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Summer Anthem Prediction #1…Pitbull Back In Time(Featured in Men In Black III)

As June approaches, the daunting annual question is upon us…What will be the Summer Anthem of 2012? We have three major contenders in our prediction…and one or two unexpected contestants.  As summer approaches, we’ll highlight one of our picks each week until summer begins!

We knew as soon as we heard Pitbull‘s new song Back in Time, featured in Men in Black III(which will be released May 25th), that it was going to be at the top of our list.  The song makes us so darn happy and dancy that we find ourselves rolling down the windows and smiling into the breeze like a couple of pups! Check it out and let us know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIDwgpBh0Aw&feature=plcp

Let us know your thoughts and tell us what you think will be the Summer Anthem of 2012!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

 

Image Source: Zimbio

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Las Vegas Review

Last year, we got married in Las Vegas on August 25th.  This year, Peter turns the big 40 and has chosen to celebrate his birthday in The Sin City!  We thought it would be interesting to visit some of the places we’ve never been as well as some of our favorite places and give a real Las Vegas Review! Have you ever wondered what is the coolest bathroom in Vegas? Or What long-standing show is a complete waste of time and money? What gay bars or strip clubs are worth your time and which ones will take your money and run.  What are the 5 best stores and the best hotel gift shop.  From hotels and clubs to restaurants and pools…we’ll be giving you our take on the best of Vegas.

If you have any suggestions or would like us to review any specific Vegas location, either comment below or email us at info@raannt.com.

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury.

 

Image Source: Raannt

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Out of Our Closet Today 5-10-12: Laid Back Cool Style

 

So you didn’t get that job…who cares.  You’ll find something else to do this summer.  But for now, all you can seem to do is lay around in bed watching old episodes of Revenge and Glee on television, praying for some job to fall into your lap.  Your best friend calls and asks you to go shopping and out to dinner with her.  You casually throw together some stuff laying around your floor(your favorite cut off shorts and your roommates tank; she won’t care) and toss on a hat because your hair looks ridiculous.  Who cares.  It’s not like you’re going to run into anyone you have to impress…until dinner turns into drinks which turns into you flirting with a manager of this new, artsy bar which just opened.  He grabs your hat and twirls it around on his finger…You leave with his number…and the job as the new bartender. Being yourself pays off, doesn’t it?!

Out of Our Closet Today 5-10-12: Laid Back Cool Style

Shorts: Your favorite pair of old Levis beyond repair…cut off to fit perfectly.

Cheaper Alternative: What’s cheaper than your own closet?

Tank: $62 Dimepiece Clothing Tank…Femme Symbol/Moxsie.com

Cheaper Alternative: $20-32 Tanks/Urban Outfitters

Sweater/Hoodie: $72 Allsaints/Allsaints

Cheaper Alternative: $24.95 H&M Hooded Sweatshirt Jacket/H&M

Shoes: $57 Superdry Riva Boat Shoes/Bank Fashion

Cheaper Althernative: We think this is a pretty good buy.  Cheaper? Flip Flops.

Hat: $9.95Wide Variety of Hats/H&M

Cheaper Alternative: Cheaper than $9.95?

Bracelets: $325 M. Cohen Black Deer Skin Leather Wrap Bracelet/Endless

Cheaper Alternative: We just bought some bracelets like this at Niche Boutique in Indianapolis. $25 or at Urban Outfitters for $12.

 

Style Tips: Dig deep into your closet and bring out those things you haven’t worn in awhile.  Don’t be afraid to cross genders.  Clothes are clothes and we’re the ones who dictate how we feel in them.  Know a good buy and know when you’re getting screwed.  Unless you have money to throw around, getting $300 bracelets when you can buy similar ones for $20 is not a good buy.  But, like us, have certain favorites that you will spend money.  In our house, shoes, watches, tee shirts and jewelry are rampant.  We don’t know when to say no! Style is about having fun and creating what makes you feel your best!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

 

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It Could Happen to You: Gratitude and Hope for Change!

Today, President Obama announced, in an interview for ABC News, that he personally supports same-sex marriage.  I immediately ran off and set up my video camera and made a video, President Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage…Kinda,  in response to his support, claiming that I wanted to see more action and less talk.  Like most married couples, we don’t always agree.  Over dinner, Alex told me he thought it was a historical moment signifying the first President of the United States to publicly support same-sex marriage.  Alex stated he thought it was a move in the right direction whereas I felt like we were stuck in the mud, waiting to get pulled out.

