#mary Jefferson randolph

[rabbitcruiser]

Thomas Jefferson Day

Thomas Jefferson, a founding father of the United States, was born on April 13, 1743. He held many roles and did much during the formative years of the country, including being the main author of the Declaration of Independence and the country’s third president. He wrote his own epitaph, highlighting what he most wanted to be remembered for: “HERE WAS BURIED THOMAS JEFFERSON AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.”

Thomas Jefferson Day is a legal observance, but it is not a public holiday. A joint resolution approved on August 16, 1937, authorized the President of the United States to proclaim April 13 as “Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday” each year. The following year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Presidential Proclamation 2276 to designate the day. Subsequent presidents have made similar proclamations. In Alabama, Thomas Jefferson’s birthday is officially celebrated on Presidents’ Day, along with George Washington’s.

Thomas Jefferson was born at the Shadwell plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia. His mother, Jane Randolph Jefferson, was from a prominent Virginia family, and his father, Peter Jefferson, was a planter and surveyor. After graduating from the College of William and Mary in 1762, he began studying law. As there weren’t official law schools at the time, Jefferson studied under a Virginia attorney. He began his work as a lawyer in 1767.

He married Martha Wayles Skelton on January 1, 1772. They had six children, but only two daughters lived to adulthood. Martha died in 1782 at the age of 33, and Jefferson never remarried. Besides keeping himself busy with politics throughout his life, he had many other interests, including gardening, architecture, music, and reading.

Jefferson was a member of colonial Virginia’s House of Burgesses between 1769 and 1775. He wrote “A Summary View of the Rights of British America” in 1774, which brought him to a wider audience. It said that the British Parliament didn’t have the right to use authority over the colonies. He was then selected to be a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. During this time, a panel of five was chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence. Of the five, which also included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, Jefferson was chosen to write the draft. It was adopted on July 4, 1776.

In the fall of 1776, Jefferson resigned from the Continental Congress and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, which was formerly the House of Burgesses. In the late 1770s, he drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. It was a notable forerunner to the First Amendment, and Jefferson thought it was one of his most substantial contributions, being important enough to include in his epitaph. After his time in the Virginia House of Delegates, he was Governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1781.

Following the Revolutionary War, Jefferson was part of Congress, which was known as the Congress of the Confederation at the time. He served from 1783 to 1784, and then became Minister to France in 1785, taking over the position that Benjamin Franklin had held. Because he was overseas, he was not able to attend the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

In the fall of 1789, Thomas Jefferson returned to America and became the first secretary of state. He helped found the Democratic-Republican Party, which opposed Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist Party, a party which wanted a strong central government with strong powers over the economy. Jefferson believed in a federal government with a limited role and believed in strong state and local governments.

He ran for president in 1796 and received the largest amount of votes after John Adams, so he became vice president. He ran against Adams again in 1800, and this time beat him. But his electoral vote count tied that of his running mate, Aaron Burr, and it was up to the House of Representatives to declare Jefferson as president. Because of this, the Twelfth Amendment, which stipulated separate voting for president and vice president, was ratified in 1804.

Jefferson served two terms as president and was in office from 1801 to 1809. During his first term, in 1803, he helped orchestrate the Louisiana Purchase, in which the size of the United States doubled with the purchase of land for $15 million from France. Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition, known as the Corps of Discovery, to explore the new land. With this trip, information was gathered about geography, plant and animal life, and American Indian tribes. During his second term, which he secured with over 70% of the popular vote, Jefferson worked to keep the country out of the Napoleonic Wars. He implemented the Embargo of 1807 after merchant ships were getting harassed by France and Britain. It was an unpopular move, though, as it shut down American trade and hurt the economy; it was repealed in 1809. Jefferson did not run for a third term in 1808.

After his presidency, Jefferson retired to his home, Monticello. “Monticello” means “little mountain” in Italian. Indeed the home is located on a small mountain, on the edge of the Shadwell property where Jefferson was born. He had begun clearing the area for a home in 1768. He designed the home and gardens himself, and he continually worked on the house throughout his life. Art and gadgets filled the rooms, and he kept records of everything that went on at the plantation.

During his retirement years, he also helped found the University of Virginia. He helped design both its buildings and its curriculum. He also made sure it wasn’t a religious school and that there wasn’t a religious litmus test in order to attend it.

In 1815, he sold his 6,700 volume personal library to Congress, to replace the books that had been destroyed by the British in the War of 1812, when they burned the Capitol, which housed the Library of Congress at the time. Jefferson’s books became the foundation of what became the Library of Congress’s new library.

Although Jefferson is revered as one of the founding fathers, he is not a man without contradictions and shortcomings. He was a promoter of liberty and wrote “all men are created equal,” but was a slave owner throughout his whole life, during which he owned a total of about 600 slaves. He believed blacks were inferior humans and didn’t think coexistence would be possible if they were free. And although he never remarried after the loss of his beloved wife, Martha, he went on to father more children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. Some of the slaves that were in his bloodline were freed after his death, but most of his slaves were sold.

Thomas Jefferson passed away at Monticello at the age of 83, on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. As if the date of his death wasn’t ironic enough, fellow founding father John Adams died on the same day. Thomas Jefferson died first, but Adams did not know that Jefferson had died, and his last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Jefferson was buried at Monticello. Monticello was sold off following his death to pay debts, but a nonprofit organization acquired it in the twentieth century and it was opened to the public in 1954.

Source

[thegeneralreturns]

IF I ABSOLUTELY HAD TO RANK THEM: The Academy Award nominees for Best Picture

10. Maestro - With its dialogue gaudily written in a style reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood--keeping all of the cadence and none of the wit--kudos must be given to co-writer, co-producer, director and star Bradley Cooper for making a movie about the first great American conductor of classical music that's utterly fucking excruciating to listen to. And as an actor, he doesn't find a character here, getting lost in an impression and hiding behind prosthesis. He did give one of the best performances of 2023, but it wasn't as Leonard Bernstein, it was as Rocket Raccoon. Though I will say this film is impeccably made, and even though he can't make a connection himself, he did a great job in setting up Carey Mulligan to succeed. She gives one of her best performances as Bernstein's long-suffering wife. Bradley Cooper is a wonderful director, and he's a pretty good actor once he gets out of his own way. But could someone who loves him please tell him to step away from the typewriter?

9. The Holdovers - Da Vine Joy Randolph is the front-runner for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. And she deserves it, as the rest of The Holdovers can't keep up with her. Alexander Payne's early-seventies boarding school pastiche is all artifice and cliche (most of the time agreeably so, I'll admit), but when Randolph's school cook starts emotionally cratering in a very real, visceral, uncomfortable way, the movie seems to wake up... only to lull itself back to sleep once the camera is off of her. I have often said that one can only review the movie one is given, but, well, I'd have paid the premium price to go see the movie about Da Vine Joy Randolph's Mary. As it stands, I'm glad I caught The Holdovers on Peacock.

8. Poor Things - If Tim Burton suffered from a permanent hard-on, this is the movie he would make. Yorgos Lanthimos' feminist, socialist riff on the Frankenstein story has a lot of ideas and a ton of jokes that land, only for him to vanish up the prolapsed asshole of his own technique. It feels as though we're assaulted on the quarter-hour with iris shots and fish-eye lenses that seem to serve no other purpose than to inform the audience that this film is capital D Directed. I recommend this movie, don't get me wrong. It's smart, it's hilarious, the sets and costumes are impeccable, and Emma Stone gives an all-time belter of a performance. But it's really frustrating to have all this in the hands of a director that's the equivalent of an eight-year-old who wants us to watch him do cannonballs in the pool.

7. American Fiction - Cord Jefferson's American Fiction was sold as a biting satire of the inherent racial prejudices of the American literary industrial complex, from publishers looking for authenticity to the heaps of plaudits delivered by guilty white readers who want to bear witness to black misery without being told how much they suck for that. But I gotta tell ya, I think Jefferson could have gone farther. He could have been a little bit more vicious, went for blood, because what we're left with a satire that doesn't really seem to be mad at anyone. But the human drama and comedy that exists apart from that? That works wonderfully. Jefferson populated his film with real, loveable people that any audience would want to spend more time with. It's only surprising that Sterling K. Brown got nominated for an Oscar if you haven't seen the movie yet. And Jeffrey Wright's transformation into America's brainy, slightly depressed uncle continues apace.

6. Barbie - It was a cultural juggernaut that made all the money in the world, and spawned enough thinkpieces to choke a team of Clydesdales. Did its admittedly lofty ambitions jibe with its tone and approach? Not always. But did its jokes land? Yes, Barbie was the funniest movie of 2023. But I don't think I can say what hasn't already been said... Except America Ferrera was really good. I'm serious, I saw people get all butthurt about her Best Supporting Actress nomination, but these people couldn't reason their way out of a wet paper bag that was open already. And this isn't even about that monologue, either. Ferrera provided an oasis of plausibility in the middle of all this neon pink madness. Never once does she wink at the camera, or dive in and join the scenery chewing. She's funny, but funny in a real way that provides much needed counterweight to the musical numbers and jokes about Skipper dolls with expanding boobs. If it weren't for America Ferrera's work, Barbie would have been caricatures bouncing off of one another, and any weight this movie has is a testament to her skill. She was given a truly thankless task... Or it would have been, if she didn't get that nomination. Good for her.

5. The Zone of Interest - One does not explain Jonathan Glazer's The Zone of Interest, one can only experience it. A man and his family settle down into their new house, only the man is the commandant at Auschwitz, and the twentieth century's greatest evil is happening just beyond the garden wall. We never venture into the camp itself, we never see what goes on, but for one-hundred-and-five minutes, we hear it. This family idyll is constantly underscored by gunshots, screaming, barking dogs, and the ever-present drone of the crematorium. This is one of the most unsettling experiences I've ever had watching a movie... the first time around. I don't think it would work dramatically for a second viewing. For as much mileage as Glazer gets out of his approach, it's still a gimmick. Not a cheap gimmick, mind you. It's a free-range gourmet gimmick from a place that's hard to pronounce, but a gimmick nonetheless.

4. Anatomy of a Fall - I don't know whether to ding Justine Triet's plug for the website didshedoit.com before even the studio's logo at the beginning, or to commend her for it. It tells us what kind of movie we're in for. A man falls from the balcony of his French chalet, and it's determined that it was either suicide, or he was pushed by his wife, and we spend the next two-and-a-half hours going through interrogations, investigations, re-enactments, and a full-blown trial trying to get to the bottom of a question that we were told at the beginning, through the mention of that website, that we weren't getting an answer to. It's only arrogance if Triet can't pull it off, and she very much does, presenting us with information in a way that leads us to question how we got to our conclusions. I'm usually resistant to movies that try to get us into a dialogue with ourselves, but the answers I got from... uh... me, were quite enlightening. I think it's odd that the Palme D'Or went to a simple courtroom movie, but as far as simple courtroom movies go, it's the best I've seen in decades.

