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[amphtaminedreams]

Mid-year Fashion Update for 2024 in (Mostly) A-Z Format: RTW, Pre-fall, & a Little Haute Couture Plus my Top 25 (Part 3)

-clockwise l-r: Petar Petrov RTW F/W24, Pressiat “, Private Policy “, Puppets and Puppets “-

-top to bottom: Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini RTW F/W24, Prada “, Preen by “, Thornton Bregazzi “-

-clockwise l-r: Plan C RTW F/W24, R13 “, Rahul Mishra haute couture S/S24, RTW F/W24, Rave Review “-

-top to bottom: Prabal Gurung RTW F/W24, Atelier Prabal Gurung RTW F/W24-

-top to bottom: Proenza Schouler RTW F/W24, Rabanne “, Retrofête “-

-clockwise l-r: Ralph Lauren RTW F/W24, Renaissance Renaissance “, Self-Portrait pre-fall 2024, RTW F/W24, STAND STUDIO “, Simon Miller “, Regina Pyo “-

-clockwise l-r: Reem Acra RTW F/W24, Reverie by Caroline Hú “, Rick Owens “, Rochas “-

-clockwise l-r: Richard Quinn RTW F/W24, Roberto Cavalli “, Rokh “-

-clockwise l-r: Róisín Pierce RTW F/W24, Roksanda “, Roland Mouret “, Rui Built “-

-top to bottom: Sacai pre-fall 2024, RTW F/W24, Sandy Liang “-

-clockwise l-r: Saks Potts RTW F/W24, Sea “, Shuting Qiu “, Schiaparelli haute couture S/S24, RTW F/W24, Sinéad O'Dwyer “-

-top to bottom: Shiatzy Chen RTW F/W24, Simone Rocha “, Sportmax “-

-clockwise l-r: Steve O Smith RTW F/W24, Stine Goya “, Sunnei “, The Row resort 2025, Theory RTW F/W24, TIME “, The Garment “, Supriya Lele “-

-top to bottom: Thom Browne RTW F/W24, Tom Ford “, Tommy Hilfiger “-

-clockwise l-r: TOGA RTW F/W24, Tokyo James “, Tolu Coker “, Uma Wang “-

-clockwise l-r: Susan Fang RTW F/W24, Talia Byre “, Tamara Ralph haute couture S/S24, Samuel Guì Yang RTW F/W24, ShuShu/Tong “, Tanya Taylor “-

-top to bottom: Tory Burch RTW F/W24, Ulla Johnson “, Versace “-

-Valentino RTW F/W24-

-clockwise l-r: Valentino haute coutre S/S24, Undercover RTW F/W24, Vaquera “-

-top to bottom: Vetements RTW F/W24, Victoria Beckham “, Florentina Leitner “ (saved image under Victoria not Florentina…oops) -

-top to bottom: Vivetta RTW F/W24, Vivienne Tam “, Y/Project “-

-clockwise l-r: Vivienne Westwood RTW F/W24, Viviano “, Weinsanto “, Yirantian “, Wiederhoeft “, Viktor & Rolf “-

-clockwise l-r: XULY.Bët RTW F/W24, Windowsen “, Yohei Ohno “, Zimmerman “, Zuhair Murad “, Yohji Yamamoto “-

-clockwise l-r: Saint Laurent RTW F/W24, Yuhan Wang “, Ujoh “, William Fan “-

The Best of the Year (So Far)

So…this is the second time I’ve included a brief quick summary of my top 25 collections in one of these posts. I used to write my thoughts on everrryyy single collection and the whole process took me a fucking millennia every time, to the point that once I finally got round to posting, 2 seasons worth of collections had come out in the meantime. Sticking entirely to photo posts feels kind of pointless to me because these end up feeling completely impersonal. Like yeah, I only pick my favourite looks from a collection for the final post but there seems to be sooOooO many bloody brands out there these days that including brief notes to emphasise my faves throughout would be like dropping needles in a haystack and expecting them to catch somebody’s eye.

To round off the posts with my top 25 feels like a good middle ground to plant my roots in, so I guess this is going to be tradition from now on? On which note, in no particular order, let’s get into my 25 standout collections of 2024 thus far:-)

I promise I will ACTUALLY make it snappy. Mostly, anyway.

-clockwise l-r: Gucci RTW F/W24, MarkGong “, Armani Privè Haute Couture S/S24, Rokh RTW F/W24-

1. Gucci RTW F/W24, creative dir. Sabato De Sarno: Every and I mean every Gucci collection that has, and will be, debuted over the next couple of years counts rn. We get it, you hero worship Alessandro Michele, I hear anybody who has had the patience to sit through any of my previous fashion posts crying. But regardless of whether I was an Alessandro devotee or not, the first couple of years following the departure of a well-established and imo! Visionary! creative director is crucial for their successor, as it establishes the direction they’ll be taking the brand going forwards.

The first Gucci collection we saw under de Sarno had me worried, I can’t lie. It was such a stark departure from what I’d come to expect from Gucci that I thought, well, that’s it folks. Gucci’s done. It was safe, minimalistic, yeah expensive looking, but ultimately just really bloody boring. All that being said, with the benefit of hindsight, I suppose I see that debut show as de Sarno’s way of signalling Gucci’s renewed commercial viability. Bland looks are nothing if not versatile, and versatility of course increases the widespread appeal of a brand. Some of Alessandro’s looks were out there, which I can imagine made it exciting for the detached onlooker (myself), but probably not great for the brand’s shareholders. After all, the goal is to make money. Yep, it’s the worst isn’t it? How profit so often is prioritised at the cost of art! 

I think what this collection showed me is that just because de Sarno seems on a mission to promote the brand’s accessibility, essentially one of toning things down in favour of broadening the target market, that doesn’t mean all I’ve loved about Gucci over the last decade is lost.

Far from de Sarno’s S/S24 collection, there were a number of similarities between this one and the Gucci I came to know and love under Alessandro. Though it still lacks Alessandro’s eclecticism, it is reassuring that even in these early days, more of the character the former creative director infused is beginning to shine through. 

I can’t fully say Gucci is BACK! But what I will say is that PARTS of what I love about Alessandro’s Gucci is back. All I wanted from the last collection was a bit of EDGE for Christ’s sake, OPULENCE, dark romanticism, gothic touches. Ultimately, S/S24 lacked a sense of power, like the quiet ferocity and intimidating, yet mystical presence that defined the best looks we saw on Alessandro’s runway; in my mind, this signalled the character he brought to the brand was being forced back into the box. On the contrary, de Sarno’s F/W24 collection played homage to the legend in many ways. The inclusion of deathly platform heels, black lace and faux leather, for example, indicates de Sarno is more inspired by Alessandro’s abandonment of the “quiet luxury” ideal, a bigger admirer of his carefully curated undercurrent of danger and disruption, than I previously thought. To say de Sarno fully leaned into the witchy glamour Alessandro brought to the table is a stretch but this collection did have hints of that aura, with the opulent jewell toned fabrics, snake print and sequins littered throughout a promising acknowledgement of that other-worldly, underground cabaret vibe Alessandro channelled when he was at his best.

If everything I’ve said about this collection so far sounds critical, it’s only because I’m holding de Sarno’s early work, upon which I’m sure the burden of ensuring commercial viability weighs heavy, to Alessandro. We’re talking someone who had been creative director for long enough to likely be entrusted with far greater creative license. So comparison aside, in a vacuum, I can say I do adore this collection. Gucci RTW F/W24 has been a major relief because it seems the new team spearheading the brand don’t intend to abandon Alessandro’s vision completely.

2. MarkGong RTW F/W24, creative dir. Mark Gong: obviously, I had a lot to say about Gucci, I’m highly invested, but I can sum up why I was so fond of most of the other collections on this list much more succinctly, don’t worry, lmao. When it comes to MarkGong for example, it kind of felt like a manifestation of how y2k would interpret the 90s (as was the case in actuality with the 2000’s ‘70s resurgence), with the best elements taken from both and combined in one collection. Though the ‘90s grunge influences, reminiscent in many ways of Marc Jacobs’ famous Perry Ellis collection, were more obvious, I like how a bit of the old y2k sleaze was brought into the picture too. It kinda felt like a tour through the wardrobe of a Cali from the Valley party girl who’s going through her rebellious phase, iygm. Either way, I get me, and that’s why MarkGong is on this list because yeah, it’s a cute collection.

3. Armani Privè Haute Couture S/S24, creative dir. Giorgio Armani: I never thought I’d see the day an Armani collection in any form would make it onto this list, because my general feeling is that more often than not, I find it a little saccharine, aggressively prim and proper, you know. The stying usually has those models looking like a cross between a 2000’s era Barbie doll and the kind of outfit your rich grandma would try to force you into. I mean, with context of Giorgio being an 89 year old man, it makes sense. So I’ve got to say it, I was truly taken aback by how much this collection actually worked for me. It’s not like it was jarringly different to what I’d expect, the head to toe looks are still, for the most part, youthful and girlish, it’s more that they fully committed to the dress-up fantasy, consequently, this feels a lot less uptight than the image I’ve come to associate with the brand. Instead of pedestrianising the princess look, Armani leaned in, to a dreamy, candy coated effect.

4. Rokh RTW F/W24, creative dir. Rok Hwang: Rokh is a firm fixture in my seasonal favourites list by now, and whilst this collection stayed true to Hwang’s formulaic balance between elegance and edge, I really appreciate the subtle bohemian touches, and the nomadic feel this collection has. It broaches into new territory for the designer, and one I find quite mesmerising at that. Whilst Hwang’s collections typically feel sleek, distinctly modern, this one is more free-spirited and earthy. Though I get a bit of a Pride and Prejudice vibe, the modern day tailoring and signature deconstructed feel of the looks, along with current street style rooted silhouettes, ensure this collection, whilst a departure from the expected, remains true to the brand’s identity.

-clockwise l-r: Dilara Fındıkoğlu RTW F/W24, Courrèges “, Khaite “, Vivetta “-

5. Dilara Fındıkoğlu RTW F/W24, creative dir.“: Dilara stayed true to form with her F/W24 collection. As ever, her designs give the wearer an imposing, battle-worn aura, without ever compromising the ethereal, other-worldly beauty of the garments. The end result is that this particular collection felt like a darkly mesmerising visual tale of a kind of fallen angel on earth, who excels so highly at navigating the depravity of a Victorian era criminal underworld she ends up in that even once she descends to hell to reign as the Bella Hadid adjacent it-girl of the underworld, her fleeting, vampiric presence on earth spawns many an urban legend in her wake. If that isn’t an excellent proposition for a new Netflix original series (since I know they seem to love throwing money around left, right and centre at new shows these days), I don’t know what is. I would like to state for the record here that if Netflix want to take me up on that offer I’ll forgive them for prematurely cancelling Mindhunter whilst continually renewing Riverdale and subjecting us to Cole Sprouse as a result:-) 

6. Courrèges RTW F/W24, creative dir. Nicolas Di Felice: I’m not usually a minimalism girl but Courrèges does it in a way which feels uniquely futuristic. Like if the Tesla man had half the brain cells he thinks he does and managed to actually do something significant in space, head-to-toe Courrèges would be an incredible outfit choice for the rope cutting of an intergalactic nightclub. Unfortunately, even if Teslatubby wasn’t so full of shit, and actually possessed the level of genius he wants to convince us of, he is clearly too busy fine tuning the Twitter algorithm into subconsciously red pilling everyone to be building bars in space. As a sad result, Courrèges can wait, I say, as if I can afford their stuff anyway…as if the 75% increase in the price of a large bag of Cadbury’s chocolate buttons in less than 2 years doesn’t have me in a tailspin.

7. Khaite RTW F/W24, creative dir. Catherine Holstein: I don’t have all that much to say about Khaite except that I think it’s very cool, lol. A very lame descriptor, ik. I know I trash minimalism all the time and it could be argued that Khaite’s collections are pretty stripped back but I think in this instance, I like that, because it feels like it hasn’t come straight from a drawing board of neutrals, rather an exercise in restraint of the darker, grungier aesthetic. Rather than going down the deconstructed, oft-unfinished look you’d typically associate with that style, Khaite seems a re-imagining of trends under the alternative umbrella in line with the tailoring, simplicity and functionality associated with prestige fashion houses. Whilst working for a hedge fund management company in London sounds like a fucking nightmare, in this parallel universe where I do end up in one of those nonsense jobs, Khaite would be right up my alley. Not only in terms of what I’d look to for inspiration if I had to don the uniform of a rush hour briefcase wanker, lol, but also because I’d definitely reach for their designs, being the staple pieces they are, on a low-key day too. In true British fashion, I did of course mentally envision the corresponding briefcase wanker Inbetweeners scene as I typed those words. Forgive me, the appreciation for that show is just one of a very limited number of things which unites Britain as a country.

8. Vivetta RTW F/W24, creative dir. Vivetta Ponti: Vivetta’s F/W24 is giving “I’m not a regular crazy cat lady, I’m that bitch kind of a crazy cat lady”. So, you know, in other words, it’s kinda twee, but also kinda provocative, and the balance feels correct. Not to celebrate adultery in any way but this for me, is all girl-next-door, Jess from new girl vibes on the surface, with a undercurrent of this bitch could steal your menzes running strong underneath. The whole collection feels like something Marina would have worn during her Electra Heart era.

