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goldenroutledge · 8 months ago

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champagne problems

pairing: lando norris x fem!reader

word count: 3.2k

summary: you catch lando’s eye at an art auction in monaco, so he challenges you to a friendly competition for one of the paintings. little does he know, you’d stop at nothing to get it. inspired by this request.

warnings: swearing, alcohol, illegal things vaguely mentioned, gossip girl au

a/n: thank you to @monzaaasharl for letting me use the request! based on events from gossip girl s6 ep6 but can be read without seeing the show! it is mentioned the reader is chuck’s stepsister, à la serena van der woodsen 🥂

lando norris masterlist

The reception was glamorous. Everything you would expect at an event like this, in a place of this caliber. Monaco was one of a kind that way; tuxedos were tailored to perfection and designer gowns flooded the room. The people adorning them certainly had the bank accounts to match.

For you, these scenes and crowds weren’t out of the ordinary. You’d been a part of them for many years at home in New York City. Sometimes alongside your mother at parties where her husband, and one of the city’s richest businessmen, commanded everyone’s attention.

The name Bart Bass spoke for itself, for better and for worse. You could only be so lucky that you were a teenager when your mother married him years ago.

Your step brother Chuck was not as lucky, being the one and only son of Bart’s. Under the weight of the Bass name, he could only hope to change the legacy that had been left for him. One that wasn’t tainted by duplicity and deceit.

If you could help him change that even a little bit, you would. It wasn’t a lonely effort either. Your entire friend group seemed to stick together in defining moments like these. When Chuck discovered a trail that would lead to the exposure of his father’s illegal business practices, there was no hesitation in your offer to help.

Bart often got away with any and everything, always facing little to no consequences for his wrongdoings. Paying off associates or officials using tens of millions in hush money was hardly a dent in the bank to someone like him.

Tonight, all of that could change. The justice you were looking for was right here in Monaco; a thin piece of microfilm enclosed in the back of a 1998 Richard Phillips painting being auctioned off tonight. Titled— The Spectrum.

On the film were numbers, nearly too small to see with the naked eye, that directly incriminate Bart in an illegal business deal. With a favorable social status and a hefty trust fund in your name, your logic tells you that it’s crazy to get wrapped up in all this knowing that if Bart finds out, he would likely turn your mother against you.

But your conscience reminds you just how many lies and just how much loss your family has endured at the hands of Bart Bass.

The soft touch of Nate’s hand on your shoulder interrupts your daydreamy stare into a flute of champagne. He’s out of breath and looks slightly panicked.

“Bart knows we’re here for the painting.”

“What?!”

“But Chuck’s following Bart’s guys, he won’t let them get near it.”

“The bidding starts in 10 minutes!”

“He won’t get here in time, it’s up to us. Think you can handle it?”

You give your best friend a knowing smirk, one that he returns.

“I know I can. These people may be rich as hell but Chuck would give his right arm for that microfilm. I won’t back down to anyone who bids on it.”

Your eyes flicker over to the painting, before they lock with a pair of blue ones across the gallery. He offers a subtle smile before turning his attention back to the painting. Whoever he was, he seemed to be a little too interested in the piece for your liking.

In a room full of deep pockets you knew you wouldn’t win a bidding war without a fight, but the challenge made it all the more entertaining. You turned to Nate, whose phone started ringing with a call from Chuck.

His eyes searched yours for reassurance and promise that you’d execute the plan.

You smiled at him, embracing your inner confidence mixed with a little liquid courage. “Answer him, I’ll take care of this.”

He nods, chuckling slightly as he follows your line of sight to the man admiring the painting. ��Good luck.”

Lando fixated on the beautiful hues of The Spectrum. Though he can admit that the art doesn’t hold a candle to the woman that caught his eye across the room. He couldn’t tell if he was blinded by her smile or the sparkle of her dress, catching subtle glimpses of her throughout the evening.

His trance was broken by the soft clicks of stilettos inching closer and closer towards him, though the sounds were muffled over chattering guests and classical music.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? No wonder you’ve had your eyes on it all night.”

Lando’s head turned towards the woman’s voice, cheeks warming as he recognized you instantly. He wondered if you had been noticing him too, or at least knew who he was. Lando smirks and takes a subtle step closer to you.

If you weren’t about to psych him out of bidding on the painting, you’d be enamored by the scent of his cologne.

“Can’t help it, I’m naturally drawn to beautiful things.”

“Well, I guess you’re in the right place because this room is full of them.”

“That it is.” He teases, holding your eye contact while taking a sip of his drink.

“It’s almost impossible to find something I like best, but I think this one will blend in perfectly with the rest of my collection. Do you collect?”

“Art? No, I don’t collect art.”