3. Oppenheimer - Those who claim that Oppenheimer glorifies the life of the father of the atomic bomb quite frankly haven't seen it. I have never seen a biopic that holds its subject in such lively, blistering contempt as this one does. Cillian Murphy's J. Robert Oppenheimer is a man blundering towards a scientific breakthrough that will irrevocably worsen the world, and the only one who can't see it is him. Christopher Nolan's usual icy disregard for the people at the center of his narrative mazes comes off, in this case, as a kind of deadpan disapproval of a man who, brilliant though he may be, just can't see the train coming. Geniuses are still just men, only their mistakes are an entire magnitude larger, and virtually unfixable.

2. Past Lives - What a wonderful movie this is. A boy and a girl in Korea separate after her parents emigrate to America, only for them to reconnect decades later in New York, after she's married someone else. But the held breaths and things left unsaid aren't just romantic, but encompass the entirety of both their lives. It's not just about lost love, but lost opportunity, and being a stranger to themselves had one other thing gone different. Boy loses girl, and the realm of possibility winnows down to one for both of them. More than what these people say to each other in Celeste Song's marvelous debut, but what they don't say. What they can't admit to themselves. What they think the other can't take. Past Lives is quiet and delicate, but boy is it powerful.

And the Best Picture of the Best Pictures is...

Killers of the Flower Moon - This is a master working at the height of his powers. This is a top-shelf effort from the greatest filmmaker the United States has ever produced, depicting in minute detail the slow-motion genocide of the Osage people for oil money in the 1920s. At the center of this is Leonardo DiCaprio's Ernest Burkhart; a dimwit roped into this evil by his charismatic uncle, played by Robert DeNiro. It is through the lens of Burkhart that most of this story unfolds; a man whose grief and good intentions and convictions melt away once someone stronger and wealthier than he is tells him to do something that violates them. Now, there are some who recoil at this approach, preferring instead to center more on Ernest's Osage wife Mollie (played in a performance for the ages by Lily Gladstone). And I want it known that I'm sympathetic to this view. The movie they want may very well have been a great one, and it may very well have been better than this one (Hey, anything's possible), but it wouldn't have been this movie, which I wouldn't trade for anything. Mollie Burkart is the kind of character that would be the hero in another film, but Martin Scorsese doesn't make movies about heroes. He makes movies about weakness and failure. Hell, his movie about Jesus centered on a hypothetical moment of temptation. If Ernest Burkart hadn't existed, Scorsese would have had to invent him.

[sporadiceagleheart]

Thursday edits rest In Peace to those old angels Thomas Jefferson Tiller, Mecy Tiller Perdue, John Talbot Hanks, Eleanor “Ellen” Perdue Hanks, John Perdue, Nancy Elizabeth Hanks Lincoln, Thomas Lincoln, Sarah Bush Lincoln, Elizabeth Johnston Hanks, Dennis Friend Hanks, Abraham Lincoln, Rev Henry Sparrow, Lucy Nancy Hanks Sparrow, Mary Eunice Harlan Lincoln, Thomas “Tad” Lincoln, Robert Todd Lincoln, William Wallace “Willie” Lincoln, Edward Baker “Eddie” Lincoln, Mary Ann Todd Lincoln, Powell Waits “P.W.” Ward, Mrs Vera Valentine Ward Beckwith, Warren Wallace Beckwith, Mary Harlan Lincoln “Peggy” Beckwith, Mrs Jessie Harlan Lincoln Randolph, Edward Everett Beckwith, CPT Warren W Beckwith, Robert Todd Lincoln “Bud” Beckwith, Abraham “Jack” Lincoln II, Frank Edward Johnson, Catherine Bodley “Kittie” Todd Herr, Elodie Breck Todd Dawson, 1LT Robert John Randolph Jr., Sophia Hanks Legrand-Lynch, Sarah “Sally” Hanks, John D Johnston, Harriet Ann Hanks Chapman, John Perdue, Captain Abraham Lincoln, Elbridge Gerry, Catherine Gerry Austin, Ann Gerry, Thomas Russell Gerry, Elbridge Thomas Gerry, Thomas Mifflin, Sarah Morris Mifflin, LT John Adams, Jonas Russell Adams, William Byrd II, Jane Byrd Page, COL William Byrd III, Maria Taylor Byrd Carter, Maria Taylor Byrd, Col Landon Carter, Carolianna Carter Hall, Frances Parke Custis Winch Dansie, Frances “Fanny” Parke Custis, Lucy Parke Byrd, Evelyn Byrd, Anne Byrd Carter, William Evelyn Byrd I, Abigail Smith Adams, John Adams, John Walker, Joseph Evan Davis, Samuel Emory Davis, William Howell Davis, Varina Anne Banks Howell Davis, Varina Anne “Winnie” Davis, Margaret Mackall “Peggy” Smith Taylor, Sarah Knox “Knoxie” Taylor Davis, Baby Monster, Aethel McMullen, Laura C Hedgecoke, Little Eva Hedgecoke, Gracie Perry Watson, Wales J. “W J” Watson, Margaret Frances Waterman Watson, Inez Briggs, Anna Glinberg, MANIA HALEF, Louis XVII, Lois Janes, Madame Royale, Marie Thérèse of France (1667–1672), Sophia Hanks Legrand-Lynch, Nancy Lynch Davison, John Potter Davison, Omie Elizabeth Pruitt Davison, James Anderson Davison, Julia Josephine “Jessie” Harlan, John Walker, and rest in peace to Rev. James Cleveland behind the song God is

[chorusfm]

Oscars 2024 Nominations

The 2024 Oscar nominations have been announced. Best Picture American Fiction (Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers) Anatomy of a Fall (Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion, Producers Barbie (David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, Producers) The Holdovers (Mark Johnson, Producer) Killers of the Flower Moon (Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi, Producers) Maestro (Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers) Oppenheimer (Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, Producers) Past Lives (David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, Producers) Poor Things (Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, Producers) The Zone of Interest (James Wilson, Producer) Best Directing Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall) Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) Best Actor in a Leading Role Bradley Cooper (Maestro) Colman Domingo (Rustin) Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction) Best Actress in a Leading Role Annette Bening (Nyad) Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall) Carey Mulligan (Maestro) Emma Stone (Poor Things) Best Actor in a Supporting Role Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction) Robert De Niro (Killers of the Flower Moon) Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer) Ryan Gosling (Barbie) Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things) Best Actress in a Supporting Role Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer) Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple) America Ferrera (Barbie) Jodie Foster (Nyad) Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) American Fiction (Written for the screen by Cord Jefferson) Barbie (Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach) Oppenheimer (Written for the screen by Christopher Nolan) Poor Things (Screenplay by Tony McNamara) The Zone of Interest (Written by Jonathan Glazer) Best Writing (Original Screenplay) Anatomy of a Fall (Screenplay by Justine Triet and Arthur Harari The Holdovers (Written by David Hemingson) Maestro (Written by Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer) May December (Screenplay by Samy Burch; Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik) Past Lives (Written by Celine Song) Best Animated Feature The Boy and the Heron (Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki) Elemental (Peter Sohn and Denise Ream) Nimona (Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary) Robot Dreams (Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé and Sandra Tapia Díaz) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal) Best Documentary Feature Film Bobi Wine: The People’s President (Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp and John Battsek) The Eternal Memory (Nominees to be determined) Four Daughters (Kaouther Ben Hania and Nadim Cheikhrouha) To Kill a Tiger (Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim) 20 Days in Mariupol (Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath) Best International Feature Film Io Capitano (Italy) Perfect Days (Japan) Society of the Snow (Spain) The Teacher’s Lounge (Germany) The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) Best Animated Short Film Letter to a Pig (Tal Kantor and Amit R. Gicelter) Ninety-Five Senses (Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess) Our Uniform (Yegane Moghaddam) Pachyderme (Stéphanie Clément and Marc Rius) War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko (Dave Mullins and Brad Booker Best Live-Action Short Film The After (Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham) Invincible (Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron Knight of Fortune (Lasse Lyskjær Noer and Christian Norlyk) Red, White and Blue (Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Wes Anderson and Steven Rales) Best Documentary Short Film The ABCs of Book Banning (Sheila Nevins and Trish… https://chorus.fm/news/oscars-2024-nominations/

[cucinamoderna]

La Storia del Ketchup: Dalla Cina all'America, un Viaggio Gustoso

Il ketchup è un condimento che tutti conosciamo e utilizziamo regolarmente, ma la sua storia è molto più affascinante e articolata di quanto si possa immaginare. In questo articolo, esploreremo le origini di questa salsa a base di pomodoro, le sue evoluzioni nel corso dei secoli e il suo impatto sulla cucina e sulla cultura.

Le Origini Asiatiche del Ketchup

Contrariamente a quanto si potrebbe pensare, il ketchup ha origini molto lontane dalle coste americane. La sua storia inizia nella Cina meridionale, dove il termine cinese "kê-chiap" significava "succo di pesce fermentato" nel dialetto hokkien della provincia di Fujian. Questa è la traduzione che ci porta alle sue radici più antiche, dove il ketchup era a base di pesce fermentato. Questa deliziosa salsa si diffuse rapidamente in tutto il Sud Est asiatico, trovando terreno fertile in paesi come il Vietnam, la Thailandia, l'Indonesia e soprattutto la Malesia. Fu proprio qui che il termine fu traslitterato in "kecap," prima di fare il grande salto verso l'inglese, diventando il "ketchup" che conosciamo oggi. Ecco perché negli Stati Uniti ancora oggi leggiamo la dicitura "tomato ketchup" per distinguere questa salsa dal ketchup "originale" malese.

Il Ketchup Sbarca in Europa

Il ketchup fece la sua comparsa in Europa solo nel Seicento, ma inizialmente come una salsa a base di acciughe fermentate. Tuttavia, i cuochi europei non persero tempo nel personalizzare questa salsa, creando varianti come il ketchup di noci, di limoni, di funghi e di ostriche. La prima menzione scritta risale al 1727, quando Elizabeth Smiths pubblicò "The Complete Housewife," un antico libro di ricette inglesi che conteneva una ricetta per una salsa a base di acciughe, scalogno, aceto, vino bianco, pepe, scorza di limone, chiodi di garofano, zenzero e noce moscata. Tuttavia, fu solo alla fine del 1700 che i pomodori fecero la loro apparizione nella preparazione del ketchup.

L'Evolutione del Ketchup Moderno

Nel 1812, lo scienziato James Mease creò la prima ricetta scritta di una salsa simile al ketchup moderno. Un decennio dopo, un'altra ricetta apparve in "The Virginia Housewife," un influente libro di cucina del XIX secolo scritto da Mary Randolph, cugina del presidente Thomas Jefferson. Queste prime ricette avevano un sapore molto intenso e piccante, non adatto al grande pubblico moderno. L'evoluzione del ketchup "moderno" fu resa possibile grazie a Henry J. Heinz, il cui cognome è ancora oggi associato a questa salsa. Nel 1876, Heinz iniziò la produzione in serie del ketchup, apportando modifiche significative alla ricetta originale, tra cui l'aggiunta di più aceto e zucchero. Questa intuizione si rivelò geniale, poiché il ketchup dell'epoca era acido a causa dell'uso di pomodori acerbi. L'aggiunta di cipolle e zucchero addolcì la salsa, trasformandola in quella che conosciamo oggi.