-top to bottom: David Koma pre-fall 2024, RTW F/W24-

9. David Koma pre-fall 2024, creative dir.”: so, although I’ve included David’s RTW collection, my adoration goes to his divine pre-fall collection this year. I just included 4 looks from his RTW collection as my new tradition dictates is the protocol when I’m listing my top 25, which is to include 4 of my favourites looks from every collection listed. If I do a whole 8, I’m just repeating what I’ve already done when I originally included said brand in the post, ygm? Anyways, what I’m trying to say is that I was unexpectedly disappointed in Koma’s RTW collection, a rare occurrence mind you, so I just chose 4 of the best looks from it for continuity to go along with pre-fall. On that note, let’s talk about this pre-fall collection: it was perfection! There’s a lot of references to the hyper-girlish coquette and ballet-core aesthetics we’ve seen become widespread fashion crazes, but whereas the trend (ordinarily, I suppose it depends on how you style the pierces) is ordinarily quite demure, casual, and semi-virginal at times, Koma adds high glamour and sex appeal. There are plenty of bows, whites and pastels, but the loose linen, cheesecloth, and babydoll silhouettes are gone and replaced with svelte body-con dresses, plunging necklines and daring cut outs, as well as plenty of black and bold reds throughout. I can’t work out if it all leans more into a dominatrix vibe or it’s giving me Dita Von Teese, but what I do know is this collection has SPICE. It’s seems fit for the same fallen angel type I just wrote about Dilara’s collection reminding me of, with the difference being that in this scenario, god (…or his angels…or whoever it is that takes care of the banishing from heaven stuff if you’re so inclined to that way of thinking) drops her into a crowd of Y2K party girls rather than 19th century Britain. I am hyper aware of how niche my analogy is here, so I apologise that I need to be this pretentious and self-referential, but…I’m just fully aware I’m not capable of holding anybody’s attention for long enough for them to otherwise know what I’m going on about, lol! A vivid, easily stimulated imagination is a blessing and a curse, play your tiny violins for me:-)

-clockwise l-r: Chloé RTW F/W24, Tom Ford “, Burberry “, Oude Waag “-

10. Chloé RTW F/W24, creative dir. Chemena Kamali: This collection was SOOOO GORGEOUS, I HAVE NO WORDS. This is the wardrobe of modernised 70s goddess come to life-soft, decadent, ethereal, just ARGH! Perfection in every way. I am so excited for everything Chemena Kamali is going to do with Chloé if this is anything to go by.

11. Tom Ford RTW F/W24, creative dir. Peter Hawkings: I’ve never really expected anything from Tom Ford. Like when I think of Tom Ford, I usually think of perfume? Expensive perfume but perfume, nonetheless. But you know what, this kind of ate? IDK what was in the water with these designers when RTW F/W24 collections were being put to paper, but once again, this collection was very reminiscent of the Studio 54 era. It seems a minimalist yet luxuriant kind of modern spin on the colours, shapes and fabrics of late 70s bohemian rock, only in a way where the end results are tailored towards the competitors at every decadent invitation-only party’s unspoken best dressed contest. If the brief is expensive, eye-catching, bold, something which moulds the wearer into being the “you either want to be her or be with her” cliche then any number of the pieces from this Tom Ford collection would hit all the criteria.

12. Burberry RTW F/W24, creative dir. Daniel Lee: Burberry is so hit or miss for me, but this was a dramatic yet practical, luxurious, at-times punk influenced hit. Am I saying that because there’s a bit of tartan? Perhaps. But what I am sure of is that I would commit crimes for some of these coats honestly. Speaking of, I might be way off but the fur pieces are a bit mob-wife if my understanding of that vibe is anywhere near accurate. I feel increasingly out of touch with the internet so I don’t actually know, but if I’m right, this is the kind of thing I’d be alright with mafia money paying for. Reassuringly, when envisioning what I’d wear with a knock-off outerwear piece inspired by this Burberry collection, I did not once start to feel like I was veering into the RHONJ cast cosplay zone so I feel like despite the excess, these hopefully faux (though probably not) furs pass the sophistication test. Regardless, it’s okay, I’m not getting anywhere near purchasing the real thing anyway, lol.

13. Oude Waag RTW F/W24, creative dir. Jingwei Yin: Courrèges with a sprinkle of ‘90s grunge and a hint of Morticia Adams. That is to say that I loved the Courrèges F/W24 collection but I love this even more.

-clockwise l-r: Cecilie Bahnsen RTW F/W24, Marni “ Ottolinger “, Moncler Grenoble “-

14. Cecilie Bahnsen RTW F/W24, creative dir.”: a somewhat utilitarian repurposing of her signature dainty, whimsical approach to womenswear, Cecilie’s F/W collection found itself in alignment with the widespread appreciation of softness, delicacy, and innocence that’s been a prominent theme of this year’s F/W24 collections. But this is no case of Cecilie jumping on the bandwagon. Cecilie has excelled at this kind of thing for years, and I’ve pretty much always a fan of her vision. She’s never aggressively chaste or child like in her designs, and does it in a way that’s subtle enough to set her apart from the many, many designers who tried their hand at going all cottagecore this year. Mostly, Cecilie relies on gentle silhouettes and playful yet elegant fabrics to evoke a sense of both fragility and mischief fuelled allure, which in turn creates a sprite-like feel to her looks. All that being said, her work is multidimensional, equally grounded in and hardened by reality, suitable for a jaded 21st century woman. In this sense, as much as I see Cecilie’s collection is not dissimilar from a lot of the others that debuted this season, it is also quietly confident that the pivot towards this wistful, semi-angelic vibe is best when it’s done in a low-key way, and balanced out by a sullen sartorial armour of grungy utilitarianism: I like to follow the guidance of my Google image archive of Courtney Love 90’s style when I envision an outfit, so when it comes to Cecilie’s instinct to finish off a tulle dress with a clunky shoe as RTW F/W proved she knows how and when to do with tact, my appreciation for her work each time feels driven by a force of habit.

15. Marni RTW F/W24, creative dir. Francesco Risso: The FUR COATS!!! Yeah that’s ART.

16. Ottolinger RTW F/W24, creative dir(s). Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient:  Impromptu after-hours metal concert at the corporate office? Wild end of financial quarter orgy? Apocalypse hits the Conde Nast HQ? The stealth wealth Pinterest girlies find themselves contestants in a Battle Royale type situation? We’ll never know exactly what the starting point was for this Ottolinger collection but it feels like the visual devolution of the high-powered professional, a deconstruction of that idea of what’s tasteful, sophisticated, intelligent, into something that’s liberated, futuristic, a lot more punk, and generally much more suited to joining a biker gang than sitting in a boardroom negotiating the value of a 2 page Dior (bleurgh) spread. It’s a very hot and very cool collection, I know that much anyway!

17. Moncler Grenoble RTW F/W24, creative dir. Reno Ruffini: Cosy but cunty? Yeah, I’m on board. And I say this despite the probability of me ever going on the kind of holiday which necessitates I own anything like this being slim to none. Not only because such trips are the kind of things that I can only see the appeal of to rich people, who get to go on so many “vacations” a year they don’t see a skiing trip as sacrifice of what could’ve been a week spent spent sun soaking by the pool in an all-inclusive Spanish resort (because I’m not hitting the necessary vitamin D threshold any time soon without this kind of get away, let’s be real) but also because I find skateboarding difficult enough without adding snow into the mix and the risk of death for some as inherently incapable of keeping my balance for more than about 20 seconds at a time as I am is very high.

-clockwise l-r: Alaïa RTW F/W24, Alberta Ferretti “, Alexis Mabille Haute Couture S/S24, Yuhan Wang RTW F/W24, Etro “, Roberto Cavalli “, Zimmerman “, Altuzarra “-

18. Alaïa RTW F/W24, creative dir. Pieter Mulier: Now having my expectations set high by Cher Horowitz spending her potential last moments at the hands of a dangerous criminal pleading her Alaïa dress be spared like a mother would her firstborn child, when the brand returned to being a fashion week fixture, I was disappointed. It was nice but nothing breathtaking. This collection, though? Stunnnnning. I too would take affront at a mugger’s rough-handedness with my clothing more so than the mugging in itself if these pieces were collateral damage. Would kinda feel like at work when people fill up our baskets with wine and run out. Like you want to steal, I’m laissez-faire on the matter, but how dare you take our baskets in the process? Bring a tote bag, losers!

19. Alberta Feretti RTW F/W24, creative dir.“: not sure exactly why but Alberta Feretti is often interchangeable with Ermanno Scervino for me. Maybe it’s because they both have names I would sound like a FOOL pronouncing, but they also have a similar aesthetic. Neither are out here shaking the status quo but I always love their collections. This year Alberta edged it for me. Not unlike Scervino, the choice of an earthy, subdued colour palette for the season felt like an intentional choice to contextualise the F/W24 collection’s existence as a companion to the S/S24 line, with rich, moody hues positioning the garments as the sensual night time follow up to the daywear collection.  It is clear where Ferretti going with the S/S garments; they captured the essence of what I imagine an idyllic summer spent lovestruck in Lake Como would be perfectly, and there were some divine pieces. The F/W collection, however, had a lot more drama to it, going beyond the free-flowing, ornate style Ferretti is known for and adding a little androgyny, and at times gothic mystery. If the S/S24 collection was giving me a bit of a goddess off-duty in the human realm vibe, the F/W24 outfits bounced between signalling an effortless yet imposing sophistication in the face of a unexpectedly harsh winter in the city, and a plethora of dresses which would be just the right choice for a moonlight red carpet against the backdrop of the Italian lakes. In both instances, the clothes lend themselves to a wearer who catches every eye on the room but remains aloof, unattainable, like they have much more important places to be. I almost wrote that the dresses would be a good fit for the Cannes film festival before I remembered that Cannes is in the South of France, which doesn’t speak to the distinctly Mediterranean feel I get from a lot of this collection. I can see a lot of the casual looks in Paris, for sure, and I am perhaps making my judgement based on the prominence of the olive tones throughout the collection, lol, but I just don’t feel like the deep Jewell tones and the silks are fit for a city which I’ve always known to be pretty much climatically similar to London. The dresses which closed this collection need SHIMMER and SUNLIGHT, overcast would kill the magic. It’s not just the olives!

20. Alexis Mabille Haute Couture S/S24, creative dir.”: there’s always going to be at least one pretty dress collection in my top 25, and this Alexis Mabille Haute Couture offering is this year’s offering of choice. It’s very modern Disney Princess I think!

21. Yuhan Wang RTW F/W24, creative dir.”: since the day I first stumbled on a Yuhan Wang collection, each one that’s followed has been consistently flawless. It’s almost like seeing the fully-realised version of my personal style, in this reality where I could afford it ofc, come to life. It’s that magical balance of cutesy, feminine and flirtatious with a dark, slightly gothic force which toughens the former up and adds just the right amount of messiness to hint at a streak of rebellion and dare I say it (because it’s a phrase a LOT of people are probably sick to death of, understandably so since Taylor Swift used it to characterise Reputation for FUCK’S sake) but…female rage? I’M SORRY. It’s a little bit punk, but just…punk for the girly girls, you know!

22. Etro RTW F/W24 creative dir. Marco De Vincenzo: As is likely the case for many of the brands I’ve listed in my top 25, it’s highly unexciting of me to include Etro, one of my fail safes in this again. For that same reason, I feel like a fraudulent fan for not even realising Marco De Vincenzo took over the creative director position in 2022. That makes a LOT of sense to me now, because the vibe HAS changed a little bit over the past few years. I think I mentioned before how I’d noticed Etro becoming increasingly explicit with their branding in the last couple of collections, and though it’s easy to say I’m drawing the comparison because both use a crocodile in their logo, I really did think it was looking a bit…Lacoste? A lot safer, more laid-back, bright, breezy, if you get me. But this collection felt like a promising return to form!

23. Roberto Cavalli RTW F/W24, creative dir. Fausto Puglisi: Was this collection a bit tacky at times? Totally. But at its best it felt like a meeting of the early 2000’s socialite look (I’m talking about the stumbling out of the club dresses, obviously), Coachella fashion at the height of its significance in the mid 2010s, and a Studio 54 vibe. When you’ve got such great ingredients, you can never fuck up THAT badly and when you succeed, you get this deliciousness. 

24. Zimmerman RTW F/W24, creative dir. Nicky Zimmerman: Super predictable of me to include Zimmerman in my top 25 but this collection was as elegant, romantic, and catered to the free-spirits amongst us as I’ve come to expect Nicky Zimmerman’s work to be to be.

25. Altuzarra RTW F/W24, creative dir. Joseph Altuzarra: Altuzarra’s F/W24 collection was stamped in my memory for all the right reasons. It was a playfully, modern take on classic silhouettes and tailoring, with a vibrancy about it emerging from a quality beyond the relatively subdued colour palette. Whether it stems from the checkerboard prints, the whimsical head wear, or dramatic ruffles, there’s wit and a lightness of spirit about the collection, which is neutralised by by oversized, androgynous silhouettes and harsh graphic prints. I think for me, Altuzarra’s RTW F/W collection was a great example of how to pull off ditsy, childlike details in a way that transcends the innocence and naivety underlying a kid’s choice of clothing, instead evoking confidence and maturity without losing touch with the charm and nostalgia associated with childhood.

So that’s it’s for now girlies:-)

But on a serious note…I know I previously stated I wanted to start every post by driving home what the Israeli government are continuing to do in Gaza, which in plain terms is nothing short of ethnic cleansing, but for the format of this post, it didn’t fit to do that until now, so I want to reiterate it here: THIS IS STILL. FUCKING. HAPPENING. WHAT. THE. FUCK.

