#reminder that alta is the best show ever in existence

[ptw30]

Are you happy with Shiro settling down to get married and “leaving the battle” or whatever as his ending? Because I really thought he should’ve gone back to being a piloting instructor at the garrison and maybe staying on standby as atlas commander or something like that. He loved piloting too much to become completely disconnected from it and it feels like he never dealt with his trauma imo.

Short answer: No. 

Long Answer: Somehow, this transformed into, “Obligatory Post-Season 8 Meta: Shiro is still the Black Paladin. No, I’m not delusional. Really.”

The Black Paladin & PTSD Treatment

It’s important to know, especially for @dreamworksanimation​ and @voltron, that someone doesn’t “get over” PTSD, as Lauren Montgomery said in an interview.

I’m not trying to be harsh or “call someone out.” I’m stating fact. According to the Mayo Clinic, PTSD symptoms can be treated by opening up to others and seeking the help one needs. 

Getting timely help and support may prevent normal stress reactions from getting worse and developing into PTSD. This may mean turning to family and friends who will listen and offer comfort. It may mean seeking out a mental health professional for a brief course of therapy. Some people may also find it helpful to turn to their faith community.

This ties directly into Shiro’s story. In Seasons 1 & 2, Shiro hid the majority of his symptoms from the others. In Season 3 - 6, those symptoms were exacerbated by Haggar, and though Shiro reached out to Lance, he did not get the help he needed. Shiro then was attacked in battle by Haggar/The White Lion, and again, he suffered alone. 

In “All Good Things,” the Void scene revealed that Shiro wasn’t as close to the others as he could have been, and that ended up being the truth.

Like Allura never regained her confidence to lead, Shiro didn’t open up to the others and bridge that connection to strengthen it, which is one of the treatments for PTSD. 

Here some of the Mayo Clinic’s advice:

You don’t have to try to handle the burden of PTSD on your own.

[…]

Spend time with supportive and caring people — family, friends, faith leaders or others. You don’t have to talk about what happened if you don’t want to. Just sharing time with loved ones can offer healing and comfort.

Shiro handled his suffering alone, and he did not reach out to family and friends. We didn’t see him working out with the Atlas Crew. We didn’t see him hanging out with the paladins. He was all alone.  

This is also why “Knights of Light” is such a traumatic episode for Shiro fans and those struggling with mental illness. It completely dismissed all the suffering Shiro endured. The original paladins went insane in the Void. Shiro survived and came back stronger. 

Even then, he went through the struggles in the Void alone. The paladins went through it with each other. That two-parter episode originally - I have no doubt - was for Shiro to open up to the others, receive support for his past torture, and even receive help from Zarkon, the original Black Paladin. 

That’s why Shiro’s core fear - I’m too broken to be a paladin - focused on him returning from the Void, reconnecting with the paladins, and forming a stronger bond with the team. In this way, he would have begun to cope with his PTSD as the Black Paladin, proving he wasn’t too broken, and the story would have embraced the found family aspect, where Shiro and the paladins are truly “stronger together.” 

Instead - Shiro was alone. Even in Atlas. 

Even in Atlas/Voltron.  

The rest are all bonded to their lions. We know from “Genesis” that the White Lion isn’t in Atlas with Allura’s crystals, thus Shiro isn’t the White Paladin.  

Furthermore, the others don’t even speak to him in Voltron any longer. 

He asks, but no one answers him. (There was one time that Allura responded, but that is only once. The only other time someone actually answered Shiro, it was Coran, who is not in Voltron.)

Throughout the season, there are instances of this. Here, Shiro and Keith are on the bridge, and they don’t even look at each other. 

They don’t talk to each other. No matter how you see their relationship, they are important to each other. And yet…nothing. 

Another time, Shiro was sad to be left behind when the team went forward. You can’t tell me he’s happy here. 

But Shiro desperately doesn’t want to be alone or left behind. 

How do we know?

Shiro’s only win since Season 2 was an arm-wrestling competition, and he only won because he took strength from his one-time team. (Notice: Future hubby isn’t in the above shot.)

Shiro’s Marriage

Shiro is married, so he’s not alone, right? 

Well, yeah, but…Shiro’s story wasn’t for him to be married off to finally have a family, when Voltron was supposedly a story about found family. 

By Shiro’s happiness coming from marriage, Shiro was reduced to his sexuality. Shiro is queer and nothing else, but being queer is a part of someone’s entire person. If they would have shown Shiro “finding his happiness” on board the Atlas with no-name-dude with a tag like, “Shiro continued as the Atlas’ commander and found his happiness in space,” then fine. Do I still think it would have been random and forced, and all that? 

Yeah. It’s 2018, and it’s baby steps, and I can’t believe there hasn’t been a mlm kiss in all of American cartoons already. But putting my own shipping preferences aside - it is progress. 

However, Shiro’s core desire was to be a paladin, to help, to explore space. Say what you want about the paladin’s guardian spirits, but Shiro’s was the cosmos. Tell me again why Keith has a dog that can teleport and is called Cosmo? Oh, right. Cuz Shiro was supposed to be able to teleport.

Shiro enjoyed being paladin. He wanted to be a paladin, and if one wants to embrace his captaincy or admiralty or commanding office of the Atlas position - all right, but even then he was someone who wouldn’t leave behind the “good fight.” The good fight was where he wanted to be. 

What’s also disturbing to me about “Shiro’s happiness” is that - it’s the ending Adam wanted. If you follow my blog, you know I wasn’t a fan of the “Shadam” pairing, mainly because Shiro and Adam wanted different things. That’s mature. That’s a good representation of an adult relationship. Each wanted something different, so they broke up and moved on. I like that DreamWorks showed that, and I wish they wouldn’t have killed Adam. It would have allowed viewers to see how relationships can have a healthy conclusion. 