“Then what is it you collect…?” Your sentence fizzles, realizing you hadn’t exchanged names.

“Lando.”

“Okay Lando, what is it you collect?”

He raises his eyebrows, almost surprised at the question, but chooses to be coy.

“Cars.”

“So then what brings you to an art auction?”

He shrugs in response. “Is it my turn to ask questions…?”

“Y/n.”

“Y/n, what brings you to this auction?”

“I already said, my collection.” You smile, matching his coyness. If he wanted to be short and sweet, two could play at that game.

“Which is…?”

“In my apartment. In New York.”

“Wow, long way from home. You wouldn’t happen to be in need of someone to show you around, would you?”

“Not really, I’m just here for the painting.”

“Maybe you came for the painting, but I could give you a reason to stay.”

You roll your eyes at his flirty attempts, ultimately brushing him off. “And what reason would that be? A private tour of your car collection?”

“You’d be surprised. What happens if I decide to take home the Richard Phillips myself?”

“You mean if you’re able to outbid me for it?”

“Trust me, I’ll be fine.” Lando assures. “I promise I’ll let you come over and see it.”

“No need. The painting is what brought me here, remember? There’s no way I’m leaving without it.”

Maybe it was the competitor in him, (it probably was), but seeing you get more and more eager about the work of art fueled something inside of him. Sure, the gentlemanly thing to do would be to step aside and let you have it. But where was the fun in that?

“You mean the painting that you only noticed about 5 minutes ago? If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were using it as a cover to come over and talk to me.”

“Forgive me for sounding rude but… who are you?”

“I don’t just collect cars, Y/n. I‘m a Formula One driver.”

Your unimpressed stare makes him feel like an idiot, once he quickly realizes that maybe you really don’t have an ulterior motive.

“In any case, The Spectrum will look much better decorating the halls of my apartment than it will look collecting dust in your bachelor pad. It’s not like you’ll even be at home to enjoy it.”

“We’ll see about that-” Lando continues, before the bid caller starts introducing the pieces of art, the Richard Phillips being the crown jewel of them all.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if we’re ready to begin, I’d like to start the bidding for the Richard Phillips at $500,000.”

Lando raises his bidding paddle immediately, quick reflexes and all. “500.”

“I hear $500,000, going once..”

“520!” You respond, before lowering your voice so only Lando can hear your next statement. “You may be an athlete but I promise this is a race you won’t be winning.”

“Lucky for you, I’m up for the challenge.” He teases, raising his bidding paddle once more. “540!”

“560!” You announce with confidence, eyes shooting daggers at the man beside you.

Another guest made a bid for 570, prompting Lando to bid 580.

“580!” The announcer calls. “Do I have 600?”

“$750,000!” You shout, turning heads.

Oddly enough, your bid inspires others to chime in also. There had to be something about what they wanted to prove to everyone else in the room— there was always someone richer in Monaco.

Lando certainly looks at you in disbelief, wondering how far you’ll take this. “Oh, now you’re just showing off. You only want the damn thing because I do anyway!”

“Oh please, don’t flatter yourself. This doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

“Then why do you want it so bad?”

“It would be a nice treat for my family and I, that’s all.” Your eyes flicker around the room to the other bidding paddles, the number climbing quickly. “What’s it to you? Why do you want it so bad?”

Lando shrugs, raising his paddle to bid $920,000. “It’s for a good cause.”

“920… Going once, going twice…”

“1 million dollars!” You shout, looking around the room, daring anyone to exceed your bid.

Lando’s mouth hangs open and for a second he almost wants to challenge it.

But then he imagines the heart attack it would likely give his business manager to see a surprise million-dollar charge to his account.

“What?” You question him insincerely. “It’s for a good cause.”

“1 million dollars! Going once, going twice…. Sold to the lady in silver!”

You smile graciously at the applause from the crowd. After all, this was a victory for the charity of the evening. Little did they know you just secured a victory of your own.

Lando sighs. “Well, congratulations. I’m sure your husband will be thrilled.”

“Husband? What are you talking about?”

“That man you’ve been whispering with all night. You said the painting was for your family?”

“Who, Nate?” Your face scrunches up in perplexity, following Lando’s line of sight towards the back of the room where Nate is standing with Chuck, clapping and beaming with pride that everything went according to plan, the painting is yours now.

“Yeah, whatever his name is.”

“We’ve been friends since we were kids. And if you must know, I’m not married.”

Lando chuckles, part amused and part embarrassed that he jumped to conclusions. He reminds himself that he needs to stop doing that.

“And he didn’t send you over here to flirt with me in hopes that I wouldn’t outbid you?”

“He didn’t put me up to anything, I am way above those childish antics! And I’d hardly call any of that flirting.”

“Whatever it was, I guess it worked, didn’t it?”