A couple of days ago, the IDF again struck the supposed “safe zone” of Rafah, which they had claimed was a haven for refugees. Their actions continue to be as morally abhorrent as ever. Let us PLEASE not buy Israel’s clear-as-day BULLSHIT explanation of this being a “tragic” accident. You do NOT FUCKING “ACCIDENTALLY” bomb a refugee camp, AN ENTIRE REGION. THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN. I cannot BELIEVE this is still occurring, and that President Joe Biden, in amongst a chorus of Israel’s other defenders, is only now beginning to make vague mentions of a ceasefire. A CEASEFIRE IS NOT FUCKING GOOD ENOUGH. A “TWO STATE SOLUTION” IS NOT FUCKING GOOD ENOUGH. Let’s be clear Hamas have been proposing ceasefires since this entire IDF campaign started. All they have asked for is that Israel stop the attacks, and that they will give up Israeli hostages in return. Netanyahu has TURNED THIS DOWN, because he has no intention of stopping in forcing Palestinians out of the region all together, be it through their slaughter or permanent displacement. The Israeli hostages mean NOTHING to him.

Palestinians deserve to return to their homes, they deserve Israel and every other complicit nation’s investment in rebuilding their communities, reparations, self-determination, and reclamation of the ancestral homelands they have been  continually forced out of for the last 50 years. Maybe we have turned a corner and a ceasefire might finally come but it has NOTHING to do with the Israeli government’s cooperation, and it’s not a just resolution to the damage, destruction and slaughter Israelis and their allies have encouraged and facilitated in any way.

The death toll today, by conservative estimations, nears the 40,000 mark. A report conducted by Euro-Med Monitor, published on reliefweb.int proposes this number exceeds that. According to this source: “The Israeli army has killed 42,510 Palestinians over the course of its 200-day attack, 38,621 of whom were civilians, including 10,091 women and 15,780 children. The bodies of several thousand are still stuck under the rubble, while thousands remain missing and are presumed dead. These statistics include the killing of 137 journalists, 356 medical personnel, and 42 civil defence personnel.” Numbers only do so much, and fail to convey the horror of what every one of those individuals and their families have suffered through. Palestinians are being murdered at a rate of roughly 250 citizens per day, according to a report published by Oxfam in January of this year. If, and when, a ceasefire comes, this isn’t enough, and should be just the start of a push to hold Israel responsible for the destruction of Palestinian people and their culture. That’s what we ought to be reiterating now that these “ceasefire” talks are beginning, as well as the fact that these talks have absolutely NOTHING to do with Israeli leaders developing a conscience. All I can speculate is that as the US presidential election looms, Biden is realising how detrimental his revolting apathy to Palestinian suffering could be to voters. He cannot get away with this half-arsed U-turn nor can any of the ministers who have backed and facilitated Israel’s genocide over the last 8 months. WE HAVE A GENERAL ELECTION APPROACHING IN THE UK! And though it seems likely the Conservatives will be out, Labour do NOT deserve a sweep. The best outcome we can hope for is they end up as the minority governing party, so that even if they win, they know many of us are equally disgusted with their actions.

THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO TONE DOWN OUR DISSENT. Politicians careers are on the line right now, and the incentive for them to listen to what we will not stand for going forward I’m sure weighs more heavy on their consciences (if they have them) than EVER.

AROUND 40,000 PALESTINIANS ARE DEAD. THEIR HOMELAND HAS BEEN DESTROYED. WE NEED TO KEEP THE FUCKING MOMENTUM GOING. KEEP BOYCOTTING, PROTESTING, POSTING, THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT YOUR VOTE. WE DO NOT HAVE A 2 PARTY SYSTEM HOWEVER MUCH STARMER, SUNAK, AND THE TABLOIDS WANT US TO THINK. LOCAL POLITICS REALLY FUCKING MATTER RIGHT NOW!

The fashion is fun and all, but I couldn’t finish this post without reiterating where we’re at right now when it comes to the most pressing concerns we ought to be focussing on. 

With all that being said, thanks for reading if you did! On the mid-year fashion update front, it’s over and out from me! Hope this was somewhat enjoyable, and if nothing else, you enjoyed the pretty pictures-and fingers crossed, I’m echoing the common sentiment with what I included about Palestine.

ONCE MORE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK: FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE.

Lauren x

[ptbf2002]

To Celebrate Canada Day, I'll Be Doing My Top 10 Favorite Cartoons From Canada.

#10 Total Drama Island

#9 George of the Jungle (2007 TV series)

#8 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: The Series

#7 Ollie's Pack

#6 Grojband

#5 The Kids from Room 402

#4 Chuck's Choice

#3 Pucca (TV series)

#2 Monster Buster Club

And #1 Camp Lakebottom

Honorable Mentions: Ed, Edd n Eddy, The Last Kids on Earth, Sonic Prime, The Snoopy Show, Total Drama Action, Total Drama All-Stars, Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race, Total Drama World Tour, Total Drama: Pahkitew Island, Total Drama: Revenge of the Island, Wild Kratts, Hilda, Angry Birds: Summer Madness, Being Ian, Dorg Van Dango, And Dr. Dimensionpants.

Original Template: https://www.deviantart.com/toongirl18/art/Top-10-Favorite-Canadian-Cartoons-408528581

Total Drama Island Belongs To Tom McGillis, Jennifer Pertsch, Elliott Animation Inc. Fresh TV Inc. CAKE Entertainment Ltd. TELETOON Original Production TELETOON Canada Inc. Corus Entertainment Inc. Cartoon Network, The Cartoon Network, Inc. Warner Bros. Discovery Networks, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution Warner Bros. Television Studios, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WarnerMedia And Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.

George of the Jungle (2007 TV series) Belongs To Jay Ward, Bill Scott, Copernicus Studios Inc. Top Draw Animation, Inc. Studio B Productions, Inc. DHX Media Vancouver, WildBrain Studios, WildBrain Ltd. Bullwinkle Studios LLC, Classic Media, LLC, Entertainment Rights PLC, DreamWorks Classics, TELETOON Original Production TELETOON Canada Inc. Corus Entertainment Inc. Cartoon Network, The Cartoon Network, Inc. Warner Bros. Discovery Networks, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution Warner Bros. Television Studios, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WarnerMedia And Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: The Series Belongs To Mark Evestaff, Alex Galatis, DHX Media Vancouver, WildBrain Studios, WildBrain Ltd. Sony Pictures Animation Inc. Sony Pictures Television Studios, Sony Pictures Television Inc. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Sony Entertainment, Inc. Sony Corporation of America, Sony Group Corporation, YTV (TV channel), YTV Canada, Inc. And Corus Entertainment Inc.

Ollie's Pack Belongs To Pedro Eboli, Graham Peterson, Birdo Studio, Nelvana Enterprises Inc. Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon Group, Paramount Global Content Distribution, Paramount International Networks, Paramount Domestic Media Networks, Paramount Media Networks, Inc. Paramount Global, YTV (TV channel), YTV Canada, Inc. And Corus Entertainment Inc.

Grojband Belongs To Todd Kauffman, Mark Thornton, Elliott Animation Inc. Neptoon Studios, Fresh TV Inc. Fremantle Limited, TELETOON Original Production TELETOON Canada Inc. And Corus Entertainment Inc.

The Kids from Room 402 Belongs To Betty Paraskevas, Michael Paraskevas, Chile Animación, New Vision International, CinéGroupe, Saban Entertainment, Inc. FOX Family Channel, FOX Kids, TELETOON, TELETOON Canada Inc. And Corus Entertainment Inc.

Chuck's Choice Belongs To Kervin Faria, Top Draw Animation, Inc. Studio B Productions, Inc. DHX Media Vancouver, WildBrain Studios, WildBrain Ltd. YTV (TV channel), YTV Canada, Inc. And Corus Entertainment Inc.

Pucca (TV series) Belongs To Boo Kyoung Kim, Calvin Kim, VOOZ Character System, Studio B Productions, Inc. DHX Media Vancouver, WildBrain Studios, WildBrain Ltd. MBC TV (South Korean TV channel), Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, JETIX, Jetix Europe N.V. Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, Disney Branded Television, Disney General Entertainment Content, Disney Entertainment, Disney Enterprises, Inc. And The Walt Disney Company

Monster Buster Club Belongs To Vincent Chalvon-Demersay, David Michel, Designstorm Animation Studio, Zodiak Kids Studios France, Banijay, Image Entertainment Corporation, TF1, TF1 Group, JETIX, Jetix Europe N.V. Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, Disney Branded Television, Disney General Entertainment Content, Disney Entertainment, Disney Enterprises, Inc. The Walt Disney Company, YTV (TV channel), YTV Canada, Inc. And Corus Entertainment Inc.

Camp Lakebottom Belongs To Eric Jacobson, Betsy McGowen, Meghan Davies, Shelley Hoffman, Robert Pincombe, Skywriter Media & Entertainment Group, Jam Filled Entertainment, Boat Rocker Media Inc. 9 Story Media Group Inc. Disney XD, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, Disney Branded Television, Disney General Entertainment Content, Disney Entertainment, Disney Enterprises, Inc. The Walt Disney Company, TELETOON Original Production TELETOON Canada Inc. And Corus Entertainment Inc.

[bunchofrandomfandomsandbands]

The First Cut Part 2: Three Words, One Scar

Pairing: David Howard Thornton/Damian Leone

It starts with a letter. No return address. Just his name—David Howard Thornton—scrawled in handwriting that turns his stomach. He stares at it for a long time before opening it. Inside is a single page.

“You still hiding behind masks?”

No signature. Just that line. Cold. Icy. Familiar. David’s hand begins to shake. He doesn’t tell Damian.

They’re deep in post-production for Terrifier 3, and Damian’s working on a dream sequence that’s giving them both nightmares. David watches him from the couch in the edit bay, head propped up on his hand. Damian’s focused, headphones on, lip twitching as he adjusts sound design. It should be comforting—how familiar this has all become. The rhythm. The partnership. The love. But David can’t concentrate. Can’t sit still. Because the letter isn’t the end.

Two weeks later, David’s trailer gets broken into. Nothing’s stolen, but the inside is trashed. Props are destroyed. His custom clown shoes are cut down the middle. And someone—someone—has scrawled three words across the mirror in red lipstick: “TAKE OFF ART.”

The studio wants to file a report. David lies. Says it’s a prank. Tells them he left the trailer unlocked. Damian doesn’t believe him, not really, but lets it go—for now.

Then come the texts. Blocked numbers. No names. Just images. A picture of David when he was nineteen, face bruised, makeup smeared, standing in a bar he never talks about. Another: him sleeping, curled into himself on a cheap motel bed. Years ago. Another: a clown wig, burning. David doesn’t sleep for three days.

When Damian finds him half-collapsed on the studio floor, he finally snaps.

“What the hell is going on, David?”

David doesn’t answer. He wants to. He wants to fall apart and be held. But something deep inside—older than Art, older than acting—locks him in place.

Damian crouches in front of him. “I’m not mad. I’m scared. For you. With you. Whatever this is, I want to help.”

David swallows. His throat aches.

“I didn’t want you to see this part of me.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s ugly.”

Damian doesn’t flinch. “Then let me love the ugly too.”

That night, David tells him. He sits cross-legged on Damian’s couch, knees drawn up, hands trembling. His voice is quiet. Flat. Controlled, like he’s rehearsed it in his head a hundred times but never dared to speak it.

“He was older,” David says. “I was nineteen. Theater kid. Hungry. Dumb. He said he’d make me a star. Gave me roles. Gave me… himself.” He doesn’t say the word groomed. He doesn’t have to.

“It didn’t start bad. That’s the worst part. It felt like love. But it wasn’t. He hurt me. In ways that… took years to even name. And when I tried to leave—he made sure no one would work with me. Blacklisted me from half the indie scene. So I left New York. Started over. Waited tables. Did voiceover work. Tried to forget.”

He pauses.

“Then I met you.”

Damian’s eyes are wet. David keeps going, because now that the dam is broken, he can’t stop.

“I thought I was past it. I thought I was healed. But he’s back. I don’t know how he found me again.”

Damian puts his hand over David’s.

“Was it the trailer break-in?”

David nods.

“The texts?”

David nods again.

“The letter?”

David flinches, then reaches into his bag and pulls it out. Damian reads it. His jaw tightens.

“I want to kill him,” he says quietly.

David lets out a breathless laugh. “Get in line.”

From that night forward, Damian doesn’t let David go dark. He checks in, no matter what. If David ghosts for more than a few hours, Damian shows up with tacos and a flashlight. They install security at the studio and at David’s apartment. Damian insists on it. David doesn’t argue. And when David starts waking up screaming from dreams that taste like old blood and burned clown wigs, Damian just holds him. No questions. No pressure. Just warmth. Just presence.

One night, curled up in Damian’s bed, David says, “I thought if I ever told you, you’d look at me different.”

“I do,” Damian says. “I look at you with more love than I did yesterday.”

David sniffles. “Isn’t that cheating?”

“Maybe. But I’m still winning.”

The final straw comes when a package arrives at the studio addressed to David. Inside is a VHS tape.

Labelled “David.”

David almost throws it out without watching. But something about the handwriting makes him freeze. He and Damian watch it together. The footage is grainy. A performance from years ago. One of David’s earliest gigs. His smile is too bright. His eyes, hollow. The older man—barely in frame—touches David’s face like property. Damian shuts it off halfway through. David is silent.

Then: “He filmed everything. Said it was for his ‘records.’ Said if I ever told anyone, he’d show the world who I really was.”

Damian’s voice is steel. “He’s trying to ruin you.”

David shakes his head. “He already tried. And failed. You saved me.”

“No,” Damian says. “You saved yourself. I’m just here to remind you who you are.”

The legal process is messy, but it moves forward. Damian helps David gather what he needs—emails, messages, witnesses from the past willing to finally speak. And when the day comes that the man is served a restraining order, David weeps. It’s not fear. Not relief. It’s grief. For the boy he was. For the years stolen. For the mask he wore before Art ever had one. Later that night, they sit on Damian’s roof, wrapped in a blanket, city lights flickering like embers around them.

