tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38168919589197667252024-03-13T06:03:33.029-04:00The Wright Wreportfeaturing VEVLYN'S PEN, an online lifestyle news magazineVWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.comBlogger1123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-38334785022757057222022-06-11T08:31:00.012-04:002022-06-14T08:41:33.235-04:00 In ‘Mr. Parker’, Getting on With Life as You Don’t Know It<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFY4n1pnn7bfjPMGAmu_MuMfZfgbiM6dDRUDWpRx2R7FCe_WOsGC10bLOxkwKLtH1dddipGc8gS5HWuutcaHbkne5Ewuo49zqUKWcACxcf0cunqtXRvK9-g08p6vVJk71ZgfxGDVY6pErgQenxvrKFp-3-EuAaRXZBCK_CjLQJKCi1pJSnMWYdUc/s7722/5yrzJLn4.<br />
jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="5377" data-original-width="7722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFY4n1pnn7bfjPMGAmu_MuMfZfgbiM6dDRUDWpRx2R7FCe_WOsGC10bLOxkwKLtH1dddipGc8gS5HWuutcaHbkne5Ewuo49zqUKWcACxcf0cunqtXRvK9-g08p6vVJk71ZgfxGDVY6pErgQenxvrKFp-3-EuAaRXZBCK_CjLQJKCi1pJSnMWYdUc/s400/5yrzJLn4.jpeg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Derek Smith is the title character in “Mr. Parker,” a middle-aged gay man who must find a way to move forward in a strange world after the death of his husband. <b>Photos by John Quilty.</b></span>
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<br /><strong>By MARI S. GOLD
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“MR. Parker”</strong> offers what at first seems like a collection of clichés but thankfully switches course to provide insight into what resilience is all about.
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At <strong>Theatre Row</strong> by way of the <strong>Penguin Rep Theater</strong> until June 25, the work reveals a middle-aged gay man who finds himself adrift after the death of his artist husband, a sexy young gender non-conforming man picked up in a bar and the stylish, powerful sister of the artist. The three play effectively off of one another.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids-rGwuc7RqfjQ6lmG8PC2L9AVYWDQPRfpJEcb2JaqLsQ3Xe3Zbrms8veJgqzk_1i-fXn7Iev6rrrZRDxy_KE-SNj5iM7XY9l88m12i3glL76IfJFykhbU91DFUQme1bS5p-qWxZDKe0/s1600/Theat+LOGOone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids-rGwuc7RqfjQ6lmG8PC2L9AVYWDQPRfpJEcb2JaqLsQ3Xe3Zbrms8veJgqzk_1i-fXn7Iev6rrrZRDxy_KE-SNj5iM7XY9l88m12i3glL76IfJFykhbU91DFUQme1bS5p-qWxZDKe0/s320/Theat+LOGOone.jpg" width="150" /></a>Terry Parker (<strong>Derek Smith</strong>) grapples with his loss. No longer part of the Jeff and Terry couple, he has been reduced simply to Mr. Parker by the doorman of his upscale building. Stuck and unable to move ahead, he clings to the studio emptied by the loss of his husband until a chance encounter with Justin, a bartender/Uber driver (<strong>Davi Santos</strong>), leads to a change of outlook.
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The situation is both hindered and helped by Cassandra, the artist’s sister (<strong>Mia Matthews</strong>) who has managed her brother’s work and, to some extent, his and Terry’s lives. Taut, controlling Cassandra recognizes that the Justin-Terry relationship won’t benefit either man and gives it a painful, if necessary, push.
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All three actors inhabit their roles with naturalness of voice, gesture and meaning. Writer <strong>Michael McKeever</strong> could have developed just as successful a script had he eliminated a little of Justin’s backstory, but overall the situation works. The world has moved on and so must these characters with a nod to cell phones, today’s gender pronouns and contemporary art.