You smile at him, contemplating your answer. “I suppose. If it makes you feel any better, I promise I have only good intentions.”

“Well either way, I still have to find my mum a new birthday present.” He grumbles, taking a swig of his drink.

Your smile falters and you give his arm a nudge, taken aback by his confession. “The painting was for your mother? Why didn’t you say that?!”

“I’m not sure if anyone’s ever told you this, Y/n, but you’re not that easy to negotiate with.”

“I’ve been told. But for the record, neither are you.”

“If it were me, I wouldn’t have given up the painting. So I don’t hold it against you.” Lando concedes, but starts eyeing you suspiciously. “Although… I still don’t know your motive. I mean all of that drama simply for your art collection which is 4,000 miles across the Atlantic? I don’t believe it. So tell me, Y/n, what’s your motive?”

Lando chuckles at the stone cold stare you give him in return. “It’s only fair, Y/n, I told you mine.”

“Are we in first grade or something?”

By the look he’s giving you, it’s obvious that he’s actually dead serious.

At which you sigh, surrendering to the man’s relentless attempts to get a real answer out of you. Moments prior you did the same to him, except it’s not as fun when the tables are turned.

“The Richard Phillips painting, it belongs to my mother.”

Lando’s eyes widen in disbelief, like a deer in headlights. “You bid a million dollars on a painting you might as well already own?! Fucking hell, why on Earth woul-”

Abruptly, you take him by the arm and escort him away from the main crowd, an action that shocks you both.

But the last thing you needed was for him to blabber out all of your secrets, draw attention to you both and blow your cover in this crowded room.

“Long story short, my stepfather has been involved in some…not exactly legal business practices. And I’m not talking about some common white collar crimes, he makes Madoff look like a fucking Saint. He’s been hiding his proof in the back of that Richard Phillips painting, sort of in plain sight to throw the scent off. My mom’s had that painting in the apartment as long as I’ve been alive. By the time I found out the evidence was in there she had already sold it. My stepbrother tracked it down, and here I am.”

Lando looks like he doesn’t know what to say, equal parts confused and concerned for what kind of danger you might be in or just how deep this all goes.

“There’s not enough time in the world to explain everything but just know that he’s hurt a lot of people, not only my family and I. He deserves what’s coming to him and it starts with what’s hidden behind that painting.”

His heart softens at the look of purpose and conviction in your eyes, understanding that whatever this is, it’s bigger than you and him.

“Well if he’s facing your wrath, I should probably be wishing him the best of luck. Whatever the consequences to his actions, the U.S. government is no match for you.”

At that you let out a laugh, one that’s genuine and full of heart. You can’t even remember the last time someone made you laugh like that, and it was refreshing.

“That’s very sweet, Lando, even if you didn’t intend it that way. I just hope I’m not going to all of this trouble for nothing. I don’t want it to be in vain.”

“It won’t be, you’ll see.”

“How could you be so sure?”

“Just a hunch.” He muses sarcastically, feigning uncertainty.

For the first time tonight you feel appreciative towards him, to the kindness and listening ear he’s giving you, a total stranger until about 20 minutes ago.

The irony wasn’t lost on you that while he was bidding on the art for a gift to his mother, you were bidding on it to repossess evidence that would send your stepfather to prison for the rest of his life, likely devastating your own mother in the process.

“Let me help with your mother’s birthday gift. Please?”

He raises his eyebrows at your sudden offer, wondering how or why you would be interested.

“You don’t need to do that. Aren’t you a little busy with your own family?”

“Somewhat. That doesn’t mean I can’t make it up to you.”

“You won the painting fair and square, Y/n.”

“Please?” You nearly begged, widening your eyes.

Lando sighs jokingly as a way of admitting defeat. “We really are in first grade.”

“See, I knew you’d come around! Art Basel will be in Miami soon, I’ll stay for the whole week if I have to. Surely I can find some amazing pieces for your mother there, I might even find another Richard Phillips painting!”

“I don’t dare underestimate you again.” He quips, raising his glass to you. “I have no doubt that we will find something.”

“We?”

“I’m a Formula One driver, remember? We’ve been racing in Miami for a couple years now, I hope you’re prepared to stay there for the weekend.”

You roll your eyes at his bargain, of course he already has plans laid out for you. “You’re as persuasive as you are slick, Lando.”

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s not a no.”

“You’re as sharp as you are stubborn, Y/n.”

“You haven’t seen the worst of me yet.”

He laughs, impressed at how you manage to stay one step ahead of his banter. “Just promise me one thing?”

You humor him with an unsure look, knowing you would accept his terms anyway. “What’s that?”

“Don’t get into anymore bidding wars with handsome strangers.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because it’s our thing.”