“I feel like I lost ten years in the span of one letter,” David murmurs.

Damian kisses his temple. “But you gained the next ten. With me.”

David leans into him. “Promise?”

“Forever.”

David exhales. “That’s a long time.”

Damian smiles. “Good. You’re stuck with me.”

David’s silent for a beat, then laughs softly. “You know, when I said ‘I love you’ back then… I thought maybe you wouldn’t want someone broken.”

“You’re not broken,” Damian says. “You’re rebuilt.”

David tilts his head. “So… like Frankenstein?”

“Sexier.”

David grins, cheeks still wet with tears. “Damn right.”

They don’t forget. They don’t forgive, either. But they move forward. Together. And when fans ask them how they make horror that feels so real, they just glance at each other and smile. Because love, too, can be sharp. But it can heal. Especially when you say the words— and mean them.

[a-captions-blog]

[Image descriptions: A series of graphics titled, ‘Queer Books to Add to Your Library.’ Each is sorted according to the original pride flag colours and meanings. The graphics show each book with its cover, title, and a short summary. Long descriptions follow.

Pink = Sex

Park Cruising by Marcus McCann: Park Cruising takes a long look at the men who cruise for sex in urban parks. Human rights layer Marcus McCann uses park cruising as a point of departure for discussions of consent, empathy, public health, municipal planning, and our relationship to strangers.

Secret Historian by Justin Spring: An intimate friend of Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toxias, and Thornton Wider, Steward maintained a secret sex ife from childhood on, and documented these experiences in brilliantly vivid and and often very funny detail.

The Male Gazed by Manuel Betancourt: Featuring deep dives into thirst traps, drag queens, Antonio Banderas, and telenovelas—all in the service of helping us reframe how we talk about (desiring) men—this insightful memoir-in-essays is as muh a coming of age as a coming out book.

Whore of New York by Liara Roux: Why would someone ever voluntarily become a sex worker? Liara Roux writes about the salacious details leading up to her decision to become a career sex worker, and the unexpected truths she learned while working in the industry.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert: Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong. So she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It ś time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she’s not entirely sure how..

Red = Life

I Hope We Choose Love by Kai Cheng Thom: what can we hope for at the end of the world? What can we trust in when community has broken our hearts? What would it mean to pursue justice without violence? How can we love in the absence of faith?

A Spidle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow: It’s Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, which is extra special because it’s the last birthday she’ll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no-one has lived past twenty-one.

People Change by Vivek Shraya: Vivek Shraya knows this to be true: people change. We change our haircuts and our outfits and our minds. We change names, titles, labels. We attempt to blend in or to stand out. We outgrow relationships, we abandon dreams for new ones, we start fresh. We seize control of our stories. We make resolutions.

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw: You may think you know how the fairy tale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes.

Tarta Americana by J. Michael Martinez: A suite of poems that channels the legendary singer-songwriter Ritchie Valens to examine and question mid-twentieth-century conceptions of race and art, identity and desire.

Orange = Healing

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H: A queer hijabi Muslim immigrant survives her coming-of-age by drawing strength and hope from stories in the Quran in this “raw and relatable memoir that challenges societal norms and expectations” (Linah Mohammad, NPR).

The Cancer Journal by Audre Lorde: Moving between journal entry, memoir, and exposition, Audre Lorde fuses the personal and political as she reflects on her experience coping with breast cancer and a radical mastectomy.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeka Emezi: Feyi Adekole wants to learn how to be alive again. It’s been give years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could never have imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.

How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong: A provocative, essential guide to community and solidarity from an activist, community organizer, and thought leader whose viral TED talk has been viewed more than 1.5 million times.

The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill: In the bewitching Tea Dragon Society series, two-time Eisner Award-winning creator K. O’Neill offers three stories featuring the enchanting world of Tea Dragons.

Yellow = The Sun

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: It’s been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.

A Phoenix Must First Burn by Patrice Caldwell: Evoking Beyonce’s Lemonade for a teen audience, these authors who are truly Octavia Butler’s heirs, have woven worlds to create a stunning narrative that centers Black women and gender nonconforming individuals. A Phoenix Must First Burn will take you on a journey from folktales retold to futuristic societies and everything in between.

Hi Honey, I’m Homo! by Matt Baume: For decades, amdist the bright lights, studio-audience laughs, and absurdly large apartment sets, the real-life story of American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in plain sight in front of millions of viewers, most of whom were laughing too hard to mind.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Bernnan: Elliot doesn’t want to fight, keeps saying the wrong thing, and is definitely the grouchiest human in fantasyland.

Mouthful of Forevers by Clementine Von Radics: Clementine von Radics writes of love, loss, and the uncertainties and beauties of life with a ravishing poetic voice and piercing bravura that speak directly not only to the sensibility of her generation, but to anyone who has ever been young.

Green = Nature

The Flowing Wand by Sophie Strang: A deep exploration of the regenerative and magical secrets of sacred masculinity hidden in familiar myths both ancient and modern

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss: A taut, gripping tale of a young woman and an Iron Age reenactment trip that unearths frightening behavior.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant: The ocean is home to many myths, but some are deadly. Seven years ago the atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a tragedy.

The Devouring Gray by C. L. Herman: After her sister’s death, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but she soon learns her mother isn’t: They belong to one of the revered founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods.

Queer Ducks by Eliot Schrefer: This groundbreaking illustrated YA nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in various animals.

Turquoise = Art and Magic

Dinner on Monster Island by Tania de Rozaria: In this unusual, engaging, and intimate collection of personal essays, Lamba Literary Award finalist Tania De Rozario recalls growing up as a queer, brown, fat girl in Singapore, blending memoir with elements of history, pop culture, horror films, and current events to explore the nature of monsters and what it means to be different.

Eyeliner: A Cultural History by Zahra Hankir: From the acclaimed editor of Our Women on the Ground comes a dazzling exploration of the intersections of beauty and power around the glob, told through the lens of an iconic cosmetic.

Black Futures by Jenna Wortham and Kimberly Drew: Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham have brought together this collection of work—images, photos, essays, memes, dialogues, recipes, tweets, poetry, and more—to tell the story of the radical, imaginative, provocative, and gorgeous world that Black creators are bringing forth today. The book presents a succession of startling and beautiful pieces that generate an entrancing rhythm. Readers will go from conversations with activists and academics to memes and Instagram posts, from powerful essays to dazzling paintings and insightful infographics.

Queer Magic by Tomás Prower: Queer Magic provides nourishment for LGBTQ+ souls and their allies who are interested in learning about the significant prescence and influence of queer folks throughout history. Explore fascinating insights into queer relationships and spiritual practices from different regions of the world.

Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow: Tarot is best used as a tool for self-discovery, healing, growth, empowerment, and liberation. Tarot archetypes provide the reader with a window into present circumstances and future potential. But what if that window only opened up on a world that was white, European, and heterosexual?

Blue = Serenity

Three Simple Lines by Natalie Goldberg: A haiku is three simple lines. But it is also, as Allen Ginsberg put it, three lines that ‘make the mind leap.’ A good one, he said, lets the mind experience ‘a small sensation of space which is nothing less than God.’ As many spiritual practices seek to do, the haikus spare yet acute noticing of the immediate and often ordinary grounds the reader in the pure awareness of now.

Body Work by Melissa Febos: Memoir meets craft master class in this “daring, honest, pyschologically insightful’ exploration of how we think and write about intimate experiences—‘a must read for anybody shoving a pen across paper or staring into a screen or a past’ (Mary Karr)

Amateur by Thomas Page McBee: In this “refreshing and radical” (The Guardian) narrative, Thomas McBee, a trans man, sets out to uncover what makes a man—and what being a “good” man even means—through his experience training for and fighting in a charity boxing match at Madison Square Garden.

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden: A ragtag crew travels to the deepest reaches of space, rebuilding beautiful, broken structures to piece the past together.

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser: From writer Jamila Rowser and artist Robyn Smith comes a captivating graphic novel love letter to the beauty and endurance of Black women, their friendships, and their hair.

Purple = Spirit

God Themselves by Jae Nichelle: Let this book be a celebration of queerness, Blackness, and love. Let these words be a modern church, these poems a holy space.

Dear Senthuran by Awkaeke Emezi: Through candid, intimate correspondence with friends, lovers, and family, Emezi traces the unfolding of a self and the unforgettable journey of a creative spirit stepping into power in the human world.

Dark and Deepest Red by A.M. McLemore: Summer, 1518. A strange sickness sweeps through Strasbourg: women dance in the streets, some until they fall down dead. As rumors of witchcraft spread, suspicious turns towards Lavinia and her family, and Lavinia may have to do the unimaginable to save herself and everyone she loves.

Sacrament of Bodies by Romeo Oriogun: In Sacrement of Bodie Romio Oriogun interrogates what it means to be queer, male, and Nigerian. In this groundberaking work, Oriogun seeks to understand how a queer man can heal in a society where everything is designed to prevent such restoration.

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom: At once a love letter and challenge to the traditional transgender memoir, Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars is a playful, surrealist dance through queer coming of age. \End ID]

[Reblog plain text: Avatar

I'm listing Queer fiction that I've read for this list. If folks want to see more queer fiction and nonfiction to check out, this list here and this one are fairly comprehensive.

Other queer fiction to add to the above list: Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki (first published in 2021) I adore this book so much. It's about a violin teacher who has to collect one more soul in order to complete her contract with the devil (so the devil won't take her soul). She finds a homeless trans girl and meets the (secret) alien owner of a donut shop (that hides a spaceship). The prose in this blew me away. It's so damn gorgeous, especially with how music is described. I could almost hear the music lifting out of the pages. It's also the queerest book I ever read, and it makes me so happy.

Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden (first published in 1982). About two teenage girls who fall in love and swear to stay true each other despite the challenges faced by both. One goes to a Catholic school, who cracks down hard on LGBTQIA stuff, and the other goes to the city's public school. It's a gorgeous tale and one of the first LGBTQIA books I read. I read it over and over again as a source of comfort.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker (first published in 1982) Seriously, one of the most iconic and ground-breaking LGBT novel ever written. It focuses on the life of Celie as she grows up and must contend with abuse, being married off to a man she doesn't love and is abusive, and how she falls in love with another woman.

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown (first published in 1973) This is the third LGBT book I ever read. It had a lesbian cult following for awhile. It explored Molly Bolt's life, and how she understood her sexuality from a young age. Molly ultimately rejects gender roles and binaries, and it's a lovely coming of age and romantic story.

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters (first published in 1998) Nan is smitten with a male impersonator named Kitty. They go to London and shenanigans happen. I honestly loved reading this one, and the romance between the two is sometimes angsty but also so sweet. It's about gender experimentation and queerness and how these two survive in Victorian London.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon (first published in 2017) I absolutely adore anything Rivers Solomon writes to be honest. It's about drama and intrigue on a generations spaceship, which became regimented and ruled by oppression, generations after humanity left earth. Our heroes fight back against the oppressive systems on the spaceship, and there's all sorts of LGBTQIA characters (some are even nonbinary!).

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James (first published in 2020) This book has some amazingly beautiful prose. It's also very graphic in describing certain types of violence and sex. It's about a mercenary hired to find a missing boy, but the world in which these people live is full of mythic wonders and monsters. It's a bit of a hard read with some of its themes, but the way Marlon constructs his sentences with gorgeous imagery leaves me breathless.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon (first published in 2019) This book blew me away. It's about a mermaid culture that develops undersea by pregnant African women thrown overboard during the slave trade. One mermaid, Yetu, who carries the history of her people in her head, flees to the surface, and discovers the true history of her people. (And also has some super adorable scenes with the woman on the surface.) Yes, it's about intergenerational trauma, but it's also about the freedom of this mermaid culture to love whoever they wish.

Dreadnought by April Daniels (first published in 2017) Loved this one. Danny gains powers when a superhero dying in front of her passes his powers to her. She's faced with transphobia, sexism, and abuse at every turn, but it also celebrates her coming into herself as a trans queer woman. We need more queer trans superheroes, honestly! (Also, she reminded me a bit of Nia Nal in Supergirl, who is a trans superhero named Dreamer. Mostly because of their personalities having a lot of overlapping traits. :) )

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (first published in 2020) Absolutely breathtaking prose and wonderfully gorgeous romance. It stars two time agents -- Red and Blue are their codenames -- who are imbroiled in a time war. They're on opposite sides, but the slow burn is exquisite. Just love this novella to death.

The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson (first published in 2004) It's about three friends who are separated for a few months. Nina returns from her summer adventures with stories of her and her crush, but then she witnesses her two best friends kissing. The shenanigans, drama, and growth that ensues was both hilarious at time but also heart-wrenchingly real. I truly loved it, and sometimes I still think about these three friends and how they navigated relationships together.

Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence by Marion Dane Bauer (first published in 1995) This is one of the first LGBTQIA anthologies I read. It's a collection of short stories about LGBTQIA folks coming out and navigating societal crap while coming to terms with their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. It brought me to tears in some places, and helped me find the courage to come out myself as queer.

