meant to be broken.

Photo Credit: VOGUE

All eyes start on the red carpet but the real spotlight lands on the host when the show begins. This year’s host, Andy Samberg, kept the stars humored but also made efforts to point out the industry’s key issues about the lack of diversity in Hollywood, the age gap, and the gender wage gap. Now that the message is out there, let’s hope Hollywood is listening. In his biggest stunt of the night, Samberg gave away his HBO Go user log in to everyone tuned in. Andy Samberg might just be our favorite thing at the Emmys this year.

Photo Credit: Variety

Congratulations to all the winners who took home an Emmy statuette this year! Jon Hamm finally won and humbly accepted his long anticipated award for Best Actor in a Drama Series for Mad Men. Game of Thrones won half of their nominations, a record twelve awards, including in the category Best Drama Series. HBO was the winning network of the night, taking home a total of 43 awards for Veep, Olive Kitteridge, Bessie, and of course Game of Thrones. NBC followed with twelve awards, while Comedy Central and FX Network each took home eight awards, and ABC taking home six. The complete list of nominees and winners can be found on the official Emmys website.

Photo Credit: Evening Standard

The biggest award of the night, however, went to Viola Davis, the first African American woman to win Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder. Davis says upon accepting her award, “And let me tell you something, the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.” Davis’s acceptance speech sent a powerful message addressing Hollywood’s diversity issue that has unfortunately persisted despite some very prominent efforts from many people in the industry recently.

Photo Credit: The Kansas City Star

To close this year’s 67th Emmy Awards night, the 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan made a special appearance as the final presenter of the night. Morgan has been absent from primetime television after his accident in 2014 and his appearance at the Emmy Awards was a surprise to both the audience and the 30 Rock cast. Morgan received a warm welcome to the stage where he thanked his supporters, addressed his accident, and presented the final award of the night, of course with a few laughs.

Photo Credit: The Associated Press

The Emmys Awards has been honoring the best of primetime television for a long time but this year’s Emmy Awards, more than ever, belonged to the stars themselves. The Emmys has become more than just an event to recognize the best in entertainment of the best but a platform for primetime television’s stars to assert their influence on the changing world, from setting and breaking trends to speaking on issues of diversity in the industry. If you missed out on the 67th Emmy Awards, don’t worry, you can catch reruns on FOX for the next few weeks or watch it in full on the FOX Network website. We can’t wait for next year’s Emmys.

Do you know what virtual reality is? Some of you reading this are thinking “duh, it’s the next gen of experiential video entertainment!” and some of you are thinking “next gen what?” and that’s okay. While the idea of VR has floated around in the realms of video games and digital environments since the 1990s, the concept has only recently gained enough traction to excite tech nerds and pedestrians alike.  To get technical, virtual reality is a computer simulated three-dimensional environment that you can interact with in a seemingly or real way. This is done using some heavy-duty equipment typically involving goggles and/or a helmet with screens inside and sometimes additional body wear, suspension gear, or a stationary track. Imagine riding a dinosaur in Jurassic Park or flying over the pyramids of Egypt, running along the Great Wall of China or winning the Hunger Games as Katniss Everdeen – that’s the potential of VR!

Photo Credit: VRLA

Now, why are we posting about virtual reality aside from the fact that this exciting, immersive technology will soon be a household staple? Because Particle is at the forefront of VR’s advancement and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Our breakout into this rousing industry was with a recent client, Starbreeze Studios, when we threw their pre-E3 party at the House of Blues where they announced the development of a Walking Dead game in VR. With the taste of what is obviously the next step in entertainment, gaming, and multimedia education, we couldn’t just stop there.

This past weekend, Particle attended the Virtual Reality Los Angeles (VRLA) Summer Expo at the LA convention center. This is technically VRLA’s third year running, although it started as just a 100-person meetup two years ago and is now a massive exposition with 3,000 attendees. It was amazing to see thousands of people passionate about this technology’s potential in one place, showcasing their products in front of an equally enthralled crowd. As we mentioned earlier, VR is just entered into the mainstream but a thriving community of insiders has been in the works for years now.

VRLA is put on by The Virtual Reality Foundation, a non-profit founded in 2014 that was created at the nexus of the emerging medium of virtual reality and Los Angeles’ entertainment industry.