Il Ketchup e le Donne di Casa Americane

Il ketchup in barattolo ha avuto un impatto notevole sulla vita delle donne di casa americane alla fine del XIX secolo. In quei tempi, si credeva comunemente che i pomodori crudi fossero velenosi, una credenza che perdurò anche in Europa per molti anni. Di conseguenza, le casalinghe americane erano costrette a cuocere i pomodori per lunghe ore, quasi come per preparare un ragù, poiché si riteneva che la cottura avrebbe neutralizzato il presunto "veleno" contenuto in questo vegetale. La disponibilità di una salsa pronta al supermercato, come il ketchup, rappresentava un'incredibile comodità per le donne di casa di quel periodo.

Il Ketchup in Italia

Contrariamente a quanto si potrebbe pensare, il ketchup non è arrivato in Italia solo con il boom economico del dopoguerra. Questo fraintendimento è dovuto alle leggi di difesa della lingua dai forestierismi introdotte durante il ventennio fascista. In realtà, il ketchup era già presente in Italia, ma era chiamato "salsa rubra." Il nome, che potrebbe sembrare privo di significato, fu creato dai consumatori stessi, grazie a un'idea dei responsabili marketing dell'azienda Cirio. L'azienda torinese importò il "tomato ketchup" in Italia ma non poteva commercializzarlo con il suo nome originale, quindi chiese ai consumatori di ideare un nuovo nome. Alla fine, le scelte ricaddero su "Salsa Vesuvio" e "Salsa Rubra," con quest'ultimo che prevalse per motivi "legali," dato il collegamento con la parola latina "rŭbĕr," che significa "rosso," in riferimento al colore della salsa.

Il Ketchup: Un Gusto da Esplorare

Il nostro rapporto con il ketchup è rimasto ambiguo nel corso dei decenni, spesso legato a uno stile di consumo infantile. Tuttavia, è importante ricordare che si tratta di un prodotto molto complesso nel sapore, che merita una maggiore considerazione. L'industrializzazione ha contribuito all'appiattimento del gusto, ma il ketchup rimane una salsa versatile e amata in tutto il mondo. Quindi, la prossima volta che gustate questa salsa, ricordate la sua affascinante storia che abbraccia continenti e secoli.

[sonofhistory]

Randolph Family

1) Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph (1772 – 1836), Thomas Sully, unknown

2) Thomas Mann Randolph Jr (1768 - 1828), unknown, unknown

3) Ann Cary Randolph (1791–1826), James Westhall Ford, 1823

4) Thomas Jefferson Randolph (1792–1875), Charles Wilson Peale, unknown

5) “Eleanor/a” Ellen Wayles Randolph (1796–1876), most likely a Peale, unknown

6) Cornelia Jefferson Randolph (1799–1871), William Coffee, 1819

7) Benjamin Franklin Randolph (1808–1871), unknown, unknown

8) Meriwether Lewis Randolph (1810–1837), unknown, unknown

9) Septimia Anne Randolph (1814–1887), unknown, unknown

10) George Wythe Randolph (1818–1867), David H. Anderson, 1866

Not Pictured: Ellen Wayles Randolph (1794–1795), Virginia Jefferson Randolph (1801–1882), Mary Jefferson Randolph (1803–1876), James Madison Randolph (1806–1834)

[bloodhive]

Mary Jefferson Randolph would be really into medicine. She likes to talk about it with Ben, even though he’s five years younger. The two of them are very close. She’s a flaming bisexual, and she likes to talk about girls with Cornelia, which often leads to odd games of Smash or Pass. She’s not very good at English, and she doesn’t really like reading or history. But she’s wonderful at science and math, especially biology. 

[schrijverr]

'Till Death Do Us Part

Part 11 out of 13

When Alex has to bring Philip to work, he and Thomas discover that they both have something in common: they lost their love. They form an unexpected bond and connection about this that grows into something more.

A medium burn with parental feelings about Philip and flowers.

On AO3.

Ships: Jamilton

Warnings: brief mention of death and water trauma.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 11: Water Lily Means ‘Purity of Heart’

The first morning at Monticello, Alex woke up by Thomas shaking him: “Hey, darlin’, wakey wakey, sleepy head.”

“Hmm,” Alex looked up, “Hey,” he smiled sleepily as he rolled over, “How’d ya sleep?”

“I slept well, want to get up for breakfast?” Thomas asked, “Pip is already up, heard him patter down the hall a while ago.”

“Oh, did you have to get up?” Alex asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.

“Nah, heard him run into Ma,” Thomas answered, “They’re probably eating by now, so wanna join them?”

“Yeah, yeah,”Alex got up and pulled on a sweater to go with pajama pants, while Thomas put on a tank top and sweats.

They made their way downstairs and saw Philip and Jane sitting at the breakfast table. Philip had a bowl of cereal and Jane a plate with eggs while she nodded along to something Philip was saying, getting closer Alex put together that Philip must have dreamed something.

“Good morning,” he greeted and Thomas also greeted them: “Morning.”

“Hey there,” Jane smirked, “You two sleep well?”

“Yeah, the bed’s really comfortable,” Alex stretched and gave Pip a kiss on the forehead as he walked by: “You sleep well, buddy?”

“I had a dream,” Philip informed him of something he had already a gathered.

“A song to sing?” Alex asked.

“What?”

“Nothing, it’s a song reference,” Alex told him, “What was the dream about?”

“Well,” Philip began as Thomas and Alex did a familiar dance around each other, it might be a different kitchen, but things were easy enough to find, “I was in a castle and there was a dragon and I was going to slay it, but then I realized that Theo was the dragon, so I instead we took the treasure and went to a mountain, but then Theo wasn’t a dragon anymore and you were there, Papa.”

“I was?” Alex grabbed his toast.

“Yeah, you and Da were keepers of the gate,” Phillip said, “Ineeded a password to enter, but it was weird and you two kept talking and we couldn't pass.”

Thomas snorted as he sat down with his breakfast: “That sounds right.”

“But then we were running and there were wolves everywhere,” Philip went on as Alex also sat down, “And at first we thought they were chasing us, but then we were running with them and we were also wolves. And I don’t remember what happened then.”

“Sounds like a busy night. Don’t forget to eat, Pip,” Alex reminded him.

Philip started eating again and Thomas turned to Jane and asked: “How was your night?”

“Same as always,” she waved vaguely, “Nights are boring, I miss them while I sleep. What are your plans for today? The weather’s going to be nice, you could start warming the pool.”

Alex paused with the toast halfway to his mouth and looked at Thomas. The pool had been mentioned during packing, but both had forgotten about it. Philip lit up on the other hand: “There’s a pool? Can I go see?”

He was almost out of his chair when Alex said: “Philip, stop.”

Turning around Philip did as he was told, the unusual tone stopping him in his tracks. He softly asked: “Can I not go see the pool?”

“Philip, I want you to look at me right now and promise me something, okay?” Alex said, waiting for Philip to nod, “You do not go near the pool without Thomas or an other adult with you. Is that clear? Water is dangerous and you can’t swim, so unless someone wants to go with you, you don’t go near the pool.”

“Promise,” Philip pouted, looking to the floor.

“Can you pinky promise?” Alex asked, holding out his hand, “Papa is not trying to be mean, Pip, just watching out for you and sometimes rules are stupid, but necessary.”

“Alright,” Philip interlocked his pinky.

Before an uncomfortable silence could fall, Thomas said: “Lucky for you, kiddo, I wanna swim with you, so dishes to the sink and find your swim trunks. Don’t forget to wash up, alright?”

Philip beamed and quickly set to work doing as he was told, before running off.

“Thomas or an other adult?” Jane asked, having picked up on the wording.

Alex cringed, this was one thing he didn’t want Jane to know out of fear what she would think of him.

“He’s not a water person,” Thomas tried to cover for him.

“You can’t swim?” Jane asked.

“I- I can, I just-” Alex sighed, then deciding to be honest, “I just don’t like the water. There- there was a hurricane when I was seventeen, not much of a swimmer after that. I should be signing Pip up for classes, but, you know, they ask parents to come.”

Jane nodded understanding – as a single parent herself – she was aware of the whispers that could follow you. She said: “I’ll be sure to keep an eye on him. He’ll be safe here.”

“Thank you, he loves it,” Alex told her, “He usually goes swimming with his Auntie Maria, but she’s busy and I don’t want to put that sort of responsibility on her. Besides, I could just sign him up for classes and not get in the water, it’s just-”

“It’s alright,” Jane said.

“It’s just that, maybe you know how it is, but for so long it was just me and people tend to think you’re a bad parent if you’re all alone,” Alex explained, “I didn’t want to send him with one of his Aunties or Uncles. You get looks.”

Jane had already gathered that and her heart ached for the young man with that familiar look on his face. She put a hand on his shoulder and assured him: “You don’t have to take shit from them, but I get it.”

Then Thomas offered: “I can teach him how to swim. I’m a pretty good swimmer and if we get back, I don’t mind going to classes with him.”

“Really?” Alex asked.

“Yeah, darlin’, no problem,” Thomas finished his breakfast, then went to turn on the heating in the pool, before going to see if Philip was getting dressed alright.

Once he left, Alex softly smiled: “You’ve raised him well, I’m so lucky.”

“Glad to hear that,” Jane replied, she knew what the complement meant to both of them and she respected him for it.

They continued to eat breakfast while making small talk and waved at Philip and Thomas as they passed. Philip was clad in his pirate swim trunks and Thomas was carrying a pool noodle.

Alex helped with the dishes, before Jane checked if he was okay with seeing water and they sat down by the pool to watch Thomas teach Philip how to swim. And to the sounds of Thomas telling Philip to make pancakes with his arms and legs, they talked.

It was strange how easy it was to talk to Jane. The way she talked was different to Thomas, less confrontational and more running commentary on things along with vague statements that could be seen as threatening or judgement, but it made Alex comfortable.

Sure, he could talk circles around people, went to law school and had an affinity for literature which had given him a huge vocabulary, but he didn’t like being proper. And Jane allowed him to feel like he didn’t have to be proper, just polite and kind.

When lunch rolled around Philip and Thomas joined them, both still dripping but smiling. Biting into a sandwich, Thomas asked: “When are the others getting here?”

“Randy said he’d be here Wednesday and Mary said she’ll be coming the day after that,” Jane said, as she handed Philip a juice box and asked him: “You’ve been enjoying the pool?”

“Yeah, I can swim for a bit now, but then Da has to come hold me again or I’ll sink, but I can hold my breath very good,” Philip replied, “I also jumped into the pool. Did you see me jump?”

“We did, Pip.”

“It looked very cool, Philly.”

“The water did a big splash and I opened my eyes when I was underwater and everything is blue and shifty,” Pip grinned, “But it does hurt my eyes a bit.”

“Maybe don’t open your eyes too much underwater, Pip,” Alex said, frowning slightly.

“Yeah, if you want to see underwater we have goggles,” Thomas agreed.

“Can I see underwater!” Pip exclaimed.

“After lunch,” Alex told him, all chuckling when Philip started munching on his sandwich at record speed.

When Philip and Thomas got back into the water again, Jane picked up a book, but Alex couldn't bring himself to put his attention fully into something else while Pip was in the water. He trusted Thomas to ensure Philip was safe, but just in case, he kept watching, just enjoying their laughter and the sun on his face.

Alex could see why Thomas had waxed so much poetry about Monticello. It was absolutely beautiful and the atmosphere felt like a Studio Ghiblimovie.

