#yes he was quite charismatic etc but there were plenty of others who were too or at least interesting

[crossedwithblue]

random thought bc I've been listening to Six on repeat: the queens claim that the only reason they're remembered is because of Henry, but would Henry be one of the most iconic and well-known English monarchs if not for them?

[beeprblog]

Beepr Goes To Shows: Governor’s Ball 2021.

In this first installment of Beepr Goes To Shows, I spent all 3-days at this years Governor’s Ball to give you crowd coverage you deserve and concert recaps/reviews you want. Stay tuned for more show write-ups and other updates!

Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist

What happens when you put two legends on the same stage? You get one hell of a fucking show. Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist were on another level that Friday afternoon, delivering classics from Madlib collaborative albums (Crime Pays, Fake Names, Palm Olive, Thuggin), recent singles from Freddie (Big Boss Rabbit, Gang Signs), and all your favorite offerings from Alfredo (Baby $Hit, Scottie Beam, Something To Rap About). The braggadocious swagger Freddie brings to the stage is tempered by Alchemist’s suave production and generally reserved demeanor, making them a very balanced performance. Despite being an acclaimed producer, you get the sense that The Alchemist is there to support Freddie rather than make the performance about himself. Freddie’s natural humor shines through in between songs, cracking jokes while taking tokes and hitting a bottle of Hennessy. Chants of “Fuck police,” cheers for the Alchemist, and concert-goers belting choruses created a deafening atmosphere, rivaling some sold out indoor venues I’ve visited. To call Freddie a cult artist would be disrespectful of all the mainstream achievements (Grammy nominations, cracking Billboard Top 25s, etc), and yet for some reason, he remains on the fringes of superstardom. Part of what people love about Freddie Gibbs is his larger than life personality, as he has an authenticity about him that’s naturally charismatic. If there’s anything I can be certain about after that set, it’s that Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist have undeniable chemistry and I hope they have more on the way.

Phoebe Bridgers

In January of 2018, a report from Nielsen Music identified that rap had surpassed rock in terms of overall music consumption. But Phoebe Bridgers will not allow her genre to go quietly into the night. She very well may be the next iteration of a rockstar. From her band all being in uniform, to the stage production, and most importantly, her diehard fans: Phoebe Bridgers is killing it in all aspects of the game. Apparently, I had been living under rock for quite some time as I only did a deep dive into her music when I saw her on the Governor’s Ball lineup announcement. How foolish was I? Phoebe has an incredible catalogue despite being only 27 (bolstered by her work with groups like Boygenius and Better Oblivion Community Center). Songs like Motion Sickness, Garden Song, and ICU feel more like Phoebe hosting a singalong, as the entire crowd is belting back each and every lyric at the top of their lungs with emphatic energy. Tracks like Kyoto also fall into that category, but there’s an immense rush of excitement as the brilliance of Bridger’s music blares through over the speakers for the chorus. Ballads like I Know The End are blissful moments of serenity, as I found myself swaying with my eyes closed in my little spot in the crowd. Her nonchalance in between songs is intoxicating, as it’s a beautiful contrast to her immensely emotive and personal performance. It’s so endearing to see past what’s on the outside and find an individual who profoundly cares about their work. What perhaps is most endearing about Phoebe’s performance is how she’s unabashedly herself: quips like “Fuck nihilism, too” are interjected in between songs, her outfit a glamorized rendition of the classic skeleton t-shirts. While I might have been late to the party in terms of the Phoebe Bridgers hype train, you can bet I’m going to be early to every one of her shows from here on out.  

A$AP Rocky

As Saturday night of Governor’s Ball was drawing near to an end, there were millions of individual conversations buzzing around in the crowd. But almost all of them were centered around one question: When will A$AP Rocky start? At 9:12pm EST, our question was answered, with a bang. Crowd surfing around in an inflatable car, bullhorn in hand, Rocky showed off some new sounds as unreleased tracks (Grim Freestyle amongst the slew of unreleased tracks) boomed over speakers. Mosh pits opened up left and right as the concert slowly evolved into a beautiful, New York block party-esque chaos. Hearing recent work like his features on Slowthai’s MAZZA and Famous Dex’s PICK IT UP were unexpected yet gratifying moments. But what really amplified the crowd was hearing some of the “older” radio hits. I can’t remember a time in recent memory when I’ve been as excited as when the first synths on LPFJ2 and Telephone Calls hit. Classics like Praise Da Lord and Yamborghini High ensured that there were no lapses in energy or excitement. Babushka Boi set the crowd ablaze, as the off-key notes intermingled in the beat acted as cues for the rowdy meter to kick it up a notch. Rocky even gave up some of his set to ensure the rest of the Mob was represented, as he had the DJ play Plane Jane by A$AP Ferg. The softer side of Rocky’s discography was met with equal anticipation as Sundress and A$AP Forever were met with exuberant cheers. Fully embracing his trippy side, after asking us if we liked hallucinogens, Rocky performed L$D to a roaring crowd (he also teased us with the unreleased Mushroom Clouds after asking us if we fucked with mushrooms too). During what felt like a showcase of the Harlem rappers’ ability to generate raucous ovation, the time had the crew informed Rocky his set had to be wrapped up. An earnest plea to keep it going was made, begging to at least get off Peso, but the euphoria was always going to be finite. It’s safe to say, anyone saying Rocky fell off is full of it.

Burna Boy

From start to finish, Burna Boy kept it hot. Bringing plenty of Nigerian flair to the CitiField air, I can safely say that Burna Boy’s set was one of the most enjoyable of the weekend. Even before he appeared, loud chants imploring him to take the stage could be heard ringing throughout the grounds. As his band and mom (who doubles as his manager) patiently waited, you could see them grinning and laughing as they knew we were in for a great show. Burna Boy then graced the stage and we were transported to another world, filled with laid back vibes, political protest, and triumph. Opening up with Gbona, it was apparent that the entire show was going to be electric. Hitting dance moves, grinning from ear to ear, it was obvious that Burna Boy planned on making a stellar first impression at the Governor’s Ball (he also earned major New York brownie points by giving us an animated performance of his velvety feature on Enjoy Yourself by Pop Smoke). Hearing some of my favorite songs live cemented them even further in the favorites category, as his performance adds another level of fun and personality. Collateral Damage, a beautifully subverted political protest anthem, felt truly harmonious as the entire crowd chanted the chorus with their fists in the air. As much as I love my AirPods, the heartfelt energy of both the crowd and Burna Boy I felt in the crowd during Anybody and Dangote could never be matched by speakers. Even the less upbeat songs (such as Wetin Man Go Do) he performed were met with incredibly cheerful reactions as. Live riffs from the band during some of his most popular singles added great spice for those who are familiar but equally exciting for new listeners. It’s apparent that there’s a great sense of camaraderie amongst the whole crew, that their main goal is to put on a memorable and joyous show. I can only hope that Burna Boy and the band make trips to the states more frequently.

Ellie Goulding

Have you ever felt the urge to forget everything that’s worrying you and just live in the here and now? Then you should go to as many Ellie Goulding shows as humanly possible. There’s a good chance you’re already familiar with some of her work (I’ll get to that in a bit), but it’s an entirely other thing to see her bring them to life. Hidden under the surface of a soft-spoken, singer-songwriter is a powerhouse performer, ready to give the show and attendees her everything. Watching her confidence grow during the set, seeing her come out of a shell that had likely developed as a result of not touring, was a beautiful sight to behold. In between comments about how grateful she was to be performing, quips about her outfit, you really got to watch her conviction begin to grow and take root. Anthemic at every instance, the crowd was equally ready to return the same energy Goulding graced us with. The only thing that was all over the place about her refined and poised performance was the eclectic mix of work she pulled from. From Lights (and yes, if you’re curious, that shit slapped) all the way up to her latest album, Brightest Blue, we got treated to the Ellie Goulding evolution set. Intermingling a solid slate of collaborations like Diplo’s Close To Me (I don’t know if I’ve ever sung along as fervently as I did for that one), Calvin Harris’ I Need Your Love (okay, I lied, this is the one where I lost my voice), and Major Lazer’s Powerful, there was a reference point regarding how they discovered Goulding for everyone in the audience. Hearing oldies like Aftertaste, Anything Could Happen, and Only You instantly transported me to simpler times, back when bills and deadlines seemed like an abstract concept. In another edition of music star leads a sing-a-long, the crowd could have taken over for Lights and Love Me Like You Do. Thankfully, we got to hear Ellie too. It’s a magical moment when a few hundred (maybe a full thousand) are all united by one common goal: to embrace the present and shower the performer with adoration in the form of knowing every lyric. Harmony amongst total strangers, tied together through a common love of music. Ellie Goulding gave us more than one of the best sets from the weekend, she gave us a sense of unity and togetherness unlike any other I’ve experienced.

Post Malone

When you find a superstar, with millions of fans and millions in the bank, that you feel like you can still crack open a crispy Bud Light, you’ve found something special. And we all know that Post Malone loves a cold one. The final chapter of Governor’s Ball 2021 ended with Post Malone’s Sunday night set, a perfect way to wind down the weekend. Opening up the set with an inquisitive “Hello?” to test out the mic, this show was one of the most authentic and down-to-earth concerts I’ve been to in quite some time. It almost feels like you’re just hanging out hearing some song ideas from your friend Austin Post, wearing some regular denim shorts and a “Where’s Waldo” style striped shirt, until the audible roars from the crowd of “Posty” remind you you’re at a headliner. Arguably the most larger-than-life aspect of Post’s set was his entrance on the stage, via a smoke-cloud suspended platform adorned with metal chains. With a healthy mix of beerbongs & bentley’s, Hollywood’s Bleeding, recent singles and old hits, Post Malone was showing us all of his repertoire. Chugging beers at the request of the crowd, checking in with all of us in between songs, calling for celebration and happiness, Post goes to great lengths to ensure that the crowd is with it and that everyone is having a good time. Tracks like Psycho were somehow both relaxing and energizing at the same time, as the chorus transformed the venue into an incredible echo-chamber. We also got to see how many friends Post has, as we got guest appearances from Young Thug (performing Goodbyes), Roddy Rich (gracing us with Every Season and The Box), and 21 Savage (to perform Rockstar, which Post Malone did his best to embody all night). With each feature, the crowd seemed to kick into another fear of excitement, but that’s not to say people didn’t lose it for some of Post’s solo work. Stay, which Post performed seated strumming an acoustic guitar, was as heartfelt as it could get in its stripped down state. Despite previously admitting to not being able to sing without autotune, you could see how much he cared about capping off the weekend right while performing that song (without autotune in an effort to be as real as possible). White Iverson and Congratulations were both barn-burners, as the whole festival grounds were chanting lyrics and bouncing along. After a very long weekend of raging and raving, Post Malone’s set managed to run through the whole gambit of festival emotions: joy, excitement, surprise, and relief. It’d be disingenuous to say anything other than Austin Post has mastered the art of headlining.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #286

“has he lost his mind? can he see or is he blind? can he walk at all, or if he moves, will he fall?”