Photo Credit: VRLA

“VRLA started as my side project to bring together virtual reality enthusiasts like me,“ said Cosmo Scharf, Co-Founder, VRLA. “We’re proud to have been in on the ground floor of the VR industry, and to provide a home for the latest innovations.”

VR is not an entirely new concept and for those of us with good memories can recall arcade games from over a decade ago with some VR aspect. The capabilities of VR have also been exaggerated in the movies for dozens of years which brings to mind titles like Tron, The Matrix, and Minority Report. However, the technology has been refined to the point where it’s not just a dream anymore but is accessible and, very importantly, affordable.  What’s impressive is that many of these advancements have been made by sole individuals and small operations who believe in its power and VRLA is where they convene to show it off.

Photo Credit: VRLA

“We aim to highlight incredible work and foster some friendly competition,” said Jonnie Ross, Founder of The Proto Awards. “For VR to reach the masses, people need knockout experiences. We exist to showcase the most original and daring work, and the people who create it.”

The Proto Awards is also produced by The Virtual Reality Founday and is where the developers, groundbreakers and tastemakers of the VR world are acknowledged for the progress they’ve made. This is the second year the awards are planned to take place, coming to the AVALON Hollywood on September 22, 2015. This year’s host is Jonah Ray, co-host of The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail on Comedy Central, The Nerdist on BBC America and the wildly successful Nerdist podcast. Even with all the product demos at VRLA 2015, we are just as excited for the Proto Awards simply because it is so rewarding to see passionate people get recognized for their work. Award categories included Most Transportive, Best Live Action Experience, Best Mobile Experience, Best Student Experience, Best Art Direction, and Best Educational Experience among others.

Photo Credit: VRLA

Now that Particle is back in the office, fueled up and inspired to carry VR to the next level, we can’t wait to launch our new projects in the works. What is Particle up to in the VR world? You’ll have to keep an eye on us to find out! Unfortunately these developments are still hush-hush but we can tell you that they involve seeing the remote corners of the world from the convenience of your desk chair and even experiencing other worlds from the one we live on. If that’s doesn’t leave you wanting more, we don’t know what will!

Los Angeles is definitely not at a loss for fantastic art galleries and amazing exhibitions to check out, especially in the summer. In fact, the difficulty is in deciding which ones to go to, especially for those of us that can only afford the time for one a week (or less). Well, summer isn’t over and we are here to tell you where to go so that you don’t have to think about it. Simply sit back, enjoy some art, and feel some things.

Summer Juried Exhibition: Disaster is My Muse

Photo Credit: “Atomic Overlook” by Clay Lipsky

Venice Arts Gallery celebrated its latest exhibition recently at the opening reception of Disaster is My Muse, which will be open to view everyday until September 19. The Summer Juried Exhibition is an annual themed show that invites artists around the globe to submit interpretations of the theme. This year, the exhibition, named after a quote from cartoonist Art Spiegelman in his graphic novel Maus, features 25 diverse artists and explores how catastrophes can creep in and intervene with everyday life, threatening our sense of stability. From humorous pieces to heart-felt, tragic photographs, the artists portray different reactions in the midst of disaster.

Smiley has no nose, an exhibition by Tala Madani

Photo Credit: Tala Madani Installation View, courtesy of David Kordanksy Gallery

Tala Madani’s first solo exhibition Smiley has no nose is featured at the David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles until August 29. Her show has already been well-received since its opening on July 18. With a curious mind, Madani confronts one of the most universal symbols in history—the ever-present smiley face—and asks: why does smiley have no nose? Madani explores this question and opens up a bigger conversation about social patterns that are often left unquestioned. Using mostly balding, middle-aged men as the protagonists in her paintings, Madani uses humor as a means of social criticism.

Blue Moon 2015: R.K. Shuquem, Nora Keys

Photo Credit: “Air” by R.K. Shuquem

On July 31, multimedia artist R.K. Shuquem debuted a set 50 original pieces at LAST Projects Gallery in Hollywood. The name of the show is fitting considered it opened on the night of a blue moon, a rare occurrence that only appears every 2-3 years. Shuquem took on the challenge to create 50 6” by 6” art panels over a span of 50 days. Alongside Shuquem, pieces by LA artist Nora Keyes will be featured in between Shuquem’s work to serve as a psychedelic transition. From now until August 20, the public can view the artists’ work and dive into their exploration of the psychological and spiritual effects from jail cells.