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Things heat up quickly after a chance meeting between Terry (Derek Smith) and Justin (Davi Santos) in “Mr Parker.”</span>
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Costumes by <strong>Myra Oney</strong> are particularly effective on Cassandra whose role provides the greatest opportunity to make a fashion statement. <strong>Max Silverman’s</strong> music separates elements well without overtaking them; <strong>Joe Brancato’s</strong> direction keeps sufficient tension in the air to allow the actors the scope they need to work.
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Penguin Rep Theater, where “Mr. Parker” originated, has grown over 40 years from a summer theater to become one of the Hudson Valley’s most influential nonprofit cultural institutions, reaching tens of thousands of theatergoers each year at its home in upstate New York.
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In New York City and beyond, its work moves to off-Broadway and to stages across the country and around the world. Penguin has presented works by playwrights, including <strong>Ronald Harwood, Arthur Laurents, Lanie Robertson</strong> and <strong>Elizabeth Swados. Andrew M. Horn,</strong> producer and executive director, has overseen nearly 200 productions for the group.
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In “Mr Parker,” Justin (Davi Santos) and Terry (Derek Smith) begin a relationship that is doomed to fail and it is left to Cassandra (Mia Matthews) to sort it all out. </span>
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“Mr. Parker” isn’t grand drama but it deals head on with major life situations, including sexuality, power and loss. The story is almost entirely believable and presented by skilled actors who fully inhabit their roles. Moving on is tough but is a necessary part of life.
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<em><strong>Visit <a href="https://bfany.org/theatre-row/shows/mr-parker/" target="_blank">https://bfany.org/theatre-row/shows/mr-parker/</a> to learn more about Mr. Parker.</em></strong>
VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-75778685658148599592022-04-16T09:00:00.070-04:002022-04-21T12:46:53.146-04:00NYGASP's ‘The Pirates of Penzance’: A Gilbert & Sullivan Classic Done to a Turn<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZAwYIXUSR9o5exhqwH18LdjNyikrnGbbgUGsixFNwGDNQgcRFh2-dIZ19dNGT7L-LS6_KZpiwrvgEQD_6xF0rod1dvFZrtcu-RJYKIvGQB63-JVb1-P_S_mpp68AWmLchp6Z9B-iuOkY4J_AjORZZAUNHJzEpfTAxxRu9HjNYz_Xb_916pO-2pA/s500/Pirates1095+copy.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZAwYIXUSR9o5exhqwH18LdjNyikrnGbbgUGsixFNwGDNQgcRFh2-dIZ19dNGT7L-LS6_KZpiwrvgEQD_6xF0rod1dvFZrtcu-RJYKIvGQB63-JVb1-P_S_mpp68AWmLchp6Z9B-iuOkY4J_AjORZZAUNHJzEpfTAxxRu9HjNYz_Xb_916pO-2pA/s400/Pirates1095+copy.JPG"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Sarah Caldwell Smith leads “The Pirates of Penzance” ensemble in “Poor Wand’ring One.”</b></span>
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<strong>By MARI S. GOLD
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IN</strong> today’s world filled with strife and angry disagreement, it is a pleasure to see an entirely lighthearted theatrical performance. Opposite sides each have their say. Conundrums are resolved and the audience gets two-plus wonderful hours of escapism.
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Thanks goes to <strong>“The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty”</strong> in its brief run at the <strong>Kaye Playhouse</strong> at <strong>Hunter College</strong>. With music by <strong>Sir Arthur Sullivan</strong> and a libretto by <strong>W. S. Gilbert</strong>, the production by the <strong>New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (NYGASP)</strong> is richly rewarding.