Do you prefer having carpets or hardwood floors? Hardwood floors. Easier to clean and just looks better imo. When was the last time you took a bath? Is this something you do often or do you prefer taking showers? Not since I was a kid, probably. I don't like baths; it feels dirty. What’s your favorite way to style your hair? Do you do this hairstyle often or is it too much hassle for you? "I can’t style it any way." <<<< Mine is too short, too. Do you have a real or artificial tree at Christmas? We always use artificial. The mess isn't worth it. What’s your favourite snack to make when you watch a movie? Popcorn, of course. Do you prefer the Beatles or the Rolling Stones? The Rolling Stones. The only Beatles' song off the top of my head that I enjoy is "Hey, Jude," while there's a handful of Stones' songs I like. When was the last time you played a game of Monopoly? Did you play until the end or did everyone get fed up and start arguing? I'm pretty sure the last time was the PlayStation version at Jason's house. I don't recall if we finished it or not. Have you ever won money on a scratch card or the lottery? How much did you win and what did you spend it on? Maybe like, $10 or so? Mom or Dad would buy one for the hell of it rarely, and they always let us kids scratch it off because we thought it was fun for whatever reason. Have you been on a plane before? Where was the last place you travelled to? Yeah, multiple times. I went to Illinois last to stay with Sara for a couple weeks. Would you rather do a wordsearch or a crossword? Wordsearch. What’s your favorite colour of skittles? Red, duh. I always save those for last. Do you have a favorite TV detective (eg. Sherlock, Poirot)? What is it that you like about them? Does Dean Winchester count? I loved him when I was into Supernatural. He was so charismatic, funny, a wonderful big brother, and don't forget hot as fuck lmao. Were you ever in any positions of responsibility when you were in school? No. Do you need to wear glasses or contacts? How long have you needed to wear those for? I'd had glasses since high school. I'm blind as a mf. Do you talk in your sleep? Yes. Ocean or pool? Pool. Cleaner and less risk. I'll swim in either, though. What's your favorite song at the moment? "DEGRADE" by "3TEETH." I've been hooked on them lately. Ever met anyone famous? No. Do you feel that you've had a truly successful life? *blinks* Have you been in love? Absolutely. Where do you wish you were? Sara's would be great. Last thing you spent lots of money on? My Markiplier tattoo. Favorite restaurant? Olive Garden. What is your favorite kind of car? I really dunno. I don't know almost any car by name. I like slick-looking ones, though. AKA expensive ones lmao. What would you honestly do if you had a million dollars? Pay off a lot of things, first of all. For both myself and Mom. I know too well I'd spend a good deal on tats, but I'm quite sure I'd be disciplined enough to know what's more important. Are you more of a shy or outgoing person? I am VERY shy. Would you rather listen to new music or the classics? I tend to listen to music I already know. I go hunting for new bands and songs too rarely... Can you do a cartwheel? lol hell no Do you currently feel any sadness? I always do. Do you always respond to chain letters? I literally never do. I don't care what it's about. They're annoying. Do you spend too much time online? My life is online. It's depressing, and very. I usually don't know what to do with myself if I don't have access to it. What is your biggest annoyance? Right now, people not complying to COVID restrictions to help end this madness. Are you currently in a relationship? No. What do you like to do for fun? Watch YouTube, play WoW, write, read, take pictures... Not a lot. I've been stuck with anhedonia for years; not a lot of things give me any sort of pleasure, even the aforementioned things sometimes. Can you type without looking at the keyboard? Yeah. Do you ever feel like people use you? I've sure as shit felt it before. What role does religion play in your life? None. It's honestly a place of bitterness. Can you sleep with your eyes open? Noooooooo, that shit creeps me out. How often (if ever) do you use moisturiser? Pretty much never... but I need to considering my skin is dry as the Sahara. Have you had any of your wisdom teeth removed? What was the reason? (eg. infection, impaction, lack of space). No. What was the reason for your last hospital visit? I visited Mom after her surgery. Do you use a laptop, desktop, tablet or phone to take your surveys? Laptop. Do you have any debt? If so, are you on top of paying it all back? College debt, for sure. I dropped out three different times. No, I'm nowhere near on top of it. How often do you travel by public transport? Never. Do you have an Instagram account? If so, how often do you post on there and what kind of things do you post? I have three, haha. I don't post on any regularly enough... but I use my first one most. My "main" one is my primary photography one, and I have a second photography account for my darker/roadkill/"vulture culture" work. Lastly I made one for my pets... yes, I decided to be one of those people lmao. Are you close to your extended family? Do you wish you were closer? Definitely not, but we want to try to get closer. In Grammy's last days, she shared that she wished we were more "together" so much. Do you prefer to give your pets human names or not? Definitely not human names, at least usually. Have you ever used a fire extinguisher? Would you know how to use one without reading the instructions? No; I doubt it. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever had to deal with at your job? When I worked, impatient customers. What was the last thing you used your mobile phone for? Listening to music. While my laptop is kaput, I'm using an old one, but it's super slow so I'm just using my phone for music and videos. Did you used to play The Sims? What version or expansion pack was your favorite one to play? I loved the animals one; I went through a period of playing that a loooot. There was also an African wildlife one that I had, but that one was pretty boring, honestly. I never got into the human ones. What quality do you value most highly in others? Probably compassion. Who has made the biggest sacrifice for you? Mom. What was your best find from a flea market, garage sale, ebay or thrift? I got an AWESOME shipwreck w/ a sea serpent nightlight from the flea market once. What is one selfish thing you tend to do? Uhhhh I'm unsure. I try not to be selfish. Have you ever written a letter to a soldier? No, but man does this make me think of "Travelin' Soldier." I love that song so much, man. Always have. What do you use batteries for the most often? Ha, it used to be my mouse, but now that I have one that plugs up to the computer to charge, idk. What’s the smallest thing you’ve ended a relationship over? "I don’t think I’ve ended any kind of relationship over something small." <<<< Would you rather order a starter (appetiser) or a dessert? Or would you be able to manage a full three courses? It really depends on what I want and how hungry I am. If I had the first two though, I almost certainly couldn't handle a dessert. Have you or a member of your family been diagnosed with COVID yet? My older sister had it very badly to the point she wound up in the ER. It's no fucking joke. Aside from the necessities (eating, breathing etc.) what is something you do every single day, without fail? I was going to say “get on the computer” or something of the sort, but what if I don’t have access to technology that day for whatever reason? In that case, I’d think of Jason to some point. There isn’t a day that passes when he’s not lurking in my head somewhere. Is there anything you enjoy that’s considered childish for your age? What is it? Roleplaying. Some shows. I’m sure there’s plenty others. How many times a day do you use the bathroom? A LOT. If I’m drinking something, a lot of the time, I almost immediately have to go pee after a single sip. Do you need caffeine to wake up in the morning? What’s your drink of choice? I wouldn’t say I NEED it, no. I do regularly have my Mountain Dew in the morning in place of coffee tho lmao. That’s out of habit, though. Do you live somewhere with lots of livestock or wild animals? Livestock, absolutely. Wild animals, sure, so long you’re not right in a city. Well, even then, roadkill isn’t rare. Would you rather live somewhere rural or urban? RURAL. Mom and I are both having trouble adjusting to living in the suburbs. The only good thing is we’re closer to everything. Is there anything (a hobby, for example) that’s guaranteed to always make you feel better when you’ve had a bad day? Not absolutely without fail. If you’re struggling with your mental health, who are you most likely to open up to, or would you bottle it up instead? I VERY rarely bottle it up. That is so unhealthy. I confide in my mom, usually. What room of your house do you spend the most time in? Is this through choice or necessity? Ugh, my bedroom… but yeah, it’s choice. I COULD be in the kitchen or living room on the laptop, I just don’t want to for privacy’s sake. I’m waiting for the extra bedroom to be cleaned out to turn that into like my “dayroom” or “office.” I’m putting a desk in there, lots of motivational stuff, just things to inspire me to work. I NEED away from my bed. I only want to use it to sleep. If you have pets, do you snuggle with them when you’re having a bad time? Does it make you feel better? Well, it’s hard to “snuggle” with a snake, but I’ll still take her out sometimes and she gets comfortable against me for warmth. I do however definitely snuggle with my cat Roman, because he’s a total cuddlebug and super affectionate with me. How would you rate Stephen King as a writer? Shockingly, I haven’t read a novel by him. However, knowing stories he’s written and his genre, I think I’d absolutely love him. What movie are you looking forward to? Oh goodness, I have no idea. I’m totally out of touch with movies. Have you been to see an opera? No, they don’t appeal to me. What do you wish that you knew with more certainty? My career success. Of the following things, which would you most like to have more of? Drink, dreams, bed, drugs, lust, lies, hate, love, fear, fun, pain, flesh, stars, smiles, fame, sex: Love, of course. Would you ever consider working for the government? Absolutely not. What are the best and worst television channels? I don’t need to even watch television to tell you Discovery is best. Idk about worst. If you had a magical pencil and everything you drew became real what would you draw? Hm… if I drew like, Earth overlayed with a peace symbol, would that cause world peace? What would you like to touch? A wild (well, habituated) meerkat. Meerkats are just… so important in my life. Without them, I wouldn’t have met people who’ve greatly affected and even changed my life. I know the day I (hopefully) hold or pet one will be one where I cry. Does anything you own glow in the dark? I don’t know. Would you rather ride a dragon or a unicorn? Who the hell would answer “unicorn” to this???? Dragons are so so so superior. Can you make a balloon animal? No. How many glasses of water do you drink each day? Rarely more than two, if even that. What do you like in a poem, accessibility, crypticness, or something in between? I guess of these options, leaving some cryptic space, room for the reader to imagine. What I cherish most in poetry though is descriptiveness, but not to an excessive point where it’s just hard to understand. Who do you find yourself in constant conflict with? Why the conflict? MYSELF. I’m just so mad at and disappointed with myself. What subjects do you refuse to talk about? Why are you hiding from them? I mean, none, really. With some people I’m willing to talk about whatever topic. Greatest black and white film: Idk, I can’t recall enough. Greatest film three hours or longer: Troy. I adore that movie. I should watch it again…

[trashartandmovies]

Berlinale Film Festival 2021, Industry Event, Day 2

One of the great treats of going to a film festival is getting the chance to wake up and see some transgressive mindfuckery first thing in the morning. This can be either thrilling, like seeing ANTICHRIST at 10:00 AM in Toronto and then being excited to see if the rest of the day’s movies can top that; or it can knock you out for the rest of the day, like seeing IRRADIATED at last year’s Berlinale and needing to process my contempt and hope for humanity.

Of course, part of the thrill of these experiences has been sitting with an audience and going through the mindfuckery as a collective, feeling the energy, seeing people walk out, getting through it together. When things are moved online, and the timing and schedule of your streaming film festival is more or less up to you, many pleasures are lost. But I have to say, there was a thrill in getting up at sunrise to put on some headphones and sit with THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST, an effectively wild and perverse shriek of a movie from first-time director Dasha Nekrasova, and part of this year’s Encounters section.