Tourist Seizin’ by Luke Pelletier

Photo Credit: Luke Pelletier, courtesy of Art Slant

On August 8, New Image Art Gallery will be welcomed Luke Pelletier’s first solo LA exhibition Tourist Seizin’ in West Hollywood at their opening reception. Pelletier grew up in Brevard, North Carolina, a rural town that revolved around tourism. He drew upon these experiences of growing up in a tourist town to create his art. Living in Brevard, he observed through the eyes of a local the relationships between tourists and locals and their contradictory relationship of both dependence and resentment. Through a combination of photography, sculpture, painting, writing, and graphic design, Pelletier explores themes of capitalism, paradoxes, competition, and tourism. Starting from August 8 to August 29, the public can view Tourist Seizin’ every Tuesday-Saturday 1-6pm.

The Promise of Something and Nothing

Photo Credit: “October 1, 2001” by Samira Yamin

This week started out quite interestingly around the world. Greece’s stocks dropped as their market reopened, Obama proposed tougher cuts to power plant emissions and Hilary Clinton prepared to launch her first TV ads.  But August third marked an important date on our calendars for a completely different, yet just as exciting reason…  Monday morning, Particle got a new office space at WeWork Hollywood!

WeWork’s orthogonal building sits right on Hollywood Boulevard, just two blocks away from the legendary TCL Chinese Theater. Its glass curtain walls reflect the palm trees that line up along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the outdoor patio on the fifth floor overlooks the Westside.

WeWork provides us with a community of people in similar industries. Their mission is “to create a world where people work to make a life, not just a living,” and the building is filled with these types of creators. WeWork is home to freelancers, startups, remote companies, and other corporations ready to collaborate and inspire. Particle is looking forward to getting acclimated with the new space and interacting with various businesses.

Our move has put us in close proximity to other notable LA companies such as LiveNation, a popular live-events company, and TimeOut Los Angeles, an online guide to everything LA. With the movie, Particle is now in the heart of Hollywood and location is everything. Whether meeting new people during lunch hour or attending the building’s conferences, Particle is constantly expanding its network, and Hollywood Boulevard is the perfect place for us to do just that.  

With Particle’s rapid growth, WeWork provides us with the right platform to continue our achievements in the entertainment and nonprofit industries. Some of the abundant perks include conference rooms, screening rooms, private phone booths, and other event spaces that are just begging to be the setting of our next big move. The glass walls that separate the offices allow us to have our own space while we inspire and get inspired by our hard working neighbors. With a variety of workspaces such as the patio, common room, and the library, we can also have a change of scenery to get innovative and inspired. The modern interior and striking exterior signify that WeWork is a place where great ideas happen and we are joining the movement.

We’re already settled in and our new space feels like home. Working the past few days in WeWork has been great so far and we couldn’t be more excited about our future here. Cheers to a change in setting and adding to our long list of accomplishments!

Los Angeles never fails to entertain its residents. From the high profile events like the Grammys, to the smaller scale art galleries scattered throughout the city, if someone is bored in LA, it is definitely their fault. This year especially, Los Angeles gave its residents and neighbors an even more exciting way to end their summer: The Special Olympic World Games.  

Last week, Los Angeles hosted delegations from 165 countries, which brought a total of 6,500 athletes.  From the UCLA Pauley Pavilion, to the Cromwell Field at USC, and all the way down to the Marine Stadium in Long Beach, there were more than 32 sports played in Southern California this summer.

Guatemalan Delegation in the Opening Ceremonies -  Photo by Miriam Bribiesca on The Daily Bruin

Since we are lucky enough to have the games happening practically in our back yard, we went out to check them out Sunday morning to USC’s campus.  The whole place was bustling with athletes, coaches, families and spectators. Delegations were scattered throughout, some of them resting, and others dancing along to music playing through the speakers. Trousdale Parkway was filled with food trucks and vendors, and the Quad was packed with tents and sponsors doing a variety of activities. We headed over to the track field, where we sat in the bleachers along loads of people sporting their country’s colors and frantically waving flags. It was a hot August afternoon, but neither the blazing sun, nor the nearly three-digit heat was going to stop us from enjoying the event.