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Among the many delights of all Gilbert & Sullivan works is the overture. Though small, the NYGASP orchestra has a hearty, full sound. Founder, artistic director and general manager <strong>Albert Bergeret</strong> conducts the musicians with vigor.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids-rGwuc7RqfjQ6lmG8PC2L9AVYWDQPRfpJEcb2JaqLsQ3Xe3Zbrms8veJgqzk_1i-fXn7Iev6rrrZRDxy_KE-SNj5iM7XY9l88m12i3glL76IfJFykhbU91DFUQme1bS5p-qWxZDKe0/s1600/Theat+LOGOone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids-rGwuc7RqfjQ6lmG8PC2L9AVYWDQPRfpJEcb2JaqLsQ3Xe3Zbrms8veJgqzk_1i-fXn7Iev6rrrZRDxy_KE-SNj5iM7XY9l88m12i3glL76IfJFykhbU91DFUQme1bS5p-qWxZDKe0/s320/Theat+LOGOone.jpg" width="150" /></a>Starting with “Pour, O Pour the Pirate Sherry,” the opening number sung and danced by the pirate ensemble, the production explodes with energy. As the cast guides the audience through the convoluted plot, the bright colors and clever design of <strong>Quinto Ott</strong> and <strong>Gail Wofford’s</strong> elaborate costumes (note the epaulets on Major-General Stanley’s bathrobe) fill the eye.
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Now to the shenanigans: Frederic’s nursemaid, Ruth, mistakenly apprentices the boy to a band of pirates instead of a group of pilots. Frederic (<strong>Christopher Robin Sapp</strong> / <strong>Andrew Corson</strong>) has vowed to devote his life to the extermination of piracy – until a ludicrous leap year snag threatens to keep him apprenticed to the pirates for life.
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Although considerably older than Frederic, Ruth wants to marry him. He demurs, realizing he lacks experience with other women. Subsequently, Frederic sees and is smitten with Mabel, one of the many wards of Major-General Stanley (<strong>James Mills</strong>).
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A particular special moment in Gilbert & Sullivan operettas involves a patter song in which a character discloses his background. In “Pirates,” Mills does a splendid job with the much-parodied “I Am the Very Model of a Model Major-General.”
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<div style="float: right; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="320" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f3c44mZdy8I" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
A group of bumbling policemen captained by Ott – as good at comedy as he is at costumes – becomes involved. The police antics with the young ladies and pirates are fun and do full justice to the number, “A Policeman’s Life is Not a Happy One.”
<strong>Sarah Caldwell Smith</strong> as Mabel has a lovely soprano enhanced with a great sense of timing. <strong>Cáitlín Burke</strong> as Ruth conveys a sense of fun and good stage presence also complemented by a fine voice.
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The entire company dances with verve on the small Kaye Playhouse stage. Choreographer <strong>Bill Fabris</strong> does a creative job with simple movements, especially for the hapless policemen as one inept officer struggles – and mostly fails – to match the steps of his colleagues.
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The stage business is vigorous. There are many bright moments: the badminton game played by two young ladies; a policeman lying on a bench as though he is an effigy, and the Major-General’s expressive use of his handkerchief. Holding <strong>Queen Victoria’s</strong> portrait aloft so the pirates can express their loyalty to the crown, Frederic mimes a hilarious parody of the modern British Royal’s wrist-wave.
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The very capable NYGASP, which bills itself as the country’s “preeminent professional Gilbert & Sullivan repertory ensemble,” gracefully covers minor mishaps. For instance, when the lights at the start of Act ll are delayed. A fallen pistol? Uncaught flag? No problem.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkCmwyMBUGv5mts6ZO1phDQ6gXZI5tYnki_Cv6G9ZKPJXETrSMu9bcKapxXGHnDrZee0Abiz4Q0s_GiU87KAqynrZw-Vwj-BbHlbjADLo33KCLTYtNAugEBbA7-TmhTMFo-3SOdDArO2HTMDz2jDLPty-8TeD2-lj5trCQ2JJT4hQ6QsOWkvyPUk/s1937/IamaMajorGeneral.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1937" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkCmwyMBUGv5mts6ZO1phDQ6gXZI5tYnki_Cv6G9ZKPJXETrSMu9bcKapxXGHnDrZee0Abiz4Q0s_GiU87KAqynrZw-Vwj-BbHlbjADLo33KCLTYtNAugEBbA7-TmhTMFo-3SOdDArO2HTMDz2jDLPty-8TeD2-lj5trCQ2JJT4hQ6QsOWkvyPUk/s320/IamaMajorGeneral.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
James Mills (front and center) as the very model of a modern major-general and “The Pirates of Penzance” ensemble. <b>Photo by William Reynolds.</b></span>
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My only quibble is a lack of crispness in dialogue, both spoken and sung. This may be owing to acoustics at the Kaye Playhouse. Unfortunate because every syllable of Gilbert’s words is worth savoring.
