Shop Your Style Crushes With ASAP54 | LFW

Shop Your Style Crushes With ASAP54 | LFW

Getting to grips with new app ASAP54 

Hey lovelies! Happy Thursday! What does today have in store for you? I've got some desk time, and a special shoot a little later, but am also TBT-ing/reminiscing over some awesome memories from London Fashion Week - including being a total techy novice with new app ASAP54. 

I partnered with ASAP54 for the penultimate day of LFW, and got to grips using the shopping app myself. New concepts can be tricky, so I'm going to keep things SIMPLE and explain ASAP54 as best I can, so we can all be in on the ASAP54 goodness!

So here's what you need to know . . . 

ASAP54 is a new shopping app. ASAP54 helps you find clothing items, and accessories, which match a picture you upload of something you want to find.  ASAP54 uses the latest visual recognition  to filter through hundreds of products, to perfectly match your search. 

The picture you chose to upload can be of a product: e.g. a friend's shoes which you'd like to buy a similar pair to. The picture could also be of something more vague: e.g. a bunch of red roses which you would like a cocktail dress in the same colour of. In a nutshell ASAP54 is a way of finding a product, to match an item or an inspirational image you have seen, which you like the look of, and would like to buy a version of yourself.

If your search results shouldn't return items you like, you can get in touch with one of ASAP54's dedicated in-house stylists who will hand select a list of five items for you, and get back to you with the list within 24 hours.

You can set preferences on everything, from colour, to price, to style. You will initially be directed to use ASAP54's filtering process to narrow down your search; e.g. Shirts & Blouses > Long Sleeve. Additionally you can swipe left to filter further using key words. e.g. Silk

For me, I used ASAP54 to find a pair of shoes in the same pink hue as my LFW organiser. See my infographic below >

As with so many things, the best way to learn is to have a go yourself! You can download ASAP54 from the App Store HERE.  OH and one of the most FUN things about ASAP54? You build your own profile, and follow people you love the style of. That way you can keep in touch with the shopping searches of your favourite stylish friends, and style crushes. You can find me on @monicabeatrice should you wish to!

I am excited to see how ASAP54 will develop as a new social platform, I've already begun to check in regularly with the people I follow. Watch this space . . .

Have an awesome day all!

Love, 

MB x 

This post is sponsored by ASAP54 - thank you to all of our awesome LFW partners! And thank you to you lovely readers for supporting!

Where's Jimmy?!

Where's Jimmy?!

Written by: Thom Olson as featured in Halfstack's Fall Issue. Read the entire issue today HERE.

It’s Sunday afternoon and you are at Oak Street Beach. A beautiful blonde comes up and asks you “Where’s Jimmy?” and proceeds to hand you a light blue package. The color is somewhat similar to Tiffany’s iconic little gift boxes. Alas… Tiffany’s is not giving away free samples... though one can still hope.  It is, however, a small sample of a fruit bar. It’s marked vegan. Some might find that word marked on the package a little scary. You either try it or throw it in your travel tote for later. 

Later you happen to be on a mud run. Could it be that running in this madness is the result of a three-martini evening where you placed a bet and lost? Thus… you are running through an obstacle course doused in soggy wet dirt. Or, is this something you volunteered for because you find it “pleasant”? Anyhow, low and behold, you see that same blonde, who hands you another taste of something wrapped in the same blue wrapper.  Exhausted and hungry, you decide to give it a try.  You eat it. OMG, you actually like it.  You ask for another and get a taste of a second flavor. You wolf it down and are on your way. Did you just have your first vegan experience?

After a shower and cozying up with a very large bar of soap, you hop on down to the Whole Foods Grocery store to get something for dinner. Who do you run in to? Yup, you guessed it. Blondie hands you a sample but this time you ask for a couple of the real deal and buy them. You have just bought a Jimmy Bar.

Jimmy Bars are a fruit-based snack bar. Each bar has all natural ingredients. In a rare twist of food packaging, all the ingredients are featured prominently on the front of the package and not in micro type buried on the back. There isn’t anything listed that leaves a question mark in your mind like Maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup or some hydrogenated goo.  You can actually pronounce all the ingredients and see there is a shelf life on the package. It’s not like a Twinkie.  Yes, it is vegan, but that is less scary now. There isn’t a dairy component added to the product nor are there any lactose bi-products added. It is gluten free — not a lot of foods can say that, particularly in the snack bar category.  The funny thing is, though, it actually tastes good without any sugar added. The base of the bar is dates. There are 4 varieties: Chocolate Chip, Banana Muffin, Peanut Butter and Apple. With all that said why are you still intrigued? It was blonde right? Or was it the food? So, you start to do some investigating, as you need an answer to the question.

Who is the blonde?
You might have run into one of the two that man the helm of this healthy snack food ship. The very athletically handsome: Jimmy Simon, Co-Founder of Jimmy Bars OR his lovely niece Ciarra. Ciarra is the extremely cute, collegiate daughter of the other Co-Founder Annette Del Prete. The pieces start to fall in to place as you recognize it. Annette is one of the owners of Fillippo’s Restaurant in Lincoln Park. You probably have been going there for many years either before or after a movie. It’s a staple destination over on Clybourn St. It is kiddy corner from Webster Place Theater.