Shot in New York City, on beautiful 16mm film, THE SCARY is a steep plummet down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole, triggered by the death of Jeffrey Epstein and two roommates moving into a new apartment on 61st Street that may be linked to the man and the sex trafficking ring he was involved with. These details are merely the place setting for an aggressive and sometimes messy assault on good taste and mainstream cinematic conventions. The two roommates descend into different kinds of madness — Addie seems to be possessed by some sort of evil within the apartment, while Noelle is quickly consumed by the conspiracy theories circling Epstein, the royal family, pizzagate, etc. Wedged between the two is Nekrasova herself, playing an amateur sleuth who indoctrinates Noelle with lurid websites, pharmaceutical speed, and sex. From there, the rabbit hole just keeps getting wider and weirder, Addie becomes obsessed with Prince Andrew and creepy tarot cards keep popping up. There will be blood.

I found it all pretty damn intoxicating, but I can understand that others will be put off by its shrillness and lack of subtlety. While the movie is dedicated to Stanley Kubrick, and it gets some inspiration from EYES WIDE SHUT, it’s more along the lines of John Waters crossed with John Carpenter. If you hated FEMALE TROUBLE, you may want to stay away from THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST. Otherwise, this movie sits comfortably next to the kind of outre indie horror movies that got passed from VCR to VCR in the late 80s and early 90s. But what really makes THE SCARY kick, is how directly it speaks to the age of QAnon, the equal parts seduction and repulsion of violence, and the horror that comes from being trapped in a system you have no control over. My only complaint is that the film leans a little too heavily on old horror tropes right at the end, but this couldn’t take away the thrills it provided up to that point. I’m already looking forward to how Nekrasova might follow-up this one.

This year’s Golden Bear for best film went, deservedly, to Radu Jude’s BAD LUCK BANGING, OR LOONEY PORN. Another extremely transgressive film, this one takes a flamethrower to contemporary values in Romania and any other place where racism, sexism and authoritarian fetishism have taken root — meaning, it’s both very specific to Romania and quite universal.

The movie begins with a very graphic and absurdly funny home porno, being shot on a phone. Soon enough, we find out the woman in the video is Emi, a respected history teacher at a private school in Bucharest. The first act of the movie is Emi walking through Bucharest. The city is littered with signs of capitalism run amok, juxtaposed against fervent religiosity. Gambling and wholesomeness. Tastelessness and righteousness. The camera makes these connections with some choice camera panning maneuvers. These movements bring to mind Robert Altman’s style of movement — casual yet smart and impactful.

As Emi makes her way to her destination, the film’s regard for realism begins to deteriorate. Bit by bit, drivers begin showing less regard for the safety of pedestrians. Everyone is foul-mouthed and inconsiderate of others, even while wearing pandemic masks. If you can’t afford a car, who cares about you? It’s not that far from reality, but the pointed exaggerations start piling up and lead us into the mid-section of the film, where we’re treated to an A-Z montage of our most pressing issues and what’s wrong with the world. It both serves as a rundown of the topics that are going to present themselves in the final act of the movie, as well as more visual evidence of our corrupted values and moral decay. It’s a bitter and bleak hoot.

It’s all leading to a confrontation between Emi and her school’s parent-teacher board. It’s one of the most absurd, insulting and cuttingly insightful trials put on film. What are a teacher’s responsibilities outside the classroom? What if the teacher in this situation were a man? What if the teacher is also including lessons about Romanian history that today’s citizens would rather not deal with? All of this and much more is on the table for riotous discussion. More than once, someone cackles the Woody Woodpecker laugh when the debate really goes off the rails. While the visual language in the final act settles into a more conventional groove, the sound editing is something of a tour de force. It’s punchy, freewheeling, obscenely hilarious and brings the movie to an unbelievable final moment.

BAD LUCK is a hard act to follow. If I’d known how ambitious it was, I would have saved it for day’s final screening. But for better or worse, the next film was a very quiet, understated Competition title — this one from Hungary (which was well-represented this year), entitled NATURAL LIGHT. Written and directed by Nagy Dénes, this is a gorgeously shot war-is-hell movie that follows a weathered unit of Hungarian soldiers as they try to round up Russian partisans during WWII. Yes, the title of the movie perfectly describes the golden, autumnal hue of the movie, as it is primarily set in barren forests, small, sooty villages and fields with plenty of mud.

The film is based on a massive book by novelist Pál Závada, but Dénes made the interesting decision to just focus his movie on a few days in the life of István Semetka, who is forced to step up and take charge of his unit early on in the film. Aside from capturing the unrelenting force of their natural surroundings, cinematographer Tamás Dobos also does an amazing job of capturing people’s faces — not unlike the films of fellow countryman, Bela Tarr. Ferenc Szabó, who plays the beleaguered Semetka, has two of the most soulful eyes I’ve seen on screen lately. This is of critical importance since the film has very little dialog until a couple of well-written monologues at the end. Semetka’s eyes say it all.

As mournfully beautiful as it is, NATURAL LIGHT isn’t an easy movie to sit through. It’s quiet and heartbreaking. But this level of sorrow and atrocities is also very familiar to cinema. In a way, it’s unfair because this story, in its way, is unique. But the message of how indifferent war is to soldiers with good intentions, has been told before. Few movies, however, have told it in such a wordless and poetic way.

Throughout the history of film, there’s always been a struggle to turn good theater into cinematic art. When talkies began and TV took off, we turned to the wealth of good theater scripts that already existed as readymade source material that could meet the demand for content. Sometimes it works, and the scripts can be well-adapted into the cinematic language. Other times, it’s like we’re just looking at a filmed documentation of a theater piece, which relies heavily on the strength of the words and performance, and not on any tools of the filmic trade. Denis Côté’s new film does a neat job of adding a new wrinkle to this long tradition of finding ways to turn monologues and long chunks of dialog between two people into an engaging work of film.

Côté has always had a strong experimental streak to his work, and even though he wrote this script and titled it “Social Hygiene” in 2015, it would seem that the current pandemic gave him the final push to turn the unusual idea of long, socially distant conversations in a field into a movie. Aside from a few shots that follow a young woman as she walks through nature, says hi to some livestock and offers an intermission dance sequence, SOCIAL HYGIENE is a series of static shots, framing different sections of rolling Canadian countryside, and containing a couple of people talking to each other across a certain distance. The framing, the sounds, the tone and rhythms of the conversation, are all very stylized. And in its way, perfectly cinematic. Côté pays attention to the ambient noises during these scenes. Birds turn into a cackling audience, construction noises go quiet and resume at just the right moments — it’s all very well-orchestrated.

The story and conversations of SOCIAL HYGIENE have nothing to do with the pandemic. It’s the fairly universal story of a charismatic, smooth-talking guy of unmet potential, who is consistently disappointing the women in his life. This man is Antonin, and we first meet him as he bickers with his sister. While Antonin is married, he’s currently living in a friend’s car, getting by through small-time theft and avoiding plans that might improve his lot in life, like working on that screenplay he’s been kicking around. Both his wife and his mistress try to prod him in the right direction, but he’s such a charmer that he enjoys spinning his destitution as the life of a lovable rogue, who’s morals and values can’t be met by traditional means.

More than any other film seen, so far, from this year’s Berlinale lineup, SOCIAL HYGIENE had me laughing-out-loud the most. And I’m very willing to admit that this is likely due to how much I related to Antonin’s faulty reasoning. But it’s also due to the fact that the script is supremely sharp and its deadpan delivery brought to mind Hal Hartley’s films. Like Hartley, Côté is anti-realist in his staging and delivery, meticulous in his timing, and yet uses humor to get at some very fundamental human dilemmas. I love Hartley and miss his sensibility dearly. So, yes, I loved every minute of SOCIAL HYGIENE.

Even with a press pass, it can be a challenge to sit for every Competition screening. There are simply too many other films that call for your attention. But in this streaming scenario, I was committed to seeing every last one. I felt like I didn’t have any good excuse not to when you can make your own daily schedule. So, Xavier Beauvois’s ALBATROS (or DRIFT AWAY, as it may end up being called in your neck of the woods) got a late Tuesday night home screening. It didn’t go down well.

The only one of Beauvois’s previous films that I’m familiar with is 2005’s THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT, which follows a homicide detective in La Havre. ALBATROS follows a police chief in the much more idyllic region of Normandy. Jérémie Renier plays the cop, Laurent, and just as the movie starts, he’s just proposed to his girlfriend of ten years, with whom he already has a young daughter. In the next scene he’s cleaning up after a suicide on the beach, and then there’s news of child abuse by local resident, and his friend is at the end of his rope dealing with farming regulations. Things are piling up quickly, and the chipper Laurent is soon getting edgy and taking his work home with him.

The beginning of the movie isn’t bad. It’s clearly building to something and it can hold your interest while it does that. But when that shoe drops, the film goes off the rails and descends into a completely ridiculous and phony final act. It doesn’t help matters that Beauvois never really finds an interesting visual language with which to tell this story. From the get-go, his camera is just there, shooting scenes and conversations in a way that makes everything seem slightly off and unnatural. It feels like things are being staged, much as the wedding photo on the beach that gets interrupted by a death at the very beginning. Unfortunately it never shakes this feeling, and two hours later, you can’t believe that you’re watching an ending so clichéd that Hollywood would probably think twice before giving it a greenlight. It’s the kind of denouement that is so cheesy and unearned that instead of choking back tears, you feel completely cheated.

Aside from ALBATROS, Day Two was a rich abundance. The punk stylings of THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST, the anarchic Molotov cocktail of BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONEY PORN, the austere meditation of NATURAL LIGHT, the playful theatrics of SOCIAL HYGIENE — these all had something special to offer. Tomorrow, we’ll visit China, France, Georgia and, once again, Hungary, for two more films with big rewards and two that struggled to transcend their formal trappings.

[themanicgalaxy]

SPN 2X3 Bloodlust

Look I know Sam gets addicted to blood somewhere, is it here? or is that set up here?