“Okay, Lando. I think I can agree to that.” You muse, holding out your pinky for him, the two of you subconsciously moving closer into each other’s space. “From here on out, bidding wars will be our thing.”

Lando accepts, but decides to challenge you further. “I’m no lawyer, but I don’t think pinky promises are binding, Y/n.”

You nod slowly in acknowledgement, realizing just how close the two of you are standing now, and how intensely he seems to be focusing on the beautiful features of yours he’s had yet to see up close.

Now that you think of it, you haven’t had a chance to take a good look at him either. His eyes are as captivating as his smart aleck wit that’s been keeping you on your toes from the moment you two spoke.

And in a split second, you forget all that was stopping you from noticing what drew you in to Lando to begin with. Your lips collide with his, the stress and tension you’ve been carrying melting away into the kiss, and he’s certainly eager enough to take it on for you.

Mesmerized by each other, you then forget how the hell you both ended up here, tucked away in a dark room from the art you were just competing for.

Until you do remember that you are still proving a point after all, breaking away from the kiss just a moment too soon and smirking in his face.

“How’s that for binding, Lando?”

He appears amazed, out of breath and slightly shocked that you went there. You, however, were carrying on with ease, your thumb brushing over his lips at the faint stain of your lipstick on him.

“Close enough.” Lando coaxes, this time bringing his thumb to brush against your cheek delicately.

His fingertips may as well have been on fire by the way his touch made you feel red hot, and yours to him. Instead of backing away from the burn, Lando leaned in, giving into temptation and meeting your lips once again.

💌: this is my first time writing for lando! likes, reblogs, comments & feedback is greatly appreciated! thanks for reading <3

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vintagehomecollection · 1 year ago

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Living rooms in new houses often feature many windows. When you add a sunroom to such a house, it merely duplicates functions.

The Not So Big House - A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live, 1998

#vintage #vintage interior #1990s #90s #interior design #home decor #living room #window seat #picture window #sunroom #neutral #furniture #upholstery #antique #pottery #contemporary #style #home #architecture

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mariacallous · 27 days ago

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The United States has long had a clear message to its European allies: Do more!

Spend more on defense, shoulder more risk, accept more inconvenience, spurn Soviet and Russian natural gas, catch Kremlin spies, push back against communist-led trade unions, send European armed forces to fight in U.S. wars—the list was long. Europe’s contribution was never enough. Indeed, discontent about burden-sharing precedes the founding of NATO. At a 1949 Senate hearing on U.S. accession to the alliance, Secretary of State Dean Acheson was asked if this would mean “substantial numbers of troops over there.” He responded: “The answer to that question, senator, is a clear and absolute no!” The assumption at the bloc’s founding was that U.S. support was a bridge to European self-reliance.

Ten years later, President Dwight D. Eisenhower complained that self-reliance wasn’t happening. “Our forces were put there on a stop-gap emergency basis,” he said, according to a 1959 memo. “The Europeans now attempt to consider this deployment as a permanent and definite commitment.” He complained that allies were trying to make the United States a “sucker.” Every U.S. president since then has reiterated the complaint, none more than Donald Trump.

But behind Washington’s repeated call for Europe to “do more” usually came a second one: “Not like that.” The worst-kept secret of trans-Atlantic security policy is that from the dawn of the Cold War, the United States sought not only to bind Europe into a common defense against the Soviet Union but also to keep it in a state of tutelage. That meant strangling all attempts to build independent European defense structures or strategies.

Some Europeans have resisted this. In 1958, French President Charles de Gaulle requested a tripartite NATO directorate for nuclear strategy. When Britain and the United States refused, he withdrew the French Navy’s Mediterranean fleet from NATO command and withdrew permission for U.S. nuclear weapons to be stationed on French territory; the U.S. Air Force had to hurriedly shift 200 warplanes out of France. In 1963, he withdrew the country’s Atlantic and English Channel fleets from NATO command; in 1966, he demanded that all NATO bases be removed from French territory and pulled France out of the alliance’s command structure.

The threat from the Soviet Union overshadowed these rows. Few doubted that, in the event of a military conflict, France would fight alongside NATO allies. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 and the threat from Moscow appeared gone—and as NATO allies grew impatient with U.S. leadership that was overambitious in some places, overly hesitant in others—European allies began to assert their own priorities.

A signal event was the 1998 Franco-British cooperation agreement signed at Saint-Malo, France, which stated that the European Union (to which Britain in those days belonged) “must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed up by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and a readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises.” Then-U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright responded by firmly telling NATO allies that Europe’s nascent efforts to cooperate on security should mean “no diminution of NATO, no discrimination, and no duplication.”

