Category: Culture

Ethnic cultures as newsmakers

Categories
Business Culture Entertainment News Lifestyle Programs & Events Sports & Gaming

Transcend Capital Advisors announces NIL partnership with top-ranked junior golfer Miles Russell

15-Year-Old Phenom was Youngest-Ever Winner of AJGA Player of the Year Award in 2023

 

MADISON, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Transcend Capital Advisors has signed a multi-year Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) partnership with 15-year-old amateur golfer Miles Russell, currently the #1-ranked golfer in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Boys rankings.

 

Russell, who resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, was the youngest-ever winner of the AJGA’s Rolex Junior Player of the Year Award in 2023, surpassing the record previously held by Tiger Woods for 32 years.

 

Following an exemplary run on the Florida Junior Tour circuit, amassing 14 wins and 34 top-five finishes in 42 starts, Russell burst onto the national scene last year, quickly winning two AJGA Junior All-Star events, the TaylorMade TP5 Junior All-Star and Moon Golf Junior All-Star, by a combined 15 strokes. He was a member of Team USA at the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup in Rome, Italy, teaming up with fellow Team Transcend member Yana Wilson in foursome and fourball matches.

 

Russell built off this early success and emerged as one of the game’s most exciting young talents. At the beginning of August, he claimed victory at the 2023 Junior PGA Championship, shooting 18-under par over four rounds, seven shots clear of his nearest competitor. A few weeks later, he followed up with a win at the Junior PLAYERS Championship to become the youngest-ever champion in event history.

 

“Transcend is committed to supporting the stars of tomorrow and helping them capitalize on their unique talents and ultimately achieving their dreams of playing professional golf. Miles is an exceptional young man and his humility, character, and commitment to excellence make him a perfect fit for Team Transcend. We are thrilled to have him on our team and are excited to watch all that he will accomplish in the future,” said Brian Gorczynski, Managing Partner of Transcend.

 

Russell closed out his sensational year with a second-place finish at the South Beach International Amateur, including a course record-tying 10-under par round of 60 in his second round, finishing two shots behind fellow Team Transcend member, Ben James. The only amateur to advance to the final Monday qualifier for last week’s Puerto Rico Open, Russell fired a 5-under par 67 and advanced to a playoff for the last qualifying spot but fell just short in his effort to become one of the youngest players to qualify for a PGA TOUR event.

 

“I am so excited to be a part of Team Transcend,” said Russell. “Joining this team of exceptional amateur players is humbling and makes me want to work hard and get better every day. Thanks to Transcend’s support, I am able to pursue my golf dreams to the fullest and I couldn’t be more grateful for their belief in me.”

 

Transcend also has NIL partnerships with 20-year-old amateur golfer James, a sophomore at the University of Virginia who is currently ranked #5 in the Men’s World Amateur Golf rankings, 17-year-old Yana Wilson, currently the #1-ranked junior girl in the Rolex AJGA Rankings; and 16-year-old Blades Brown, #5 in the Rolex AJGA Boys Ranking and the 2023 Tennessee Men’s and Junior Player of the Year. The firm previously had a multi-year NIL partnership with accomplished amateur Caleb Surratt who turned professional earlier this year.

 

About Transcend Capital Advisors

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, Transcend is an independent registered investment advisor (RIA) offering wealth management services, public and private investments, strategic advisory services, and access to banking, lending, and family office solutions. Transcend is an employee-owned firm and manages approximately $3.0 billion of assets, serving families, business owners, executives, retirees, and entrepreneurs across the United States. Leveraging the unique network of its experienced management team, Transcend provides clients with access to investment opportunities not typically available to individual investors. Transcend was recently ranked #42 in the United States in Forbes’ second annual “America’s Top RIA Firms” list and was also recently named in the 2023 SmartAsset “100 Fastest Growing RIAs” list. For more information on Transcend, please visit transcendcapital.com.

 

The Forbes “America’s Top RIA Firms” list was compiled by SHOOK Research, which uses quantitative and qualitative data, including interviews, to rank firms. Firms elect to participate but do not pay to be included in the ranking. To learn more about the methodology, click here.

 

SmartAsset compiled its ranking of U.S.-based investment advisors registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) by examining filing data and ranking firms based on one-year and three-year growth of client accounts and assets under management. No compensation was paid for inclusion in this ranking. To learn more about the methodology, click here.

Contacts

Karen Moraghan

Hunter Public Relations

kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
908/963-6013

Categories
Business Culture Foodies/Tastylicious Healthcare Lifestyle Science

New tea store, Bardo Tea, opens in Portland’s Concordia neighborhood

Ravi Kroesen and Veronika Vogler have opened Bardo Tea’s first retail location this month.

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — Bardo Tea today announced it has opened its first retail location in Portland’s Concordia neighborhood.

