FIJI Water » Lifestyle

Discover FIJI Water and Win a Culinary Adventure

FIJI Water — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:34:16 +0000

FIJI Water is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Good Food & Wine show, Australia’s largest and fastest growing consumer good food and wine exhibition. We are giving away two double passes (4 platinum tickets) to four lucky Facebook contest winners, and each winner will enjoy a two-day visit to one of these four show: Melbourne (June 7-10), Sydney (June 28-30), Perth (July 19-21) & Brisbane (Nov 8-10). Platinum tickets will provide winners with special benefits including access to the VIP room and to Celebrity Theatres featuring chefs such as Maggie Beer, Donna Hay, Ainsley Harriott and Curtis Stone. To make it an event to remember, we are also including one night’s free accommodation at the following Novotel hotels: Novotel Melbourne on Collins St, Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour, Novotel Perth Langley, and Novotel Brisbane. We will also give away general admission tickets to 5 Facebook contest runners up for each show. Fans will enjoy exclusive content in the lead up, during, and after these events with our very own FIJI Water Foodie blogging team: Jennifer Lam aka Jenius http://www.jenius.com.au/ Thanh Do http://www.ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com Monica McGuire http://gastromony.com/ Claire Cameron http://clairekcreations.com/ For more details about the show, please go to the event website, Like our Facebook page, and find out more about our hotel partner Novotel Hotel as part of your culinary adventure. Enter the contest here.

Enter to Win a Vacation in Fiji

FIJI Water — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:15:43 +0000

It's that time of year again, the time when FIJI Water offers our drinkers a chance to visit our beautiful home, the islands of Fiji. This summer, enter to win a seven-night vacation at the Malolo Island and Likuliku Lagoon resorts. Prize package includes airfare from Los Angeles courtesy Air Pacific. Click the button below to enter or go to FIJIWater.com/Fiji. Enter Now

Sign Up for The Great FIJI Water Race Food Discovery Contest at Savour Singapore

FIJI Water — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:44:51 +0000

FIJI Water is proud to present The Great FIJI Water Race, as part of Savour 2013, Singapore’s largest gastronomic extravaganza showcasing the best from world-renowned chefs and leading establishments in the food and beverage industry. To be held on Saturday, 13 April 2013 from 12noon to 4pm, the winner of The Great FIJI Water Race will walk away with the grand prize of $1,000 cash and one year’s supply of FIJI Water. The race is a fun initiative by FIJI Water to engage participants in an exciting Amazing-Race style discovery of Savour 2013. To vie for the grand prize, contest hopefuls need to complete five tasks and three optional bonus tasks to earn the most points in the shortest amount of time, while blazing their trail through photos and captions on Instagram, with the hash tag #FIJIWaterSavour2013. For more information on The Great FIJI Water Race, see our Singapore Facebook page. To learn more about Savour, click here.

FIJI Water and JUSTIN & Landmark Vineyards at the 2013 South Beach Wine & Food Festival

FIJI Water — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:04:41 +0000

For the third consecutive year, FIJI Water made a splash at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival with an exclusive footprint in the sand at the Grand Tasting Village. Festival goers were treated to chilled FIJI under the sun and, for the first time, invited to sample premiere vintages from our sister wineries, JUSTIN and Landmark Vineyards. Thousands of guests enjoyed FIJI, JUSTIN and Landmark, as well as decadent bites from Miami’s own Red, The Steakhouse, from our oceanfront, sand-bottom courtyard. FIJI Water Brand Ambassadors were also on-hand to tray-pass water bottles to the crowd gathered outside the FIJI tent. Throughout the weekend, FIJI was served exclusively at nine other events, hosted by celebrity chefs such as Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Bobby Flay, Daniel Boulud and Michael Syman. JUSTIN & Landmark were served exclusively at the waterfront bash “From the Big Apple to the Big Easy” hosted by John Besh, Marcus Samuelsson and Aarón Sanchez at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

The Daily Thirst: Behind the Scenes of London Fashion Week with FIJI Water

FIJI Water — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 17:51:48 +0000

At this very moment, the fashion crowd are taking over London as we prepare for a hectic and inspiring week. Fashion156 and FIJI Water are teaming up to provide you with exclusive backstage coverage daily. This will give style fans the amazing opportunity to experience London Fashion Week from an insider perspective. We have selected six inspiring designers that will grant us access to find out what happens behind the scenes of a whirling show at LFW - the styling, the models, the last minute nerves - while they stay hydrated and refreshed by FIJI Water. We will be following Derek Lawlor, Eleanor Amoroso & Claudia Ligari, Adam Andrascik, Hemyca and James Long on their LFW journey. The exclusive backstage and collection photographs will be posted on the fashion156.com blog every day with additional images on the FIJI Water Facebook page.

Win a Trip for Four to The Venetian in Las Vegas!

FIJI Water — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 09:24:23 +0000

What's more fun than a weekend in Vegas? Bringing your friends along with you! FIJI Water and The Venetian Las Vegas are teaming up to give away a weekend for four in Las Vegas. The prize package includes four airfare vouchers, two Bella suites at The Venetian, dinner with wine pairing at the Pinot Brasserie, a day pass to the Canyon Ranch Spa, tickets to the Rock of Ages musical and three months of FIJI Water Home Delivery. To enter, go to fijiwater.com/Venetian or click the button below. Enter Now

FIJI Water Assists in Cyclone Relief Efforts

FIJI Water — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:51:32 +0000

FIJI Water has taken steps to ensure access to clean, safe drinking water for victims of Cyclone Evan, the category 4 storm that hit Fiji and the Samoas in the middle of this month by donating over F$70,000 worth of FIJI Water. Three container-loads have been donated to DISMAC and one container-load has been donated to the Fiji Red Cross. In a short ceremony held at Government Supplies, Lautoka, on December 20, FIJI Water CEO Rokoseru Nabalarua presented the water to Commissioner Western, Commander Joeli Cawaki, for distribution to those in most need after the cyclone. Commander Cawaki thanked the management and staff of FIJI Water for being proactive, saying, “This timely donation will help distressed members of our community, particularly children, to have access to safe drinking water. This is always a major concern following any natural disaster.” Mr Nabalarua said, “It is important that people who have already been adversely affected by the cyclone do not have to face any additional problems because their water supply has been disrupted or possibly contaminated in any way.” FIJI Water’s donation follows similar efforts in the wake of flooding in Fiji earlier this year.

Oh, the Possibilities! Win a $500 Shopping Spree at Gilt.Com

FIJI Water — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 07:45:56 +0000

This fall, FIJI Water is teaming up with Gilt City, the local lifestyle site from the Gilt Groupe that offers memorable adventures and exclusive offers, all at insider prices. In collaboration with Gilt City Chicago, Gilt City New York and Gilt City Los Angeles, FIJI Water is giving away not one but three separate $500 shopping sprees on Gilt.com this October, December and January. Click the button below to enter the December sweepstakes, which runs December 6 to December 31, and come back to FIJIWater.com in January for more sweepstakes.

Katy Perry Performs at amfAR Inspiration Gala in Los Angeles

FIJI Water — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:52:10 +0000

On October 11th in Los Angeles, FIJI Water was front and center at amfAR’s star-studded Inspiration Gala at Milk Studios. Among those in attendance were: Sarah Jessica Parker, who had a “Sex and the City” reunion with Kristin Davis and Michael Patrick King; Kate Hudson looking glam in red; a very boho-chic Katy Perry giving an amazing performance and closing the night with “Firework”; plus lovely leading lady Octavia Spencer, supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio, athlete extraordinaire Shaun White, and more. The fete, which was hosted by renowned comedian Chelsea Handler, honored CAA’s Kevin Huvane. As the exclusive water, FIJI Water was present on every table for guests to enjoy during the show. The Inspiration Gala raised more than $1.3 Million to benefit amfAR’s life-saving AIDS research programs. FIJI Water is proud to have been a part of this special evening.

Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds from FOOD & WINE

FIJI Water — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:13:53 +0000

With the temperatures turning chilly as fall arrives, it's the perfect time of year to make large pots of soup that you can enjoy for days, and even freeze for those nights you just don't feel like cooking. When America's finest bottled drinking water, FIJI, joined forces with FOOD & WINE Magazine, a culinary marriage made in heaven was created. FIJI Water, never touched by human hands during the bottling process, is the perfect addition to any meal, and when that dish is a delectable recipe from one of the world's most celebrated epicurean publications, the result is a culinary experience that is simply incomparable and unforgettable. Please visit the FIJI Water Facebook page for dozens of fall-themed recipes sure to please all foodies!

The FIJI Water Experience

From the island nation of Fiji, this amazingly pure and rich water is drawn from an artesian aquifer that lies below a pristine rainforest giving it the sublime taste that cannot be found in other bottled waters. No other water in the world is produced like FIJI Water. The unique creation process begins with rain falling on the tropical island of Viti Levu's northern coast where it then filters down through layers of ancient volcanic rock—a natural filtration process that brings mineral silica into the mix producing FIJI Water's smooth, soft texture that tastes delicious cold, chilled or even at room temperature, which is why we believe it is the best bottled drinking water available.

Carrot Soup for the Soul

When bottled water is produced with such time, care and attention to detail, it pairs well with any food, as you will discover when you sip it with this featured recipe from FOOD & WINE Magazine: Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds. Doesn't the name of the dish alone make you feel warm and fuzzy inside? With a total preparation and cooking time of just one hour, even a novice home cook can make anyone's taste buds dance with this heart-warming autumnal soup filled with vitamins and healthy ingredients even kids will love! This recipe would make a great start to any Thanksgiving dinner and is a wonderful choice for a cool, crisp autumn evening.

Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds

makes 12 servings

TdHIS IS JT TO ADD A BLANK LINE

8 ounces onions, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth 1 quart water 2 pounds of carrots, sliced 1/3 inch thick 6 large scallions, thinly sliced crosswise 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds ½ cup of heavy cream ½ cup of milk Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pot, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and water along with the carrots and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the carrots are tender, which takes about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add scallions and poppy seeds and cook over moderately high heat, stirring until the scallions are softened, which takes about one minute only.
Working in batches, puree the carrot soup in a blender until smooth and transfer it to a clean saucepan. Stir in cream and milk and then simmer over moderate heat, stirring. Season with salt and pepper and then ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish the soup with scallions and poppy seeds. Serves 12. This soup can be made the night before and then reheated when you're ready to serve.

FOOD & WINE Magazine suggests serving this carrot soup with a full-bodied, luscious California white and FIJI bottled water products.

The FIJI Water Pumpkin Stencils Are Back!

FIJI Water — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:32:28 +0000

Back by popular demand (again), the FIJI Water pumpkin stencils! Download these free stencils and bring a little FIJI to your Halloween. And remember, FIJI Water may be one of the few healthy "treats" you can give out that won't get your house tp'd.

Bonus: Win a Case of FIJI Water!

Take a photo of your pumpkin with the FIJI Water stencil and you could win a case of FIJI Water delivered to your home or office! Just Tweet or Instagram your photo with tag #discoverFIJIWater or post it to our Facebook page.

How to Use the FIJI Water Pumpkin Stencils

To use the stencils, just click on the image below, which will open a PDF that you can print out. Cut out the parts of the stencil that say “Remove,” tape it to your pumpkin, and start carvin’. Be sure to share your Halloween creations with us on our Facebook page! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="216" caption="The Hibiscus Stencil"][/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="738" caption="The Beach Stencil"][/caption]

Fashion Designer Malene Grotrian on Making Women Feel Confident

FIJI Water — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 21:09:20 +0000

Malene Grotrian is an award-winning fashion designer, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. We caught up with her as she was taking care of the last little details for her New Heights fashion event: the official launch of her Fall-Winter 2012 collection. Q: What's your background? I grew up in Jutland, Denmark with two brothers, and I graduated from Teko Centre, Denmark in 2004 from fashion design school. I trained in both Denmark and Italy. Currently, I live in Squamish, British Columbia. Q: What inspired you to become a designer? Someone told me: “You make women feel beautiful and confident.” That gave me a meaning and fulfillment of the question "why?" If I can change how women feel about themselves I have a responsibility to do this. That is actually how I look at my purpose with being a designer. I have always been interested in helping and listening to others, and designing has given me the creative outlet to do just that. Q: What was the inspiration for this season’s collection? The new collection is inspired by effortless sophistication translated into a collection of ready to wear garments, classic designs with statement details. A soft tailored collection with design details and colors inspired by the 1940’s. With attention to celebrate the feminine, hourglass shape, each piece is carefully designed with the option to emphasize the curves of the body. A gently tailored professional collection with movement and three dimensional details in necklines collars and belts. The colour scheme features two tones or contrast colours, showing both the inside and outside fabrics in charcoal, ivory, navy, black, white, sage, ruby and winter pink. Details include two tone, reversed fabrics, large signature collars and silk satin edge finishes. We are very proud that all pieces are designed and manufactured locally in Vancouver B.C. [caption id="attachment_21950" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Melane Grotrian with a model in her studio. "][/caption] Q: How would you define the Canadian fashion scene? There is a lot of amazing talent in Canada, a lot of hidden talent too, smaller boutiques and designer labels that are only in their local markets. Defining the style generally, it is a much more casual outdoorsy appearance mixed with more conservative, quite different than the European scene that I’ve been raised in, which is more focused on quantity than quality generally. Q: Who are some of your favorite designers? Vivienne Westwood – she masters the combination of fabrics and textures, Karl Lagerfeld – his timeless classic style and sophistication. Q: Who is one of your favorite local models to work with? For the past two seasons we have featured Beatrice King as our Campaign Model. She is an actress and an outstanding woman with many talents. We love working with Beatrice because she exudes our brand of embracing the female form and curves, she is elegant, sophisticated and timeless. Beatrice emulates the elegance and confidence that our collections entail. Her look is very classic and she represents Vancouver well with her unique look, classic strong features and a very feminine body. Beatrice is a joy to work with! Q: What are your favorite colors to work with and why? I love working with neutrals, blacks, greys and charcoal colours that don’t fall into a particular season. I love a deep red and a strong cobalt blue – both of these colours can translate into each season and work for many personalities and skin tines. Q: What is your favorite piece from this season’s collection? How long did it take you to construct it? My favorite piece from this season collection is long key hole dress, it’s a chiffon fabric with a flowing elegant design. It’s classic and comfortable and easy to wear and style in different ways. Q: How do you want people to feel when wearing your clothing? I want women to feel like the best version of themselves when wearing my clothes. I hope they feel like themselves – they drape it into how they feel that day – unique looks for them with the versatility to create their own look and be creative with their own look - a sense of freedom and confidence. Q: In fashion, what does “good taste” mean to you? “Good Taste” to me means feeling confident in your own skin and selecting clothing that communicates who you want the world to see you as. Embracing your natural shape and feeling confident in that is “good taste” to me. Quality speaks to good taste, good materials. Minimalistic design can be good taste – not over doing it. It’s very individual – timeless classic and unique. Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a fashion designer? Stay true to designing what you are passionate about; try not to be affected by other designers and the industry. It’s easy to feel intimidated and question yourself, but stay true to what’s original to you. And don't be afraid of hard work! Q: How do you prepare for a fashion shoot or show? It’s a balancing act to nurture the creative side of my business while also preparing for a show or shoot. I practice meditation daily and create a lot of lists to stay on top of things! I have an excellent team who helps to prepare things for the front of house and back of house areas of the show. We work together to create a new event every Fall season for 200-250 of our clients, fans and media. Visit Malene Grotrian's website.

Win a Case of FIJI Water Instantly With Your Instagram or Twitter Photo!

FIJI Water — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:50:41 +0000

We want to see how creative our fans can be! When you tag your best Instagram and Twitter photos #DiscoverFIJIWater, you will be instantly entered to win a case of FIJI Water delivered to your home or office via FIJI Water Delivery. One winner will be chosen every day through the end of the year - so get shooting! Extra credit to anyone who includes a FIJI Water bottle in their photo. The contest theme changes monthly (or sometimes weekly, depending on our mood). Check our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter for the latest photo contest theme.

November's Photo Contest Theme: "What Are You Thankful For?"

This November, the theme is "what are you thankful for?" Show us what you're thankful for in a photo (with a description), and tag the photo #discoverFIJIWater. Each day we'll pick one winner. Extra credit if your photo includes a FIJI Water bottle! Winners will be contacted by comment on their Instagram photo, or by Twitter. Open to residents of the continental U.S. only (but if you live elsewhere and we like your photo, we'll post it to our Facebook page!) Read the official rules for all the boring details.

FIJI Water and Food & Wine Magazine: the Perfect Pairing

FIJI Water — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 22:18:46 +0000

No one knows water like FIJI Water, and no one knows food like Food & Wine magazine, so there is no better culinary pairing than these two superstars, perfectly suited for even the most discerning palate. Now through the end of the year, FIJI Water presents hand-selected recipes from Food & Wine magazine on a special Facebook tab. View and download all 24 recipes, and share them with friends.

Recipes From Around the World and the Palate

Discover exceptional new flavors like Curry Lobster Rolls and Moscow Banh Mi with the Earth's finest water —- never touched by human hands during the bottling process. As you experience a culinary journey around the world, and the palate, you'll soon learn that the natural purity of our natural artesian bottled water pairs well with a wide range of foods, because our smooth taste never interferes with the flavors of a dish. FIJI Water's strict commitment to quality and Food & Wine magazine's dedication to offering up only the finest epicurean masterpieces ensure your next meal will not soon be forgotten. Visit often to find more amazing recipes for delicious food that tastes even better when paired with FIJI Water, Earth’s finest water.

Highlights From London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013

FIJI Water — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:57:16 +0000

As New York Fashion Week was coming to a close with some amazing shows, the 28th edition of London Fashion Week was just starting. Now that London has wrapped, FIJI Water has a preview of the trends that will be filtering into the shops and onto the streets for Spring Summer 2013.

London's Up-and-Coming Fashion Designers

[caption id="attachment_21923" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Christian Blanken design from London Fashion Week"][/caption] FIJI Water continues to support the best up-and-coming designers here in London. Central Saint Martins graduate Adam Andrascik was tipped by Selfridges as 'one to watch' last year and we couldn't agree more. The Hackney-based designer held his presentation at the Royal Society of Arts. And indeed, the collection was a work of art: with mermaid-like, sheer and shimmering fabrics, ethereal whites and sleek silhouettes. Meanwhile, Georgia Hardinge traded runway for big screen, showcasing her graceful and structural designs via an under-water documentary, titled 'STILL' (see still from STILL above). Her inspirations came from Gustav Klimt and Sigmund Freud and we just loved the fusion of fashion and water; view the video. Christian Blanken is renowned for elegant casual-tailoring and his latest collection of womenswear gave a firm nod to the 60's; with Cardin-inspired cuts and the hottest hotpants we've spied this season. Christian mixed textured leather and metallics – two of the big trends to watch for in 2013 – and added flashes of hot pink, lime & canary to his monochrome and grey palette (see photo at right). Daniele Helayel upped the glamour over at Issa London. The 'Garden of Eden' theme was brought to life through bold colours and tropical prints; the models beautifully bronzed and accessorised with orchids. The perfect backdrop while sipping FIJI...we are all over the fashion for floral! Thank you to Obui Amaechi & Nic Shonfeld for images.

Marchesa Spring 2013 Collection Brings Celebs to Grand Central Station

FIJI Water — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 23:06:10 +0000

FIJI Water had a backstage pass and front row seat to New York Fashion Week! From Alexander Wang to Marc Jacobs, Prabal Gurung to Marchesa, we had exclusive access to some of the week’s hottest ticket shows around Manhattan.

Marchesa in Grand Central

On September 12th, we headed to none other than Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street, where we hosted the highly anticipated Marchesa Spring 2013 Fashion Show in historic Vanderbilt Hall. Fresh off the heels of designing Blake Lively’s wedding dress, Marchesa masterminds Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig brought a whimsical collection of Indian-inspired, 1960s haute couture to the runway, leaving a star-powered crowd enchanted. Before the show, celebrities, tastemakers and fashion industry elite mingled at our exclusive Backstage Lounge and enjoyed FIJI Water while catching a sneak peek of the collection. Among the attendees were Tyra Banks, Stacy Keibler, Bar Rafaeli, Kelly Osbourne, Olivia Palermo, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Sarah Hyland. And of course, VOGUE's Anna Wintour and Georgina Chapman's husband, Harvey Weinstein.

Crowd Goes Wild When "Kimye" Arrives

Just minutes before show time, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West arrived hand in hand, looking super glamorous and casual in double denim respectively. Event producers and security guards tried to whisk them through the growing crowd of guests and past the roaring photographers to no avail. After posing for several photographs and saying polite hello’s, they made it to their front row and center seats, where FIJI Water was waiting for them. It was like a scene out of, well, Grand Central Station.

Video: Ashlee Simpson Adds Heat to Summer Soak at Wet Republic

FIJI Water — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:57:43 +0000

The sun was scorching, the music was electrifying– our second FIJI Water Summer Soak event was the perfect way for guests to celebrate the end of summer in style! A happy and fresh-faced Ashlee Simpson hosted the pool party at WET REPUBLIC at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 8th. Looking pretty in polka dots, Ashlee soaked up the sun and even brought along Papa Joe Simpson! Ashlee enjoyed a FIJI Water snow cone – a refreshing treat for a scorching September Saturday! She also shared with us what TV shows she’s looking forward to this Fall, which include: “Boardwalk Empire,” “Girls” and “Game of Thrones.” Our brand ambassadors were also at the event in our signature blue swimsuits, mingling with guests and passing out bottles of FIJI Water. Our beach balls were a HIT in the pool and our sunglasses provided some much needed shade! Thank you to Ashlee for adding heat to an already smoldering pool party!

FIJI Fashion Alum Gabriel Charles Tyler on Indie Gems and Making It Work

FIJI Water — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 09:44:43 +0000

Every season at Fashion Week there is a small army of fashion interns, dressed in black, running behind-the-scenes, ensuring that all the little details are taken care of. We sat down with three such individuals who have landed the internships that fashionistas dream of. Find out what advice they have for fashion intern hopefuls, the best places to shop for interns on a budget, and some suggestions on what to wear on the first day.

Gabriel Charles Tyler: Fashion Blogger, Consultant

Gabriel Charles Tyler (above at left with Brad Goreski) first interned for FIJI Water during September 2011 Fashion Week in New York. Now as a college student by day and an up-and-coming fashion writer by night, he lends advice for those looking to walk a day in his shoes—wing-tipped Oxford shoes to be exact. Q: Where are you from? Chicago, Illinois — born, raised and bred. Q: What do you do currently? I'm a student at DePaul University, Fashion Blogger for ChiTown Fashionista, freelance journalist and consultant for a few fashion designers and start-up media companies. Q: What is your favorite fashion publication? I mean VOGUE is the Bible by which everyone in the fashion industry lives, but I'm a man, so Details is often my guilty pleasure. Q: What are you looking forward to most this season? I've really been getting into indie and first-showcase designers this season. It's always interesting to see a designer before they really make it because the passion is fresh — new designers take more liberties because people don't know what to expect. Q: Who influences your style? In terms of stores, I shop a little of everywhere — you'll find me knee-deep in H&M and TopMan, but thrifted clothes always add a little umph to any outfit. Tinie Tempah and Kanye West are among my style icons. Q: So it’s your first day at a new internship—what do you wear? You want to reveal that you have style, but you don't want to go too far on the first day. I usually try to wear a minimalistic-based outfit, keeping the colors neutral and the pieces very minimal — a white, slim fit dress shirt, charcoal colored slacks and wing-tipped Oxfords work. Use accessories to give the outfit a little subtle edge. Q: What advice would you have for fashion hopefuls looking to land their dream internship? In the words of Tim Gunn, who I'm obsessed with, "Make it work." 1. Don't come into any position blind — you may never be an expert, but you need to do everything in your power to get close to being one. 2. Do like I did — say who, what, and where you want to be, and make it happen. Q: Let’s play word association! What is the first thought that comes to mind when we say—Fashion? Sleek, Sexy and Sophisticated. Q: Ok, last question—Fashion Internships. What is one myth, one misconception and one truth? Myth: The life of a fashion intern is glamorous. Misconception: Fashion interns get recognition for the work they do. Sometimes you get recognized and sometimes you don't; when you work for a company or brand, every great thing you do is technically their masterpiece. Do fashion because you love it; your love should be primary, recognition and rewards should be secondary. Truth: Fashion is a lot of work. A lot of people don't see how much sweat, blood and tears goes into a magazine cover, 10 minute runway show or store installation, so they think it's as easy as we make it seem. Everyone's experience with fashion is different, but if you put in the work, it'll be worth it in the end.

Fashion Intern Lucy Angel’s Advice on Making It in the Fashion Business

FIJI Water — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:44:03 +0000

Lucy Angel: Working in Fashion E-Commerce

Lucy first interned for FIJI Water during New York Fashion Week’s Fall 2012 season. This summer, she interned in New York City for one of the top designers in the nation, Alexander Wang. Q: Where are you from and where do you go to school? I'm from the amazing city of Chicago. I'm a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I'm majoring in Textile and Apparel Design and minoring in Entrepreneurship. Q: What is your current internship? A few days ago I wrapped up my summer internship in NYC with my dream company, Alexander Wang! Q: What is a typical day like for an Alexander Wang intern? I was an E-Commerce intern at Alexander Wang. That mainly entailed working on and with all aspects of our E-Commerce site. With that being said, no two days were the same! One day I would be editing the website; another day I’d be on set for a photo shoot. Every day brought on new challenges and that was what I really loved about the internship. Q: Who is your Fashion icon? Karla Deras of the blog, Karla's Closet (www.karlascloset.com) is hands down my fashion icon. There's something about the way she juxtaposes extremely feminine pieces with very masculine ones that makes it look effortless. Q: What do you think is the hot new trend for Fall? Lots and lots of leather! Q: What would you like to be doing in a few years? I'll be graduating school in two years and after graduation, I definitely would like to be living in NYC. I would love to be back in the E-Commerce department at Alexander Wang. It was definitely a position in a company that completely resonates with me but the possibilities are endless! Q: So it’s your first day at a new internship—what do you wear? I think it's really important to understand the aesthetics of the company you're interning for. If you're interning for a fashion house, wear something that represents the brand. Comfort is also key. You never know what tasks you'll end up taking on that first day. So although your sky high stilettos look amazing, please leave them at home! Q: What advice would you have for fashion hopefuls looking to land their dream internship? My biggest advice to fashion hopefuls in landing their dream internship is to be persistent. If this is something you really want, show them and make sure they take notice. A big reason I landed my internship at Alexander Wang was because I kept in constant contact with the HR Assistant. I made sure to check up on my application, if there were any updates, etc. etc. It really shows that you want to be there. Also, set your dream internship as your main goal. I remember reading an article about Alexander Wang in October of 2011 and thinking how amazing the company was. In February 2012, thanks to FIJI Water, I ended up backstage at the Fall 12 show and knew that I needed to be at that company and in May 2012 I started my internship at Alexander Wang. Set your goals and reach them. Q: Let’s play word association! What is the first thought that comes to mind when we say—Editorial? Photoshoots! My favorite parts of magazines are the editorial shoots in the back. I'm currently obsessed with all the ones in the September Issue! Q: Ok, last question—Fashion Internships. What is one myth, one misconception and one truth? One myth: All fashion interns do is go on coffee runs and make copies. If the fashion house you're interning for really values your time, they won't have you do that. One misconception: Other fashion interns are snobby and competitive. I've met some of my best friends through my fashion internships! One truth: You'll work harder than you ever have before but you'll love every second of it.

FIJI Fashion Alum Kristie Dash on Myths and Realities of Working in Fashion

FIJI Water — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:57:15 +0000

Kristie Dash: On the Fashion Editor Track

Kristie (above at left with Sophia Bush) first interned for FIJI Water in September 2011 during New York Fashion Week. Before we met her, she had wrapped up an internship at top fashion publication Harper’s Bazaar, and after her FIJI Water internship she has interned at Teen Vogue, E! News, Celebuzz.com and NBC Productions! Talk about a fashion intern’s dream resume! Find out below what she has learned from all of those great opportunities. Q: Where are you living now? New York City. Q: What is your current internship? I just finished up a summer internship with E! News...one of my dream places to work. Q: Where are the best places to shop in NY for an intern on a budget? I pretty much buy everything at some kind of sale. I check Racked NY every week to see what sample sales are going on and I’m on every annoying email list for stores I love. If you opt out of emails for stores like Scoop, Barneys, and Anthropologie, you will miss the boat on the best deals. Also, Zara is a no-brainer if you’re in New York. Always on sale and on trend. Q: So it’s your first day at a new internship — what do you wear? Something you feel totally comfortable in and that you feel represents your fashion aesthetic. This is your first impression, so why go out and buy something new and be someone you’re not? Imagine opening your closet and grabbing your absolute favorite (work-appropriate) piece. Whether it’s a printed blouse or a crisp white blazer, do YOU! Sure you want to look extra chic for your first day, but chances are you’re already naturally chic so go with your first instinct. Just remember to bring a pair of flats! Q: What advice would you have for fashion hopefuls looking to land their dream internship? Be persistent and be confident. It’s all about making those first steps. Sure, sending a cover letter and resume to an industry pro you really admire can be scary, but you have to do it. If they email you to schedule an interview, respond ASAP and don’t let the opportunity slip away. These people get so many emails a day that they quite possibly could have missed one from you. After a few days with no response, send another short message. Just don’t be too pushy. Also, don’t be picky when you are just starting out. Apply to many internships if you really want one. You can’t start at the top. You have to do a lot and work A LOT of unpaid hours to get to your dream internship. Q: What would you like to be doing in a few years? In a few years, I want to be an editor at a fashion magazine. Still deciding which department, but I think I want to stick with beauty. Beauty encompasses all things “style” so it suits my interests perfectly. Q: Let’s play word association! What is the first thought that comes to mind when we say —Marchesa? Glamour. My very first internship was at Harper’s Bazaar. I had a pick-up to do at the Marchesa showroom so I was super excited. Only problem was...when I got there, they handed me two of the largest garment bags I had ever seen. My trek back to the office was definitely a memorable one. Turns out there were three huge gowns in there. And when I say gowns, I mean gowns. Let’s just say my arms and back were sore for a couple days. Q: Ok, last question— fashion internships. What is one myth, one misconception and one truth? Myth: “Fashion interns are cut-throat competitive with each other.” Sure there are the people who you’re like..."ok that person doesn’t want to be friends with me," but most of the time all the other interns are so nice! I’ve met some of my absolute best friends through my fashion internships. These are the people you will be working with (and even for!) when you get into the industry after school, so if you’re smart you'll be nice to them! Misconception: “Working in fashion is like Devil Wears Prada." I’ve had moments when I’m running to and from designer showrooms in the middle of a blizzard (anyone remember 2011?) and I think it could be a reality, but the fact is, your days as a fashion intern are not like the movie. So many people tell me they want to have the kind of lifestyle shown in Devil Wears Prada, but hasn’t anyone seen the end? It implies that fashion people are cold, sad, and heartless. Unfortunately there is some truth to every stereotype, but there are cold, sad, and heartless people in every industry. Your bosses will most likely be extremely appreciative, grateful, and kind mentors who will guide you throughout your journey. Truth: “People in fashion dress fantastically every single day.” Every editor, PR director, designer, model, etc. really does dress as amazing as you’d think they would. As an intern, it’s like we get a lesson in How to Dress 101 every day. Seeing that kind of style firsthand is really sartorially inspiring.

FIJI Water in Toronto for this Year’s International Film Festival

FIJI Water — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:54:35 +0000

Exclusive jewelry lounges, VIP Parties, and movie premieres. These are the places you’ll find FIJI Water at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. FIJI Water chooses our events like you choose your water: only the best!

Alliance Films Premieres

Some of this year’s most highly-anticipated movie premieres, such as PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (with Ryan Gosling, pictured above), SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS, ON THE ROAD, DREDD, FOXFIRE, ANTIVIRAL, INESCAPABLE and LORDS OF SALEM will be shown for the first time to the festival’s A-list attendees. FIJI Water will be the exclusive water for cocktail and post-premiere parties at select locations throughout the city. Some of Hollywood’s hottest stars will surely be grabbing a bottle of FIJI Water on their way out of Toronto’s hot spots to cool down and get refreshed on their way to the after-party! [caption id="attachment_21832" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Nikki Beach at The Spoke Club in Toronto"][/caption]

Nikki Beach Rooftop Lounge

Nikki Beach and FIJI Water will be at The Spoke Club for the festival this year in the heart of downtown Toronto. Its chic all-white environment will indulge industry elite, journalists and film lovers alike with an elegant and welcoming alternative to dine, unwind, relax and celebrate during the festival. Guests will enjoy delicious cuisine, crisp flowing champagne, thrilling playlists spun by world renowned DJs and of course, the best water available: FIJI Water.

Birks at the Shangri-La

Getting ready for a red carpet? Fashionistas will have their eyes on your dress and your shoes, the paparazzi will be checking out your date, and stylists and FIJI Water will be checking out your jewelry. [caption id="attachment_21836" align="alignleft" width="218" caption="Birks will have a gifting suite at the newly opened Shangri-La Hotel"][/caption] Canada’s premier prestige jeweller since 1879, Birks will be setting up a private jewellery suite, attended by only the biggest celebrities (and their stylists, of course) at the newly opened Shangri-La Hotel. As they sip on FIJI Water, they will pick out some of Birks’ most beautiful creations to wear out to parties, premieres, and of course, red carpets. Check out our Facebook page for exclusive photos from the film festival.

Ashlee Simpson’s Favorite Pandora Station and More in our Exclusive Q&A

FIJI Water — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 18:14:43 +0000

Musician, designer and artist Ashlee Simpson will host FIJI Water Summer Soak this weekend in Las Vegas at Wet Republic at the MGM Grand. We caught up with her and she told us what she’s up to, what her favorite social network is and her favorite station on Pandora! Q: In a few weeks you’ll be hosting FIJI Water SummerSoak in Las Vegas– what’s the one thing you should always remember to bring to a pool party? FIJI Water, obviously, to stay hydrated! Q: What about FIJI Water stands apart for you? I love FIJI Water!! I always feel like I'm having the very best. Q: What do you love about Las Vegas, FIJI Water’s SummerSoak location? Well, what better location for an oasis like FIJI than the desert? Q: What are your beach bag must haves? Towel, cover up, sunscreen and some great music. Q: What’s your song of this summer? Well, its not a song but I've been loving the Madeleine Peyroux station on Pandora. Q: What summer trend do you love right now? With such a hot summer my trend has been simply about staying cool. Bob Marley and Steel Pulse helps. :) Q: What’s your favorite social media platform? Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? I enjoy Twitter most! Q: What projects are you working on right now? I just wrapped shooting a movie called PAWN SHOP CHRONICLES in Louisiana. I had an amazing time and the cast and crew were so much fun to work with. Also, I've been in the studio working away at making some new music.

Ashlee Simpson to Host Second FIJI Water Summer Soak Pool Party at Wet Republic

FIJI Water — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:41:39 +0000

FIJI Water presents its second pool party as part of the national SUMMER SOAK series in Las Vegas – where summer never ends! Hosted by multi-platinum recording artist Ashlee Simpson, Summer Soak will allow guests to experience summer in style at Sin City’s hottest daylife destination – WET REPUBLIC at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. While lounging in the sun, guests will enjoy the FIJI Water Snow Cone Bar and have the opportunity to interact and post their favorite Summer Soak shots via a live Instagram stream using hashtag #discoversummer.