He told Thomas as much when they were sitting on the porch together that night after Pip and Jane had both gone to sleep already. Thomas smiled: “Yeah, running around here made me perhaps a bit snobbier than necessary.”

“Not a city person when you were little?” Alex smirked, watching as Sir Poof jumped on Thomas’s lap and his hand came up automatically to pet the cat.

“Nah, much rather run around in the forest on my own,” Thomas smiled, “Though I can appreciate the anonymity of a city, everyone around here knows each other.”

“Yeah, I can get that,” Alex said, before both fell silent. Looking up Alex saw the stars, he hadn’t seen a sky so clear since he left Caribbean. He pointed at some stars and said: “That’s Lyra, a constellation related to the Orpheus myth.”

“Really?” Thomas raised an arm.

Alex nodded and leaned against Thomas’s side as the arm came to rest around him as he explained: “It’s supposed to be his lyre.”

“Tell me more?” and Alex did until they were nearly falling asleep on the porch.

The next few days passed by in quite a similar fashion, until Randy came. They were waiting for him on the porch like Jane had done for them when a car came up the driveway. Out the car came a young man with a big smile that made Alex think of Thomas, though he lacked eye crinkles. He grinned: “Hi, Ma, Tommy, who’ve you got there?”

“Randy! Still asking dumb questions I see,” Thomas grinned back, hugging the man, now identified as Randy.

“It’s called a hypothesis and it’s actually how you start research,” Randy shot back.

“Yeah, when you talk about plants it is, not people, dipshit,” Thomas told him.

“Could be in Psychology,” Randy smirked and Thomas took a breath to reply.

“Boys, enough, how about instead of squabbling, you actually introduce the people you’re talking about,” Jane interjected, then hugged Randy too, “Hi, sweetheart, how’ve you been?”

“Good, good, Ma,” Randy assured her, then stuck his hand out to Alex, “Randolph, call me Randy, I’m this one’s brother.”

“The youngest and a spoiled shit,” Thomas called out to Alex from where he was getting one of the bags from the car.

“Alex,” Alex introduced himself, “And this here is Philip, my son. Wanna introduce yourself, buddy?”

It seemed like Randy only noticed Philip now. The kid had been studying this new person for a while, and now he said: “I’m Philip, Philip Hamilton, nice to meet you. Are you related to Da? You look like him.”

“Nice to meet you too, kid,” Randy shook Philip’s hand, “I’m Randy and I’m your Da’s brother,” he looked amused when he referred to Thomas as Da, “Which makes me your Uncle, I think.”

“Cool, where did you come from?” Philip said and that was that.

“College,” Randy chuckled,“When did you pick up this kid, he’s great.”

“Around the same time as my boyfriend, don’t corrupt him. Now help with your own luggage,” Thomas handed him a bag.

It was a bit of a bustle to get everyone inside and Randy’s luggage to his room, but soon they were sitting at the table while Philip was playing with some Lego’s in the next room. They had been talking for a bit when Randy said: “So, you’re the mysterious boyfriend I’ve heard about. All sorts of things coming down the grapevine.”

“Randy,” Thomas said warningly.

“No, nothing bad, it’s just that you’ve not been telling anyone but Ma very much, so there has been speculation,” Randy shrugged, “Can’t I get to know the man who stole your heart.”

“You’re like twelve, you have no rights to know anything,” Thomas told him.

“I’m twenty-two and you know that, dick.”

“I didn’t know I was a mystery to your family,” Alex decided to side with Randy just to mess with Thomas, “You’ve been keeping secrets about me?”

“Believe me, it’s for your own good,” Thomas said, “Otherwise you might have the whole household on you. I have two older sisters and they are scary, not to mention the whole army of siblings who can otherwise get you.”

“Now I feel like I should be scared.”

Randy’s ‘you should’ was interrupted by Jane, who told him: “They’re overreacting. Mary and Jane can be a bit protective to the extreme, I know I raised them. They know what to do.”

“Ah,” that wasn’t very comforting, Alex thought.

“You will have nothing to worry about if they like you,” Randy assured him, “So, how did you two meet?”

“Work, actually,” Alex answered, “We work in the same department.”

“You hated me,” Thomas said.

“Lies and slander,” Alex refuted, knowing full well that it was a bit of a lie.

“You once told me that everything I did was bound to be stupid, because it came from a brain so backwards and illogical as mine and then you called me Jeffershit,” Thomas recounted, not at all feeling guilty about throwing his boyfriend under the bus.

“And I might have meant that, but that doesn’t take away the fact that you once referred to me as ‘an idiot lapdog boy, who didn’t know good opinions if it hit me in the face.’ You’re not innocent here and don’t think you can pretend to be,” Alex shot back.

“Maybe so, but at that time you were insufferable,” Thomas pouted, “And you still have pretty shitty opinions on company policy, and in general about stuff like bagels.”

“While you think red velvet cake is not just chocolate cake with food coloring, you’re opinions are also shit,” Alex informed him, “Besides, who the fuck thinks that having separate budgets within the same branch are smart.”

“I do,” Thomas said, before explaining in detail why he did, which of course caused Alex to retaliate.

Randy looked at his Ma and whispered: “There’s another Thomas, I didn’t think people like Tommy existed.”

“It’s strange what a partner can do to a shy kid, you missed that part,” Jane sighed fondly, she remembered who firstgot Thomas talking like that all those years ago. Then she clapped her hands, shutting them up.

“What got you talking?” Randy asked, “Like normal people, I mean.”

Both had the decency to look sheepish, before Thomas answered: “Philip. Alex had to bring him to work one day and it makes you see people differently.”

Alex was glad he hadn’t mentioned what exactly tied them together. Dead spouses wasn’t exactly great conversation material. He just agreed: “Yeah, Thomas is great with kids, never imagined that before I saw him talking with Pip.”

“He seems a good kid, what’s he like?” Randy asked.

“Philip loves drawing and he has a big personality. He’s a talker.”

“He has the last part from Alex,” Thomas interjected.

“Yeah, he has, he has a big imagination and he likes telling stories,” Alex gave Thomas that, his talking had definitely influenced Philip, “I think it’s good for him to express himself.”

Jane was with him on that: “I can definitely see that working. He’s not afraid to talk his mind, has a lot to say, him. Better to let him learn talking and standing up for himself now.”

“Exactly,” Alex smiled, “But what do you do, Randy?”

They talked about Randy’s biology studies, college stories and more until it was time for dinner. Thomas had offered to cook, so he and Alex made shrimp rice.

The next morning was lazy as Philip explored the gardens. At one point he came in and asked: “Papa, I found floating flowers. How do they do that? Don’t they need ground to grow?”

“I don’t know, Pip, maybe we can look it up later,” Alex replied.

“You must be talking about the water lily’s” Randy interjected, “Some plants are made for water, they’re water plants, but they still have roots. I can show you, if you’d like.”

“You’d want that, Uncle Randy?” Pip asked excitedly, already bounding away.

“Yeah, sure, kid, lead the way.”

“Are you sure?” Alex didn’t want to impose on Thomas’s family when he and Philip were still new, “You don’t have to indulge him out of politeness.”

Randy waved his worries away: “I don’t mind, I finally have a nibling while I am old enough to manipulate into thinking biology is interesting.”

“That’s not an ethical motivation, Randy,” Thomas told him.

“I feel like it’s ethically substantiated to want to teach kids about nature, Mr. Nag,” Randy stuck out his tongue.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Thomas called after him, mumbling: “Fucking college making him think he’s so smart. I went to college too, you know.”

“Doing good, mopey?” Alex teased.

“Don’t be mean to me, ‘Lexi,” Thomas pouted, “Not you too, you’re supposed to be on my side here, do you know that?”

“Looks to me like you’re jealous you don’t have all of Pip’s attention here,” Alex wrapped his arms around Thomas’s back, failing in putting his chin on his shoulder, “I had to learn that with all his Aunties and Uncles, sometimes you’re not number one.”

“‘M not jealous,” Thomas turned around in his grip and looked down.

“Sure.”

“Watch it, or I’m calling Laf and telling him he’s again being replaced as the best Uncle,” Thomas warned.

“You wouldn’t,” Alex gasped, scandalized.

“Try me,” Thomas shot back, kissing Alex’s nose.

Alex hummed and didn’t dignify the threat with a response, instead just melting against Thomas’s chest. Thomas replied by resting his chin on Alex’s head and just holding him, swaying them gently in the middle of the kitchen.

They stood there for a while, before they heard Jane call out to them: “Boys, Mary is driving down right now,” before they heard her yell, “Randy, come back here with Philly. And don’t go into those bushes, the roses are new.”

Then they heard the sound of tires on the gravel. They made they way to the porch to see a family van make its way to the house. A woman with lilac braids stepped out the car and opened one of the back doors as she told the two girls in the back seat to go say hi to Mawmaw.

The two girls had matching sun dresses, one in yellow the other in blue and their hair was tied in buns with matching scrunchies.

“Mawmaw! Mawmaw!” they yelled as they came running to the people on the porch.

“Hey there, pumpkins, how was the drive over?” Jane asked, hugging the both of them tightly.

“It was okay, Kitty was being boring though,” the one in blue said.

“I was reading that’s not boring,” the other, probably Kitty, frowned.

“It was for me.”

Kitty stuck her tongue out at that, which the other, probably Francie, graciously returned.

“Come on, ladies. No fighting. I haven’t seen you in forever,” Thomas said, he looked them up and down, “My, my, you two have grown, you’ll be surpassing me the next time I blink.”

That was a fat lie, naturally, since Thomas was obscenely large and the two girls were barely ten, but that didn’t stop them from giggling as they jumped into his arms, squealing: “Uncle Thomas, you came!”

“Heya, girlies,” Thomas kissed both on the cheek, before setting them down.

At that point they spotted Alex and turned to him, both big curious eyes. Francie asked: “Who’s that, Uncle Thomas?”

Thomas smiled and answered: “That is Alex, he’s my boyfriend. He and his son Philip are also staying, isn’t that fun?”

“Hi,” Alex waved to the kids, it wasn’t often that he had to interact with kids outside of Pip and he wasn’t really sure what the expectations were with nieces, since he’d never had any of them.

“You have pretty hair, can I braid it?” Francie asked.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Alex agreed.

“Why are you so tiny?” Kitty asked.

“I- I don’t know, genetics, I suppose.”

“Let’s not all jump on him immediately,” Thomas saved him from two curious children.

“On who should my kids not jump, Tommy?” Mary had finished greeting her mother and getting their stuff to the porch and now finally turned to her brother and who he had brought with them. She extended her hand: “Mary Jefferson.”

“Alex, Alex Hamilton,” Alex shook it, glad to have something to do with his hands for a second.

“I heard Ma mention the name, you must be the boyfriend,” she smiled and Alex noted she had the same perfect teeth as Thomas, along with the full lips.

“Yeah, that’d be me,” Alex huffed out a laugh.

“Ma said you had a kid, bit younger than mine?”

Alex nodded: “Yeah, Philip, he’s six. He was out with Randy exploring the garden,” he looked over to the rose bushes and saw that two figures were moving their way, but they still had a bit to go since it was a big yard, “There they are,” he pointed them out.

Mary looked over and rolled her eyes: “Typical Randy rolling in the dirt like a kid.”