 

Bardo Tea’s brick-and-mortar store offers a full line of high-quality single-origin teas and premium blends for retail and wholesale purchase, curated teaware, small batch-produced incense from Asia, and lifestyle products for the fashion- and health-conscious.

 

Going beyond the classic boutique model, Bardo Tea’s structure boasts three segmented spaces—all designed for a distinct and superb tasting experience that accentuates the nuance and complexity of each tea.

 

Kroesen explains, “The purpose of Bardo Tea is to change the mold. From the moment you step into the space, you’ll be welcomed by a converted carriage house split into three rooms—each providing a unique tea drinking experience with teas served in high-end teaware to honor each sip. No milk, sweeteners, or additives. Just tea and water.”

 

Kroesen—who worked as Smith Tea’s Head Teamaker for five years—has spent over two decades in the tea industry, traveling throughout the world to learn from and connect with tea growers, processers and experts.

 

Veronika Vogler, long-time mindfulness facilitator and co-founder, remarks, “At Bardo, we encourage you to take time and be present with the tea you are drinking,” she shares.

 

“As the leaves unfold, you go on a journey. You sit with the clay pot, the boiling water, the tea leaves, and you recognize that it all communicates. The flavor of tea deepens with every pour, and over time it unlocks that language.”

 

Vogler has integrated tea with meditation for the last decade, focusing on tasting teas mindfully over the course of multiple steeps.

 

About Bardo Tea:

Bardo Tea is a Portland-based retail and wholesale tea supplier. Offering a wide variety of high-quality teas and teaware, Bardo weaves the story that connects the soil to the farmer, the tea, and the cup. Bardo Tea commits to working toward equal representation by supporting women’s roles in tea beyond the picking of the leaf by actively building relationships with female tea farmers and supporting them as tea growers.

 

Learn more about Bardo Tea

Categories
Culture Foodies/Tastylicious Government Lifestyle Local News Programs & Events

Mercer County to celebrate its 12th-Annual Cultural Festival & Food Truck Rally in June

TRENTON, N.J. — In celebration of Mercer County diversity, County Executive Dan Benson, the Board of County Commissioners, and the Division of Culture and Heritage present the 12th Annual Cultural Festival & Food Truck Rally on Saturday, June 8, at Mercer County Park in West Windsor, N.J.

Mercer County’s 12 municipalities are home to citizens of many ethnicities and countries of origin. Therefore, the county welcomes food trucks and craft vendors to apply for participation in this festival.

The festival, will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., celebrating diverse cultures through live music and traditional dance performances, authentic food trucks, a beer garden, art demonstrations, heritage crafters, activities for children, and more.

Those who want to participate in this year’s Cultural Festival as either a craft vendor (selling cultural/heritage-related goods) or as a food truck/vendor, should fill out the online form below by April 1, 2024.

Given the growing success of the annual Cultural Festival, The Division of Culture & Heritage has put a cap on the number of craft and food vendors able to participate.

The program management will review all the submitted applications to ensure this year’s Cultural Festival is as diverse as possible, in order to determine this year’s food truck and craft vendor festival line-up. Those who are selected to participate will be notified by April 8, 2024. Payment will be processed after the line-up is determined.

Click the following link to apply:

For more information, please call the Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage at

(609) 278-2712 or e-mail culturalfestival@mercercounty.org.

Categories
Culture Education Government Lifestyle Local News Programs & Events Regulations & Security Travel & Leisure

Mercer County Clerk to hold another passport event in West Windsor

The Mercer County Clerk’s Office is very excited to co-host yet another passport outreach event in West Windsor Township with Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. The event will be held on Wednesday, March 27 from 1 p.m. to  6 p.m.

 

Please join us if you need a passport or passport renewal.

 

Note that appointments are on a first come first serve basis and will fill up fast!

 

For more information visit the Mercer County Clerk’s website Passports | Mercer County, NJ

Categories
Culture Entertainment News Lifestyle Programs & Events Regulations & Security

Donatella Versace and Dwyane Wade host L.A. LGBT Center event, designer gets stuck in elevator: ‘One of her security ripped open the doors’

Talk about a fashion emergency. Donatella Versace got stuck in an elevator at the Los Angeles LGBT Center on Friday night on her way to co-host an event for the organization with Dwyane Wade.

 

Staffers at the center immediately called the fire department, but sources say the fashion designer’s security took care of things.

 

“One of her security ripped open the doors,” an onlooker said.

 

Fortunately, the mishap didn’t stop the event from continuing.

 

Not only was it announced that Versace donated $50,000 to the center, but she was also named its first global ambassador.

 

“I feel so honored to be here tonight,” Versace said, after being introduced by Wade, adding, “It’s so emotional for me — but also because I was stuck in the elevator. I thought I was never going to make it to this roof, but I did. But it’s an honor to be here. But please, donate and vote.”

