Hey Sponge!

"Take one naive yellow sponge with a disposition so sunny that he makes Pollyanna seem like an old grouch and dress him in a pair of square pants..."

Daniel Bubbeo of Newsday got it exactly right; the popular Nickelodeon character, SpongeBob SquarePants, has audiences absolutely hooked. Celebrating 10 years in the ocean-floor town of Bikini Bottom, this sponge is living the high life "when it comes to animation domination."

Tune in to Nickelodeon to catch the 50-hour...(*yeah - over TWO DAYS of episodes!) marathon "Ultimate SpongeBob SpongeBash Weekend", having started Friday at 8pm.

Oh Oh! Another great SpongeBob bite: "Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants," is introducing viewers documentary-style to interviews with the "show's creators, cast members, and celeb fans."

So...SpongeBob: Genius cartoon happy-man, or lame yellow cleaning supply? What's your weigh-in on the Sponge himself?

It's only July - there's still time! (To travel, that is.) Yup - another Chloe-list, and this one will give you the travel-bug for sure. iExplore travel brings you the 'Top Ten Summer World Travel Destinations for Cultural Exploration' as surveyed by tourists and adventurists. (In other words, these places are so amazing that people ranted and raved about them...and also bought a lot of souvenirs.)

1. The Pyramids, Egypt - I'm pretty sure this will ALWAYS be on the 'Must-See' list for all humans.

2. Machu Picchu, Peru - Ooohhhh, recently named one of the world's newest '7 Wonders.'

3. Thailand - Said to have one of the most "exotic and vivid" cultures of the world. (and AMAZING food!)

4. Madagascar - No, not quite like the movie...but still a beautiful island.

5. Great Wall, China - Really? It can be seen from space? I'm not sure what I would rather do; see the real wall, or check it out from the moon.

6. Jerusalem, Israel - The site lists lists lists amazing places to visit, including the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock, and the church of the Holy Sepulchre.

7. Taj Mahal, India - Not only is 'Taj Mahal' one of my favorite musicians, it's one of my 'Have to See' - landmarks! (Going to one of his concerts wouldn't be bad either...)

8. Tunisia - Even though it's the smallest country in North Africa, heading to Tunisia will give you a great view of beaches, the Sahara desert, and sets from Star Wars.

9. Vietnam - "Only in Vietnam is the past and the present encapsulated so perfectly." The site sums it up perfectly...

10. Japan - YES! I love the Japanese culture...the music-scene, the fashion-scene, the cuisine! It truly is a departure from our familiar lives...

What are YOUR travel plans for this summer? Any trips coming up? How have past travel-experiences been? Where would YOU go off of this list?

Check out...

Kiel Mead! Kiel (pronounced "Kyle") is an up-and-coming, 24-year-old jewelry and furniture designer based out of New York City. Kiel started his design career with his awesome "keyrings", rings made from Mustang, Chrysler and other car keys. Mead's jewelry is crafted from mundane yet nostalgic items, from drill bits to lanyards to matchsticks and even chewing gum. Each piece is unique and carries it's own significance. To learn more about his art and for more pictures, check out his website at http://www.kielmead.com/

All I can say for myself is that I adore his forget-me-not rings (pictured above). What do you thing about Kiel's interesting art? Any artists/designers I should check out?

Read. Think. Type. Rock.

-Katie

Music games in full swing

While some ask "Coke or Pepsi", these games are much more directed toward the "X-Box or Playstation" crowd. First covered by Rolling Stone, brands such as Genius Products and Activision are breaking out the latest in 'music-game' technology with new games that put you in the rocker boots of guitar-god Santana and even show you the ropes of professional DJ'ing.

SCRATCH: The Ultimate DJ, developed by Genius Products, gives players an authentic turntable controller from the professional music-technology suppler Numark. With this game, you can improvise by 'scratching', mixing, and overlaying songs by popular musicians like Kanye West and more. Your dreams of rocking the nightclubs can finally come true! (Hitting the stores this Fall.)

DJ HERO, an Activision product and sibling to the famous Guitar Hero, comes to bring you the ultimate in celebrity mash-ups. Mix up tracks of Foo Fighters, Gwen Stefani, and co-consultants Eminem and Jay-Z. With creators like that, how could you go wrong? (Mark your calendars, coming out October 27th.)

GUITAR HERO 5, another Activision creation, the latest GH will throw in songs by Kings of Leon (*gasp! one of my favorites!), Santana, and Elliot Smith. There's even talk of a "instrument switching 'party-mode'. (September 1st, but get ready for the next step in the Guitar Hero madness coming soon-ish...Van Halen, baby...Van Halen.)

What's your favorite music-game? Any good memories around the Rock Band controllers? Which Guitar Hero is your favorite? (Aerosmith...AC/DC...The Beatles?)