I have said it every episode thus now, but the licensed fmv’s they’re making the previously ons are giving me such a good experience

FUN TIMES YALL OK LET’S GET ONTO THE ANGST OF THE DEAD DAD OR SOMETHING

ah lovely a Woman you know that means she's dead

OH MOTHERFUCKER SHE JUST GOT DECAPITATED

FUCKING YEAH BACK IN BLACK

O H M Y GOD THE SEROTONIN FROM HEARING THIS SONG

I’M LITERALLY FUCKING TEARING UP

NOPE I’M REWINDING IT I WANNA HEAR IT AGAIN

I do not much care for the zoom in on the car because I don’t care about cars but HOLY FUCK DO I LOVE THE SONG 

at least the impala’s back

Listen...Dean breaks the speed limit to AC/DC’s back in black....I break the speed limit to AC/DC’s back in black

look I’m not saying I kin him necessarily but it’s nice to feel seen

listen...Dean is...quite terrible...with people actually when he’s supposed to lie

I feel like he’s not as fine as he’s pretending to be, I feel like that’s the point

I saw this post where it’s like Dean’s bad with people, I feel like it’s more Dean can’t lie to save his life. He’s plenty charismatic when he wants to be

oho ho ho Fangs time

MORE VAMPIRE LORE FUCK YEAH

ah so they’re both acting a little bit off regardless of what they’re saying

the “lying to themselves” energy is on point

wait who’s the guy following them, I know that guy

I just realize they call their vampire related episodes a blood-related title(bloodlust, dead man’s blood), which is so funny

I KNOW THAT ACTOR HE WAS IN MAISEL?? THE AGENT?? I THINK

why does this man know so much about their dad

WHY DOES E V E R Y O N E Know about their dad, grow PAST him goddammit

STERLING K BROWN that’s his name

hey he’s a hunter too? that’s pretty cool

“Guys get out” Yes I’m sure they’ll do that

I do love how he just has a fucking sword

ok so attack the vampire, vampire fights back, Sam and Dean show up, showing they were Totally Justified to be the protagonists

well that’s a gruesome way to kill someone Dean what the fuck

AND he’s covered in blood great good job guys

I LOVE how this man talks, it’s very Smooth

pfft and Sam is gonna be a N E R D and be weird

to be fair, seeing your big bro decapitate someone like that is uh...well it’s a Lot

JOHN WAS TAKING HIM ON HUNTS AT 16 WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM

I do love the swap of stories, and I love how this guy has a WAY different backstory(couldn’t save sister, went on quest for revenge and left home, learned stuff on his own)

“took some terrible beatings” ??? J O H N ?? 

I hate John so much what the fuck

“Game face on” :( :( :(

“hole inside you, gets bigger”

this guy always gets these monologues doesn’t he

I mean he’s good at them but still

I love Ellen’s mom energy

...this guy....threatening vibes

the “no moral gray�� is...scary

A H FUCK THEY JUMPED SAM IN HIS ROOM

that’s a cool shot with the dying sun+car

the teeth coming in was just...so animated

like it wasn’t scary it was just funny

look I know teasing them about their budget isn’t fair, but it’s fun

Sam please stop antagonizing the vampires, you’re currently being held captive

OH these vampires are morally grey, that’s the idea

why is the vampire’s name Eli

this Not Like Other Vampires is SENDING me

ah the “what is a hunter” debate

kill the non-humans

FINALLY some moral gray? like idk if I like how that works, but...something?

substitute for Dad... great they’re doing this now

OPE and DEAN PUNCHED SAM

LITErALLY ONE NORMAL WAY OF EMOTING

and Dean has to hotwire his precious car pfft

of course they’re both good at this dumbassery, their dad made sure of that at least

That’s about the least he did

All I can think about is Dean’s Demon Bf during this Sad Conversation

good for him(them?)

the music vaguely reminds me of Avengers

THAT FUCKIGN MUSIC STING WHEN HE SHOWS UP

IT’S THE DUMBEST MUSIC CHOICE EVER

...great a gratuitous torture scene...this is So Fun whee....

....ah and the morally complex character went and killed his sister

WHAT THE F U C K COME ON GUYS

THERE’S A WAY TO WRITE MORALLY GREY BUT NOT THIS

well taunting her like this is...super cruel...on so many levels

DAMN Dean changed his tune quick

AH “you’re a killer” I knew that brutal way to kill was gonna come back

and ending on a punch, I wish I could say I was surprised

“we can go” was so airy...boi

Sam vs Dean are actively wearing different types of clothes, that’s Nice Characterization

DAMN did Dean do a quick 180

“Dad wasn’t perfect” OH THANK GOD FINALLY

aw Dean sounds choked up

Aw and Sam says he’ll stay

aight wrap up: 

1. Did not like how complex characters got overwritten for Dean and Sam(but really Dean) to learn a lesson. That just...that was wasted potential my guy

2. And there are ways to do the moral grayness, but this felt just....shoehorned and done so quickly. I get that low budget, no time, etc but still, :/

3. I did like the addition to the world, until it got fucked up, and I do appreciate a lil moral complexity

4. plus good sibling shit at the end :)

yeah that’s all i got this time. this is certainly a show to exist

[popliar]

K-Con Australia, 20170922-23

The first Australian K-Con was held over the last two nights in Sydney, and @proteinscollide​ and I were there. I'm very behind on everything else as a result! I need to watch Knowing Bros! ANYWAY, short version: IT WAS SUPER FUN. Lots of rambling under the cut as usual.

22 September: SF9, Pentagon, Victon, Girl's Day, Exo

23 September: SF9 (again!), Up10tion, Cosmic Girls/WJSN, Wanna One, Monsta X

Overall this was an extremely well produced show and a really fun show - I had such a good time! Okay, the "convention" part not so much (I'll talk about this a bit at the end of the post) but at both evening shows, the concert ran like a slick machine, stage following stage with no pause, good sound and no technical hitches. Visually the show looked great, with massive screens giving good views of every performer as well as fantastically atmospheric backdrops.

It didn't sell out on either night, and again I'll talk about possible reasons for that more later, but as a vehicle for hallyu and for promoting Korean culture this is potentially such a powerful instrument. One of the most striking K-Con images for me is the footage of K-Con Paris from 2016 - the pan from the section of the crowd for the French dignitaries and delegates, all politely seated and clapping, to the massive auditorium of French youth going absolutely wild for these pop groups from the other side of the world. This show didn't have that element of official endorsement, it was much more a straight-up pop show, but hey you never know, that might come…

Soft power has its limits, for sure, but within those boundaries Korea is working so very hard at being the very best it can be. I admire the gumption, and more importantly to Korea I am happily consuming the product! Give me more product! I'm here for this!

As far as line-up goes, this K-Con wasn't the best. Exo are absolute stars of course and there were other notable groups like Monsta X and Girl's Day; on balance however this was a really rookie-heavy sausage-fest. The prevalence of rookies is probably partly bad timing - the show coincided with the DMC Music Festival (which was eventually cancelled anyway due to labour disputes, argh, we could've had it all!).

But the boy-heavy line-up? Frustrating. Apparently WJSN and Girl's Day are the first girl groups to perform here since 4 Minute some three-four years ago. WHY? Perhaps there's a perception that since Western fans are mostly girls then they'll only turn out for boybands - I know in Korea the audience for girlgroups is skewed towards boys. However, here in the West, pop as a whole is coded so heavily female that I'm sure wouldn't be a problem. I've been to many Western female pop star concerts and trust me, the girls SHOWED UP. Hell, at this very same arena, Little Mix are performing later this year. Besides, this argument falls flat if you look at other K-Con line-ups which, although boy-heavy, still manage more than a measly 2 girl groups. Gosh I'd have been so happy with the addition of any ONE of Red Velvet, Mamamoo, Blackpink, Pristin, Gfriend, Twice, etc…

...that was a long intro. Let's talk the show.

Chanyeol (EXO)

Night 1

The first night of K-Con began with a pre-show of kpop dance cover groups (they were all good but some were REALLY GOOD) and Kevin from U-KISS as MC (did u know he looks like Lee Pace around the eyes?), doing his cheesy best to hype up the crowd and also promote the con's primary sponsor.

Then the show got started with a VCR, featuring Monsta X's Minhyuk in a sort of spaceship-themed narrative? I don't know what I saw but apparently K-Con's first Oceanic showing needed heroes or defenders or something, i.e. kpop groups? Whatever cool. I do know it involved Minhyuk looking at a picture of a kangaroo so we're all good.

Also apparently Sydney is the city of "arts and culture" and also "romance"? I'm flattered on behalf of my home, and I can assure you we have plenty of all three, but really?? Those are not, like, the first words I associate with Sydney. But ok, you do you K-Con!

Exo's Suho and Sehun then came on as the night's special MCs to deliver a brief introduction and be cute together and make the crowd scream. Naturally, there were Exo jerseys and banners and lightsticks all over the place; earlier in the day I got handed a cute banner to celebrate Chen's birthday, which I then promptly used to test proteinscollide's knowledge of Exo band names. (She improved greatly through the evening!)

First group up were rookie boyband SF9 - I've enjoyed their songs and MVs without knowing much about them. This rapidfire 3 song performance made me more of a fan! They just hit all their beats really well, both in terms of performance and in their brief introduction ment, advantaged by one member who was a fluent English speaker. Their line distribution is kind of weird - there's maybe three members who dominate the vocals and the dancing, especially Taeyang who I kept thinking of as "that one guy who looks like Shinee's Jonghyun" - but not enough to detract overall. I have no favourite but maybe my favourite is the rapper with currently red hair who reminds me of SVT Jeonghan and Pentagon's E'Dawn.

Something like K-Con is the perfect platform for a rookie group to get this kind of exposure. My own first exposure to kpop (aka the reason for my eternal downfall) was winning free tickets to a Boyfriend & JJCC show - I knew nothing about them, knew next to nothing about kpop, and JJCC were a hot mess sorry - but seeing the groups in person and live was enough to make me want to know so much more. I feel like this SF9 set functioned in much the same way. It was SO much more impactful than just an MV or a youtube clip or a gifset. This is how fans are made! (That said… I'll get to it, but SF9 got two bites at the cherry. Why?)

Next up were Pentagon and their brief set was great. Their songs are such bangers - I SAID BANGERS, DON'T AT ME - and they were really polished and powerful. Kino's opening dance solo was super charismatic, and E'Dawn (aka the only one I can consistently recognise) was working that jawline of his so well, lol. He does the bad boy thing very well! I admire it! For their ment, they played the "Pinata" game as seen at other K-Cons this year, i.e. a random game was selected. (Would the game be 'Propose'? It was not propose, but one member did get down on one knee to E'Dawn anyway, good job good fanservice.) In this case it was a random dance play, and it was very amusing and silly.

Probably my favourite thing about Pengaton is how far and fast proteinscollide has fallen for them. Can you believe at this time last year she didn't even know all the MX member names? Now the student has exceeded the master! Post your Pentagon post bro!

Sehun and Suho came back to introduce a special stage: Exo's Chanyeol in duet with WJSN's Seola, for his OST track Stay with Me. This was a nice, pretty interlude and a bit of a breather after the fast pacing of the first two sets.

Seola (WJSN)

Third rookie group Victon bopped cutely to a very Australian-themed video backdrop and they were very entertaining, without necessarily making me want to seek them out further. I think that's more to do with their concept being more cute than Pentagon and SF9's, so less appealing to me on those grounds. But they have their charms and most importantly one had a mullet! I'm HERE for the mullets, don't even think I'm joking.

Next up were Girl's Day. They're down to 4 members now but their experience and their casual confidence made them so enjoyable to watch. They played their hits including Something, Expectation and Ring My Bell with such a sense of fun and sexiness, dominating the stage and playing to the crowd with the relaxed ease of vets who have nothing to prove. There was a hunger to the rookies that gave them more edge but sometimes you just wanna watch really talented ppl relaxedly doing their very talented thing.

With everyone acutely aware there was only one act left to take the stage, a couple of SF9s came out to MC a special stage. They did the usual "how are you guys enjoying the show" and "we love Australia" and all that jazz, and then made the fatal mistake of asking an open-ended question:

SF9 MCs: so who is Australia's favourite boy group? Crowd: BTS!!! MCs: Yes, Exo!!! #awkward

I lol'd! I am sorry! Bless you Exo but c'mon!