 As the athletes got ready at their starting spots, the crowds stood up and cheered even louder than before.  A row of seven athletes of various ages and countries lined up along the track and took their position for the 100-meter sprint.

Athletes lined up for the 100 meter sprint

There was young boy wearing a blue uniform with white letters on the back. INDIA, it read. We then heard a hoarse voice come out of the PA speakers:

 “On your marks…” A girl from Costa Rica uses her fingers to count the words, preparing herself for the run.

 “Get set…” A Salvadorian waved energetically as she spotted her supporters standing in the bleachers, dressed from head to toe in light blue and white garments.

 “GO!” The starting pistol went off and the athletes began running.

 The crowd went crazy. We could hear people yelling in a bunch of different languages, screaming the names of their runners and whistling loudly. The pride could be felt in the atmosphere. When the last of the runners crossed the finish line, everyone sat back down to wait for the results to show up on the black screen.  The commotion wound down and people started scattering. Suddenly, we heard the announcer through the speakers: “Keep it coming!” he said, “Keep the support coming!” And it wasn’t until I was back on my feet that I saw why everyone was cheering again.

 Halfway through the track came a girl wearing a white uniform with a pink stripe on her left side. With a smile that stretched from ear to ear, she crossed the finish line and hugged the people on the other side. She high-fived a couple of other athletes and then, still smiling, she exited the track.

Michelle Obama in the Opening Ceremonies - Photo by Daniel Alcazar in The Daily Bruin

The Special Olympics are unlike any other sporting competition around the world. This is one of the few sporting events that focuses more on the sports themselves and less on the medals.  These athletes don’t fill their bodies with unnecessary drugs to be stronger, nor do they hate on the competition. There aren’t any Marcos Baghdatis, breaking tennis rackets after losing a match; or any McKayla Maroneys, pouting because they got silver medals, instead of gold. “Let me win; but if I cannot win, let me brave in the attempt,” their oath reads.  These athletes come to the Games to give it their best. They set their minds to it… and they have fun. It’s that genuine sportsmanship and love for the sport what makes the Special Olympics such a heart-warming and enriching event.

Since 1968 when the Special Olympics were founded, they have been spreading the same positive message: a person with disabilities can succeed just like any other, when given the opportunity.  This year, LA is giving thousands of special Olympians that opportunity. Like LA’s mayor, Eric Garcetti, once said, “Los Angeles has always been the place where people come to pursue their dreams.”

Everyone loves to hear the word free, especially Angelinos. Luckily, summer in LA is one of the best times to take advantage of everything the city offers without having to pay for it. Who says summer adventures have to cost a fortune? All it takes is a little searching and you’ll find that there are free concerts every week! These shows bring both well-known artists and up-and-coming musicians from every genre, so people are sure to find a concert that they’ll love.

Hollywood Bowl - Photo credit: Adam Latham

We’ve been fortunate enough to catch some great shows already, and we’re hoping that everyone is in the loop! Also, the venues are often some of the coolest spots to visit in LA. Amoeba Music in Hollywood is a great place to catch short but sweet shows. The artists performing are often in support of their latest album release, so there is the possibility of getting a signed album! Also, Jimmy Kimmel Live! is another great mini-concert destination. Fans can request free tickets for the outdoor concerts and listen to music along with the excitement of being on a TV show.

The Grove has recently returned with their Summer Concert Series with indie pop bands The Mowgli’s and Cayucas on July 8. The Grove will continue to put on new shows every Wednesday.   Also, The Getty Center celebrates talented artists by bringing “soon-to-be favorite bands” for their series Saturdays Off the 405. Recently, we were able to catch the rock band WATERS give an energetic performance at The Getty while also checking out one of our favorite museums.