The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1) by Samantha Shannon (first published in 2019) I adored the characters and worldbuilding in this novel; the gorgeous prose and immersive storytelling had me enraptured. Plus it's hard to resist any book that has folks riding dragons. It's also one of those books where I shouted, "That's so gay. These two better get together in the end." Queen Saban and Ead (who is a magic user posing as her aide) fall in love, and yes, it's a slow burn, but it's also full of angst, fluff, and just 'awwww' moments. There's also the plot at large about evil dragons wanting to enslave the world, but well, I sort of got more invested in Saban and Ead. lol I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin (first published in 1969) This book had a profound effect on me as it got me thinking of gender fluidity, and gave me courage to experiment more with gender. It's about a human ambassador who goes on a mission to Gethen, where androgynous and intersex humans live in a very gender fluid culture. The people on Gethen can become either sex depending on their partners. It's a fascinating book, and caused quite a stir when it first came out.

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisen (first published in 2020) I adored this book. All the characters are some flavor of queer (except for the white gal who represents Staten Island). The gist of the story is that sometimes cities come alive, and they chose human avatars. New York City ends up choosing an avatar for each borough to help protect its main avatar, who is being attacked by a Cthulhu-like entity. Damn good story, fantastically colorful characters, and gosh, I just adored it.

The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce (first published in 2006) This is the final book in the Circle series (The Circle of Magic Quartet, The Circle Opens Quartet). Our four friends, who form a family of their own, travel to the kingdom of Namorn. There they encounter drama, espionage, kidnapping, and court politics. Daja, one of my favorite of the four, discovers she's gay, and her romance is adorable. I read these four - Sandry, Tris, Briar, and Daja - throughout my pre-teens and teenage years. I sort of grew up with them, so I have a soft spot in my heart for this book.

Followups of Queer books I either am in the process or reading or is on my to read next list that are not on the lists mentioned above: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree Ash by Malinda Lo Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

My tags for the thoughts on the books listed in the images from makingqueerhistory: \End PT]

[Tag transcriptions: #I have one-fourth of these books already [smiley face] #There’s some great ones listed #I absolutely adore Becky Chambers Monk and Robot series – a Psalm for the Wild Built #Queer magic and Queering the Tarot were fun reads too #How we show up by Mia Birdsong really helped me get perspective on how we can build up solidarity and community #A Phoenix Must First Burn was absolutely lovely anthology with majority being Latinx (and often LGBTQIA) characters #I’ve been trying to find a copy of Black Futures for awhile now but it is for some reason incredibly expensive so I can’t afford it yet #Honestly all the books I own in this list were fantastic reads. \End transcription]

Read the rainbow!

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[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Friday, 17th November

Welcome, Bienvenida, 你好, Willkommen 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 17th November through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

17th November 2021 🗓️ : Death - Young Dolph Young Dolph, American rapper (b. 1985) "Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. (July 27, 1985 – November 17, 2021), better known by his stage name Young Dolph, was an American rapper, songwriter and entrepreneur. In 2016, he released his debut studio album, King of Memphis, which peaked at number 49 on the Billboard 200 chart. Young Dolph's fifth..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Slyguy1255

17th November 2015 🗓️ : Death - John Leahy (diplomat) John Leahy, English lawyer and diplomat, High Commissioner to Australia (b. 1928) "Sir John Henry Gladstone Leahy, (7 February 1928 – 17 November 2015) was a senior British diplomat. He was Ambassador to South Africa from 1979 to 1982, and High Commissioner to Australia from 1984 to 1988. He later became Chairman of Lonrho...."

17th November 2013 🗓️ : Event - Tornado outbreak of November 17, 2013 An outbreak of 77 confirmed tornadoes occurred in seven U.S. states; it became the largest November tornado outbreak in Illinois and Indiana. "On November 17, 2013, the deadliest and costliest November tornado outbreak in Illinois history took shape, becoming the fourth-largest for the state overall. With more than 30 tornadoes in Indiana, it was that state's largest tornado outbreak for the month of November, and the second largest..."

Image by National Environmental Visualization Laboratory

17th November 1973 🗓️ : Event - Watergate scandal Watergate scandal: In Orlando, Florida, U.S. President Richard Nixon tells 400 Associated Press managing editors "I am not a crook." "The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the administration of President Richard Nixon from 1972 to 1974 that led to Nixon's resignation. The scandal stemmed from the Nixon administration's attempts to cover up its involvement in the June 17, 1972, break-in..."

Image by Indutiomarus at English Wikipedia

17th November 1923 🗓️ : Birth - Bert Sutcliffe Bert Sutcliffe, New Zealand cricketer and coach (d. 2001) "Bert Sutcliffe (17 November 1923 – 20 April 2001) was a New Zealand Test cricketer. Sutcliffe was a successful left-hand batsman. His batting achievements on tour in England in 1949, which included four fifties and a century in the Tests, earned him the accolade of being one of Wisden's Five..."

Image by Unknown (Photograph taken for the Evening Post newspaper of Wellington by an unidentified staff photographer. )

17th November 1820 🗓️ : Event - Nathaniel Palmer Captain Nathaniel Palmer becomes the first American to see Antarctica. (The Palmer Peninsula is later named after him.) "Nathaniel Brown Palmer (August 8, 1799 – June 21, 1877) was an American seal hunter, explorer, sailing captain, and ship designer. He gave his name to Palmer Land, Antarctica, which he explored in 1820 on his sloop Hero. He was born in Stonington, Connecticut, and was a descendant of Walter Palmer,..."

Image by Unknown authorUnknown author

17th November 🗓️ : Holiday - Christian feast days: Gennadius of Constantinople (Greek Orthodox Church) "Gennadius (Greek: Γεννάδιος; died 25 August 471) was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 458 until his death. Gennadius is known to have been a learned writer who followed the Antiochene school of literal exegesis, although few writings have been left about him. He is commemorated in the Eastern..."

Image by anonimus

[t-jfh]

(Photo by Aaron J. Thornton - Getty images)

I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You — containing the single, Respect — is the tenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin released on March 10, 1967, by Atlantic Records.

Two singles were released to promote the album: Respect and I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You). The former topped the Billboard Hot 100, while the latter reached the top 10.

Respect is a song written and originally recorded by American soul singer Otis Redding. It was released in 1965 as a single from his third album Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul and became a crossover hit for Redding.

Aretha Franklin’s rearranged version of Respect is significantly different from Otis Redding’s original version, while a few changes in the lyrics resulted in different narratives around the theme of human dignity that have been interpreted as commentaries on traditional gender roles.

Franklin's interpretation became a feminist anthem for the second-wave feminism movement in the 1970s and has often been considered one of the best R&B songs of its era.

YouTube video >> Aretha Franklin - Respect (1967 / 2mins.+24secs.) [Black Music Archive]:

RESPECT (lyrics):

(oo) What you want

(00) Baby, I got (oo) What you need

(oo) Do you know I got it?

(00) All I'm askin'

(oo) Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)

Hey baby (just a little bit) when you get home (just a little bit) mister (just a little bit)

I ain't gonna do you wrong while you're gone

Ain't gonna do you wrong (oo) 'cause I don't wanna (00)

All I'm askin' (oo)

Is for a little respect when you come home (Just a little bit)

Baby (just a little bit) when you get home (just a little bit)

Yeah (just a little bit)

I'm about to give you all of my money And all I'm askin' in return, honey Is to give me my propers

When you get home (just a, just a, just a, just a)

Yeah baby (just a, just a, just a, just a)

When you get home (just a little bit)

Yeah (just a little bit)

— instrumental break —

Ooo, your kisses (00)

Sweeter than honey (00)

And guess what? (00)

So is my money (oo)

All I want you to do (oo) for me

Is give it to me when you get home (re, re, re ,re)

Yeah baby (re, re, re, re)

Whip it to me (respect, just a little bit)

When you get home, now (just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Find out what it means to me

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Take care, TCB

Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)

A little respect (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me) Whoa, babe (just a little bit)

A little respect (just a little bit)

I get tired (just a little bit)

Keep on tryin' (just a little bit)

You're runnin' out of foolin' (just a little bit)

And I ain't lyin' (just a little bit) (re, re, re, re) 'spect

When you come home (re, re, re ,re)

Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit)

And find out I'm gone (just a little bit)

I got to have (just a little bit)

A little respect (just a little bit)

•

[castle-dominion]

5x11 under the influence PLOT HEAVY more like plot Javi. But it is not really plot heavy more like backstory heavy. Like the ike thornton episode.

Wow they just went around her for josie lang making her sound old hoodie kid? labelmaker playlist

captions say Zito & he is leaning on the cement all comfy You should lose two turns ryan pretty, esposito also nice shirt Shut the up (also how young of a girl scout, kinda sus) 11-midnight? How did she work the party until 1? (btw that tarp is way to square to have unwrapped a body)

lol KILLER party

check by the pool XD

starting the morning with... booze? It can be good for a hangover but... Ah she left early that's how she died before she was scheduled Good response from Regina: Great. Now I feel bad for complaining.

Becks is pretty enough with that turtleneck Oof. I mean music saves ur life like that!

What is dripping from her hair? KFC has more MSG than most chinese places

KR: If Tyrese is such big time, why is the entrance to his studio in an alley? JE: Because. Celebrities don’t want paparazzi taking their picture all the time. (he looks over to see KR: run a hand through his hair and he stops short) Yo. Did you just do the hair thing? KR: What hair thing? JE: Every time you’re about to meet a celebrity or a pretty girl you run your hand through your hair. KR: (he ignores that) TMZ said that Tyrese was at that party with Josie Lang. He’s producing her new album. JE: Yeah well, she’s no Regina. KR: I understand the image of her as a girl scout is seared into your memory, but Josie is a real vocalist. JE: Whose fan base consists of 12 year old girls … and you.

KR: Hey, since Josie was at the party I should probably take her statement, right? You got this, right bro? Thanks. XD

Been shot like seven times!?!?

"kev" & also jenny uwu

that was JUST for this year's awards!? What has he done before that!?

Unless you my momma

Nice rings on this man tho fancy shirt poofy hair lol The bitch had an assistant bitch? Reichle probably had fun "different girl" like that one tiktok audio "leah, amy, you know why we call her brianna right?" XD good it helps my street cred My man brought a lighting guy for his mugshot?

Wow that is a lot of money!

Kinda rude but she paid u anyway & was "helping her cousin" so that's good Variety in the "this one that one" stuff

mayb ethey haven't FOUND anything missing yet people are GOOD at ignoring hired help PRINTS

Ooh hooeey becks is pretty af today!! didn't holly grow up in a bunch of different places? foster care?

RC: "Monster." Now that sounds like the kind of ganged up thug that would shoot you dead and leave you in a dumpster someplace. Probably half man, half mountain, full of prison tats. Or is he quietly dangerous? Like Javier Bardem in any movie where he’s got weird hair. JE, while walking beside him: *kind of smiling/frowning at the same time* *it's a kid*

Oof mama commit suicide? the drug od was bad enough. how does this poor boy already have priors a kim long? Careful becks he is still nicknamed monster As an FNMI person this episode just... oof

KB: Hi Joey, I’m Detective Kate Beckett. Joey Malone: A major hottie is what you are. you're 14 lmao JM is just not talking at all double negative Ah he was chill denying it before this but then when murder came up he was shocked. I believe he did not do it. *camera focusses on esposito*

& then another flash to esposito Nice how he plays viddy games sito's right, you have a pimp/agent/manager JE: The brains behind this operation, that’s who. A kid like Joey goes from smash and grab to stealing a half a mil in jewelry? I don’t think so. Someone put him up to this. KR: No, it makes sense. Some savvy criminals use minors to do their dirty work. RC: Of course. A Fagin to Joey’s Oliver Twist. KR: And if Holly’s involved, that makes her the Artful Dodger. Or the Artful DJ. RC: Ooh, nicely played. also ryan is pretty you GET this kid. Yeah man. I love getting a little backstory. I just wish one of these characters was native, & I mean technically esposito is native, but I mean like, I want an iroquois person maybe. or a cree person. Heck a Metis person would be mind blowing.

JM; Hey, where’s the super hot detective? JE; Oh, you’re lookin’ at him. XD

Yeah genuinely. That's what they are like. Frickin cops. (& esposito's face kind of falls, possibly bc he was planning on saying that, possibly bc he feels for the kid & joey has been thru this before & cops made empty promises too) I p much never make promises.

So you admit there is a "he" Yeah lol this kid

Beckett & esposito are the ones talking to her hhh Yeah family is usually the best place to go for foster care temporarily while the parents get their crap in order. Heck this is why icwa exists. Tho I heard the other day that they were overturning that or smth Real prize.

KB: What about his uncle? Where is he now? Ms. Cooper (social worker): We’re trying to track him down. He may be in AC. He’s a card player. JE: Guy sounds like a real prize. CSW: You want the best option for these kids, and sometimes all you have is the least bad option. Which brings me to the issue of what to do with Joey. Are you charging him with theft? KB: We were hoping not it. CSW: (nods) So. I’ll put him in temporary foster care. JE: Whoa, whoa, whoa. He’s not safe out there in the world right now. The guy that we’re after killed a woman. He could do the same thing to Joey. CSW: Then you can put him in protective custody in juvenile hall. JE: I - I can’t just throw him in juvie. I’m trying to gain his trust here. KB: Ms. Cooper, this boy is the key to us solving a murder. CSW: Well, I’m sorry, but those are the choices. JE: hesitates. He catches sight of JOEY outside the room. JE: What if I take him? KB: *turns to look at esposito, surprised. Who is this man?* JE: That way he’s not locked up and I can keep him safe. (to KB) And I can continue to work on him. KB: * turns back to cooper* It’s an idea. KB: What about that? CSW: (sighs, shakes her head) I – I suppose I could delay his paperwork. But this would be for one night. And it means that Joey Malone is your responsibility. JE: That’s cool. I got this. The kid doesn’t have a father. He probably just needs someone to connect with. lmao sure bud like that's going to work out. I mean you may be right but u've also had years to figure out what it means, this kid might not even know.