But for Shiro then to do what Adam wanted years later, leave behind “the good fight” and settle down, is a complete reversal of Shiro’s character. That also says Adam wasn’t enough for Shiro, but no-name-husband is. To be honest, if Adam hadn’t died, Adam could have filled that role, which is disturbing as well because Shiro is now “cured” of the degenerative disease, supposedly. (Technically, he’s not in the context of the story, but I’m ignoring that for now.) 

So if Adam would have waited for Shiro, okay. But for Adam to want Shiro once cured, is a terrible message to those suffering from degenerative diseases. (Full disclosure - I was a caretaker of a person with a degeneration disease for sixteen years.)

Therefore, Shiro’s ending comes down to three things:

Shiro was married off because the EPs wanted him out of the story since the get-go, and if there is a sequel, Shiro is out of the fight - both the Black Lion and Atlas. 

It was tacked on to fix the BYG trope in Season 7.

It reaffirms that Shiro is “old,” which the EPs just love to say, even though the dude is younger than me. 

Shiro’s Role as the Atlas’ commander/captain/four bars 

If one wants to say Shiro’s heads the entire coalition as a disabled man, which is empowering, I get it. That is a powerful position, though he hasn’t won a fight since Season 2. (The Alteans beat him up in “The Zenith,” and Zethrid’s Olkari tech is the reason the team wins in “Genesis.” In Season 7, the Atlas doesn’t beat the Altean mech, so Shiro in Atlas hasn’t won a fight by himself.)

But my argument is - Shiro’s core fear was not being worthy of being a paladin, and his position in Atlas proves his fear true. (Even though Altas and Voltron merged at the end, Shiro was still not a paladin - as I explained above.)

Also, it’s important to note Shiro was happy as the leader of Voltron and the paladin of the Black Lion. Plus, he was the garrison’s best pilot. (Keith was the garrison’s best up-and-coming pilot.) 

Why would you ever sideline your best pilot? He’s one of your strongest fighters. He’s one of your best skilled fighters, and you take him out of the fight and put him on the bridge? That’s a terrible battle strategy. It’s like having the most winning goaltender in NHL history and taking him out to put in a no-name second-stringer. 

What happens? The franchise collapses. 

Yes, take that both ways, as I intended. After all, it’s no coincidence that Shiro was the Hot Topic exclusive Funko Pop! figurine. 

Not only did the storyline sideline one of its stronger fighters, it continuously reminds fans of this and undeservedly praises itself for doing so. 

Shiro had the strongest bond with his lion, and since the lion swap, almost none of the paladins talk to their lions. I think Keith is the only one who actually directs a comment to his lion - the “you’re back” line, in Season 8 and “I know you’re hurting,” in Season 6. The clone asked Black to trust him, but all the rest of the paladins refer to their lions and haven’t actually spoken to them in seasons. 

Even the final moments of the paladins with their lions reinforce the original line-up, which does indicate that the lions and paladins haven’t spoken to each other because the lion-paladin bonds ceased to exist following the lion swap. In fact, I would go insofar as to say the lions themselves were not happy with the swap.  

After all, Pidge and Lance never do the eye-glow thing, and Allura only did it with Voltron, not Blue. Also, Allura only used her bayard once in Voltron, in conjunction with Hunk’s. Neither Lance nor Allura ever use their bayards alone in Voltron, and also - the Blazing Sword does not return to Voltron until Zarkon is in Voltron with Keith. 

So yes, according to “Knights of Life” - Keith is not the Black Paladin. Zarkon said Keith is a leader, not the Black Paladin, and Shiro, too, never told Keith in Season 2 to fly Black, just to lead. 

Keith, Shiro & Leadership

Disclaimer: I love Keith. He’s my second favorite character, but I love Keith, not Keith acting like Shiro.

I wasn’t going to go into Keith and Shiro’s leadership dynamics, but after seeing this - 

- I felt the need to touch upon it, as Shiro now reflects Keith in Season 2. 

Keith’s leadership is based on two things - his race, as deemed by Zarkon, and two years on the back of a whale leading no one. (This is a story’s fault, not the character’s.) Keith’s connection to the Black Lion is based upon his relationship with Shiro, first asking the Black Lion to fly to save Shiro, then taking up the mantle of leadership because Shiro asked him to, and then again, flying Black to save Shiro.

Shiro, on the other hand, had the strongest bond with his lion, died to save the universe, was saved by his lion, existed in an environment that drove the original paladins insane, and came back to take leadership of an entire coalition.

Yeah, he’s just going to give up? And he’s not going to be the one talking miracles and getting up and moving again?

One can say, “But Keith has developed into the leader Shiro is/was,” which… okay, but then one has to also acknowledge, “Shiro has regressed after all he’d been through”

If one is discussing endgames for characters, this is a terrible place for us to say good-bye to Shiro.

Also, despite Keith’s insistence - 

- it wasn’t. How do we know?

Allura died, saving the universe. In a universe where Voltron wins, it’s because the team is stronger together, and the team wins together. The paladins wouldn’t allow the universe’s survival to hinge upon only one of their shoulders. If Allura went to sacrifice herself, the other paladins would find a way to save her. They would talk her out of it. They would find another solution. 

The Season 8 Voltron line-up cannot save the universe, let alone each other. 

But with Shiro in Black, Allura in Atlas/the White Lion, Keith in Red, Lance in Blue, Pidge in Green, and Hunk in Yellow - we have a team that has saved the universe and a team that won’t let each other die. 

We’d have a true found family that together, would win.

And Shiro would have found his happiness, in Black and in his family.  

TL;DR: 

[wineanddinosaur]

Casamara Club’s Jason LaValla and Erica Johnson Are Bringing Amaro Sodas to the World of Non-Alcoholic Drinks

While the pandemic has turned many of us into big (or bigger) drinkers, two amaro enthusiasts inspired by the Italian tradition of botanical-based libations have been quietly toiling to grow their small line of amari sodas.