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“The Pirates of Penzance” is one of the strongest works in the Gilbert & Sullivan canon. It includes a melodious score as well as ample humor, parody and overall charm right down to the pardon of the pirates who are all “noblemen gone wrong.”
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Maidens, policemen, pirates, nursemaid, Major-General and the rest of the cast deliver a very pleasurable experience.
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://www.nygasp.org/" target="_blank">https://www.nygasp.org/</a> to learn more about “The Pirates of Penzance.”</strong></em>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkCmwyMBUGv5mts6ZO1phDQ6gXZI5tYnki_Cv6G9ZKPJXETrSMu9bcKapxXGHnDrZee0Abiz4Q0s_GiU87KAqynrZw-Vwj-BbHlbjADLo33KCLTYtNAugEBbA7-TmhTMFo-3SOdDArO2HTMDz2jDLPty-8TeD2-lj5trCQ2JJT4hQ6QsOWkvyPUk/s1937/IamaMajorGeneral.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1937" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkCmwyMBUGv5mts6ZO1phDQ6gXZI5tYnki_Cv6G9ZKPJXETrSMu9bcKapxXGHnDrZee0Abiz4Q0s_GiU87KAqynrZw-Vwj-BbHlbjADLo33KCLTYtNAugEBbA7-TmhTMFo-3SOdDArO2HTMDz2jDLPty-8TeD2-lj5trCQ2JJT4hQ6QsOWkvyPUk/s320/IamaMajorGeneral.jpg"/></a></div>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-84394743649824888702022-03-31T22:03:00.089-04:002022-04-01T15:55:02.821-04:00Ambitious 'Once Upon a Time Called Now’ Inflames, Then Overwhelms the Senses<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihUUJt_m7N7iB0-3ZiB_HdlAykGZQT6cfgCP7gRz5ubAJ80P3yZDzCAhNEIVAQcqocR8pxZsSqXX4gA3q4IGSJWgDyu9WnDSNR5NaeOO48iiFW6Uk4sI0XPHCO2sxQF63NbRHDvVFiMzQ9k1VOtKOqXP6hoC2bmQbOz13P8i3FgsmRKcOp4QTi1I/s4464/2BXG8i_0.jpeg.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="4464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihUUJt_m7N7iB0-3ZiB_HdlAykGZQT6cfgCP7gRz5ubAJ80P3yZDzCAhNEIVAQcqocR8pxZsSqXX4gA3q4IGSJWgDyu9WnDSNR5NaeOO48iiFW6Uk4sI0XPHCO2sxQF63NbRHDvVFiMzQ9k1VOtKOqXP6hoC2bmQbOz13P8i3FgsmRKcOp4QTi1I/s400/2BXG8i_0.jpeg.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Russell Hall, Roxanne King, Michela Marino Lerman, Orlando Hernández and Alfonso Horne making merry. <b>Photo by Kevin Lau.</b></span>
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<strong>BY MARI S. GOLD
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“ONCE Upon a Time Called Now”</strong> is a kaleidoscope of tap dance, live jazz, creative lighting, dazzling costumes and just plain hoofing to intricate rhythms set against a spoken narration.
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The work, at the <strong>Joyce Theater</strong> through 3 April, opens on a background aglow with apricot-colored lights illuminating the silhouettes of musicians and empty peacock chairs. It’s <strong>Mardi Gras,</strong> evidenced by twirling parasols and bodies – sad and joyous – in semi-single file as they weave through the imagined streets of New Orleans.