Ok I have three clips here, but I flilmed the second two at once

INT – ESPOSITO’S APARTMENT JE walks in and stops to pick up the mail. JM follows him. Also neither of them remove their shoes. ew. JM: I’d rather have a pajama party with the lady cop. ((XD)) JE: Yeah well, it looks like I drew the short straw. ((still a little bit of bad cop in there, love it.)) JE, lookin at this teen: Literally. ((XD)) JE: hits the lights JM: looks around JM: Man, no wonder you’re single! JE: JM: No woman would spend time here unless it was against her will. ((u’r 14. But I mean 14yos date, heck I had classmates who had sex)) JM: starts hitting a sparring bag which is just in the middle of espt’s apartment, like yeah no girls wouldn’t like that JE: Yeah? What about you, Martha Stewart? What’s you place supposed to be? Shabby chic? Emphasis on shabby? JM: It’s a dive. But it’s not my fault. My uncle would rather blow all of his money at the tables. JE: Must be why he’s too busy to call us back. JM: Don’t wait by the phone. He only cares about claiming me as a dependent. makes himself comfortable on espt’s couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table. JE: My parents split up when I was 5. ((lol ok trying to connect)) JE: pushes Joey’s legs Man, get your feet off my table! (they share a glare.) Dad moved to Florida with his new wife. Most I ever got after that was a phone call and a post card. JM: Post card? JE: (nods) Yeah. JM: How old are you, anyway? ((bruh.. I send postcards still,, like if I’m traveling)) JE: Ancient. he looks dead & deadpan JE: But I’m young enough to remember what it was like. (he is quiet for a second) JM: smiles & looks off to the side ((btw I’m glad that the 14yo has acne, that’s what being 14 is like)) JE: Must miss your folks. ((bro don’t try to dig too much)) JM: … JM: After my dad died, my mom kept going. You know, she tried to pretend that we were still a normal family. She did her best to take care of me until … she couldn’t do it anymore. JE: Now you take care of yourself. ((Good line. Also sounds like experience there)) JM: Yeah. (his attitude changes) Look, man. I know you didn’t have to do this. Take me in, I mean. So uh, thanks. JE, nodding: I’ll go grab you a blanket; pillow. JM: Hey, at least you didn’t skimp out on the audio visual budget. ((Heck yeah. We love video games in this house. Well & board games. & all play, adults need play too, dogs never really outgrow their need for play, why should humans?) JE: You know that’s right. Oh, and I’ve got Assassin’s Creed 3. ((& a bunch of other stuff I assume?)) So go ahead and knock yourself out. ((Nice art btw)) JE: Oh, and uh … put it on dual player mode so I can come back and school you. He’s in the closet pulling linens for Joey JM: $20 bucks says you won’t make it past level 1. ((OMG I NOTICED HIS VOICE CHANGED DURING THAT PHRASE– HE WAS LITERALLY IN THE PROCESS OF IT AS HE SAID THAT,, POSSIBLY TO IMPLY HE WAS STILL IN THE ROOM)) JE: (scoffs) You’re crazy. Leaves the light on JE: comes back into the living room with a smile but stops short. It’s empty. Joey’s gone, but the window is open. Esposito sighs heavily. He is so annoyed

Oh gosh darn! When I copypaste smth from my ctrl-h google doc (where I change the names from ESPOSITO with a bunch of blank lines between the phrases like the transcript to what u see on tumblr) to tumblr, the * maked it italicized! Crud!

INT – TWELFTH PRECINCT BULLPEN JE walks in with JM handcuffed to his wrist. KR: … gives the setup an odd look. JE: Sit down. Joey does, and Esposito transfers the cuff from his wrist to the desk. KR, spinning his chair to face them: O~kay. Care to explain? JE: What? The handcuffs? KR: No, no. The stylish shoes that you’re wearing. Yess, the handcuffs. JE: Well, junior here tried to pull a Houdini on me last night. JM: Who the hell is Houdini? ((espt was not born in the late 1800s idiot)) JE: (harshly) Shut up. KR: Out the window? JE: Yeah. *sits* KR: Down the fire escape?? JE: Yeah. And then on to a moving garbage truck. Then on a skateboard for five blocks that took him all the way to the L-train. ((Whose? Also where was this kid going?)) JM: *picks up a signed baseball from espt’s desk* ((Kid has some neat gloves)) KR: (smiles) How’d you keep up? JM: He didn’t. JE, turning to face him so he can talk to him: Shut up. (sees the baseball) What the – (he grabs the baseball) Give me that. (he puts the ball back) Commandeered this dude’s bicycle. ((YOU KEPT UP TO A MOVING GARBAGE TRUCK AND SKATEBOARD ON A BIKE?)) KR: *Nods & smiles so big & bright, checks his nails while listening to the story* JE: Then he lost me in the subway. (Joey laughs) But then I caught him. At the next stop. Kid’s wily. But I’m wilier. KR: * just is enjoying the story with a smile* Wow. Just like The French Connection. JE: ..?

Kid just sitting there biting his nails You will go canvass? With esposito? alone? with a uniformed officer?

KB: Unless he gave you a name. JE: Uh … no. Not exactly. wdym not exactly?? Whata does that Look Between Them mean?

JE: Looks like he got his first taste with a B and E when he was 11 years old. Oof KB: He graduated to burglary when he was 12 when he broke into a mom and pop corner store along with an unidentified adult male. Ooof (also how mom+pops are off limits)

Shane Winters HER FILE TOO? also beckett's pretty shiny shirt <3

JE: This dude’s dabbled in everything. Or maybe castle, she did not clean herself up & get herself out, he stopped using her when she turned 18

Ryan's back! (btw every member here is pretty rn. Castle only as pretty as normal tho. ryan also only as pretty as normal but dshkjdh. becks all shiny & espt nice shirt too.) & castle knows the car RC: Yeah, and a roomy trunk for all your body moving needs. Esposito *just walks away* (no explanation anything he just thought for a split sec & then Left)

Poor LT lol he's on babysitting duty ALSO EW SHOES ON THE COUCH *awkwardly tapping his thumbs. It must be a patience test for interrogations when you become detective, he tells himself* JE: Where’s Shane Winters? JM: Where’s my soda? LT is just happy to be out of here he doesn't care that he's on soda duty

Love how espt picks him up like that. Sometimes you need a rough hand. JM: I'm not a rat ... Valid? But bro? Ok what is in it for you? You get a cut of the earnings? you get his protection in terms of him bailing you out...?

JE: Meh, I just want to wring this little bastard’s neck right now. So valid bestie JE: Freakin’ kids, man. (to castle) I don’t know how you do it, bro. RC: Oohhh. No, no. I lucked out with Alexis. At a certain point you realize you’re just dealing with someone who hasn’t been around as long as we have. ((THAT IS SO TRUE)) They have to find their way. JE: The problem is, he’s already found his way. He just doesn’t see where it’s going to put him. ((or maybe he thinks he's Built Different))

Garcia, new name!

"roll" *plays with keys* On your own babe? nice toss. also do they each have their own car or,,?

Boobies. Beer. Western vibes. Cant in the camera. Interesting movement too. Wow big buff guy. *looks him down* ... A bag of ice? It depends on whether it is good for the plot or not if they can beat ppl up or if they get beat up. Everything ends with a kick to the balls. My man must be wearing steel toed boots or knee guards or smth. Or just good aim. man's not having kids any time soon that shaking breath ohhh & "excuse me" lmao

How does he know his name hangin out lol Yeah too loyal. But I respect Monster. Put them on yourself? Esposito is using power & dominance to control the situation. Love it Holy crap the way he PUSHES on the handcuffs is so good! I remember playing with plastic handcuffs like that as a kid

"soft spot for kids" did not come out right hun Weird lighting. This room needs to be brighter; one way glass needs one room to be brighter than the other golden and diamond encrusted NO-- NO NO NOOOOOO (but will fdny find an accelerant?) but whasnt' that car expensive or smth? A minute alone...? Esposito, Javi my man hold on what are you thinking? & ryan agrees to leave? CLOSING THE CURTAINS...

tablet? Joey genuinely looks sad JE: Now I’d beat your skinny little ass for being stupid if it’d change anything Oh computer r u lying? da wanting to try him as an adult? u haven't even charged him... SW: Look, man. The kid did the crime, he’s gotta do the time. SW a couple minutes ago: I have a soft spot for kids (which is why I bailed out the teenager) Did joey malone really think that shane would protect him? carried heat as in gun? Yeah no Monster of COURSE he'd kill her

Yeah he can buy an alibi at least u know it came from his TYPE of car WHERE is her gun? I still say bling...

Ryan's hair lol it REALLY looks like mine Poor chinese line cook lol just doin his job & these detectives are holding open his door & getting in his way near the dumpster Is that blood or is it just gross?

Ah! Temporarily missing! that's why it was on the phone! *cuts himself off* oh god... heeheeHEE this is GOOD

well he's obv /accessory/ to murder espt so angry I can't tell if I'm remembering the ending or if I'm figuring it out but could it be the other musician? the one josie called old?

I love this man with the hat he seems cool Regina: Have you ever tried changing into skin-tight leather pants? It’s time consuming. ((true)) *Judging by their expressions, both CASTLE and BECKETT are intimately acquainted with skin-tight leather pants.* I like how beckett is wearing less makeup this episode than she does in s6 in my family watch Did she have a license to carry?

I love the OTS view going into the bar *lets him in while covering himself* SW: You keep showing up here like this, the boys are going to think you’re sweet on me. XD JE: Not anymore they won’t. he says while smiling.. *gulp* *puts down the gun* I can't remember what I thought the first time watching this. Is he disarming himself so they can have an honourable fistfight? Does he want to prove he's armed? are they going to count down & reach for it? & then I see the second gun. I thought maybe duel then. Also nice gun, rly small. When he says the gun is "yours" I am more sure it is a duel. (btw I think that one on the close side is the personal gun, not the police gun, & the one on the far side is the one he pulled from his boot a couple episodes ago. Like. ten.) His face when he says this. He says it in past tense as if he is in an interview, as if he's quoting himself from the future. That fear on his face. "I HAD to defend myself!" as he shakes his head with wide eyes... So he threatens to kill the guy & cover it up bc he is a detective & he can legit say "I arrested his crime boy so he wanted to kill me" & have it be true except esposito that is your gun... Unless he specifically acquired an unlicensed gun so that he could pretend it was shane's unlicensed gun (but also esposito my man how will you KNOW he recruits another kid? I might like a sequel except I don't want esposito to kill someone even if I agree with his values) Again with esposito using dominance in this play. Slid the gun over to him. I mean, Winters can afford a bodyguard, he may be a crime pimp, but he directs kids & adolescents, not people he considers his equal. No wonder he is so easy to threaten like this.

HPD criminal history information MISDEMEANOR arrest/charge information arrest date: XXXXXX ((so august or is that a random number of Xs?)) XX, 20XX 07:27 PM ((so he must have been under 18 in the year 2000, 17 in y2k at the oldest)) - Name: ESPOSITO/JAVIER ((I can't see if there is a middle name)) - Date of Birth: XXXXX X, 19XX ((april or march 1-9)) - Sex: Male - Race: XXXXXX ((Latino)) - Age at the time of the crime/arrest: XX ((10-17 but often they try 17yos as adults)) - Address: 941 E. 11TH ST/NEW YORK, NY 1009 - Fax Number: 5521250 - Place of Arrest: HPDPD, 021 - ((cropped)) Crime: November 6, 1989 ((unless this is the date of the crime so he would be under 18 in '89 at the oldest, so born in what 1972 at the oldest? & 1990 at the youngest if his age was in the double digits by y2k))

the good old days XD XD

Cycle 1 Arrest date XXXX XX 20XX 07:27 PM ((this one has 4 Xs so june & july except I think this implies that the Xs are not relative to the letters in the blackout, at least that is implied since these are both at 7.27pm, they are both the arrest date)) Court Information Court: Criminal Court New York Case Number: 322((cut off)) Initial Report Of Docket Number: XXXX XX, 20XX

November 19, 1989 ((nearly two weeks after the other date)) ASSAULT PL 160.10 Sub 01 // Class C Juvenile // HCIC 1299 RESISTING ARREST PL 160.05 // Class D Juvenile // HCIC 1299 ((transf?))erred To Superior Court November 19, 1989 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION ((of what?)) PL 160.10 Sub 01 // Class C Juvenile // HCIC 1299 ASSAULT PL 160.05 // Class D Juvenile // HCIC 1299

I love how as Joey reads them out loud esposito cringes. We see him cringe just a bit (wrinkle his nose & squint) at resisting arrest but [cringe like: that inhaling hiss between your teeth out of the side of your mouth] at unlawful possession & he shakes his head

Joey straight up: You were a mess ((coming from u tho? ur priors are a mile long according to the show so u can't say much))

JE: Yeah. But it’s all I knew. My dad was gone, my mom was working two jobs. In my neighborhood, you had to do what you had to do to survive. Not everybody made it. ((Yeah man... this story hits & my life wasn't even that bad)) JM: Is this where you tell me to man up and get my act together like you did? ((no pls no)) JE: No. It doesn’t work like that. ((Yes!! Thank you! Yes!)) JE: You need help. ((cringe but true)) For me it was one of my teachers. ((stereotype. But also,,, so true. My baking teacher, the staff in my special needs class, the FNMI guidance counselor, my culinary teachers)) Saw a future in me that I didn’t even see in myself. But it was up to me to make a choice. To pick which road to go down. I talked to your school counselor – ((first of all ew school counselors I know I lucked out but I don't trust em, second consent much? talk to joey first, except he'd say no so idk bro)) JM: What? ((See?)) JE: She’s going to call me if you keep ditching. ((esposito dad moments, I wish we got to see him with Timmy or Tommy or whatever ike's kid's name was)) JM: C’mon, man. JE: And I’m going to call you once a week. Check in. ((Do you do that for Baby Thornton too? y'all should become friends lol, he's only a year or two younger than you. Baby thornton was what? 10? it has been 2 or 3 years since s2? joey is 14? Yeah 13 & 14 is the same age)) JM: *smiles, then nods* JM: All right. I’ll go. ((go where? to school?)) If you agree to get new furniture. ((making a deal, he really is an adolescent, not a child, & esposito treating him like an adolescent, someone worth talking to, is awesome & important, even if he also knows that adolescence is not complete adulthood & he called the counselor w/o talking to joey first)) JE: *scoffs* JM: You can’t get laid on the regular with that junk you have. ((this man made fun of ryan for alley shopping)) I’m just looking out for you. ((who is looking out for whom now?)) JM: *pats him hard on the shoulder* JE: *does the thing he always does when someone touches him: he looks at where they touched & then back up at them* JE, handing Joey his business card: Here. If you need anything, day or night, call me at that number. ((do you not have your phone on silent overnight...? Maybe "at THAT number" is his other cell phone, one that he doesn't turn off at night idk bro)) JM: Okay. (he unbuckles) You’re all right. For a cop. ((lmao what a mood) JE: I know. Now get out of my car. ((see? sometimes you need that roughness. Btw I think this was the first time I noticed the car in my family watch, but I had seen it before on my binge watch. I didn't know if it was esposito's personal car or what)) JM nods to JE, JE nods back, but also in a gesture like "get going now I already told u" & JM leaves. JE smiles & watches to make sure JM gets inside ok.