All About Ashlee

Ashlee Simpson is a multi-platinum recording artist, accomplished actress and rising designer. Ashlee released back-to-back No. 1 albums on the Billboard album charts that went on to sell more than seven million copies worldwide. She later released her critically acclaimed third album and has also headlined two sold-out national tours. She took on the lead role of Roxie Hart in both London’s West End and Broadway productions of CHICAGO to critical acclaim, and to date is the youngest person to ever tackle the role of ‘Roxie.’ Simpson recently collaborated with her sister, Jessica, in creating a tween clothing line as part of the Jessica Simpson Collection. Simpson currently is working on a new album, as well as several other film and design-related projects.

BONUS: Get Free Admittance to Wet Republic!

If you are going to be in Las Vegas September 8, we want you to be our guest! The first 10 people to comment on this blog post below will get admittance for yourself plus a guest to join us at FIJI Water Summer Soak, Wet Republic on September 8, 2012. Just leave your comment below. This includes free admittance only. You must be 21+ to enter Wet Republic.

Buy FIJI Water in New York and Support a Great Cause

FIJI Water — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 23:12:08 +0000

This fall, when you purchase FIJI Water in the New York City metro area, you will be helping to feed those in need. FIJI Water will contribute $1.00 per case of FIJI Water sold at participating retailers and restaurants between September 1 and October 31, 2012, up to a maximum of $25,000, to Citymeals-on-Wheels, which provides meals for home-bound seniors in New York City. Participating stores and restaurants include: Gristedes D’Agostino Morton Williams Food Emporium ..and more to come.

About Citymeals-on-Wheels

Gael Greene and James Beard founded Citymeals-on-Wheels in 1981 after reading a newspaper article about homebound elderly New Yorkers with nothing to eat on weekends and holidays. They rallied their friends in the restaurant community to raise private funds as a supplement to the government-funded weekday meal delivery program. Thirty years ago, their first efforts brought a Christmas meal to 6,000 frail aged. During the past fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2011, Citymeals-on-Wheels delivered 1.7 million meals to 16,916 New Yorkers at times when they would otherwise have been alone and hungry.

Fashion Designer Greg Lauren on Careers, Clothes, and Superheroes

aryu — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:09:39 +0000

Greg Lauren, actor, painter, and now fashion designer, recently showcased his latest collections at TNT Toronto Hazelton Lane. We spoke with Lauren (nephew of Ralph) about his inspirations, his multiple careers, and how he likes people to feel when they put on his clothes.
Q: What inspired you to become a designer? It really began as an artistic exploration of a theme. As a painter, I wanted to take a look at my unique relationship to clothing, to understand the effect fashion has on identity, and image development. To take a look at why we wear what we wear, and what it says about ourselves culturally. I originally learned to sew, in order to make a series of paper sculptures of clothing, for my exhibition, "Alteration." As a result, I started making one of a kind wearable pieces for myself...and in doing that I started to find and develop my own voice...fabric and clothing, really became another medium for me to work in as an artist, and that's how I've approached the process. Q: What was the inspiration for your collection? My collections so far, have been born out of themes and questions, similiar to bodies of work as a painter. For Fall '12, I wanted to continue my exploration of our universal love of military clothing, by not only continuing to use re-purposed military fabrics for not only tailored and un-constructed silhouettes, but also to reference some historical military details, especially napoleonic France--even if its just a nod to a crossover closure, or button detail, or the length of the coats...but using modern, distressed fabrics. Q: What kind of woman/man do you design for?. My goal is to let the clothes bring out the individuality in the wearer. I hope that the man or woman has a strong sense of self, usually a kind of artistic, rugged individualism. I like finding that balance between elegance and artistic imperfection. Q: When you’re not wearing your own styles, whose do you turn to? Now, that I make clothes, I love wearing as much of it as I can, in the way that someone may eat food from their own garden. But I still turn to a classic Hanes v-neck t-shirts, my Frye boots, and a great pair of Levi's or Double Ralph Lauren jeans. Q: You’ve had a number of achievements in your career – artist, fashion designer. Which achievement are you most proud of and why? I'm most proud of the evolution. I have opportunities to repeat myself, but I love challenging myself to push the envelope artistically and redefine what it can mean to be an artist today. I believe that if I can be creative in any medium and affect people, then I'm doing my job. Q: How much time does it take to create a collection? It usually is the culmination of months of thinking, experimenting, trying new things, making mistakes-- some of which end up being the strongest pieces! Q: What do you do to set your design apart from those of other designers? I can't speak for other designers. I just know that I challenge myself to make clothing that hopefully makes someone think differently about what they're wearing--feel something. I think clothing can say something and look great simultaneously. Q: How do you want people to feel when wearing your clothing? Confident. Like they can take a chance, like they can break away from the rut that they're in. Like a superhero. Q: What is the future of fashion? What big changes do your foresee for the next 10 years? I think the ironic thing about fashion is that the future will always embrace the past. I think at some point, the things that mean something today won't mean anything. Luxury will be redefined by artistry. People may even have to learn how to sew their own clothes again. Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a fashion designer? Depending on their ultimate goal, I'd say figure out whether you really have something to say, develop that voice, and then put it out there. Take chances, but create from a truthful place.

Q&A with Rising Canadian Tennis Star Eugenie Bouchard at Rogers Cup 2012

FIJI Water — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:41:10 +0000

In 2012, Eugenie "Genie" Bouchard became the first Canadian ever to win a Grand Slam in singles after her win at Wimbledon as a junior. FIJI Water caught up with her as she prepared to play in the Rogers Cup in Montreal this week.

Interview with Eugenie Bouchard

Q: How does it feel to be competing in your hometown of Montreal following your incredible win at Wimbledon? It's really special to play this year in Montreal. The fan support has already been great and I hope a lot of people will come out to my match! Q: How old were you when you started playing tennis? I started at five. I played my first tournament at eight, and traveled outside of North America at nine. That was a great first experience for me and made me realize I wanted tennis to be my career. [caption id="attachment_21700" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Eugenie Bouchard entering the Rogers Cup grounds, August 8, 2012"][/caption] Q: What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do? The day in and day out grind of training is tough. It's very repetitive. But when I was on Court 1 winning junior Wimbledon, it made it all worth it. Q: What is a typical training day like for you? I usually train about five to six hours a day, four hours of tennis and one to two hours of fitness. And I see physios and massage therapists almost every day as well. Q: What do you do on a day off? Nothing! Haha. I'm always so busy training and traveling that I really take it slow on days off. I like hanging out with my family, shopping, and going to the movies. Nothing crazy! Q: You’ve gotten to travel a lot for tennis; what has been your favorite place to play so far? I love Australia. The atmosphere is so relaxed over there and the people are really nice. But I also love the food in Italy, I get excited every time I go back. Q: If you could share some advice for younger players looking up to you, what would it be? Don't worry about short term results, focus on your long term objectives. Q: Which players do you look up to? Maria Sharapova. I think she's an amazing player and she's accomplished so much. I like her game style and fighting spirit on court. I try to play aggressive like her.

The Launch of FASHION156CREATIVE

aryu — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 21:18:15 +0000

Fashion156.com has become one of our favorite destinations for brushing up on the latest trends and behind-the-scenes footage from all the shows. Its monthly themed shoots have been providing a platform for emerging talent since 2006. When we heard that FASHION156CREATIVE was in the pipeline, we were intrigued. The agency, an offshoot of Fashion156.com, supplies brands (not just in fashion) with creative solutions to a creative need, like creating an ad or imagining an event. FASHION156CREATIVE draws on a pool of super-talented creatives, including the stylists, make-up artists, photographers and art directors who have been shaping Fashion156.com editorially. As Founder Guy Hipwell explains:

I kept discovering these amazing new designers and fresh graduates bursting out of universities and wanted to showcase their work in my shoots. Even though I was styling for some quite directional titles as a freelancer – sometimes I would be handed a list of ‘advertisers’ that somehow had to be included in the story – often the collection did not even fit the shoot theme. So really you could say Fashion156 came about due to frustration and now it is my decision if we feature a new student’s work on our covers. That is what inspires me the most, and every day I continue the search for something new, always trying to evolve and move F156 forward.

Taking over the TalkTalk building in Berwick Street, Wednesday's launch was a multimedia showcase of fashion, music, technology, and more. Live photo shoots in the floor-to-ceiling windows attracted admiring glances from passersby on a sunny Soho evening. FIJI Water is proud to support Fashion156 and its role in championing the best of British fashion. Check out photos from the party below. Images from the launch event of FASHION156CREATIVE

FIJI Water is the Official Water of Rogers Cup

FIJI Water — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:38:48 +0000

FIJI WATER: THE OFFICIAL WATER OF ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY NATIONAL BANK MULTI-YEAR SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT RENEWED MONTREAL, QC – JULY 18 2012 – FIJI Water is proud to announce its continuing support of Tennis Canada’s annual WTA event, played this year in Montreal. FIJI Water is also sponsoring the Toronto ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. Fans and players alike will be beating the heat with premium FIJI Water at this year’s edition of Rogers Cup in Montreal, held at Uniprix Stadium from August 4-13. This is the 6th consecutive year that FIJI Water has been the official water of the Rogers Cup. Some 200,000 attendees are expected at this hot August event, where they will find refreshing FIJI Water at points of sale throughout the tournament grounds. FIJI Water will also be occupying some prime real estate: Centre Court! Branded FIJI Water coolers will be within easy reach of the world’s top tennis players, keeping them hydrated and at the top of their game. “FIJI Water is proud to continue our long standing relationship with Tennis Canada and Rogers Cup,” David Ricanati, President of FIJI Water. “Once again, FIJI Water will have our signature FIJI Water coolers on Centre Court for the world’s top tennis players and for the hundreds of thousands of fans enjoying Canada’s premiere tennis event.” “Every year, our event gathers the best international players and we are proud to offer our fans a brand of water recognized on the international scene,” said Claude Savard, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Tennis Canada. “Our partnership now enters its 6th year which is a testament to FIJI’s commitment toward tennis and toward our event. During our hot summer days in August, FIJI water becomes a very popular product on site – whether it’s for fans or players.” FIJI Water will be posting updates on the action on its blog; tennis fans can follow @FIJIWaterCanada for live tweets and check out FIJI Water’s Facebook page for shots of FIJI Water in action. Of course, fans should feel free to share pictures of themselves and their friends getting refreshed with the best water available: FIJI Water! About FIJI WATER This marks the 6th straight year that FIJI Water has been the official water sponsor for the Rogers Cup. FIJI® Water, natural artesian water bottled at the source in VitiLevu (Fiji islands), is the number one imported bottled water in the United States. FIJI Water, known for its iconic square bottle, soft mouthfeel and unique mineral profile, is the water of choice among discerning consumers and top chefs. Widely available at fine restaurants and hotels, all major retail channels including grocery and convenience, and through a convenient delivery service, FIJI Water has also expanded globally to more than 40 countries. Through our membership in 1% for the Planet, FIJI Water supports environmental efforts around the world and in our backyard. To learn more, please visit www.fijiwater.com, like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/fijiwater), or follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/fijiwater). About Rogers Cup presented by National Bank Rogers Cup presented by National Bank is a Tennis Canada owned and operated world-class tournament celebrating its 132nd anniversary of the men's event from August 4-12, 2012 at Rexall Centre in Toronto and its 120th anniversary of the women's event from August 4-13, 2012 at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. As an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, Premier WTA tournament and Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series event, Rogers Cup presented by National Bank will showcase the world's best players. Rogers Cup presented by National Bank is the third-oldest title in tennis, behind only Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. For more information and tickets visit www.rogerscup.com. About Tennis Canada Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association responsible for leading the growth, promotion and showcasing of tennis in Canada. Tennis Canada owns and operates two of the premier events on the ATP and WTA Tours; Rogers Cup presented by National Bank men’s and women’s events that rotate annually between Rexall Centre in Toronto and Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. In addition, Tennis Canada owns and operates seven professional ITF sanctioned events and financially supports nine other professional tournaments in Canada. Tennis Canada operates junior national training centres/programs at the Centre of Excellence in Toronto, Uniprix Stadium in Montreal and the North Shore Winter Club in Vancouver. Tennis Canada is a proud member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Tennis Canada invests its surplus into tennis development. For more information on Tennis Canada please visit our Web site at: www.tenniscanada.com.

Rural Fijian School Receives Vital Water Project

aryu — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:23:50 +0000

After years of having to trek long distances for water, the students and teachers of Wai District School in Lomawai, Nadroga, Fiji, now have easy access to clean water, after the completion of a new borehole and water storage facility at their school. The F$18,000 water project is funded by Rotary Pacific Water for Life. The FIJI Water Foundation is a major corporate sponsor of Rotary Pacific's work in Fiji, as part of FIJI Water's commitment to providing all Fijians with access to clean water. The school head teacher, Mrs Zarina Khan told The Jet Newspaper that the school had been facing water problems since its establishment in the 1920s. [caption id="attachment_21600" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Fiji Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed -Khaiyum meets with students from Wai District School. photo source: Fiji Ministry of Information"][/caption] "We did not receive regular water supply at the school which posed many other problems for our students and teachers. We also have 45 students boarding at the school and they had to fetch water from nearby supply. We also had to bring water through trucks but now we are thankful for the assistance provided to us," Khan said. The official opening ceremony was attended by the Attorney General of Fiji, Mr. Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, FIJI Water Global President David Ricanati, and Rokoseru Nabalarua, Chief Executive of Natural Waters of Viti Limited, the Fijian arm of FIJI Water. They were accompanied by the school's 130 students and teachers.

Empowering Rural Fijians

Attorney General Sayed-Khaiyum said water projects like the Wai District School are important ways to empower people to have access to services. Before the water project was completed, students at the school had to wake up early in the morning to fetch water from neighboring villages. "This is part and parcel of the infrastructure development that we want to put in place. We want to empower people. But a lot of these government initiatives also need the assistance of private companies. This is where such foundations of FIJI Water and Vodafone ATH Foundation assist Government in ensuring that people in the rural areas have access to services," he said. Rotary Pacific Water for Life is a non-profitable organization that delivers clean drinking water to rural communities throughout Fiji. photos source: Fiji Ministry of Information

Fashion Designers Meet Buyers at London’s SCOOP Show

FIJI Water — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 18:31:04 +0000

240 fashion designers showcasing womenswear, accessories, jewelry and fragrances, plus plenty of Champagne and FIJI Water -- all at the classy Saatchi Gallery. What more could a style-conscious Londoner ask for? (apart from a little sunshine) FIJI Water is proud to be supporting SCOOP International, the fashion industry exhibition and trade show. SCOOP brings together buyers from the likes of Selfridges, ASOS and Harrods with the fashion press, established labels and emerging designers. Just a few of the collections we spotted: Rebecca Taylor, Mooiloop, Libelula, Vilagallo, Bill Amberg, Liebeskind, (previously known as DL1961), Premium Denim, Dr. Martens, Essentiel, Filippa K, Givenchy Accessories, Goat, Harris Wharf London, Lara Bohinc, M0851, Nicholas King, Odd Molly, Peridot London, Plein Sud, Just in Case, Swedish Hasbeens, The Jacksons, and Vivienne Westwood! This was almost too much to take in, but we still managed to pick out a few favorites. A few of our wish lists include: neon jumpsuits by Gwen Stefani’s label L.A.M.B.; Rosemary Goodenough's beautiful twill/silk scarves, taken from her original oil paintings; the amazing, reversible denim of Bluelab; hand-crafted fragrance by Blood Concept and directional footwear by Rachel Zoe. SCOOP International also supports emerging talent. And, for the fourth edition of the trade show, founder Karen Radley brought MA graduates from the Royal College of Art and bright young things from the Flanders Fashion Institute into the fold. Belgium has become known as a hot-bed of creative talent - producing designers such as Raf Simons and Dries Van Noten - and the graduate collections did not disappoint. At the after party we hung out with the glamorous Betty Jackson and the Belgian Ambassador and shimmied to the SCOOP soundtrack provided by FIJI's favourite DJ, Emily Raswon of Rock the Belles. SCOOP's next show is February, 2013.

FIJI Water at Aspen Food & Wine

aryu — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:54:09 +0000

For the 10th year, FIJI Water was once again selected as the Official Water Sponsor of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, the nation's premiere culinary event consisting of superstar chefs, winemakers, and industry experts. Cooking demonstrations and wine tastings with the most fantastic wines from around the globe, including our wines from JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery and Landmark Vineyards were some of the highlights of this year's event. FIJI Water was also present at the Grand Tasting pavilion where guests were encouraged to “treat themselves” with the world’s finest water in our custom designed space and were given bags of gourmet rock candy (in our signature FIJI blue). Our wonderful FIJI Ambassadors circulated through the crowds in their blue dresses and distributed FIJI Water to thirsty guests. Artist Elvis Costello was also seen on-stage in a private concert celebrating the event’s 30^th Anniversary sipping a bottle of FIJI Water. The event was also a huge success for Our JUSTIN and Landmark Tasting Room teams, as they poured our wines in the Grand Tasting tents throughout the weekend. The On-Premise Sales team also produced a dinner on Friday at Matsuhisa with the Southern Wine & Spirits National Accounts Team, where the SWS Corporate team were able to experience a full tasting of our wines, not to mention, paired with a delicious menu. Check out our photos from the event below!

#DiscoverSummer on Instagram and Win a FIJI Beach Towel!

FIJI Water — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 07:56:27 +0000

Show your Instagram style for a chance to win a limited-edition FIJI Water beach towel every day this summer. All you have to do to enter is tag your Instagram photos #discoversummer. The best summery discovery pic each day, as determined by the FIJI Water judges, wins. We'll comment on the winner's photo to notify them. See the official rules for more details.

FIJI Water Summer Soak Hosted by Whitney Port

aryu — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:07:58 +0000

To reality TV star, author, and designer Whitney Port, summer symbolizes “fun in the sun.” On Sunday June 24, Port was seen doing just that, lounging with girlfriends and sipping FIJI Water at The Perry Hotel in Miami Beach. Miami was the perfect location for this event because Port states that she is a big fan of clear beaches and plenty of sunshine. She also shared with us some of her summer must-haves, which include: sunscreen, magazines, books, music, and of course, an ice-cold bottle of FIJI Water. Our brand ambassadors were also seen at the event in our signature blue swimsuits and sunglasses, mingling with guests and passing out bottles of FIJI Water. Whitney was kind enough to help our brand ambassadors make a delicious and refreshing summer treat at our very own FIJI Water snow cone bar. In addition to staying hydrated with FIJI Water, her other current love is taking pictures on Instagram. Whether she is taking pictures, writing books, or designing clothes, it is evident that Whitney has a true passion for being creative and sharing that aspect with her fans. Thanks to Whitney Port, FIJI Water’s Summer Soak event was a huge success.

Need a FIJI Water? Tweet Why for a Chance to Get One

aryu — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 09:00:22 +0000

Sometimes you really need a FIJI. This week, tell us why in a tweet with the hashtag #needaFIJI and we might give you one.

We’re giving away three coupons a day to win a free bottle of FIJI Water all week long to the tweeters with the best reasons why they #needaFIJI.

Pin to Win a Trip to Las Vegas!

aryu — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:02:24 +0000

What are you planning on discovering this summer? Show us on Pinterest and you could win a trip to Las Vegas, courtesy of FIJI Water. One lucky grand prize winner will be awarded with a fabulous travel package that includes:

(2) $500 travel vouchers for travel to Las Vegas, Nevada by Winner and one (1) guest
(2) nights, (3) days hotel accommodations for two (2) at a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada of Sponsor’s choice and $250 cash for ground transportation in Las Vegas, Nevada and any other travel expenses (including, without limitation, applicable taxes)
One year of FIJI Water Home Delivery service

We're looking for the pinboard that most creatively answers the question, "What are you going to discover this summer?" To enter and for full contest details, click the button below. Good luck and happy pinning!

Photos from Molly Sims, Kristin Cavallari Baby Showers!

FIJI Water — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:21:23 +0000

FIJI Water was thrilled to be part of the party at two high-profile baby showers this past month, for moms-to-be Kristin Cavallari and Molly Sims. We've got a recap below and plenty of photos from both events.

Kristin's Cravings

Kristin Cavallari has been craving sweets her entire pregnancy, so it is only fitting that her baby shower on May 19th was overflowing with candy and cupcakes. Before dessert, some 50 guests snacked on sliders, quesadillas, and mini potpies and sipped FIJI Water and Bartenura blue wine. Perhaps no one enjoyed the party more than the guest of honor, 25, who’s expecting her first child, a boy, with financé Jay Cutler this summer. “I had a great day!” exclaims Kristin, who tells Life & Style she’s loving being pregnant: “It’s just been such an amazing experience!”

Molly Sims "Smiling the Entire Time"

Mom-to-be Molly Sims was celebrated Saturday, May 5th with an afternoon baby shower at a private residence in the Hollywood Hills. With the house festively decorated with blue balloons and flowers, about 50 guests, including actress Ali Larter, enjoyed the gather’s games, gourmet food, FIJI Water and Bertaud Belieu Rosé champagne. “She was smiling the entire time,” one of the guests told PEOPLE about Sims. “It was like she just couldn’t believe how lucky she is. She was so thankful everyone was there for her.” Actress-model Sims and her husband, Scott Stuber, are expecting a baby boy in June.

FIJI Water at Central Saint Martins Fashion School Graduate Degree Show

FIJI Water — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 21:44:20 +0000

Tuesday evening in London and FIJI was lucky enough to be front row at the Central Saint Martins graduate degree show. The CSM catwalk is the place to spot the next Gareth Pugh, Pheobe Philo or Stella Mc Cartney (just a few of their famous and famously successful alumni). Visited by 700 members of the press, buyers, talent scouts from the major fashion houses and the odd celeb, the CSM graduate degree show is a major fashion event in its own right. In addition, the show was CSM's first at their stunning new headquarters in the Kings Cross canal redevelopment. Needless to say, our expectations were high for quite a show - and we weren't disappointed. Forty designers from the college's fashion menswear, womenswear, print and knitwear courses put their sharpest foot forward during the show, showcasing the results of four years hard graft. [caption id="attachment_20904" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Scarlett Tull's retro, bright and flowing fabrics came to life under the bright lights."][/caption] Highlights included collections from Serena Gili (knitwear) who sent models gliding down the catwalk in intricate, embellished vests. In beautiful contrast were bell shaped, structured PVC skirts in metallic hues. Little surprise that Gili walked away with 2nd runner up in the Wella Young Designer of the Year Awards. Winner of young designer of the year, Erin Hawkes presented a cohesive collection that was both original and totally wearable. Menswear was bright, beautiful tailored and frequently made us smile: Chen Weng's outdoorsy boys throwing foliage all over the catwalk or Natalia Mencej's hip-hop inspired outfits with matchingly dressed pugs! Womenswear ranged between sexy, classic and theatrical, but was always beautifully made. We'd happily wear the entire collection from Scarlett Tull - retro, bright and flowing fabrics came to life under the bright lights. Most dramatic turn came from Fei Feng with models shuffling on, stage right, in velveteen bird-cage dresses that reminded us of both Victorian queens and geisha girls. Accessory-wise (apart from the dogs), the current trends for jelly shoes and Wellington boots popped up, mixed in with skyscraper ankle boots, strappy wedge-contraptions and giant heart-shaped puffa bags. The textures of matte leather, fringing and glitter were interwoven throughout the collections. Aisling Farrell made her trench coats and shirts into 'snow-shakers'; the layers of transparent fabric filled with teeny white baubles were mesmorising and soothing. Sponsors L'Oreal ensured that the hair followed the fashion - we'll be copying sleek chignons and long loose waves this summer. The FIJI Water was much in-demand with the gathered fashion set - London continues to enjoy its heat-wave. FIJI congratulates the Central Saint Martins team for a fantastic show and wishes all the young designers the best of luck for the future. We are sure we'll be seeing them again (on the fashion pages) soon.

Hot Meals, and Now Somewhere to Eat Them for School Kids in Fiji

FIJI Water — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:11:04 +0000

Schoolchildren in the province of Ra, Fiji have a new dining hall thanks to support from the FIJI Water Foundation and their local school committee. The $44,000 project was completed in mid-May 2012 at Bureivanua District School in the village of Bureivanua. The dining hall and kitchen were built to cater to the 90 students at the school. The photo above is the ribbon-cutting ceremony with the local priest, Laisenia Kaiwai, and honored guest Apisai Vularika, Assistant Provincial Administrator at the Ra Provincial Office.

Living at School to Get an Education

[caption id="attachment_20637" align="alignright" width="265" caption="View of the front of the new dining hall at the Bureivanua school."][/caption] Many of the students at Bureivanua, and in other rural schools in Fiji, live at school while attending classes because their home village is too far to travel each day. The school committee provides hot lunches to all students during the school week, the new building allows the children to have their lunch within the school vicinity under the supervision of teachers. At the opening ceremony Assistant Provincial Administrator Vularika was presented with a yaqona plant by the school committee and villagers, after which the village priest blessed the new building. Here's a slideshow of more photos from the ceremony.

Q&A With the Founders of GILT Groupe, Alexandra and Alexis

FIJI Water — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:54:00 +0000

GILT Groupe took the fashion, retail, and e-commerce world by storm when it started in 2007, rapidly growing into a multi-million dollar online shopping empire and household name. Now GILT Groupe's founders, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson and Alexis Maybank have written a book about how they created the billion-dollar company, By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop. They answered our questions about their path to success below.

GILT Q & A

Q: How did you come up with the idea for GILT? Alexandra and I drew inspiration from the New York sample sale, an exciting form of retail that drew throngs of fashion devotees to remote Manhattan showrooms to get the most coveted looks at unbelievable prices. We partnered with Kevin Ryan who had witnessed a similar model in Western Europe gain popularity. We knew there would be interest across the country in shopping for these designer items on our site. Q: At what point did you know you had a success on your hands? We knew we had struck a nerve with our shoppers when our goods sold so quickly in that first Zac Posen sale the day we launched in November 2007. Q: If there is one thing you wish you had known before starting GILT what is it? Pace yourself! I knew building startups was an all-encompassing effort; however when you are in the trenches of one it is hard to take the needed time out to make sure you don't hit a wall. It’s not a sprint, but a marathon. Q: What partnerships were important to the growth of your company? Our first major partnership was with the Council of Fashion Designers of America. This allowed us quickly to partner with hundreds of top designers. Also, a partnership with Vogue in which we sold items on our site directly from the magazine's pages showed people loved the combination of magazine style imagery and the ability to shop directly from these photos. Q: What were the biggest risks you took starting GILT? Partnering with a friend was personally risky - what might happen to our friendship if we didn't work well together? Also, we invested and doubled down in studios, styling and photography - this impacted our cost structure and would have hindered us if we didn't scale quickly. Q: What pointers would you give to someone starting an internet company? Now’s a great time to start! Q: What websites do you visit the most often? Pandora and of course GILT! Q: How do you learn about fashion and taste trends? Fashion shows, magazines and just observing the streets of NYC, LA, Paris and Milan. Q: What designers do you like now? Prabal Gurung and Zac Posen are favorites!

Win Your Dream Vacation to the Islands of Fiji

FIJI Water — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:47:37 +0000

FIJI Water, in conjunction with two incredible resorts in Fiji, Likuliku Lagoon and Malolo Island, and one incredible airline, Air Pacific, offer you a chance to win your dream vacation to the beautiful South Pacific islands of Fiji. The prize package includes two round-trip tickets on Air Pacific from Los Angeles, Calif., three nights accommodation for two at Malolo Island Resort, including non-motorized water sports and invitation to weekly Fijian Kava party and Meke (Fijian Dance) performance; and four nights accommodation for two at Likuliku Lagoon Resort, including all meals and more. For more details, please see the official rules on the sweepstakes entry site at www.FIJIWater.com/Fiji. Open to U.S. residents, 21 and older.

Australia’s Camp Quality Supper Clubs Coming Soon!

FIJI Water — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:31:51 +0000

Camp Quality is one of our favorite charities in Australia. Started in 1983, Camp Quality runs over 120 camps around the country where children living with cancer, and their families, can go to receive "fun therapy". In addition, Camp Quality runs programs that provide financial and emotional support to kids where they live and go to school. Today, Camp Quality reaches 1 in 3 children living with cancer in Australia and their aim is to meet 3 in 3, so every child living with cancer can face it with optimism and resilience. [caption id="attachment_20540" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Each guest is treated to a mult-course meal created by one of Australia's best chefs."][/caption]

Serious Food, Serious Fun

Each year, Camp Quality hosts their biggest fundraiser, the Supper Club, in their own words, "a unique fundraising experience bringing together fine wines, luxury dining, secret destinations and a gala ball with a generous serving of fun and excitement." FIJI Water is very proud to be the official water and a major sponsor of the Supper Club. Last year, the Supper Club raised $460,000 and this year Camp Quality is aiming to raise $1 million (the photo above is of Luke Jacobz attending last year's Supper Club). At top restaurants around Australia, Supper Club diners will be served a stunning dinner complete with French champagne from Champagne Taittinger and local wines from award-winning McWilliam’s, as well as water from FIJI Water. Each table of diners will then be chauffeured in style by Lexus to a secret ‘Masquerade Ball’ where all the Camp Quality Supper Club guests from across the city converge to party the night away with live entertainment, dancing and drinks. Sound like fun? Gather 11 friends and book a table! This year's schedule is below:

Supper Club Dates for 2012:

Adelaide & Brisbane – Thursday 3rd May 2012 Melbourne – Thursday 10th May 2012 Sydney – Thursday 17th May 2012 Perth & Canberra – Thursday 24th May 2012 Main website: www.mycampquality.org.au/supperclub

Facebook Fun

If you've not already Liked the Camp Quality page, please do, and better still, show your support for Supper Club by adding their special ‘Masquerade’ Giggle badge to your profile picture to help spread the word!

FIJI Water Shaved Ice Eases the Heat at Lacoste L!ve’s Coachella Pool Party

FIJI Water — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:13:07 +0000

FIJI Water joined Lacoste L!ve at their exclusive, truly insane pool party at Coachella April 14-15. Special guests spotted at the over-the-top soiree in the sun included Katy Perry, Lea Michele, Diane Kruger, Joshua Jackson, Lauren Conrad, Teresa Palmer, Cory Monteith, Gerard Butler, Florence Welch, Shenae Grimes, Lo Bosworth, Bijou Phillips, Eric Balfour, Monet Mazur, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lucas Haas, Bryan Greenberg, Jamie Chung, Simon Rex, Shannon Woodward, Mia Morreti, Mark Hunter..and more! It was the Coachella party to be at, as even the Los Angeles Times admits. Music was provided by DJ Elijah Wood (yes, that Elijah Wood -- who knew?), Radiohead’s Nigel Godrich and Brie Larson. Our FIJI Water shaved ices were an obvious hit at the desert party in Thermal, CA (right next to the Coachella festival) and helped the 800+ people at the party stay cool. FIJI Water was also on hand in liquid form to balance the effects of other concoctions imbibed at the all-weekend party. Photos are below. For even more, see Lacoste L!ve's Facebook page.

Need a FIJI Water? Tweet Why for a Chance to Get One

FIJI Water — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:50:38 +0000

Sometimes you really need a FIJI. This week, tell us why in a tweet with the hashtag #needaFIJI and we might give you one. We're giving away five coupons for a free bottle of FIJI Water all week long to the tweeters with the best reasons why they #needaFIJI.

If you want to read the official rules, they're here.

FIJI Water at Canada’s JUNO Awards

FIJI Water — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:40:02 +0000

The best and brightest of Canada's musical talent were on hand last weekend at the 2012 JUNO Awards, presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/L'académie canadienne des arts et des sciences de l'enregistrement. Sixteen hundred of Canada's music elite gathered to toast the thirty-four JUNO winners at the gala dinner and awards ceremony, held at the Ottawa Convention Centre. The evening featured performances by a spectacular line up of 2012 JUNO nominees, as well as unforgettable tributes to some of the most influential names in Canadian music. The Sheepdogs were one of the big winners of the night, snagging two JUNO Awards for New Group of the Year (sponsored by FACTOR and Radio Starmaker Fund) and Rock Album of the Year (sponsored by Recording Artists’ Collecting Society – A Division of ACTRA). Other JUNO Award winners from the evening include: Arkells (Group of the Year); Feist (Adult Alternative Album of the Year, Music DVD of the Year); Hedley (Pop Album of the Year, sponsored by TD Bank Group); Drake (Rap Recording of the Year) and Melanie Fiona (R&B/Soul Recording of the Year). FIJI Water was a sponsor of the awards, and was proud to keep everyone (and their vocal chords) well-hydrated all evening long! Check out a slideshow of some of the artists at the awards, below or on our Flickr page.

FIJI Water Donates Bottled Water After Floods in Fiji

FIJI Water — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:25:04 +0000

FIJI Water donated bottled water in the aftermath of severe floods in Fiji in the past week. This is the second time this year that Fiji has been struck by severe floods. FIJI Water is donating a total of three shipping containers of bottled water. Since February of this year, FIJI Water has donated over $110,000 to private and government agencies for flood relief. Coincidentally, FIJI Water's global president, David Ricanati, was in Fiji during the flooding, announcing the appointment of our first local CEO of Natural Waters of Viti Limited, the Fiji arm of FIJI Water.

FIJI Water Appoints Local to Chief Executive Position in Fiji

FIJI Water — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:46:18 +0000

On March 31 FIJI Water global president David Ricanati officially announced the appointment of Rokoseru Nabalarua (pictured at left) as chief executive of Natural Waters of Viti Limited, the Fijian arm of FIJI Water. In his new role, Nabalarua will oversee all of FIJI Water's activities in Fiji and the Pacific. The appointment is a historic one for the company: Nabalarua is the first Fijian citizen to be CEO of Natural Waters of Viti. Hailing from Fiji's Kadavu province, Nabalarua is an engineer by training who was previously CEO of Pacific Energy and the Fiji Electricity Authority. He is married with five children. President Ricanati said Nabalarua's extensive experience in the Pacific would be a major benefit to the company. Watch a FijiTV clip of the announcement (WMV file).

A Night to Remember at SXSW 2012 With Perez Hilton, Dev, Timbaland and More

FIJI Water — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:08:14 +0000

It was one night to remember! Perez Hilton's One Night in Austin musical party at SXSW last Saturday night lived up to the hype. And if you don't believe us, check out some of the photos on our Facebook page. Clearly, a good time was had by all. Over a dozen musicians played at the event, including B.o.B., Dev, Timbaland, Kreayshawn, Dragonette, Cher Lloyd, Ed Sheeran, Kat Graham, Kimbra, Rosi Golan, Cris Cab and Miguel, raising $46,800 for VH1's Save the Music Foundation to keep music education in schools.