This was followed by a brief VCR of Australian fans naming their favourite boybands, and then a really fun special stage of boyband covers:  Pentagon covered GOT7's Hard Carry;  SF9 covered Exo's Monster; and Victon did BTS's Fire.

At last it was time for EXO - MUCH CHEERING FROM CROWD!  Exo-Ls were out in force. There were also tons of lightsticks in the crowd and everyone was hyyyyped.

Now some context for my reaction: I can name all the Exo's and I like some of their songs, but I don't quite click with their aesthetic/dynamic in the way that I do with BTS, etc. They were also at something of a disadvantage, with D.O absent from the line-up (I had to count them twice to make sure sob) and Lay MIA from this entire comeback (though I guess that's no longer surprising).

So let that be the background for me saying that I was totally entertained and impressed by their set. Starting with Power and ending with Ko Ko Bop, they came out and gave a great show. They are after all professionally charming and who was I to resist?

For me again it's that idea of a live show being so much more powerful than a video, even for something as preplanned and artificially constructed as pop. A concert is such a powerful reminder that it's more than the performer, and it's more than the audience too - it's about the relationship between the two, that alchemy of atmosphere and act that you only get in that specific environment.

Yes, Kai was deadly with his fucking winks and seductive looks (how dare you sir), but the way the audience reacted to his performance is what made the show go off. Xiumin aka Cat Pirate was also a scene stealer for me, and it was very darling when Chanyeol threw confetti at his head at the end awwww.

(I just wish, like, SM were less SM-y. I got a message from proteinscollide after the show - "Girl walking thru car park: shout out to SM who never give reasons for why members aren't there and if they're ok". Um, yep. I had to check on twitter to find out that D.O was off filming a movie.)

Ending stage was as usual with everyone coming out as tons of confetti rained down. I think a SF9 hugged a Victon? AWWW FRIENDS. A good night.

Night 2

We started again with dance cover groups - colour me EXTREMELY impressed by IME Dance Studio - and Kevin from U-KISS giving away a prize to whoever in the crowd did their best impression of their favourite thing to do in a hotel room. This led to a really hilarious scenario as the cameras zoomed in on 2 girls "dancing" together. "Yes, they're dancing!" Kevin said, "of course they're dancing!" Everyone just cracked the fuck up, Kevin included. They got the prize, bless them, which was - ofc - a free hotel stay!

The show started with the same VCR as the day before and then I was EMOTIONALLY DESTROYED by Monsta X's Jooheon and Shownu taking the stage together to drop an absolutely fire performance. Jooheon's duality is amazing - cuddly scaredy-cat off stage, fucking monster on stage - he was SO GOOD. Shownu's dance break was great as expected and I cried tears in my heart bc I love them.

SF9 returned for the second evening - again, they were slick and impressive, and they namedropped kangaroos and meat pies in their intro ment, good work on ticking off those keywords lol. But I really don't know why they got sets on both days? Did FNC decide they really wanted to build that fanbase and made the necessary commercial arrangement with the promotors? Like I said, stages like this can be real turning points in making a fan. So that's fascinating. If anyone knows, lemme know?

Daehwi (Wanna One)

Three Wanna Ones then took the stage to briefly MC. It was definitely Kang Daniel and uh, two other Wanna Ones! *hastily googles* It was Daehwi, who was the most fluent in English and was super cute & cheesy, and Minhyun, who was also cute but I don't remember much? Sorry team. The only Broduce bro I can 100% identify is Daniel, and sometimes Jaewhan. But! I think I'll remember Daehwi from now on - he was pretty memorable and did the most heavy lifting in the ments. Anyway they delivered some potted intros and then on to the next one.

WJSN then performed a special stage, covering two Kylie Minogue songs as two subunits - Locomotion (which I note came out in 1988, older than every single K-Con performer except for Sojin of Girl's Day) and I Can't Get You Out Of My Head (2001 - there are rookies debuting born in 2001! And younger! God i'm so old). Firstly much love for preparing a special stage with local appeal that didn't feel pandering and really spoke to the long history of amazing women in pop, and secondly THEY WERE SO GOOD. Fun, bright, poppy - I love them.

They were followed by Up10tion who did a high energy set and I remember why I liked them! They're good! I don't quite click with all their songs, especially their more recent ones which I feel are a bit hit and miss, but just like every other group in this K-Con they delivered their set with professionalism and skill and charm.

There was then a brief interlude with MX's Kihyun and I.M, MY TWO LOVES, MCing an audience dance game. We got to see Kihyun doing the Twice TT dance and my world was made. Gosh I love them.

WJSN

WJSN then came back for their set and I just really like them so much. They have that sleekness that I've come to associate with Starship because of them and MX, with both groups always having good choreo and catchy hooks. I like their concept a lot too - they're cute sassy cheerleaders, yes, but I also feel like there's this very cool edge to them, they could easily cut you! I love that! As they acknowledged in their ment, 2 members couldn't make it due to filming schedules (I think it was Cheng Xiao, the dancey/gymnastic one? And Mei Qi, possibly? I'm sorry, I don't remember) but they were still very good and I enjoyed their set a lot. And their main rapper - god, I'm sorry, I don't know if it was Bona or another member - she was SO GOOD? She had so much stage presence. Gosh. I need to find out her name.

Next up were Wanna One. Now, ofc, Produce 101 never officially aired in Australia. We had to watch it on the internet like a bunch of animals. And yet out of all the groups on both days, their fans were definitely the most intense and the most scream-y - yes, more intense than the Exo-Ls and the Monbebes!

I only ever saw snippets of P101 and as I said I can only ID Daniel with certainty, but I was, hmm, not surprised I guess that they turned out to be endearing? CAN U IMAGINE, a group of young men voted for according to their charms turns out to be extremely charming?! The shock!  (From a purely commercial standpoint, what a brilliant exercise this has turned out to be. I think the limited timeframe for Wanna One to make bank lends an edge of urgency to their fandom and means their machine is also geared to maximum efficiency. Make! Bank! Now!) And because they're young and new, there was a certain edge of rawness and spontaneity to them which is naturally part of their appeal too. I still don't quite know what I feel about Kang Daniel - like I know he's very fond of cats and therefore a good person, and he has this easy, cocky stage charisma which makes his appeal seem very straightforward. But I think I found him most endearing when he missed a step at the end of his dance solo and there was just the cutest expression on his face, like "my bad."

For their Pinata game, they did photo time with hyung line posing "cutely" and maknae line posing "sexily" followed by some kind of free for all - A HOT MESS, lol.

Daehwi also went off script - or at least, he said he went off script, but can you ever really know? We need to go deeper! - and wished happy birthday to Kuanlin, getting the whole audience to sing along too, awww. As I said: what a group of charming young men; the self-awareness that they were constructed to charm ultimately means nothing.

FINALLY MONSTA X. They're, like, my second favourite group after BTS so I think I would've been just fine if they'd shown up and waved at us and sang like a song or two. But they didn't! They were really, really good. As headliners they had a signficant chunk of time and I think I was smiling from start to end, non stop.

They've turned into such good performers - with something similar to that same easy confidence that Girl's Day and Exo had - and I felt like they really did the most, on the second night, with connecting to the audience. Their performances were all on point, and everyone of them looked and sounded great but Jooheon especially killed me with swag and Wonho's collar & cleavage can fuck right off, ISTG. It just made me so happy to see them doing these songs and choreo I love so much - Shine Forever and Beautiful and Fighter - and they ended with Hero, my very first MX song, which was amazing. (I am a little sad they skipped All In but ok I can live with it.)

For their ment, they played the proposal game, with three members doing their very best fanservice lol. A very happy woman in the standing area got to be audience surrogate as I.M laid on cheesy lines (something about angels and heaven, IDK, why is he like this and why do I love him so much), Kihyun sang a ballad to her (next to me proteinscollide died a death), and Wonho came down to the barrier to to give her a heart, selfie & cheek kiss. It was so! Cheesy! And Wonderful! #the selfawareness does nothing

Everyone then came out for the goodbye, though MX were the only ones who felt relaxed enough it seems to actually get silly with the confetti and do some more spontaneous bows & waves to the crowd. By comparison to every other group on the 2nd night, they must be the old hands at K-Con by now - they've done SO many. Gosh I hope they come back to Australia for a full show. I love them so much.

Fuck, I'm now at 3300 words so let's wrap this up quick:

Unlike other K-Cons which seem to have a proper programming and convention stream, the "convention" part of this was really a disappointment. Minimal programming, minimal stalls (less than 10 vendors), all in one room. It was free entry which is fine I guess except that people were queuing up forever to get inside due to the limited capacity and it was H O T (over 30 C each day) out there. In the end I queued for an hour, and spent about 15 minutes inside. It was really not worth it. Luckily proteinscollide & I had options and just went away for a few hours to pass the time before the show, but I imagine there were a lot of kids left hanging around Olympic Park all day with nothing to do.

The shows didn't sell out. What does this mean? Possible thoughts:

-It was really expensive and the audience skews young. Like, the premium tickets were REALLY REALLY expensive and good tix were expensive. I could afford decent tix, but if I were in my teens? No way. I'd have had to ask my parents for it.

-Sydney has had a run of shows including an Australian-exclusive BTS show. If you're interstate and you already spent $$$ going to BTS, or for that matter $$$ to go G-Dragon in your own state, how much money do you have left over for concerts in this year? There is a limited capacity for this audience to keep spending. Promoters should be careful not to spread us too thin. Put more shows on in Melbourne! (Though I don't know - are there more Koreans and east Asians in Sydney? I suspect there are. The audience, again, skews heavily to those of us who are Asian-Australian.)

-Exo, MX, and Wanna One are very popular but don't have the same mainstream reach in Australia as BTS. BTS also had the advantage again of being earlier in the year, only the 2nd major kpop tour in the year I believe. Since then there's been other kpop and khip-hop shows for people to spend their money on. I really thought Exo would give BTS a run tho, given how well their latest album performed on Australian iTunes charts.

...that was not a quick wrap-up.

TO CONCLUDE: I HAD A GOOD TIME, THANK U FOR READING.

[aroundtheworldin18years]

ALPE CERMIS

Winter or Summer holiday, which do you prefer?  Our family has mixed views when it comes to the type of holiday we take.  For Daddy, a fair skinned ginger, sun worshiping isn’t really my thing, but Mummy, being whiter than talc, loves nothing more than lazing in the hot summer sun, and both girls love all that both types of holiday have to offer.  Easily pleased thankfully.  Rather than squabble over where and when to go, we try to take a Summer holiday and a Winter holiday…best of both worlds so to speak.  2018 is no exception with a first time ski holiday at Alpe Cermis, Cavalese; a place of astonishing natural beauty where the locals are as beautiful as the mountains themselves.