Waters playing a show at the Getty - Photo Credit:  Maximilian Ho of L.A. Record

LA public radio station KCRW is responsible for putting on free concerts every week in their Summer Nights concert series. They produce shows in various locations all over the LA area, including One Colorado in Pasadena and Annenberg Space for Photography. One of their popular spots is Santa Monica Pier, where their Twilight Concert Series just kicked off July 9th with funk and soul band Morris Day and the Time! Every Thursday evening, people can catch a free show with their feet in the sand, eating ice cream as the sun is setting.

KCRW Twilight Concert Series in Santa Monica - Photo Credit:  Carl Pocket of Spaceland Presents

It may seem surprising that there are countless free concerts, but in a way it makes perfect sense. LA is filled with talented musicians and it’s the home base for the music industry, so of course there will be shows that highlight some of the best the industry has to offer and connect Angelinos to music and artists. LA is where artists travel to get inspired, write music, and record songs. Sharing their music is just as meaningful and getting their songs out there for the public to enjoy is what artists strive to do. These concerts showcase what LA is all about–celebrating art and diversity. Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of free concerts? Don’t worry, LA Weekly has an ultimate guide to free music in the area, so mark your calendars. Summer is halfway through, so don’t let it go to waste and hop in the car and get your dance moves on at one of the many free shows!

On July 9th, fans flocked to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, CA to catch one of the most nostalgic summer lineups for Southern California yet—Marilyn Manson and Smashing Pumpkins! When we arrived the venue was already packed, with people filled from the stage to the lawn. This huge outdoor venue is a perfect spot to see some of the biggest names in rock history. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it on time to see Marilyn Manson, but it was obvious that the crowd was buzzing with exhilaration after his set.

After getting to our seats, we waited anxiously for Smashing Pumpkins to come on stage. You could feel the anticipation in the air as the lights changed, signaling that it was about to start. Finally, they came out and the crowd was roaring as the band opened up with one of their hits “Cherub Rock.” Right from the start, Smashing Pumpkins had the crowd amped and captivated. As their set went on, we were amazed as they performed hit after hit. They played “Butterfly with Bullet Wings,” then “Tonight, Tonight,” and “Ava Adore,” with the audience chanting “greatest hits!”  It was a set list that longtime fans dreamed of.

Fans danced away their Thursday night to great music, singing every lyric back to the band. We could feel the energetic vibe among the crowd and could tell that there were very loyal fans present. The entire audience was enjoying themselves and forgetting the outside world, focusing on the good music and the band in front of them.

While Smashing Pumpkins have been around since 1988, their sound was still remarkable. We were impressed by their stage presence and watched in awe as they moved around onstage. They had a ton of songs to get through and wanted to let the songs speak for themselves, so they did not stop to talk much. However this did not stop them giving a touching shout-out to our nation’s veterans in the middle of their set. As they continued playing, the energy levels remained high in the crowd and the band sounded great.  The concert came to a bittersweet end and fans still applauded and cheered. This concert definitely surpassed our expectations and was one of the best concerts we’ve been to!

-Cassidy Takeuchi

Imagine being taken from your home, off to live with strangers and scared to death of the unknown. You’ve never known stability, true love, or a sense of ownership of anything in your life. This is a typical experience of a foster child and too many kids have lived this scenario all over the United States. These events induce extreme trauma and emotional distress on humans too small to cope with the circumstances and, at the end of the day, they don’t even have a shoulder to lean on. These issues persist all over the country but the foster situation in Los Angeles is in an especially poor state.

20,639 children in Los Angeles County were recorded in foster care in April, 2015. LA continues to be the region in the US with the highest foster youth rate by a landslide. Of the children in foster care, 1,400 are continuously awaiting a host family. A majority of these children were removed from hostile homes full of abuse and neglect. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand that these children have been through too much at too young of an age. Something needs to be done about this, and quick.

One organization that couldn’t sit by knowing that children were waiting in need is Royal Family KIDS. RFK is a national nonprofit organization started 25 years ago that offers foster youth a unique opportunity to experience a week of excitement and fun with others like them at a summer camp. Each child is paired with a volunteer that serves as counselor, mentor and friend. The goal is to provide each child with much needed attention and encouragement and to ensure that they have the best week of the year.

Over the course of the week, the children get to participate in activities that aren’t commonly available to them, like sports, group exercises and crafts. Other activities are often experienced for the first time by campers such as swimming, fishing, hiking and horseback riding. Camp is a time for these worthy souls to forget about life’s harshness and simply enjoy being a kid. It’s something we could only wish for every child in the world and RFK is set out to provide it.