Custom Tees for the People

[caption id="attachment_20188" align="alignright" width="265" caption="A custom t-shirt recipient jumps for joy -- and a chance to win FIJI Water Delivery. "][/caption] The highlight for FIJI Water was our custom t-shirt station. We created four beautiful designs guests could use to create their own t-shirts with the help of our on-site screen printing pros. We knew it would be fun, but we had no idea how popular it would be: We went through 500 t-shirts! A big thanks to screen printers Hit+Run, who made each guest feel special. Those tees keep popping up on Twitter and Facebook, too, because we've got a little "TwitPic" contest going for the best photo of a custom tee from the One Night in Austin event. The contest ends Friday, with the winner (as selected by FIJI Water's judges) getting six months of FIJI Water Delivery free. After getting their shirt screen printed, many guests hung out to “graffiti” our wall. Whether a fun doodle or them professing their love for FIJI Water, our walls evolved as the 8-hour music party rolled on. We also got a surprise visit from Paul Qui, Top Chef winner, who came by and grabbed a FIJI and tee in between dancing his heart out to the music.

Can We Network? Yes We Can

[caption id="attachment_20193" align="alignleft" width="265" caption="The Can We Network bus ferried journalists, bloggers, and the occasional celeb around Austin all week."][/caption] The other big "event" of SXSW for FIJI Water was the Can We Network bus, which shepherded journalists and bloggers around Austin during the week. FIJI Water was there to keep everyone hydrated, including some fabulous musical passengers, like Timbaland and Mumford & Sons (two acts that aren't normally on the same bus, so to speak).

Q&A With Perez Hilton on Music, One Night in Austin, and the Real Reason He Got Healthy

FIJI Water — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:02:51 +0000

For the last five years, Perez Hilton's One Night in Austin musical party has been the event to go to at SxSW. This year, 100% of ticket sales go to support VH1's Save the Music Foundation. We asked Perez to tell us about his musical inspirations and his recent efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle. Why do you do musical showcases? Because music is my biggest passion in life and I love sharing good music. Have you always had a passion for music? When did you first realize that? Always. I think the moment I first realized it was when I was 6 years old at the Gloria Estefan concert and I somehow found myself on stage with her dancing the Conga. [caption id="attachment_20100" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Perez's One Night in Austin at SxSW will feature some of the biggest acts in concert."][/caption] What was the first album you ever purchased? Madonna's "Erotica" album. What was your first concert experience? See above! Ha. What’s your favorite part of SxSW? My party! Can you give us a sneak peak on what to expect this year? Expect great music - and lots of hugs! Which band, today, gives the best live performance? Madonna! What fueled your decision to live a healthier lifestyle? How do you maintain the lifestyle change with such a grueling schedule? [ANSWER CENSORED! But, in a nutshell, for "romantic" reasons. JK. Sort of. -- FIJI] To learn more and buy tickets, click here.

Perez Hilton’s Got One Night in Austin to Blow Your Mind

FIJI Water — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:55:15 +0000

Exciting news from FIJI Water and Perez Hilton! Are you going to SxSW this year? Perez Hilton, gossip columnist messiah and Internet powerhouse, is bringing back his highly-anticipated musical showcase “One Night in Austin” to SxSW Saturday, March 17 at Austin Music Hall. FIJI Water will be there keeping everyone hydrated all night long, and giving out free designer tees (more on the t-shirts below).

Buy Your Tickets to One Night in Austin Today

This year, for the first time ever, you can buy tickets guaranteeing admission to this amazing night! Click here to get yours -- 100% of proceeds go to VH1's Save the Music Foundation, which helps music programs stay in schools. If you are in Austin next week but don't have tix, be sure to follow @FIJIWater on Twitter. We'll be giving away tickets by Tweet from a secret location. Stay tuned.

One Night in Austin to Remember

Since its debut, Perez Hilton has taken “One Night In...” across the globe with events in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and London. Artists that have performed throughout the series have included: Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, Courtney Love, Katy Perry, The Ting Tings, Estelle, Kanye West, Mika, Eric Hutchinson, and N.E.R.D., to name a few. “Music is the answer!” says Hilton. One Night in Austin "combines two things I am passionate about – music and inspiring youth. I can't wait!” Headliners for the event were specially curated by Perez Hilton and will reflect an array of talent crossing multiple musical genres showcasing breakout acts and the most recognized names in music. The complete schedule of performers will be announced exclusively on PerezHilton.com as he reveals one act daily in anticipation of the event.

Get Your T-Shirt On..And Win!

At the One Night in Austin party, FIJI Water will host a complimentary live screen printing bar where attendees can choose from one of four limited edition tee shirt designs. We'll also be running a twitpic contest for best photo-with-your-new-tee. Instructions on how to enter will be at the screen printing bar. The 2012 “One Night in Austin” event was made possible by these sponsors: Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, SOUL by Ludacris, FIJI Water, VH1, X Factor, Asahi Beer, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water, and more.

Fashion Designer Lucian Matis on His Likes, Dislikes, and New Collection

FIJI Water — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:51:25 +0000

Romanian-born Lucian Matis grew up in his mothers tailor shop and began designing at a very early age. After moving to Canada in 1999, Matis gained national attention and a vast fan base through his participation on the first season of Slice Network's Project Runway Canada. In addition to many professional accolades, Matis may be one of the few leading fashion designers who went to art school in Transylvania (He studied fashion at Ryerson University in Toronto). Matis will present his Fall/Winter 2012 collection at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto on Monday, March 12. Below, he talks to FIJI Water about his inspirations, who he designs for, and more. Q: What inspired you to become a designer? LUCIAN: What made me become a fashion designer are the mixes in different medias I get to work with. This incorporates drawing, painting, textiles, hair/make-up, photography...and the list can go on and on... Q: What was the inspiration for this season’s collection? LUCIAN: Linearity and the symmetry found in nature. [caption id="attachment_20141" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Lucian Matis working with a model. Photo: Peter Ngyuen, Model: Charlie, Sutherland Models"][/caption] Q: What kind of woman do you design for? LUCIAN: I design for a sophisticated woman that loves, and is intrigued by, fashion and wants to have fun while wearing it. Q: What is your favorite piece from this season’s collection? LUCIAN: I have a few, but I believe that the finale piece will be my favourite...not yet finished. Q: When you’re not wearing your own styles, whose do you turn to? LUCIAN: I wish I would have the time to design more clothes for myself! I tend to wear a lot of casual lines such as: Diesel, Karl Lagerfeld and D Squared ... I also find some amazing purchases in NYC and Japan as the fashions are a bit more adventurous. Q: You’ve had a number of illustrious milestones in your career. Which milestone are you most proud of and why? LUCIAN: Gracing the cover of any major fashion publication is always an honour for me and I have had that opportunity with many fantastic and prestigious publications. Q: How much time does it take to create a season’s collection? LUCIAN: Most collections take us around 2 months, but coming up with the concept is what takes longer. Q: What do you do to set your design apart from those of other designers? LUCIAN: I think what separates the Lucian Matis label from other fashion brands is the techniques we use as well as the fit. Q: How do you want people to feel when wearing your clothing? LUCIAN: I hope that they feel special and proud when wearing my clothes. Q: What is the future of fashion? What big milestones do your foresee for the next 10 years? LUCIAN: I am looking forward to expanding into other areas of design such as interior design, eyewear, also the idea of a fragrance really excites me. Q: What are your favorite and least favorite trends of the past few years? LUCIAN: One of my favourite trends by far is the bright colours on the SS12. Going through the stores and seeing all the bright tones makes me smile. As for trends I like least, I think the high cut bathing suits makes me wince. Q: In fashion, what does “good taste” mean to you? LUCIAN: Elegance and sophistication. Having your own style. When you wear the clothes and the clothes don't wear you. Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a fashion designer? LUCIAN: One piece of advice would be to make sure they are ready to work hard and never stop learning! To learn more about Lucian Matis, visit his website.

Win Tickets to Savor Dallas, Plus Gift Certificates to Abacus, Capital Grill and More

FIJI Water — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:35:47 +0000

Enter below to win tickets to Savor Dallas, March 30-31, plus $50 gift certificates to Abacus, Capital Grill, and Yao Fuzi! Enter below. Must be 21 or older and a resident of Texas to enter. See the official rules for details. Sweepstakes ends midnight Pacific Time March 23, 2012. [gravityform id=45 name=SavorDallas Sweepstakes]

Tahirah Jarrett on How She Got to Fashion Week and What She Saw There

FIJI Water — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:11:03 +0000

Tahirah Jarrett (center in photo) is one of three interns working with FIJI Water at New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 (February 9-16, 2012). There was a lot late nights and early mornings trying to hustle votes for FIJI Water's Facebook Internship Contest. The more my votes increased, the higher my level of ambition to win. Every day I would harass, stalk, and beg all my family and friends to vote for me. I was at work doing a fitting with a customer when I got the phone call from FIJI telling me I won with the most votes. I was beyond excited and all could think was “is this real?” I anxiously packed my bags and took the first flight out to NYC. It didn’t hit me that I was actually at New York Fashion Week until everyone took their seats and I heard the photographers scream “cross your legs” at the Helmut Lang show. After that my life went on fast forward. While Representing FIJI Water as a Brand Ambassador, I was able snap pictures and mingle with a few VIPs: Kate Lanphear, Nina Garcia, and Zoey Saldana to name a few. I even found the courage to ask Anna Wintour for a picture at the Alexander Wang show and surprisingly she said YES(!). [caption id="attachment_20024" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Intern Tahirah Jarrett with various fashion VIPs."][/caption] The most interesting show I would say I attended would be Theysken Theory’s. It was like he made the pieces in his collection tell a fairytale. A very chic modern girl stuck in the past with the determination to give the world her all. It was very vintage, very bold and very me. But on Valentine’s Day I fell in love with Oscar De La Renta. While the models stride elegantly with their pretty little smiles and girly garments down the runway, I definitely sensed the love in the air. His collection reminded me of a Princess tea party. It was full of different shades of blues and rose pink, accompanied by youthful prints and textures. Oscar De La Renta's show was truly a work of art. The highlight of my week would be when Oscar said yes to me being his valentine. Over all, my experience at Fashion Week as FIJI Water intern was amazing and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. As a newbie to the fashion world I came in with very little knowledge of who people were and how important they are. Thanks to FIJI I am leaving with a better vision of who I want to become in the fashion Industry. So in appreciation, again I would like to thank FIJI Water, all the family and friends for fast forwarding me to Fashion Week. I am truly grateful for the opportunity I have been given. A little advice for up and coming fashionistas: Do your research and come prepared because you never know what opportunity is going to be thrown your way! You can follow me on Twitter and on Facebook for more pictures and behind-the-scenes action from Fashion Week.

Stacey Levine Shares Her NY Fashion Week Highlights

FIJI Water — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:24:02 +0000

Stacey Levine (left in photo) is one of three interns working with FIJI Water at New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 (February 9-16, 2012).

I’ve always lived just outside the city, an outsider looking in on what seemed to be the most magical happening in the world -- New York Fashion Week. As a FIJI Water intern this February, I got to experience fashion's biggest event as an industry insider, and it has surpassed my every expectation.

Thanks to FIJI Water, I had the opportunity to go back of house with the models, stylists, designers, and celebrities, to see just how a runway show is put together. Back of house is always busy and hectic, and it was interesting to see the differences in how it’s set up and treated at every show. I loved being able to watch as the models were interviewed while getting their hair and makeup done, to take photos and videos behind-the-scenes, and to talk to other interns. Below are some of the highlights from each runway show I attended: Helmut Lang: As our first show, I thought nothing could top this. It was busy and exciting, and as we placed FIJI Water on all of the front-row chairs, I truly felt that working behind-the-scenes in fashion is where I belong. We had an amazing view of the show and even walked right by an interview with Michael and Nicole Colovos, the creative directors of Helmut Lang! [caption id="attachment_20038" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Stacey with fellow intern Tahirah Jarrett assisting a FIJI Water Brand Ambassador"][/caption] Prabal Gurung: This was one of my favorite collections that we saw, and I even got to be a seat-filler in the third row, which offered a great view. At this show, our job was to hand out FIJI Water to the guests as they arrived, so we had tons of celebrity sightings. Arianna Huffington, Brad Goreski, Joanna Coles, Anna Wintour, Zoe Saldana, and blogger The Man Repeller were among them, but my absolute favorite was my first time seeing Bill Cunningham in person! Alexander Wang: This was easily the most theatrical show; it was unbelievable and the venue was massive compared to the others! We watched Gisele Bundchen get interviewed and prepped backstage (she walked in the show), and also saw Grace Coddington, Nina Garcia, Bill Cunningham, Laura Linney, and a few other notable celebs. The most exciting part of Alexander Wang, though, was getting a photo with Anna Wintour! It was so surreal, and it’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget. Jeremy Laing: It was a really small show, so we were able to go backstage beforehand, as well as get seats during the show itself! DKNY: We didn’t get to watch the show, but we did see a ton of cool people, the DKNY Taxi, and I caught a glimpse of my favorite blogger, DKNY PR Girl! Theysken’s Theory: This show was absolutely amazing -- the collection was gorgeous, and we spotted Anna Wintour, The Man Repeller, Joanna Coles, Calvin Klein, and street photographer/blogger The Sartorialist. Donna Karan: We handed out FIJI Water outside the show, and saw Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington, and Joanna Coles again. I finally got up the courage to speak to Bill Cunningham (I offered him a FIJI Water!), and Nina Garcia, who smiled and took a FIJI Water from me. I also got to meet and take a picture with DKNY PR Girl, which was really exciting, and I briefly met Steven Kolb, who tweeted at me afterwards! Oscar de la Renta: This show was absolutely breathtaking. I got to take a picture with Oscar himself, was a seat-filler for the show, and got to take home a swag bag with Oscar de la Renta perfume in it! And Chelsea Clinton was there! Marchesa: This was our last show, and it was a great note to end on. It was easily my favorite collection. Every dress was a work of art. We got to see all the garments up close behind-the-scenes and, while helping give FIJI Water to guests, we saw Rachel Zoe, Brad Goreski, Nina Garcia, Joanna Coles, Stacy Keibler, Petra Nemcova, Taylor Momsen, and Georgina Chapman! Overall, this was the most incredible and rewarding experience. FIJI Water treated us so well, and I was able to learn about the fashion industry while meeting some amazing people. I am so sad it’s over, and I really hope to get to attend NYFW again in the near future!

Marchesa Co-Founder Finds Inspiration in India

FIJI Water — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:44:16 +0000

As co-founder of couture line Marchesa, Georgina Chapman knows a thing or two about good taste. Well-heeled celebs such as Halle Berry and Olivia Wilde clamor for her creations, and Sandra Bullock accepted her 2010 Best Actress award in a Marchesa design. But Chapman exemplifies good taste even off the runway: At her wedding, she asked all guests to donate to one of two charities – Robin Hood or Give2Asia – in lieu of gifts. Nothing could be more fashionable. Q: What inspired you to become a designer? A: Fashion. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I started as a costume designer and have always been incredibly inspired to create something completely new and unique. It is such a joy to be able to do what I love each and every day. Q: What kind of woman do you design for? A: I try to design dresses for any woman who enjoys glamour. Q: When you’re not wearing your own styles, whose do you turn to? A: I love shopping at vintage stores and supporting new, up-and-coming designers. Q: You've had a number of illustrious milestones in your career. Which milestone are you most proud of and why? A: My daughter India. She's the best gift life has ever given me. Q: How much time does it take to create a season's collection? A: It depends. Some pieces take months alone to create; others I drape up a few days before the show. Q: How do you want people to feel when wearing your clothing? A: Beautiful. I think at the end of the day, that’s the best reward as a designer, knowing that your customer feels great in what you created. Q: What is the future of fashion? What big milestones do your foresee for the next 10 years? A: I'm not sure what the next decade will bring, but I am grateful for everything we have accomplished so far. For more fashion news, follow Chapman on Twitter or Facebook.

Fashion Intern Lucy Angel Shares Her View From Backstage

FIJI Water — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:35:44 +0000

Lucy Angel (right in photo) is one of three interns working with FIJI Water at New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 (February 9-16, 2012). New York Fashion Week is everything that it’s made out to be. Maybe even more. The past few days have been some that I will never forget. The FIJI Water interns have been in the presence of some of fashion's elite, including designers Helmut Lang, Prabal Gurung, and Alexander Wang. We also rubbed shoulders with fashion blogger Bryan Boy and Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour. We were fortunate enough to snag a picture with her right before the Alexander Wang show! [caption id="attachment_19967" align="alignright" width="200" caption="People dress to impress at New York Fashion Week"][/caption] Aside from the glitz and glamour on the runway, a very important part of New York Fashion Week is the street-style fashion that comes with it. As we passed Lincoln Center on our way to Alexander Wang, mobs of fashionable people stood outside. The crowd alternated between photographing the glitterati coming in and out of the shows -- and each other. Fashion Week really makes you put on your best clothes. Who knows? Bill Cunningham may be lingering around! My favorite part of being a FIJI Water intern thus far has definitely been the backstage access. We’ve been able to see the collections before they go down the runway, models (including the fabulous Gisele Bundchen) getting their hair and make-up done and practicing on the runway, and in general everything that goes on backstage. I don’t think anyone realizes how much time, effort, and planning goes into producing a show of only forty or so looks. Thank you so much, FIJI Water, for this unbelievable opportunity! Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be at these big-name shows, let alone at age 19. We’re only a few shows in, so I’m excited for what the rest of the week has in store!

Agnyess Deyn Beckons You “Here”

FIJI Water — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:50:42 +0000

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” Martin Buber could have been referring to the plot of The Luxury Collection's new short film when he wrote those immortal words. "Here," a 30-minute travelogue that highlights the posh amenities of three hotel locations, sees model/actress Agnyess Deyn journeying from the Equinox in Vermont to the Phoenician in Arizona to the Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu, all at the bequest of an unseen figure who delivers handwritten notes that detail her next step -- row across a lake, take falconing lessons, swim in a lake-sized pool. The tone of the film is languid, mysterious, mesmerizing. The concept of the film began as a dinner conversation between actor and jewelry designer Waris Ahluwalia, actress Tilda Swinton, and her artist companion Sandro Kopp, all of who shared a passion for travel. That passion has now been translated to the screen, with director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) adding a retro touch to the opulent settings, making "Here" a visual exploration of sophisticated comfort, with a dash of Hitchcockian enigma. View the official website for a glimpse behind the scenes, then watch the short film and see if you can spot FIJI Water's cameo:

5 Fitness Training Tips for the New Year

FIJI Water — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:34:44 +0000

It’s almost a month into 2012 and if you haven’t abandoned your New Year’s Resolutions, we have some tips to keep you motivated on achieving your physical goals – especially if you’re planning to take part in Chicago’s Hustle Up The Hancock. The annual event, held this year on Sunday, February 26, sees over 4,000 participants race up 94 stories to the top of one of Chicago’s most famous buildings. The event raises money for The Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. Certified Conditioning Specialist Dina Castillo shares her expertise on how to train for this or any other event you’ve set your goals on for 2012. [caption id="attachment_19810" align="alignright" width="201" caption="A runner in 2011's event hustles up the stairs of Chicago's Hancock Building."][/caption]

Be Realistic and Consistent. Know what it’s going to take to get what you want. Map out a plan of how and when you are going to achieve your goals, and ask a nutritionist or trainer whether or not the goals are realistic. Then create a timeline with the long-term goals and mini short-term goals in between so you can compare your progress to your expectations. Don’t get discouraged if you’re not seeing results right away: It can take a while before results start to kick in.
Become Educated. If you really want to change your health and body, arm yourself with the knowledge of how the body functions, the obstacles you’ll face, and how to overcome them. Personal trainers can be a great resource, but if you’re going it solo, read up on fitness news from experts on such sites as Active.com or Health.com. Joining an online community, such as those on LiveStrong.com, can both supplement your info and provide much needed motivation.
Less Cardio, More Lifting. Why? Because when you’re on the machine, you burn calories and then… that’s it. When you’re done on the machine, your body is done burning. When you lift weights and strength train, however, you are building muscle (not necessarily size) and increasing your metabolism, which means you’ll burn more calories throughout the day, even when you’re not on the machine! Research shows that 1 pound of muscle burns around 50 calories per day, depending on genetics and individual metabolism. 1 lb. muscle = 50 calories/day 10 lb. muscle = 500 calories/day x 7 days/week = 3,500 calories 3,500 calories = 1 lb. lost Keep your body working efficiently by adding lean muscle tissue and increasing the amount of resistance training in your fitness schedule.

Cleanse Your Body. Pollution from the air, pesticides on our foods – the list goes on. As much as we try to eat clean and take care of our body, it is impossible to prevent all toxins from entering our body. Yearly or even quarterly cleanses can help purge the body of toxins, clean out the cells, and nutritionally rebalance the body. After a recent nine-day cleanse, I experienced a 5-pound weight loss, a 3% decrease in body fat, and, as an added bonus, a 2% increase in lean muscle mass.
Announce Your Goals. It’s one thing to set goals. It’s an entirely other thing to let those goals be known. Join a group, make workout dates with friends, post your goals and progress on Facebook. Once you broadcast your goals for everyone to see, you’ll feel more obligated to follow through, not to mention the encouragement from friends to stay on track and not give up early.

About Dina Castillo: Dina Castillo is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. With over 10 years of experience in the fitness, corporate wellness, and sports industry, Castillo creates fitness programs that educate and provide results. She spent nine years assisting with the development of a small fitness business where she worked with clients such as Harpo Studios, Aon Insurance, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Throughout this time, she also developed a licensed fitness program that has been accredited by the American Council on Exercise as a continuing education program for other fitness professionals. Castillo’s philosophy is to combine the education, understanding, accountability, and motivation to achieve the results you are looking for. Training with Castillo os available at The Trump Spa Chicago, LA Fitness-Webster Place Chicago, and various other locations. Contact Dina directly for more info: dina@unicusfitness.com or 708-288-9182. photo credits: top, Jonathan Mathias; middle, Steph Tanner; bottom, Dina Castillo.

Win a Trip to Charleston Wine + Food Festival

FIJI Water — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:02:40 +0000

This sweepstakes has ended. FIJI Water is giving away a trip to the 2012 Charleston Wine + Food Festival taking place in Charleston, S.C., this March. To enter, fill out the form below. This sweepstakes ended 2/22/2012. Winners will be announced soon! The Charleston Wine + Food Festival, a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is a celebration of excellence in food, wine, and Charleston’s renowned culture, all for the benefit of local charities. Recognized by Forbes Traveler as one of the nation's best food and wine festivals, Charleston Wine + Food is a do-not-miss Southern culinary event. Prize package includes:

Two-night, three-day hotel accommodations at the Courtyard Charleston Waterfront Hotel in Charleston, S.C.
Carriage ride tour of historic Charleston for four (4) people
Breakfast for two (2) at the Courtyard Charleston Waterfront Hotel.
Gift certificate redeemable for two (2) tickets to each of the following events at the 2012 Charleston Wine & Food Festival in Charleston, S.C.:
- Skirt! Magazine Presents Shop, Sip + Savor Event on Friday, March 2, 2012
- Pinot Envy Uncorked! on Saturday, March 3, 2012
- Sunday Culinary Village + The AAA Vacations/Azamara Club Cruises + Piggly Wiggly Taste of the South Grand Tasting Tents on Sunday, March 4, 2012

This sweepstakes is open to residents of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia only. See the official rules for complete sweepstakes details. Good luck, and don't forget to "like" Charleston Wine + Food on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at @ChsWineandFood. Sweepstakes ends February 21, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. PT. [gravityform id=43 name=CharlestonWine & Food Sweepstakes]

Enter the Star for a Day Hollywood Getaway Sweepstakes

FIJI Water — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:32:36 +0000

To celebrate FIJI Water's sponsorship of the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, we're giving one of our fans the chance to indulge in the glamour of Hollywood, complete with airfare, hotel, and enough perks to please a diva. Enter on our Facebook page, then tune into the Awards broadcast Sunday, January 29, 2012 on TNT and TBS. The prize package for the Star for a Day Hollywood Getaway Sweepstakes includes:

(2) weekend nights in a Wonderful King Guestroom at W Hollywood Hotel
(2) $500 air travel vouchers
A one-month trial membership to Equinox Fitness Clubs and a gift card to The Spa @ Equinox*
Dinner for 2 at Public Kitchen and Bar located in the historic Roosevelt Hotel
A complete hairstyling experience (including cut, color, and styling) created expressly for you by the exclusive Angus Mitchell Salon in Beverly Hills
A Notte by Marchesa dress (valued up to $1200)
One year of FIJI Water Delivery service

*Not valid at E Location in New York

New York Fashion Week Interns Announced

FIJI Water — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:59:29 +0000

We are proud to announce the winners of the February 2012 New York Fashion Week Internship Contest: Lucy Angel, Stacey Levine, and Tahirah Jarrett. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who entered and everyone who voted. We asked Tahirah, Stacey, and Lucy to tell us a little about themselves and what their career goals are.

Lucy Angel

Lucy Angel is a Chicago native, fashion and vintage enthusiast and entrepreneur. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she is studying Textile and Apparel Design and Entrepreneurship. Lucy hopes to one day be completely emerged in the New York fashion scene, and being at New York Fashion Week is the first step.

Stacey Levine

Stacey Levine is studying Public Communication and Marketing at American University in Washington, DC. She is from New Rochelle, NY but longs to move to Manhattan so she can call herself a real New Yorker. Stacey absolutely loves all things social media and spends a lot of time reading fashion blogs and writing her own at strategyinstilettos.tumblr.com. Her dream is to find a career in fashion PR in New York City. She couldn't be more thrilled to finally fulfill her dream of experiencing New York Fashion Week!

Tahirah Jarrett

Tahirah Jarrett is a 20-year old Fashion Merchandising and Managment major from Clermont, Florida. Upon graduation she plans to pursue many ventures as an entrepreneur or what she calls an fashion-prenuer. In the summer of 2011 Tahirah had the opportunity to work alongside stylist Melanie Pace at Orlando's Fashion Week assisting backstage and dressing Stacey-Ann from season ten of Americas Next Top Model. With her experiences, she looks forward to fulfilling her dreams in the world of fashion.

FIJI Water Official Water of the Screen Actors Guild Awards®

FIJI Water — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:00:59 +0000

FIJI Water is proud to announce that we will be the official water of the Screen Actors Guild Awards, broadcast live Sunday, January 29, 2012 on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT). To celebrate, we've got a fabulous contest on our Facebook page. Read more about it below. FIJI will be served on the red carpet, featured on the dinner tables during the award show ceremony, and served at the Screen Actors Guild Post-Awards Gala hosted by People Magazine and EIF. Our sponsorship supports the SAG Foundation, see the official press release for more details. So if you plan to watch the show (and we hope you will) keep an eye out for our square bottle as we make our SAG Awards debut!

Facebook Sweepstakes and Exclusive Content

FIJI Water will be Tweeting and posting live from the SAG Awards, so don't forget to Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. In addition, to celebrate our first year as official water of the SAG Awards, we have a special "Star for a Day Hollywood Getaway Sweepstakes" up on our Facebook page. You could win a trip for two to Hollywood, CA, luxury stay at the W Hollywood Hotel, a cocktail dress from Marchesa, dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel, and much more. Enter on our Facebook page.

Follow @FIJIWater

Intern for FIJI Water Behind the Scenes at New York Fashion Week

FIJI Water — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:00:49 +0000

UPDATE: Our finalists' videos are now live on our Facebook page. Vote for your favorite now: click here. FIJI Water is inviting three fashion-forward individuals to join us at New York Fashion Week in New York City this February. To enter, please go to our Facebook page tab "NY Fashion Week Intern Contest." Our three FIJI Water interns will work behind the scenes at Fashion Week as FIJI Water brand ambassadors, rubbing shoulders with the glitteratti and soaking up more fashion experiences than you can shake a $10,000 handbag at. In past seasons, our interns have had opportunities to see and even help set up runway shows by top designers. All interns also receive a full year of FIJI Water Delivery. But it's not all glamour. This is a real internship with real duties and responsibilities, so only those who are serious, and seriously stylish, need apply. We're looking for energetic brand ambassadors who can stay professional during long days helping fulfill the demand for FIJI Water at some of the most important shows and events at New York Fashion Week. Think you've got what it takes? Enter now.

More Details on the Internship Contest

Please note that the winning interns must provide for their own transportation to, and accommodations in, New York City for the duration of the internship (February 9-16, 2012). If you are chosen as a finalist, you must show you have a place to stay in or around New York City during that time. Interns will be given a $250 stipend for the week to help defray costs, a Metrocard to get around town, and a year's supply of FIJI Water. All interns must be over 18 and a resident of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. See our official rules for the details.

The Application Process

[caption id="attachment_19458" align="alignright" width="231" caption="September 2011 Fashion Week interns Teghan, Gabriel, Kristie, and Marco."][/caption] The internship contest is divided into two rounds, with eight finalists from the first round advancing to round two. In the first round, each applicant gives their answer to the question "Choose an individual who you feel has the best expression of good taste, and explain why" in 300 characters or less. Of the eight finalists in round one, seven of the finalists are selected by FIJI Water judges, but one "wildcard" finalist will be determined by your votes on Facebook -- so be sure to tell your friends to vote for your entry. To vote, you must be a fan of FIJI Water on Facebook. In the second round, the eight finalists create a video response to a fashion question. (See last season's question and video responses.) In round two, all three winning entries will be selected by your votes on Facebook.

Making Your Entry Stand Out

Here's what we look for in determining the finalists: 1. Excellent writing skills. 2. Creativity. 3. Thoughtfulness. 4. Brevity. If your entry is longer than 200 characters, the Facebook app won't allow you to enter it. The finalists will be contacted by FIJI Water by December 23, 2011, at which point they must provide: 1. A resume. 2. Details on how they will get to New York for Fashion Week and where they will stay.

About the Voting Process on Facebook

In both round one and two, you can vote as many times as you like, but you can only vote once for each entry (including your own). Use your votes! Share the love! To vote, you must be a fan of FIJI Water on Facebook. If you are having problems entering or voting, please comment on our Facebook page or on this blog post and we will get back to you as soon as possible. GOOD LUCK!

Win a Trip to Las Vegas for You and Your Friends

FIJI Water — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:51:58 +0000

FIJI Water and the Venetian and Palazzo Resort Casinos want to send you and the friends of your choice to Las Vegas on us! To enter, go to our Facebook page. You get to choose the Facebook friends you want to have come with you: three friends on the "party" trip or one special someone on the "romantic" trip. The more friends who enter and decide to choose YOU to go with them, the better your chances are of making it to Las Vegas for an awesome trip with your friends!

Don't have a Facebook account? You can still enter: click here.

FIJI Water Explores London’s Underground Dining Experiences

FIJI Water — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:13:47 +0000

Supper clubs and pop-up restaurants are the newest trend in London’s foodie scene. These days, underground dining experiences can be found at postcodes all over the city on Fridays, Saturdays and even week-nights. There’s even a new cookbook, Supper Club, by “anti-restaurant” epicurean Ms. Marmite Lover. In the early days of supper clubs, talented home cooks would invite a bunch of strangers or semi-strangers “round to mine” for dinner via Facebook, Twitter or word of mouth. Now, the next generation of limited-time-only restaurants are all about a creative theme - collaborations between food and art, popping up in unusual venues - all dedicated to giving diners an experience to talk about. FIJI Water went behind the scenes with a few of its favourites:

Stolen

(www.stolen.it) [caption id="attachment_19433" align="alignright" width="186" caption="Stolen supper club isn't kidding around. "][/caption] The concept is simple: everything you eat and experience at the "Monday Chow" is contraband! Run by the intrepid Bonnie and Clyde, Stolen hosts supper clubs all over London; recent adventures include a take-over of a stunning arty town house in Notting Hill and sneaking into the Stables Market, Camden after hours. Each menu is inspired by a famous chef, for example, Jason Atherton at Pollen Street Social. It’s obvious that the Stolen team does its research. Rather than simply knicking recipes, they give diners a talk about the ”guest” chef’s background and signature dishes; almost like a home-made homage to the great cooks of the moment. The intimate feel and diverse crowd are the best bits about this supper club - check out www.stolen.it for future dates and mailing list.

Gingerline

(gingerline.co.uk/) [caption id="attachment_19436" align="alignleft" width="177" caption="The view from inside the Gingerline supper club."][/caption] Named after the new East London overground trainline, Gingerline’s pop-up dining extravaganzas can be found anywhere between Stratford and Richmond, Islington and Clapham. You don’t know the location until receiving a text an hour beforehand and then must follow the paint splatters from the nearest station to a secret location. The food is first class - last month the FIJI Water girls were treated to shared plates of tender poultry and more-ish pavlova. Each event lasts for a limited run of six or eight nights, almost like a show, and the production is equally theatrical. Most recently, at a blank canvas space in Forest Hill, Gingerline incorporated a puppet theatre and a labyrinth of reclaimed doors...slightly more tricky on the way out after sharing BYO wine around the ziz-zag dining table. We love the fact that Gingerline is a creative showcase for London - even the menu is a collectible piece of art. Currently showing is the alternative traditional Christmas special! Sign up for first notice online or via Facebook.

Shacklewell Nights

(www.shacklewellnights.com) Named after the arty East London studios in which it was born, Shacklewell Nights is one of the city’s original, and in our opinion, best pop-up restaurants. The dishes on each sumptuous but unfussy five course menu let the fresh, seasonal produce shine through. The brilliant Claire Robertson and her team pride themselves on top-notch service and the ability to deliver Michelin-standard food from the teeniest kitchen in unusual venues such as furniture workshops and disused office blocks. Coming up very soon is One Pig (15th December) - a collaboration with top chef Rosie Sykes of St John, and the launch of Matthew Herbert’s critically acclaimed album of the same name. As it seems, with everything that’s ‘hot’ at the moment...the venue is in Dalston. See www.shacklewellnights.com and keep an eye on Twitter @shacklewel1. For more supper clubs in your area check out www.londonfoodie.co.uk. Photo credits: top and bottom, Alice Pennefather, middle Stolen Facebook page.

FIJI Water Fan of the Month Contest

FIJI Water — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:05:18 +0000

FIJI Water fans: Did you know we host a contest every month on our Facebook page? The winner receives a year of FIJI Water Delivery, and has their photo on our Facebook profile for a month! To enter, go to the official FIJI Water Facebook page. The grand prize winner is chosen by our fans' votes each month. You can vote once a day for your entry, so let your friends know to vote early and vote often. In addition, we refresh the contest theme each month, so there's always a new challenge. Enter today!

The Perfect Gift for the Impossible Person to Shop For

FIJI Water — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:17:44 +0000

We're giving away a limited-edition signed copy of "The Impossible Collection of Fashion," the 100 most iconic dresses of the 20th century in 144 stunning pages. For the style-mavens on your list -- when it's too risky to buy them clothes! From the book's description on ASSOULINE's website:

From Poiret to Pucci, Doucet to Dior, Vionnet to Valentino, Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (MFIT), selects the 100 most iconic dresses of the twentieth century. This magnificent collection, while certainly subjective, is sure to receive gasps of pleasure as well as of surprise. Steele’s selection, hand-picked for this luxury volume presented in a linen clamshell case with a cutout metal plate, astounds in every regard.

This copy of the Impossible Collection was signed by Valerie at an exclusive event in Chicago, sponsored by FIJI Water, ASSOULINE and the Neapolitan Collection, one of the city's top fashion shopping destinations. To enter, go to our Facebook page. Happy Holidays!