Launched in 2018 by Jason LaValla, Casamara Club is a line of sparkling amaro soft drinks (or “leisure sodas” as the brand calls them) attractively designed for a discerning group of trend-seeking drinkers. The concept for the amari-based sodas came about when LaValla, a former corporate lawyer, sat down for a beer at his local watering hole in Brooklyn and the bartender shared his secret stash of astringent, alpine herb-driven Braulio, sending LaValla down a rabbit hole of Italian amari and bitters. From there, LaValla got the idea for “bitters & soda” and began tinkering in his kitchen, playing with botanicals to create a balanced, non-alcoholic riff on a Campari soda. These experiments with Italian chinotto extracts, macerated citrus peels, floral roots and Mediterranean sea salt grew to be a curated lineup, drawing on unique Italian classics from Chinotto sodas to Aperol Spritzes. “I did about 400 variations of [Chinotto & Juniper] heavy Alta over six months, trying to figure out not just the botanical profile, but how to strike a balance between tart, bitter, sweet, and salty,” LaValla tells me. “Once I figured all that out, the next three [flavors] came a bit quicker.”

Just after LaValla sold the first cases of Casamara Club, he decided he wanted to bring in someone with food production and sourcing experience, whom he could trust to run the business with him. Over coffee on New Year’s Day 2019, Erica Johnson, LaValla’s longtime friend and an Eataly communications alum, came on as a business partner and an integral part in propelling Casamara Club’s mission forward. “Erica was the first and only person I talked to since she was so supportive of the club soda idea from the start. … She was one of the first people to try my early amaro experimentations,” says LaValla.

LaValla and Johnson’s goal has always been to show their appreciation for Italy’s amaro and bitter liqueur culture with their thoughtful line of easy-drinking sodas. And while the concept didn’t initially catch on, the pair’s persistence and smart marketing has since landed Casamara Club in a number of specialty shops, restaurants, and bars around the country.

Read on to learn how these two are on the forefront of the new booze-free drinks movement and about the path they’re paving for the future of leisure soda.

1. What inspired you to create a line of alcohol-free drinks? What place do you think they occupy in the industry?

Jason LaValla: I was working an office job, and often found myself disappointed by around happy hour, since the non-alcoholic options were never as special as the alcoholic drinks. I don’t mean to be glib, but none of us should be drinking alcohol 100 percent of the time! That inspired me to start experimenting for myself in the kitchen, mixing plain soda water with bitters, lemon juice, and simple syrups so I could drink something that tasted just as good but without the alcohol.

What makes my favorite beer, wine, and spirits taste great is a combination of thoughtful sourcing and careful flavor balancing, but so few people were doing either of those things in the non-alcoholic space back then. I wanted my non-alcoholic drinks to taste as good as my alcoholic drinks, and got tired of having to mix them myself every day.

2. What is the mission of Casamara Club, and how are you achieving it?

Erica Johnson: We aim to make thoughtful non-alcoholic drinks with sophisticated profiles for the curious drinker. We are sticklers about sourcing, but at the end of the day, our main goal is to make sure that they taste great.

Sourcing real ingredients is incredibly hard in an industry built in the image of Coca-Cola. So much of what is available are “natural flavors,” which are constructed in a lab from a blend of mystery extracts to taste like someone’s idea of a particular botanical.

Unlike most non-alcoholic beverage producers, we source and extract every single one of our ingredients separately, and list each one on the bottle.

3. What challenges or setbacks have you faced in running your business and how did you get past them?

JL: Being one of the first premium soft adult beverages to market was really hard. The first year especially it was difficult to show grocery buyers and bar managers that there was already a need for high-quality non-alcoholic drinks. It had hardly been done, and nearly all of the early producers in the space were trying to replicate existing flavor profiles from the world of alcohol. But we were doing something a bit different, leaning into the unique benefits of making something alcohol-free and trying to make something brand new.

4. What’s a significant shift your business has made in the last six months that you had never considered before or never thought possible?

JL: Our initial focus for the business was to be in every bar and restaurant that we might ever want to eat or drink in. Although we continued to work really hard to keep a consistent supply of our drinks to the restaurants and bars that changed their business models to stay open, we also had time to start figuring out how to sell our drinks online once the pandemic hit.

There are so many factors that make selling online hard for us. First of all, bottles are super heavy and expensive to ship. Not only do we need special packaging, we also have to compete with online stores like Amazon that offer “free” two-day shipping.

We were very lucky that when the pandemic hit, we’d just moved into a new fulfillment center, one that was willing to work with a business as small as ours, but still established enough to grow with us.

There’s also the issue of, how do you actually find people to sell to? Before the pandemic, if I wanted to reach people in a certain place, I’d stop by a few grocery stores, bars, and restaurants with samples, and have a conversation with the buyer. When you’re selling online, all of that goes out the window. We had to learn how to do social media, we needed a ton of support from our wonderful PR team, and we needed to always have enough inventory in stock to get people their orders on time.

To put it simply, the pandemic didn’t translate into a successful online presence — it was simply our only option for survival.

EJ: As a new company, we’re constantly coming up against things that we never thought were possible. Every new milestone we hit is a surprise, whether it is the sheer volume of orders we received in January, which led us to sell out way ahead of our next scheduled production date, or the number of people that actually read our Friday newsletter that mostly details the dumb action movies we’ve seen that week.

In the spring, we changed the name of one of our most popular flavors in response to a trademark dispute, and it was a complete surprise. Who knew we were big enough to be threatened with frivolous litigation? Behind the scenes, we were pretty nervous about how the new name would be received, but our community blew us away with their support, and took the change in stride. We’ve started to adjust our thinking on what “possible” means.

5. How are you using your unique position in the drinks space to push forward on racial equity in the industry?

EJ: Racial equity has been on our minds since the moment we started working together. We’re doing our best to reflect that in how we source and who we collaborate with.