Needless to say, Royal Family KIDS Camp has the potential to hugely impact a child’s life, forever changing their trajectory. It’s a sad fact that a majority of foster children end up homeless or institutionalized when they turn 18 and “age out” of the social care system. This is why RFK targets children ages 6-12, when the embers of hope are still burning bright enough to show them that they have a choice – and it works! How do we know? Because many of the kids come back to share their story, to tell RFK what an impact the organization had on their perspective, and to show others that it’s possible.

Royal Family KIDS Camp is possible because of the hundreds of helpful churches and organizations that host the camps, rally the volunteers, and raise the funds to put everything together. RFK’s impact strategy is to bring people together and mobilize faith-based communities in confronting child abuse. With camps already located all over the country, Royal Family KIDS is now determined to bring their work to Los Angeles for the first time. As the county with the highest foster youth population nationwide, there is no doubt that Los Angeles would greatly benefit from camps that would provide foster children with life-changing experiences.

Particle Arts Entertainment has been working side-by-side with Royal Family KIDS in connecting the Los Angeles community and those needed to make camp possible. After teaming up with this organization, we have been committed to raising awareness about the foster youth issue in our home. We recently produced an event for RFK at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood featuring an art exhibit by photographer Rob Woodcox and a film screening of Camp, a movie inspired by a true story from one of the Royal Family KIDS Camps. Hundreds in the LA community came out and were joined by many of the movie’s cast members to raise awareness! It was a beautiful night and a huge success.

Abuse and neglect have interfered with the childhood of foster children for long enough. Camp is a way for these kids to get away from their troubles, to reset in nature, and learn their own value. These kids deserve to experience the joy that many other more fortunate children are able to have on a daily basis. The program doesn’t end when the kids head home from camp, either. The camp experience with RFK is supplemented with year-round mentor programs. And once you go to camp for the first time, you’re invited back every year until you hit the age of 12.

While we are thankful to all of those already offering their support, help is always needed. Royal Family KIDS continually welcomes involvement from people of all backgrounds and encourages the community to get involved in any way in the fight against child abuse and homelessness.

On June 13th Starbreeze Studios and OVERKILL Software hosted their Pre-E3 party at the House of Blues in LA for a night filled with food, drinks, and video game excitement. The exclusive event wasn’t just a celebration of the companies’ hard work but also a way to unite industry movers and 100 lucky fans for a big announcement. Particle Arts Entertainment wasn’t just along to experience the event, but had a pivotal role in its production!

Starbreeze Studios is the developer of the series Payday and Brother: A Tale of Two Sons. During the event, Almir Listo, the Global Brand Director at Starbreeze Studios, revealed that they are in the process of creating their very own virtual reality (VR) headset, to be used with their upcoming game OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead. Starbreeze has officially entered the very competitive VR market, branding their new product Star VR to be available to consumers in the near future.

On the big day, attendees started lining up at the door as early as 7:00pm, excited to see what Starbreeze had in store.  Only a couple hours later, all three floors of the House of Blues were filled to the brim. After the event really kicked off and spirits were high, people gathered at the main stage for the VR reveal.

Eyes glued to the screen as they watched The Walking Dead’s trailer, over 1,000 fans in the crowd anticipated the mysterious reveal. As teased, fans knew the Starbreeze team was going to release some big news, but had virtually no clue what to expect. Only the special guests at the event were able to get in on the secret that night while everybody else had to wait until the announcement made its way across social media and news outlets the next day.  When it did, Starbreeze caused quite a stir in this feat of video game history.

Upon announcement, Demian Lichtenstein, the studio head at Starbreeze, brought their very own VR headset to the stage to demo. He gave the crowd just a taste that evening of the revolutionary product that they officially launched at E3 in the week after the event.  Later at night, he took the headset up to the third floor Foundation Room, where the VIP fans enjoyed a sneak peek of what Starbreeze and OVERKILL are about to make happen on a widespread scale.  

After the big reveal, the energetic and charismatic Dash Mihok with his band Diz & the Fam played live on stage. The band kept the house bumping from about 9:30 until 11:00 when DJ Hess took over as main entertainer, keeping things alive until the event’s end at 1:00.