The Italian Dolomites; an area of outstanding natural beauty

WHY ALPE CERMIS, CAVALESE

Back in the day Mummy and I took to the slopes of the Canadian Rockies on snowboards, that’s what cool cats do!  Skis and the thought of having two broken legs didn’t appeal to us in the ‘noughties’.  As we get older (and hopefully wiser) we have decided to leave the ‘dangerous’ sports to our fearless children.  Who would have known that a quick half hour lesson on a rolling ski slope at We Are Vertigo, Belfast, in 2015; would have planted a seed within Lily-Belle.  Now the girls are a tad older, aged 3 and 9, plus having a lower sense of gravity than us oldies; we thought now would be the perfect time to book a ski holiday.

Skiing…but not a singe flake of snow to be seen

Alpe Cermis isn’t your typical ski destination for British or Irish travellers, in fact it’s quite the opposite.  We were pleasantly surprised to find out from locals that we were the only British-Irish family they had come across the whole season (we were there in March 2018, right at the end of the season).  Seems Alpe Cermis isn’t yet on the radar of the British-Irish as they continue to visit popular ski destinations like the French Alps, Switzerland and Austria to name but a few.  We’re not ‘normal‘ and we often opt for ‘different‘ which is why we chose Alpe Cermis, Cavalese.  As well as the fact that we find it very difficult to drag ourselves away from Italy, we love the country so much.

DON’T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN’T KEEP

If you have read any of our other posts, you will see that quite often we take our own car when holidaying in Europe, a bit mad, probably, but for me (Daddy) it just makes sense.  Having to drag children and suitcases through airports isn’t my thing, I like to be in charge of my own trip, from loading the car right through to reaching the final destination.  I want to be in charge (with Mummy’s beady eyes always watching…always…watching).

Everything but the kitchen sink

Little jet-setters

For our trip to Alpe Cermis, Cavalese, Mummy persuaded me to fly-hire with the promise of ‘Don’t worry, we only need one carry-on bag each’.  Aye right!  It soon became obvious and clear that there was no way on this Earth we could do our trip to Alpe Cermis without the addition of hold luggage.  So, trundling through Belfast International Airport with two children, four hand luggage and two hold luggage, oh yes, plus a child car seat; really didn’t start this holiday too well for me.  Thankfully, after a relatively straight forward and stress free flight with Ryanair, the plane touches down smoothly at Bergamo Airport, Milan.  Once we collect our luggage, we trundle off to Firefly Car Rental.

A view of the Dolomites from our Ryanair flight

LUNCH AT LAKE GARDA

Firefly rental car collected and if I am being completely honest, if I had a euro for every dent it had, I’d be a millionaire.  When Mummy is in charge of getting ‘bargain’ car hire, dents and dings are always expected, in fact, if it has all four wheels I consider it a huge bonus.  One thing we always do is take a 360° video and photos of any damage, that way we have proof should the rental company ever open a dispute upon returning the car.  Bags loaded and we begin our journey to the spectacular and dramatic landscape of the Italian Dolomites via Italy’s largest lake that is Lake Garda.  Our stop is brief so we can grab lunch, take a few photos and for the girls to skim stones across the calm clear water of Lake Garda.  Breathtaking views and so very peaceful.

Holding hands and skimming stones…just need an old gold chevy.

WHERE’S THE SNOW?

Our journey from a peaceful Lake Garda, to the snow-covered Italian Dolomites, takes us along hairpin bends, scarily narrow roads and of course, beautiful scenery.  We feel truly blessed every time we visit Italy.  Lily-Belle’s main concern for the nigh on 2h 30 min journey was that there was a severe lack of snow.  In all honesty I was also a tad concerned but chose not to be as vocal as little Miss Callaghan.  We needn’t have worried though.  As we drove through the town of Cavalese we could see the snow covered mountains of Alpe Cermis in the distance.  Excited!

Snow capped Dolomites

APARTHOTEL DES ALPES

It’s mid afternoon when The Callaghan Posse arrive at Aparthotel des Alpes, just one of the five self-catering apartment buildings owned by Trentino Residences.  The apartment building itself has traditional Tyrolean styling and an amazing backdrop of the snow-capped mountains of Alpe Cermis, Cavalese.

When picture perfect is right on your doorstep.

At the Aparthotel des Alpes reception we were warmly greeted by Cinzia.  Over the next few days we would get to know this lovely young lady quite well.  Mummy had excelled in booking the accommodation on this occasion, the apartment was spacious, modern and extremely homely.  The girls immediately began arguing over who was getting the top bunk.  To make the absolute most of our time, bags were left and we hopped back in the car and drove the short distance to Alpe Cermis Ski Resort to have a recce and book ski lessons for the girls with Scuola Italiana Sci Alpe Cermis.

  Back at Aparthotel Des Alpes we chatted with Cinzia about the local area; where the supermarket was, best restaurants and places to get a quick bite, but most important of all…where to get the best ice-cream, an absolute must for our girls in Italy.  The time is a little after 7pm and we are shocked to learn that the local supermarkets are already closed!  Looks like provisions will have to wait until tomorrow, but for now, we need fed.  Thankfully Pizzeria Des Alpes, the restaurant situated right next door; is still open.  Lily-Belle and Matilda ordered a pizza and were thrilled when it arrived at the table in the shape of a bunny.

Three happy hoppers.

ON THE SLOPES (DAY 1)

Before leaving home, Mummy and I made a conscious decision to leave the skiing to the girls, we have been snowboarding a few times, but that was many (many) years ago.  As a family we are not early risers, and as the girls were taking to the slopes for the very first time, we decided freshly groomed slopes had no appeal.  After breakfast, we got dressed into our cold weather clobber, gathered our ski essentials and made our way to Alpe Cermis.

Who will be dressed first…on your mark, set, go!

Private ski lessons had been booked the evening before for 11am, and by leaving the apartment at 10.30, we thought we’d left ourselves plenty of time…how wrong could we have been.  Unbeknownst to us, the journey, from the bottom of Alpe Cermis to the ski rental shop and nursery slopes at level 2; takes around 5-10 minutes, and we still had to purchase our lift passes from the main reception and get kitted out.  Late again!

GETTING KITTED OUT

A short (to us it seemed to take forever as we were running late) ride on the cable car left us in awe.  The views far surpassed our expectations.  Snow-capped mountains, pine forests and clear blue skies, there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky.  Arriving at level 2, we alighted from the cable car and hurried ourselves along to the Sport Cermis rental shop.

Getting kitted out is easy at Sports Cermis

A great selection of hire equipment at Sports Cermis

The shop is extremely well equipped, not just with rental items but also with ski/snowboard products for purchasing.  As you enter the shop your eyes are immediately drawn to a huge window that overlooks the Dolomites…picture perfect and spectacular!   We made ourselves known to a member of staff, Claudio, and he came to our assistance with getting the girls fitted with boots, skis and helmets.  The rest of the gear we took with us (goggles, clothing etc).

What a magnificent view

Although our trip was short, we got to know Claudio quite well over the time.  A lovely and lively character…jolly, charismatic, witty and an infectious smile.  Claudio really knew his stuff when it came to kitting out the girls.

Note to self #1: don’t wait until the girls are fully clothed before asking do they need the toilet….disaster! Note to self #2: remind Mummy not to put Matilda (age 3) on the loo then keep moving in front of the automatic flush sensor.  Poor Matilda could be heard screaming from outside, her little butt was soaked and she was not a happy little bummy…sorry, I mean bunny!

GOOD TO GO…FINALLY

Finally…snow!  Far from being cold, it was actually really hot with beautiful clear blue skies.  With no cloud cover the sun was extremely hot.  It didn’t take long to realise we were all a little overdressed and so we began to peel away the layers.  The girls were introduced to Alessandro, who was their instructor for the lesson.  Alessandro put the girls at ease instantly, and since we were late, put the girls to work right away after a quick lesson on how to put on their skis.  A short push-pull session (about 2 minutes) and Alessandro took the girls to the top of the nursery slope via the rolling carpet.

Matilda and Alessandro for the first lesson

Sometimes you’ve just gotta roll with it

Lily-Belle and Alessandro for the first lesson

The slope itself is about 150-200 metres in length, not too steep but steep enough to gather speed if you don’t control your descent.  From the slopes we could hear cries of ‘pizza, pizza, pizza’….was someone serving food?  No food, it turns out that ‘pizza, pizza, pizza’ is pretty much a slope code word for ‘slow down’.  Basically, with knees bent slightly, you turn the tips of your skis inwards towards each other (almost touching) and push the back of the skis outwards, thus forming a shape like a slice of pizza…genius!

LESSON OVER BUT WE’RE GOING NOWHERE

We honestly didn’t know if the girls would like the skiing therefore we only booked a one hour lesson, and as we were late, it was over in a flash.  Alessandro had such a good rapport with the girls so we arranged for him to instruct the girls the following day.

Having fun and laughter on the slopes

The girls took to the skiing with no hassle at all, and it wasn’t long before they were going up and down the slope on their own.  Matilda did need a little help (according to her she didn’t) getting on and off the rolling carpet, a job that Mummy undertook for the afternoon.  As for Daddy, I just sat watching the girls ski, admired the view and took photographs, lot and lots of photographs, the scenery was breathtaking.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

It was around 3pm when we managed to pull the girls off the slopes and make our way to the top of Alpe Cermis for a late lunch.  The ride to the top uses two modes of transport; a cable car followed by a chair-lift.  We soar between a clearing of pine trees before they open up to reveal panoramic views of the surrounding Dolomites, truly spectacular.  Definitely a lot colder at the top of Alpe Cermis than on the lower slopes, time to put the layers back on.

Italian Dolomites…spectacular

The restaurant at the top is called Paion Del Cermis, a beautiful wooden building with a fantastic terrace offering unspoilt views.  The food is typical buffet style, plenty of healthy salad and ‘green stuff’, with the option of pizzas and burgers etc from the menu.  Unfortunately for us the restaurant was about to close.  Matilda went into a meltdown and the staff kindly allowed us to dine, but not wanting to create work for the chef, we opted to eat whatever was left in the buffet trays.

Skiing is thirsty work…cheers

GET A WRIGGLE ON OR GET WALKING

Back outside we stood and admired the magical mountain, the views were astonishing for as far as the eyes could see.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man stood by the chair-lift frantically waving his arms.  As we approached he told us we had 2 minutes to be on the descending chair-lift or we’d have to walk down….always rushing, always the last, will we ever learn….probably not!  In all honesty, we thought the slopes stayed open until dark, you know, Après-ski and all that, but no, 5pm and a complete shutdown!  A lost photo opportunity on a day when the sky was completely blue and barely a cloud to be seen!

What goes up, must come down

SHOPPING AL SUPERMARCATO

Back on terra firma, and before we returned to Aparthotel Des Alpes, we took the opportunity to visit a local supermercato (supermarket) for essentials, the girls particularly enjoyed the child sized shopping trolleys…and filling them!  We return to Aparthotel des Alpes with a few Italian treats; cheeses, meats, olives (a particular favourite of Daddy’s) and of course, locally produced vino.

Little shopping trolley’s for little shoppers.

Each evening upon our return, we were warmly greeted by Cinzia whom the girls were happy to take short Italian lessons from.  It’s late, and once the girls are asleep, Mummy and Daddy crack open the vino and begin sorting and uploading the many photos taken that day.  Sleep!