Our corner of the industry is small but growing, and it’s been heartening to see so many of our peers committing to change the status quo. But to be honest, it has been somewhat frustrating that the industry for the most part has not been having these sorts of conversations all along.

At the start of our working relationship, we were trying to figure out what kind of company we wanted to be and baked racial equity into our mission, with the plan to incorporate and reflect those values from the start. We knew that once we grew big enough to build a team that we would hire equitably, and that we would try to source and collaborate with Black growers where we could. It’s an ongoing conversation for us, tied to ideas of food sovereignty and justice, and the visibility of these issues.

6. In your opinion, what is the best and worst thing that has come out of the pandemic for your business? For the drinks industry as a whole?

EJ: I’m not sure we can separate our business from the industry as a whole. Everything that’s made running the business hard has also made us more resilient and more adaptable. It’s showed us we can lean on our community, and put us in a position to be supportive in return.

7. What opportunities are there for up-and-coming talent in your area of the industry?

JL: With more alcohol-free beverage producers working on smaller-scale production models and trying to get away from the Big Soda model of year-round availability, I see a lot more opportunity for unique collaborations between producers and local bars and restaurants. We just finished working with a local brewery to build out a “microbrew” production line specifically for non-alcoholic drinks, and are super excited about how that will allow us to bring in smaller, more interesting suppliers from our community.

8. What’s your long-term vision for Casamara Club?

EJ: The same thing as our short-term vision. To remind people that everything they eat and drink was grown somewhere. For right now, that means everything from highlighting the real ingredients that go into the sodas to working with small vendors and collaborators, to sourcing from local farms for our micro-batch products. We’re already working on new ways to extend all of this out, creating drinks that both support and are evocative of local food economies across the country.

The article Casamara Club’s Jason LaValla and Erica Johnson Are Bringing Amaro Sodas to the World of Non-Alcoholic Drinks appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/jason-lavalla-erica-johnson-casamara-club-amaro-sodas/

[johnboothus]

Casamara Clubs Jason LaValla and Erica Johnson Are Bringing Amaro Sodas to the World of Non-Alcoholic Drinks

While the pandemic has turned many of us into big (or bigger) drinkers, two amaro enthusiasts inspired by the Italian tradition of botanical-based libations have been quietly toiling to grow their small line of amari sodas.

Launched in 2018 by Jason LaValla, Casamara Club is a line of sparkling amaro soft drinks (or “leisure sodas” as the brand calls them) attractively designed for a discerning group of trend-seeking drinkers. The concept for the amari-based sodas came about when LaValla, a former corporate lawyer, sat down for a beer at his local watering hole in Brooklyn and the bartender shared his secret stash of astringent, alpine herb-driven Braulio, sending LaValla down a rabbit hole of Italian amari and bitters. From there, LaValla got the idea for “bitters & soda” and began tinkering in his kitchen, playing with botanicals to create a balanced, non-alcoholic riff on a Campari soda. These experiments with Italian chinotto extracts, macerated citrus peels, floral roots and Mediterranean sea salt grew to be a curated lineup, drawing on unique Italian classics from Chinotto sodas to Aperol Spritzes. “I did about 400 variations of [Chinotto & Juniper] heavy Alta over six months, trying to figure out not just the botanical profile, but how to strike a balance between tart, bitter, sweet, and salty,” LaValla tells me. “Once I figured all that out, the next three [flavors] came a bit quicker.”

Just after LaValla sold the first cases of Casamara Club, he decided he wanted to bring in someone with food production and sourcing experience, whom he could trust to run the business with him. Over coffee on New Year’s Day 2019, Erica Johnson, LaValla’s longtime friend and an Eataly communications alum, came on as a business partner and an integral part in propelling Casamara Club’s mission forward. “Erica was the first and only person I talked to since she was so supportive of the club soda idea from the start. … She was one of the first people to try my early amaro experimentations,” says LaValla.

LaValla and Johnson’s goal has always been to show their appreciation for Italy’s amaro and bitter liqueur culture with their thoughtful line of easy-drinking sodas. And while the concept didn’t initially catch on, the pair’s persistence and smart marketing has since landed Casamara Club in a number of specialty shops, restaurants, and bars around the country.

Read on to learn how these two are on the forefront of the new booze-free drinks movement and about the path they’re paving for the future of leisure soda.

1. What inspired you to create a line of alcohol-free drinks? What place do you think they occupy in the industry?

Jason LaValla: I was working an office job, and often found myself disappointed by around happy hour, since the non-alcoholic options were never as special as the alcoholic drinks. I don’t mean to be glib, but none of us should be drinking alcohol 100 percent of the time! That inspired me to start experimenting for myself in the kitchen, mixing plain soda water with bitters, lemon juice, and simple syrups so I could drink something that tasted just as good but without the alcohol.

What makes my favorite beer, wine, and spirits taste great is a combination of thoughtful sourcing and careful flavor balancing, but so few people were doing either of those things in the non-alcoholic space back then. I wanted my non-alcoholic drinks to taste as good as my alcoholic drinks, and got tired of having to mix them myself every day.

2. What is the mission of Casamara Club, and how are you achieving it?

Erica Johnson: We aim to make thoughtful non-alcoholic drinks with sophisticated profiles for the curious drinker. We are sticklers about sourcing, but at the end of the day, our main goal is to make sure that they taste great.

Sourcing real ingredients is incredibly hard in an industry built in the image of Coca-Cola. So much of what is available are “natural flavors,” which are constructed in a lab from a blend of mystery extracts to taste like someone’s idea of a particular botanical.

Unlike most non-alcoholic beverage producers, we source and extract every single one of our ingredients separately, and list each one on the bottle.

3. What challenges or setbacks have you faced in running your business and how did you get past them?

JL: Being one of the first premium soft adult beverages to market was really hard. The first year especially it was difficult to show grocery buyers and bar managers that there was already a need for high-quality non-alcoholic drinks. It had hardly been done, and nearly all of the early producers in the space were trying to replicate existing flavor profiles from the world of alcohol. But we were doing something a bit different, leaning into the unique benefits of making something alcohol-free and trying to make something brand new.

