This fall, Milan is full of must-see concerts. Make sure to catch the concert by Macy Gray, one of the best R & B and Nu-soul performers to come along in recent years. Her fascinating and persuasive voice recalls unforgettable characters such as Billie Holiday and Bette Davis.

Macy Gray began her career in the late ’90s, when in 1999 she published “On how life is”, her debut album, which, with pieces such as “Do I Try” was a great success. Followed by other album: The Id (2001), The Trouble with Being Myself (2003), The Very Best of Macy Gray (2004), and Big (2007).

Her success and popularity have been confirmed by the 15 million albums sold and two Grammy Awards. Macy Gray often collaborates with other artists of international renown like Black Eyed Peas, Fat Boy Slim, Erykah Badu and Italy’s Zucchero, among others.

In June of this year she released her fifth album, The Sellout.  In November, Macy Gray will start an autumn tour that will take her to Milan on November 14th. The artist topped the charts this summer with the single “Beauty in the World”,  a veritable diamond of the neo-soul genre, which began its development in the 90′s and  fuses sounds of contemporary R & B, Seventies style Soul and rap. The producer of Motown Records, Kedar Massenburg, coined the term, and if you are unfamiliar with the genre, all the more reason to check out this concert. It will take place in Milan, at the Alcatraz disco, one of the most important music venues in the Italian capital of fashion. Do not miss the chance to hear one of the best voices in contemporary music, book apartments in Milan and get your tickets for the concert.

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Lea T started off working as the personal assistant for Riccardo Tisci, creative director of Givenchy. He always appreciated her femininity and used her as fitting model behind the scenes. She took on the role of his muse and now she is the face of a Givenchy campaign. Doesn’t this just sound like a dream come true? Well, the thing is, there is so much more to Lea’s story. Lea was born Leandro, child of Brazilian soccer hero Toninho Cerezo.

Her journey to being an avowed transsexual hasn’t been easy growing up in a macho, Latin-American, Catholic culture and the choice to be a woman was not an easy one, as it provoked the anger of her family. Growing up Toninho always conveyed the feeling that there was something wrong with his child and Lea herself was aware that her situation wasn’t simple. Being attracted to both girls and boys she later discovered that she might be happier as a woman. But it wasn’t until she met Riccardo Tisci that she fully embraced being a woman.

Tisci recognized the feminity of his friend. One night encouraged her to wear pumps to a party. Lea calls this moment a revelation. When Tisci came up with the idea to base his fall/winter collection around the theme androgyny, there was only one person that he undoubtedly wanted to be part in it. Lea agreed to pose in the campaign “in the name of all her transsexual friends.” Her confidence continues to grow and she is determined not to hide her transsexuality. The French Vogue featured an article on her and she even made the cover. The picture is extremely bold showing her nude, only partially covering her male genitals with her hand. Lea is a rising star in the fashion industry and we hope to see more of her in the future. For example, on the runway of one of the world’s fashion capitals Milan or Paris. And if you want to see one of those fashion shows I advise you to rent apartments in Milan and get some front row seats.

Piero Manzoni (1933 -1963) was born in Soncino but lived and died in Milan He died very young from a heart attack. He was a painter, sculptor and author of numerous works of conceptual art with many ironic touches. He also worked as a journalist for various Italian newspapers.

His began to be internationally recognized as an artist when he participated in the exhibition “Art Movement nucleare” in the Gallery San Fedele in Milan in 1957.

His series “Silutetas anthropomorphic,” of big-headed figures and small bodies attracted attention. “Achromadora” is one of his most important artistic productions, and features large areas of plaster embedded with white kaolin, clay that is widely used in ceramic production. In some of them we see little balls that form a profusion of lines which take on a wrinkled effect later, and in others fabric is cut into smaller squares and sewn together.

He was known for his use of colour and other elements such as cotton, rabbit fur and so on. “Line” is another of his great works, and features a cylindrical cardboard tube with lid, all in different sizes, sealed with paper. The line is supposedly within the cylinder, which should never be opened. He ended up replicating the piece on a large scale in wood. A performance highlight was the play called “dynamic art consumption: devour public art.” In which the artist printed his thumb impression on some hard boiled eggs that subsequently, the public could eat.

Without a doubt, the most controversial of his works was “Artist’s Shit” which consisted of cans filled with his own excrement. The price of these depended on the valuation of gold at that time.  Now they have been auctioned for much higher prices. Rent apartments in Milan, the city where he lived and developed his provocative and thought-provoking conceptual art.

As we know, it’s no secret that beauty brings advantages in every situation of life – whether as a college student, a patient in a hospital, or a worker.  It’s that being physically attractive doesn’t just turn heads; it also ensures greater attention and social success. Gordon Fratzer, who studies the role of attractiveness in our society, explains that this injustice has rather simple causes. Attractive people are considered more talented, kind, honest and intelligent than their ugly counterparts. And as if that were not enough, he confirms that we also tend to throw ourselves at their feet with favours, because we want to be accepted and respected by our good-looking peers.

This research paints a rather bleak picture. Really, are we all so shallow and empty? And above all, what happens if we are not equipped with the perfect proportions of the privileged few?  Is there no hope?  Fortunately, reality is not so crude and vile as it sounds. Many experts say that is not so much these proportions and perfect symmetry that make us look more attractive.  A lot of being perceived as attractive also depends on our attitude, and above all, our body language and confidence.  This means that everyone, regardless of the angle between their eyes and nose, has a chance to shine as the beautiful being they are.

And if physical beauty often brings advantages, like everything in life, it can also bring disadvantages. While being attractive can help you move up in the world, one must admit that it can only take you so far. Women in high positions which are usually occupied by men are likely to be perceived as less serious and competent if they are too feminine and pretty.

The best solution? Stop thinking about work and beauty, and enjoy.  Rent apartments in Milan, where you can see some of the most elegant and handsome specimens in Europe, who will show you that beauty is about so much more than genetics: artistry, confidence, and elegance play a big part.

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