You recognize the blonde, as you have seen her many times at Fillippo’s, waiting on you. Both businesses are a family thing. This new nutrition bar sprang into existence out of the same kitchen as your homemade pasta dinner. It stands to reason and it is no wonder why it would taste good. The restaurant has been around for over 20 years making your favorite Chicken Valdostana. The restaurant was in the neighborhood before it was a neighborhood. They make their own pasta in house and after a plate of it I asked Annette, “What’s the story?”

A word about Annette… and full disclose here. We go way back. I was a waiter in the first restaurant she managed when she got out of college. Her name was Annette Simon. That’s how we first met. A few years later, I ran into her at Fillippo’s where she was engaged to Fillippo Del Prete. They have since got married and had two kids. Annette is very smart. She knows food and is fierce in business. She is also a serial entrepreneur. She has had four businesses including: the restaurant, a Mexican fast food shop, a wholesale bakery and now Jimmy Bars. Jimmy Simon is her brother and very much like her. He is also a serial entrepreneur. He has had six businesses including a very successful IT development company, an art gallery, a commercial realty business and two paper companies.  He chuckles at doing the same business twice but he said it was fun.

He has lived on both coasts and a couple spots in between before coming back to Chicago to do take on this new venture. They both readily admit to their dad having a lot to do with their self-made state of mind. He was a commodities trader but also an entrepreneur.  He instilled in them the mindset to blaze their own paths. He said there is no pension plan option; one has to build it on-their-own in order to ensure their future. Jimmy (who is very active and very healthy) asked Annette to join him in a new business venture. This time, though,  it would be a retail food item that would leverage her expertise. Her epicurean results are what is currently being sold in over 30 states and Canada. Jimmy Bars are also beginning to ship to the UK and Australia.  It has been a very meteoric rise. They started selling bars just a year and a half ago.


You can read the full article in the Fall Issue of Halfstack Magazine - To read click HERE

Jin: Taking Hip-Hop and Technology by Storm with New Maturi App Project

Jin: Taking Hip-Hop and Technology by Storm with New Maturi App Project

Written by: Dana Rettig as featured in Halfstack's Fall Issue. Read the entire issue today HERE.

Japanese native, Jin, is not your average producer and musician. He is a game changer who believes in the essence of evolution that is sure help others become more advanced in their everyday life.  After taking the music world by storm, Jin decided to establish something that will change the world of technology forever: create his own app device for the aspiring artists to help display their talent.

Jin’s latest device, MaTuRi, allows the world to come together and enjoy their favorite artists among other things.  Although Jin is interested in producing and writing lyrics, Jin is more interested in taking Maturi to another level by promoting the app worldwide.  “We are producing many artists such as my own band, High Speed Boyz, but right now, I am more interested in taking the technology world to a higher level and to use MaTuRi to demonstrate a better and more exciting app.”
 
Less than a month after the app launch, Jin has received excellent response from some the hottest artists in the industry.  In the interview, Jin stated his elation towards his newest project. “I am very happy to hear that many websites picked up Maturi and that lots of artists are interested in creating their own MaTuri apps,” Jin said. “The unprecedented nature of this app system, we believe, will attract many more.”

With Jin’s newest project on display in Japan, he is optimistic that his work of art will take technology to another level of today’s world of ever-changing technology trends. “I am hoping that MaTuRi will be one of the answers and that many artists understand its capability,” he explained. “It’s a demo stage in Japan. The Japanese version should be available in the beginning of 2015.”

Now that everything is in order, what is next move to getting people to take notice of his newest project? “My hope is for every artist to create their own free app through MaTuRi and that those apps would become the bridge between artists and music listeners. The ultimate goal, of course, is to fuse the power of humans and technology, always with a thought of the future in mind. With that in mind, MaTuRi has more than 10 patent technologies,” he explained. He added: “Not to mention, I am very interested in how to improve the connected speed of iCloud,” Jin concluded.

For more information about Jin’s newest app and latest musical project, you can reach Jin on Twitter at Jin_X. Or go to www.maturisystem.com

Pink Flowers Via The Photographer Rookie

Pink Flowers Via The Photographer Rookie

I have been wanting to buy a better camera lens for MONTHS, and finally took the plunge this week investing in a Canon 1.8 50mm lens and Canon EF-EOS M mount adapter for my Canon EOS M. I am trying my hand at more personal photography, I love creating images so much - but - big but - I am starting from scratch! This really is a journey of trial and error . . . ! Today is the first day I've been trialling my new lens. Given that I am currently rocking a wet plait, no makeup, beige outfit getup I'm resisting shooting an outfit post - although oh my gosh I am SO excited for the first one using the new lens - instead I've been pottering around my parents' garden taking images of my Dad's pride and joy - his flowers. I am a HUGE flower lover myself and so snapping away his Summer's efforts was a complete pleasure. 

Read on for more of my rookie pics . . . you even get to see my cute pup Barney for the first time!

Part of being a blogger, working for yourself, creating your own content is evolving -  responding and improving on things you do. I myself can be resistant to change - 'researching' forever and not committing. Whilst seeking background information on investments - like a camera lens - is definitely advisable, procrastinating on things which can improve your business is not. I am so glad I made the investment.

SHOP

Do you guys find yourselves mulling things over for too long? What has been your best 'deep breath  - just do it!' investment? 

This weekend I am spending time with my family as Oli is away. I am so looking forward to trying the burgers here - I have heard they are amazing. 

Have an awesome time all!

Love, 

MB x