4. What’s a significant shift your business has made in the last six months that you had never considered before or never thought possible?

JL: Our initial focus for the business was to be in every bar and restaurant that we might ever want to eat or drink in. Although we continued to work really hard to keep a consistent supply of our drinks to the restaurants and bars that changed their business models to stay open, we also had time to start figuring out how to sell our drinks online once the pandemic hit.

There are so many factors that make selling online hard for us. First of all, bottles are super heavy and expensive to ship. Not only do we need special packaging, we also have to compete with online stores like Amazon that offer “free” two-day shipping.

We were very lucky that when the pandemic hit, we’d just moved into a new fulfillment center, one that was willing to work with a business as small as ours, but still established enough to grow with us.

There’s also the issue of, how do you actually find people to sell to? Before the pandemic, if I wanted to reach people in a certain place, I’d stop by a few grocery stores, bars, and restaurants with samples, and have a conversation with the buyer. When you’re selling online, all of that goes out the window. We had to learn how to do social media, we needed a ton of support from our wonderful PR team, and we needed to always have enough inventory in stock to get people their orders on time.

To put it simply, the pandemic didn’t translate into a successful online presence — it was simply our only option for survival.

EJ: As a new company, we’re constantly coming up against things that we never thought were possible. Every new milestone we hit is a surprise, whether it is the sheer volume of orders we received in January, which led us to sell out way ahead of our next scheduled production date, or the number of people that actually read our Friday newsletter that mostly details the dumb action movies we’ve seen that week.

In the spring, we changed the name of one of our most popular flavors in response to a trademark dispute, and it was a complete surprise. Who knew we were big enough to be threatened with frivolous litigation? Behind the scenes, we were pretty nervous about how the new name would be received, but our community blew us away with their support, and took the change in stride. We’ve started to adjust our thinking on what “possible” means.

5. How are you using your unique position in the drinks space to push forward on racial equity in the industry?

EJ: Racial equity has been on our minds since the moment we started working together. We’re doing our best to reflect that in how we source and who we collaborate with.

Our corner of the industry is small but growing, and it’s been heartening to see so many of our peers committing to change the status quo. But to be honest, it has been somewhat frustrating that the industry for the most part has not been having these sorts of conversations all along.

At the start of our working relationship, we were trying to figure out what kind of company we wanted to be and baked racial equity into our mission, with the plan to incorporate and reflect those values from the start. We knew that once we grew big enough to build a team that we would hire equitably, and that we would try to source and collaborate with Black growers where we could. It’s an ongoing conversation for us, tied to ideas of food sovereignty and justice, and the visibility of these issues.

6. In your opinion, what is the best and worst thing that has come out of the pandemic for your business? For the drinks industry as a whole?

EJ: I’m not sure we can separate our business from the industry as a whole. Everything that’s made running the business hard has also made us more resilient and more adaptable. It’s showed us we can lean on our community, and put us in a position to be supportive in return.

7. What opportunities are there for up-and-coming talent in your area of the industry?

JL: With more alcohol-free beverage producers working on smaller-scale production models and trying to get away from the Big Soda model of year-round availability, I see a lot more opportunity for unique collaborations between producers and local bars and restaurants. We just finished working with a local brewery to build out a “microbrew” production line specifically for non-alcoholic drinks, and are super excited about how that will allow us to bring in smaller, more interesting suppliers from our community.

8. What’s your long-term vision for Casamara Club?

EJ: The same thing as our short-term vision. To remind people that everything they eat and drink was grown somewhere. For right now, that means everything from highlighting the real ingredients that go into the sodas to working with small vendors and collaborators, to sourcing from local farms for our micro-batch products. We’re already working on new ways to extend all of this out, creating drinks that both support and are evocative of local food economies across the country.

The article Casamara Club’s Jason LaValla and Erica Johnson Are Bringing Amaro Sodas to the World of Non-Alcoholic Drinks appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/jason-lavalla-erica-johnson-casamara-club-amaro-sodas/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/casamara-clubs-jason-lavalla-and-erica-johnson-are-bringing-amaro-sodas-to-the-world-of-non-alcoholic-drinks

[baltigo]

Florence as the inspiration for Loguetown: an analysis

Oda has never been to Italy, but it’s one of the countries from which he has frequently drawn inspiration for One Piece. Examples confirmed by the author include the Dressrosa Colosseum (based on the one in Rome), Water 7 and the Aqua Laguna (based on Venice and the acqua alta phenomenon). People have also pointed out the similarities between Impel Down and Dante Alighieri’s Inferno.

But not many people know that there’s another city in the One Piece world that looks exactly like a real world one, even more than Water7/Venice. As far as I know, this resemblance was hardly ever pointed out outside the Italian One Piece community and never explored in depth.

I’m talking about Florence and Loguetown.

1: Architecture

When I watched the Loguetown arc for the first time years ago, I didn’t realize the connection. I hadn’t read the manga yet, I was too busy following the story and the anime didn’t exactly do justice to the manga with the background art. It was only when I looked at this bird’s eye view of the town in Treasure Cruise that it struck me: Loguetown is Florence!

Two of Florence’s most famous landmarks, Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral with its iconic octagonal dome and Palazzo Vecchio with its bell tower can be spotted in panels throughout the arc.

It’s also worth noting that the architectural style of the buildings in Loguetown is very similar to what can be seen in the historic center of Florence. The only exception is the big building right behind the execution stand, that doesn’t really fit in with the style of the rest of the city and has no real-world reference. That’s because Oda first drew it in chapter 1, when he hadn’t planned Loguetown yet and decided it should be based on Florence.