ON THE SLOPES (DAY 2)

Breakfast in the self-catering apartment.  Back to the slopes to meet Alessandro for lesson number due (two).  Yaaaaay, we arrive on time…just!  Once again the sun is shining but this time there are a few clouds in the sky…hopefully it’ll snow!  We feel proud as we tell Alessandro how well the girls progressed on their own the day before.  No time wasted, Alessandro takes the girls to the children’s snow-park for them to attempt moguls and slalom through obstacles.  Amazingly, after only one 60 minute lesson with an instructor and a few hours on their own, the girls took to skiing like ducks to water.  No bother at all navigating the course.

I think it’s all downhill from here

Pizza, pizza, pizza

Did someone say pizza?

Lesson due over.  Alessandro informed us he wasn’t going to be able to take the girls for any more ski lessons as he was heading away to take part in a big competition.  The girls were a bit sad!  Mummy and Daddy knew they were both confident enough to handle the nursery slopes on their own…but were they competent?  We needn’t have worried as they spent the next couple of hours competently going up and down the nursery slope on their own.

The Three Muskateers

Before we left our apartment at Aparthotel des Alpes, we made up sandwiches and packed a few drinks/snacks for the girls to eat al fresco at the slopes of Alpe Cermis.  Once gain, we head up to the top of the mountain to finish off our afternoon.

Sandwiches and a sit down, hard to beat

AS NAKED AS A BABY

Back at Aparthotel des Alpes, a quick change into our swimming gear and it’s off to the swimming pool.  Much to the delight of the girls, there’s a huge jacuzzi and unlike in the UK; children are allowed.  Most European swimming pools demand that you wear a swim hat and Aparthotel des Alpes is no exception.  Thankfully, Daddy has a head like a billiard ball and managed to negotiate not having to wear one!

Plenty of room in the swimming pool

Apparently 3 heads are better than 1

Beside the ample pool and huge jacuzzi is the Wellness Centre.  Loving a bit of luxury Daddy decides this is the place for him.  Came as a bit of a surprise to Daddy as most of, if not all of, the occupants were buck naked, ah well….when in Rome, or Cavalese as the case may be….more than happy to join in.   I was just a tad worried in case I spilled my tea!  Quite funny.  I was sat having a cup of complimentary peppermint tea and a stout fella drops his towel and plonks his bare bum in a sink filled with ice…..not two minutes later a different fella dips his face in the same ice sink….I couldn’t help but cringe and chortle to myself at the same time.

Dip your face in at your peril

Slippery When Wet…but not Bon Jovi

P-P-P-PICK UP A PIZZA

It had been a long day and our energy levels were low.  Dine in or dine out was put to the vote…and dine in was unanimous, probably another first for us!  Having a pizzeria next door was really handy so we ordered take-away food from Pizzeria des Alpes.  The girls were asleep in no time at all, and once again, as the videos and pictures were uploading to the cloud, Mummy and Daddy cracked open the vino and ate some of the lovely meats and cheeses purchased the day before.  Sleep!

Snacks and a movie before sleep

DAY TRIP TO SKI CENTER LATEMAR (DAY 3)

Saturday morning we decided to give skiing a miss in favour of a visit to Ski Center Latemar, a ski resort that is a short 20 minute drive from Aparthotel des Alpes.  Ski Center Latemar is the western most mountain of the Dolomites and can be accessed from any one of the three local villages, Obereggen, Pampeago and Predazzo.  The latter is where we’d be beginning our journey for the day.

READ ALL ABOUT OUR TRIP TO SKI CENTER LATEMAR IN THE DOLOMITES

Our visit to Ski Center Latemar was primarily to ride the thrilling Alpine Coaster Gardonè, and also to have lunch at Rifugio Passo Feudo which is the restaurant right at the very top of Latemar mountain.  At the top of the mountain the (almost) 360° views were breathtaking.  The Alpine Coaster Gardonè is a little over halfway up the Latemar mountainside and what an exciting ride.  Home time, the girls are getting hungry.

Spectacular views from the top of Ski Center Latemar

TANTALISING TITO SPECK

Wanting to dine where the locals go, we took a recommendation from Cinzia to book a table at Tito il Maso dello Speck.  Tito’s is less than 2 miles from Cavalese and boasts fantastic views of the countryside with the majestic Black Horn Mountain to the rear.  The building itself is just what we expected…very traditional, lots of wood and the surrounding landscape is very picturesque.  Our table was pre-booked so we are shown to our seats, menus are provided and our drink order taken.

Dining the Tyrolean way.

The decor is very Tyrolean with lots of wood, colourful cowbells and an array of musical instruments on the walls.  In the corner there’s an open fire and the smell of fragrant (charred) wood fills the air.  Before we left Aparthotel des Alpes, Cinzia recommenced a dish for the girls, something that all Italian children love…späetzle.

It’s green and edible….späetzle

Our food arrives and it soon becomes obvious that our girls don’t like the späetzle.  Isn’t it a good job Mummy and Daddy had ordered one of our favourite meals…steak on a sizzling stone.  The food is of exceptional quality, (including the späetzle which Daddy demolished), and it’s easy to see why this is the place that the locals themselves frequent.

Succulent and juicy…not me, the steak!

You can’t beat a plate of spuds

MUCH MORE THAN JUST MEAT

Right beside Tito’s Restaurant there is a shop selling a whole arrangement of meats, cheese, preserves and wines to accompany each.  A wonderful shop and the smell is pungent, but in a good way.  It’s a little after 20:30 and the shop is busy…really busy!  This is obviously where the locals go for their own supplies.  Back to Aparthotel des Alpes for an early night ready for more skiing tomorrow.

Italy’s finest Grappa

Speck in all shapes and sizes

Don’t forget the crackers

Speck is a boned pork leg which is cured in salt, and spices, primarily laurel and juniper; then over a period of months is slow-smoked using pine or juniper wood. Späetzle is a soft egg noodle often cut into tiny little dumplings before cooking in boiling water.  There are many variations of shape, texture and flavour.

ON THE SLOPES (DAY 4)

It’s Sunday and for once, we arrive at Alpe Cermis early and without feeling hurried…this has to be a first for us!  At the reception, as we were collecting our lift passes for the day, we got chatting to Federica, the Resort Manager at Alpe Cermis.  Chat flows freely and Federica informs us that Alpe Cermis rarely sees visitors from the UK, or indeed Ireland.  Hopefully, once people read our blog and see what this amazing place has to offer skiers and snowboarders; that will change.

  Clouds are beginning to form, could this be a snow day?  The nursery slopes are empty and our girls were content going up and down on their own.  Their confidence had grown and neither wanted any assistance with the rolling carpet or the skiing.  With Alessandro away, we booked a lesson solely for Lily-Belle to try a green run.  Massimo, her new instructor, had other ideas.  As they both disappeared into the distance Matilda decided she didn’t want to ski today and so the three of us took the opportunity to relax, grab a drink and take in the views at level 2.

Massimo and Lily-Belle..ski buddies

After an hour of skiing Lily-Belle and Massimo returned.  Green run, nope.  Blue run, yes.  Massimo tricked Lily-Belle into thinking she was going down a green run but instead had her doing a controlled weaving descent down a trickier blue run.  Little Miss Callaghan loved it, and never once did she feel scared or fall (that’s what she told us anyway).  We were so thankful to both Alessandro and Massimo for their excellent ski tutoring, especially as both of our girls were first time skiers.  It also really helped that both instructors spoke excellent English.  Ski lesson over.

SLIPPY SLEDDING FUN

Beside the nursery slope is a great run for sleds.  After the first bend the run splits into two, one run for younger children, and one for older children.  With Matilda sat on Mummy’s knee, they braved the run for the older children!  The sled came down really, really slow…Mummy was too scared and had the brake on the whole way down.  Let the Master of Speed (Daddy) have a go.  Let’s just say I didn’t hold back and poor Matilda screamed the whole way down.  Exhilarating and loads of fun.  We have definitely worked up an appetite!

Oh look, we’ve been overtaken by a snail!

It’s such a beautiful day so outdoor dining seems to be on the cards.  Music fills the air and high in the sky a couple of paraglider’s soar effortlessly, following the ski trails as they descend down the mountain.  The food choice is excellent, pasta for the girls and a huge pork joint for Daddy.  No snow today!

It’s big, it’s meaty and it’s in my belly!

SO THIS IS APRÉS SKI

At the top of Alpe Cermis the music is playing and there’s a real party atmosphere.  Skiers are dancing to The Ketchup Song (otherwise known as Aserejé) and there’s plenty of beer and wine being consumed.  A fire pit burns and it’s a chance to warm our hands.

The girls spot swings and make their way over to them.  The snow is much deeper at the top of Alpe Cermis and Matilda is swallowed whole.  Mummy and Daddy order a drink and relax on the sunloungers as the girls play.  Aside from the music and revellers dancing, it’s such a peaceful spot to take in the panoramic views of the Dolomite mountain range.  For a change, we opt to leave the slopes a little earlier than usual in order to explore the town of Cavalese.

Sunloungers and snow…what a combo

Don’t mind if we do

What do you mean one of us has to push!

IT’S NEVER TOO COLD TO EAT ICE CREAM

During the summer months in Italy, The Callaghan Posse consume lots of ice cream, so why should winter be any different?  A few days earlier Cinzia had mentioned Gelateria Tre Valli just on the outskirts of town, so this was our first port of call.  This establishment is owned and ran by Franco Simonazzi, and what a fantastic character he is.  The decor may be a tad old fashioned but Franco and his staff are extremely welcoming.  Easter Eggs are displayed in full colourful glory.  Once seated we are approached by Lara, our waitress for the day.  Lara’s English is excellent but she explains to us that Franco, the owner and her Uncle, doesn’t speak any English at all.  This doesn’t prevent Franco from attempting to communicate with us with lots of hand and face gestures.  Thankfully Google Translate comes in handy once again.

Easter eggs in all shapes and sizes

From a glance around the room it would appear that the Chocolate Gourmet Fondente is popular and this chocolate feast has Mummy and Daddy’s full attention.  After a short while Lara returns with our order.  A platter of chocolate fondants await; pistachio, amaretto, hazelnut and nougat plus a selection of delightful pastries to dip into the gooey chocolate delights.  It isn’t long before we all began to feel sick.  Our eyes are bigger than our bellies!

A chocoholics dream

FLAMING HECK…WHAT IN THE BLAZES?

All of a sudden the lights go out and Franco appears with a pan of fire!  The flames shoot upwards as he proceeds to fill small cups with this flaming drink.  As Franco didn’t speak English, and we didn’t speak Italian, we had to rely on Lara to explain what was going on.  The drink is called Parampampoli.  It’s a blend of coffee, grappa, wine and caramelized sugar and is really tasty.  Served hot and flambé, Parampampoli instantly warms the soul.

Lara informs us this drink is always best served with friends, and we think Franco has just become our new best friend, what a joyous and lovely man.  It takes us over an hour to leave Franco’s as he insists on taking photos with us and pouring us lots of different drinks, all completely gratis, he refused point blank to accept our money.  Franco even gives our girls little Easter Eggs to take away with them.  Before leaving there were lots of hugs and we also connected with Franco and Lara on Facebook.  We’ve only just left and yet we can’t wait to return.