The advocates of European defense have had a rocky ride in the quarter-century since then. The more France talked up “strategic autonomy,” “emancipation,” and other buzz-phrase concepts, the more Britain and other Atlanticist members of NATO pulled back. The EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy generated “more words than warriors,” as Julian Lindley-French, the chairman of the Alphen Group, told me.

Now that has changed. Spooked by Russia’s war in Ukraine and trans-Atlantic ructions, the Europeans are serious—deathly serious—about taking care of their own defense and security. The war of words is raging. University of Oxford historian Timothy Garton Ash writes of “America the Horrible.” British House of Lords member Andrew Roberts decried the “sheer brutality” of the Trump administration’s behavior, which he said had thrust Britain into “utterly uncharted territory.” German Chancellor-elect Friedrich Merz, a lifelong supporter of German Atlanticism, calls for German “independence” from the United States. “The free world needs a new leader,” said EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, who was previously the prime minister of ultra-Atlanticist Estonia.

Current woes are only the start. What happens if the White House not only pulls out of supporting Ukraine but dismisses Russia’s next European invasion as a mere “border skirmish” unworthy of U.S. involvement? Or worse—what if a Russia-aligned White House actively opposes European action to aid the invaded country? Washington could disable any weapons that use U.S. high technology, cut off access to satellites and other critical infrastructure, and shut down NATO’s U.S.-run headquarters.

For now, the biggest shift is in decision-making. Dismay, disgust, and growing dread have shocked Europeans into ending the disagreements among themselves that have hamstrung European security since the United States sabotaged the Anglo-French-Israeli invasion of Egypt during the 1956 Suez crisis. At the time, the French decided never to trust the Americans again; the British decided never to have another trans-Atlantic row. Today, the former European Atlanticists who for decades acted as a skeptical, pragmatic brake on any talk of a European army, defense budget, military headquarters, or intelligence service have become the accelerators of change. “We have all turned into Gaullists,” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said in February.

Talks are advanced on a new defense and security pact between the EU and Britain, which will end a nine-year post-Brexit blight in cross-channel relations when it is likely signed in May. Ministers from Britain regularly attend EU summits, as do those of non-EU Norway. Big EU member states, such as Germany and France, which have jealously guarded their national security interests over Brussels’s meddling, are now more willing to see the European Commission—led by former German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen—take the lead with joint borrowing, new agencies, new powers, and new scope.

All this has practical consequences. For a start, this is a terrible time to be selling U.S.-made weapons or any kind of high-tech system in Europe. Trump has publicly mused on restricting the features of new, sixth-generation F-47 fighter jets sold to allies, saying: “We’d like to tone them down about 10 percent, which probably makes sense because someday, maybe they’re not our allies, right?” Worries are also growing about a so-called kill switch on U.S.-built weapons that would allow Washington to unilaterally restrict, for example, access to software and data systems. This U.S. technological veto previously stopped Ukraine from using British Storm Shadow missiles—which contain U.S.-made guidance systems—against targets inside Russia.

Trump’s loose lips are sinking deals. Portugal and Canada are reportedly considering canceling part of their purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters. Having seen Elon Musk withhold satellite service to Ukraine, Italy has backed out of acquiring Starlink. The Danes are debating whether Trump’s threats to Greenland mean they should choose the Franco-Italian SAMP/T NG air defense system over U.S. Patriots in a contract due to be signed later this year. British arms manufacturers have gone on a marketing offensive, highlighting their “Trump-proof” supply chains.

Plans are also advancing for a major European financial instrument to fund defense. (Disclosure: I am one of the authors of a proposal for a European Rearmament Bank.) A key condition: Only contracts with European arms manufacturers will be financed. All this will not only cost U.S. jobs, profits, and taxes—it will erode U.S. influence over Europe, too.

Intelligence sharing has been another bastion of U.S. influence in Europe. For decades, the vast capabilities of the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and other agencies have given the American side the upper hand in relationships with their European counterparts. Leads from the U.S. side have helped countries such as Germany and Estonia catch Russian spies. In return, European agencies were glad to help out with any niche capabilities that might prove useful.

No longer. European spymasters now think twice about sharing their choicest morsels with U.S. counterparts. “Suppose it ends up in the PDB and he blurts it out?” one European intelligence official told me, referring to the President’s Daily Brief, the highly classified daily distillation of the U.S. intelligence community’s most topical secrets. Europeans also worry about the administration’s capriciousness. They saw intelligence sharing with Ukraine turned off in order to punish the government in Kyiv for its reluctance to follow along with U.S. cease-fire plans. Suppose the White House decides to give another European ally the same medicine? European intelligence efforts were once mocked. Now they are gaining budgets, clout, staff, and expertise.