We were married on August 25th, 2011 surrounded by our friends and families.  We live in a house together, share bills together, have pets together, travel together, love together…and yes, like other married couples, we argue together.  The debate over what is enough or what is too little is found in the the statement made by a friend the other day: Anyone can get married, but not everyone can have a marriage. Well…not anyone as we already know.  We can have a marriage, but we can’t get married; legally.  And isn’t it strange that all over the United States, same-sex couples are having marriages, but can’t get married.

Tonight, I showed Alex one of the most important videos to have been made regarding gay rights: It Could Happen To You.  If you haven’t seen it, I don’t want to tell you anything about it because the power of the story is incredible.  But needless to say, it demonstrates why I have stressed the importance of the legalization of same-sex marriage.  Afterwards, I made the comment to Alex that it saddened me that many same-sex couples don’t have the support we have and that we are lucky our family and friends support us and that we would never suffer the tragedy placed on this couple.  The three words that followed are the reason why the laws must change.

“Are you sure?”

None of us are sure.  As gays and lesbians in the United States we have no protection from bullying, threats and intimidation…even from our own families.  That is why it is time that the talk stops and the laws change.  Hopefully…so no one else has to suffer.

Please watch the video It Could Happen to You.  If not as a learning experience, as a source of gratitude! And we will continue to be grateful every day for our love and our relationship, remembering Tom and all that he stands for! And to Shane, we love you buddy…and we will continue to talk as long as you do! Thank you for reminding us of how blessed we are in our simple lives!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury.

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Out of Our Closet Today 5-9-12: Sexy Lunch Date

It’s 11:30 am and your phone is ringing, waking you from sleep.  You pick up the phone while stretching and begin smiling…it’s him! After answering the call, you hear him asking you to a spontaneous lunch date…at 12! 30 minutes…not much time to look sexy enough to make this lunch date last all the way into dinner.  You walk into your closet and begin grabbing stuff here and there…

Out of Our Closet Today 5-9-12: Sexy Lunch Date

Shorts:$65 J.Crew Stanton Slim Fit Cotton Short

Cheaper Alternative: $25 Old Navy Belted Plain Front Twill Shorts

Shirt: $235 Paul Smith London Grey Gingham Button Down Shirt/Liberty London

Cheaper Alternative: $64.50 J.Crew Secret Wash Shirt in Faded Gingham

Shoes: $290 BARKER Johnny Oxford Shoe/Harrods

Cheaper Alternative: $69.95 Giorgio Brutini Medallion Cap Toe Oxford/DSW

Bracelets: $930 Astley Clarke Juliette Pearl Bracelet/Astley Clarke

$68 Roarke Extender Pomp Bracelet/Charm and Chain

$9.97 Cara Accessories Leather and Metal Stud Bracelet/Nordstrom

Cheaper Alternative: Von Maur, American Eagle or any local or vintage jewelry store.  As men, we typically look for bracelets in women’s stores and usually find unique stuff!

Sunglasses: $200 Ray-Ban Folding Wayfarer Sunglasses/Ray-Ban

Cheaper Alternative: $5 Any gas station.

 

Style Tips: $70 shorts and $200 shirts can become expensive.  Utilize consignment shops or develop a keen eye as a clearance shopper, realizing that in one month, what is actually $200 will probably be reduced by half.  Most of us don’t have millions of dollars sitting in the bank…but that doesn’t mean we can’t look that way.  Spend money on items that can go the distance or will be able to transfer to many different looks.  A good pair of Oxfords for less than $80 is probably well worth the money, especially since they look better with age anyway.  A brand new pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers can run as low as $100 or $125, but will last forever and are timeless. Make sure you’re buying staple items that become the foundation for your closet and then spend the rest on items which will help you develop your own individual style!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

Check out all of our other looks in our Out of Our Closet section!

 

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How To Get A Million Followers on Twitter, Likes on Facebook or Subscribers on YouTube

We get asked all of the time, “How do you guys get so many followers and readers of your website raannt? What is your trick?” Trick? You want to know our tricks and our secrets? Ok…here’s one…(we don’t have so many followers or subscribers.  Sometimes we wished we did, so we felt better about ourselves, but we don’t.  We have a good following, and it’s building…but it’s not a million!)

But we can teach you how to get a million or more followers on Twitter, or likes on Facebook or subscribers on YouTube…it’s simple! Just follow these 4 easy steps!