“How have you all been, Mary,” Thomas hugged his sister, it was funny how on her heels she was slightly taller than him, that rarely happened, “Everything alright with the kids?”

“Of course, of course,” she kissed his cheeks, “You? Domesticity suiting you?”

“Surprisingly more than expected,” he replied.

“Are you and Alex married?” Francie asked.

“No, Francie, but we are together,” Thomas explained.

“You can do that?”

“If you want, any relationship that all people involved agree on, can,” Alex said, unable to let the opportunity to teach the girl about queer relationships and concent pass him by.

“Cool,” Francie nodded.

At that point Randy and Philip arrived at the porch. Randy greeted his older sister a bit less warmly than Thomas had, before quickly hugging his nieces and saying hello. The two seemed less enthusiastic about seeing Randy than Thomas, but still excited.

Alex nudged Philip to introduce himself, so he stuck his hand out to the two older girls and said: “Hi, I’m Philip, Philip Hamilton, it’s nice to meet you.”

The two turned to him and said: “I’m Kitty.” “And I’m Francie. You’re tiny.”

“I’m plenty big, just need to grow a bit,” Philip protested.

“Hey now, girls, be nice. He’s younger than you two,” Mary jumped in, before introducing herself to Philip: “Hi, Philip, I’m Mary. I’m Thomas’s older sister.”

“You don’t look older than Da,” Philip said, “He has more lines on his forehead.”

Mary chuckled: “That’s very sweet of you to say, little man.”

Thomas looked to Alex and rubbed his forehead as he mouthed: “Lines?” but Alex just laughed at him and whispered back: “You frown when you read,” at that Thomas frowned, which made Alex laugh again.

“Do you know how to play Ludo?” Francie asked.

“What is that?” Philip asked in return.

“It’s a board game, we can teach it to you,” Kitty smiled, taking his hand.

“Be nice to him,” Mary called after them as they ran away, while Alex yelled: “Play nice.”

Both looked at each other and smiled, before Jane interrupted: “Well, these bags aren’t going to carry themselves into the house, come on.”

Randy and Thomas carried a part of the luggage, while Alex offered to carry the rest so that Jane and Mary could catch up a bit.

On his way back to the seating area, he checked the room the kids had disappeared into and saw the three kids sitting around the board with Pip sticking out his tongue in concentration while the twins were pointing at the board and telling him something.

Entering where the others were he said: “Seems like the kids are getting along.”

“Ah, that’s good, the twins can be a bit much,” Mary replied.

“Well, Pip is used to a bit much,” Alex assured her.

“Big family?”

“Kind of?” Alex replied, “None related, but considered as good as.”

Mary hummed as she nodded. She watched as Alex took a seat, watching him carefully and seemingly sizing him up. Once he was seated, she asked: “What makes you think you deserve my brother?”

“Not you too, Mary,” Thomas whined, facepalming the table.

“I am your older sister and in case you have forgotten I was there when you were a shy anxious highschooler, so sorry for not wanting someone to take advantage of you,” she huffed.

“You almost scared Martha off, I hope you know that,” Thomas told her.

“And the fact that Ididn’t, proved her character,” Mary shot back, not backing down, “So, Alex, tell me.”

Alex had been warned about Thomas’s sisters, so he had been preparing a bit of a speech for this, though he hadn’t expected her to be so upfront about it nearly immediately after meeting him.

“I think I could give you the expected spiel about how I love him and treasure my time with him and hope to take care of him as he does me for as long as he’ll have me,” Alex began, “however, I’m not sure if you’ll believe me, no matter how much I mean every word.”

Mary looked confused, but let him talk.

“So, instead I’m going to be honest and say that it is unknown to me why I deserve him,” he told her, “I have a few things I know. I know I love him, I know he makes me happy, I know I picture my future with him, but I have no control over most things. But I don’t know why I am given that chance to be with him, I just know that I will try to be the best I can, so that one day I am the person that deserves him.”

It was quiet at the table. Alex was sweating slightly and grabbed Thomas’s hand under the table for comfort, which Thomas took and squeezed.

After a while Mary had turned over his words enough to form a verdict. Her impassive face split into a grin: “That’s good to hear, I like honest people.”

Alex let out an audible breath and everyone at the table laughed at him, but he just laughed along. It didn’t feel mean, it was a joyous moment. A family moment.

They found that Alex and Mary actually had a lot in common, both had gone to Columbia University with Alex starting around the timeMary graduated. Both had studied law and apparently they had lived in the same dorm building.

When they had bonded, Mary pulled out some pictures of younger Thomas on her phone, which was Jane’s cue to grab photo albums.

Thomas protested heavily, but he could not escape from the stories of him nearly falling of the podium during graduation or the baby pictures of him in overalls or dressed up as Frodo for his first Halloween with Martha.

He was only saved by the kids coming running in asking for drawing supplies, apparently done with Ludo. So Alex had to get up to go get those for them.

Randy had kept to the background for most of the previous conversation, but he joined in again when they started talking the news and when Jane started to catch up the two of them on the local gossip as well.

They broke off in smaller conversations after that, with Thomas and Randy discussing one of Randy’s courses, while Jane, Mary and Alex were swapping more embarrassing stories about Thomas.

When it was time to cook, Jane got up and stated: “I’m going to start on dinner, there’s a lot of vegetable cutting to be done.”

“I’ll help you, Ma,” Mary got up as well, she got up and turned back to Alex and offered, “Want to help as well, Alex?”

Alex remembered Thomas telling him that Jane inviting Philip to help with the cooking was a huge compliment, so Alex assumed it would be the same for him. He got up and smiled: “Yeah, I’d love to.”

“Great,” Mary sounded like he’d passed a test.

Dinner was served a while later and the three kids came running in, excitement among them as if they had known each other all of their lives, the friend making skill only little kids possessed. They showed off their drawings.

Philip had drawn a dragon on what looked to be Monticello itself, while Francie had rainbows with a pony and Kitty had drawn a dolphin and a boy near a cave like in Hylas, the book she was reading.

Alex noted that all of Philip’s drawing he did had paid off and his drawing was pretty good even compared to the ones of the older girls.

After dinner, Alex and Thomas did the dishes together, before Alex went to tuck Philip in. When he sat on his bed, with Philip fully dressed for bed and ready, he asked: “Have you been enjoying your time here? Are you having fun?”

“Yes, Papa,” Philip answered, “There is so much to explore and the gardens are huge and Uncle Randy showed me all sorts of plants and bugs and Sir Poof is soft even though he runs sometimesand Kitty and Francie are fun and they taught me how to play Ludo.”

“Yeah?”

“Hmhm,” Philip hummed in affirmation, “And Mawmaw Jane makes great food, she gives me cookies, but I’m not supposed to tell.”

“Well, then I haven’t heard a thing,” Alex promised, deciding to let Philip have that.

Martha Washington was a great lady, but since Alex worked for Washington they hadn’t been there often to keep it seperate, while Mrs. Schuyler had enough other grandchildren to only see Philip on parties where she did dote on him too. So, Jane was the closest thing that Philip would have to a grandmother and Alex would let him have the entire experience.

“That’s good, ‘s supposed to be a secret,” Philip said, yawning slightly.

“I’m glad you’re having fun, Pip,” Alex said softly, “Sleep tight.”

Philip grabbed his hand and asked: “Can you tell me a story?”

“Of course. What sort of story would you like?” Alex asked.

“Can you tell me about Daddy, you said he had a big house like this once, did you ever see it?” Philip replied.

Alex remembered the big house, where he had been not even for half an hour before the screaming had driven them away and the miserable look John got when he talked about it.

“I never saw Daddy’s house,” he finally decided on lying to Pip, now was not the time to explain that to him, so he spun a tale, “He told me it was haunted.”

“Really?” Philip asked.

“Yeah, you Daddy fought against the ghost of the painting once,” Alex told him, “Would you like to hear the story?”

Philip nodded quickly and Alex laughed: “Well, it started long ago, before me or your Daddy was ever born, with a man, who bought a painting…”

Alex talked about the man in the painting and the supposed fight John had had with it until Philip had fallen asleep, before he retreated to the opposite room that he and Thomas shared. They had decided to make it an early night after everything and Alex was glad for it, he was exhausted after all the family impressing he had done.

They crawled into bed and were lying next to each other when Alex spoke up: “There seemed to be a bit of a disconnect between Randy and Mary and the twins. Did something happen there?”

“Not really,” Thomas said, “Just that when Randy was born, I was sixteen, but Mary is a few years older, she had already moved on. So, they never really grew up as siblings, me and Randy are closer because we were the only two boys in the family until Mary got married.”

“Ah, I see,” Alex could understand that, “And with the twins?”

“It’s weird to become an Uncle at twelve, never really happened,” Thomas shrugged.

“You think they like me?” Alex asked, rolling into Thomas’s arms.

Thomas kissed the top of his head and replied: “You’re practically guaranteed a spot in the family by now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, Mary is the family sister. Jane might be the oldest, but she’s a business woman, when it comes to finances they listen to Jane, but family- that’s Mary’s area, if she likes you, everyone likes you,” Thomas explained, “Especially since Ma already likes you too.”

“So no more heartfelt speeches,” Alex grinned.

“No more heartfelt speeches,” Thomas promised.

“You’re so fucking lucky the people who would force you to do that from my side already knew you, you bastard,” Alex informed him.

“Yeah?” Thomas asked.

“Jup, you have Angie, Laf and Washington, and maybe Eliza if she thought you were shady, but Angie already vouched for you,” Alex pointed out.

Thomas was quiet, then he said: “Holy fuck, I would have been dead otherwise.”