The transition is going to be messy. Europe is still woefully short of the troops, tanks, artillery, munitions, logistics, surveillance, and other assets needed for a solid conventional defense; it also lacks the air power and long-range weapons needed for effective conventional deterrence. Even providing a modest reassurance force in a post-cease-fire Ukraine looks fanciful without U.S. logistical and other support.

Compensating for that will require an imposing display of political unity that says “don’t mess with us”—plus convincing plans for rearmament, conscription, and nuclear posture. Europeans must also get to grips with Russian attacks below the threshold of outright war: sabotage of infrastructure, cyberattacks, dirty money, and propaganda. All that will mean not just the sacrifice of some national political sovereignty and a bonfire of other taboos but also higher taxes, lower living standards, and less generous public services.

The trajectory is clear. The more Trump proclaims “America First,” the more Europeans hear sauve qui peut—and stampede away from the wreckage of an alliance that they wrongly took for granted. Every step in that direction creates more clout for Europe and less leverage for the United States. As von der Leyen noted recently, “Reality is a strong ally.” And reality is pushing hard for change.

Paradoxes abound. The United States will end up with something it always wanted to avoid: a lean, mean, muscular, independent-minded Europe. Indeed, it would not be too fanciful to build a monument to Trump in central Brussels, setting him alongside the founders of European unity such as Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, and Simone Weil.

It’s not all bad. This new entity—one might even call it the United States of Europe—may be a capable, effective partner for future U.S. administrations in dealing with China, combating climate change, and more. But it will be far more a partnership of equals. On other issues—such as global financial management, conflict in the Middle East, and international law—Europeans will have their own ideas and their own priorities. They will assert them unhesitatingly and perhaps uncomfortably. The era of tutelage came at a price. But Americans may miss it when it’s gone.

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wheelsgoroundincircles · 10 months ago

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1973 Dodge Monaco

On this date, August 7th, in 1980, "The Blues Brothers" was released.

"It's got a cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant. It's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas."

The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car that would affectionately become known as The Bluesmobile. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.

According to Dan Aykroyd, the horn-shaped loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile was actually a duplicate of a massive Cold War-era air raid siren (CLM Model 92729DP) installed in the schoolyard at Our Lady of Annunciation where Aykroyd attended elementary school while growing up in Ottawa, Canada. The siren was manufactured by a Canadian company called CLM Industries, and Aykroyd specifically requested the same CLM model be used in the movie to portray the loudspeaker the characters affixed to the top of the Bluesmobile and used as a public address system.

Director John Landis has claimed that the portion of the final chase sequence beneath the elevated train tracks, which briefly showed a reading of 118 miles per hour on the car's speedometer, was actually filmed at that speed, a testament to the Monaco's police car heritage. He has also stated that he re-shot some of the scenes with pedestrians on the sidewalks, so viewers could see that the film had not been sped up to create the effect of speed.

For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart.

At the time of its release, "The Blues Brothers" held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel. (Wikipedia)

#dodge monaco #Dodge #Monaco #car #cars #mopar #moparperformance #moparnation #moparworld #movie car

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desicinema · 2 years ago

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SONALI BENDRE in DUPLICATE (1998)

#filmedit #movieedit #90sedit #dailytvfilmgifs #dailyflicks #dailywoc #cinematv #filmgifs #moviegifs #tvandfilm #bollywoodedit #hindi cinema #duplicate #bollywood #sonali bendre #*#roedits #twgun #q

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lastofthe20thcenturygirls · 1 year ago

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bollywood songs these days just aren't anything mere mehboob mere sanam was

#it's been in my drafts for a while now and even tho it's nothing postable but it's time to post because dharma is about to ruin this song #just because it's from their movie 🙄#fuck them in advance if there's remix or something of this song #duplicate 1998 #bollywood songs #udit narayan and alka yagnik deserve better #anu m*lik can go to hell

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raychleadele · 2 years ago

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Kirsten was my very first American Girl doll, I bought her when I was about 9 (approximately 1998), and I love her very much, but I never acquired Kirsten’s rag doll, Sari. Now that I’m collecting again, I want to give all my dolls their own toys as well, because they’re kids and they deserve to have toys! And naturally Kirsten must have Sari, but buying a Sari now could easily cost me around $50. Which I feel is a little silly for something I could make a reasonable replica of.

So I finally did!

My Sari is not meant to be an accurate duplicate of the original - obviously I don’t have the same fabrics used in her clothes, and I chose to give her face more detail because I have the skill to do it and I wanted to - also I made her hair too thick to actually turn into the classic braid loops - but because I made her I love her even more than I think I would if I’d bought her secondhand. Also she’s so teeny and soft and cute I just want to carry her around in my pocket forever.

For reference, this is an example of a Sari doll from Pleasant Company. Mine certainly is different but I feel like they are similar enough for my liking.