What To Wear This Winter: Style Tips from INTERMIX

hwatterworth — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:35:33 +0000

Staying stylish when it’s 40 below can be a feat for even the most fashionable frost-fighters. At the recent opening of the first INTERMIX store north of the border – on Toronto's uber-fashionable Bloor Street – we cozied up to INTERMIX Co-Founder & CEO Khajak Keledjian to get the goods on looking hot through the coldest season. Q: INTERMIX has a great blog that mixes street style with promotional content and fun extras like recipes. How important is blogging to what you do? A: Social media channels are incredibly vital to receiving inspiration and information these days. We like to share our point of view, our discoveries and our muses with our customers this way. Our blog, Beyond Best Dressed, takes style one step further; our content focuses on a well-curated lifestyle and a perfectly edited closet. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="175" caption="add Belted Shawl Collar Puffer Coat / INTERMIX"][/caption] Q: Which lines or collections are doing particularly well this season? What is it about those lines that people want? A: We deliver of-the-moment styles our clients can’t find elsewhere. On average, 30% of our styles are made by top designers, just for us. We work with the best talent from labels including – but not limited to – Yigal Azrouel, Diane Von Furstenberg, ALC by Andrea Lieberman, rag & bone, J Brand, Hunting Season, Helmut Lang, Herve Leger, Yves Salomon, and Nili Lotan. Our teams collaborate to create pieces that speak directly to our clients and their lifestyles. Q: Do you think INTERMIX will be adding men’s style any time soon? A: Never say never…. But, our focus, and our success, is grounded in women’s fashion. Q: How can one keep warm without sacrificing style? A: A major facet of the INTERMIX brand DNA is the infusion of unexpected elements into our customers’ wardrobes. The key to showing off personal style is the visual interest that comes from playing one piece against another, the mix of textures, colors and silhouettes. To stay warm this winter and create signature looks: layer. Style looks with interesting textures, bold pops of color, and contrasting lines to create looks that easily transition from outside to inside, from day to evening. Q: What are some of your favorite outwear pieces being carried this season at INTERMIX? A: This season, we have strong outerwear styles from rag & bone, Chloe and Derek Lam, with impeccable details and unexpected accents. We also have amazing, warm, versatile jackets from SAM and Canada Goose. Q: What will INTERMIX be wearing to keep warm this winter? A: The versatility of a sleek leather jacket is paramount – it’s perfect for indoors and gives warmth under outerwear on a winter’s day. We’ve got great styles from Fendi, Jimmy Choo and rag & bone. Other covetable winter necessities include chic driving gloves – especially our exotic styles from Imoni – and lofty scarves from Missoni and Autumn Cashmere, among others. Are you an INTERMIX fan? What will you be wearing to stay warm this winter? Above: Outerwear from Rachel Zoe and Diane Von Furstenberg; all available at INTERMIX.

Stephanie Izard’s Spicy Goat Stew From Top Chefs All Stars Las Vegas

FIJI Water — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:55:58 +0000

Las Vegas may be known for its casinos and nightlife, but it’s also increasingly being recognized as an international culinary hub. Sin City’s gourmet cred was on full display last month at the FOOD & WINE Top Chefs All Stars Las Vegas, held at Aria at City Center. Top Chef winners and cheftestants joined a worldwide “who’s who” in the culinary world to cook up a storm for lucky attendees.

A Jam-Packed Culinary Weekend in Las Vegas

Chef attendees included Stephanie Izard, Top Chef Winner Season 4 and FOOD & WINE Best New Chef 2011; Hosea Rosenberg, Top Chef Winner Season 5; Yigit Pura, Top Chef Just Desserts Winner Season 1; Sam Talbot, Top Chef cheftestant; Angelo Sosa Top Chef cheftestant; and culinary masters Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Masa Takayama, Julian Serrano, Shawn McClain, and restaurateur Sirio Maccioni. The event kicked off with the First Course Cocktail Party hosted by FOOD & WINE’s Gail Simmons and Anthony Giglio. Chefs and guests mingled while enjoying champagne, passed hors d’oeuvres and JUSTIN and Landmark wines. The first day concluded with a FIJI Water-sponsored All Star Nightcap party at UNION restaurant located inside Aria. Top Chef Just Desserts winner, Yigit Pura, provided an array of tasty bites for the intimate party of 200 guests. DJ KrisCuts provided the sounds for the evening from the FIJI Water DJ booth. The highlight of the three-day festival was the All Star Tasting held poolside at the Aria pool. Nearly 500 foodies shared a decadent evening of culinary creations. Everyone stumbled away from three days of epicurean madness with a full belly and a hot-from-the-pot recipe from Stephanie Izard’s very successful Chicago restaurant, Girl and the Goat. Below find the recipe for the dish she presented: Spicy Goat Nut Stew.

Spicy Goat Nut Stew

makes 2 gallons

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Step 1: Stew Base

8 ounces onions, roughly chopped 1 quart canned tomatoes 1 ounces garlic, chopped 1/2 cup tamarind 2 tablespoons hot roasted pepper paste

Combine ingredients in a pot. simmer until the flavors are well combined and all the ingredients are softened.
Remove from stove and pulse in food processor until roughly chopped.

Step 2: The Stew

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 quart onion, small dice 1 ounce garlic, minced 1/2 cup red wine 1 quart tomatoes, med dice (roma or any other tomato) 8 ounces creamy peanut butter 5 pounds goat chorizo, browned 5 pounds braised smoked goat 1 pint goat braise 1 pint goat stock 2 teaspoons hot roasted pepper paste 1/2 cup coconut cream 2 tablespoons lime juice salt to taste

In a stock pot, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and sweat until translucent.
Deglaze with red wine.
Add tomatoes and cook until they start to break down, about 15 minutes.
Add peanut butter and mix thoroughly.
Add stew base from Step 1.
Add goat chorizo, braise smoked goat, goat braise and goat stock. Cook until flavors marry, about 2 hours.
Finish with pepper paste, coconut cream and lime juice.
Season with salt.

Thanksgiving Recipe: Root Vegetables, Decoded and Delicious

hwatterworth — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:31:07 +0000

Root vegetables are a underrated food group. With so many similar looking and sounding roots to choose from, it’s hard to know what’s what. With Thanksgiving swiftly approaching, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to sort a few things out among these ambiguous roots so common at Thanksgiving tables, and offer a simple recipe to create a delicious root medley to go alongside any feast.

Turnip vs. Parsnip

Turnips are white in color and comparable in shape to a beet, while a parsnip looks more like a carrot. Turnips are rather bitter, though their leaves make excellent side dishes as turnip greens. Raw, parsnips taste like a carrot (though they’re much higher in potassium, dietary fibers, and other vitamins) and are excellent in soup.

Butternut Squash vs. Spaghetti Squash

You’ll know it’s spaghetti squash when it forms little ribbons when it’s cooked. Use spaghetti squash as alternative to pasta if you’re on a gluten-free/low carb kick. Butternut squash is a bit sweeter and is best when it’s pureed or made into a soup.

Sweet Potato vs. Yam

Let’s say this one together: sweet potatoes are not yams. Sweet potatoes’ yellow flesh is much lighter than that of a yam; it actually resembles your average potato. Yams are dark orange, moist in texture with a dark skin. They make a fantastic mash and are often turned into yam fries, which are like french fries 2.0. Now that we’ve got it all sorted out, let’s peel, dice, and eat them all together with this fantastic recipe, courtesy of head chef Trevor Wilkinson of the swish Trevor Kitchen and Bar in Toronto.

Fall Root Hash Recipe

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1 small white turnip, peeled and diced 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced 1 parsnip, peeled, cored and diced 1 yukon gold potato, peeled and diced 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced (use only 1/2 the top portion)

In a cast iron pan (or a similar heavy bottomed skillet) individually pan-fry each root vegetable in canola oil and butter, adding salt and pepper to taste. Pan-fry until each vegetable is tender to touch or bite and caramel in colour.
Fold root vegetables together and move to a baking sheet (to be reheated later before serving).

Fiji Fashion Week Will Feature Designers From Around the Pacific and the World

FIJI Water — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:01:37 +0000

The fourth annual Fiji Fashion Week kicks off this November 11-14 at TappooCity shopping center and at the Sheraton Resort Fiji. One of the hottest fashion events in the south Pacific, Fiji Fashion Week will feature designer Jerrell Scott of Project Runway fame, Kookai (Australia), Zambesi (New Zealand), Mena (Samoa), and many others. Miss Universe Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs is also scheduled to attend. The day before the shows begin, Fiji Fashion Week will host a special Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon and Charity Auction at Central Cuisine Asian Restaurant. For more information, please see the Fiji Fashion Week website or their Facebook page.

Win Tickets to Flavor! Napa Valley and a Night at the Silverado Resort

FIJI Water — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:42:16 +0000

This sweepstakes has ended. Thank you to everyone who entered. Flavor! Napa Valley is a four-day festival of farm-to-table fine cuisine, world-class wines, and the fun that is had when these elements come together in America’s premier wine region. The inaugural celebration, being held November 17-20, 2011, offers a wide variety of incredible gastronomic events situated at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, and The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. We are excited to be able to offer a special chance to our fans to win tickets to this fantastic event, plus a night at Silverado Resort and Spa. The prize package includes:

(2) Tickets to the Appellation Trail Grand Tasting November 18th, from 6:00-9:00pm Stroll through the Culinary Institute of America’s historic Greystone building in St. Helena, while tasting more than 120 wineries pouring everything from Albariño to Zinfandel and delectables from over 35 of Napa Valley’s terrific restaurants.
(2) Tickets to the Interactive Lunch with Michael Chiarello November 19th, from 11:30am-2:00pm Join award-winning chef and Napa Valley resident Michael Chiarello for an interactive lunch experience.
One-night stay on the night of November 18 at the host hotel, Silverado Resort and Spa
One year of FIJI Water Delivery service

Fill out the form below to enter the sweepstakes. To ensure your place at what is sure to be Napa Valley's newest culinary tradition, purchase tickets today. Prize does not include travel to Napa Valley or to specific events. For sweepstakes details, please see the official rules. [gravityform id=48 name=Luckyand FIJI Water Silverado Resort and Spa Sweepstakes]

In Time for Halloween: Free FIJI Water Pumpkin Stencils

FIJI Water — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:08:11 +0000

Back by popular demand, the FIJI Water pumpkin stencils! Last year, we had over 1000 downloads of our stencils, so we thought we better bring 'em back. Download these free stencils and bring a little FIJI to your Halloween.

How to Use the FIJI Pumpkin Stencils

Fiji Recycling Program Nets Over Five Tons of Plastic Bottles

FIJI Water — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:48:36 +0000

A major FIJI Water-bottle recycling program in Fiji involving more than 13,000 primary and secondary students has resulted in the collection of more than 5.2 tons of plastic bottles. “This is the equivalent of nearly a quarter of a million 500ml bottles that the students collected, helping to make a substantial contribution in preserving Fiji’s environment,” said Anna Morris, FIJI Water’s Director of Operations.

Recycling Poster Competition Brings Schools Needed Supplies

In addition to the bottle-collection program, FIJI Water also ran a related recycling poster competition for local schools and schoolchildren. Twenty-six students from schools in the Western Division won prizes for producing posters that depict the importance of recycling in an awards ceremony at the FIJI Water plant in Yaqara. The poster competition was divided into individual and group categories, with both primary and high school divisions. Winning students received prizes that included gift bags, stationery gift vouchers of $50, $100, or $200, 4 GB USB flash drives and Vodafone Nokia 2220 Slide mobile phones. Prizes were also awarded to the winning students’ schools, and included a desktop computer and printer package, 5000L water tanks, and library book packages worth $500. [caption id="attachment_18803" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Anjini Nishika of Natabua High School, overall winner in the recycling poster competition."][/caption] Ryan Autar, Project Supervisor responsible for the FIJI Water Recycling Programme and the poster competition, said that 28 schools and close to 500 students took part in intra-school competitions before 100 posters were selected for the final judging. In the First Recycling Programme Poster Competition, the winners were as follows (full names are not available for all winners): • First, second and third places for Lower Primary, Individual Poster, went to Vivian Evanson, Saiorse Breen, and Harry Price, all in Class Three, International School, Nadi. • First prize in the Individual Poster, Upper Primary, went to Aminiasi of Class 8 Lautoka Primary, with second and third going to Tavua Primary students Shayal Kumar of Class 6 and Ashutosh Kumar of Class 7, respectively. • Natabua High scooped up all three prizes for the Individual category in their division, with first and third places going to third formers Anjini Nishika and Sailosi M. respectively, and second to sixth former Kristal Shukla. • Natabua High (Asinate Ratu, Semesa Vasaroi and Chaya M, Form 5) also took first place for the Group Poster, with A D Patel High fifth formers (Poornam Sharma, Priya Devi, and Krishna Nandan) in second place, and seventh formers (Kranil, Shaneel, and Sheenal) taking third. • The Primary Group Poster category was won by Lautoka Primary School (Salote, Divisha, and Rashika, Class 8). Second prize went to Tavua Primary, (Jope D and Kreety C, Class 7), and Class Three of Nadi International School took third prize (Lewis Battison, Samuela Pepna, and Aryan Nand). “Receiving the best artwork from these schools has been a milestone for the first poster competition, and the recycling program,” said Autar.

Expert Advice: Fitting Yoga Into Your Life

hwatterworth — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:02:34 +0000

Been meaning to check out that yoga class, but just haven't gotten around to it? There's no better time to add yoga to your exercise schedule. If the multitude of health benefits such as core strengthening, flexibility, and stress-busting haven't convinced you, Moksha Yoga instructor Erin Moraghan answers some of the most common answers from yoga beginners. Q: I want to try yoga, but I'm not flexible. A: Let yoga stretch you out! Yoga helps establish flexibility, along with strength and stability. You do not need to be able to put your left big toe in your right ear to do yoga. In our culture of sitting, sitting, and more sitting, you can rest assured that, in a room full of yoga beginners, you’ll be one of many in the room feeling stiff and tight. The flexibility will come with time. Q: The fitness aspects of yoga seems cool, but what about all the chanting and praying? A: Yoga is not a religion. It's a physical practice designed to bring your body, mind, and spirit in harmony. Do a little research and ask your friends about classes they like to attend. Most yoga studios and fitness facilities offer classes that do not include chanting or music. Q: I’m not sure I can afford yoga. A: If cash is tight, there are a lot of options. Many studios offer “pay-what-you-can” or “karma” classes weekly, allowing students to make a nominal donation to local charities in exchange for a class. Many churches and community centers offer yoga at reduced rates, too. Q: Ok, so I'm ready to try yoga, what do I need to get started? A: You'll need to wear something comfy that you can move and sweat in. Think athletic tops and shorts/capris rather than cotton tees and track pants, especially if you're trying a hot yoga class. You’ll need a yoga mat, plenty of water, and a towel. Mats and towels can typically be rented at most studios. Q: Hot yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Power yoga -- how do I know where to start? A: Do your research and get online, checking out the studios in your area. Somewhere convenient to you is key. If you're looking for a more high-energy, athletic practice, you might like to try Ashtanga, Power yoga, or Bikram hot yoga. If you’re looking for something more low-key, try Restorative or Yin Yoga. There are endless options to choose from.

Mozzarella Pumpkin Korokke From Shiro Kuro

FIJI Water — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:30:26 +0000

Shiro Kuro is a Tokyo-style Japanese restaurant in West Hollywood, Calif that specializes in “otsumami,” small dishes that are meant to be accompanied with beer, wine or sake. They’ve also got their own take on the croquette, or “korokke” in Japanese.

While the traditional rustic korokke normally consists of simple mashed potato and some ground meat, the Shiro Kuro version is made with pumpkin and a little piece of mozzarella cheese as the filling. Naturally, we thought a pumpkin-based recipe was very apropos for October. It’s also very simple to make. Enjoy — and if you make this dish, be sure to share the results with us on our Facebook page, or below in the comments section.

Mozzarella Kabocha (Pumpkin) Korokke

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1/2 kabocha pumpkin, seeds removed
8 ounces mozzarella cheese diced
2 eggs, beaten
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon shichimi pepper
1 tablespoon salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs for coating

Peel the skin off of the kabocha. Cut the kabocha into cubes.
Put the kabocha in a pot and bring to a boil until the kabocha is cooked.
While the kabocha is still hot, mash it in a bowl. Add diced Mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. Mix well.
Make small kabocha balls and dip each in the beaten eggs, then in the panko breadcrumbs.
Dust off excess panko, then deep fry at low-medium heat until the color turns golden. Be sure to use a non-stick pan.

FIJI Water at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: A Recap

FIJI Water — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:15:12 +0000

This September's Spring 2012 New York Fashion Week was our 11th season at Fashion Week, and third season as official water of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, so when we say it was our best yet, it means something. Highlights would have to include the Diane von Furstenberg show, with fashion icons Anna Wintour, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, and stylist Rachel Zoe all present; a wild and crazy Fashion's Night Out; Donna Karan's street-side catwalk which we caught on video (see below); and rapper Nicki Minaj accessorizing with a pink Bavarian pretzel necklace at the Prabal Gurung show, as pictured above. [caption id="attachment_18609" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Teghan, Gabriel, Kristie, and Marco: The Spring 2012 FIJI Water fashion interns."][/caption]

Our Fabulous Fashion Interns

But the best part of this season's Fashion Week may have been our FIJI Water fashion interns. Chosen for the first time by popular vote on Facebook, our interns "brought it." Teghan, Gabriel, Marco, and Kristie -- you guys rock. Thank you for being such hard-workers, and representing FIJI with a smile. On that note, we strongly encourage you to check out the interns' blog posts about their experiences at Fashion Week: Teghan's, Gabriel's, Marco's, and Kristie's are all up on our fashion blog. Now that we're old Fashion Week veterans it's fun to experience MBFW through fresh eyes again.

Live From Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Exclusive FIJI Video

Also for the first time this season, FIJI Water had our very own videographer, Sadiq Aleshinloye, at Lincoln Center to document Fashion Week from the FIJI perspective. Watch the recap of Donna Karan's street-side catwalk below, and see the other Fashion Week videos on our Fashion channel on Vimeo.

Designer Highlights

Our very own Paul Poux, who has been at every NYFW since 2006 (that's 11 seasons, but whose counting?), noticed a lot of salmon and coral colors on runways, "so we may see those in stores this spring and summer." He also noted the continuing creep of athletic-wear styling into dresses and other evening wear. But the highlight of the week for Poux was two spottings of Nicki Minaj, one at the Prabal Gurung show, and the other sitting next to Anna Wintour at Carolina Herrera. "It felt like a true fashion moment," said Poux. "I learned later that Anna had never met Ms. Minaj before, but you’d never guess it by the way they were chatting and laughing together." For more Fashion Week videos, check out the Fashion Week channel on our Vimeo page, and for Fashion Week photos galore, head to the FIJI Water Flickr page. See you in February!

Advice From Fashion Week Intern Teghan: Never Give Up

FIJI Water — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:43:56 +0000

Teghan Collins is one of four interns working with FIJI Water at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2012 (September 8-15, 2011). The first word that comes to mind when asked about all my experiences at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is "grateful." This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I cannot thank FIJI Water enough for the opportunity! Coming from Atlanta, I never thought in a million years I’d be anywhere near Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Sitting in the front row (as a seat filler, of course) at shows such as BCBG Max Azria and Monique Lhuillier were, until this week, only a daydream. Just being in the same room as some of my favorite celebrities and many of fashion’s elite is a very humbling experience. It fuels my ambitions and determination to one day become equally successful. At the beginning of the week, I got a taste of how celebs feel when the FIJI Water interns were styled by a personal shopper (probably one of the most awesome ways to shop). Thanks to FIJI Water and the lovely stylists at Topshop, we received two full outfits, including shoes and accessories for Fashion Week. #Winning! Noelle, our boss ("Hey, girl! Hey!"), had a great idea to let us have our own style this year. As long as we kept it chic and fashionable and incorporated FIJI Water's signature blue into the ensemble, Topshop was our playground! (Shoutout to my Topshop styling angel, Melanie.) I’ve met so many people and will never forget this internship. How many people can say they gave Kelly Cutrone a piece of gum, sat in the Vogue Italia editors’ seat, handed Susan Sarandon a FIJI Water, and was within ten feet of Mr. Valentino himself? I can, and I feel honored and blessed to be able to do so. If I could give one piece of advice to those trying to break down the fashion industry’s diamond-encrusted door, it would be: “NEVER, ever, ever give up!” If I did, I would have missed out on Betsey Johnson’ s cartwheel and split at the end of her show. Thank you, FIJI Water!

Kristie Dash Dishes on Life as a Fashion Week Intern

FIJI Water — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:11:04 +0000

Kristie Dash is one of four interns working with FIJI Water at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2012 (September 8-15, 2011). Last September, I remember standing in front of Lincoln Center, watching guests and workers coming in and out of the tents for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. They would hold up their passes and walk in, and I would think, “How did they get so lucky?” Well, somehow this is now my reality. As a FIJI Water intern, I'm acting as a brand ambassador for the week, so my main job is to be friendly, smiling, and enthusiastic as we pass out water to every guest who attends the show we are assigned to. It is not hard to do this because I genuinely am so excited to be here. There are two carts of water on either side of the main doors to the theaters, and we stand there as everyone goes through, asking each entrant, “FIJI Water?” Most of the time, people take one graciously. Sometimes they don’t, but we don’t take it personally. I am obsessed with all things pop-culture related, so I have obviously been having a great time spotting everyone from editors and designers to celebrities and socialites. Where we are passing out water is in a prime spot because we get to see every single person walk in. It is hard to list every notable person, but here are some good examples of the household names we've spotted at certain shows: DKNY: Brad Goreski, Shay Mitchell, Nina Garcia BCBG Max Azria: Beverly Mitchell Vivienne Tam: Matt Settle, Wendy Williams Monique Lhuillier: Mandy Moore, LeAnn Rimes Diane von Furstenburg: Rachel Zoe, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Corinne Bailey Rae, Bill Cunningham Betsey Johnson: Nicki Minaj, Jonathan Cheban, Nigel Barker Donna Karan: Andre Leon Talley, Grace Coddington, Wyclef Jean, Anna Wintour, Anna Dello Russo Once everyone with a seating assignment goes in, the standing room section storms through. We try to give them water, but most are too focused on securing their spot (understandable). When they all pass, we are allowed to follow in behind. Depending on what the crowd (and our luck) is like, we can at the very least see the show from the back in standing room. This is not bad at all, because I actually like seeing over everyone and onto the runway, much like I prefer to sit in the mezzanine over the orchestra section in a theater. If we are lucky, right before the show starts, we get to fill in empty seats. This is nice because you can focus, give your feet a rest, and see everything really well. Now, if we are really lucky, one of the empty seats to fill in is in the front row! I sat front row at Monique Lhuillier and, honestly, it was the coolest thing ever. The seat I was in at that show was right next to where Rachel Zoe was sitting for DVF’s show! You can see every little detail of everything. I would say you are so close you can hear the models breathing, but they don’t really seem to breathe, so you can’t hear that. (Side note: It really is bizarre to see models in action on a long runway. They are very robotic -- it is kind of freaky. And you know how the camera adds pounds? Well, these creatures are definitely thinner in person.) That front-row seat was probably the highlight of my week so far. I know an experience like that comes very rarely, so I soaked it up completely. I felt like I was meditating. Nothing else was going through my mind but what I was seeing right in front of my eyes. While I am originally from Pittsburgh, I am currently living in New York for college. School doesn’t stop for me during Fashion Week, but with the way the schedule worked out, I have only had to miss one class this whole week. I have two online classes and a work-study job as well, so although it has been difficult keeping up with them in the midst of all this craziness, it is so worth it. I have seen many of my former editors from an internship I had at a fashion magazine last semester, and they are really impressed with the experience FIJI Water has given us. With my previous internship, the closest I got to Lincoln Center during Fashion Week was to deliver invitations to an editor by the famous fountain in the center of the complex. Shows like DVF, Donna Karan, and Michael Kors are not shows just anybody can get into. I feel so blessed to have been given this opportunity. I knew I would somehow make it into the tents one day, but I never thought it would be this soon. I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who voted for me! I blog about my eventful life in New York, including this very eventful week, at www.kristiedash.com. Follow me on Twitter (@KristieDash) for even more updates. P.S. As a Fashion Week intern, I get a year’s supply of FIJI Water. I am so excited for this because I love water and I have always loved FIJI Water the most. Now, FIJI Water can help quench my thirst as I conquer New York!

Get Red Carpet-Ready for TIFF With a Style-Blog Expert

hwatterworth — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 15:32:52 +0000

Now that Labor Day is behind us, the mass migration from movie-making epicenters like New York and Los Angeles for the Toronto International Film Festival is officially upon us. With gala after gala and party after party (after after-party!), there will no shortage of splendid red carpet fashion to gawk at. We connected with Julia Seidl, the brains and beauty behind the StyleHog.com, on a few film-fest fashion tips and tricks. Q: What will your go-to items be for this year’s festival? A: Heels that look hot but won’t kill my feet, a bold red lipstick, a structured mini handbag, and an amazing statement necklace to add some bling! [caption id="attachment_17885" align="alignright" width="175" caption="Leighton Meester (Image via A.H. Walker/WireImage)"][/caption] Q: What are the key red carpet trends this season? A: Dresses with cutouts, metallics, minimalist styles and colored lace, as well as interesting prints. Q: Who do you think will be some of the best-dressed at this year’s festival? A: I will be keeping my eyes on Blake Lively, Carey Mulligan, Kirsten Dunst, Freida Pinto, and Leighton Meester – usually these young ladies are right on the money with their red carpet choices. Q: Do you have an all-time favorite TIFF style moment? A: In 2008, to The Duchess premiere at TIFF, Keira Knightly wore an inky-grey, floor-grazing Alexander McQueen dress that I still dream about today. Q: How do you transform a look from press junket to party? A: It would be nice to say just change up your shoes, let down your hair, and add some accessories, but in reality going from event to event means you must change your complete outfit - at least, celebrities must! With every move and every minute being photographed, celebrities generally step into a new look for a party or the red carpet. Q: What’s the ultimate TIFF-party look? [caption id="attachment_17887" align="alignright" width="193" caption="Carey Mulligan (Image via John Shearer/WireImage)"][/caption] A: For 2011, I like the idea of abandoning the usual cocktail dress and opting for something longer with a thigh-high slit. Think vintage Halston or Bianca Jagger circa 1970s. Sexy in a not-so-obvious way with just a hint of something shiny and gold. And heels in mixed mediums with architectural details, because your feet require just as much attention as your dress! Q: What are some red carpet style mistakes? A: Dressing too young and showing too much skin. Q: If you could style any visiting celebrity, who would it be? What would you dress them in? A: I would love to style one of the Olsen twins, especially Mary-Kate. I wouldn’t so much style them because they definitely don’t need any help when it comes to getting dressed, but I would love to watch them put together an outfit and find out what they are inspired by, how they choose their looks, and how they shop. For more fashion posts on what’s hot on and off the runway, check out Julia’s blog. Above Photo: Freida Pinto (Image via Sean Gallup/WireImage)

A Fashion Intern’s Dream Come True

FIJI Water — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:16:56 +0000

Gabriel Tyler is one of four interns working with FIJI Water at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2012 (September 8-15, 2011).

I was born and bred in Chicago, so I am no foreigner to what can happen in a big city like New York. I’ve learned to be prepared for what every new moment may bring and, thus far, this trip to Fashion Week has proven that that notion is the only way to live.

Who would have thought that I would be in New York City attending and working behind the scenes at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week? I remember a little over a year ago, I sat in my apartment watching a few clips on YouTube from the season’s runway shows. It was at that time that I determined that I would be in New York City the following year for Fashion Week, no matter what I had to do. Well, a year later, I can finally say I made it. I’ve been very fortunate. God has really showed His face in my life. I know that God is real and all of this is not by chance. I cannot express how honored I am that FIJI Water has given me this opportunity.

Here are a few things I experienced and learned in the concrete jungle.

The FIJI Water fashion interns (l. to r.) Marco, Kristie, Teghan, and Gabriel.

1. Fairy Tales Do Come True

I love People’s Revolution. I fell in love with Kelly Cutrone when I watched her show on Bravo, Kell on Earth. She was everything I wanted to be, and I understood why she took herself and her business so seriously: Kelly loved what she did. It wasn’t a job for her, it was her life.

I submitted my resume to People’s Revolution two years in a row, but I never got a reply. I chalked it up to fate and moved on, hoping that one day the planets would align and I would get my chance with Kelly Cutrone.

On the first day of the internship, I took an early-morning flight to New York and just so happened to walk past the People’s Revolution office in SoHo while I roamed the city with Teghan, another FIJI Water Fashion Week Intern. We both felt like destiny had put us in the right place at the right time.

I called the office and asked could we come up for a visit. I was put on hold, then five seconds later the buzzer rang, letting Teghan and me into the building. We ran up the stairs and, as soon as we opened the door, Kelly was right there smiling at us. I’ve never had celebrity shock until that moment. She took pictures with both of us, chatted with us for a long time, allowed us to tour the entire office and even invited us to an exclusive fashion show! We couldn’t make the show because of prior obligations to our internship, but we were both shocked and grateful that we were even let past the door. To get invited to anything by Kelly Cutrone, the PR machine herself, was the highest of high honors. Like I said, dreams do come true. I hope I get to see Kelly again.

2. Fashion Is More Than Clothes, Style, and Good Taste — It’s Work

My advice to anyone who wants to get involved in the fashion industry is don’t be fooled into thinking the industry is all fun and games. When you’re in this life, it’s the only life you have. It’s fun, but you have to do it because you love it, not because you want perks.

All of us have received the perks, including a new wardrobe from TopShop/TopMan courtesy of FIJI Water, exclusive access to the BCBG runway show, the first show in the Theatre at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and a great lunch from Ed’s Chowder House at The Empire Hotel.

However, we have all put in a lot of work, including a long acceptance process, early-morning meetings, and long hours of standing, working, and sporting a FIJI Water style. It’s work, and work is work, but in the end it’s all worthwhile.

Everywhere I go, people ask to take my photo. I guess Noelle and Paul really knew what they were doing when they helped the TopShop/TopMan stylist choose my outfits. I’m beginning to feel like a celebrity. I’m meeting new people all the time, talking with people I would have never gotten a chance to meet outside of this opportunity, and getting skills and exposure to an industry I hope to one day dominate. I wouldn’t trade this chance for anything.

3. Dream Big and Take a Chance, or Go Home

People say that dreaming is for children and that dreams never come true. I guess they’ve never been to New York. If you want to make it, you have to take it. No one ever gets anywhere by fitting in and wishing they’d make it. Do like I did — say who, what, and where you want to be, and make it happen. It takes a lot of work and time, but if it’s truly what you want, those things won’t outweigh the fulfillment you’ll get.

Make sure you check out my Tumblr for a step-by-step play to my life in New York during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. You can also follow me on Twitter @MisterTyler. I’ll be updating consistently throughout the day for the entire week.

P.S. I’m addicted to FIJI Water! Have you picked up a bottle lately? If not, go to the store and buy a bottle now! It truly tastes great. It’s the best artesian water in a bottle that I’ve ever had. I think it may be the minerals in it. Either way, you should drink it.

Thanks for the love, Gabriel!

– FIJI

Behind the Scenes With Fashion Intern Marco

FIJI Water — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:50:54 +0000

Marco Garcia is one of four fashion interns working with FIJI Water at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2012 (September 8-15, 2011).

New York Fashion Week has turned out to be everything we’ve ever imagined it to be. The editors, the photographers, the models, the designers, and of course the clothes are all here inside the tent at Lincoln Center, and having access to it all has been beyond amazing.

Walking in and out of the tent at Lincoln Center is definitely a privilege. Onlookers — many of them secretly hoping for a chance to step indoors — stand outside the tent, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone they recognize, whether it be a socialite, a fashion blogger, or perhaps someone with a killer outfit. Others are looking to snap your picture and feature you on their website.

During the first official day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the interns (pictured above after styling in FIJI blue at Top Shop: Kristie, Marco, Teghan, and Gabriel) and the FIJI Water team met inside the main tent at 9 a.m. to help at the BCBG Max Azria runway show. The crowds were huge and the photographers were on their toes snapping picture after picture. Once everyone was seated, we were allowed inside. Seconds before the show started, Teghan and I were escorted by one of the show coordinators to seats on the floor. They were not just any floor seats but FRONT ROW seats! We were both in heaven! To see a picture of a designer’s outfit is one thing, but to actually see it as it walks down a runway on a gorgeous six-foot-tall model definitely makes you appreciate the details and all the hard work that goes into its creation. The way a piece flows and the colors chosen to tie a collection together bring a designer’s creation to life.

The first day of MBFW has been by far the highlight of my experience with FIJI Water. We are only in the first half of Fashion Week, so who knows what other amazing opportunities will arise in the next few days or what people we will meet, but all I know is that I am 100% ready!

Critic’s Choice: Top Five Must-See Films at the Toronto Film Festival

FIJI Water — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:24:21 +0000

Sifting through the massive influx of films screening the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is no easy task. There are hundreds of them, after all. Film and entertainment writer Richard Crouse gives us his top five picks of the best of the fest. 1. Drive, an art-house thriller with Ryan Gosling and plenty of atmosphere. Gosling plays a film stunt driver who finds himself wrapped up with Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her ex-con husband. Directed by Nicolas Winding. Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, and Christina Hendricks 2. The Artist, a heartfelt tribute to the silent movies of the 1920s, fuelled by forceful nostalgia. True to traditional 1.33 aspect ratio and played out entirely without dialogue, this film follows the rise and fall of silent film star George Valentin, played by Jean Dujardin. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius. Also starring Berenice Bejo. 3. Take This Waltz, director Sarah Polley's bittersweet look at life and love. Michelle Williams's character is happily married to Lou (Seth Rogen), but when a mutual spark ignites with Daniel (Luke Kirby), who just moved into their Toronto neighborhood, the question of longterm love surfaces in this funny and heartfelt love story. Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, and Sarah Silverman. 4. Pearl Jam Twenty, a look at twenty years of the band that played a major role in shaping the soundtrack of the '90s. Produced and directed by filmdom's number-one rock 'n' roll fan Cameron Crowe. With Eddie Vedder, Kurt Cobain (footage), Chris Cornell, and Neil Young. 5. Edwin Boyd, a seldom-told slice of Torontonia starring Scott Speedman as the legendary bank robber. The film follows Boyd from his return from World War II to his arrest in 1952. Directed by Nathan Morlando. Starring Brian Cox, Kevin Durand, and Scott Speedman. Which film on the TIFF schedule are you most excited to see? Buy tickets here. Top Image: Ryan Gosling in Drive

Your Guide to the Hottest Parties at the Toronto International Film Festival

hwatterworth — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:26:32 +0000

With an abundance of parties, red carpets and gifting suites, it’s easy to forget that the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is actually about film. Long recognized as the entertainment industry's preferred water, FIJI Water will be on-site at some of the festival's star-studded parties and events. Here are just a few hot happenings in Toronto.

