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Ok couch potatoes, 90210 is back. Why God, why? American teen dramas are my guilty pleasure, but I can't honestly admit to ever getting into the Beverly Hills hype. The OC and Gossip Girl serve their purpose just fine (those unrealistic scenarios that uncommonly good looking teens find themselves in make my life seem just peachy), so a revival of the popular '90s show baffles me. Just why do we need another group of mature looking teens to obsess over? Complete with new characters and story lines, fans of the original will be pleased with the appearances old favourites like Brenda Walsh and co, guest starring as guidance counsellors and drama teachers at their old high school. How convenient. But if that's not good enough, OPI is getting in on the excitement too by releasing a new range of 90210 themed nail polishes in a range of '90s inspired fluroescent brights. Good heavens! Or, how did they say it ten years ago - cowabunga?

Good things really do come out of Eurovision… with the help of the Midnight Juggernauts. For years now the mother of all singing competitions has been watered down, countries are no longer required to sing in their native tongue (one year Switzerland employed Celine Dion to compete on their behalf – nice one Alpies). This year, although not singing in Russian, the dapper young Dima Bilan did his country proud (and boy band wannabes everywhere), singing Believe draped in the Russian flag. Another Euro doing it right for his country was France’s Sebastian Tellier, his song Divine, a gorgeous, cheesy '80s pop mix won my heart and obviously the collective heart of the Midnight Juggernauts' trio. Taking the sweetest moments of the tune – remixing and splitting – the boys have created an Oh So dreamy ballad. The final icing on the cake… Tellier drove on stage in a golf buggy, sported a ‘70s pimped-out get up (his back up singers in matching shades and beards) and mixed in some Francais verse.

As a freelance journo working from home, I often find myself yearning for that desperately needed ‘coffee break’ - a time to sit down, de-brief and bounce ideas off anybody creatively likeminded (baring your gossip buddies). So you can imagine my big surprise when I stumbled across the awesome concept of Likemind.us
Summed up perfectly by its creators ‘Piers’ (one half of online trend bible PSFK) and ‘Noah’ (advertising creative/strategist guru) Likemind is:
who: people like you
what: an opportunity to enjoy coffee and conversation
why: because drinking good coffee with likeminded people is fun
how: Piers and Noah thought it might be a good idea originally, and lots of other folks seemed to agree.

I decided to try my first session last week at Susina Bakery & Café in Los Angeles and it certainly didn’t disappoint! I got my audience from all walks of creative life and I got my caffeine fix.

Definitely check out the next Likemind catch up near your part of the world!

There's no escaping World Youth Day(s) for us Sydney Siders. Pilgrims are everywhere you look, whether you're drifting amongst a sea of red and yellow back packs at Town Hall, or spotting a herd of French Catholics in the southern suburbs. I must confess I was preparing for a full blown take over of Sydney; I even allowed myself an extra half hour to get to college on Tuesday for fear of being lost in a stampede of rosary clutching foreigners singing 'Joy to the World'. But I've been pleasantly surprised. Not only have I not suffered any disruptions from the sudden influx of foreigners, I've quite enjoyed trying to guess their origins and their displays of patriotism. They haven't been clogging up the public transport system or pinching my spot in the lunch line (as I had expected), they were even quite happy to be interviewed for a class assignment. A devout atheist such as myself was even anticipating a light lecture on my lack of faith, but I've barely been asked for directions. So thank you pilgrims, for dispersing my winter blues with your cheerfulness, warmth and lack of annoying-ness.
I do suggest you say hello to a pilgrim, or ask them how they're enjoying Sydney. They're quite an interesting and friendly bunch!

Element clothing is inviting creative YEN readers to submit their music, film & art into the first annual Element Audio Visual Awards. Showing their support for talent beyond that found in a skate-park, Element aims to uncover and nurture a new generation of audio-visual masters. The competition is wide open, with categories including best full length/ short film, best female/male musician, best band, best skate video, best photo/ skate photo and best fine art and best graphic art. Something for everyone!! Entries close September 1st so for further info head here.

"Mark Dempsey had planned his day on Friday carefully: He’d wake up at 5 a.m., ride his fixed-gear bike to the Apple store in Soho from his apartment in Williamsburg, wait in line, get his iPhone, and be at his job as the marketing manager for a record label by 11, when everyone else would be rolling in anyway. But when he woke up at the appointed hour on Friday, he was hit with a revelation: “I just didn’t want the iPhone anymore,” he told a reporter on Sunday, as he ate a tofu scramble at Phoebe’s on Graham Ave. Mr. Dempsey is tall and thin, and wore scruffy black Converse, corduroy pants and a vintage Motley Crue T-shirt. He has a mustache. “I decided that my LG Chocolate would be fine for the next few months. Then maybe I’ll get a Blackberry or something.”
One Person Trend Stories: voice of a generation

For an ostensibly Catholic country, Argentina - well, Buenos Aires at least - takes a remarkably liberal attitude towards matters of a sexual nature. Aside from the piles of soft porn on display at every kiosko on the street, you will find whole chapters of street-press and ‘what’s-on’ guides dedicated to gay-friendly events, venues and businesses.

What’s really surprising though is the abundance and conspicuousness of “transitorios”, or “telos” as the slang term for them goes. Now, I’ve always thought of ‘love hotels’ - the usual euphemism for any establishment that charges rooms out by the hour - as seedy places where people pay for more than just a bed, if you know what I mean.

But here, killing a few hours between the sheets with a loved (or at least lusted-after) one is as socially acceptable as meeting for coffee with friends. In fact, rather than being seen as scourges of society telos are generally considered to be providing a much-needed public service: safe, clean, comfortable places for young couples - who often live at home with their parents well into their 20s - to dance the horizontal tango in private.

Options range from basic bedrooms (always with a private bathroom) to luxury suites to themed extravaganzas (for those who suffer ‘Jungle Fever’ or like to bump-uglies ‘Under the Sea’). If you need inspiration, you can arrange for a television with films to get you in the mood or ask for a water-bed with ceiling mirrors. A courtesy call 10 minutes before your time is up gives you a chance to extend your stay if you’re not quite done yet, and rooms are completely ‘refreshed’ in between tenants to ensure it’s all good clean fun.

The whole exercise is generally considered romantic rather than tacky, and it’s so mundane that even married couples with their own homes are known to use telos for a change of scenery. Viva la diferencia, huh?