The Brilliance!

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We’re really internet and we’re really back. A website about things Benjamin , Chuck , Virgil , and various friends & guests think are interesting. Little-to-no specific focus, a bit odd, speling errors, and incredibly culturally relevant.

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Moncler Puff!

I got put on to this brand a couple years ago while surfing BlueFly. I liked it then, but I’m really feeling it now. Too bad they aren’t all cheap on BlueFly any more. Either way, Moncler is an Italian outwear label that focuses on skiing jackets. They do really incredible ‘puffer’ jackets as we call them. Incredible colors and even better fits. Real slim ‘puffer’ jackets rather than the ones from North Face that I think are too bubbly. I feel like I can’t bend over to tie my shoes with those things on…I might pop. Moncler also has one of the more classic logo’s I have seen in a while…embroider on felt pad. Fresh. THE BRILLIANCE is into Moncler right now. Also…our server has been up and down today. Big shout out to our hosting company on that…uh.

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Bun-B interview…!

I like Bun-B. His CD is dropping soon. It’s called ‘Trill’. You should buy it and put it on your iPod or whatever. Good interview right here, talks about a little of everything including collaborations on his CD which include a track with Talib which is kind of wild, left field. Some other interesting points as well. I mean…it’s not like, and incredible article. This post was made cause I haven’t made one in a while and I want to give Bun-B some shine. That’s assuming he needs shine from a ‘blog’ site that posts about facial cleansers and stuff. Read the article. His CD drops on the 18th of October. I’m out for the night…catch me sipping that Effen Black-Berry straight-up on the rocks.

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OMG NYC Real Estate!

Round 3 for these. I’m dedicating this to the Upper East side. Cause I feel like it. ONE - $2.7m, one of cheapest in the area (whoa)…But look at those windows and ceilings man! I love the ‘hard’ edges and corners along with the contrast of the black trimmed windows. I don’t know…just that perfect modern regal feel. TWO – I don’t like looking at computer plans for a building, doesn’t connect as much. But this place is on point. The bathroom is classic, reminds me of the bathrooms @ the Venetian in Vegas. I like this place…has that new building smell. THREE – Museum status. Look at the hallway (pictured)…perfect. This one is considerably more expensive…and it needs to be pictured with a little less furniture. I would go crazy minimal. I love the ceiling style in this one. That was my favorite one by far. That’s it for this round. When you go to any of these open houses tell them we sent you, ha. And no, I don’t buy real estate in these price ranges yet.

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Kiehl’s, cucumber status!

I love brands with tons of heritage. Kiehl’s is certainly on of these brands. I personally used Anthony Logistics for a long minute before I got my huge box of Kiehl’s product that was in the VIP gift bags @ Semi Permanent this past weekend. Huge shout out to everyone from Happy Corp for the hookup this past weekend. Anyway… I’m feeling this stuff. Huge variety of products, some of which I can’t pronounce. Like the little jar of Abyssine…I had no idea what it was for until I hit up their site, ha… But yeah, huge variety of products, I particularly like the cucumber stuff. That’s gangster right there man, cucumbers dog…cucumbers. Don’t knock my cleanliness, word to Slick Rick! Plus all the bottles look so fresh in my walk-in shower, all lined up. But honestly, they have good stuff, and really cool stores as well. Go buy some, THE BRILLIANCE said so.

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Jim Jones in Mass Appeal!

First off…I’m going to start posting more. A lot more hopefully. That’s just what’s up….anyway. Jim Jones. Love what this dude is doing, so…new. His interview in Mass Appeal is superb as well. Mass Appeal takes him to get a facial at some posh spa in Manhattan and proceed to do the photo shoot and interview while he is getting ‘slathered with moisturizer and seaweed’ by three polish women…James Bond status. The photo shoot is really fresh man, props to Mass Appeal…Jim is so photogenic. But what stood out the most with me are the comments Jimmy made about a young Harlem kid who wanted to work with him but didn’t rap or sing. Jim offered him a job as an assistant / driver for all his daily transportation needs…Jim then went on to explain in detail to this young lad that the Dips as a business are always using an outside driver service for artists/execs/employees/etc and that he should start his own driver service and in-turn he would get all that business. Maybe I am too easily amused, but that is business right there. Jim is doing pretty incredible things as a true business man in the industry. I don’t necessarily like all his music, or everything he has to say…it’s quite insightful to listen to things like this. The rest of the article is good as well. ’…on 45th and Broadway!...’

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Dream Hotel – NYC!