Alex snorted: “Glad you see your luck,” then snuggled up close to sleep, content in now familiar warm arms.

~~~~~~~~~~

A/N:

Fun Fact: my great uncle taught me how to swim with pancakes, I was also horrible at swimming, but those aren’t really related. Anyway, fuck water and shout out to that time my sister almost killed me by pushing me into the water.

(yall I was so stuck on this that I did a tarot reading for myself to help understand why I was floundering, this chapter was a struggle)

I also want y’all to note how Thomas never told any of his family members that Alex is trans, because that is not his to share. This whole fic is actually a set up for this specific PSA, I tricked you (/joking). Anyways, don’t randomly out your trans friends, it’s shitty to do so.

[victimhood]

Happy Juneteenth with the Freeman family!

The immortal Nile Freeman returns to her family and has a meal with them in communion. They have a meal of hearty mac and cheese, the all-American dish with a Black history.

Mac and cheese was invented by James Hemings, an enslaved chef in Thomas Jefferson’s home who mastered the sophisticated techniques of French classical cooking in Paris, including the operation of a “maccaroni” press. As Monticello’s chef de cuisine, Hemings handwrote his recipes; the ones whose records have survived fried potatoes (French fries), burnt cream (crème brûlée), and “Nouilles a maccaroni” (macaroni noodles). It’s known that he prepared a “macaroni pie” for a White House dinner in 1802. The macaroni recipe turns up topped with grated cheese following its publication in 1845 by Mary Randolph, a Jefferson relative.

Excerpt from Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin

[image description: fanart and highly simplified infographic titled “Mac N Cheese”, with heavily abstracted instructions in three steps. Step 1 is to boil the elbow macaroni. Step 2 is to make the cheese sauce, with milk, cheddar and jack cheese. Step 3 is to bake the dish in the oven. The final dish is enjoyed at a circular dinner table alongside a side dish of vegetables. The characters sit left to right in the order of: Nile’s mother, with her braids done up in a ponytail wrapped on itself; Nile, with her hair braided into a crown then parted into two side braids; Nile’s brother, with his hair done in box braids and tied into a high ponytail so the beaded ends fall over his head. As a piece of fanart this can be taken two ways: within the canon universe where Nile decides to return to her family despite being reported dead, or as a modern AU where Nile is having dinner with her family in regular circumstances.]

[pub-lius]

Can you tell me about James Madison?

Of course! I can talk about Jemmy Mads all day my guy.

So I will be talking mainly about who he was as a person instead of the timeline of his life, since I'll be discussing that more in depth later on. If you're looking more for that, I'd recommend these sources: The Three Lives of James Madison by Noah Feldman or Montpelier's library of information . If anyone else has recommendations or extra information, feel free to add it. Keep in mind, I present my theories based off extensive research as fact, but they could potentially be disproven. I'll do my best to include sources for my claims, but most of them are from the novel shown above.

James Madison was a relatively small man, around 5'4" (162.56 cm). If you hear anything about him being less than 110 pounds (~49.9 kg), that’s not true. He was not THAT underweight. He wore his brown hair pulled back into a queue and powdered white, even when that was highly out of fashion. It was rare to see him wearing any color but black, and he usually looked bored or perturbed. He wasn’t very social, like at all. At his inaugural ball, he is quoted as saying that although he was staying at the event longer, “I would much rather be in bed.”

James was born James Madison Jr. on March 16, 1751, the eldest of twelve children. In the 18th century, this meant that he was expected to maintain the family name in both contemporary society as well as posterity. Consequently, James was given an extensive education. He was educated at local schools until he went to college at the College of New Jersey, now Princeton.

James' college experience was unique for two reasons. The first was that he didn't attend William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, because of his health. It was believed that the humid air of Virginia would do damage to James' fragile health. Also, at Princeton, he was exposed to a much more liberal education than what was expected from William and Mary. Princeton was a Presbyterian university, and as Madison was Anglican (attending the Church of England), he was surrounded by new, different opinions on religion as well as politics.

Fast forward a bunch of time and we find Jemmy in Philadelphia. He was staying in Philadelphia with his new friend, Thomas Jefferson, and was just starting his career in the Confederation Congress (everyone’s favorite group of guys). Jefferson and Madison were staying with the ICONIC Mrs. House, and while they were there, Madison met a young lady named Catherine Floyd, also called Kitty. Jefferson noticed that James kinda liked her, so he started to basically play matchmaker. Well, Jefferson eventually left, and let’s just say, it didn’t work out between James and Kitty. 

Something happened between Madison and Floyd during a gap of time during the summer of 1783. Then, in August, Madison wrote a really dejected, barely legible letter to Jefferson telling him that he got dumped by a sixteen year old. Later, Madison would cross out some of the lines.

“At the date of my letter in April I expected to have had the pleasure by this time of being with you in Virginia. My disappointment has proceeded from several dilatory circumstances on which I had not calculated. [this following part is crossed out] One of them was the uncertain state into which the object I was then pursuing had been brought by one of those incidents to which such affairs are liable... It would be improper by this communication to send particular explanations, and perhaps needless to trouble you with them at any time.”

Jefferson’s response is also important to note, as I believe it says much about their relationship.

“I sincerely lament the misadventure which has happened, from whatever cause it may have happened... Should it be final however, the world still presents the same and many other resources of happiness, and you possess many within yourself... Firmness of mind and unintermitting occupations will not long leave you in pain... No event has been more contrary to my expectations, and these were founded on what I thought a good knowledge of the ground... But of all machines ours is the most complicated and inexplicable.”

The reason I include these excerpts is because I find they are at least partially representative of how James was affected by this rejection, the way he and Jefferson interacted, and how he thought about relationships. 

First, theres how he was affected. In Madison’s future behavior, he seems to care a good deal about his friends’ political perspectives, especially Jefferson’s. For example, when Hamilton was proposing his national bank and Jefferson was opposing it, Madison sided with his closer friend, Jefferson, and opposed the national bank. When Madison was president and less under Jefferson’s influence, he supported the national bank. This is a pattern I noticed, especially between him and Jefferson, but there are several exceptions in which Madison actively voices opposition to Jefferson’s opinions.

Secondly, about how he and Jefferson’s relationship. I will go a bit more in-depth on Jefferson’s part in this in his own post, but this mainly centers around my theory that Jefferson had a narcissistic personality, at the least, (disregard for others’ feelings, unemotional traits, need for admiration, etc). Madison, on the other hand, always wanted to appease those he admired, especially Jefferson, who, for the first part of their relationship, he viewed as a mentor. This created a bit of a one-sided dynamic in their friendship at times. (That isn’t to say their friendship was toxic or ingenuine. They both clearly cared a lot for each other.)

This seems to apply to several other relationships of Madison’s, such as Alexander Hamilton and Edmund Randolph. With both of these men, James disagreed with them politically, but justified their friendship with his maxim that, “friends don’t have to agree on politics!” Well, neither of them remained friends, and though I believe Jefferson played a role in the outcomes of both those situations, I also believe that ended as it did because of the way both parties viewed the concept of friendship.

In conclusion, James Madison was a studious, broad thinking man who valued friendship greatly, often prioritizing his friends’ opinions. There are many other interesting things about him, and I will try to cover as many as possible. I think its important for people to know more about Madison as he played several key roles in the founding of the United States. His politics and philosophies could be thought provoking, and his life experiences may be relatable to some, two things I believe are valuable. Feel free to ask further questions that I didn’t answer!

[avacorradi]

Black people had a bigger influence on fashion than most people realize, and it started back in the 1800’s. Their influence started out after the abolition of slavery. Many black women were employed as seamstresses and needle workers, who made clothes for mostly white, rich plantation owners. As the industry progressed through the early 1900’s, black dressmakers kept up with the latest fashion trends, selling their work to boutiques and department stores. One of the first notable black designers was Elizabeth Keckley, pictured above. Elizabeth was a former slave who became a successful buisness woman using the seamstress skills she learned while enslaved. She moved to Washington D.C. and built a wide reputation as a leading dressmaker, with substantial clients among the white elite. She and her staff created gowns for Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee, wife of later Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Varina Banks Howell Davis, married to Jefferson Davis. What really put her on the map, however, was her relationship with Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of the new President, Abraham Lincoln. Elizabeth joined the White House Staff as Mary’s dressmaker and close friend; this was unheard of, because most black people who visited the White House were slaves and those who worked menial jobs. Elizabeth’s dresses were worn at major social events and photographs of the first Lady. Elizabeth had become well-known among the free black community, as well as among the white elite and was able to cross color lines like few other people of her time.

[rabbitcruiser]

Thomas Jefferson Day

Thomas Jefferson, a founding father of the United States, was born on April 13, 1743. He held many roles and did much during the formative years of the country, including being the main author of the Declaration of Independence and the country’s third president. He wrote his own epitaph, highlighting what he most wanted to be remembered for: “HERE WAS BURIED THOMAS JEFFERSON AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.”

Thomas Jefferson Day is a legal observance, but it is not a public holiday. A joint resolution approved on August 16, 1937, authorized the President of the United States to proclaim April 13 as “Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday” each year. The following year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Presidential Proclamation 2276 to designate the day. Subsequent presidents have made similar proclamations. In Alabama, Thomas Jefferson’s birthday is officially celebrated on Presidents’ Day, along with George Washington’s.

Thomas Jefferson was born at the Shadwell plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia. His mother, Jane Randolph Jefferson, was from a prominent Virginia family, and his father, Peter Jefferson, was a planter and surveyor. After graduating from the College of William and Mary in 1762, he began studying law. As there weren’t official law schools at the time, Jefferson studied under a Virginia attorney. He began his work as a lawyer in 1767.

He married Martha Wayles Skelton on January 1, 1772. They had six children, but only two daughters lived to adulthood. Martha died in 1782 at the age of 33, and Jefferson never remarried. Besides keeping himself busy with politics throughout his life, he had many other interests, including gardening, architecture, music, and reading.