 

Wade also announced that his family – wife Gabrielle Union and daughter Zaya Wade joined him at the party – was donating $50,000. A few minutes later, Tinder CEO Faye Iosotaluno revealed that the dating app also was giving $50,000 to the center.

 

 

Read More

 

— Variety

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture Digital - AI & Apps Lifestyle Programs & Events

Digital Marilyn, an interactive AI avatar of Marilyn Monroe, recently unveils at SXSW 

Digital Marilyn Monroe was created using GPT-3.5 by Soul Machines and Authentic Brands Group

 

Bruce Haring / Deadline:

 

 

—  One of Marilyn Monroe’s most famous quotes was, “I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.”

 

— Soul Machines Unveil Groundbreaking Digital Marilyn Monroe at SXSW 2024Soul Machines        

Now, there has to be an amendment to that line. More than 60 years after her death, there’s now a Digital Marilyn, created with artificial intelligence and capable of answering questions in her voice and style. The new version of Monroe debuted Friday at the South by Southwest tech conference in Austin, Texas.

 

The Digital Marilyn is a partnership between Soul Machines, which creates what it calls Biological AI-powered Digital People, and Authentic Brands Group, a company representing such icons as Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Shaquille O’Neal, David Beckham, and many other celebrities and companies.

 

The Digital Marilyn can interact in real-time using advanced natural language processing, deep learning, and Open AI’s ChatGPT 3.5. What that means is another step forward in extending the ability to monetize celebrities even after their death.

 

“This collaboration exemplifies the transformative power of AI in connecting brands and consumers,” said Greg Cross, CEO and co-founder of Soul Machines. “Digital Marilyn showcases our Biological AI, bringing an iconic personality to life through engaging dialogues and emotional intelligence. It’s more than nostalgia. It’s a glimpse into the future of immersive interactions.”

 

The Digital Marilyn mimics human traits in a realistic fashion, and can interact with users on a personal level. The partnership claims the average conversation length with a Soul Machines Digital Person is 20 minutes, with the character allegedly adapting to your questions and interests.

 

“Marilyn Monroe remains a timeless icon, inspiring generations with her talent, charisma, and enduring legacy,” said Dana Carpenter, EVP Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group.

 

“We are thrilled to partner with Soul Machines, whose cutting-edge technology is the perfect match to bring Marilyn to life in the AI age. While Marilyn Monroe can never be replaced or duplicated, Digital Marilyn opens exciting possibilities for multiple generations of fans to engage with her in a whole new way, fostering a deeper connection and appreciation for her enduring spirit and the mark she left on the world.”

 

 

Read More

 

— Techmeme

Categories
Culture Entertainment News Lifestyle Perspectives Sports & Gaming

‘3 Body Problem’ on Netflix cements ‘Game of Thrones’ creators as masters of adapting the unadaptable: TV Review

Before a rushed ending soured the “Game of Thrones” fanbase on show runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the duo had rightfully earned acclaim for wrangling a seemingly unadaptable series of books into a damn good adaptation.

 

Author and screenwriter George R.R. Martin had written “A Song of Ice and Fire” as a partial response to the strictures of TV, crafting a story with the sprawling ensemble, major battles, sex, violence and abrupt demises he couldn’t work into scripts for the likes of NBC and CBS.

 

The book series kicked off in 1996, just a few years before the rise of premium cable culture drivers would make television more friendly to artistic ambition and less subject to the FCC. Aided by a stellar cast and strong support from HBO, Benioff and Weiss nonetheless did exceptional work translating Martin’s vision into a nuanced drama with a deep bench of antiheroes and competing points of view. Before “Game of Thrones” was a juggernaut and, eventually, a disappointment, it was a smart, considered, and palpably affectionate take on its source material.

 

For their next big swing, the producers have teamed up with “True Blood” alumnus Alexander Woo to take on an even steeper challenge. The Chinese science fiction trilogy “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” spans hundreds of years, mostly unconnected characters and several multi-page exegeses on the ABCs of particle physics. To turn writer Cixin Liu’s creation into a Netflix series, the team would have to do more than marshal resources or re-earn the trust of those burnt by how “Game of Thrones” limped across the finish line. This adaptation demands re-conceiving large chunks of plot from the ground-up while retaining Liu’s themes, not to mention visualizing concepts with less precedent onscreen than the fantasy tropes Martin deployed and subverted. The result shows some of the strain of this Herculean task, but also proves the early seasons of “Thrones” were neither a fluke nor a testament to Martin alone. Benioff and Weiss remain master adaptors, and together with Woo, they’ve opened an accessible entry point into a deeply esoteric story while rendering the action in a suitably epic scope.