Also all her clothes are removable, so I could theoretically make her different outfits! How fun is that!

Kirsten has been mine for 25 years and she finally has a doll of her own. I’m so glad I finally got a chance to make Sari!

#American girl #kirsten larson #doll sewing #personal

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systematic-and-somehow-tragic · 5 months ago

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Due South Ads/Promos - YouTube Playlist

This playlist is a compilation of videos that contain only (or mostly) Due South ads

I have a compilation project in progress for dS ads that are buried in videos with a large number of misc ads :3

Contributions are welcome! If you have one that isn't here, please send it my way!

Playlist videos listed out below...

Listed below are descriptions of the ads based on the naming convention that I am using in my spreadsheet to keep track of versions and duplicates. P# is the number as it appears in the playlist, ad airdate in MM.DD.YYYY (00 = unknown), and ad description with additional info in parentheses (added purely to make it easier for me to differentiate the clips).

There's 4 videos I couldn't add to the playlist (2 youtube, 2 internet archive). I have linked these in the list below. These are also marked with .5 in their P#, so they don't affect the playlist numbering, idk why I did it this way, I hope it isn't too confusing 💕

P0.5 - 00.00.1994 - Pilot Promo v2 (he's square)

P1 - 00.00.1994 - Season 1 Promo v3 (polite and persistent, long version)

P2 - 00.00.1994 - Pilot/Season 1 Short Promo

P3 - 09.00.1994 - Free Willie v1 (long version)

P4 - 00.00.1994 - Diefenbaker's Day Off

P5 - 10.00.1994 - Manhunt v1 (long version)

P6 - 00.00.1994 - Chinatown v1 (Channel 2)

P7 - 00.00.1994 - Chicago Holiday v2 (CBS)

P8 - 00.00.1995 - You Must Remember This

P9 - 00.00.1995 - Season 2 Promo v1 (give birth)

P9.5 - 12.05.1995 - Season 2 Promo v1 (give birth)

P10 - 00.00.1995 - Season 2 Promo v2 (turn the tv on)

P10.5 - 12.05.1995 - Season 2 Promo v2 (turn the tv on)

P11 - 00.00.1995 - Season 2 Promo v3 (the three amigos)

P12 - 00.00.1995 - Season 2 Promo v4 (full-length trailer)

P13 - 00.00.1997 - Season 2 Promo v5 (BBC trailer)

P14 - 00.00.1996 - Some Like it Red v2 (with a real drag)

P15 - 00.00.1996 - All the Queen's Horses v1 (save the world)

P16 - 00.00.1995-96 - 1995-1996 Promo Compilation

P17 - 00.00.0000 - Season 3 Promo v2 (full-length trailer)

P18 - 00.00.1998 - Season 3 Promo v3 (in it together all the way)

P19 - 00.00.1994 - A New Kind of Hero v2 (no voiceover) - sped up

P20 - 00.00.1995 - Promo for an upcoming BTS interview with PG on CKCO

P21 - 00.00.1995 - Getting Dressed v2 (longest version)

P22 - 00.00.1995 - Stop the Madness: an anti-drug PSA by DM

P23 - 06.10.1995 - Time Moving BBC

P24 - 00.00.1996-97 - Once a Thief x Due South Crossover Promo

P25 - 00.00.0000 - Once a Thief x Due South Crossover Promo

P26 - 00.00.1997? - The Full Mountie

P26.5 - 00.00.1998 - Season 4 Promo v1 (long version)

P27 - 00.00.1998 - Season 4 Promo v2 (short version)

P28 - 00.00.0000 - SHOWCASE On Canada compilation

P29 - 00.00.1997 - SHOWCASE On Canada (1997) - clip 3 in P28

P30 - 02.11.1998 - SHOWCASE On Canada (1998) - clip 1 in P28

P31 - 00.00.000 - Season 3 Promo v2 (full-length trailer)

P32 - 00.00.1994 - Season 1 Promo v4 (full-length trailer with deleted scene)

P33 - 00.00.1995 - Radio Canada Quebec Trailer 1995 (French)

thank you to @paulgrossaddict for P33, the most recent addition to this playlist!

#due south #due south promo #ds resources #my posts #due south resources

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polling-sonic-fans · 8 months ago

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favorite voice actor for dr. eggman, please? ^^

Thank you to both people who submitted this poll this week - I have not recieved any duplicate polls before, and these came in within a day of eachother. I hope you understand why I have combined the two.

Polling Sonic Fans for their opinions on all manner of things. Share good questions to indicate what you want asked. Submissions open.