Just stayed there for 3 nights this past weekend for Semi-Permanent 05… I’d have to say, not to be rude, but I wasn’t expecting all that much. These NYC hotels spend crazy money on their lobby’s and bar’s but nothing on the rooms which are often way too small – Hudson. Dream was different…check in was smooth, the two-floor tubular coral fish-tank is just crazy, the huge back-lit murals on each floor are a very nice touch, the room treatments are great – the floor-lighting, the flat-screens, lit desk, great bathrooms with the dual shower-head, what else…the apples on your pillow at night are an interesting touch. Also…the lobby has some weird decoration vibes. Seems like they are trying to have random objects and themes similar to how dreams always have weird juxtapositions and all that. The concierge dude was classic…kind of rude, but helpful I suppose, you could tell he was all about having a job where he can be a condescending New Yorker…funny stuff. I would recommend staying here, the rooms are huge, I like that. If you stay in 201 you can jump from the big dresser all the way onto the bed…but I think we broke the one bed closest to the door doing this. Ha. ***Calling themselves ‘Hautel Couture’ is unbelievably corny, sorry.

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Verified Identity Pass, Inc!

$79.95 and a magical “you’re cool” from TSA will get you through airport security real easy and breezy. This new company Verified Identity Pass, Inc. is trying to get rid of the embarrassing pat-downs, interrogation, luggage rummaging and scary looks you randomly get when going through airport security. Now, personally, I don’t know anything about this…never had any issues. My man Chuck on the other hand has been groped in front of quite a few people @ Midway that one time. I thought it was one of the funniest things I’d ever seen…he on the other hand didn’t. To be honest, I checked their corporate site and couldn’t really find much on exactly what having this new bio-metric card does for me. Do they not check anything?! They said something about not having to take off your shoes…which would be a real good look for Chuck. Ha. Either way…after going through security in La Guardia on 9/11 this weekend, I thought I would post about this. Check this news article from News.com. I just realized its V.I.P. – clever.

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Weekend recap! NYC!!

Nah thanks Ben, I’ll just put my comments up here. Wow. What a fun weekend. Seriously thanks to EVERYBODY who came and talked to me after I spoke and who talked with both me and Ben about THE BRILLIANCE. Semi-Permanent was a blast - lots of great speakers, people, food, sponsors, walking around the city…just everything was great. I just have to mention a few specific people who I met this weekend…Brianna and Vivian from XLR8R, Wendy HU!, Johnny Cupcakes, Joel Speasmaker, Barbara and Nicole, Toby from Burton, Ben Eneone, all the speakers of course, The Chopping Block guys, the Star Trak guys, Robert Trautman, Sally from Mass Appeal, Kareem Black!, Chantal the DJ (ha), and last but certainly not least, Mark the Cobra Snake, seen here in this picture of me and him at the closing night party. Look at this, with all my ghetto shout-outs. Anyways, the speakers were all good, food was great, jumping off the dresser onto the beds in our hotel room was great, everybody asking me if I was nervous was great…yeah. We’ll post some pictures real soon for everyone to see. What a weekend though…Sorry if I forgot to mention anyone I/we met, too many people to list. On another note, I just had hot wings and played blackjack and plan to clean my place tonight because it’s really messy. Also I have some stamps sitting on my desk. ***Yo…ditto on all that Chuck said and all the shout outs! Thanks to our Aussie friends for swapping rooms at the hotel - benjamin

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Back!

We’ll do a full post with pictures from the Semi-Permanent 05 weekend later this week I think. Either way, it was wild. Super wild. Brief highlights: the Dream hotel is nicer than I expected, the crew from Austrila are mad cool, man these NYC girls are too good looking, Charlie White is one wild dude, Mark The Cobra Snake is fun as hell to hang out with, the VIP gift bags were fresh – shout out to Kiehls, the after parties were too much fun, the subway is way cheaper than cabs (uh), Chuck’s speech was too good – yes, I’m biased, thanks to everyone we met that was cool – so many people. I’ll leave space for Chuck to make some comments here:

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And we’re out…

I think Chuck is already at the airport… I leave in like an hour or two. NYC for a few days, Semi-Permanent, parties, dinners, etc…all that. Should be a nice little vacation. Won’t be any posts while we’re there, at least I don’t think there will be. Hit us up, hello@thebrilliance.com, with whatever random questions you might have…ask about Chuck’s incredible new tattoo (whoa), ask about what I packed in my luggage, if we had isle or window seats…uhhh…I don’t know, whatever you know? And if someone doesn’t mind, where is the best place to grab a pair of Stan Smiths in Manhattan…we are staying in the 50’s off broadway I think. That’s really all I can think to type. See everyone there. ‘…baby, I’m going on an aero-plane, and I don’t know if I’ll be back again…’