1. Ask yourself: Why do I want more followers?   If your answer is because you’re trying to promote your business and you’ve been reading every article on the internet about buying followers and building your marketing strategies, you’re way off.  If you’re just someone who wants to feel better about themselves by having lots of followers…you still have a chance.  The internet is saturated with these bullshit marketers who will sell you on ways to build your marketing schemes and get more followers thus building a better business.  They smog Twitter and Facebook with constant links of articles on these subjects.  Delete them and stop following them. Are you just in business to make money? You have to have something worthwhile to market in the first place or no marketing scheme in the world will sell it.  Good products and good talent sells itself.  Period.  Scrap that old business plan, re-evaluate your life and prepare for your resignation.  What have you always wanted to do? Write a book? Be a movie star? Charter a boat in the Caribbean? Start dreaming again and put to rest words like “better blogging content” and “search engine optimization“.  Figure out who you are and set your destiny.

2.  Begin Your New Life! Once you’ve decided on your passion and have begun working on your real life…writing, singing, making videos, being a comedian, whatever…start working on it! Dreams don’t happen by sitting on your ass. Three years ago we started a blog as a joke and now on our website raannt we get to interview A-List celebrities and review all kinds of pop culture events…and we’re having a blast doing it! Our cardinal rule was that when it stopped being fun, we wouldn’t do it anymore.  We’re still having fun…lots of fun.  And although we’re not an overnight success, we’re growing and so are our opportunities…but we are committed to only doing things we enjoy. Life is too short to become consumed with numbers and success.  True success is measured by the happiness you feel at the end of the day.

3.  Begin to get real followers. Once you’ve decided you’re no longer going to sit at a cubicle or behind your computer at home and build your marketing strategies, it’s time to build your real business.  The business of your heart.  Your passion! Start following those people with like interests.  If you like to sing…follow singers.  If you like to write…follow writers.  If you’re gay…follow other gay people.  If you’re a stay at home mom…follow other stay at home moms.  If you’re a dog(like our dog Peeps McGee @mrppmcgee)…follow other dogs.  Why are you following bore-ass people who don’t interest you just so you can find more links that aren’t helping you.  Follow your soul.  Retweet things that really interest you and start talking to the people you follow and your followers.  Only watch videos that interest you on YouTube and leave comments.  Only put real stuff on Facebook.  It’s just Facebook! The more real you are, the more real followers you’ll get.  You can buy a million followers who are fake, but they aren’t real so you might as well plan a convention, book a thousand fake people and stand at the podium by yourself.  It means nothing…to you or anyone else!

4. Start to feel human again! Life is not about the amount of followers you have or about having the best blogging content.  Life is measured by the passion you feel pumping through your veins.  When Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, she didn’t believe it would ever sell.  Now, 30 million copies later, it is sometimes considered The Great American Novel.  Comedian and YouTube superstar Jenna Marbles became famous after her video How To Trick People Into Thinking You’re Good Looking went viral! She had uploaded videos before that but continuing to do what she loved paid off! She now has almost 3 million subscribers and has had over 500 million video views! Same story with Chris Crocker.  He made one video that went viral and now he’s considered a YouTube dynasty and just starred in a documentary about his life!

We interviewed novelist Charlaine Harris, writer of the Sookie Stackhouse books which inspired the HBO series True Blood, on our website raannt.   She’s written tons of books and several series, but those books just happened to be the ones made into a television show…and they’re not even her favorites that she’s written.  All of these people followed their passion and it paid off.  They’re living…really living! If you asked them, they’d probably say they don’t care how many followers they have or how many subscribers they have.  Hell…Jenna Marbles must be so swamped with e-mails because we can’t even get her to respond to our request for an interview! But we continue to watch because we love her and what she does!

Tumblr is filled with thousands of teenagers who have a fan base of thousands.  They aren’t doing anything but being themselves and posting pictures and quotes of things that define themselves.  Twitter and YouTube are filled with people who have tons of followers but do videos of random stuff or tweet about macaroni and cheese.  As YouTube sensation Johnnyboyxo recently told us in an interview, “Real knows real”.

Do what you love and the followers will follow.  If they don’t, you’re still doing what you want and who cares.  We’re entering a new renaissance where anything creative is possible.  We believe in the next 5-10 years if you have no talent or worthy product, just a highly developed marketing strategy…you’ll be bankrupt; emotionally, financially…and personally! The days of the Paris Hiltons are over.  Too many people are trying to optimize their lack of talent and improve their brand without really having one.  Fuck what people tell you…find your passion, do it because you love it…and let the rest happen naturally!