#Favorite Dr. Eggman voice actor?#Poll 170 #Character: eggman #Dr eggman #Dr robotnik #Eggman #Ivo robotnik #voice acting discussion #Opinion poll #Sonic the Hedgehog #Sonic Fandom #Sonic #Sega #StH

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rudyboxman57 · 1 year ago

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The DUPLICATION LAW is a Natural Law and Duplicates everything we "Say", "Do" or even Think and was discovered by Rudy Boxman back in 1998. Everyone is able to manipulate this Natural Law. #science #RudyBoxman #RJBTEAM #news #nieuws #media #tv #television #HD #HighDefinition

#The DUPLICATION LAW is a Natural Law and Duplicates everything we “Say”#“Do” or even Think and was discovered by Rudy Boxman back in 1998. Everyone is able to manipulate this Natural Law.#science #RudyBoxman #RJBTEAM #news #nieuws #media #tv #television #HD #HighDefinition #design #designer #worldnews #tshirtdesign #tshirtprinting

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hooked-on-elvis · 9 months ago

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"I Met Her Today" (1961-1965)

Recorded on October 15, 1961 at RCA’s Studio B, Nashville · Release date: July 19, 1965 · Album: Elvis for Everyone! (compilation)

MUSICIANS Guitar: Jerry Kennedy, Scotty Moore. Bass: Bob Moore. Drums: Buddy Harman, D.J. Fontana. Piano & Organ: Floyd Cramer. Saxophone & Clarinet: Boots Randolph. Accordion: Gordon Stoker. Vocals: Millie Kirkham, The Jordanaires.

Illustrative pictures · (1) On Sunday afternoon, July 30, 1961, Elvis appeared at Weeki Wachee Springs Park in Florida, on the west coast where he was then filming "Follow That Dream"; (2) Elvis on movie set Frankie and Johnny June 10, 1965.

RECORDING SESSION · BACKSTORY Soundtrack Recordings for Mirisch Company’s "Follow That Dream" July 2, 1961: RCA’s Studio B, Nashville One thing seemed certain to the Colonel: It made sense to go into the studio for another singles-only session. The June 25 session proved that Elvis and his band could focus their attention better when they were all trying to cut a hit single; increasingly, too, scheduling was becoming a problem, and between the two Mirisch pictures there would only be time to arrange a short session. Once Freddy [Bienstock] understood the Colonel’s goal, he knew exactly where to turn for hit material — to his hot new team, Pomus and Shuman. Having gotten three cuts on the last session was more than enough motivation to propel the songwriters into action. Mort Shuman had a simple formula for writing hits — “Chorus, break, and gimmick” — and the two had noticed that Elvis was drawn to first-person songs; in no time, then, they came up with a stranger’s tale, a gimmick, and a Phil Spector – produced demo. The song, “Night Rider,” was just the kind of rocker Freddy was looking for, and he sent it off to Elvis along with two Tepper and Bennett compositions, “Just For Old Time Sake” and “For The Millionth And The Last Time,” as well as two others (“Ecstasy” and “You Never Talked to Me”) and the promise of “a couple of real strong songs in the next few days.”

RECORDING OF "I MET HER TODAY" Studio Sessions for RCA October 15, 1961: RCA’s Studio B, Nashville The “real strong songs” Freddy had mentioned in his note were two brand-new Don Robertson ballads. Elvis’s careful phrasing suggests that he’d done serious preparation on the first, “Anything That’s Part Of You,” but that didn’t stop him from working hard on it, running through six takes as Floyd Cramer worked to duplicate the slip-note fills Robertson had played on the demo. Years later Elvis would tell audiences that “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was “probably the saddest song I’ve ever heard,” but he never portrayed abandonment more convincingly than on this cut. Among Elvis’s recorded ballads perhaps the only competition comes from some of the other Robertson songs recorded in 1961 and ’62. The second of his contributions, “I Met Her Today,” told a more hopeful story, but it proved harder to get right. After a promising first take Elvis paused to correct some problems with the song’s challenging octave-and-a half leaps, but as soon as he’d mastered that, band mistakes began to multiply. After twenty takes the group’s concentration had worn thin, and they agreed to stop, leaving take eighteen as the master. But the recording lay unused for four years until RCA resurrected it for Elvis For Everyone.

Excerpts: "Elvis Presley, A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions" by Ernst Jorgensen. Foreword by Peter Guralnick (1998)

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LYRICS Don Robertson/Hal Blair I told you that some day If you kept on being untrue Somebody else would come along And release me from you You'll be glad to know now Your fickle world Can have its own way For it finally happened I've met her today I used to think I just couldn't live A day without you In spite of the thousand doubts and tears That you put me through All at once I don't care as much for you I'm sorry to say For now there's another I met her today How I treasured each smile, each kiss You gave to me now and then Well, you needn't be kind to me now Oh no, not ever again Just when the last bit of pride in me was gone Someone heard me pray And sent me my angel I met her today I met her today

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