 

“The Three Body Problem” and “3 Body Problem” — the title of Liu’s first volume altered enough to differentiate book from show, though not enough to avoid confusion — start in the same time and place. As the Cultural Revolution tears through China, young scientist Ye Wenjie (Zine Tseng) watches a mob beat her father to death in an anti-intellectual frenzy. The scene sets up one of the saga’s most powerful ideas: that a brilliant mind could grow so disillusioned with humankind they might turn their allegiance elsewhere, convinced our species is beyond hope of guiding its own destiny.

 

Read More

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Art & Life Culture Lifestyle

‘Variety’ promotes Dayna Wolpa to VP of Talent and Programming

Variety has promoted Dayna Wolpa to the newly created role of VP of Talent and Programming.

 

Wolpa is an Emmy-winning producer who previously served as Variety‘s managing director for programming and distribution. With her promotion, Wolpa will manage talent and programming for such successful Variety franchises as Power of Women, Power of Young Hollywood, Hitmakers, and more.

 

Wolpa at present oversees all talent programming for Variety studios at the Sundance Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. Wolpa, who has been with Variety for more than 10 years, has booked talent for numerous events and partnerships including the Women of Reality TV Dinner, 10 Directors to Watch & Creative Impact Awards, the Variety/Chanel Female Filmmakers Dinner, the Variety/Golden Globes Breakthrough Artists Awards, Business of Broadway and Variety‘s Power of Comedy awards, set for its second annual outing at SXSW on March 8.

​

“Dayna Wolpa has a well-deserved reputation as someone who can problem solve and get things done,” said Dea Lawrence, Chief Operating and Marketing Officer of Variety. “She takes on challenges in a thoughtful, creative manner with a precise eye for detail, characteristics that make her an outstanding executive.”

 

Wolpa has served for years as Associate Producer of Variety‘s Emmy-winning “Actors on Actors” interview series franchise. In December, Wolpa won a Daytime Emmy for her work on the Variety-branded special “Power of Women: The Changemakers” for Lifetime. Wolpa also curates the coveted Power of Women gift bag and oversees all Variety guest lists for the exclusive events.

 

“I am grateful to have spent the last 10 years at Variety,” said Wolpa. “I look forward to continuing to collaborate with the best team in the business and am excited to be a part of Variety‘s ongoing expansion.”

 

She reports to Lawrence and will continue to be based out of the Los Angeles office.

 

Read More

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Culture Government Local News News Now! Perspectives Politics Programs & Events Regulations & Security

Mercer County Exec-elect Dan Benson Transition Team introduces the 17 transition committees

MERCER COUNTY, N.J. — Following his recent election as Mercer County Executive, on Feb. 22 the Benson Transition Team released a 49-page report that contains recommendations from their 17 transition committees.

“Building a better future demands bold action. With the Transition Team’s unique insights, we have developed a bold and comprehensive set of goals for our administration. I look forward to turning this vision into action,” said County Executive Dan Benson.

“This was a thorough process of coordinating efforts across 17 teams and assessing hundreds of detailed and thoughtful recommendations,” said Transition Co-Chair Sharon Shinkle Gardner.

“We’re so proud of the hard work and passion that our members brought to their transition committees — it is reflected in the quality of the report,” Transition Co-Chair Jeannine Frisby LaRue said.

The Transition Team was tasked by County Executive Dan Benson with evaluating the wide range of responsibilities of Mercer County government and offering recommendations for the new administration. It was made up of a diverse group of more than 100 Mercer County residents. Each committee brought together voices from across the county to help explore a key piece of government and provide their perspectives on how to move Mercer forward.

County Executive Benson continued, “I am grateful to have a Transition Team that is so dedicated to our community and our shared values. We have already begun to implement a number of our report’s suggestions and are excited for the road map it provides for our first term.”

The full transition report can be found at BensonTransition.com.

Categories
Culture Lifestyle Local News Programs & Events Sports & Gaming Travel & Leisure

2 Programs in Mercer County to host bike drive to benefit Boys & Girls Club Bike Exchange

The Mercer County Planning Department and the Mercer County Park Commission are hosting a bike drive for the benefit of the Boys & Girls Club Bike Exchange on Saturday, April 13 from noon to 4 p.m.

This non-profit run by 50 volunteers collects, conditions, and sells used, quality bikes to people in the Trenton area. Do you have a bike that you no longer use? Maybe you have one your child has outgrown? Consider donating it for this cause.

Since 2009 the Bike Exchange has repaired, reconditioned, and sold over 27,000 donated bikes, raising more than $1,600,000 for Boys & Girls Club after-school programs which serve over 700 children daily. Over the past several years the Bike Exchange has given away approximately 300 bikes annually to youth in Trenton and urban areas throughout New Jersey.

The Bike Exchange also trains interested students in bike repair through their internship program.

Your bike donation will help support these efforts. Please drop off your bike at either the West Windsor or Pennington location and know that your tax-deductible donation will benefit our community.