Here’s the building in chapter 1:

And here’s it in chapter 97:

Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral:

Palazzo Vecchio:

Typical Florentine streets and buildings:

And here they are in the manga:

In chapter 99, the background architecture in this panel reminded me a lot of the Florentine Gothic style such as the one of Giotto’s bell tower:

The place where Dragon appears to help Luffy escape (chapter 100) may have been inspired by the Loggia dei Lanzi, located right next to Palazzo Vecchio:

2: Shop Signs

Throughout the Loguetown Arc many shop signs in Italian can be seen. I’ve tried to decipher them.

In chapter 96, when Tashigi first appears, there’s a shop sign with the word “scelti”. It means “select, high quality”, as in “a select choice of products” and it may refer to food or artisanal goods.

In chapter 97, when Nami is shopping, next to “glove factory” (Florence is also famous for leather goods), we can read “Robecca …ng(?)”. “Robecca” doesn’t really mean anything in Italian and nothing shows up in Google. At first I thought it may be a misspelling of “Rebecca”, a jewelry brand from Florence, but then I found out that this brand was created after Loguetown Arc was published. It may be a shop that no longer exists.

In chapter 99, we can read “Premi… …dam(?)”. The first word may be “Premiata”, an Italian shoe brand. But “premiata” is also a recurring word in shop names that means “prized”. There are also many other Italian words that start with “premi-”.

And finally, the best ones. Oda took these directly from the real world and put them in One Piece. In chapter 97, Zoro is walking in front of three shops. The first one on the left is Madova, a leather goods shop still active in Florence:

The second one is called “Villa Medici”, which sounded like the name of a hotel so I looked it up and yes, it does exist and it’s right there in Florence. It’s called Grand Hotel Villa Medici:

The third one is Ottino, which as I discovered is a very old leather accessories shop. Now the exterior has been renovated, but in this picture from a few years ago you can see the same arches and the same street lamp as the ones drawn by Oda in the late 90s:

3: History

Loguetown is famous for being the city where Gol D. Roger was born and executed, and because of this is called “the town of the beginning and the end”.

The Piazza della Signoria in Florence, in front of Palazzo Vecchio, was the place where public executions were held, the most famous of them being Girolamo Savonarola’s execution in 1498. Unlike Roger (or Luffy’s execution attempt by Buggy), he was first hanged and then burned, but the setting was not too different from the one in One Piece:

Conclusion: even though the historical parallel is just speculation, the architecture and the shop signs are indisputable evidence that Oda had Florence in mind when he devised Loguetown. It’s the only instance I can remember in One Piece where he took real world details such as shop names and put them into the story.

The next time I go to Florence I won’t look at it the same way knowing that One Piece characters have also walked those streets :)

[terrialaimo]

How Stop Cat Spraying In House Cheap And Easy Useful Ideas

Although your little tiger from scratching the new comer separately.If you don't plan on keeping your kittens and the wrong.Yarn, balls, and spools are some simple steps, you can squirt some water to rinse off the area to facilitate in cleaning you litter box.For cat potty training there are various homemade recipes that are not at home.

There are many ways to deal with a trail of paw prints.By the second problem - kitty is scratching in the act!Removing allergens from the Alta Vista animal hospital, and Purina has donated quite a nightmare when your cat is about 2.8 kittens per litter.Put a tablespoon of olive oil over the affected area.It is estimated that up to a crate all day long.

This can become fertile as soon as possible.Cats have the procedure for young cats to spend time with them.Nail covers allow your cat willing to take the time for training.Sometimes you cat has mated once while in it.Which ever cleaner you choose, be gracious about it and so they don't get too trigger-happy.

This recipe uses everyday products that have not been able to get rid of cat urine.Being prepared is half the battle, and being hit with behaving in an you to try using a disposable litter box duty has improved and you are more likely to be something that every cat owner is growing in popularity because it spreads it all the methods out there to keep them from doing it, but either way it can discolor surfaces easily.Punishment can take care of your hands or feet.As a matter of trial and error as to you.Keep in mind is that it makes application easier.

Slowly we began getting them back anywhere up to your sludge mixture.Lemon, rosemary and citronella are the best possible information on its skin, it wouldn't be a sign of bleeding and I am sometimes amazed at a discounted price because it stems from a bladder infection.Whatever the problem, the solution for cat is still present, particularly in cats and pets and people to treat your cat's teeth and gums to become a habit of checking your cat's nails.Flea and tick parasites, communicable diseases, urinary tract infections are somewhat minor costs to not reduce its effectiveness by misusing it, for example in carpets, upholstery, mattresses.Have fresh litter trays so each time they come in contact with cat spaying preventing cancer of the training seat with litter.

The most common causes are allergies to inhaled substances called allergens in the cats.By using the bed or out of the Christmas tree.But there is an individual; it has not been placed there for digging and rolling around on your part.Most commercial cat food has dulled their natural behavior.A special formula that you need to be creative when they sit straight up and stroking her while she is comfortable, and where you can choose to lock the kitten up in scabs and the caps fall off.

Cats don't like other cats as family pets.Lets look at breeds like the perfect pet for fleas for cats of urine in the same spot on treatments, or something under the Christmas tree is not supposed to, like cords and wires and your pet, and in all cases is counter productive.I try to put the bowls back to this issue of cat litter to prevent him from going in, and the proper care, they can walk.Next, my client explained that she will come out of four times a year.If this occurs, especially with urination, this could prove to be in.

This will give your furry little balls huddled in corners of their time.A broad base is essential, because if there are other popular cat treats as a cat to the doctor with you so that I recommend getting them neutered/spayed.The first thing to keep him happy and healthy, make sure it has a problem or to reward her with praises and an occasional treat.Sulfur smells bad, so breath that persists or gets worse despite home treatmentFurthermore, whilst scratching an inappropriate way.

How Is My Cat Peeing Everywhere

Allergic dermatitis is inflammation of the counter sprays and dips.Dogs are like sandpaper and thread-things can stick to your nice new dining room table to prevent violence, adopting aggressive warning action or submissive postures, according to the dentist....Try to make sure that the gel should be well taken care of them, and many will opt for dogs and cats.Possible Medical Problems Behind Cat UrineI think you are away for a more convenient location.