IT Lounge

Where: NKPR, 312 Adelaide St., Toronto Date: September 8 – 14, 2011 A celebrity gifting suite that gives back, NKPR headquarters will once again transform into a can’t-miss pop-up shop loaded with star-worthy finds. This year’s IT Lounge connects diverse brands such as Canada’s RW&CO. and Italy’s Coccinelle to raise funds and awareness not only for international charity partner Artists for Peace and Justice (founded by Academy Award-winner Paul Haggis) but also locally for Camp Oochigeas, where children with cancer rediscover the magic of childhood.

TORO After Dark Benefiting Artists for Peace and Justice

Where: TORO After Dark at AME Date: September 9, 2011 [caption id="attachment_17660" align="alignright" width="199" caption="Jennifer Garner at the Film Festival"][/caption] As part of Artists for Peace and Justice's mandate to help children in Haiti, Paul Haggis, Gerard Butler, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Westfeldt, and George Stroumboulopoulos will team up to host a soirée at sophisticated night-spot AME. For just $150 per person, guests can rub elbows with A-listers and enjoy SKYY Vodka event-themed cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres in a lounge atmosphere. 100% of proceeds will benefit health, education, and dignity initiatives in Haiti.

HELLO! Hollywood Style Gala

Where: The Ritz-Carlton Date: September 10, 2011 This is the first TIFF for The Ritz-Carlton, and what better way to break in this brand-spankin’-new hotel than with the HELLO! Hollywood Style red carpet and gala? It’s the magazine’s fifth-anniversary TIFF party and it's celebrating Hollywood glam as featured so prominently in the pages of the magazine.

TORO After Dark

Where: AME Date: September 10, 2011 The TORO After Dark lounge is a hideout for industry insiders to recharge on some cool cocktails and delectable passed hor d'oeuvres. The modern-meets-traditional-Japanese interior décor of the very Zen AME is the perfect backdrop to escape the festival noise. Brought to you by the dapper gents at TOROMagazine.com.

Academy for Peace and Justice Lunch

Where: Private Residence Date: September 10, 2011 Held at a private estate in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood, this intimate event will feature performances by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne.

InStyle Party

Where: Windsor Arms Date: September 13, 2011 A TIFF staple, the InStyle party has no shortage of buzz or celebrities, making it the place to see and be seen. That is, if you can get on the iron-clad guest list.

Contest alert!

Calling FIJI Water fans in Toronto! Want to get in on the film festival fun? Let us know in the ‘comments’ which film debuting at the TIFF you're looking forward to seeing for your chance to win exclusive tickets to a FIJI Water film festival event! Must be 19+ to enter. Random draw will take place on (TBC) Winner will be contacted via Twitter. Top image: Edward Norton at the Film Festival

Amy Smilovic of Tibi on the Return of the Nineties Silhouette, and More

FIJI Water — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:09:15 +0000

Amy Smilovic created the Tibi label while living as an expat in Hong Kong in 1997. As she told ExpatWomen.com, she had the choice of either going to work at her husband’s company or starting her own fashion label — a dream she had harbored for a long time. She chose the latter.

Flash forward to 2011, and Tibi clothes are sold in over 200 stores worldwide. Her Spring 2012 collection will debut on runways at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tuesday, September 13. Smilovic spoke to us about how her inspirations this season, and what she wears when she’s not wearing Tibi.

Q: What inspired you to leave your old career and become a designer?

A: I’ve always been artistic, so even when I was working in advertising, creativity and design (of some kind) was something I had in my professional life. When I moved to Hong Kong with my husband, Frank, who worked for American Express at the time, the idea of being an entrepreneur was just less intimidating. There are so many small businesses there. Especially for the fashion industry, Hong Kong is an epicenter. You can visit your factories, and I worked closely developing fabrics and prints with local artisans. I started very small, just out of our apartment, and it took off. An order from Saks Fifth Avenue solidified my business.

Q: What was the inspiration for this season’s collection?

A sketch from the Tibi Spring12 collection.

A: Spring12 is about modernizing and refreshing the ’90′s silhouette (think Gwyneth Paltrow) – streamlined cuts with a sportswear element of drawstring details, motor jackets, track suits, and asymmetrical hems. Sorbet colors – raspberry, lime, melon – color block in solids, or mix with bold geometric prints in black and navy.

Q: What kind of woman do you design for?

A: The idea of an all-encompassing Tibi woman is something that I’m asked about a lot. She’s constantly evolving and has never been represented by just one person. I design a lot for myself, what I’m in the mood for and would love to wear, and then make changes so it will translate to our different customers and fans. Buzz words are “sophisticated,” “cool,” and “feminine,” and I love to see how the different pieces of our collections play out in different locales and on different bodies. One thing is non-negotiable though: Our girl has fun with fashion and is never trying too hard.

Q: What is your favorite piece from this season’s collection?

A: I’m loving all our mid-length skirts, in solids and prints, with and without pleats. They’re universally flattering and simple to throw on under a chunky sweater or with a classic button-down.

Q: When you’re not wearing your own styles, whose do you turn to?

A: I love a number of other designers, but never wear anyone head-to-toe, not even Tibi. Some of my favorites are Celine, Acne, Vanessa Bruno, Alex Wang, Phillip Lim, and Stella. For accessories, I love Margiela, Balmain, Miu Miu, Reed Krakoff, and Tom Binns. And then for basic layering pieces, I like J. Crew and James Perse.

Designer Adam Lippes Talks Oprah, and What He Wears When He’s Not Wearing ADAM

FIJI Water — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:47:09 +0000

Adam Lippes has a slightly unusual background for a fashion designer — he studied psychology at Cornell and art history at the American University in Paris. It was only on returning to New York in 1995 that he began his fast-moving career in fashion. After a year at Polo Ralph Lauren, Lippes joined Oscar de la Renta and quickly rose to Global Creative Director, the youngest person to do so in the history of the company.

In 2004, Lippes launched his own line, ADAM, and had his New York Fashion Week debut three years later, the same year he was elected to the Council of Fashion Designers of America. This fall, Lippes opens his second store in New York City, in downtown’s NoLita neighborhood. His Spring 2012 collection will premier at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Saturday, September 10.

A sketch from ADAM's Spring 2012 collection, signed by Lippes.

Q: You’ve had a number of illustrious milestones in your career, including becoming a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Which milestone are you most proud of and why?

A: One of the milestones I’m most proud of is being on Oprah (in 2007, ADAM was chosen as one of “Oprah’s Favorite Things”). She’s such an incredible star and it was such a great honor.

Q: What was the inspiration for this season’s collection?

A: The inspiration for Spring 2012 began with an extraordinary exhibit titled “Picasso and Marie-Thérèse” at the Gagosian Gallery in NYC.

Q: What kind of woman or man do you design for?

A: The woman I have in mind for our collection appreciates sporty, refined, feminine, and easy clothes, and I always love her confidence.

Q: What is your favorite piece from this season’s collection?

A: I haven’t picked a favorite piece from this season’s collection, though I have a bunch in the running.

Q: When you’re not wearing your own styles, whose do you turn to?

A: I wear lots of Dior jeans and John Lobb shoes.

FIJI’s UCLA Football Fan Sweepstakes

FIJI Water — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:49:26 +0000

Attention, Bruins fans! This September and October, we’re giving away nine ticket packages to see UCLA football. Packages include a pair of game tickets, VIP passes to the UCLA pre-game fan zone, a parking pass, game day garb to show your love, and two cases of FIJI Water.

Grand prize is four suite tickets to UCLA’s final home game, a locker room tour on game day, and two tickets to the 2012 Rose Bowl (hopefully to see the Bruins)!

To enter, fill out the form below. Be sure to also tell us where you purchase your FIJI Water in Southern California. First prizes will be awarded on or about September 9 and 23 and October 14 and 21. The grand prize will be awarded on or about October 31. See complete sweepstakes rules for details.

Win Two Tickets to Meet Train and Attend Wine Amplified

FIJI Water — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:11:31 +0000

This contest has ended. Thank you to everyone who entered, winners will be announced soon!

Want a little rock and roll at your food and wine festival? If so, then Wine Amplified is for you.

On Saturday, September 17, Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay will bring the worlds of rock and fine wines together in one place. Sample over 150 wines while rocking out to Train and four other bands.

One lucky winner will receive a prize package that includes the following:

Two VIP tickets to the sold-out Wine Amplified event, held on Saturday, September 17
Two tickets to the Bubbles & Chocolate party, held on Friday, September 16
Two meet-and-greet tickets to meet the members of Train live in person.

See the official rules for sweepstakes details.

Meet the 2011 New York Fashion Week Fashion Interns

FIJI Water — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:18:25 +0000

Congratulations to Teghan, Kristie, Marco, and Gabriel, the winners of our biannual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Internship Contest! These four fabulous fashionistas will be coming with us to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City this September 8-15 at Lincoln Center.

This season’s internship contest had a record number of entries, almost 300, and some very heated voting in the final video round. The winners really had to work it to drum up support, which is of course exactly the right attitude needed for the fashion industry.

We asked our interns to “tell us a little about yourself,” and we’ve shared what we learned, below. If you want to see the wonderful videos they created to earn their internships, visit our Facebook page.

Teghan Collins

Collins is a 22-year-old fashion fanatic, entertainment enthusiast, and social media addict who doesn’t plan on ever going to rehab. With two degrees from the University of Georgia — a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing and a Bachelors of Arts in Advertising — Collins has a knack for infusing out-of-the box creativity with the fundamental principles of advertising and marketing (which she hopes will guide her into a career in the fashion industry). Thanks to her military upbringing, Collins loves to travel and can call Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Pennsylvania home.

Kristie Dash

Dash, a Communications & Media Studies major at Pace University, has had the most exciting year of her life thanks to New York City’s wealth of opportunity and her motivated, hard-working attitude. She is obsessed with all things related to pop culture, fashion being at the top. Dash plans on interning a lot to discover what her true calling is but would love to write for a fashion magazine.

Marco Garcia

Marco Garcia is a recent graduate of California State University, Long Beach, with a B.A. in Film and Electronic Arts, Theory and Practice of Cinema, and a minor in American Studies. Marco has a love of all things artistic: everything from photography, film, music, and fashion. He has a strong passion for creativity and aesthetics and hopes to work as an art director. He enjoys spending time with a close knit group of friends who are driven by both passion and compassion.

Gabriel Tyler

Gabriel Charles Tyler is a journalist, visionary entrepreneur, and Chicago native. He currently attends DePaul University, where he double majors in Journalism and African and Black Diaspora Studies. This young visionary has contributed his talents to a number of publications and companies, gaining recognition for his commitment to excellence. Tyler hopes to one day become a household name.

Tennis Recap: Rounding Up the 2011 Rogers Cup

hwatterworth — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:21:40 +0000

What an unpredictable week it was for both the men and the women at the 2011 Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, as top seeds across the board were eliminated well before anyone expected. In fact, just two top-five players from the men’s and women’s fields made it through to the quarterfinals. From Rafael Nadal being knocked out in the second round by Ivan Dodig, to Caroline Wozniacki losing against Roberta Vinci in her first match, the tournament was full of upsets.

One of the week’s biggest surprises was the play of qualifier Galina Voskoboeva, who reached the quarterfinals after an unlikely run that saw her beat three higher-ranked players, including world no. 5 Maria Sharapova. But the real story in Toronto was the play of American Serena Williams, who bulldozed her competition en route to her second Rogers Cup title and her 39th career WTA singles title. Williams had the killer instinct that we’re used to seeing from her, and now has 11 straight match wins to go along with two tournament victories in just two weeks. Ranked no. 80 in the world going into the tournament, Williams was the underdog at the beginning of the week but showed that, with will and resolve, victory is possible.

Serena Williams, Rogers Cup winner (Image Via Central Image Agency)

On the flip side, the stellar play of the world’s top ranked male player, Novak Djokovic, was just what tennis fans expected. There’s simply no other current tennis player who’s as effortlessly commanding as Djokovic, and he proved it this past week by losing only one set the entire tournament. Not only did his win over Mardy Fish (6-2, 3-6, 6-4) in the final give him his ninth title this season, but it also made him a five-time ATP Masters series champ. With a record of 53-1 in 2011, Djokovic is proving that he is virtually unbeatable. And that’s something his opponents ought to fear heading into the U.S. Open.

With the 2011 Rogers Cup in the books, Canada’s week as the center of the tennis universe comes to an end — until next year.

Top Image: Novak Djokovic during the Rogers Cup final match in Montreal Sunday, August 14, 2011. (Image Via Central Image Agency)

Tennis Recap: 2011 Rogers Cup Day Finals

hwatterworth — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:11:08 +0000

In what was his toughest match at the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic made tennis history in Montréal. On Sunday, the world’s no. 1 became the first man ever to win five straight ATP Masters tennis titles after he beat Mardy Fish (6-2, 3-6, 6-4) in the Rogers Cup final. Fish proved to be a formidable opponent, breaking Djokovic several times and winning a set. Amazingly, that was the only set Djokovic lost the entire tournament. No player in any sport is unbeatable, but after winning his 53rd match in 54 tries this season, Djokovic is as close to that exalted state as any athlete in the world. [caption id="attachment_17356" align="alignright" width="228" caption="Serena Williams, Rogers Cup winner (Image Via Central Image Agency)"][/caption] Over in Toronto, Serena Williams took home the title after beating Australia’s Samantha Stosur (6-4, 6-3) for her 39th career WTA tournament win. Competing in her second event since Wimbledon, Williams blazed her way to a title amidst a star-studded field, rising from no. 80 to no. 31 in the WTA rankings. She hammered nine aces and won 89 percent of her first-serve points en route to her second tournament win in as many weeks. Stosur and Williams have met five times in the past, and with Stosur winning two of those, Williams was far from a sure thing this time around. Becoming the Rogers Cup champion is just the latest step in a comeback from an injury that sidelined her for 49 weeks and should make her opponents very nervous as the U.S. Open approaches. Top Image: Novak Djokovic during the Rogers Cup final match in Montreal Sunday, August 14, 2011. (Image Via Central Image Agency)

Tennis Recap: 2011 Rogers Cup Day 4

hwatterworth — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:07:10 +0000

On a day when top seeds continued to tumble at the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, men’s no. 1 Novak Djokovic managed to advance by defeating Marin Cilic (7-5, 6-2). Now that Switzerland's Roger Federer was knocked out of the tournament, Djokovic is the man to beat in the top half of the draw. Federer fought hard in his match against France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsong a but ran out of gas and lost the match (7-6, 4-6, 6-1). With eight players left in the men’s pool, this weekend promises to be very exciting. [caption id="attachment_17299" align="alignright" width="228" caption="Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboeva VS Maria Sharpova (Image Via Central Image Agency Inc.)"][/caption] Over in Toronto, Thursday was certainly a day for upsets. Just one day after the tournament’s no. 1 and no. 2 seeds were eliminated, no. 3 seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia lost to no. 12 seed Agnieszka Radwanska; while Maria Sharapov a, Li Na and Petra Kvitova were also all knocked out of the tournament. Despite so many big names being eliminated on Thursday, 13-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams advanced after beating China’s Jie Zheng (4-6, 6-3, 6-3). Injuries have plagued Williams most of the season, but she seems to be playing with a renewed passion and will be very interesting to watch down the road. Williams will play Lucie Safarova on Friday night for a spot in the semi-finals. Friday also marks the start of the Rogers Legends Cup, which will feature Michael Chang on Jim Courier in its opening match. For more information and extensive recaps of the Rogers Cup, check out the official Rogers Cup site. Top image: Novak Djokovic in his match versus Marin Cilic at the 2011 Rogers Cup in Montreal. (Image Via Vincenzo D'Alto/Central Image Agency)

Tennis Recap: 2011 Rogers Cup Day 3

hwatterworth — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:08:59 +0000

Wednesday was full of surprises for both the men and the women at the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank. First, top-ranked and defending Rogers Cup champion Caroline Wozniacki was upset by Italy’s Roberta Vinci (6-4, 7-5). Then, Croatia’s Ivan Dodig knocked out two-time Rogers Cup champion Rafael Nadal with a shocking (1-6, 7-6, 7-6) victory. Dodig, who called it the greatest moment of his life, won the match largely because of his impressive serving game (19 aces) and will face Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic in the 16th round on Thursday. [caption id="attachment_17261" align="alignright" width="219" caption="Sharapova VS Jovanovski. (Image Via Central Image Agency)"][/caption] The day’s action also featured third-seeded Roger Federer, who played against Canadian Vasek Pospisil. Pospisil put up a valiant effort, but ended up losing to the former world no. 1 and 16-time Grand Slam champion (7-5, 6-3). Federer, who turned 30 on Monday, won the Rogers Cup in 2004 and 2006, and finished second in 2007 and 2010. His third-round opponent will be France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who upset the Swiss superstar at Wimbledon last month. Over in Toronto, world no. 5 Maria Sharapova defeated 19-year-old Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia, who is one of just three teenagers in the WTA top 100 (no. 54). It took Sharapova just 24 minutes to win the first set (6-1), but Jovanovski fought hard in the second set and lost by a slight 7-5 margin. The good news for tennis fans is that Sharapova is on a collision course to meet Serena Williams in the Semi-Finals, assuming both of them win their next two matches. Williams, who defeated world no. 20 Julia Goerges in straight sets (6-1, 7-6), will play Jie Zheng of China on Thursday, while Sharapova will play Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan. Be sure to catch all of the action as the tournament starts to get intense! For more coverage on the 2011 Rogers Cup, visit the Rogers Cup website. Top Image: Rafael Nadal in his match versus Ivan Dodig at the Rogers Cup in Montreal Wednesday August 10, 2011. (Image Via Vincenzo D'Alto)

Tennis Recap: 2011 Rogers Cup Day 2

hwatterworth — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:26:42 +0000

With two former tournament champions handed second-round exits, Tuesday turned out to be a very eventful day for both the men and women at the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank. Women’s world no. 2 Kim Clijsters withdrew from her match while leading 6-3, 1-2 against China’s Zheng Jie, while the two-time reigning champion on the men’s side, Andy Murray, was ousted by South Africa’s Kevin Anderson. [caption id="attachment_17211" align="alignright" width="211" caption="Williams VS Bondarenko/Image Via Central Image Agency"][/caption] Former world no. 1 Serena Williams started her match with a bang when she aced Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine on just her second serve. From there, Williams didn’t look back as she took the first set in a mere 16 minutes, with an end score of 6-0, 6-3. On Wednesday she’ll play against Germany’s Julia Goerges, who took down the tough Jelena Jankovic on Monday and looks to be a very challenging opponent down the road. Their match is definitely one to watch! Wednesday will feature a flurry of matches with some of the world’s best talent, including Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, among many others. For a full recap on yesterday’s matches check out the Rogers Cup website.

Tennis Recap: 2011 Rogers Cup Day 1

hwatterworth — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:25:46 +0000

With the first day of main draw play at the 2011 Rogers Cup in the books, nobody could have asked for a more exciting start to the tournament. On the women’s side, four seeds were defeated (three to qualifiers), including world #9 Marion Bartoli, #14 Jelena Jankovic, and #15 Svetlana Kuznetsova, proving that the women’s field is wide open and superstars need to be at their best, even in the early rounds. [caption id="attachment_17148" align="alignright" width="264" caption="Julia Goerges beats Jelena Jankovic. (Image Via Central Image Agency)"][/caption] Perhaps nobody will realize this more than former world no. 1 Jankovic, who showed signs of rust when she took the court for the first time since Wimbledon against Germany’s Julia Goerges. Jankovic was undefeated in her two previous meetings with Goerges, but yesterday Goerges was on her game as she handed Jankovic an early Rogers Cup exit in a decisive (6-1, 6-3) victory. The 22-year-old, who will play the winner of today’s match between Serena Williams and Alona Bondarenko, is a player to watch as the tournament proceeds. Over in Montréal, the men’s matches ran on script. Former world no. 4 and 2009 Rogers Cup runner-up Juan Martín del Potro showed his old form by beating Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen (6-4, 6-0). Del Potro is now en route to play Novak Djokovic in the third round, as long as he can get past Croatia’s Marin Cilic (def. A. Seppi 7-5, 6-4). Two other seeded players joined del Potro in the second round, as world no. 17 Stanislas Wawrinka downed former no. 5 David Nalbandian (6-1, 6-4), while world no. 16, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, beat Italy’s Fabio Fognini (6-4,7-6). Tsonga has been very impressive this season after his spectacular performance at Wimbledon where he reached the semi-finals only to lose to Novak Djokovic. Fognini took Tsonga to the wire, but the 26-year-old from France was just too much for him to handle. Tsonga will play his second round match against Austria’s Bernard Tomic. [caption id="attachment_17151" align="alignright" width="400" caption="Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in his match against Fabio Fognini, takes a FIJI Water break. (Vincenzo D'Alto/THE GAZETTE)"][/caption] The second round will also include Andy Murray playing qualifier Kevin Anderson, and world no. 1 Djokovic is matched up against Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko. Top featured image: Fabio Fognini in his match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Rogers Cup in Montreal (Vincenzo D'Alto/THE GAZETTE)

Game, Sip, Match: 2011 Rogers Cup Tournament

hwatterworth — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 00:46:24 +0000

FIJI Water is gearing up for its return as the official water of the 130th annual Rogers Cup. An ATP Masters 1000 level tournament, Premier WTA tournament, and U.S. Open Series event, the Rogers Cup returns to Toronto and Montréal from August 5 to 14.

New Virtually Combined Format

Yes, folks, it’s that time of year again! This year promises to be very exciting, with the tournament taking on a new “virtually combined” format. No, that doesn’t mean men and women will be squaring off against one another, but that for the first time the men’s and women’s tournaments will be played simultaneously in Montréal and Toronto, offering fans in one venue the opportunity to view matches from the other. Watching Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal play at the same time? Now that’s a match made in tennis heaven.

Must-See Matches

Speaking of Rafael, the men’s field has drawn a lot of attention so far this season, with Nadal and Roger Federer serving up competition for the number-one spot, chasing recent Wimbledon-champ Novak Djokovic. Needless to say, all three will be vying for the 2011 Rogers Cup at the Uniprix Stadium in Montréal with utmost determination. And of course, there’s two-time Rogers Cup champion Andy Murray (2009, 2010), who will defend his title and aim for a three-peat.

As for the women’s field, the top 25 players in the world will hit the Rexall Centre courts in Toronto, including former world number-one and 2001 Rogers Cup champ Serena Williams; 2011 French Open winner Li Na; 2011 Wimbledon runner-up Maria Sharapova; current number one and last year’s Rogers Cup champion Caroline Wozniacki; and many others. The tournament will also feature the usual doubles tournament, which will run alongside the singles tournament and will feature some very interesting duos, such as the all-Serbian team of Novak Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic; Andy Murray and brother Jamie Murray; and the French pairing of Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon. Oh, and let’s not forget about the best doubles duo in the world: the Bryan brothers.

Legendary Tennis

As if that weren’t enough, the Rogers Cup will also host the Legends Cup, a mini-tournament played between ATP Hall of Famers Jon McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, and Michael Chang during the final weekend of the tournament (August 12 to 14).

The tournament will conclude on August 14, when all four championship matches (Men’s/Women’s Doubles, Men’s/Women’s Singles) will be played.

As the tournament’s official water, FIJI Water will be there hydrating both players and fans throughout. Find tickets, tournament schedules, and more information on RogersCup.com.

Get Fall-Fashion Ready With the Top Trends of the Season

hwatterworth — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:51:49 +0000

Plug your ears and sing out loud: It won’t change the fact that summer will eventually come to an end. The good news? Fall marks the start of a new style cycle, which is a great excuse to hit the shops for some serious sartorial reinvention. Can’t quite shake your summer love of flip-flops and maxi dresses? We caught up with Marissa Liu, fashion reporter for Trend Hunter Magazine, to get the lowdown on what’s hot for the cool months of fall. As the official water of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, FIJI Water was on site when many of these trends were first realized at MBFW in February. Mature Masculinity [caption id="attachment_16970" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Paul Smith FW '11/de Moraes Barros/WireImage"][/caption] This fall in women's fashion, the baggy boyfriend look of the past few seasons has gone from boys to men. Take a hint from the gentlemanly neckties and stiff collars at Paul Smith, boxy overcoats and sharp tailoring at Michael Kors, and utility at Alexander Wang. “Be a little more daring when dressing for a party and pair a fitted white shirt with black bottoms and killer heels – all wardrobe staples,” suggests Liu. “Add a black neckpiece like a bowtie for instant femme fatale.” Shake up unisex style with a longer hemline à la the 1920s or a touch of 1960s mod. Prada heralded this season’s look at Milan Fashion Week with bold colors and Peter Pan collars. For something a little more vibrant, think big prints and techy plaid, as seen on the tailored looks at Rag & Bone. Outerwear That's In As for investments – the fashion euphemism for spending a little (or a whole lot) extra to span multiple seasons – Liu says outerwear is key. "Invest in a well-made coat that can take you from a cool fall day to a frosty winter evening." If your pockets aren’t quite as deep as high-end prices are staggering, there are just as many ways to keep things fresh this fall without the heart-wrenching experience of glancing at couture price tags. Big Style, Small Budget [caption id="attachment_16976" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Rag & Bone FW '11/JP YIM/WireImage"][/caption] “Accessories are an easy way to reinvent a look,” says our style guru. Other recommendations: vintage shops. If there’s anything we’ve learned from the '50s, '60s, and '70s looks on the runway, it's that fashion isn’t immune to repetition. More good news: Some of the styles that you’ve been rocking all summer can just as easily be appropriated into your fall wardrobe. “Anything sheer and lace that you wore on its own in the summer can be layered over a slim fall look and will look lovely peeking out under outerwear,” suggests Liu. Classic Gentleman vs. Grunge Boy As for the gentlemen, lower temperatures will ultimately mean letting go of this summer's ubiquitous cuffed pants. Transitioning to fall, Liu noted that the runways were polarized between smart, white collar style and blue-collar grunge. On one hand, "the double-breasted suit is making a return. Once a traditional staple for well-to-do businessmen, it made a triumphant reappearance on many a Fall/Winter 2011 runway." [caption id="attachment_16972" align="alignright" width="203" caption="Costume National FW '11/Tullio M. Puglia/WireImage"][/caption] Then again: "Overalls and boiler suits were being paraded down the runways, perhaps as a return to grungy glamour, or to bring a little panache to a blue-collar staple." Gents, pick your looks. Or if you're feeling daring, combine the two. Want to see one of the shows at the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week this September 8-15? FIJI Water has five pairs of invitations to give to a few lucky Facebook fans. Enter on Facebook. Happy shopping! (Top image: Band of Outsiders FW '11/JP Yim/WireImage; Michael Kors FW '11/JP Yim/WireImage)

This Fall, FIJI Water Teams Up With Citymeals-on-Wheels to Fight Hunger

FIJI Water — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:47:00 +0000

Help feed the elderly in New York City with your purchase of FIJI Water in restaurants and supermarkets this September and October.

For every case of FIJI Water sold in participating stores and restaurants in the NYC metro area between September 1 and October 31, we will donate $1.00 to Citymeals-on-Wheels and other Meals-on-Wheels programs, up to $25,000. For a list of participating stores and restaurants, see below.

About Citymeals-on-Wheels

Citymeals raises private funds to contribute to 30 community-based agencies that bring weekend, holiday, and emergency meals to homebound elderly New Yorkers who can no longer shop or cook for themselves. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, Citymeals-on-Wheels delivered 2.1 million meals to over 16,000 New Yorkers at times when they would otherwise have been alone and hungry.

Gael Greene and James Beard founded Citymeals-on-Wheels in 1981, after reading a newspaper article about homebound elderly New Yorkers with nothing to eat on weekends and holidays. They rallied their friends in the restaurant community, raising private funds as a supplement to the government-funded weekday meal delivery program. Thirty years ago, their first efforts brought a Christmas meal to 6,000 frail aged.

Citymeals’ volunteers are not just providing food, however. They also provide company and human contact to people who, for various reasons, have difficultly leaving their apartments.

FIJI Water is proud to have worked with Citymeals-on-Wheels for over eight years. Now, you too can help, simply by purchasing FIJI Water in the NYC metro area at participating restaurants and retailers.

List of Participating Retailers

Pickled Watermelon Polenta and Compressed Melon With Cucumber Cream: Two Recipes From SF Chefs 2011

FIJI Water — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:45:28 +0000

San Francisco is, and always will be, a major influencer for food and wine trends. It is a community rich with farmers, writers, winemakers, spirits distillers, artisans, and vibrant independent chef owned restaurants.

SF Chefs 2011 is a food and wine event celebrating the unique flavor, diversity and bounty of Northern California. The Grand Tasting Tent, set on San Francisco’s legendary Union Square, will feature over 200 of San Francisco’s finest restaurants, bars, distilleries, breweries, and wineries displaying their finest creations.

We’ve also partnered with some SF Chefs of our own, who will be serving up FIJI Water-inspired treats from our signature FIJI kitchen. On Friday, August 5, Chef Paul Piscopo of Trace, the soon-to-be launched new restaurant at W San Francisco, will be serving corn panna cotta with crispy polenta and pickled watermelon. Two days later, Chef Daniel Corey of Luce will serve compressed summer melons with cucumber cream and tomato jus. We’ve got a sneak peek at the recipes for these culinary creations below. Enjoy!

FIJI Polenta with Corn Panna Cotta and House Pickled Watermelon

FIJI Polenta

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart FIJI Water
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over low heat.
Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.
Add the FIJI Water, whisk in the cornmeal and turn the heat up to high.
Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven.
Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so to prevent lumps.
Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper and gradually add the Parmesan.
Pour the polenta into a 1/2 sheet pan lined with plastic wrap.
Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
Once set, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into small squares.

Corn Panna Cotta

8 ounces. sweet corn kernels
1 cup FIJI Water
1 cup cream
1 sheet gelatin
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

In a pan add the corn kernels, FIJI Water, and olive oil.
Gently simmer until tender and sweet and all of the FIJI Water has been reduced.
Add the cream and bring to a simmer.
Add the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
Soak the gelatin sheet in cold FIJI Water until soft.
Add the warm corn liquid.
Pour this liquid through a fine mesh strainer, season the corn puree to taste, and pour into small serving bowls to set.

House Pickled Watermelon

1.5 quart FIJI Water
1 quart watermelon rind (white only, no skin), finely diced
1 cup unsweetened rice vinegar
1/3 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 jalapenos, split
5 garlic cloves
1 large piece fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 red onion, julienned
mustard seed, coriander, celery seed, black peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaves

Combine all ingredients except for the watermelon rind in a large pot and bring to a simmer, dissolve all sugar and salt.
Allow to cool, then add the small diced rind from the watermelon.
Refrigerate a minimum of overnight.

Assembly

Dust the polenta squares with flour and pan fry in oil until crispy.
Transfer to paper towels, season with salt and pepper.
Top the set panna cotta with a small amount of the pickled watermelon, the crispy polenta and chives.
Enjoy!

Compressed Summer Melons With Cucumber Cream, Tomato “Jus”

Compressed Melons

3 each Galia melon
1 cup white verjus (fusion)
1/4 cup FIJI Water

Clean and dice melon into large dice or use medium melon baller.
Toss in bowl with verjus and FIJI Water.
Place melon in vacuum bag and compress on highest setting.
Let sit for 4 hours or overnite in cooler.

Cucumber Cream

2 cup of yogurt, Greek “Fage” preferably
1 cup cucumber juice, fresh
1 lemon, juiced
kosher salt, to taste

Whisk together all ingredients in mixing bowl. Season with salt to taste.
Transfer to siphon and charge with two cartridges if you have it, otherwise cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Tomato “Jus”

6 pounds canned San Marzano tomato
3 quarts FIJI Water
5 crushed cardamom pods
1 fresh bay leaf
2 strips of orange zest
4 pieces fresh thyme

Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel pot and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. Run everything a food mill then pass through strainer.
Freeze overnite.
Remove from freezer and let drain/thaw over cheesecloth. Liquid should come out completely clear.

To Plate

Pool the bottom of bowl/cup with tomato “jus.”
Place compressed melon in the “jus”and season with espelette and sea salt.
Top with cucumber cream and garnish with sea salt, a bit more espelette and small leaf of lemon basil.

Announcing the Acquisition of Landmark Vineyards

FIJI Water — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:30:49 +0000

FIJI Water, the country’s leading premium imported bottled water, announced today its purchase of the award-winning Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood, California. Landmark is known for its outstanding Chardonnay winemaking sourced from the best grapes in California.

“The addition of Landmark Vineyards to the growing portfolio of wine brands in the FIJI Water/Roll Global family is an important step for the company,” said Stewart Resnick, Chairman, Roll Global, which owns FIJI Water and JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery. “Proprietors Mike and Mary Colhoun have done a fantastic job creating world-class Chardonnay and we look forward to carrying on that tradition.”

FIJI Water plans to maintain the winemaking and hospitality operations of Landmark Vineyards in its current location in Kenwood, California. Winemaker Greg Stach will be staying on to manage the award-winning Landmark program.

“Mary and I are thrilled that a well-respected company will be taking the reins at Landmark,” said Mike Colhoun, who along with wife Mary will maintain a limited role with Landmark. “We look forward to seeing the careful and thoughtful growth of the Landmark name that has been in our family for over 37 years.”

Advising on the transaction on behalf of Landmark Vineyards was San Francisco-based investment bank, Demeter Group. “As the preferred advisor of the industry’s most prominent ultra-premium winery transactions, we are happy to have been able to work with Roll Global to continue building their wine portfolio,” said Jeff Menashe, Chief Executive Officer of Demeter Group. This acquisition follows FIJI Water’s December 2010 acquisition of Paso Robles-based JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery.

ABOUT Landmark Vineyards

Landmark is a third-generation, family-owned-and-operated winery with a rich history in farming and agriculture. The winery was founded in 1974 by Damaris Deere Ford, great-great granddaughter of John Deere. Today, her son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Mary Colhoun, are the proprietors, continuing to express the family’s agricultural legacy through Landmark’s everyday vineyard practices.

Landmark’s commitment to family and tradition is evident in all aspects of the winemaking process, including naming the wines in homage to their cherished John Deere heritage — Landmark and Overlook were Deere family homes; the Damaris Chardonnay was named after Michael’s mother, John Deere’s great-great-granddaughter, as well as the Colhoun’s daughter, who represents the brand on the East Coast; the Grand Detour Pinot Noir is named for the location of John Deere’s blacksmithing shop in Illinois; and with a nod to the beginning of it all, the Syrah is aptly named Steel Plow.

Landmark Vineyards is located at 101 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, CA 95452. The tasting room is open daily from 10:00am to 4:30pm. Guided Estate Tours are available daily by appointment in addition to Self-Guided Vineyard Tours. For additional information, call 707-833-0053 or visit the website at www.landmarkwine.com.

Villa La Estancia’s Sea Scallop Ceviche and Mango Gazpacho

FIJI Water — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:11:51 +0000

Straight from Cabo San Lucas’ Villa La Estancia Resort come two recipes from Chef Eugenio Villafana at La Casona, an open-kitchen-style restaurant featuring cuisine from Baja Mexico. Served cold, the popular mango gazpacho and sea scallop ceviche are two Latin specialties that are perfect for hot summer entertaining.

Five days at Villa La Estancia was also one of the first prizes in the FIJI Water Metro Hunt. For more information about this Trip Advisor five-star resort, visit their website.