I like how they closed loose ends with the winters guy & joey.

Ok but I need an episode in the future that shows that these two have indeed kept in contact! Esposito has been half raising two kids now, Ike's kid & Joey, why can't we SEE THEM?

Also uh in my math earlier I said I'd watch 6 episodes per day, well the thing is I didn't watch 6 yesterday I only got five. The first one was the season premier & I watched it earlier.

[suitefinder]

Salon Studios Rental Concept Launches In United States

What is a Salon Studio? A salon studio is a unique concept that allows you to run your own salon, without the hassle or expenses of starting your own business. You have the ability to personalize your salon space to fit your salon’s brand. In a salon studio, you aren’t limited by your salon’s pricing, hours, or products – you are the decision maker and keep everything you make.

Why You Should Join a Salon Studio There are so many benefits to joining a salon studio. From the minimal start-up costs to the salon design flexibility, Suite Finder is the perfect place to start your salon business. Not only will you have the opportunity to escape the drama and politics that comes with a typical salon, but you can increase your income and keep 100% of the profits.

Get Started With Low Start-Up Costs Starting a business can be challenging and expensive. Not only do you need a salon business plan, but you can expect to spend a lot of money on the space and amenities. With Suite Finder, we make it easy and inexpensive to start your own salon. We include the most expensive elements of running a salon such as the cabinetry, wash basin, styling chairs, electrical, water, WiFi, and more. There are so many financial benefits of owning your own salon. Click here to find out how much you could make if you owned your own salon.

Design Your Own Unique Salon Studio Space Your business is unique, and we believe your salon should reflect that. Unlike other salon studio concepts who give you a few salon design options, Suite Finder gives you full freedom to design your space. You can choose the paint color for the walls, hang custom wallpaper, accent your walls with vinyl graphics, and more! We know one size doesn’t fit all businesses. Which is why we have three room options. Our Standard Suite is 125 sq. ft., the Large Suite is 165 sq. ft. and the Double Suite is 250 sq. ft.

Focus on Work – Not Headaches We understand what it’s like to deal with salon politics and drama. In your own space, you can escape the headaches and focus on what matters most – your work and your clients. You can manage your own schedule and have access to your salon studio 24/7. Your guests will enjoy the intimate setting of a salon studio and get the one-on-one attention they deserve. We empower hair stylists, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, massage therapists, makeup artists, and other beauty professionals to take charge of their lives and businesses.

We Care About Your Privacy and Protection At Suite Finder, we care about keeping your equipment and products safe when you aren’t there. Which is why we offer continuous security of each locked salon studio. You will have exclusive access to your studio’s door keys along with 24/7 access with a swipe card entry. Our security camera surveillance runs at all times, to ensure nothing happens within your space.

Ready to start your own business with Suite Finder? Contact us today to reserve your space!

[brian-in-finance]

Actress Drama Series

Patina Miller Power Book III: Raising Kanan “Paid In Full”

Natascha McElhone Halo “Solace”

Caitríona Balfe Outlander “Sticks and Stones”

Shannon Thornton P-Valley “White Knights”

Photo: The Mega Agency

Caitríona Balfe as Claire Fraser

Outlander • S06E07 • Sticks and Stones

Photos: farfarawaysite

Drama Show Writer

Tash Gray Power Book III: Raising Kanan “The Cost of Business”

Toni Graphia Outlander “The World Turned Upside Down”

Rebecca Cutter Hightown “Great White”

Katori Hall P-Valley “White Knights”

Photo: Vivien Killilea

Toni Graphia, Writer

Outlander • S06E06 • The World Turned Upside Down

Photos: farfarawaysite

Women’s Image Awards (WIN)

The Women's Image Awards are an international juried awards show that encourages men and women to create dimensional female media images.

By drawing attention and viewers to witness important and entertaining media, we encourage people to value, respect and honor women and girls.

​WIN is the only awards show that celebrates film and television created by men and women that advances the value of women. Investing in women is a uniquely powerful way to strengthen communities and economies. Gender equity fuels thriving economies; it helps women and their families, expands local economies, spurs economic growth, and widens the talent pool.

Women's Image Network, (WIN), is a 501(c)3 charity which since 1993 has collaborated with advertising agencies, fortune 100 and 500 companies and television networks and movie studios, to create The WIN Awards which honor deserving media and individuals in film, television, advertising, politics and business who promote gender parity through their creativity and leadership.

Women represent 53% of the world's population and make 85% of the purchasing decisions, yet according to the UN Development Fund for Women, women perform 66% of work globally and produce a full half of food globally, but women earn 10% of what men earn and own 1% of global property.

Just nine women lead countries, of the 190 worldwide heads of state.

Women make up 13% of all worldwide Parliaments.

In the corporate world women measure 15% of all workers ranging from C-level jobs to corporate board members.

According to the 86% of films have no female writers and 77% of film critics are male. This makes the movie industry highly imbalanced.

Since 1993 this charity has leveled the playing field for women and girls. Gender equality and women's empowerment are fundamental to our global mission which is also an economic and social imperative. Until women and girls are liberated from poverty and injustice, peace, security, and sustainable development are in jeopardy.

WIN works in concert with research, media advocacy and program implementation to promote gender parity. By celebrating dimensional female media images,WIN advances its mission to see women attain social and economic equality.

Winners Announced Thursday, 10 November 2022

The Win Awards

Remember when Caitríona’s and Toni’s Season 6 work earned them each a Women’s Image Awards nomination?

[justthegreat1]

Get In Line: Cocaine Bear Review

Pictured above is the “Cocaine Bear” poster.

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

So, usually I cover movies that are straight horror, but I decided to do something different and discuss this movie. This movie has an insane premise with an interesting story that inspired the movie. Usually, horror comedies are hit and miss for me, but I decided to give it a watch. Let’s get straight to the spoiler free review and hope no cocaine addicted bears are around.

Cocaine Bear is a 2023 horror comedy thriller directed by Elizabeth Banks who also produced this movie, Produced by Max Handelman, Aditya Sood, Brian Duffield, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller. Cocaine Bear is written by Jimmy Warden, and the soundtrack is done by Mark Mothersbaugh. The cast involves Keri Russell as Sari, Alden Ehrenreich as Eddie, O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Daveed, Ray Liotta as Syd, Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Bob, Brooklynn Prince as Dee Dee, Christian Convery as Henry, Margo Martindale as Ranger Liz, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Peter, Kristofer Hivju as Olaf, Hannah Hoekstra as Elsa, Ayoola Smart as Officer Reba, Aaron Holliday as Kid (Stache), J.B. Moore as Vest, Leo Hanna as Ponytail, Kahyun Kim as Beth, Scott Seiss as Tom, Matthew Rhys as Andrew Thornton, and Allan Henry as “Bear Performer”.

The Plot:

An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge on a Georgia forest where a huge black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine.

Positives:

One positive I have about “Cocaine Bear” is that it knows what it is, and what I mean by that is that it’s a movie about a bear on cocaine, that alone sounds crazy, but they have fun with that premise. The real black bear died on December 23rd,1985 after eating a large amount of cocaine from the containers, the total amount of cocaine that was eaten was 75 pounds which was worth $20 million ($55.6 million, adjusted for inflation).

Pictured above is the ambulance scene from “Cocaine Bear” (2023)

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

The second positive I have about this movie was the dark humor throughout, the reason I loved the dark humor throughout as some of the death scenes are so unexpected and over the top that you can’t just help but laugh. The dialogue was creative and some characters’ reactions to certain situations had me laughing.

The final positive I have about this movie was the cast as they understood the assignment, the acting reminds me of an 80’s b-horror movie. Keri Russell nailed her performance as Sari, and I must give props to the child actors (Brooklynn Prince and Christian Convery.) But this does have some drawbacks which we’ll get to.

Pictured above is the door scene from “Cocaine Bear.”

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Negatives:

One negative I have is the lack of character development. I know it’s not supposed to be taken seriously, but I would’ve enjoyed seeing how each character’s story progresses since they are all intertwined. Another negative I have is that I felt that the movie wasn’t scary enough, I know the real bear died via overdose, but can you imagine how terrifying would it be to have a 500-pound black bear high on cocaine chasing you. I honestly wish they could have played up on the fear factor.

My Overall thoughts:

While this movie has some negatives, don’t let them affect your viewing experience as it’s one of the movies where you turn your mind off and eat some popcorn. If you enjoy campy, gory, and darkly comedic horror movies, this one is for you. But I’m glad that studios are letting directors make the movies they want even if they are based on…as I said before insane backstories. This movie is amazing in its own way with its over the top violence, comedic timing, and action throughout which only increases its re-watchability.

Pictured above is Cokey the bear getting high on cocaine. “Cocaine Bear” (2023)

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Where to watch “Cocaine Bear” (2023)?

Peacock

Blu-Ray and DVD

Digital Retailers.

[philamuseum]

In this massive sculpture by Thornton Dial Sr, who was born on this day in Bessemer, Alabama, the artist created a parable for racial discrimination and exclusion in the United States. Formerly a metalsmith at a railyard, Dial incorporated steel, tin, and wire in this mixed media assemblage. In his work, a group of birds seeks life-giving water as a driftwood alligator lurks below and an eagle, which represents government indifference toward equal opportunity, soars above.

Image: 2019 installation of "The Old Water", 2004, by Thornton Dial, Sr. © Estate of Thornton Dial / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: Stephen Pitkin / Pitkin Studio / Art Resource (AR), New York 

[architectnews]

Brooklyn Bridge Design by DXA studio

Van Alen Institute Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge Competition Proposal, Winner, Design Entry Images

Brooklyn Bridge Design Winner: DXA studio

May 18, 2021

Brooklyn Bridge Competition Entry by DXA studio

DXA Studio wins at the 2021 NYCxDESIGN Awards for its reimagining of the Brooklyn Bridge, NY, USA

The Great Bridge: Path to Equilibrium, Brooklyn, NY:

Honor Presented by Interior Design for The Great Bridge: Path to Equilibrium

New York, May 18, 2021 – DXA studio, an award-winning architecture and design firm based in Manhattan, has been named a winner of the 2021 NYCxDESIGN Awards presented by Interior Design. Its reimagining of the Brooklyn Bridge was recognized as best in the On the Boards: Commercial category announced on May 17th.

The Great Bridge: Path to Equilibrium creates an experience that is more accessible, safe, democratic, and enjoyable for all who visit the iconic structure. DXA studio’s version envisions a future that elevates people over automobiles and reclaims land entangled by roads and ramps for civic use in the form of parks, museums, local commerce, recreation and housing, as well as makes the bridge more accessible to adjacent communities.

“We are honored to receive a NYCxDesign Award for our reimagining of the Brooklyn Bridge,” said Wayne Norbeck, Co-Founder and Partner of DXA studio. “Our vision was to return the span to the type of public space that was originally intended for the millions of pedestrians who cross it every year.” In the design, the upper deck expansion becomes a planted promenade with lanes for tourists and commuters, while the lower deck features six traffic lanes reduced to two for trolleys and emergency vehicles, with the remainder dedicated to public use including bike lanes and planters.

The reimagination of the bridge is the result of a collaboration with Patrick Cullina Horticultural Design + Consulting, Philiip Habib & Associates, and Thornton Tomasetti.

DXA studio was also named a finalist in two additional categories: Building Façade for 215-225 West 28th Street, and Kitchen + Bath for Soho Development (49 Greene Street).

“New York City is filled with amazing projects from a number of really talented studios. Being named a finalist by NYCxDESIGN in three separate categories was a thrill, and it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at our firm,” said Jordan Rogove, Co-Founder and Partner of DXA studio.

Now in its sixth year, the NYCxDESIGN awards honor outstanding projects in major areas of design, from architecture to interiors. Winners and honorees “represent the very best design talent” and will be published in Interior Design magazine.

NYCxDESIGN is a non-profit organization that nurtures, supports, and provides opportunities for New York City’s design sector by organizing and coordinating exceptional year-round activations, amplifying the voices of design through storytelling and promotion, and providing annual grants for local talent and businesses that make New York the design capital of the world.