Jefferson was a member of colonial Virginia’s House of Burgesses between 1769 and 1775. He wrote “A Summary View of the Rights of British America” in 1774, which brought him to a wider audience. It said that the British Parliament didn’t have the right to use authority over the colonies. He was then selected to be a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. During this time, a panel of five was chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence. Of the five, which also included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, Jefferson was chosen to write the draft. It was adopted on July 4, 1776.

In the fall of 1776, Jefferson resigned from the Continental Congress and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, which was formerly the House of Burgesses. In the late 1770s, he drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. It was a notable forerunner to the First Amendment, and Jefferson thought it was one of his most substantial contributions, being important enough to include in his epitaph. After his time in the Virginia House of Delegates, he was Governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1781.

Following the Revolutionary War, Jefferson was part of Congress, which was known as the Congress of the Confederation at the time. He served from 1783 to 1784, and then became Minister to France in 1785, taking over the position that Benjamin Franklin had held. Because he was overseas, he was not able to attend the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

In the fall of 1789, Thomas Jefferson returned to America and became the first secretary of state. He helped found the Democratic-Republican Party, which opposed Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist Party, a party which wanted a strong central government with strong powers over the economy. Jefferson believed in a federal government with a limited role and believed in strong state and local governments.

He ran for president in 1796 and received the largest amount of votes after John Adams, so he became vice president. He ran against Adams again in 1800, and this time beat him. But his electoral vote count tied that of his running mate, Aaron Burr, and it was up to the House of Representatives to declare Jefferson as president. Because of this, the Twelfth Amendment, which stipulated separate voting for president and vice president, was ratified in 1804.

Jefferson served two terms as president and was in office from 1801 to 1809. During his first term, in 1803, he helped orchestrate the Louisiana Purchase, in which the size of the United States doubled with the purchase of land for $15 million from France. Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition, known as the Corps of Discovery, to explore the new land. With this trip, information was gathered about geography, plant and animal life, and American Indian tribes. During his second term, which he secured with over 70% of the popular vote, Jefferson worked to keep the country out of the Napoleonic Wars. He implemented the Embargo of 1807 after merchant ships were getting harassed by France and Britain. It was an unpopular move, though, as it shut down American trade and hurt the economy; it was repealed in 1809. Jefferson did not run for a third term in 1808.

After his presidency, Jefferson retired to his home, Monticello. “Monticello” means “little mountain” in Italian. Indeed the home is located on a small mountain, on the edge of the Shadwell property where Jefferson was born. He had begun clearing the area for a home in 1768. He designed the home and gardens himself, and he continually worked on the house throughout his life. Art and gadgets filled the rooms, and he kept records of everything that went on at the plantation.

During his retirement years, he also helped found the University of Virginia. He helped design both its buildings and its curriculum. He also made sure it wasn’t a religious school and that there wasn’t a religious litmus test in order to attend it.

In 1815, he sold his 6,700 volume personal library to Congress, to replace the books that had been destroyed by the British in the War of 1812, when they burned the Capitol, which housed the Library of Congress at the time. Jefferson’s books became the foundation of what became the Library of Congress’s new library.

Although Jefferson is revered as one of the founding fathers, he is not a man without contradictions and shortcomings. He was a promoter of liberty and wrote “all men are created equal,” but was a slave owner throughout his whole life, during which he owned a total of about 600 slaves. He believed blacks were inferior humans and didn’t think coexistence would be possible if they were free. And although he never remarried after the loss of his beloved wife, Martha, he went on to father more children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. Some of the slaves that were in his bloodline were freed after his death, but most of his slaves were sold.

Thomas Jefferson passed away at Monticello at the age of 83, on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. As if the date of his death wasn’t ironic enough, fellow founding father John Adams died on the same day. Thomas Jefferson died first, but Adams did not know that Jefferson had died, and his last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Jefferson was buried at Monticello. Monticello was sold off following his death to pay debts, but a nonprofit organization acquired it in the twentieth century and it was opened to the public in 1954.

Source

[cma-american-painting-sculpture]

Wilson Cary Nicholas, Gilbert Stuart , c. 1805, Cleveland Museum of Art: American Painting and Sculpture

Wilson Cary Nicholas was born January 31, 1761, into a politically powerful family from Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1781, he left William and Mary College to join the Continental Army, in which he commanded George Washington’s lifeguard until it was disbanded in 1783. As a member of the Constitutional Convention, he returned to Virginia to campaign for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in that state, where it passed by a margin of only ten votes. He then served several terms in the House of Delegates before being elected to the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. He became the governor of Virginia in 1814, retiring in 1819 due to poor health and spending his remaining days in the home of his son-in-law, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, President Thomas Jefferson’s grandson. He died on October 20, 1820, and is buried at Monticello, the president’s former estate. Size: Unframed: 72.8 x 59.8 cm (28 11/16 x 23 9/16 in.) Medium: oil on canvas

https://clevelandart.org/art/1992.305

[sporadiceagleheart]

Thursday edits rest In Peace to those old angels Thomas Jefferson Tiller, Mecy Tiller Perdue, John Talbot Hanks, Eleanor “Ellen” Perdue Hanks, John Perdue, Nancy Elizabeth Hanks Lincoln, Thomas Lincoln, Sarah Bush Lincoln, Elizabeth Johnston Hanks, Dennis Friend Hanks, Abraham Lincoln, Rev Henry Sparrow, Lucy Nancy Hanks Sparrow, Mary Eunice Harlan Lincoln, Thomas “Tad” Lincoln, Robert Todd Lincoln, William Wallace “Willie” Lincoln, Edward Baker “Eddie” Lincoln, Mary Ann Todd Lincoln, Powell Waits “P.W.” Ward, Mrs Vera Valentine Ward Beckwith, Warren Wallace Beckwith, Mary Harlan Lincoln “Peggy” Beckwith, Mrs Jessie Harlan Lincoln Randolph, Edward Everett Beckwith, CPT Warren W Beckwith, Robert Todd Lincoln “Bud” Beckwith, Abraham “Jack” Lincoln II, Frank Edward Johnson, Catherine Bodley “Kittie” Todd Herr, Elodie Breck Todd Dawson, 1LT Robert John Randolph Jr., Sophia Hanks Legrand-Lynch, Sarah “Sally” Hanks, John D Johnston, Harriet Ann Hanks Chapman, John Perdue, Captain Abraham Lincoln, Elbridge Gerry, Catherine Gerry Austin, Ann Gerry, Thomas Russell Gerry, Elbridge Thomas Gerry, Thomas Mifflin, Sarah Morris Mifflin, LT John Adams, Jonas Russell Adams, William Byrd II, Jane Byrd Page, COL William Byrd III, Maria Taylor Byrd Carter, Maria Taylor Byrd, Col Landon Carter, Carolianna Carter Hall, Frances Parke Custis Winch Dansie, Frances “Fanny” Parke Custis, Lucy Parke Byrd, Evelyn Byrd, Anne Byrd Carter, William Evelyn Byrd I, Abigail Smith Adams, John Adams, John Walker, Joseph Evan Davis, Samuel Emory Davis, William Howell Davis, Varina Anne Banks Howell Davis, Varina Anne “Winnie” Davis, Margaret Mackall “Peggy” Smith Taylor, Sarah Knox “Knoxie” Taylor Davis, Baby Monster, Aethel McMullen, Laura C Hedgecoke, Little Eva Hedgecoke, Gracie Perry Watson, Wales J. “W J” Watson, Margaret Frances Waterman Watson, Inez Briggs, Anna Glinberg, MANIA HALEF, Louis XVII, Lois Janes, Madame Royale, Marie Thérèse of France (1667–1672), Sophia Hanks Legrand-Lynch, Nancy Lynch Davison, John Potter Davison, Omie Elizabeth Pruitt Davison, James Anderson Davison, Julia Josephine “Jessie” Harlan, John Walker,

[writinghannibal]

Hannibal, what's your favorite way to make mac'n'cheese?

Dear friend,

While you may be more familiar with Kraft's iteration of macaroni and cheese, the earliest iteration of the recipe was recorded in 1769. You have Thomas Jefferson to thank for macaroni and cheese becoming a staple of American cuisine -- he served the dish at a state dinner in 1802. This was simply because he was enamored of pasta based dishes and brought a pasta maker and a number of recipes back with him from France.

The Great Depression is why you have Kraft Macaroni and Cheese now.

Below is the closest approximation to what may have been served by Jefferson, as recorded by Mary Randolph -- Jefferson's son-in-law's sister.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Adapted from Mary Randolph’s The Virginia House-wife and Dining at Monticello

3 cups whole milk 3 cups water 12 oz. elbow macaroni ½ teaspoon salt 2 tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 6 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large pot, bring the milk and water to a boil. Add the macaroni, stir well, and return to a boil; then reduce the heat and cook the pasta until tender (about 8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta but reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the salt to the pasta and blend well.

2. Butter a 1½-quart casserole dish. Place one third of the macaroni in the dish and top with one third of the butter pieces and one third of the cheese. Pour one third of the reserved cooking liquid over the top. Repeat with two more layers of macaroni topped with butter and cheese, drizzling cooking liquid over each layer.

3. Bake casserole, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

[mysticalhearth]

G

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - Broadway - November 24, 2013 (Lanelle's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Jefferson Mays (The D'Ysquith Family), Bryce Pinkham (Monty Navarro), Lisa O'Hare (Sibella Hallward), Lauren Worsham (Phoebe D'Ysquith), Jane Carr (Miss Marietta Shingle), Joanna Glushak (Lady Eugenia D'Ysquith and others), Eddie Korbich (Magistrate/Actor/Mr. Gorby), Jeff Kready (Tom Copley/Newsboy/Actor/Guard), Jennifer Smith (Tour Guide/Newsboy), Catherine Walker (Miss Evangeline Barley and others), Price Waldman (Barber / Detective) A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - Broadway - January 18, 2015 (Matinee) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Jefferson Mays (The D'Ysquith Family), Bryce Pinkham (Monty Navarro), Lisa O'Hare (Sibella Hallward), Catherine Walker (Phoebe D'Ysquith), Barbara Marineau (Miss Marietta Shingle), Joanna Glushak (Lady Eugenia D'Ysquith and others), Eddie Korbich (Magistrate/Actor/Mr. Gorby), Jeff Kready (Tom Copley/Newsboy/Actor/Guard), Jennifer Smith (Tour Guide/Newsboy), Price Waldman (Chief Inspector Pinckney/Newsboy/Actor) NOTES: Bryce's last show before his return in July. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - First National Tour - September 29, 2015 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: John Rapson (The D'Ysquith Family), Kevin Massey (Monty Navarro), Kristen Beth Williams (Sibella Hallward), Adrienne Eller (Phoebe D'Ysquith), Mary VanArsdel (Miss Marietta Shingle), Kristen Mengelkoch (Lady Eugenia D'Ysquith and others), Christopher Behmke (Magistrate/Actor/Mr. Gorby), Matt Leisy (Tom Copley/Newsboy/Actor/Guard), Megan Loomis (Tour Guide/Newsboy), Ben Roseberry (Chief Inspector Pinckney/Newsboy/Actor), Lesley McKinnell (Miss Evangeline Barley and others) NOTES: Beautiful capture of the tour which launched in Chicago. There's tiny bits of washout when the camera is in wideshot due to the spotlights of the stage. Terrific cast and a wonderful tour of this production! A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - First National Tour - April 24, 2016 (SJ Bernly's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: John Rapson (The D'Ysquith Family), Kevin Massey (Monty Navarro), Kristen Beth Williams (Sibella Hallward), Adrienne Eller (Phoebe D'Ysquith), Mary VanArsdel (Miss Marietta Shingle), Megan Loomis (u/s Lady Eugenia D'Ysquith and others), Christopher Behmke (Magistrate/Actor/Mr. Gorby), Matt Leisy (Tom Copley/Newsboy/Actor/Guard), Ben Roseberry (Chief Inspector Pinckney/Newsboy/Actor), Lesley McKinnell (Miss Evangeline Barley and others) NOTES: A great capture of the tour. The cast is solid, and the audience is energetic. There are no blackouts, no obstruction, and no washout. It’s filmed in 16:9, with a mix of wides, mediums, and close-ups. The sound is excellent. Includes curtain call, John and Kevin’s BC/EFA speech, and playbill scans. A+ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Encores! - May 12, 2012 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Megan Hilty (Lorelei Lee), Rachel York (Dorothy Shaw), Aaron Lazar (Henry Spofford), Steven Boyer (Pierre/Louis Lemanteur), Brennan Brown (Steward/Mr. Robert Lemanteur/Gus Esmond Sr.), Stephen Buntrock (Josephus Gage), Simon Jones (Sir Francis Beekman), Deborah Rush (Mrs. Ella Spofford), Sandra Shipley (Lady Phyllis Beekman), Megan Sikora (Gloria Stark), Clarke Thorell (Gus Esmond Jr.) NOTES: Filmed from the back of the balcony. Many heads appear in the frame to start, then when the filmer gets his bearings, the video improves greatly. There are a few times (mostly at the beginning) when the filmer replaces some poor video moments with still shots. These still shots are less than 2 or 3 minutes of the entire show. Overall, a great video, and Megan Hilty is amazing Ghost: The Musical - Berlin - June, 2018 (Rumpel's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Nikolas Heiber (u/s Sam Wheat), Willemijn Verkaik (Molly Jensen), Marion Campbell (Oda Mae Brown), Andreas Bongard (Carl Bruner), Mischa Kiek (Willie Lopez), Nicolas Christahl (Subway Ghost), Klaus Seiffert (Hospital Ghost), Chasity Crisp (Clara), Denise Lucie Aquino (Louise) NOTES: Very Limited trades 3:1 Ghost: The Musical - Broadway - July 28, 2012 (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Richard Fleeshman (Sam Wheat), Caissie Levy (Molly Jensen), Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Oda Mae Brown), Bryce Pinkham (Carl Bruner), Michael Bladerrama (Willie Lopez), Tyler McGee (Subway Ghost) NOTES: Great HD capture of the show toward the end of the run. This is a great capture compared the previous one from March, with the changes that were made from the previews and with the original Oda Mae Brown. Despite what the reviews said, this is one show I thoroughly enjoyed and wish it had a better life on Broadway as it deserved! A- Recording with mostly zooms and a few wide shots. Great views of the effects. A Google Drive link is floating around that contains the wrong VOBs for Act 1-3 and Act 2-2; make sure you get everything! Ghost: The Musical - Hamburg - January 13, 2019 (Closing Night) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Riccardo Greco (Sam Wheat), Roberta Valentini (Molly Jensen), Marion Campbell (Oda Mae Brown), John Vooijs (Carl Bruner), Mischa Kiek (Willie Lopez), Marius Bingel (Subway Ghost), Alex Bellinkx (Hospital Ghost), Enny de Alba (Clara), Tamara Wörner (Louise) NOTES: Poor picture Quality, no zoom but captures all action and great sound Ghost: The Musical - Hamburg - January, 2019 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Riccardo Greco (Sam Wheat), Roberta Valentini (Molly Jensen), Marion Campbell (Oda Mae Brown), John Vooijs (Carl Bruner), Mischa Kiek (Willie Lopez), Marius Bingel (Subway Ghost), Alex Bellinkx (Hospital Ghost), Enny de Alba (Clara), Tamara Wörner (Louise) NOTES: Filmed from first row. Great capture of the full show. Ghost: The Musical - London Workshop - February 13, 2010 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Oliver Tompsett (Sam Wheat), Natalie Mendoza (Molly Jensen), Sharon D Clarke (Oda Mae Brown) NOTES: Proshot, stand and sing performance. Ghost: The Musical - US First National Tour - January 12, 2014 (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Steven Grant Douglas (Sam Wheat), Katie Postotnik (Molly Jensen), Carla R Stewart (Oda Mae Brown), Robby Haltiwanger (Carl Bruner) Ghost: The Musical - West End - October 4, 2012 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Mark Evans (Sam Wheat), Siobhan Dillon (Molly Jensen), Sharon D Clarke (Oda Mae Brown), Andrew Langtree (Carl Bruner), Ivan de Freitas (Willie Lopez), Scott Maurice (Subway Ghost) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame - Berlin - 1999 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Drew Sarich (Quasimodo), Ruby Rosales (Esmeralda), Norbert Lamla (Frollo), André Bauer (Phoebus), Chris Murray (Clopin), Andreas Gergen (The Archdeacon) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame - Berlin - August 14, 1999 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Drew Sarich (Quasimodo), Ruby Rosales (u/s Esmeralda), Norbert Lamla (Frollo), André Bauer (u/s Phoebus), Chris Murray (Clopin) Godspell - Brazilian CEFTEM Production - September 4, 2015 (Papa Rose 2015's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Bruno Fraga (Jesus), Oscar Fabião (John/Judas), Bernardo Dugin, Carol Botelho, Gabi Porto, Giovana Rangel, João Telles, Laura Zennet, Lyv Ziese, Vinícius Teixeira NOTES: Excellent video of this marvelous production. Some heads at the bottom of the screen when it isn't zoomed in, but they only block the actors' feet. Gone With The Wind (Martin) - Palais Des Sports De Paris - 2003 FORMAT:  MKV (HD) CAST: Laura Presgurvic, Vincent Niclo, Sandra Léane, Dominique Magloire, Cyril Niccolaï NOTES: ProShot Grease - 8th UK Tour - October, 2019 (hitmewithyourbethshot's master) FORMAT:  MTS CAST: Will Haswell (u/s Danny Zuko), Martha Kirby (Sandy Dumbrowski), Louis Grant (Kenickie), Rhianne-Louise Mccaulsky (Betty Rizzo), Darren Bennett (Vince Fontaine), Peter Andre (Teen Angel), Jordan Abey (Doody), Ryan Anderson (Roger), Damian Buhagiar (Sonny Latierri), Eloise Davies (Frenchy), Natalie Woods (Jan), Tara Sweeting (Marty), Kevin O'Dwyer (u/s Johnny Casino) NOTES: Shot from the right mezzanine. Has some great closeups, mediums and wide shots. Some heads can obstruct at times, bu don't take away from the action. Audience is really loud and kinda badly behaved. Grease - Grease: Live (FOX Special) - January 31, 2016 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Aaron Tveit (Danny Zuko), Julianne Hough (Sandy Dumbrowski), Carlos PenaVega (Kenickie), Vanessa Hudgens (Betty Rizzo), Jordan Fisher (Doody), Carly Rae Jepsen (Frenchy), Kether Donohue (Jan), Noah Robbins (Eugene Florczyk), Elle McLemore (Patty Simcox) NOTES: TV Special aired on FOX on Jan 31 2016 Grease - Manila, Philippines - August 15, 1995 FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Lea Salonga (Sandy Dumbrowski) NOTES: Quality loss Grease - Second Broadway Revival - July 28, 2007 (Preview) FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Max Crumm (Danny Zuko), Laura Osnes (Sandy Dumbrowski), Matthew Saldivar (Kenickie), Jenny Powers (Betty Rizzo), Stephen Buntrock (Teen Angel), Ryan Patrick Binder (Doody), Daniel Everidge (Roger), Jose Restrepo (Sonny Latierri), Kirsten Wyatt (Frenchy), Lindsay Mendez (Jan), Robyn Hurder (Marty), Allison Fischer (Patty Simcox) NOTES: Good picture and great sound with nice closeups throughout with a head in the way only once or twice for a few moments. Grey Gardens - Off-Broadway - April 30, 2006 (Closing Night) FORMAT:  MKV (SD) CAST: Christine Ebersole ("Little" Edie Beale / Young Edith Bouvier Beale), Mary Louise Wilson (Edith Bouvier Beale), Sara Gettelfinger (Young "Little" Edie Beale), Matt Cavenaugh (Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. / Jerry), John McMartin (J.V. Major Bouvier/Norman Vincent Beale), Bob Stillman (George Gould Strong), Michael Potts (Brooks Sr. / Brooks Jr.), Sarah Hyland (Jacqueline Bouvier), Audrey Twitchell (Young Lee Bouvier) The Grinning Man - West End - March 12, 2018 (Highlights) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Louis Maskell (Grinpayne), Julian Bleach (Barkilphedro), Sean Kingsley (Ursus), Sanne Den Besten (Dea), Amanda Wilkin (Josiana), Ewan Black (Trelaw/Osric), Mark Anderson (Dirry-Moir), James Alexander-Taylor (Mojo), Julie Atherton (Queen Angelica), Sophia Mackay (Mother/Quake), Jim Kitson (King Clarence) NOTES: 1920x1080 YouTube rip. Highlights, filmed at an angle from the second row with some obstructions throughout. Highlights consist of: Act 1, Labyrinth, A World Of Feeling, Only A Clown, Curtain Call. Groundhog Day - Broadway - March 16, 2017 (Preview) (NYCG8R's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Andy Karl (Phil Connors), Barrett Doss (Rita Hanson), Rebecca Faulkenberry (Nancy), John Sanders (Ned Ryerson), Raymond J Lee (Ralph), Andrew Call (Gus), Josh Lamon (Buster), Gerard Canonico (Fred), Heather Ayers (Mrs. Lancaster), William Parry (Jenson), Michael Fatica (Chubby Man), Travis Waldschmidt (Jeff), Joseph Medeiros (Deputy), Taylor Iman Jones (Lady Storm Chaser), Rheaume Crenshaw (Doris), Sean Montgomery (Sheriff), Jenna Rubaii (Joelle), Tari Kelly (Piano Teacher), Vishal Vaidya (Larry), Katy Geraghty (Debbie) NOTES: This is the first preview where the set broke down after about 15 minutes and the rest of the show was performed "concert style". All announcements (both over the speakers and onstage with the director/cast) are included in the video. In Act 2 Overture, The music stops for a second and then restarts. During the mid finale scene which is before when Phil runs around town doing “errands”, Matthew Warchus comes out and informs everyone that they will skip scenes due to the tech issue and just go to the scene of the song where Phil and Rita have their dance and from there.  

Groundhog Day - Broadway - March 20, 2017 (Preview) (NYCG8R's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Andy Karl (Phil Connors), Barrett Doss (Rita Hanson), Rebecca Faulkenberry (Nancy), John Sanders (Ned Ryerson), Raymond J Lee (Ralph), Andrew Call (Gus), Josh Lamon (Buster), Gerard Canonico (Fred), Heather Ayers (Mrs. Lancaster), William Parry (Jenson), Michael Fatica (Chubby Man), Travis Waldschmidt (Jeff), Joseph Medeiros (Deputy), Taylor Iman Jones (Lady Storm Chaser), Rheaume Crenshaw (Doris), Sean Montgomery (Sheriff), Jenna Rubaii (Joelle), Tari Kelly (Piano Teacher), Vishal Vaidya (Larry), Katy Geraghty (Debbie) NOTES: Better capture of the fully working performance than from the first preview vid. Nicely filmed in HD with clear picture and sound; complete show; great video

 Groundhog Day - Broadway - April 1, 2017 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Andy Karl (Phil Connors), Barrett Doss (Rita Hanson), Rebecca Faulkenberry (Nancy), John Sanders (Ned Ryerson), Raymond J Lee (Ralph), Andrew Call (Gus), Josh Lamon (Buster), Gerard Canonico (Fred), Heather Ayers (Mrs. Lancaster), William Parry (Jenson), Michael Fatica (Chubby Man), Travis Waldschmidt (Jeff), Joseph Medeiros (Deputy), Taylor Iman Jones (Lady Storm Chaser), Rheaume Crenshaw (Doris), Sean Montgomery (Sheriff), Jenna Rubaii (Joelle), Tari Kelly (Piano Teacher), Vishal Vaidya (Larry), Katy Geraghty (Debbie) NOTES: Excellent HD capture of the new musical based on the movie. Such an amazing set and Andy gives a terrific performance. The set malfunctioned once and they had to pause and restart the song. Guys and Dolls - Fourth Broadway Revival - March 18, 1992 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Nathan Lane (Nathan Detroit), Faith Prince (Miss Adelaide), Peter Gallagher (Sky Masterson), Josie de Guzman (Sarah Brown) Guys and Dolls - North Shore Music Theatre - October-November, 2012 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Jonathan Hammond (Nathan Detroit), Mylinda Hull (Miss Adelaide), Kevin Vortmann (Sky Masterson), Kelly McCormick (Sarah Brown), Wayne W Pretlow (Nicely-Nicely Johnson), Jamie Ross (Arvide Abernathy), Ben Roseberry (Benny Southstreet), Jessica Sheridan (General Matilda B. Cartwright) Gypsy - West End Revival - 2015 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Imelda Staunton (Rose), Peter Davison (Herbie), Lara Pulver (Louise), Gemma Sutton (June), Dan Burton (Tulsa), Julie Legrand (Electra), Anita Louise Combe (Tessie Tura), Louise Gold (Mazeppa), Billy Hartman (Uncle Jocko), Scarlet Roche (Baby June), Lara Wollington (Baby Louise), Patrick Romer (Pop) NOTES: Note from Blvd-on-Sunset: Two versions exist. One is broadcast by the BBC, has the logo watermark at the top left corner and is being traded at 540p. The other is released by Universal Studios in 1080p on BluRay and can be found on Amazon Prime Video (UK only) Check with traders which version they own.