The mango gazpacho in its native setting, poolside at Villa Estancia Resort.

Mango Gazpacho

(serves 4)

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2 cups fresh mango
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 piece green bell pepper
1/4 piece yellow bell pepper
1/8 piece red onion
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 piece jalapeno pepper
1 piece fresh squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
3/4 cup coconut milk
Celtic salt
fresh ground black pepper

Blend eveything together, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy your mango gazpacho with celery sticks.

Sea Scallop Ceviche

(serves 4)

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2 cups baby sea scallops
1 cup fresh mango, diced
1/2 cup cucumber, skin on, diced, no seeds
1/2 cup jicama, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and fine minced
1 sprig cilantro, minced
10 limes, fresh squeezed
2 serrano pepper, no seeds, minced
Celtic salt
fresh ground black pepper

Mix scallops with lime juice and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve your ceviche with dehydrated corn tortilla chips.

Win an All-Inclusive Trip to the Famous Turtle Island Resort

FIJI Water — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:24:38 +0000

This is the trip to Fiji we’ve always wanted to give away.

Win seven unforgettable nights at one of the world’s most famous and exclusive resorts, Turtle Island, Fiji. From the moment your plane lands at this private island, you’ll spend every moment in pampered luxury. Your personal liaison will whisk you away to your private beachside villa, one of only 14 on the entire island. Stroll the private beaches, relax with the complimentary lomilomi massage, or feast on a leisurely lunch under the palms: All food, drink, and activities are covered for your entire stay.

Oh, and did we mention you’ll be flying Air Pacific business class from the U.S.? Or that if you don’t win the trip to Fiji, you still have a chance to win a stay at one of three fabulous boutique hotels in the U.S.: the Gansevoort in Miami, the Georgian in Los Angeles, or the Wit in Chicago.

Turtle Island, frequented by such celebrities as Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman, is one of those exclusive resorts you’ve heard about but never thought you’d have a chance to visit. Until now. Click below to enter or go to www.fijiwatertriptofiji.com.

ENTER A SECOND TIME!

For a chance to win a second trip to either the Sofitel Fiji Resort or Hilton’s Fiji Beach Resort & Spa, visit the FIJI Water display at participating retailers and text the short code to the phone number provided to enter.

List of Participating Retailers:

Win a Trip to the Islands of Fiji From Singapore

FIJI Water — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:59:59 +0000

Singapore fans, want to win a trip to the islands of Fiji? From 20 July until 31 August 2011, each purchase in Singapore gives you a chance to fly away to the exotic South Pacific nation.

First Prize: Return air tickets for two to Fiji, including five days, four nights at the luxurious Shangri-La Resort

Second Prize: A two-day, one-night getaway at the Amara Sanctuary Resort at Palawan Beach, Singapore.

Third Prize: A two-day, one-night weekend stay at the Rasa Sentosa Resort, Singapore’s only beachfront resort.

Simply buy at least two bottles of FIJI Water on a single receipt and SMS the following information to phone no. 9111 2000:

spacespacespacespacespace

Please visit www.tucklee.com/fijiwatercontest for more information. Terms and conditions apply.

Refreshing Summer Sips

hwatterworth — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:33:15 +0000

There’s nothing better than relaxing on a summer afternoon with a delicious cocktail in hand (well, except maybe relaxing with a bottle of FIJI, of course). We chatted with Canadian cocktail guru Dee Gibson of Catering with Style, who used FIJI Water to create three refreshing concoctions that help beat the summer heat.

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Rhubarb Delight

Although not a classic cocktail ingredient, rhubarb provides a fresh, tart flavor and combines with the Grand Marnier and vodka perfectly. “This is a perfect afternoon drink on a lazy summer day,” advises Dee.

1 1/2 ounces vodka
1/4 ounces Grand Marnier
2 ounces rhubarb simple syrup*
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Garnish: mint

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In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients and shake.
Strain and serve in a martini glass.
Garnish with mint.

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Rhubarb Simple Syrup

1/2 cup FIJI water
3 stalks of rhubarb
1/2 cup of sugar

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Bring contents to a boil in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
Strain through sieve and let cool.

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Blueberry Wine Spritzer

Not only is this a tasty twist on the classic wine spritzer, “blueberries are a natural antioxidant that give a burst of flavour to this sparkling cocktail,” says Dee.

1 1/2 tsp. blueberry simple syrup*
4 ounces sparkling wine
Fresh blueberries

Pour blueberry syrup into a champagne flute.
Top with sparkling wine and garnish with four fresh blueberries.

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Blueberry Simple Syrup

1/4 cup FIJI water
1 pint blueberries
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

In a small saucepan, place all ingredients over medium heat.
Bring to boil, then reduce temperature to low and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until berries soften.
Remove pan from heat, strain syrup, and cool.

Gin Lemonade

FIJI Water keeps this thirst-quenching cocktail light on calories, but not on refreshment. “Mint and lemon mix well with gin as they enhance the herbal flavours,” says Dee.

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1 1/2 ounces gin
2 ounces FIJI Water
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
4 mint leaves

In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves with lemon juice and sugar.
Fill shaker with ice and pour in gin and FIJI water.
Shake and strain into a highball glass filled with ice.
Garnish with lemon wheel and mint leaves.

Ride a Chauffeured Cable Car to San Francisco’s Best Restaurants UPDATED

FIJI Water — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:28 +0000

A fifth destination and a special dinner for Crawl attendees have been added. Learn more below:

We’re excited to announce that a fifth fantastic venue has been added to our line-up: Tres Mexican kitchen on Townsend St.
The final destination on the tour, Luce, will be offering a special dinner for Cable Car Crawl attendees after the event. A three-course meal prepared by Chef Daniel Corey, paired with wines from JUSTIN Vineyards, will be offered for $65 per person, not inclusive of tax or gratuity. Reservations can be made through www.opentable.com or by phone at 415.616.6566. Please use Cable Car Crawl as package code when prompted.

The Cable Car Crawl

This July 31, the cable cars of San Francisco will be delivering a treat considerably more delectable than Rice-a-Roni.

As part of the run-up to SF Chefs, the annual food, wine, and spirits week in San Francisco, FIJI Water is excited to present the SF Chefs Cable Car Crawl, an afternoon of food and wine sampling at four of the city’s best restaurants, with transportation between provided by private electric cable cars.

Taking in the City and Its Food, At Leisure

It’s the best the city has to offer: delectable food paired with excellent wines, along with those fabulous views taken in from a chartered, open-air cable car. And it cuts out SF’s most nettlesome feature: walking up those darn hills!

The whole shindig starts at Luce (located down near the water) and then crawls up the hills to each stop on its route — Butterfly, Roy’s, and Alexander’s Steakhouse. At each location, the lucky passengers will be served one FIJI Water-inspired dish paired with a cocktail or wine, before it’s off to the next stop.

The Cable Car Crawl is going to be one of the most enjoyable events at SF Chefs this year, and we would like to invite you to join us July 31 for this special event. Tickets are $55 each, or $45 each if you use your Visa Signature Card.

Grooming Clubs Shave Spa Stigma for Guys

hwatterworth — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:30:35 +0000

“When you look good, you feel good,” said a sharply dressed John Allan at the opening of his latest men’s grooming club, and first international location, in Toronto.

A stylist and advocate for men’s grooming since 1988, John Allan has helped initiate thousands of men into the “club” of maintaining and improving their appearance with specialized services and products.

Sponsored by FIJI Water, this launch celebrated John Allan’s new men’s club at The Bay Queen St., where professionals can unwind before, during or after a hard day’s work, including skin treatments, shoe shines and beard trims, for an annual membership of $750.

Already incredibly popular in both New York and Chicago, the launch of John Allan’s in Toronto reflects men’s growing awareness of good skin care habits, products and treatments. “Men are educated now,” says Allan, “and they’re no longer satisfied with a $10 barbershop trim.”

But his eponymous grooming clubs aren’t spas, Allan is quick to note. “There’s no pampering of any sort. Only grooming.”

With the launch of similar clubs all over the country, it’s clear that men are putting their grooming habits in the hands of the pros. In between visits, of course, you’ll need a few key products to maintain the results. Check out these John Allan products to help get you through the summer in style.

Keep It Smooth
It’s summer and the sun is shining – but it’s also drying out your skin. Allan recommends using an exfoliating scrub to wash away dead skin cells to keep your skin looking smooth between shaves.
John Allan’s Scrub Exfoliating Face Cleanser, $17

Slick Shave
Avoid razor burn by using a pre-shave solution, which creates a slick surface for the blade to glide over to avoid irritation.
John Allan’s Slickwater Pre-Shave Solution, $29

Avoid the Shine
“In the summer heat, hair gels and waxes can leaves your hair looking sticky and greasy,” says Allan. Try using a matte pomade to hold your hair in place without the shine.
John Allan’s Matte Lightweight Styling Pomade, $23

Guys, which products are part of your daily regime? Do you have a go-to spot for grooming?

Meat Josh Ozersky, Founder of Meatopia Food Festival

FIJI Water — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:57:27 +0000

Josh Ozersky may be the country’s most enthusiastic carnivore. But he’s also a strong believer in meat that is humanely raised and hormone-free, and he’s brought those two passions to his festival of all things animal, Meatopia, which happens July 23 in Brooklyn.

Meatopia is “going to the next level” this year, with 49 chefs cooking up a cornucopia of delicious meats — and, yes, unlimited FIJI Water to wash it down.

You can also try your luck in our Meatopia “Meat Elite” ticket giveaway, where you have the chance to win two VIP tickets to the festival.

In the run-up to the festival, Ozersky sat down with us to talk about how Meatopia started, his “meat tooth,” and the one meat he doesn’t really like.

Q: How did the idea of Meatopia come about?

A: I published my first meat book, Meat Me in Manhattan, in 2003. It was a small, no-frills, guerilla-style publication, and I threw the book party myself at a place called the Box Car Lounge in New York. I had a little meat party as the book party and had an assortment of meats from around New York present, and I called it Meatopia. Subsequently, as I became more successful, I made the parties bigger and bigger and started inviting some of the great chefs of New York to come and cook on-site.

Q: How did your love affair with meat begin? Was it love at first sight? Or was it love acquired over time?

A: It was neither. I was a very solitary child who was fat and depressed and I self-medicated myself with food, especially meat. I never had much of a thing for sweets. I had what I guess you could call a “meat tooth.” There was something about animal flesh and all the unique flavors; it had a soothing influence on my mood.

A steer at Creekstone Farms, one of the providers for Meatopia.

Q: Can we talk a little bit about the 850-pound steer that is being served at the event?

A: So this is something that, to my knowledge, has never even been attempted at an event in New York or probably even in the country. You’ve all seen whole hogs cooking, that’s pretty much old hat — not enough for the grandiosity of my ambitions for this event. So I talked to Pat LaFrieda, the celebrity butcher who is one of our sponsors, and he and I decided that we are going to grill an 850-pound whole steer! Which is 850-pounds after it has been prepared; we are talking maybe 1,400 when it was alive! It is a reallybig animal and it is going to be carved whole by Pat LaFrieda in front of everybody.

Q: What is the rarest form of meat you have ever had, that most people are unaware of or have never heard of?

A: Here’s the thing. I have eaten all the different kinds of “weird game meat” and so on that you have heard about, but my approach with meat is that I am really not that enthusiastic about people eating crazy meats like zebras and wild foods or caterpillars or whatever. I believe that we should eat more beef, pork, veal, ham, goat, chicken, duck, and turkey—well, turkey I don’t really like. The point is the meats that are represented at Meatopia are all meats that everybody likes that are already in production with American meat farmers. There will be a few game meats present, but Meatopia is not really about eating “crazy” meats. It’s about the meats that everybody eats but that is raised in a more responsible, thoughtful way and cooked with all the art feasible to human ingenuity.

All the animals served are hormone, antibiotic, and cruelty-free.

Q: What kind of farms does the meat served at Meatopia come from? How was it raised and is it hormone and antibiotic-free?

A: With an event like this, where you are serving thousands of people with 49 chefs, you can’t get all of the meats from small farms. I can, however, vouch for all of the meats being cruelty-free, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free. So some of the farms are small farms, and we have some really beautiful meats coming from there, but then we also have some larger operations who are really trying to do the right thing. For example, Creekstone Farms in Kansas is a larger beef operation. A lot of the things you have heard about beef, if you were buying from Creekstone that would not be the case. So these large farms are trying to find an alternate way for agriculture.

Q: And a portion of the proceeds are going to charity?

A: We have three different organizations that we are making donations to from Meatopia. One is Slow Food USA (www.slowfoodusa.org), the other is Just Food (www.justfood.org), and then we are making a donation to the Armed Forces foundation to support American military troops.

Q: Final question: Besides meat, what else can’t you live without?

A: Sweet and Low! I couldn’t live without Sweet and Low. Right now I am drinking Rwandan coffee with Sweet and Low in it. I just love it!

Intern for FIJI Water Behind the Scenes at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

FIJI Water — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:05:02 +0000

FIJI Water is inviting four fashion-forward individuals to join us under the tents at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City this September.

This season, our Fashion Week internship contest will be run exclusively on Facebook. To enter, please go to our Facebook page tab “MB Fashion Week Intern Contest.”

Our four FIJI Water interns will work behind the scenes at Fashion Week as FIJI Water brand ambassadors, rubbing shoulders with the glitteratti and soaking up more fashion experiences than you can shake a $10,000 handbag at. In past seasons, our interns have had opportunities to see and even help set up runway shows by top designers. All interns also receive a full year of FIJI Water Delivery.

But it’s not all glamour. This is a real internship with real duties and responsibilities, so only the best and brightest need apply. We’re looking for energetic brand ambassadors who can stay professional during long days while manning the FIJI Water booth and interacting with celebrities and other fashion VIPs. To learn more about what the internship entails and what you’ll get out of it, read intern testimonials from previous seasons of Fashion Week.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Enter now.

More Details on the Internship Contest

Please note that the winning interns must provide for their own transportation to, and accommodations in, New York City for the duration of the internship (September 8-15, 2011). If you are chosen as a finalist, you must show you have a place to stay in or around New York City during that time. Interns will be given a $250 stipend for the week to help defray costs, a Metrocard to get around town, and a year’s supply of FIJI Water.

All interns must be over 18 and a resident of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. See our official rules for the details.

The Application Process

The February 2011 FIJI Water Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Interns.

The internship contest is divided into two rounds, with eight finalists from the first round advancing to round two.

In the first round, each applicant gives their answer to the question “What does ‘good taste’ mean to you?” in 200 words or less.

Of the eight finalists in round one, seven of the finalists are selected by FIJI Water judges, but one “wildcard” finalist will be determined by your votes on Facebook — so be sure to tell your friends to vote for your entry. To vote, you must be a fan of FIJI Water on Facebook.

In the second round, the eight finalists create a video response to a fashion question. (See last year’s question and video responses.) In round two, all four winning entries will be selected by your votes on Facebook.

Making Your Entry Stand Out

Here’s what we look for in determining the finalists:

1. Excellent writing skills.
2. Creativity.
3. Thoughtfulness.
4. Brevity. If your entry is longer than 200 words, the Facebook app won’t allow you to enter it.

Read past seasons’ entries to get an idea of what does and doesn’t work.

The finalists will be contacted by FIJI Water by July 25, at which point they must provide:

1. A resume.
2. Details on how they will get to New York for Fashion Week and where they will stay.

About the Voting Process on Facebook

In both round one and two, you can vote as many times as you like, but you can only vote once for each entry (including your own). Use your votes! Share the love!

To vote, you must be a fan of FIJI Water on Facebook.

If you are having problems entering or voting, please comment on our Facebook page or on this blog post and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

GOOD LUCK!

Fast, Cheap, and Vegan: Pantry Soup From The Actor’s Diet

FIJI Water — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:52:49 +0000

Lynn Chen is an actress living in Los Angeles. For the last three years, Chen has also written a blog, The Actor’s Diet, chronicling her life as a (sometimes) working actor, who balances the ups and downs of that career with a steady passion for food. We invited Chen to share some of her favorite recipes with us on the FIJI Water blog.

Even though it’s summertime, I’m still craving soup. I make it all the time, and vary the ingredients according to what I’ve got in the pantry and what’s in season. Measurements are loose – there’s really no way to mess this up!

I like soups really chunky. Start off by sauteing a bunch of carrots, celery, and onion in some olive oil over high heat:

After a few minutes, add some chopped zucchini (each veggie layer gets some fleur de sel and pepper).

Then the pantry goods: seasoned diced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, a box of low-sodium veggie broth, a bay leaf, and a tablespoon each of cumin and coriander.

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until it’s time to eat.

Serve with crusty bread.

If you have leftovers, you can combine the soup and bread to make a new dish — Ribollita!

I like to freeze it flat for another time, when I’m in a soup-y mood.

There you have it — fast, easy, cheap, vegan, and enough to feed an army.

All the Meat You Can Eat: Win VIP Tickets to Amstel Light Meatopia 2011

FIJI Water — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:09:36 +0000

This sweepstakes has ended. Thank you to everyone who entered; winners will be notified soon. Meatopia, the annual celebration of all things carnivore, is celebrating its first year in a new Brooklyn location with a VIP "Meat Elite" ticket giveaway exclusively for FIJI Water fans. The two tickets include unlimited tastings, unlimited beer (courtesy of event sponsor Amstel Light), one-hour early access to the event, and access to the VIP lounge.

Meatopia Down Under the Brooklyn Bridge

Meatopia is going to the "next level" this year. The festival moved from the picturesque but difficult-to-reach Governors Island location to the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, NY, on a pier with magnificent views of the bridge, the East River, and downtown Manhattan. In attendance will be over 45 great chefs from all over the United States, half a dozen farmers, live music, and every form of meat cookery -- from whole roasted lambs and goats by the likes of Aaron Sanchez, Michael Psilakis, and Seamus Mullen, to Nate Appleman’s chorizo tostadas, to Michael White’s porchetta. Just as important as the variety of meats is the humane way the animals were raised -– and the people who raised them will be there too, talking about how the animals lived and what they ate. Josh Ozersky, founder of Meatopia, has also informed us that a 850-pound steer will be prepared and served on-site by a family of non-chefs with the help of culinary veteran Mike Cirino (A Razor, A Shiny Knife). To guarantee yourself a spot by the fire, purchase tickets to Meatopia online.

Join the Meat Elite

To enter to win the Meat Elite tickets, fill out the form below. Tickets do not include transportation or lodging. Open to U.S. residents 21 and older. Please see the official rules for all the legal details, snout-to-tail. [gravityform id=26 name=Meatopia2011 VIP Ticket Giveaway Entry Form]

Five Super Summer Salad Toppers

hwatterworth — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:06:53 +0000

Light and refreshing, salads are a go-to meal during summer months — but not all of them are created equal. If you’re tired of lettuce and tomato, think outside the bowl and add one — or all — of these five super foods to your next salad creation. They’ll do wonders for your plate, palate, and health.

Spinach

Full of calcium, folic acid, vitamin K, and iron, spinach is also rich in vitamin C, fiber, and beta carotene, a source of vitamin A. Add in its lutein and flavanoids, which act as antioxidants, and this good-for-you green is a nutritional powerhouse.

Almonds

High in vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, and protein, these nuts also contain calcium for strong bones. Try toasting them in the oven to really bring out their flavor. (If you’re watching your fat intake, remember: Just a handful will do.)

Salmon

Brain food! Grill some of this omega-3-rich fish and slice it over your greens. Salmon is also a good source of calcium, magnesium, protein, and B vitamins — it’s one of the most healthful animal proteins you can eat.

Quinoa

This gluten-free super food is the trendiest grain on the market, and it’s little wonder why. High in protein and boasting nine essential amino acids, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) is a very good source of manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorus.

Blueberries

These low-cal berries are packed full of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. They’re also low in sugar – which will help keep belly fat at bay – and high in color, which creates a plate-prettying effect.

Need some more summery dishes to round out your meal? We’ve got you covered with recipes for a summer soup, fruit punch, and sorbet.

Golf Fashion: Keep Your Style on Course

hwatterworth — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:59:01 +0000

Obnoxious plaids, fussy collars, and itchy sweater vests have bogeyed golf fashion for decades. Fortunately, style on the green has come a long way thanks to breathable fabrics, flattering shapes, and prints you’ll want to wear even off the course. We can’t promise they'll help your game improve, but these super-chic golf trends are a surefire fashion hole-in-one.

For Her

The Color Block Polo Summer’s popular runway trend meets the sleeveless polo in this marriage of golf and fashion. Make a statement on the course with the Fila Valencia Polo (above), $80. The Pleated Skort Who said skorts can’t be sexy? Spice up the functional skirt/short combo with pretty pleats and a pop of orange in this Fila Malaga Golf Skort (above), $80.

For Him

The Argyle Polo This popular golf print is no longer reserved for sweater vests. Embrace the spirit of argyle in this Sunice Argyle Placement Polo, $79.99. The Subtle Plaid Pant Stand out from the crowd – but not too much – in this tone-on-tone white Nike Dri-FIT Core Plaid Pant, $109.99. Plaid has never looked so stylish.

FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen Sells Out for the First Time Since 2008

FIJI Water — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 23:15:13 +0000

Perhaps (hopefully) it's a sign: For the first time since before the Great Recession, the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen sold out before the event started. Over 5,000 guests participated in the event's 29th season June 17-19, along with top-shelf chefs from around the world. Trying to encapsulate the FOOD & WINE Classic in a single blog post would be an impossible task. There were literally dozens and dozens of tastings, panels, and other events this year all over town. Instead, we bring you some of the highlights:

FIJI Water Dinner at Casa Tua Restaurant and Private Club

New York-based chef Christopher Lee of Aureole served guests at Casa Tua a six-course dinner (see a PDF of the menu) paired to excellent JUSTIN Winery wines. The dinner was followed by the Altitude Party at Casa Tua with our friends from Ultimat Vodka, which included a D.J., a sophisticated photo booth that made the subjects feel as if they were part of a fashion shoot, specially created Ultimat vodka drinks (sage lemonade anyone?), and more.

[caption id="attachment_15451" align="alignright" width="265" caption="The Grand Tasting tents in Wagner Park, with a view of the mountains behind. "][/caption] The Grand Tasting Sessions

Held at Wagner Park in the center of town, with beautiful views of the mountains, the Grand Tastings were the heart of the Classic. Hundreds of wineries and chefs strutted through over the weekend, leaving behind full bellies and light heads. Which is where we come in. As with the last nine seasons, FIJI Water was on hand. The water in the little square bottles was appreciated throughout the Classic both for its delicious taste, which does not interfere with all the great food and wine prepared for guests, and for hydration. At high-altitude (Aspen is at 8,000 feet), it's especially important to stay hydrated to counter altitude sickness. In Wagner Park, FIJI Water's photo booth was a steady magnet for guests looking to have some fun and commemorate their visit to the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen. Even a few celebs popped in for an informal photo shoot, including Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, and chefs Jose Andres and Andrew Zimmern. We also hosted our first Foursquare contest at the FIJI Water Tent. Congratulations to Douglas Heddings, who won a year of FIJI Water Delivery when he became Foursquare Mayor of the FIJI Water Tent.

Best New Chefs and the Publishers Party

Beyond the Grand Tasting sessions, other standout events included the Best New Chefs party, where ten of FOOD & WINE's Best New Chefs prepared samples for the ready-to-party crowd. The event took place at the Aspen Meadows, a complex with stunning views right on the Roaring Fork River. The Publishers Party, a private event held for friends of FOOD & WINE magazine, was held on the summit of Aspen Mountain (altitude: 11,212 feet). Guests took a 20-minute gondola ride up the mountain to get there, and were rewarded with the most spectacular views of the valley. Inside was a Cuban-themed party with live music, food, and Cuban drinks -- and, of course, FIJI Water, which comes from a different island but was welcomed warmly by guests and organizers. Until next year, we leave you with a Flickr stream of some of the photos from our photo booth, below. Here's to many more sold-out Classics to come.

Summer Fashion Trends to Heat Up Your Wardrobe

hwatterworth — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:30:23 +0000

Fashionistas, rejoice! Confident colors, elegant nautical looks, and super-comfy maxi dresses are the trends for summer. Here’s where to shop for the styles you’ll be loving til fall -- and how to wear them well.

Bright and Colorful

Nothing goes better with a tan than teal. (Above, Banana Republic $69.50)
Forget the boyfriend, this pink and purple tote is the ultimate arm candy. (Gap $49.95)
A hot red hue and rosette detailing will get you noticed in no time. (RW&CO. $60)
You’ll light up warm summer nights in this lemon-yellow top. (RW&CO. $48)

Nautical Inspired

The details on this top are so sweet that no accessories are needed. (RW&CO. $40)
Anchor your outfit with this navy striped bag. (RW&CO. $20)
The striped shirt is a must for every wardrobe—it will never go out of style. (Old Navy $12.50)

Maxi Dresses

This is the official dress of summer 2011! (RW&C0. $88)
Elegant and easy, you can dress this look up or down. (Banana Republic $185)
Delicate ruffles and a tropical print flatter every body type. (Old Navy $34.94)

Trend Alert: Bold Jewelry Is Big for Summer

hwatterworth — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 21:13:54 +0000

The must-have accessory for summer? Bright, colorful, notice-me jewelry. One designer doing bold beautifully is Thomas Sabo, who recently opened his first Canadian flagship store in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Founded in Germany in 1984, Thomas Sabo is known for the chic global aesthetic its namesake designer creates every season alongside Creative Director Susanne Kölbl. Celebrities such as Malin Akerman, Nicky Hilton, Olivia Palermo, Snoop Dogg, Beth Ditto, and brand ambassador Katy Perry are all about the bold look this brand has perfected. Here’s how to work the look: [caption id="attachment_14945" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Examples of colorful jewelry and accessories from Thomas Sabo"][/caption]

Eye-Popping Pendants

Layer these rocker-girl pieces -- whether pretty-in-pink or a little bit lippy -- for an edgy look that's perfect at music festivals, the beach, and anywhere else you may end up this summer.

Charm Bracelet

You can have a new bracelet every day with Thomas Sabo’s wide selection of eye-popping charms. They're a great memento of the summer's most charming moments like a fun road trip with friends or a perfect beach day,

Statement Rings

Get serious bling with dramatic rings that dress up your favorite casual summer look.

Colorful Watch

This oversized timepiece is right on trend. If yellow is not your shade, choose from a rainbow of colors that will light up your life... or at least your summer.

FIJI Water Carrot Melange From Camp Blogaway

FIJI Water — Tue, 31 May 2011 22:56:32 +0000

As an official sponsor of Camp Blogaway outside Los Angeles last month, FIJI Water was given the opportunity to present to the assembled bloggers a recipe that we felt really highlighted our brand. We're strong believers in the superior taste of FIJI Water, and chances are if you're reading this you agree. We wanted to showcase this to the bloggers, but how do you contrast what can be a very subtle difference in taste between one water and another? Luckily, we had Patricia Rose, who writes the blog Freshfoodinaflash.com. Rose came up with a very simple recipe for a carrot melange that we feel does an excellent job of highlighting the superior mouthfeel of FIJI Water compared, in this case, to city tap water. Rose began her food journey as an ad sales rep at McCall’s Magazine before attending culinary school at UCLA. Today, in addition to her blog, she sells ads for La Cucina Italiana, and teaches cooking at the Holy Nativity Hall in Los Angeles. Rose presented her recipe to the "self-proclaimed foodies" at Camp Blogaway. "They definitely tasted the difference," said Rose. "The carrot melange made with FIJI Water had a more intense flavor than the carrot melange made with city water. This demonstrated that even cooked food, such as vegetables or pasta, will be enhanced when using FIJI Water over city water." Would you cook with FIJI every day? Probably not. But when you're pulling out all the stops for a festive occasion and only want the best for your guests, consider using FIJI.

FIJI Water Carrot Melange

(serves 6)

THIS IS JUST TO ADD A BLANK LINE

2 tablespoons butter pinch sugar, salt, and pepper to taste 4 large carrots, peeled 1 small parsnip, peeled 1/2 cup edamame (soybeans) 1/2 cup FIJI Water

Peel and cut ends off carrot and parsnip. Using a thick blade vegetable peeler, cut ribbons of carrots and parsnips, shaving from bottom to top of carrot.
Melt butter in skillet. Add carrot/parsnip ribbons and toss to coat with butter. Saute on medium-high heat.
Watch and smell the caramelization of the vegetables. Add sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Once pan is dry, add FIJI Water and listen for the sizzle.
Toss the carrots and parsnips; they will begin to absorb the FIJI Water. Midway thru the evaporation process, add edamame soybeans to the pan. Continue to toss ribbons in the pan so that they are cooked evenly.
When all liquid has evaporated, spoon onto dish. Taste the difference.

Total Time: 10 minutes

Big Boi Secret Event Twitter Contest and Trailer to “The Crown Life”

FIJI Water — Tue, 24 May 2011 09:47:36 +0000

Big Boi is hosting a "The Crown Life" event in Chicago on June 8, and we've got two tickets to give away. To get the tickets, just retweet "RT to win tickets to @BigBoi @Brandonmbyrd secret event in Chicago 6/8 #fijibigboi #thecrownlifechicago http://ow.ly/52boY." Make sure your retweet includes the hashtag #fijibigboi and #thecrownlifechicago.

Fine Print:

Tickets are to a Chicago-area event; prize does not include transportation to the event or accommodations.
Must be at least 21 years old to be eligible.
See our official rules for details.

Trailer to "The Crown Life"

Here's a peek to the behind-the-scenes documentary on Big Boi, The Crown Life, premiering soon.

By Popular Demand: Sorbet Recipes From Paso Robles Wine Festival

FIJI Water — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:40:24 +0000

Due to popular demand, we are posting the recipes for the FIJI Water sorbets served to great acclaim at the 29th annual Paso Robles Wine Festival. The sorbet in two flavors -- grapefruit-tarragon and POM-lime -- is the product of the fertile culinary imagination of Chef Will Torres of JUSTIN Vineyards, which was acquired by FIJI Water in December. Chef Torres got such a positive response to the sorbets that we decided to post the recipes ASAP. The FIJI Water booth was part of the Paso Robles Wine Festival, a lively weekend of great wines and great food held in Paso's Downtown City Park, May 21. Nearly 80 wineries, along with local artisans and chefs, participated in the festival. To make the large quantities of sorbet necessary for tasting at the festival, Chef Torres turned to the students at the Paso Robles Culinary Academy. In return for their assistance, FIJI Water contributed to the academy's scholarship fund.

Grapefruit-Tarragon Sorbet

makes 3 quarts

3 cups ruby red grapefruit juice 3 cups simple syrup and FIJI Water in a 1:1 ratio 15 sprigs tarragon 6 ounces FIJI Water 5 gelatin sheets (bloomed in cold water)

Steep tarragon in simple syrup for 30 min.
Add in bloomed gelatin.
Strain and cool.
Mix well and run in an ice cream maker.
Store in an airtight container in freezer.

Pomegranate-Lime Sorbet

makes 3 quarts

36 ounces sugar 4 gelatin sheets (bloomed in cold water) 72 ounces POM pomegranate juice 12 ounces corn syrup 6 ounces FIJI Water 6 ounces lime juice and zest

Combine sugar, POM juice, and corn syrup and bring to a boil.
Add in bloomed gelatin.
Strain and cool.
Add in lime juice and zest, and mix well.
Run in ice cream maker.
Store in an airtight container in freezer.

Win Tickets to See Tan Dun Water & Paper Concertos with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

FIJI Water — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:42:41 +0000

All right FIJI Water fans, we know you love water – but how about the symphony? The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is presenting Tan Dun’s Water & Paper Concertos, a refreshing twist on the centuries-old musical genre. An Academy Award-winner for Best Original Score for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun is known for using organic, non-traditional instruments to create imaginative musical compositions. His captivating work even caught the attention of Google, which commissioned him to compose Internet Symphony No. 1 "Eroica," the first symphony in which musicians around the world play the same piece virtually via the Internet. Check out this performance by the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. Intrigued? We thought you might be. Dust off your top hat and tails: You could win two tickets to the performance. Just leave a comment at the bottom of this page answering the following question in 50 words or less: “What's your favourite movie soundtrack and why?" One winner be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Good luck! (Note: all entries will be vetted before they will appear in the comments section.)

Fine Print:

Tickets must be used for the Saturday, May 28 (7:30 p.m.) performance. Additional restrictions apply, please see our complete contest rules for all the details.
Entrants must be Canadian residents residing in the Greater Toronto Area.
Contest ends May 25 at midnight, Eastern Daylight Time.
You must be 18 or over to enter.

The Top Chefs of Vegas Uncork’d: They Slice, They Dice, They Spin Records

FIJI Water — Thu, 19 May 2011 22:39:23 +0000

Think you know your "Who's Who" of celebrity chefs? Put your knowledge to the test. Below is a partial list of some of the 50 top chefs that attended Vegas Uncork'd, the food festival presented by Bon Appétit magazine that took over the Las Vegas the weekend of May 5-8. Based only on the chef's first name and the name of one of their signature restaurants, can you guess their full name?

"Jose" (Jaleo)
"Tom" (Craft)
"Scott" (Scarpetta)
"Alain" (Mix)
"Susan" (Street)
"Jean" (Everest)
"Michael" (RN74)
"Mary Sue" (Border Grill)
"Rick" (RM Seafood)
"Charlie" (Aureole)
"Alex" (Stratta)
"Nobu" (too easy)
"Gordon" (The London)

Answers are at the bottom of this post.

The Food Festival That Ate Las Vegas

While you're chewing on that, we want to tell you all about Vegas Uncork'd. What makes Uncork'd such an epic event is that it's everywhere. Participating casinos included the titans of Vegas: the Wynn and Encore, Venetian and Palazzo, The Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, and Caesars Palace. The other fabulous thing about Uncork'd is the caliber of the chefs that participate, and that they actually get involved, mingling with guests and cooking up their specialties all day long -- then partying all night (see below).

Chef and DJ Hubert Keller and "FIJI All Night Long!"

One of our favorite chefs, Chef Hubert Keller of Fleur in Mandalay Bay (and Fleur de Lys in S.F.) worked double-duty as celebrity chef during the day and DJ at night, mixing tracks behind the turntable at the Hubert After Hours Party. We've got some fun pictures and video of "DJ Keller," including the Top Chef judge leading the crowd in a chant of "FIJI all night long!"

Uncork'd All Over Town

An incomplete list of other memorable moments would have to include:

The Grand Tasting poolside at Caesars Palace May 6 with 2,500 in attendance. We set up the FIJI Water Lounge to keep the foodies well-hydrated and rested between tastings from over 50 of the top restaurants in Las Vegas, including Fleur/Burger Bar, NOBU, Joel Robuchon, Craftsteak, Shibuya, Aureole, Sage, Jean Georges Steakhouse, Julian Serrano, Comme Ca, and Jaleo/China Poblano.
Jet Tila of Wazuzu claiming victory at the Fourth Annual Celebrity Chef Blackjack Tournament poolside at the Encore.
Casino magnate Steve Wynn and Chef Tal Ronnen (who has created innovative vegan meals for Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres) hosting an interactive tasting of delicious meatless cuisine with Chefs Alex Stratta and Tila.
Lunch with France's Chef of the Century, Joel Robuchon, at Joel Robuchon inside the MGM Grand, hosted by Bon Appétit Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport.