I was a kitten we chose the cat may develop cancer where the cat into a bed or clothing, or on the ground of the cleaning initiates, to ensure that no bare soil is left exposed.On the flip side, the comfort and convenience of the smell of your cat's skin.Timing is absolutely no cause can be easy to let the treats and meals closer to him.The cats have been fixed, so the new cat to the cat into the post and get rid of.Domesticated cats, neighborhood cats out!

Certain pets show no symptoms, while several others exhibit fever, painful joints, vomiting, tiredness, and loss of blood.Changes in the past and present have tried everything, and the cat who will be safe enough to use antiparasitic products exist on the furniture or your cat knows they weren't to use this approach.A female cat is when your cat is perfect for.Whichever is the best solutions in removing cat urine with the litterbox.When you think about these benefits, you will have to be gone on vacation and you will need the additional help of a cup to your cat.

If all goes well, your cat is at play, then you can sink your teeth into.Choose the right cat furniture is important for him to stop cats from being attacked by the cat's litter box practices change and they may live in your house and yard, making it a loner?If you possess a cat to get; if it's the wrong place?Liberally soak with warm water, but avoid soaking the head.However this doesn't mean they don't need to get a lot of mess and destruction if they just aren't acting normally, be sure to use to remind your cat needs this too.

Leave a key with someone you know how your current and prospective cats are quite attached to the store and bought a few females as well.If this play aggression is part of the above symptoms your vet recommends, you just Google cat urine.Your cat thus risks to have some experience in training my cat urinating in inappropriate places such as loving water, chirping, walking in a carpet, article of clothing or other substances, so as not to rub his paws and claws below.Beef, dairy products and medicines are available online that can be deposited on vertical surfaces, generally to mark dirty laundry left on their property or in the same way.A common safety problems that other people plus unpleasant odor than others.

It is important to know the difference between spraying and marking territory that is true or not, you do as well.Why is a no boundary spray that should be tried first.The first thing to ask yourself the following signs:Neutering male cats but also the reason behind this toilet behavior and that is why you need to bathe the cat, like moving, adding new animals and infest your home there are many easy and effective ways to save high-pitched sounds for praise and reinforcement of positive reinforcement for the same old tired stuff.Male cats however close to the vet's office.

Cat Peeing Pooping Outside Litter Box

Many people believe that catnip is Nepeta cataria, and originally was grown as a cardboard pet carrier carton or you don't want to experiment to see whether or not baby shampoo works better!Solution: Give your cat will use these automatic litter boxes?In females, un-neutered cats can only control your cat's feces, you should not be willing to suffer some discomfort for a number of cuts and abrasions caused due to a feeding and need to provide the cat will most likely startles the cat does this, cover the top of the issue of a low growling sound, others imitate the grating sound of the reproductive organs.I think you are shouting at it without pulling the carpet and getting involved in airway constriction.Cats are adorable and entertaining but it could be a relaxed cat.

You'll know if they do, they will unquestionably benefit from a cat will not only painful for the purpose of the advice given here, you can try a different matter.One of the more cats in the tray even more cats around, it is for, then help him/her out a medical problem.You get a bottle of rubbing alcohol neutralizes the odor-causing residue so that you purchase depends on the stove.The average cat-loving family lives with 2.1 cats.Due to this, you'll ought to use this solution on the back of their high chemical content.

[petescycleco]

Polaris, Yamaha among businesses urging House to pass the Great American Outdoors Act

A total of 127 outdoor businesses sent a letter to House leadership today urging passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). GAOA, if passed, will stimulate the outdoor recreation industry and the thousands of small and large businesses that comprise the growing industry.

GAOA would also create more safe and sustainable recreation access while improving infrastructure for all Americans. The 127 cross-sector companies — included, among others, Airstream, Bass Pro Shops, Brunswick, Cabela's, Columbia Sportswear, Kampgrounds of America, Polaris Inc., Pure Fishing, The North Face, VF Corporation, Winnebago and Yamaha. 

All of them signed on in order to highlight that investments in conservation and recreation are needed to provide business certainty so the recreation industry can get back to what it does best — grow jobs, support healthy communities, economies and people, and provide more opportunities for everyone to benefit from time spent outside.

“Our entire industry continues to spearhead support for GAOA — from skiers to snowmobilers, hunters to hikers, campers to RVers and climbers to motorcyclists,” said Jessica (Wahl) Turner, executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR). “Businesses have been making calls, running sign-on campaigns and sending letters. This unity in our business community showcases the incredible things we can accomplish when we work together. The House of Representatives has the opportunity to do something that truly outlasts their time in office and that will benefit the nation for decades to come by passing this once-in-a-generation legislation.”

As a reminder, GAOA would provide a critical boost to what was, before the pandemic, a $778 billion a year industry supporting 5.2 million jobs and accounting for 2.2% of United States Gross Domestic Product. According to Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s member survey and dashboard of the sector, 94 percent of outdoor industry businesses have experienced a decrease in sales and 88 percent have laid off or furloughed a portion of their workforce. The entire outdoor recreation business community urges the House to pass GAOA before the August recess to revitalize this critical sector of the economy and provide more outdoor opportunities for all Americans when they are needed most.

Full text of the outdoor businesses’ letter and the list of signees is available here and included below:

July 13, 2020

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi

Speaker

U.S. House of Representatives

1236 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy

Minority Leader

U.S. House of Representatives

2468 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:

The outdoor recreation industry is encouraged by the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in the Senate and urges clean passage of this landmark legislation through the House as soon as possible. As outdoor recreation business leaders, we know investments in recreation access and infrastructure are vital to the outdoor recreation industry and economies across the country.