Live music and free food and drinks at the House of Blues is more than enough to make for an amazing night, but the attractions didn’t stop there. TVs and game consoles were laid out on the second floor for anyone to enjoy some gaming that night. While the new Walking Dead VR was limited to only a few select guests, Starbreeze made their wildly popular Payday 2 game available to everyone.  It was only a matter of minutes before big lines formed behind the game consoles and fans waited anxiously to get a hold of a controller to play the game.

Finally, a Walking Dead party wouldn’t be so without some walkers. Makeup artists from The Walking Dead TV series came early to prepare 20 actors with full-body zombie makeup for the event. With the music, food, the awesome venue, celebrity guests, and thrilled fans, everyone in attendance was pleased with the night and buzzing with excitement over the new product.

The Starbreeze team couldn’t be happier with the event’s outcome as well. They were such an awesome company to work with and the special night was a fantastic way to kick off E3 week. Almir Listo was heard saying that history was made on Saturday for Starbreeze, and Particle Arts Entertainment is proud to have made it happen!

Matt and Kim played a short but worthwhile show at Amoeba on Sunset and Vine in Hollywood on April 7, 2015. It took place just after working hours on a Tuesday, but the famous record store in the center of America’s entertainment capital was still nearly at viewer capacity. Playing just a handful of their most recognizable songs, the artists really lit up the space with energy and excitement.

The band started at 6:30, playing a handful of songs for an audience dispersed between the stacks of CD’s and records. The crowd got really into it and I got really into the crowd which was composed mostly of teenagers who may not have the agency or resources to see Matt and Kim in any other context. And although it was a short set with no money making opportunities, Matt and Kim gave put forth the same effort they do when playing for huge crowds as top-tier music festivals.

The performing duo was energized and lively, as always. Kim really gets into her element when she pounds away on those drums, standing on her seat and the drum set at times, and spanking her ass like she did in Amoeba. At the beginning of the performance, she urged the fans to crowd surf, which was likely taken as a joke to some until she did it herself. What makes a Matt and Kim performance so special is their dedication to the audience and their love of audience interaction. The more engaged the audience is the happier the performers are, prompting Matt to do things like pass out multicolored balloons to the crowd to inflate – a signature move – even at the Amoeba show.

Amoeba locations all over the country are known to host shows with local talent and some of the most sought after acts on tour. The best part is the shows are free. Shows like these are an awesome concept and smart from economical and marketing perspectives as well, for the artists and the stores.

From Amoeba’s standpoint, having an artist play in stores brings potential buyers in, which is more important than ever, considering the decline of record stores all over the country. If the artist does a signing on top of a performance, tens to hundreds of fans are sure to buy the album in-store, right then and there to have it signed. The impression will also have lasting effects for future purchases from these people as well.

From the artist’s perspective, it’s great marketing with little commitment since the shows are typically more of a sampler deal, leaving audiences wanting more. They then have the opportunity to announce their upcoming shows, which Matt and Kim did for future Hollywood performances. They boost record sales, even just slightly, and leave the audience feeling good. Finally, these performances can happen last-minute and all over the country, based on whenever these artists are in the area. I’m sure most of them enjoy it as well.

All-in-all, anyone reading this should check out Matt and Kim live and hit up Amoeba’s free shows. Live music is getting more and more expensive making those free opportunities all the more valuable.

The ABC 66th Primetime Emmy Awards were held in Hollywood last night. Everyone who's anyone in the TV world was there.

American series 'Breaking Bad' and 'Modern Family' took top awards for the Outstanding Drama and Comedy categories. Brian Cranston got his fourth win as Best Actor in a Drama Series and Jim Parsons was awarded Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his work in 'Big Bang Theory.'

Louie CK claimed Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Sarah Silverman claimed Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.

And what is Hollywood without a little scandal? Thank you Mr. Cranston.

There was a touching memorial for beloved late actor, Robin Williams. A moment of heavy silence made clear that Hollywood is still mourning the great loss. Rest in Peace, Robin (1951 – 2014).

Overall, we think the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were a little blah. Lots of exciting faces but no surprises. What did you think?