Those are just some of the take-aways from a fabulous weekend. See photos below and on our Facebook page and Flickr profile. Enjoy! (Chef quiz answers, by last name, in order: Andres, Colicchio, Conant, Ducasse, Feniger, Joho, Mina, Milliken, Moonen, Palmer, Stratta, Matsuhisa, and Ramsey. Whew!)

Think Pink (and Golden, Too): Beauty Trends for Spring 2011

FIJI Water — Wed, 18 May 2011 09:56:12 +0000

While drinking loads of water is essential for a healthy-looking complexion, the latest beauty trends for spring will help your skin look its best, too. This season, it’s all about adding color in the right places, with bronzed skin and a bold pink lip. Sure, the trend looks great on the runways, but how does it translate to real life? We recruited a volunteer, Lacey, to try out the hottest healthy-skin beauty trends of the season with some of our favorite products: Stila’s Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer and Stila Long Wear Liquid Lip Color in Petal. “I definitely protect my skin from the sun, but some more color would really be nice for spring," said Lacey. “I don’t usually wear makeup, so this tinted moisturizer is the perfect option for me. It feels smooth and it goes on really even.” Check out Lacey's before and after shots. “I have colour! Yay! It looks like I’ve been out in the sun, but without the sun damage. And I love the pink lip! I wouldn’t usually wear something so bold, but it looks really great against my new glow.” What are your sun-safe beauty tips for spring?

Fresh Fruit Recipes for Hot Summer Entertaining

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:26:22 +0000

Hotter temperatures mean enjoying light, refreshing, hydrating treats. The first step to hydration? Recipes that use water as a base ingredient. Of course, the end result of any recipe is only as good as the quality of the ingredients – and water quality can turn a tasty recipe sour. Different waters have unique tastes and mineral contents directly influenced by their origins. FIJI Water's celebrated soft texture and clean taste won't mar the flavor of other ingredients. Here are three fruity recipes that are perfect for any kind of summer gathering, from backyard barbeques to summer evening soirées.

THIS IS JUST TO ADD A BLANK LINE

Orange Mint Sorbet

(serves 4)

THIS IS JUST TO ADD A BLANK LINE

1 cup of FIJI Water 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 1 cup sugar 2 sprigs of fresh mint

In a small saucepan, combine FIJI Water, sugar, and mint leaves over medium heat.
Bring to a boil. Stir. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn heat off and cover pan. Let cool.
Strain syrup into a medium-sized bowl. Add orange juice and mix well.
Pour mixture into container, cover, and place in freezer until half frozen.
Take out, stir with fork, and place back in freezer.
Once fully frozen, blend mixture in a blender until smooth.
Cover and freeze until ready to serve.

THIS IS JUST TO ADD A BLANK LINE

Fruit Medley Punch

(serves 40)

THIS IS JUST TO ADD A BLANK LINE

4 litres of FIJI Water 6 cups pineapple juice 2 cups fresh lemon juice 2 cups orange juice 2 litres lemon/lime soda (carbonated) 5 cups sugar 1 fresh pineapple, finely sliced 3 medium-sized oranges, finely sliced 1 sprig of fresh mint

Combine all liquid ingredients in large punch bowl.
Sweeten to taste.
Garnish with floating orange slices and a sprig of fresh mint.
Chill and serve.

Fruit Gazpacho

(serves 6–8)

3 cups of FIJI Water 2 cups orange juice 3 tbsp sugar Zest of 1 orange Zest of 1 lime or lemon 1 mango or papaya 1/2 cantaloupe melon 1/2 honeydew melon 1 apple peeled and sliced 1 cup blueberries 1 cup sliced strawberries 1 or 2 sliced kiwis

Combine the first eight ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Empty mixture into a bowl. Stir in the diced apple and blueberries.
Serve and garnish with sliced strawberries and kiwi fruit.

Take the Best Buddies Challenge: Boston to Cape Cod by Bike for Charity

FIJI Water — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:40:12 +0000

One of the causes we love to support at FIJI Water is Best Buddies International, an organization that promotes opportunities for intellectually disabled individuals. The twelfth annual Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port charity bike ride happens June 4 in Boston. As part of the celebration, for the months of May and June, $1 per case of FIJI Water sold at Stop & Shop, Big Y, Demoulas, Roche Bros, Shaws, and Tedeschi’s in New England will be contributed to Best Buddies International. To find one of these retailers near you, please see our store locator. That's how we're helping out. But if you live in the Boston-area, or are an avid cycler, we strongly encourage you to participate in the ride itself. It is a fantastic event and a great time.

The Classiest 100-Mile Bike Ride in America

The Hyannis Port ride is probably one of the most well-organized and fun bike rides in the country, charitable or otherwise. The ride itself is part of a weekend of festivities, events, and camaraderie. Beginning at the famous JFK Presidential Library and Museum on the South Shore of Boston, the 100-mile ride winds through some of Massachusetts's most beautiful scenery, crossing over the Bourne Bridge into Cape Cod and finishing up at Craigsville Beach in Hyannis Port. There are also 50- and 25-mile rides and a 5K walk for those who prefer to show their support on foot. View the course maps. All of the ride options at the Audi Best Buddies Challenge are point-to-point with four fully stocked rest stops and multiple support vehicles spread over the route (with restrooms!). Transportation for riders and their bikes to and from the finish and start lines and hotels is taken care of, and there are discount rates at local hotels. Each participant is assigned a Challenge Coach who helps them with their training regimen and fundraising plan to help them meet their goals, both athletic and charitable. At the finish, riders enjoy hot showers, professional massages, and plenty of food and refreshments. And then the celebration really starts: Everyone heads over to the famous lobster bake and beach side buffet, followed by a concert by Natasha Bedingfield.

About Best Buddies

The mission of Best Buddies is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,500 middle school, high school, and college campuses across the country and internationally. Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States. Best Buddies has accredited international programs on six continents, with additional country programs under active development.

Towns Hit Hard by Tornadoes Receive Water Donations

FIJI Water — Mon, 09 May 2011 22:14:58 +0000

FIJI Water's southeast team was on hand in northern Alabama last week distributing cases of FIJI Water to communities hard-hit by tornadoes that ravaged the area in April. With the help of United Johnson Brothers and Associated Grocers, we have been able to respond to a pressing need for clean drinking water in the towns of Pleasant Grove, Tuscaloosa, and Hackleburg. We will be continuing our commitment to these communities in the days and weeks ahead. A record 38 twisters tore through Alabama the evening of April 27, killing at least 236 in the state and leaving billions of dollars in damages. In Tuscaloosa County, Ala., which had 41 fatalities from the storms, the Tuscaloosa Times said the tornadoes "may be the state's worst natural disaster." All told, 354 people died from the storms across the southern states. FIJI Water employees and our partners will continue to donate water in these communities. If you would like to help out, there is a list of local charities accepting donations.

Chef Eric Hara of Pier 9 Whips Up Sea Urchin Panna Cotta

FIJI Water — Fri, 06 May 2011 18:28:00 +0000

The LUCKYRICE Food Festival is an annual week of festivities showcasing Asian cuisine and culinary culture in New York City and beyond. On May 6, FIJI Water showcased Chef Eric Hara of Pier 9 and 9 Restaurant at LUCKYRICE Food Festival's Grand Feast event. Before Hara's appearance at LUCKYRICE, we had the privilege of visiting the chef in his restaurant, where he showed us how to cook the dish he served at the event: sea urchin panna cotta. Watch the video below to see the chef in action in his kitchen. A three-course dinner at Eric Hara's Pier 9 is also part of the grand prize in our Kenny Chesney Sweepstakes. If you are a country music fan, be sure to enter the sweepstakes on our Facebook page. Grand prize includes airfare, a stay at the HUDSON Hotel (just a few blocks from Pier 9) and two tickets to Chesney's Goin' Coastal show at the Meadowlands. Sea Urchin Panna Cotta From Chef Eric Hara and LUCKYRICE

About LUCKYRICE Food Festival

An annual week of festivities, the LUCKYRICE Festival shines a spotlight on Asian culinary culture through eight auspicious events (8 is a lucky number in Chinese numerology), including the Grand Feast, Night Market, Opening Cocktails, Talk + Taste, and other tastings, dinners, and gastronomic gatherings. Following a sold-out 2010 New York City launch that attracted over 6,500 guests, LUCKYRICE is expanding into other North American markets with both the festival and year-round custom events.

About Chef Eric Hara

Eric Hara has been working in kitchens since the age of 16. After graduating the School of Culinary Arts in Santa Barbara, California in 1997, Hara worked at some of the city's best restaurants, including Citronelle and Downey's, before moving on to dining rooms in Laguna Niguel and Alberta, Canada. At the age of 26, Hara moved to America's culinary capitol, New York, where he became executive chef of New York Times two-star restaurant Chez Josephine. Hara was then hired by David Burke to lead the kitchens at davidburke & donatella and fishtail by davidburke. Of his tenure with Burke, Hara remarks, “It taught me a lot of the business—creativity, thinking outside of the box, and pushing myself to do new things.” Ready for a fresh challenge, Hara next took an executive chef position at the iconic Oak Room in the recently revitalized Plaza Hotel. In 2007, Hara was named a Star Chefs “Rising Star Chef” for New York City, minting his status as one to watch in the Big Apple. Now, Hara brings his passion for fine dining without pretention to Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood with 9 Restaurant and Pier 9, where he is both executive chef and partner. “I like to have fun, and I like to have fun with the food,” Hara says. “We want our guests to enjoy these spaces as comfortable neighborhood hangouts and hopefully try something they might not have experienced before.”

Go Coastal With Kenny Chesney Sweepstakes

FIJI Water — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:50:38 +0000

Calling all country music fans! FIJI Water and Kenny Chesney, in conjunction with the HUDSON Hotel New York and Pier 9 restaurant are giving away a trip for two to see Kenny Chesney's Goin' Coastal tour at the New Jersey Meadowlands August 13. Winners will stay at the chic HUDSON Hotel a block from Central Park in New York City. They'll also get a three-course dinner for two at Eric Hara's Pier 9 restaurant. And we're throwing in a year of FIJI Water Delivery for good measure. First and second place winners will receive tickets to see Kenny in concert in Foxboro, Massachusetts. To enter the Kenny Chesney Goin' Coastal Sweepstakes, please go to FIJI Water's Facebook page. You must be a fan of FIJI Water on Facebook to enter (just click the "Like" button at the top of our page). See the official rules for more details.

Politics and Showbiz Mingle at White House Correspondents’ Dinner After-Party

FIJI Water — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:07:44 +0000

The most memorable moment from this year's White House Correspondent's Dinner may be host Seth Meyer's (unintentionally) topical joke about Osama bin Laden having his own show on C-SPAN, which got a (knowing?) laugh from President Obama. Indeed, we feel for any of those correspondents who partied a little too hard Saturday night at MSNBC's after-party, since it's unlikely they got any sleep the following night. On the other hand, it was a fabulous party.

Rachel Maddow Works the Bar, Sarah Palin Works the Crowd

Held at the Italian Embassy, the MSNBC after-party featured a wild variety of bold-face names from entertainment, politics, and media (not that there's much daylight between those categories). After all, how often do Rachel Maddow and Sarah Palin attend the same party? For her part, Maddow really worked the scene -- literally. The host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC was serving drinks from "Maddow's Bar" all night long. No word on whether the former Alaskan governor was a customer, but Palin may have been abstaining since she was there with daughter Bristol, who got high fashion marks for her dazzling white dress. Dinner host Meyers apparently shared a few of his "plus-ones" with pals from Saturday Night Live: Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, and Fred Armisen all made an appearance, along with Glee funnywoman Jane Lynch. Sean Penn was also there, although without rumored girlfriend Scarlett Johanssen. John Legend represented the musical set in the crowd while hot-hot Cee Lo Green sang to the crowd. The food was suitably apropos of the locale (or should we say a proposito?) Bite-sized versions of caprese salad, fried eggplant dipped in marinara sauce and tiramisu circulated while guests star-gazed. To keep everyone awake there was Starbucks, and to keep everyone hydrated there was, of course, FIJI Water, which was an official sponsor of the party. We've got a Flickr stream of photos below, courtesy of Paul Morigi of Getty Images; you can also see pics from the event on our Facebook page.

RA Sushi Presents the Seventh Annual Nicky’s Week

FIJI Water — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:14:23 +0000

Nicholas “Nicky” Mailliard (pictured at left) was 13 years old when he lost a long battle with brain cancer in 2005. He was also the nephew of one of the founders of RA Sushi, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based restaurant chain. Inspired by Nicky's struggle, RA Sushi started the Nicky's Week fundraiser. For one week each year, the purchase of select menu items at every RA Sushi location benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the nation's top children's cancer research center. This year, Nicky's Week runs Sunday, May 29 through Saturday, June 4. For that week, 100 percent of the proceeds from select menu items and beverages (including FIJI Water) will go to St. Jude to help support the hospital's lifesaving mission. The menu items include: edamame, tootsy maki, shrimp nigiri, pork gyoza, tuna tataki, and chicken yakitori. All 25 RA Sushi locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Nevada, and Texas will participate in the fundraiser.

"St. Jude is an incredible organization with an important mission, and we want to help ensure that its services remain available to children and families battling serious illness," said Scott Kilpatrick, co-founder and vice president of RA Sushi. "Nicky’s Week has raised more than $700,000 for the hospital since 2005, and our goal is to increase that number by $125,000 this year." All donations from the weeklong effort will help support St. Jude, which has treated children from all 50 states and around the world. While St. Jude is primarily a cancer research center, doctors and researchers there also treat children with sickle cell disease and pediatric HIV. At St. Jude, no child is ever turned away because of a family's inability to pay for medical treatments. Nicky’s Week sponsors include FIJI Water, The Republic of Tea, and Shirakiku.

Metro Hunt Competitors Blanket San Diego in Race to the Win

FIJI Water — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:00:11 +0000

Last Saturday, residents and tourists in downtown San Diego were witness to a strange sight: teams of Metro Hunt participants racing to complete tasks and uncover clues. The teams, with names like Team SoButter and Fashion Makes Me Horny, had three hours to figure out the clues, find the correct location, and tweet out photos of themselves, all during FIJI's second social media scavenger hunt. As a result, the same obliging street musician was photographed at least five times by maniacally grinning Hunt contestants. Various statues were groped. Restaurateurs were quizzed on the number of martinis on their menu, or the number of blades on their ceiling fan, or what the view is like from the second floor. At stake were some serious prizes, including an expenses-paid trip to Fiji, courtesy of Air Pacific, the Westin Denarau Resort, and the Fiji International Jazz Festival; a resort stay in Mexico courtesy of Villa Group Resorts, shoes, spa treatment, and more -- not to mention local social media street cred.

Fierce Competition on the Streets of San Diego

As the two-person teams headed out into the city, the FIJI Water Metro Hunt judges booted up their computers at home base, the W Hotel San Diego. Using Twitter (#fijihunt) and Foursquare, our four judges tracked the teams as they moved across downtown, tweeting the answers to the puzzles on the Metro Hunt clue sheet. That clue sheet was a work of art in itself, featuring references to everything from Japanese characters to Morse Code to the board game Battleship. In the age of Google, you need to get pretty obscure to pose a real challenge! [caption id="attachment_13517" align="alignright" width="315" caption="An example of one of the clues from the Metro Hunt. Correct answer: the Dragon's Den."][/caption] For example: for clue #8, competitors had to decipher an image from the classic board game Battleship. Correctly divining the clue("Sink the battleship") gives you the coordinates K-10, or K St. and 10th Avenue, address of the Dragon's Den. Inside is the key to the rest of the clue, "take a picture of the item on the wall that the unknown comic would like least." That turns out to be a gong on the wall (the sound of a gong being the sign that a failing comic's time has run out). The rules were also strict: All answers must be correctly spelled and accompanied by the clue number and photos must always include both team members (to avoid teams divvying up the work). In the end, while local knowledge and social media savvy mattered, it was the most focused team that won.

Metro Hunt Grand Prize Winners: Home Grown

First place winners were brother and sister team Vicky and Phil Tully of Home Grown. The San Diego natives used their local knowledge and a strong drive to win to accumulate a total of 131 points -- 20 more than the closest challenger. When the first place prize was announced, the two were visibly stunned. By Monday however, they were peppering the FIJI Water team with questions about where to go and what to see in Fiji. Second place was no booby either -- five nights at your pick of one of five Villa Group Resorts in Mexico. Downtown Robbery, led by local social media maven Downtown Rob (a.k.a. Rob Marlbrough) and Melonie Gallegos, a social media strategist for national brands. This dynamic duo gathered 111 points. Third place went to Lance Carter and Annette Goad of team Face Plant, with 110 points. They walked away with a spa day at Shutters on the Beach, including a massage treatment, lunch at Coast, and all-day pool access at this swank Santa Monica boutique hotel. To add to the indulgence, they received a special chocolate pack from Chuao Chocolatier -- about which @oceancitygirrl tweeted, "The gift box looked amazing & had so much inside. Can't wait to try it all!" View the complete list of Metro Hunt teams and their points. Special prizes were also awarded for: Most Profile Views: The Roadsters (the Pack of Rock, including two You Rock Guitars, two memberships to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, and a pair of $75 iTunes gift certificates, courtesy of San Diego's Rubicon Deli.) Best Dressed: TBG Angels (two $250 gift certificates from Donald J. Pliner) Most Twitter Impressions: The top three teams, 1. Wine Harlots, 2. SoButter, and 3. Martini Mamas, received Munitio headphones. Most Pumped: Cereal Killers (event planning package from dkkevents) Most Spirited: Emerging Media (four tickets to SeaWorld) Best Profile: Fashion Makes Me Horny (bags from Overland Outfitters) Best "FIJI Delivers"-Inspired Photos: Ice Wench (one-year FIJI Water Delivery subscription each) and The Roadsters (six-month FIJI Water Delivery subscription each) Everyone who participated received a gift bag stuffed with goodies from FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, Get Crackin' Pistachios, Pop Chips, and Ubisoft, which provided the Wii game Fit in Six, and more.

FIJI Water Employee Profile: Apao Erone

FIJI Water — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:06:28 +0000

Apao Erone has been with FIJI Water from waaaay back. Erone, 41 (at right in the photo), helped run the first pump tests on the source of FIJI Water, the aquifer under the Yaqara Valley on the Fijian island of Viti Levu. Today, Erone is one of about 400 people employed by FIJI Water in Fiji. Recently, Erone answered some questions for our blog about his career at FIJI Water and the history of the company as he has witnessed it. FIJI Water: Tell us a little about you. APAO ERONE: My name is Apao Erone, I am 41 years old. I am from the Fiji Islands, and of Rotuman/Tongan ethnicity. (By the way, Rotuma is a Polynesian island that is part of Fiji and the South Pacific, located 450 kilometers off Fiji’s main island.) I am married with four kids and an adopted little girl, so five lovely children in total. My beautiful wife is Tongan, from the village of Lakeba, in Nukualofa, Tonga. We also have my dad staying with us; he turns 80 this year. My mum passed away 20 years ago, and I have two sisters and a brother here in Fiji, and two more sisters living on the island. FW: Describe your job at FIJI Water. AE: Currently, I am the Vanua Support Manager, based at the FIJI Water Bottling Plant in Yaqara. ["Vanua" literally translated means "land," but the meaning encompasses the word "community" as well.] Basically, my role is to manage the NWVL [Natural Waters of Viti Levu] Trust, which was set up to provide much-needed funds and assistance to help improve the livelihood of the six local villages surrounding the FIJI Water bottling plant. FW: How long have you worked at FIJI Water? How did you get a job there? AE: I have been working for FIJI Water since 1995. My first task on the job was to get the land lease signed for where the factory is currently located. I did the first pump test on the boreholes, before the first building was built, and continued assisting in the ground work for operations from then on. In 1996, when the groundwork was complete and operations started to kick off, I moved to Suva, where our admin office was based, and started work in sales. I helped to sell the first bottles of FIJI Water, driving deliveries to customers, and stacking shelves. In 1999, I moved to Yaqara to act as a General Manager for a month, and then looked after operations and sales from then until 2005, when the company was sold to Mr. & Mrs. Resnick. I then left operations, and focused on sales until late 2008, when I took up my current position, looking after the NWVL Trust. FW: How has it been working for FIJI Water? AE: When I first joined FIJI Water fifteen ago, I was not sure how far it would go or what the outcome would be. But now I can honestly say that it was the best decision for me. This company that I have worked with from scratch has provided for me and my family very well, and I am truly grateful. I have been able to buy my own home and improve the life of my family and extended family. I am very proud to be part of FIJI Water and to see it operating at a very high level of professionalism, producing the world's number one premium bottled water brand known worldwide. When I sold the first bottle of FIJI Water here in Fiji in 1996, people thought then that something was wrong with me, because here in Fiji you can actually drink water directly from the streams and taps. Now they know better -- everybody in Fiji knows about FIJI Water, and our country as a whole is very proud of the brand and what it has done for our people. FW: What do people think of FIJI Water when it started? What do they think of it now? AE: When FIJI Water first started back in 1996, it was the first in a brand new industry for Fiji. People in Fiji were not at all familiar with the bottled water industry and had no idea of how it would impact their lives and our economy. Now FIJI Water is one of the top exporters in Fiji. The company as a whole is like the father of the six villages and communities surrounding it in Yaqara, and mother to the rest of Fiji through its economic benefits and the Foundation work. Now they always say that they cannot thank FIJI Water enough for everything that we have done for them, and they are extremely proud of the name “FIJI Water.”

San Diego Social Media Compete for a Dream Trip to Fiji

FIJI Water — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:31:16 +0000

This Saturday, April 16, San Diego’s most socially savvy and Twitter-ific Web 3.0 influencers will compete for honor, glory, and a slew of amazing prizes. We’ve put together an event full of challenges, rewards, friendly competition, and creative online smacktalk. And now, with the San Diego Metro Hunt just two days away, it’s time to show the grand prize that everyone’s playing for: an expense-paid trip to Fiji for the International Jazz & Blues Festival. [caption id="attachment_13232" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Scuba diving off Denarau Island, Fiji"][/caption] The Trip Two lucky winners will fly courtesy of Air Pacific to Denarau Island, Fiji on May 10, 2011. During their four night stay, they'll explore the beautiful beaches, parks and gardens. Explore the colorful undersea world with its coral reefs and exotic fish, or catch a boat from nearby Port Denarau and go island-hopping to Denarau’s nearest neighbors, the Mamanuca Islands. Between the sunshine, the warm blue waters and the famously friendly people, Fiji is the ultimate tropical paradise. The Event The International Jazz & Blues Festival takes place May 12-15, with a lineup that includes Fiji’s best talent, plus many international artists. The program includes high-energy British-style rhythm & blues, jazz standards, soulful torch song medleys, and Kiwi guitar rock. Presented by Tourism Fiji and Air Pacific, this is four days of great music, culture, and fun, with picturesque Port Denarau as the backdrop. [caption id="attachment_13238" align="alignleft" width="243" caption="The Westin's Infiniti pool"][/caption] The Hotel You couldn’t ask for dreamier accommodations than host hotel Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa. Overlooking the ocean, the resort offers pure South Pacific bliss, from the moment you wake up and wander to the Ocean Terrace for island fruits and fresh juice, to the lazy days by the pool, to happy-hour rum drinks at Meke Lounge, to the torch ceremony every evening and the final moment you drift to sleep in your trademarked Heavenly® bed. Because the Westin is part of Fiji’s only integrated multi-hotel resort, guests have access to all the resort complex facilities, including the 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, four pools, and 18 restaurants and bars. As we said before, the FIJI Water San Diego Metro Hunt will be full of challenges, but the rewards will be great.

Metro Hunt Contestants Compete for a Five-Night Stay in Mexico, Courtesy of Villa Group Resorts

FIJI Water — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:42:01 +0000

Sure, the San Diego Metro Hunt clues may be challenging, and the smack talk on Twitter indicates that several teams will be in heavy competition, but with prizes like we’re offering, no wonder. Just how awesome is the prize pool? For your answer, check out what we’re giving the San Diego Metro Hunt runners-up: a five-night stay at one of any five Villa Group Resort properties in beautiful beachfront Mexico. Sunny days await at this collection of luxury hotel properties in five Mexican destinations. Enjoy an invigorating blend of relaxation and adventure, along with golden beaches, undersea beauty, friendly locals, and fresh gourmet cuisine. Win five nights accommodations in a one-bedroom, ocean-view condominium suite in your choice of the following great resort destinations: Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, the Islands of Loreto, Puerto Vallarta, or Riviera Nayarit. Villa del Arco, Cabo If you like to be in the center of the action, this all-suite property on El Medano Beach in Cabo San Lucas is a great choice. Kids will love the “Pirate Ship” in the main pool, while adults might opt for a more private swathe of sand, with a view out to sea and the famous El Arco rocks in the distance. This is a self-contained resort with three restaurants, a water sports center, nightly entertainment, and the full-service Desert Spa. Villa del Palmar, Cancun As seen on the Today Show: This new hotel within the prestigious Mujeres Beach Resort on the Mayan Riviera takes luxury to new levels, including ensuite Jacuzzi tubs, pool butler service, a fantastic spa, and gourmet cuisine. Sip margaritas on a swing at the poolside Tiki Bar or charter a sailboat for a day of ocean adventures. Villa del Palmar, Islands of Loreto [caption id="attachment_13179" align="alignright" width="265" caption="Eco-adventures in the Sea of Cortez at the Villa del Palmar, Islands of Loreto "][/caption] If you are a fan of eco-adventures and like to be the first to explore a new region, this stunning new resort is for you. Located on the Sea of Cortez on the east cape of Baja, Villa del Palmar in the Islands of Loreto combines “Old Mexico” charm with ocean-based adventures galore. Whales, sea lions, and sea turtles await offshore, while the hotel offers ultimate relaxation and romance, which made it one of The New York Times’ recommended destinations for 2011. Villa del Palmar, Puerto Vallarta This is a classic that families return to every year for its airy and comfortable all-suite accommodations, traditional hospitality, and inviting sun-splashed ambience. Located in the heart of the famous Hotel Zone, beachfront on Banderas Bay, the property features four dining/drinking establishments are on property, plus in-suite private chef service upon request. Villa la Estancia, Riviera Nayarit One of our favorite properties is also #1 rated in the region by TripAdvisor. Villa la Estancia is perfect for a romantic getaway, with its quiet casitas and free-form swimming pool. Located just over the state border from Jalisco and 30 minutes north from Puerto Vallarta’s airport, the up-and-coming resort region of Riviera Nayarit boasts world-class fishing and great golf. Follow hashtag #fijihunt on April 16 (which happens to be National Foursquare Day) to watch live as teams tweet and Foursquare their way towards winning one of our fabulous prizes.

Metro Hunt Teams Vie for Pre-Competition Prize: The Pack of Rock

FIJI Water — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:05:36 +0000

Social media mavens are the rock stars of the Web 3.0 world. As such, as a prelude to the FIJI Water Metro Hunt in San Diego this coming weekend, we’re showing our adoration with prizes for the team that rocks the hardest – and takes the least amount of time to warm up. We’ve put together a little pre-event prize we like to call the Pack of Rock, and it’s up for grabs to the Metro Hunt team who garners the most unique pageviews in the days leading up to the main event. Included in the Pack of Rock are two You Rock Guitars, one for each teammate. These musical instruments for the tech-enabled world connect to your iPad or computer (PC or Mac) and are instantly enabled with backing tracks and loops you can jam along to, follow if you’re trying to learn songs, or riff on if you’re in the mood to compose. The You Rock Guitar never needs tuning, has a removable neck for travel, and can go from mute (for practicing) to amped (for performance). And because the latest in next-generation iPad-compatible instrumentation is not enough for our Metro Hunt VIPS, we’re throwing in two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum memberships and branded gear, including portable speakers, as well as two $75 iTunes gift cards, courtesy of San Diego’s very own Rubicon Deli. Okay, so maybe this little pre-event prize isn’t so little after all. Take a peek at the team profiles and cast your vote for the winner by clicking on their page. Remember: Only unique pageviews count, so reloading the page isn’t going to your fave team any favors. Follow us on Twitter under the hashtag #fijihunt for more updates, prize info, and smack-talking between teams.

Win Two VIP Tickets to Private Tastings, Concerts, and More at Sonoma Jazz +

FIJI Water — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 22:45:58 +0000

Sonoma Jazz + combines world-class musical performances with everything you would expect from a festival in the heart of California wine country: great wine, great food, and a relaxed, casual ambiance. Which is why we are so excited to be giving away two VIP tickets to all three days of the festival. The package includes premium seating to three nights of musical performances by John Fogerty, Sheryl Crow, the Gipsy Kings, and more. Winners will also have admittance to an exclusive VIP tent each night, where they will be treated to premium wine tastings and gourmet cuisine from wine country chefs. In addition, winners receive tickets to Wine & Song Around the Plaza, featuring the perfect pairing of music and wine with the Bay Area’s best musicians and Sonoma Valley’s finest wines. And last but not least, free parking! The sweepstakes entry form is below. But if you want to hedge your bets, we strongly recommend buying tickets. General admission starts at $60. Special lodging-plus-tickets packages are also available. Click the button below to be directed to the Sonoma Jazz+ site.

To enter to win this package, fill out the form below. Accommodations and transportation to and from the festival are not included. See complete sweepstakes rules for details. Total package value: $2630.[gravityform id=25 name=SonomaJazz Festival Ticket Sweepstakes Entry Form]

Metro Hunt Sponsor Spotlight: Spa, Shoes & Sweets

FIJI Water — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:53:47 +0000

Looking at our lineup of San Diego Metro Hunt prize sponsors makes us wish that we could participate in the event ourselves, or at least go raiding the goodie bags. Above and beyond the amazing grand prize of a trip to Fiji for the International Jazz & Blues Festival, there are a slew of other super-desirable prizes up for grabs.

Celebrity Sightings and Spa Bliss

A couple hours up the coast from San Diego -- perfect for a daytrip -- Shutters on the Beach is a favorite LA hideaway. The charming Santa Monica retreat combines the perfect blend of surfside-sunny and celeb chic. Metro Hunt winners of the Shutters “All in One” package get a full day to lounge about the property, with a 60-minute massage, lunch at Coast, and complimentary valet parking.

Designer Kicks

We're very pleased to introduce FIJI fans to upscale footwear brand Donald & Lisa Pliner, a line of elegant, meticulously crafted styles by this husband-and-wife duo. For men, the brand is great with the classics: driving shoes, Oxfords, loafers, and suede boots. Women's styles range from platform wedges to sexy pumps to booties with a five-inch heel. Lisa gets extra props for designing a women's collection that actually delivers comfort as well as style. Metro Hunt contestants will have a chance to win $200-$400 gift certificates from Pliner—a fashionista's call-to-action if ever there was one.

Local Delicious

Our yummiest prize sponsor to date is local to San Diego, but their reputation among organic and artisanal foodies has outgrown county borders. Chuao Chocolatier was founded by two Venezuelan brothers who use rare Venezuelan cacao as the base for wonderfully creative, savory-spicy-sweet confections such as “Firecracker” truffles (chipotle-infused caramel fudge) and green tea-infused ginger ganache. Are your mouths watering yet? Stay tuned for more Metro Hunt posts as we approach game day, April 16. We’ll spotlight some of the host venues on the event route, introduce you to a few of the teams that will be competing, and dish more on our two biggest prizes. We might even give away a ticket or two, so that in addition to reading, you can join in the fun and compete to win.

Win Tickets to See Paul the Movie in Australia

FIJI Water — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 23:24:57 +0000

Attention scifi/comedy/buddy picture/road-movie fans! We're giving away three (3) pairs of tickets to "Paul," (www.Paulthemovie.com.au) starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, only at the movies April 14. Paul is about a space alien on the run, so we thought we run our little contest with an aliens theme. Here's what you have to do to win tix: See the comments box at the bottom of this page, where it says "Leave a Reply"? In that space, leave your reply to the following question in 50 words or less: "What is your favorite movie space alien, and why?" By "favorite" we don't necessarily mean "most lovable." The Alien from Aliens could be your favorite cinematic alien. Or it could be E.T., the most lovable extraterrestrial there ever was. Just justify your answer, be clever, and be brief. Got it? The best three answerers get two tickets to Paul. Good luck, and may the force be with you.

Fine Print:

Tickets cannot be used Friday or Saturdays after 5 p.m. Additional restrictions apply, please see our complete contest rules for all the details.
Contest ends April 14 at midnight, Sydney time ("Game over man!").
You must be 18 or over to enter.

Fresh From the Skillet: Recipes From Devoured PHX Food Festival

FIJI Water — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:25:40 +0000

After just two years, Devoured PHX has become one of Phoenix's biggest culinary festivals. This year, an average of 3,000 people attended each day, including the winners of our exclusive EaterAZ ticket giveaway. As we like to do, we've grabbed a couple of the most popular recipes from the festival to share with you. Below you will find instructions for a zesty shrimp ceviche from Chef Aaron May's Vitamin T. If you're feeling a little more ambitious, try the recipe for pork belly pastrami with rye spaetzle and Brussels sprouts kraut from Chef Bernie Kantak of Citizen Public House in Scottsdale. It takes a good day and a half to prepare, but Arizona Republic food critic Howard Seftel called it "the stuff dreams are made of." It's below the ceviche recipe.

[caption id="attachment_11803" align="alignright" width="149" caption="Chef Aaron May of La Grande Orange"][/caption] Shrimp Ceviche

(serves 4)

1 pound (16-20) shrimp, peeled and cleaned 2 bay leaves dash Tabasco 1 1/2 white onion 1 large tomato, roasted, peeled, and seeded 1 serrano chili, roasted and pureed 2 red peppers 2 limes 2 oranges 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup tomato juice 1 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon onion seed 1 small whole red onion, sliced thin 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped 1 sprig cilantro salt and pepper to taste

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil with 1 onion, Tabasco, bay leaf, and scant amount of salt.
Blanch shrimp for 90 seconds, then remove to an ice bath.
Toss remaining onion, tomato, peppers, and serrano chili in olive oil and char on a hot grill.
Let cook through and place in blender with ketchup and juiced lemon and oranges, and process until smooth. Reserve chilled.
Juice limes and place shrimp in lime juice, season with salt and pepper, reserve chilled for 5 minutes.
Cover with ketchup mixture and garnish with shaved red onion, cilantro, green onion, and onion seed.

Filler Space
[caption id="attachment_11807" align="alignright" width="149" caption="Chef Bernie Kantak of Citizen Public House "][/caption] Pork Belly Pastrami With Rye Spaetzle

Pastrami

1/2 pound pork belly 1 cup FIJI Water 1 tablespoon pickling spice 5 garlic cloves 1/8 cup Morton Tender Quick 1/8 cup sugar ice as needed

Combine water, spices salts, garlic, and sugar in saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer 5 minutes.
Transfer to 1-quart container; add ice to bring brine level to 2 cups and also to chill liquid.
Add pork belly; weigh down with plate to keep under the surface of the brine. Allow to sit for 1 day per inch of thickness; turn belly over after first night.