Forging friendships over a tipple

The evening is drawing in so a quick stroll through the town to take a few snaps.  Most of the shops are closed but  we stumble across a gift shop and our girls are eager to spend their holiday money.  A few souvenirs purchased, and gifts for Nana and Granda, and then it’s back to Aparthotel des Alpes for our evening meal.  As if we could eat anymore after all that chocolate at Franco’s!

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DAY TRIP TO OBEREGGEN (DAY 5)

Obereggen has been on our radar for some time, it almost pipped Alpe Cermis as our destination when we came to booking this ski trip.  It came as a real shock to us to be in Italy and hear everyone speaking German!  Obereggen belongs to the municipality of Deutschnofen.

READ OUR REVIEW OF OBEREGGEN IN THE VAL D’EGA

At the very top of Obereggen is Oberholz Restaurant and Bar, the very reason for our visit today.  For unobstructed views of the UNESCO World Nature Heritage Site of the Dolomites, Oberholz is the perfect place to be.  Three over-sized viewing windows allow you to take in the natural scenery as you dine.

Three windows, three views…spoilt for choice.

Oberholz was a culinary delight but the girls had other things on their minds…tobogganing (that’s sledding to you and I).  Tobogganing was so much fun and one go just wasn’t enough.  Although it was quite late in the day, we still managed to squeeze in three fast runs.  It’s an absolute blast and definitely one of our holiday highlights.

Whether you call it tobogganing or sledding, it’s lots of fun

ON THE SLOPES (DAY 6)

Knowing the girls felt comfortable skiing on their own, we decided against a ski instructor for our final day at Alpe Cermis.  Lily-Belle and Matilda happily rode the rolling carpet to the top of the nursery slope then effortlessly skied down.  Sat at the bottom of the slope, Mummy and Daddy were happy watching, photographing and, every now and then, shouting Pizza, Pizza, Pizza in an attempt to slow our over enthusiastic 3 year old…she was completely fearless.  Nutter!  Before the girls finished skiing for the day we took one last video of them maneuvering through the obstacles.  We felt so proud, from non-skiers to skiers after just two short lessons, and all thanks to the excellent tuition available from Scuola Italiana Sci at Alpe Cermis.

AS SARAH BRIGHTMAN ONCE SANG…TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

Our time at Alpe Cermis had come to an end and it was time to say goodbye.  The week had flown by and the last day came around far too soon for our liking, 6 days just wasn’t long enough.  Goodbye, Ciao, Auf wiedersehen…until the next time.

WOULD WE GO BACK

This is by far the easiest yes we have ever said.  As a family we absolutely amore Italy and from the moment we arrived in Cavalese, we knew it was a special place.  Beautiful town, magnificent mountains, perfect skiing at Alpe Cermis and the loveliest locals you could ever meet.  Our visit was in the Winter but we have absolutely no doubt that this region would be just as spectacular in Spring, Summer and Autumn.  As a family we are really looking forward to returning to Alpe Cermis in the future.  Hopefully the next time we’ll feel cotton soft snowflakes kissing our rosy cheeks.

With a very special thank you to:

Federica Bailoni – for her very warm welcome at Alpe Cermis and excellent hosting

Cinzia Pistoia – for her warmth, friendliness and local recommendations

Alessandro and Massimo – for putting our girls at ease and their excellent ski tuition

Franco and Lara Simonazzi – for newly formed friendships, ice cream and for introducing us to Parampampoli

A heartfelt thank you for making our visit both special and memorable!  We look forward to seeing you all again in the not so distant future.

LILY-BELLE (age 9) SAYS  I really enjoyed Alpe Cermis and skiing.  I think the instructors are brilliant, and they spoke very good English. This was my first time on real snow and I was a bit scared of the bumps (moguls) at first.  I loved the sledding at Obereggen, but I thought I was going to fall off a cliff and die!  The alpine coaster was really cool. Daddy:  Die? Slight exaggeration as there wasn’t even a mountain side anywhere near us, just a beautiful fast twisty run all the way down to the bottom.

MATILDA (age 3) SAYS I really loved skiing so fast and doing it all by myself and I liked going up the carpet to the top of the hill.  I didn’t like Mummy wetting my bum in the toilets, she’s so mean!  Mummy, why did you even do that? (shouting at Mummy).  Can we go back and get another ice cream at the Fanjo’s shop?  Yuuuuuuuummy! Daddy:  For those of you who are in doubt, Fanjo’s is in fact Franco’s Gelateria.

Travel Itinerary and Costs

Travel Dates:  21st – 27th March 2018 Flights (2 A + 2 C):  Ryanair – Belfast to Milan Bergamo – £152.00 (plus £30.00 for 1 x 20kg checked bag) Car Hire:  Firefly – €59.22 for 7 days (plus €350.00 refundable security deposit) Accommodation:  Aparthotel des Alpes – €668.29 (plus €150.00 refundable security deposit) Scuola Italiana Sci:  Private lessons €40.00 (1st child) + €15.00 (2nd child) – lesson duration 1 hour Pedestrian Lift Pass (Alpe Cermis summit):  €16.00 (adults) and €10.50 (children) Rolling Carpet Ski Pass (Lily-Belle and Matilda):  €5.00 each

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ALPE CERMIS: DIAMOND OF THE DOLOMITES ALPE CERMIS Winter or Summer holiday, which do you prefer?  Our family has mixed views when it comes to the type of holiday we take. 

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Week 12- Identity Crisis?

This week we met the lovely Sitearm Madonna, an engineer who works in the oil business in Texas in real life and was involved in the setup and management of Virtual Dublin in Second Life. Sitearm has been on Second Life almost since its creation back in 2003.

But, the question is...why does Sitearm look more like Sue Ellen than J.R.? Well....why not? The first avatar I created in SL was male. I just felt I would like to try it to see how it felt, and because I could! Unfortunately I had some glitches and when it came to trying again I just gave up and Freddy became a standard female in SL.

Site brought along some portraits from over the years demonstrating how his persona had changed and outlying some of the reasons for these changes.

First there was Artemis: “A greek goddess. Hot, took no prisoners, hardass, champion of childbirth (changes)”. Site mentions how he was brought up by a single mum who must have somehow inspired him. Unfortunately the name Artemis was unavailable, so was Artemis1, Artemis2, Artemas784 etc., and so he settled on the anagram ‘Sitearm’.  

The second avatar became slightly more glamorous, wearing the same ‘gypsy’ dress as she (I feel I should refer to the proper SL sex now) had on in class. While discovering SL she came across a place where good times were had, an environment where you felt included, a bit like the bar ‘Cheers’, everybody knew your name, the conversation was good and filled with plenty of humour. Feeling like this was a great place/concept, and clearly a natural charismatic entrepreneur, Sitearm decided to get more involved in setting up events and created, ‘Artemis Consulting’. 

It was during this time that Sitearm was ‘picked up’ by a guy called Oliver and went on to become his business partner in SL event management. Site mentioned at this stage that while being female in SL had lots of advantages such as great clothing and male avatars lavishing you with wonderful jewels, she did experience plenty of unwanted attention and lewd advances. 

Unperturbed by these individuals it was at this stage that Site decided to glam-up her look even more, In the 3rd photo we can see her with fiery red hair and sultry green eyes. She had discovered ‘SL skins’ which allowed for better skin tone and the addition of makeup. She also spoke about the animation override which allowed her to adapt a more feminine walk and swish of the hips. We can see that Site was really getting into the concept of being female and living her life to the full.

In the next photo she goes back to the gypsy dress, there is a photo of Site lying on the ground, hands behind her head. She mentions that she loves this pic, the light and the smile. Personally I found this one a bit uncomfortable, maybe it’s because the avatar's face looks quite young and innocent.....while the rest of her..well, I will let you decide. 

Moving on we have the goth look fully equipped with vampire teeth and long black hair. Site changes her outfit for us to show what she was wearing back in those days. I am beginning to think I preferred the previous avatar! She mentions that at this time there was a big vampire controversy in SL with avatars going around biting other avatars. Could this class get any weirder?....yes it can!

It is important to note that when SL was first created there was no voice option, so communication was done via text. It was at this point that Site’s SL persona started to merge with her RL persona, James Neville, due to an event combining a SL exhibition with a RL exhibition. Site was still working alongside her sl partner but flaws were becoming evident in their business relationship. Oliver was becoming too commercial for Sites liking, he wanted to earn lindon dollars bringing some major multinationals into Second Life, such as Coca-Cola. Site told us how she wasn’t interested in going down that road. Because of this and the fact that she was ‘coming out’ in RL and also that voice was now a feature in SL, Site had to come clean. Needless to say, her partner was shocked, fully believing that she was also female in RL. Unfortunately this also lead to the end of her involvement in Virtual Dublin.

I found this part fascinating. Her business partners reaction was totally understandable. I’m sure he felt betrayed. Did he have feelings for Site? Perhaps he felt used and taken for a fool and I’m sure he got some grief over it. But then I thought, does he have a right to feel aggrieved? It shouldn’t matter what sex the avatar is (its a computer generated image) or what sex your business partner is for that matter. But as we have seen, SL is very real for many people involved in it. There are people behind these avatars with very real emotions and feelings. Betrayal it betrayal and how would you feel if you were in a relationship (business or personal) for years and then found out it was based on lies?

The next photo is of Site sporting the typical ‘Irish colleen’ look. Back to the red hair with an Irish flag waving in the background. An attempt at desexualising her avatars image? It is definitely far more respectable (and a bit... yawn, yawn, boring, not to mention cliched). This is the profile pic that she uses in SL. 

I guess that last avatar was far too plain for Site as once again she transforms into the dark eyed diva fully equipped with botox lips. I have to say I love it. The gold-digger is back :-) 

Alongside this photo we can see a cartoonised version of the real James. A glimpse of the man behind the mask. Site still prefers the female versions. I found it hilarious the way Site spoke about dresses and jewels and shopping and how much he loved that part. Considering my dislike for dresses and jewels and shopping I thought it might be interesting if we had the ability to transform our bodies in RL. Why is it that we have such stereotypes about not even what we should look like but also about how we should behave and what we should crave depending on our sex? 

We were also joined again tonight by Locks Aichi or Claudia Igbrude as she is known as in real life. Locks is the eLearning development officer with the DIT Learning and Teaching Centre (LTTC) and also lecturer on the MSc Diploma and Certificate programmes. When asked why she decided to choose a male avatar in SL she explained that she was a bit of a tomboy growing up and so, it was something that just came naturally which she felt comfortable with. There was no specific reason, it was not because she felt she was getting harassed as a female in SL. She told us that she does have a female avatar in traditional Nigerian costume that was ‘gifted’ to her. As you can see from the picture below, she is absolutely stunning, nothing like the barbie doll avatars thich seem so prevalent in SL. 

Here is an interesting article from The Independent about Virtual Dublin and Second Life:

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/where-everybody-knows-your-virtual-name-29399511.html