Previously on e-architect:

Aug 13, 2020

Brooklyn Bridge Competition Entry by DXA studio

Brooklyn Bridge Competition Design by DXA studio, NY, USA

NEW YORK – August 13, 2020: DXA studio, an award-winning architecture and design firm based in Manhattan, has reimagined the Brooklyn Bridge to yield an experience that is more accessible, safe, democratic and enjoyable for all. DXA’s version of the Great Bridge envisions a future that elevates people over automobiles, reclaims land entangled by roads and ramps for civic use in the form of parks, museums, local commerce, recreation and housing, and makes the bridge more accessible to adjacent communities.

In the design, the upper deck expansion becomes a planted promenade with lanes for tourists and commuters, while the lower deck features six traffic lanes reduced to two for trolleys and emergency vehicles, with the remainder dedicated to public use, including dedicated bike lanes and planters.

“The Brooklyn Bridge is an exquisite and inspiring structure that was far ahead of its time when it was constructed,” said Wayne Norbeck, Co-Founder and Partner of DXA studio. “With this proposal we believe that this visionary bridge will be returned to the type of public space experience that was originally intended for the millions of people that transverse the span every year.”

On the upper promenade, the plantings will be comprised of colorful matrices of grasses, wildflowers and woody plants drawn from local ecologies like the coastal plain, riparian corridors and upland meadows — rich communities with compelling arrays of flowers, foliage, fruit and form that, when woven creatively, will engage visitors, birds and pollinators alike.

For the lower deck, several of the existing bridge access ramps and traffic lanes would be closed and vehicular traffic redirected in phases over a period of thirty years, consistent with City initiatives such as the Climate Mobilization Act. Trolleys, elevators and shallow ramps, between levels, and lanes wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and pedestrians will enhance accessibility and mobility. Bicyclists will have dedicated lanes separated from pedestrians, trolleys and emergency vehicles. Finally, different lanes will be provided for tourists and commuters, so that all can simultaneously utilize the bridge for different purposes without negatively affecting one another.

“We have been studying what it means to be a pedestrian in New York City for the past few years, and that research took us back to what the streets used to be like before the automobile took the right of way in the 1960’s, a more vibrant, active and democratic place, a model for the qualities we’d love to see on the bridge,” said Jordan Rogove, Co-Founder and Partner of DXA studio. “All that has happened since we put this proposal together only corroborates this goal, more space to remain safe from the pandemic and meaningful civic spaces and plazas for the voices of the underrepresented to be heard.”

The existing steel on the new outside upper deck walkway will be reinforced and supplemented with additional structural members for increased gravity and lateral capacity. As noted, cross-laminated timber will be used for the external lattice structure as a novel and eco-friendly material, and a nod to the bridge’s pine foundations.

The engineering marvel of the Brooklyn Bridge conceived by John A. Roebling and completed in 1883 was a civic gesture to join streets functioning simultaneously as thoroughfares, markets, promenades and playgrounds, was largely overtaken by the ascendance of the automobile.

This new concept is meant to disentangle the infrastructural knots that currently encumber it and will restore the grandeur of its original design and herald the return of the trolley. The legacy of this balanced restoration and reimagining will utilize materials, technologies and strategies that improve accessibility, civility, equality and enrichment.

The reimagination of the bridge is the result of a collaboration with Philip Habib & Associates, Thornton Tomasetti, and Patrick Cullina Horticultural Design + Consulting. Philip Habib & Associates, who has overseen many of NYC’s most notable development projects such as the Hudson Yards and Riverside South, served as the civil and traffic engineers in order to determine the feasibility of phasing the Bridge’s lane and ramp closures.

Thornton Tomasetti, who has previously worked on hazard mitigation and ramp infrastructure for the East River Bridges, served as structural engineers for both the park conversions and the proposed terminal structures, as well as biophilic design consultants. Finally, Patrick Cullina, who has worked on both the High Line and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, advised on park pathway layouts, planting, and irrigation systems.

About DXA studio

DXA studio is an award-winning design practice that provides a rare balance of expertly crafted design with technical proficiency. Believing in the power of architecture to positively influence the lives of all that engage it, DXA focuses on authenticity, sustainability and innovation in all their projects.

Established in 2011, DXA’s expertise spans the full spectrum of design services and project categories including multi-family and single family residential, commercial, institutional and hotel design. In-depth research and analysis happen prior to design, identifying opportunities to push boundaries and integrate technological advances in building materials, construction, and sustainable strategies. By capitalizing on these discoveries, the site, program and unique opportunities of each project, DXA produces creative solutions and distinctive design work that consistently outperforms expectations.

At DXA studio, client projects begin with an open exchange of ideas and full architect-client collaboration. The client’s program and desires, along with the complexities and context of the site are used to create a conceptual framework. From this process, a design of distinctive identity, clarity, and ingenuity is created.

For more information about DXA studio, please visit https://ift.tt/3yiunah.

Brooklyn Bridge Design by DXA studio

Brooklyn Bridge Competition images / information received 130820

Previously on e-architect:

July 28 &27, 2020

Brooklyn Bridge Competition Entry

Brooklyn Bridge Design by Daniel Gillen, Brooklyn, NY, USA Design: Daniel Gillen image courtesy of designer Brooklyn Bridge Design Architecture competition entry “The Brooklyn Bluff” for the Van Alen Institute’s Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge Competition.

Location: Brooklyn, New York City, USA

Brooklyn Architecture

Contemporary Brooklyn Buildings

Brooklyn Buildings

Pier 5 Uplands at Brooklyn Bridge Park Landscape Design: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates ; Buildings Design: Architecture Research Office (ARO) image courtesy of architects Pier 5 Uplands at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Navy Yard farm image courtesy of architects Brooklyn Navy Yard farm

Brooklyn Bridge photo © Adrian Welch Brooklyn Bridge New York

Carroll House Design: LOT-EK Architects photo : Danny Bright Carroll House Brooklyn

New York City Architecture

Contemporary New York Buildings

Manhattan Architecture Designs – chronological list

New York Architecture News

New York Architects Offices

New York City Architecture Tours by e-architect

WeGrow school Architects: BIG photo © Dave Burk WeGrow school Building

Central Park Tower Building, 225 West 57th Street, Midtown Design: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill architects (AS+GG) image Courtesy Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Central Park Tower Building

Rockefeller Center New York

Guggenheim Museum

Comments / photos for the Brooklyn Bridge Design by DXA studio New York Architecture page welcome

Website: Pier 5 Uplands at Brooklyn Bridge Park

The post Brooklyn Bridge Design by DXA studio appeared first on e-architect.

[elizasvintagemoviesblog]

Montgomery Clift: the untold story of Hollywood's misunderstood star

In a new documentary, myths and assumptions about the Oscar-nominated heartthrob who struggled with his sexuality are replaced with the little-known truth

Jim Farber

 Mon 29 Oct 2018 08.00 GMT

or over 30 years, scripts have floated around Hollywood promising to tell the story of Montgomery Clift, one of the most innovative and handsome actors in history. Tellingly, they’re always pitched under working titles like ‘Beautiful Loser’ and' ‘Tragic Beauty’. Guided by the key biographies of Clift, they reliably parrot a narrative which paints the actor as a startlingly attractive and prodigiously gifted man who, according to one notably overheated tabloid TV show “became a drug-addicted alcoholic living in a self-imposed hell because he had a secret he couldn’t live with”.

That “secret” – that Clift was gay during an impossible era (the 1930s through the 60s) – led many interpreters to conclude that the actor must have led a life riddled with fear and shame. It hardly helped lend nuance to that reading that Clift was a well-known and long-time abuser of pain killers and alcohol, actions which likely sped his death from a heart attack at 45 in 1966. Yet, according to a new documentary, titled Making Montgomery Clift, the star’s substance abuse had nothing at all to do with his sexuality. In fact, the attitudes he and his family held towards his relationships with men were strikingly modern.

The movie, which plays at the LGBTQ movie festival NewFest in New York, refutes scores of oft-repeated assumptions about Clift’s life, from his motivations as an actor, to his relationship with his mother to the characterization of his later years. It also stresses Clift’s crucial role in changing the power balance between actors and studio chiefs in Hollywood, as well as the advancements he brought to film acting. More, it analyzes the new view of masculine beauty he helped introduce to the screen.

To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actor’s archives, as well as to the family’s story, courtesy of a special connection: the doc was co-directed by the star’s nephew, Robert Clift, and his wife, Hillary Demmon. “For us, it seemed there was this big difference between what people thought about Monty in the public sphere and what people that knew him would say,” said Clift. “I wanted to figure out why there was such a difference.”

A deep trove of never-before-revealed evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear. For somewhat mysterious reasons, Robert Clift’s father Brooks taped endless conversations with his famous brother, as well as with their mother and other figures relevant to the story. (The director himself never met his famous uncle, having been born eight years after his death). In one tape made by his father in the 1960s, we hear the star’s mother tell him, with untroubled candor, that “Monty was a homosexual early. I think he was 12 or 13.”

https://youtu.be/4vD1dsBm5K8

“It’s obviously a non-issue for her,” co-director Demmon said. “That’s not what people would expect from a mother in that period.”

Then again, nothing about Clift’s life was expected. Born in 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift was raised like an aristocrat, with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe. While he never excelled at school, his extraordinary abilities as an actor showed early. By 15, Clift made his Broadway debut in Cole Porter’s Jubilee. Over the next 10 years, he earned prominent roles in plays by Tennessee Williams and Thornton Wilder, opposite stars like Fredrick March and Tallulah Bankhead. Hollywood repeatedly came courting, but he put off offers for nearly a decade, even turning down roles in classic films like East of Eden and the co-lead in Sunset Boulevard.

Taped interviews with his brother reveal that the actor felt those roles weren’t quite right for him and he didn’t want to make the wrong first impression. He also didn’t want to sign a contract with a studio, then the only viable way into the business. “He didn’t want the studios to dictate the kinds of roles he would play,” his nephew said. “He wanted to be a free agent, and he did it successfully. The old Hollywood system was breaking apart and he was a major part of that.”

{John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in Red River}

The first role Clift took, opposite John Wayne in Red River in 1948, offered a stark contrast in masculine presentations. Clift detested Wayne’s antiquated male constraints. He also detested the man. “Monty brought a different masculinity to the screen,” said Demmon. “Here was someone who was vulnerable and sensitive - and who actually listened to women.”

He wasn’t the only one who challenged such norms at the time. Contemporaries like James Dean and Marlon Brando also did. Like them, Clift was comfortable with the full contours, and consequences, of his beauty, playing “the object” in a way previously preserved for female stars. He also helped bring a more natural acting style to film. “That’s why his work doesn’t feel dated,” Demmon said.

He advanced a collaborative approach with his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits. “He wasn’t solely an actor,” she said. “He had a holistic view.”

A fellow actor asserts that Clift was equally confident in his sexuality. Jack Larson, famous for playing Jimmy Olsen in the hit 1950s TV series Adventures of Superman, recalled how Clift gave him a full mouth kiss the first time they casually met. “He was not worried [about being gay],” Larson asserts in the film.

Another confidant said “his personal life didn’t bother him”.

{Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun}

Observers also point out that Clift had sexual relationships with women. But, in general, his relationships with men had more to do with sex than with a deep emotional connection. A seeming exception was one in his final years with a man named Lorenzo who had been hired to help him. “They went to London to see Laurence Olivier together, ate together, sat in front of the fire together,” Clift said. “Lorenzo came into the picture when Monty was at his lowest. He got him going again. He still drank, but not as heavily. Lorenzo was one of the reasons.”

Clift asserts that the actor’s use of alcohol and prescription drugs stemmed, primarily, from a near-fatal car accident in 1956. He used them to numb his physical pain. The accident changed his appearance, and many biographers assumed Clift felt ruined by it and, so, drank more. But the documentary notes Clift made as many movies after the accident as before, and that those projects included some of his most acclaimed performances. Ex-lover Larson said in the film that Clift actually preferred his work after the accident to his performances before.

Many of the myths surrounding Clift sprang from two biographies: a salacious one by Robert Laguardia and another flawed work by Patricia Bosworth, titled A Life. The film-makers interviewed Bosworth extensively for the movie, but they contrast her words with old taped conversations she had with the actor’s brother. He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations. While she sounds apologetic, the changes were never made.

As to why Bosworth drew on the gay-self-hate narrative, and why that view took hold, the directors blame the homophobia of the time the book was written, in the 1970s. “The view then about queer people was that they would be inherently conflicted or tormented about their sexuality,” said Demmon. “If you have a story that tracks along that line, that will feel true to people. Which gives that narrative a lot of traction. Now we’re at a historical point in mainstream queer discourse where that story seems less viable.”

Though the film aims to update, and to fairly contextualize, the actor’s story, the directors stress that they don’t want to simply swap one image of Montgomery Clift for another. “We’re not trying to give a definitive version of who Monty was,” added Clift. “Part of honoring someone is being open to that person not being just one, reductive thing.”

source: theguardian

[project-casting]

Los Angeles Auditions: Amazon's "Goliath" is Now Casting Casino Gamblers

Los Angeles Auditions: Amazon’s “Goliath” is Now Casting Casino Gamblers

Goliath starring Billy Bob Thornton is now casting casino gamblers in Los Angeles.

Casting directors are now casting actors, models, and talent to work on scenes filming on May 1st in Santa Clarita, California.

Producers are seeking the following types:

Looking for Men and Women who appear to be ages 30s-60s to portray casino gamblers. No visible tattoos on anyone. Please note, there may be a…

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