Filler Space

Rub

1/4 cup coriander, ground 1/8 cup coarse black pepper 1/2 teaspoon clove, ground 1/2 teaspoon juniper berries, ground 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, ground

Combine thoroughly and rub all over bellies.
Smoke in perforated pan with wood chips.
Wrap in plastic and then foil. Place in roasting pan and cook in oven at 275F for 8 hours.

Filler Space

Rye Spaetzle

1 cup rye bread crumbs 1 egg, beaten 1 cup flour 1/2 cup FIJI Water salt

Combine rye crumbs, flour, and salt.
Mix in eggs and water to form semi-stiff dough. Using plenty of flour, roll into 1-inch-round log.
Flatten log and cut 1/2-inch-thick piece and cook in salted water like pasta. It will float when done.
Drain and brown quickly in sauté pan with blended oil.

Filler Space

Brussels Sprouts Kraut

1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, sliced 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar 1/2 cup water pinch kosher salt 1/8 cup sugar 1 teaspoon caraway seed 1 teaspoon mustard seed

Combine vinegar, water, sugar, seeds, and salt in sauce pot and bring to boil.
Add Brussels sprouts and return to boil; chill in ice bath. Store in cooler over night.

Filler Space

Sauce

1/4 cup white wine 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard 1/4 cup heavy cream

Combine wine and mustard thoroughly.
In hot sauté pan, add kraut and sauté briefly. Deglaze with wine mixture, reduce by half, then add cream and reduce by half again.

Recycling Program in Fiji Rewards Schools for Collecting PET Bottles

FIJI Water — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:17:48 +0000

As a local business with a deep love of Fiji, FIJI Water hates to see our bottles -- or anyone else's -- spoiling that country's natural beauty. That's why we've created the NWVL Recycling Programme (NWVL stands for Natural Waters of Viti Limited, our bottling division in Fiji). The programme's goal is simple: to develop a culture of recycling in Fiji, with a near-term goal of recycling 50% of all PET plastic bottles (ours and others') in Fiji by 2014. To achieve this goal, we came up with the School Recycling Program, an innovative competition to encourage school children to collect plastic bottles for recycling.

Educating Future Recyclers and Environmentalists

Just like anywhere else, Fiji struggles with how to educate its population about recycling. By directly engaging children, the FIJI Water program both increases recycling locally and helps instill good recycling habits in the next generation. The first pilot stage of the program began last October, with eight schools participating. At the end of a six-week period, the school children who collected the most kilograms of PET plastic won prizes for their school. Over the six weeks, close to 3,000 students collected 2,670 kilos of plastic -- over 108,000 PET bottles! The winning school, Namosau Methodist, won a computer, laser printer, $1000 worth of building materials, and $500 worth of sporting equipment. Second and third place schools also won big, and every school that participated received $500 worth of stationery supplies. One student, Shakil Naidu, a Class 3 student at Namosau Methodist, rallied his parents, friends, and family members to hire a carrier to deliver all the plastic bottles that they had gathered over the first four weeks, a total of 65 kilograms of PET, or the equivalent of 2,600 bottles. Naidu won a prize for his efforts, and helped his school come in first. Due to the success of the pilot program in late 2010, this year the recycling program has been expanded to an additional 9,000 students in fifteen schools across the western half of the Fijian islands. We at FIJI Water are committed to giving back to the community and feel that environmental stewardship is each and everyone’s responsibility. The School Recycling Program presents enormous potential for educating Fiji’s children on the importance of recycling while also channeling revenue from used plastic bottles straight back into the education system.

FIJI Water Metro Hunt Comes to San Diego April 16th

FIJI Water — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:36:55 +0000

FIJI Water is proud to announce the return of the FIJI Water Metro Hunt*, coming to San Diego Saturday, April 16, 2011. Building on the huge success of the inaugural event in Chicago, the Metro Hunt San Diego will feature the best downtown venues, a guest list comprising the top new media influencers in the Southern California area, and an amazing prize pool that includes a first prize trip for two to the Fiji Jazz Festival, with round-trip flights on Air Pacific and four nights' lodging at the gorgeous Westin Fiji Resort. We're rewarding not just the winners of the Metro Hunt, but also the attendees who've given us the best Twitter/Facebook love before the event. Are you the most creative video-blogger on the block? The most socially savvy? The best-dressed? Put those skills to work, and you could win great prizes -- including a five-night stay at a luxury Villa Group hotel -- both before and during the Metro Hunt. Want to join us? Read on...

"Scavenger Hunt" Concept Goes Social & Sophisticated

On Saturday, April 16, 2011, 50 two-person teams culled from the A-lists of local media, social media, and niche "influencers" will hit the downtown streets and poshest venues in America’s Finest City. Their mission: to complete venue-based challenges in the hopes of scoring fabulous prizes. Teams also receive points for posting their progress on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. Following the main event, all contestants will gather for an awards ceremony and wine reception at the W Hotel, our host venue for the day. If you're a media influencer and social media aficionado who'd like to join us, please fill out the quick application form. Hurry--space is limited. Participating sponsors include Air Pacific, the Westin Denarau Resort & Spa, The Fiji Jazz & Blues Festival, The Villa Group, Shutters on the Beach, Donald J Pliner, MUNITIO, Overland Equipment, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. For a complete list of sponsors, visit the Metro Hunt website. *Formerly known as the FIJI Water Urban Hunt.

Wagyu Dango Meat-Filled Rice Balls From Nobu and Cart for a Cause

FIJI Water — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:05:54 +0000

Food trucks have gone from trendy niche phenomenon to a common sight on street corners around the country -- if you can think of a type of food, chances are there's a food truck that serves it. FIJI Water is proud to be a part of a completely different spin on the food truck phenom: Cart for a Cause, a nonprofit program benefiting St. Vincent Meals on Wheels of Los Angeles. The "cart," a bright-red food truck (that just recently had a makeover), serves lunch every Tuesday at a different location in LA. Follow Cart for a Cause on Twitter or Facebook to get the latest on where and when the cart will be serving. For just $10, Cart for a Cause provides a fresh gourmet meal prepared by a celebrity chef, a healthy beverage provided by POM Wonderful or FIJI Water, and a healthy snack and/or dessert. Best of all, your $10 is enough to provide three square meals to a homebound senior via Meals on Wheels. Executive Chef Alex Becker of Nobu West Hollywood, in partnership with Cart for a Cause, has provided us with the recipe to his very popular Wagyu dango with saffron wasabi aioli. If that recipe name sounds like a foreign language, here's the translation: Wagyu beef is a type of intensely marbled beef from cattle originally bred in Japan, the best-known variety being Kobe beef. Dango are Japanese rice dumplings.

Wagyu Dango With Saffron Wasabi Aioli

(makes 6 pieces) Filling

3 ounces Wagyu beef, minced 1 teaspoon soy 1 teaspoon mirin 1 teaspoon green onion, sliced 6 ounces cooked rice

Mix together soy, beef, mirin, and green onion.
Portion rice into 1-ounce increments and press flat.
Portion Wagyu mixture into 1/2-ounce balls and place in the center of rice.
Using plastic wrap, roll rice around Wagyu mixture tightly.
Set in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Aioli

pinch of saffron 1 tablespoon wasabi 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 tablespoon water (warm) 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Mix wasabi, saffron, lemon juice, and water together into a paste.
Mix into mayonnaise until uniform in texture.
Let set at room temperature for 1 hour then mix again.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Fry the dango until they are dark golden brown. Place a bit of the aioli on the plate, then put the dango on the aioli. Serve hot -- or just come eat them at Nobu West Hollywood.

Crab Cake and Jambalaya Recipes From the Charleston Wine + Food Festival

FIJI Water — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:36:55 +0000

Praised as one of the top five food festivals in the U.S., the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival was held March 3-6 in around historic Charleston, S. C. If you couldn't make it this year - or if you did and you're itching to try some of the recipes you sampled at the festival at home - we have good news. Participating chefs from the Charleston Grill and 82 Queen restaurants have agreed to share the recipes for a pair of their signature dishes.

[caption id="attachment_11356" align="alignright" width="149" caption="Executive Chef Michelle Weaver of the Charleston Grill"][/caption] Executive Chef Michelle Weaver of the Charleston Grill

Located in the Charleston Place Hotel, the Charleston Grill is one of Charleston's - and South Carolina's - best-reviewed restaurants. The Grill has received multiple restaurant awards, including the Distinguished Restaurants of North America Award, and has earned Four Diamonds from AAA. Raised in Alabama on her mother's farm, the Grill's Executive Chef Michelle Weaver studied cooking at the New England Culinary Institute before joining the Grill's previous executive chef, Bob Waggoner, at The Wild Boar in Nashville. Weaver followed Waggoner to the Charleston Grill in 1997 and quite easily stepped into his shoes when he left to pursue opportunities in television. The Grill's crab cake, below, is one the restaurant's most popular appetizers and was served at the Charleston Wine + Food Festival.

Charleston Grill Crab Cake

(serves 4)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Crab Cakes

1 pound crab meat 1 egg white 1/2 lemon zest 1/2 lemon juice 1 tablespoon chives 1 tablespoon thyme 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons bread crumbs made from crustless white bread fresh in a food processor salt and fresh ground white pepper

Mix together mayonnaise, salt and pepper, egg white, zest, juice, chives, and thyme.
Fold in crab meat.
Make a patty, dust with bread crumbs, and sear in butter or oil.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Crab Cake Sauce

6 shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into julienne strips 10 red pear tomatoes 10 yellow pear tomatoes 2 limes cut into segments (save the juice) 2 shallots, chopped fine 2 tablespoons fresh dill 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Heat shallots in oil, then add shrimp and cook.
Add remaining ingredients and heat through.
Serve warm over crab cakes.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

[caption id="attachment_11359" align="alignright" width="149" caption="Executive Chef Steven Lusby of 82 Queen"][/caption] Executive Chef Steven Lusby of 82 Queen

A three-time winner of the Best City Restaurant award from Southern Living magazine and five-time recipient of the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine, 82 Queen is located in downtown Charleston's historic French Quarter. Young Executive Chef Lusby is a fourth-generation culinary professional. He joined the 82 Queen team as a sous chef in 2006 and was promoted to executive chef in 2010. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Lusby maintains a cooking philosophy that leans toward dishes that are reminiscent of home cooking while incorporating local, seasonal ingredients. He strongly supports the "farm to table" philosophy in his personal and professional cooking.

82 Queen's Jambalaya

(serves 4)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

6 cups cooked rice (cooked in chicken broth) 1/2 pound Andouille sausage, diced 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled 1/2 pound crawfish tail meat 1 large tomato, diced 1 sweet onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, diced 2 celery sticks, diced 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning 1 teaspoon Cajun blackened spice 1/2 stick butter salt, pepper and/or Tabasco, to taste

In a large skillet, sauté all ingredients except rice until the shrimp are cooked.
Add rice and stir constantly until well blended.
Adjust seasoning and add Tabasco to desired taste.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Fall 2011 Recap

FIJI Water — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:57:33 +0000

The tents have been taken down, the fashion editors have returned to their lairs, and the media and celebrities have moved on to the Academy Awards -- but we're still recovering from a very busy week as the official water of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Accompanied by our stalwart interns, FIJI Water was a welcome presence this season. Our little square bottles were spotted quenching thirsts at shows by Michael Kors, Christian Siriano, Charlotte Ronson, Isaac Mizrahi, Rebecca Minkoff, and many, many more. To see some of the pictures we have from the week, go to our Facebook photo albums or see our Flickr stream (also below). But the highlight of the week for us was the Christian Siriano Collection (one of his shoes is in the picture above). We streamed the show live on our website and Facebook page to thousands of viewers -- and after the show, Siriano gave away a look from the collection on our site. Congratulations Lindsay LaHote on winning a dress from Christian Siriano!

[caption id="attachment_11184" align="alignright" width="265" caption="The FIJI Water Fashion Week Interns."][/caption] The FIJI Water Fashion Week Interns on the Scene

Our interns, Brittany Caswell, Jackie McKenzie, Meghan Alyssa, and Alma Alice Woo, turned heads in their looks styled by Fashionista.com, which also has a fabulous interview with all four interns. The girls got to see plenty of the fashion action at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, while passing out FIJI Water and representing us with style. Caswell and McKenzie were even photographed by The Daily, a fashion magazine put out by MBFW organizer IMG. Other brushes with celebrity include McKenzie being "accidentally shoved" by Anna Wintour's handlers, but the good sport said she didn't mind because Wintour gave her a kind word and McKenzie "also somehow touched her fur." Wow. Said Caswell of the whole experience, "This is surreal! I saw people from Anna Wintour to Kim Kardashian. I took a picture for Essence Magazine street style and then another with Brad [Goreski]." It wasn't all fun and games, however. When we ran our internship contest back in December, we warned participants that there would be hard work involved -- and we weren't kidding. The interns certainly did their time out of doors this fashion week, passing bottles in the cold outside the venue at DKNY, and distributing FIJI Water on a chilly Sunday from an ice bar in a courtyard at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Such is the price of a career in fashion.

[caption id="attachment_11189" align="alignleft" width="265" caption="The Bumbys: performance artists and fashionistas."][/caption]

The Bumbys' Dry Wit Makes a Splash

FIJI Water sponsored Brooklyn-based performance art duo the Bumbys ("Jill" and "Gill") to appear at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and offer their “fair and honest appraisal of your appearance” to the curious. The duo was a hit with attendees and the media, earning mentions in Fashionista.com, ELLE, and elsewhere. Said our own Paul Poux about the Bumbys, "Some people were intimidated by the idea that they were going to be judged or have their clothes critiqued, but that's not what the Bumbys do at all: They create an idea for you of who you might be -- or should be -- based on your look. It's priceless to see guests wait while the Bumbys type away making an appraisal - they stand there waiting, waiting, then finally receive their typed card, read it, and always break into laughter." Our guess is they'll be offering up their appraisals at more events in the future!

But What About the Fashion??

[caption id="attachment_11179" align="alignright" width="162" caption="Designer Zang Toi the day after his blockbuster show. "][/caption] As for the shows and the clothes, we were able to gather a few pithy observations in between running around like headless chickens in stilettos:

Zang Toi, profiled last season right here at FIJIWater.com, had widespread, spontaneous applause break out after the show -- the only one we saw where that happened. Zang also got a standing ovation afterward. We ran into him the next day on the way to friend Pamela Rolland's show, and he said he was pleased with the reaction but was relieved all the hard work was over.
The celebrities were back at Marc Jacobs after several season where celebs were noticeably absent -- most likely because Jacobs decided to let them back.
Libertine, which showed Saturday morning at 10 a.m. (so early!), managed to wake up the crowd with colorful clothes and patterns on traditional designs.

That's it for now. Until September, so long and stay hydrated!

FIJI Water Employees Prepare to Hustle up the Hancock

FIJI Water — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:53:18 +0000

It's the ultimate test of a New Year's resolution to exercise more. This Sunday, February 27, 4,000 people (including five FIJI Water employees) will be participating in Chicago's Hustle Up the Hancock. The run/hike up the 94-story John Hancock Center (pictured at left, worm's-eye view) is in support of the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, an appropriate cause for what may be one of the most physically challenging charity events all year. Want to help the Respiratory Health Association meet its fundraising goals this year? Donate below.

FIJI Water Employees Participating in the Hustle

FIJI Water is not merely sponsoring the Hustle, we're participating. Five of our local employees will be rocking their quads as they ascend the tower on Sunday. To find out how they are preparing for the 94-story climb, we caught up with two of them, Robbie Dunsworth, our District Sales Manager, and Erin Kate Johnson, our Northeast Event Marketing Manager. Robbie Dunsworth, 1-Year Veteran of the Hustle Q: Is this your first time participating? A: No, Erin [his girlfriend] and I participated last year. My time was around 18:43. Q: Have you started training for the 94-story climb? If so, what have you been doing? A: A little. I do the stair climber about 10 minutes once or twice a week. But I’m going to move to 20 minutes on the stair climber twice a week. Shouldn’t be too hard. Erin Kate Johnson – Very Scared First Timer Q: Is this your first time participating? A: Yes – I am stressing. The only stair experience I have is when living in the dorms in college. I lived in the Athletes Building and the football players thought it was funny to break the elevators by jumping up and down. When they did this, I would then have to take the stairs to the 20th floor. This was ten years ago and now I currently live in an elevator building. (The elevators never break.) My biggest fear is getting inside the staircase and not being able to complete the full climb and literally be sitting on a step as others “hustle” by me. I have never done any marathons or physical challenges. My biggest challenge is going to Tabata at Equinox two times a week, which is only a 45-minute class. Q: Have you started training for the 94-story climb? If so, what have you been doing? A: Absolutely NOT! As I think for many of us, my New Year's resolution of working out has ended due to traveling for work and laziness. I haven’t gone to the gym in over two weeks! Q: If not, what is your strategy moving forward? What are your biggest fears about the climb? A: My strategy is to start a crash training program. I plan on going to the gym every day until the day of the event and get time logged on the Stairmaster. I am also hoping to use the stairs in my building and do test climbs of 30 stories. Good luck, Erin, Robbie, and the rest of the FIJI Water contingent!

New Library in Fiji to Get Books from California Students

FIJI Water — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:55:54 +0000

As part of its ongoing charitable work in the islands of Fiji, the FIJI Water Foundation recently announced the completion of a library in a remote village on the island of Vanua Levu, the second largest island in the Fijian archipelago. The library will be stocked in part with books gathered by California schoolchildren. Launched in 2007, the FIJI Water Foundation is a charitable trust funded and supported by FIJI Water's owners, employees, and partners from around the world. Today, it is one of the largest charitable organizations in the islands.

Sowing a Passion for Reading From California to Fiji

Built for approximately F$13,700, the new library will help foster a passion for reading in the school's 173 students. Before the library was built, the nearest library was in the town of Savusavu, 100 kilometers -- and a F$8 bus fare -- away. The library's collection will be supplemented by books donated by American school children as part of The Fiji Reads Project. A group of San Mateo County, Calif., teenagers led by 13-year-old Justin Grodem, an eighth grader at Central Middle School, have been collecting books for Fiji from their community. The students easily surpassed their initial goal of 500 books, and had over 5,000 when they wrapped up "Boys for Books" in November. The books will be shipped to Fiji by FIJI Water's shipping line, Neptune Pacific. “I was surprised to start something and have it be so successful without doing anything big,” Grant Biggers, one of the boys behind the book drive, told the San Mateo County Daily Journal. Many of the FIJI Water Foundation's grants are awarded using an innovative 75%-25% system, meaning 75% of the project cost comes from the Foundation, and 25% comes from the local community. The local contribution can be in cash or kind, meaning the donation of labor and/or meals for laborers. "We try to get the whole village involved because it gives them a sense of ownership and in the end a sense of achievement," said Fane Niumataiwalu, FIJI Water Foundation Manager.

New Water Project in Wailevu

Just as the Lekutu project is winding down, the Foundation has announced the village of Wailevu as the latest recipient of a Foundation grant. The Wailevu village school was awarded F$15,000 for a new water reticulation system to bring clean water to approximately 150 students. When completed, the new system will allow students access to clean water without the disruption of classes.

A Bittersweet Announcement from the FIJI Water Foundation

Finally, a bit of staffing news from the Foundation: Olive Compain, the much-beloved Foundation Administrator, has left to move to Papua New Guinea. Fane Niumataiwalu will be taking over her responsibilities. Moce mada ("farewell" in Fijian), Olive!

Win a Trip to Palms Casino Resort This Memorial Day

FIJI Water — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:05:19 +0000

This sweepstakes has ended. Thank you to everyone who entered. Winners will be announced soon. This Memorial Day, skip the barbecue and go straight to Vegas! FIJI Water and the Palms Casino Resort are offering a fabulous Memorial Day weekend for two at the luxury resort casino with airfare, accommodations, dining, and nightlife included. Grand Prize includes airfare and accommodations for two for two nights at the Palms Casino Resort, All Venue Access wristband to the Moon Nightclub, Playboy Club, Rain Nightclub, and Ghostbar including a "hosted bar" at the Rain, plus dinner for two at gourmet restaurant Nove Italiano. Winners also receive tickets to The Love Festival happening all weekend at the Palms. And to top it off we're throwing in one year of FIJI Water Delivery. Two runners-up will receive the All Venue Access wristband (but are responsible for their own transportation to Las Vegas and accommodations there). Must be a resident of the United States and at least 21 at time of entry. See official rules for complete details.[gravityform id=19 name=PalmsMemorial Day Flyaway Sweepstakes]

Designer Cynthia Rowley on Luxury, Fragility, and Democratic Fashion

FIJI Water — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:14:57 +0000

In the run-up to New York Fashion Week, we caught up with designer Cynthia Rowley, who will be showing at 7 p.m., Friday, February 11, at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center.

Rowley designed her first dress at age 7, sold her first collection in college, and has won or been nominated for numerous fashion awards, including the Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear. Rowley talked about her own inspirations, and what it means to have “good taste.”

Q: What inspired you to become a fashion designer?

A: I don’t know that I had a choice. I was always interested in playing with fabric. I made my own clothes and bought Betsey Johnson sewing patterns and tinkered with them. I was fortunate enough to have a lot of different people — both friends and industry contacts — along the way telling me to go for it, or else I don’t know if I would have had the perspective to see that this could be my career.

Q: What was the design inspiration for your fall collection?

A: Well, in my spring collection, everything had to be sleek and clean and architectural. When I approached fall, I filtered everything through the same modernist lens – the clothes are very contemporary – but with a completely different twist. This collection is full of these really beautiful fabrics that are both fragile and luxurious.

A look from Cynthia Rowley's Spring 2011 Collection.

Q: How much time does it take to create a season’s collection?

A: I think it would be hard for any designer to determine how long it takes him or her to really conceive a collection from inspiration to production. I mean, for some of the designs that I end up actualizing, I might have seen a movie ten years ago, or read a book that all of a sudden I’m reminded of, and then it becomes a central inspiration in the collection’s development.

Q: What do you do to set your design apart from those of other designers?

A: I think every designer has his or her own unique point of view, so I never even have to try to set myself apart.

Q: What kind of woman (or person or man) do you design for?

A: Well, I could give you the typical answer, and tell you that I’m designing for someone confident, adventurous, creative, etc., but the truth is, we have such an extensive range of lines and products, that I don’t have a type – I just try to create compelling, beautiful products.

Q: How do you want people to feel when wearing your clothing?

A: It’s important to me that my clothing makes people feel comfortable, but also confident and sexy. I would be happy if my clothing inspired people to have more fun – to be more playful and adventurous. I would hope that my customers would take the pieces I’ve designed and style them in a way that feels authentic to them.

Q: What is your favorite piece that you’ve designed?

A: It’s kind of like what they say about kids: “It’s impossible to choose a favorite!”

A look from Cynthia Rowley's Spring 2011 Collection

Q: What are some of your least favorite trends of recent years?

A: Oh, let’s not get dragged down by the negative side of things…!

I mean, to be honest, there’s validity to looking and learning from anything new. I think anything really new is good.

Q: What is the future of fashion? What big milestones do your foresee for the next 10 years?

A: The future of fashion is democratic consumption. I think we’re going to see the consumer playing more and more of a role in how we create and what makes its way onto the runway. Of course, the bridge between designer and consumer is becoming smaller every day with all of the new technologies designed to facilitate these communications… which is really exciting!

Q: In fashion, what does “good taste” mean to you?

A: Good taste means knowing yourself and what works for you. Though it’s important to be aware of seasonal trends, it’s way more key to develop an overarching sense of style — not necessarily timeless, but thoughtful. I don’t believe in the “dressing your age” adage — I think it’s outdated—but I do think it’s important to partake in styles that suit your body type and convey an interest in looking your best. I also think good taste has so much to do with being willing to experiment. When you step outside of your comfort zone, you can create a look that’s really different and special.

Q: What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career in fashion?

A: Keep your eyes open and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. You should try to intern with or assist a designer that you like and respect to get a better sense of the process as a whole. Don’t expect it to be about glamour, because most of it is about hard work. Don’t get discouraged by minor setbacks, and don’t let criticism drag you down – have faith in your own vision.

Christian Siriano Dishes on the Dark Inspirations for His Fall 2011 Collection

FIJI Water — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:28:55 +0000

Christian Siriano has been designing since he was 13 years old. After attending the Baltimore School for the Arts, Siriano interned in London under legends Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen before moving to New York City. Today, Siriano's designs are sold in Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and specialty stores around the world. Project Runway's Tim Gunn said of Siriano, "I really believe he is this generation's Marc Jacobs. I really do. We have found America's next great fashion designer." On Thursday, February 10, Siriano's Fall 2011 show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will stream live on the FIJI Water website and Facebook page. In anticipation of his latest season at MBFW, Siriano answered some questions about what inspires him. At the bottom of this post is a Flickr stream of some photos of Siriano and his work. Q: What inspired you to become a fashion designer? A: I love so many things about fashion and clothing. I love the idea of feeling glamorous when you are wearing something you feel good in. I fell in love with clothes when I was backstage, maybe 5 years old, at my sister's ballet performance, and I loved the costumes, hair, makeup, and the hustle of one dancer changing into her next look for her next dance. It was a fantasy world that I wanted to be in. Q: What was the design inspiration for your fall collection? A: The look for this collection came organically. It struck me naturally as I was researching images of plant life, looking for inspiration for prints last season, and then all of a sudden it literally came to me from these organic inspirations. I read about these dark plants that only survive out of sunlight, beautiful leaves and blossoms that come up black and thrive in the dark. I have had my dark moments in past collections, but this time I let the dark thrive in the same way. I wouldn't say the collection explores dark themes though. The clothes themselves are very beauty-centric, I focused on the delicate and the intricate. There is color involved; we have some greens and a beautiful mauve, and the shades of black and gray really helped me work more with different types of luxurious textures. I wanted some of the folds and sculptures of this collection to mimic the qualities of these plants. We have the large lapel of a cashmere coat overlapping onto itself, framing the wearer as the flower above. We have the drape of a lame blouse recalling a leaf in the rain and petals cut and embossed into these shapes. The silhouettes help bring the romance and softness to light, through the sexiness of the darker colors. After all, I still wanted this collection to be about my woman, the woman who wants to wear my clothing and feel beautiful in it. She likes this look of glamour but also loves to feel powerful. There is an inkling of military, and clean menswear-inspired trousers, a few double-breasted coats. There are structured jackets paired with soft sheer organic flowing skirts to bring some contrast. And since it's fall, our woman can pair soft, feminine fabrics and cuts with a strong outer layer. Q: How much time does it take to create a season’s collection? A: I usually become inspired and start to conceptualize the new collection as I'm finishing the season before. I'll think "next season I want this to happen and I want the clothes to be about this." Meanwhile, it's the day after my show. Real work on a collection, for me, usually starts three to four months before the show date. Q: What do you do to set your design apart from those of other designers? A: I create what I create and I don't set out to be specifically different from or similar to anyone else. I just do what I love! Q: What kind of woman (or person or man) do you design for? A: I want to design for women who want to feel great about themselves when they put my clothes on! My customer loves to look good and feel good, mix some power in with being glamorous. I love a woman who enjoys getting dressed up. Q: What is your favorite piece that you've designed? A: The latest thing I've done is always my favorite. Fashion is always onto the next, so it's good that I am, too! Q: What are some of your least favorite trends of recent years? A: My least favorite trend is that more and more people are getting more and more critical of every little thing, at every turn. Fashion is fun! We're all supposed to be having fun, right? Q: What is the future of fashion? What big milestones do your foresee for the next 10 years? A: The future of fashion? Suri Cruise, ha ha.

Sneak a Peek at Fall 2011 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

FIJI Water — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 07:06:12 +0000

FIJI Water is back in the tents at Lincoln Center this month as the official water of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the premier event of New York Fashion Week. We've got an exciting schedule of events this season, including an opportunity to see a live stream show at Fashion Week.

Christian Siriano's Fall 2011 Collection: Exclusively at FIJIWater.com

Designer and Project Runway winner Christian Siriano will have his Fall 2011 Collection streamed live exclusively at FIJIWater.com and on our Facebook page starting at 7 p.m. PST, February 10. If you miss it, don't worry: The entire show will be archived on our site and Facebook after it is over. Right after his show, Siriano will be giving away a look from his Fall 2011 Collection. The giveaway starts as soon as Siriano's show ends -- just pop over to www.fijiwater.com/christiansiriano to enter (contest won't be live until after the Siriano show). You'll need a strong fashion sense to win!

The Bumbys, Our Wonderful Interns, And More

As the week gets into full swing, FIJI Water will be hosting a special appearance by famed performance artists The Bumbys on Friday, February 11, 7–10 p.m. A little bit snarky and a lot sweet, Jill and Gil Bumby will be the real fashion critics this season in the tents at Lincoln Center. Stop by their table in the lobby to receive a “Fair and Honest Appraisal of Your Appearance.” As with the last five seasons, the latest batch of bright-eyed FIJI Water interns will be handing out bottles to the assembled glitterati. The girls -- Brittany, Jackie, Meghan, and Alice -- will be wearing outfits styled by Fashionista.com, which will be featuring regular updates on their look(s) and photos throughout the week. We'll also be running exclusive profiles of Siriano and designer Cynthia Rowley (recently featured in the Wall Street Journal), earned wisdom from last year's interns, photos, video, tweets, and more from under the tents all week. So come back! Oh, and if you're attending any of the shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (like the winners of our Invitation to Fashion Week contest will be doing) remember: recycling is the new black. Drop your empty FIJI Water bottles in our bright blue containers strategically placed throughout Lincoln Center.

Win a VIP Trip to the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas

FIJI Water — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:08:26 +0000

This sweepstakes ends April 30, 2011 at midnight Eastern time. There's Las Vegas, and then there's Wynn Las Vegas. The day it opened, Steve Wynn's magnificent casino resort redefined luxury on the Strip. The Wynn and its partner hotel, Encore, have more five-star ratings than any other casino resort in the world -- the restaurants, shopping, shows, and spas are all the finest the city can offer. So when we say we are giving away a "VIP trip" to Wynn Las Vegas, we mean a truly VIP trip. Our Grand Prize winner will be treated to:

A three-night stay in a Parlor Suite -- 1,200 square feet of luxury high above the Strip.
Two VIP Indulgence tickets to Le Rêve, which include Champagne Circle seating with plush, luxurious seats, video monitors to watch behind-the-scenes action, and a complimentary bottle of champagne and chocolates.
Couples Good Luck Ritual treatment at The Spa at Wynn Las Vegas, including a 50-minute massage and foot and scalp treatment in a private couples suite with fireplace.
Exceptional dinners at three renowned restaurants, one for each night: Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare, Sinatra, and The Country Club.
Gift card to cover travel expenses for two to Las Vegas.
Transportation in style to and from airport.

Of course, at Wynn Las Vegas, even runner-up is pretty fabulous: Three first-prize winners will receive a two-night stay at Wynn Las Vegas, dinner, tickets to Le Rêve, and a gift card to cover travel expenses. Sound amazing? It will be.

Former Fashion Week Intern Jenny Eisenberg Tells All

FIJI Water — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:48:03 +0000

This is hardly the first season FIJI Water has sponsored a Fashion Week Internship. In fact, we've had interns the last five seasons, so it has become something of a minor institution. Jenny Eisenberg, pictured above at left with her twin sister, was an intern at Spring 2011 Fashion Week held last September. We asked her to share some of the hard-earned wisdom gained from that event with us, and update us on what she is doing now.

Jenny Eisenberg's Fashion Week Wisdom

I remember telling my friends when asked about the Fashion Week internship that the experience reminded me very much of studying abroad. You love it while you’re there -- you’re always ready for anything, trying and seeing new great things, running around everywhere on no sleep -- but not truly able to appreciate the magnitude of how great an opportunity it is while it's happening. Afterwards, as I expected, it is even that much more special to me. There is nothing quite like having a personal pass into a venue full of the fashion elite. The shows we saw were fantastic, a true testament to the creative fashion minds of our time. The people who attend them, whether lucky attendees (after all, you can’t just buy a Fashion Week ticket, you have to be invited), PR, photographers, celebrities, or friends of the designers, everyone is decked out in their own version of fabulous. These people are almost as amusing as the show itself, which made the repetitive task of handing out water very entertaining. Celebrities like Carmen Electra strike a pose as do the other attendees as they're stopped by photographers to get their picture -- who knows which shot could be the priceless one? Overall, the experience was phenomenal. The FIJI team is great and really went out of their way to ensure we had a very unique experience. Getting to see some of the big shows like Zac Posen and Betsey Johnson were definitely two of my favorite memories. Additionally, I particularly enjoyed seeing the difference between fashion exhibits, smaller fashion shows at off-location venues, and huge Lincoln Center fashion show productions. The free year’s supply of FIJI Water doesn’t hurt either. I would definitely recommend entering the contest to anyone interested in entering the fashion industry. I now work as an Assistant Merchandiser at Ann Taylor, a job I started the week following the contest. The FIJI experience really helped broaden my scope of the industry. I would love to see high fashion play a strong role in my extended future; the artistic nature of it is really undeniable. I would also push all applicants to be creative with their responses. I made a video in the final round that I wasn’t physically in because I was at the beach with my sister’s old laptop and very limited Internet access. Apparently, my submission caused an uproar in the FIJI office because it was the first time someone had entered a video without themselves in it and they weren’t sure how audiences would react. I think ultimately viewers appreciated the variety in our videos and it added an extra dimension to the competition. It might seem far-fetched or unrealistic to enter and win, but the rewards of winning far outweigh your skepticism. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Announcing the Winners of the Fall 2011 Fashion Week Internship Contest

FIJI Water — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:19:32 +0000

The votes are in, and FIJI Water is proud to announce the winners of our February 2011 New York Fashion Week Internship Contest. But first, we would like to thank everyone who entered and especially our eight finalists, who turned in some amazingly creative videos. We would also like to thank the thousands of people who voted. We couldn't have done it without you!

Presenting our Fashion Week Interns

This season, the four finalists with the most votes qualified to be FIJI Water interns. Here they are in alphabetical order: Brittany Caswell Brittany Caswell describes herself as "outgoing, hardworking, with a unique style and personality." She recently graduated from Millersville University with a degree in business marketing and was featured on the front cover of a décor and fashion magazine in May 2010. Caswell plans to pursue an MBA in fashion marketing.

Jaclyn McKenzie Jackie McKenzie hopes to have a career in the fashion industry after graduating from Ohio State University. She would also like to attend London or Paris Fashion Week -- or both! McKenzie loves "the creativity in fashion and how people represent themselves through clothing."

Meghan Alyssa Meghan Alyssa Mende is pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in event planning at Rider University, class of 2012. Mende's dream is to eventually become a successful event planner. "I am a very creative person," said Mende. "That's why I love fashion so much, there's no limits to how creative you can be."

Alma Alice Woo Alma Alice Woo is a communications major and co-editor of Trend, a fashion publication, at the University of California, San Diego. She has been intrigued with design since she was a young girl and is "motivated and determined to work in the fashion industry in which I am passionate about!"

Congratulations to Brittany, Jackie, Meghan, and Alice! They will be joining FIJI Water at New York Fashion Week, February 10-17, for an intense week of hard-work, fashion, and fun. Check back here for more exciting Fashion Week news, including exclusive live feeds of designer shows, tweets from the shows, designer profiles, and more.