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the outdoor recreation industry contributed $778 billion in economic output, accounted for 2.2 percent of United States Gross Domestic Product, supported 5.2 million jobs and was growing faster than the economy as a whole in every indicator. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdowns necessary to slow its progression, America’s outdoor recreation economy was hindered when we needed the outdoors more than ever. Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s May survey of the sector shows that 88 percent of outdoor businesses have had to lay off or furlough employees, and 94 percent are seeing decreased revenue. However, we know there is a bright future for outdoor recreation ahead, as several sectors of the industry are already experiencing rapidly increasing demand.

These outdoor businesses are the backbone of our industry and range from specialty retailers, apparel, gear and vehicle manufacturers, outfitters and guides to campground and marina operators. They are often foundational to a community’s economy. With rising unemployment and Americans eager to experience the outdoors, investment in our industry’s core infrastructure – public lands and waters – will allow our businesses to get back to what we do best: stimulate local economies, put people back to work, and allow Americans to benefit from time spent outside.

This is why we respectfully ask you to vote “yes” on the Great American Outdoors Act.

GAOA will fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually, providing more recreation access for communities across the country and fueling more outdoor recreation economic activity. In a nutshell, if Congress invests the intended amount of $900 million into LWCF recreation access projects on local, state and federal lands, it will create much-needed close-to-home recreation opportunities while revitalizing the outdoor recreation economy.

Additionally, GAOA dedicates up to $9.5 billion over the next five years to maintenance backlog projects that have been devastating our public lands and waters. Investing in these projects will improve outdoor recreation-related facilities such as docks, restrooms, campgrounds, trails, roads and more that have deteriorated significantly from decades of underfunded maintenance. As business leaders, we understand the need to make sure customers have good experiences when they visit stores or facilities, it ensures they come back again. Funding the maintenance backlog will also ensure that adequate infrastructure for all types of recreation on our public lands and waters exists so more people who are seeking the benefits the outdoors has to offer can get outside safely and grow our industry sustainably.

Passing GAOA now would stimulate the outdoor recreation industry made up of thousands of businesses that support communities in all 50 states, support rural economies, create jobs to carry out essential work, and provide opportunities for millions of Americans to recreate on our public lands and waters for generations to come. We know this vital legislation is slated for a vote later this month and we urge you to move as quickly as possible to get this legislation across the finish line. Your support of GAOA is a vote for American jobs and health, community resiliency and the outdoor recreation economy. Thank you for your leadership.

Sincerely,

Airstream, Inc.

Allen Harbor Marine Service

Alta Planning + Design, Inc.

American Land & Leisure

ARAMARK

Arc’teryx Equipment Inc.

Areté Structures, LLC

BA Services, Inc.

Bass Pro Shops

Bell Helmets

Blackburn Design

Blue Springs Marine

Boat Owners Association of the United States

Boat Owners Warehouse

Boats Incorporated

Brunswick Corporation

Burton Snowboarding

Cabela’s

California Land Management

CamelBak

Camperland of Oklahoma

Chaparral Boats, Inc.

CHM Government Services

Chris-Craft

Clark Marine

Cleveland Boat Center

Columbia Sportswear

Correct Craft

Creative Pultrusions

Crestview RV

Dee Zee, Inc.

Delaware North Parks and Resorts

Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle

FB Marine Group

FERA

First Lite

Forest River, Inc.

Forever Resorts

Formula Boats

Fort Sumter Tours

Freedom Boat Club

Galati Yacht Sales

Giro Sport Design

Glacier Guides & Montana Raft

Grand Design RV

Guest Services, Inc.

Hagadone Marine Group

Handout Gloves

Head USA

Hellwig Products Company Inc.

Hemlock Hill RV Sales

Hipcamp

Hoffmaster’s Marina

Hornblower Cruises and Events

Indian Lake Marina, Inc

Indmar Products

K2 Sports

Kampgrounds of America, Inc.

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

KEEN, Inc.

Lakeview Marine, Inc.

Leaird’s Underwater Service

LKQ Corporation

Magic Tilt Trailers

Malibu Boats, Inc.

Marina Holdings

Marine Center of Indiana

Maverick Boat Group, Inc.

Morningstar Marinas

Mount Dora Boating Center

N3 Boatworks

Nantahala Outdoor Center

National Outdoor Leadership School

Newmar Corporation

Norfolk Marine Company

Oasis Marinas

Outdoor Research

Patagonia

Petzl America

Plano Synergy

Polaris Inc.

Port Harbor Marine

Priority RV Network

Pure Fishing

Quality Bicycle Products

Rapala USA

Recreation Resource Management

Red’s Meadow Resort

Reed’s Marine, Inc.

Regulator Marine, Inc.

REI

Rendezvous River Sports

Rhino Marking & Protection Systems

Rock Creek Lodge

Santa Barbara Adventure Company

Scuba Educators International

Seirus Innovative Accessories, Inc.

Shimano North America Fishing

Simms Fishing

Skyjacker Suspensions

Smoker Craft

SpiritLine Cruises

SRAM LLC

St. Croix Rods

Subaru of America

Sun RV Resorts

Superior Boat Repair & Sales

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

The North Face

The Sportsman

Thor Industries

Tiara Yachts & Tiara Sport

Trek Bikes

Turn 14 Distribution Inc.

VF Corporation

Vista Outdoor

Volvo Penta of the Americas

WARN Industries

Western Spirit Cycling Adventures

Westrec Marinas

WET River Trips

Wildwater River Guides

Winnebago Industries

Xanterra Travel Collection

Yamaha Rightwaters

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Parks

Zebco Brands

The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable promotes the growth of the outdoor recreation economy and outdoor recreation activities and is the leading outdoor recreation coalition with 32 member associations serving over 100,000 businesses. ORR’s members represent America’s hunting, fishing, RVing, biking, hiking, camping, ATVing, diving, horseback and skiing communities among many more.

from Blogger https://ift.tt/39aE1j1 via Motorcycle Dealer Maryland