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?)

Texting teen falls into open manhole

I found this too hilarious to pass up. A 15-year-old New York girl fell into an open sewer manhole while texting and walking at the same time. She fell four or five feet, but suffered nothing more than a few scrapes and a big surprise. Several crewmen, who were flushing a high-pressure sewer line, immediately helped her out. But despite the fact that it was largely the girl's fault, her parents are still intent on suing (on what charges, we don't yet know). Her mother even said that the girl's multitasking "doesn't matter."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31853449/?GT1=43001

Thoughts? Surely I'm not the only one who laughed at this, not only that she fell in but that her parents are filing a lawsuit about it. Has texting become too much of an obsession?

Popping the top on energy drinks

They're everywhere: Energy drinks, including Monster, Red Bull, Amped, and even Rockstar, can be found in the hands of some teens at nearly every hour of the day. This is the biggest concern of Kentucky, Michigan, and Maine lawmakers.

According to The Nutrition Business Journal's website, each of these states have considered passing bills banning the sales of energy drinks to anyone under the age of 18. The state of Kentucky would also prohibit drinks containing more than 71 mg of caffine per 12 oz serving and the ingredients taurine and glucuronolactone, stating reasons such as "child safety." Yet, (especially with the 'Starbucks-boom'), coffee is much more readily-available and packs over a whopping 100 mg of caffine.

So...get 'carded' to buy your Red Bull? Will these proposed bills hurt the drink-manufacturers?

Top Ten: Nice and Frozen...

So. I absolutely love lists, (and my profile definitely proves it...). Here's a little list that's very near and dear to my heart: The list if the Top Selling Ice Cream Flavors. A survey ranked each flavor from 1 to 10 based on popularity, delicious-ness, and how fast they're flying off of grocery store freezer shelves! Grab your bowls and spoons, it's time to dig in to the best ones! Enjoy your first Top Ten!

1. Vanilla - Plain and simple, always a classic.

2. Chocolate - Mmmm, hard to resist!

3. Butter Pecan - Unexpexted 3rd-placer, but still good!

4. Strawberry - Ahhh, the sweet and berry-ful option.

5. Neapolitan - Like numbers 1, 2, and 4? Go with #5!

6. Chocolate Chip - Hard to resist those little bits of chocolate.

7. French Vanilla - Do you have to eat this with your pinkys up? (proper manners?...)

8. Cookies 'n' Cream - Ohhh, cookies AND ice cream? Match made in heaven.

9. Fudge Ripple - Yeah, definitely like a river of awesome.

10. Praline - Never tried this one, but if it's ice cream, it's gotta be good!

Totally age-old question: Which IS the best? What should be added to the list?

Hollywood Undead Review!!!

Coming at you is the official Nick Wright review of the Hollywood Undead show!! Though the show is three days over with I still find myself in AWE of the extreme talent of the seven men who graced the stage that night!! So before I get to the main event I feel that it is only right to say a little something about the opening bands. First up was a band by the name of The Sleeping. They were okay if you are into really hardcore screamers!! The next act on stage was a four-piece punk band from New York entiled Mest, and they were very good classic punk much like the sound of New Found Glory. After the two opening band, who would soon be slammed to the back of our minds, Hollywood Undead took the stage!!! Fully masked, the seven men came out all at once, only preseated by the drummer who was the only unmasked man on stage at this point. He opened with a solo and they ripped into there first big hit, Undead!!! So here was the real kicker, and I am sorry if you lose some respect for the masked men by me telling you this, but by the third or forth song all the men were no longer masked!!! I know, I was floored too. But not to worry, the show was still as amazing as ever and lived very highly up the the statement made by the founder, "we ain't like other rap shows": with two live drummers and a guitar that switched hands throughout, they are most definitely not like other rap shows! I would say that if Hollywood Undead ever comes back to a place near you, spend the twenty bucks and go because it is 100% worth it!!

So one thing, do you respect their choice to remove their masks, or should they have kept them on?