And if you don’t know how to find this passion or restructure your business to accomplish your dreams…contact us at info@raannt.com and we’ll help you…after all, we’re the dream makers!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

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Gossip Girl Rewind! S05/EP23 – “The Fugitives”

Gossip raannt here!  The best source for a look into the life of Gossip Girl’s Manhattan Elite!  This weeks episode was pretty powerful, kind of funny, and at certain parts…extremely annoying!… Over all…a Gossip Girl Grade G (OMG that was just 4 Gs in a row) for Great but not so Great.

 

            Who’s starting to get a little over this super needy Chuck?  We are! He’s supposed to be sexy, confident, sexual, strong… not this daddies little boy (and we don’t mean that in the sexual way) that keeps wanting attention and affection.  Although the story line has been touching and he is finally with his dad, it also seems a bit too “Days of Our Lives”  That soap is over, for a reason; let’s not get any ideas.  Anyways, we’re glad Chuck found his dad and they’re able to live happily ever after..we think, but now that the past is all set and done let’s bring Chuck back to his womanizing, manipulating, over -rich and powerful, egotistical ways: that’s why he’s sexy.

            After last week’s L-O-V-E confession from Dan we’re left wondering if B feels the same…or is she just not ready to say it.  This week Dan totally tries to take B and corner her in Rome.  He never effing learns does he?! Give the girl some time and space.  Don’t just suffocate her with your lonely boy neediness (Chuck is doing all of that for everyone else!) Stick to your love making and fiction writing, we like that. And Dan… please get rid of that god awful hair piece! It’s starting to get out of control!

 

Ok, so what’s next? Oohhh yes! S finally told B that for the last couple of months she was posting as GG.  B loved it but felt left out so S said she would help her with whateves, so S pretended to be B for an interview with Dan that went smoothly… did you catch that?  Basically Serena feels bad that she’s been MIA for the last couple of months, and tries to get in the good side with her friends.  After learning about Chuck’s dad she is willing to get back into the game and help her friend with whatever she can. Oh and we totally agree with Blair, that “holy” sweater and cute skirt outfit is sexual!! Girls, take note!

Lola and Ivy are once again working together in this episode and we love it!  we adore Ivy – she’s so hot! Ok, so they’re working together and this time they’re on the GG elite side.  While Chuck is trying to find who’s threatineng his dad, they all set up a trap and Lola and Ivy play a big part in it.  Leaving us an open ended, cliff-hanger that is questionable, and totally uncomfortable… What could possible happen next week?!!!!!!!

The season finale is going to be IN-to-the-TENSE. Till next week friends!!

xo xo,

your boys!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

Image Source: CWTV

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Gay Sex and Gay Stereotypes…In Bed! Our New Video!

It’s been a really long time since we’ve done a video and since we’re asked all the time what we’re like when it’s just the two of us at home, we thought we’d just turn on the camera and let it roll! So here you go! Our newest video! Please watch it on YouTube and leave comments! We’re going to be uploading videos every week from now on so we hope you enjoy them!

Click the link HERE for our new video Gay Sex and Gay Stereotypes…In Bed!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

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J’Adore Dior…Secret Garden…Versailles/Long Version New Ad

OMG! Have you seen the new advertisement/movie from Dior? Secret Garden…Versailles! Their commercials/films are always amazing but they have truly outdone themselves this time.  Uploaded on YouTube yesterday, the film, directed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin stars models Daria Strokus, Melissa Stasiuk and Xiao Wen Ju and is gaining viral momentum!  Entirely shot in La Galeries Des Glaces – Château de Versailles…the film is epic in beauty, glamour and luxury, dripping in a glaze of mystery and sexiness…Ahhh….J’adore Dior!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6hKNZ4wX0o

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

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Shakira…We’re “Addicted to You”!

Having grown up listening to Shakira it comes as no surprise that we are some of her most loyal fans! We’ve loved her for so long and have been intrigued watching her transition to some Americanized music while still remaining true to her Latino roots.  In her newest single and video, Addicted To You, Shakira once again proves why she’s at the top of her game! For this video, she’s reinvented her look and shown us an entirely new, blonder side! Check it out and see what you think.  We think it’s amazing!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

Image Source: Zimbio