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Renowned dancer <strong>Michela Marino Lerman</strong> is at the center wearing a suit ablaze with sequins. Not that of a bullfighter, but with the sparkle that befits the winner of the 2019 <strong>Hoofer Award</strong> (See video below of Lerman&Co. in action). She is also a bandleader, educator, director and all-around creative wonder behind this 90-minute entertainment set in the spirit world.
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<strong>Love Moment,</strong> the band led by Lerman, plays a tight blend of original music. The mostly jazz and spiritual numbers combine with energetic arms and legs tapping one- and two-footed movements to impart a sense of community to every moment. In “Once Upon a Time Called Now,” Lerman casts herself as Kahina and invites the audience to accompany her on a journey back from the afterlife on a quest to achieve self-love, acceptance and enlightenment. Music, dancing and projections are set against a recorded narrative by writer/actress <strong>Anna Deavere Smith.</strong>
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Kahina’s journey of self-discovery begins with revisiting her ancestors in ancient Egypt. There, she searches for her <em>ba</em>, a major aspect of the soul that can appear in bird form expressing the soul’s mobility even after death. As she works to rid herself of negative character traits like materialism and ego, Kahina recalls <strong>Orpheus</strong> whose instructions during his descent into the underworld were “don’t look back.”
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These ideas, developed as Kahina’s internal monologue, are implicated in Deavere Smith’s poetic narrations. Thankfully, they move the ideas forward because these notions of Kahina are sometimes hard to follow. The narrations are also often enmeshed with self-help truisms along the lines of “find your center.” These unfortunately distract, rather than enhance the power of those brightly beating feet.
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The dancing, comprising solos and group movements, is interspersed with the narrative as feet stamp out intricate rhythms. The tapping is vigorous, demanding and often flashes brilliantly, but the overall effect grows somewhat repetitive as do the steps. Sometimes, there is almost too much to take in as the mind tries to follow the narrative while the eye – and heart – is drawn to the dancing, music and onstage energy.
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“Once Upon a Time Called Now,” blends internal self-seeking and a quiet, meditative state with great tapping, demonstrating the physical control evident in every step of the dancers. The costumes by <strong>Angela M. Fludd</strong> are free-flowing and designed to embrace every body type in keeping with the underlying theme of self-acceptance. Also, they have the added benefit of enhancing the exuberance of each dancer’s performance.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvf1G0h4IFvXyqpcxKeHVy1WgIvxcuEu6XrVHivpzfV3h9ioDseGzIDNNjEr534BEZ1dbKTF703S4AcTTXKF2KwMJ56oWuGNw6u_zoApZYe79_mSfShEWNnd0zYcF96LQlz1c-5qoCgFPLCqO_1GDZkRXZJ3lormV4tC1Rn0nWK9DdbYyOPxwgRc/s836/Photos-by-Martina-DaSilva.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="836" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvf1G0h4IFvXyqpcxKeHVy1WgIvxcuEu6XrVHivpzfV3h9ioDseGzIDNNjEr534BEZ1dbKTF703S4AcTTXKF2KwMJ56oWuGNw6u_zoApZYe79_mSfShEWNnd0zYcF96LQlz1c-5qoCgFPLCqO_1GDZkRXZJ3lormV4tC1Rn0nWK9DdbYyOPxwgRc/s320/Photos-by-Martina-DaSilva.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Michela Marino Lerman (center), surrounded by collaborators (from left) Russell Hall, Roxanne King, Orlando Hernández and Alfonso Horne. <b>Photo by Martina DaSilva.</b></span>
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Meanwhile, the band and vocals add another layer of sensory satisfaction to “Once Upon a Time Called Now.” Yet as thrilling as it often is, the unceasing volume of the music grows hard to listen to as the evening wends on, making this writer wish for a brief change of decibel level.
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This production is a sweeping, immersive experience with dazzling dance moves. And Lerman is a genuinely creative spirit both as dancer and leader, but she might be better served with less complex surroundings and greater concentration on what she and her talented troupe do best, minus the mumbo- jumbo.
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://www.joyce.org/performances/michela-marino-lerman" target="_blank">https://www.joyce.org/performances/michela-marino-lerman</a> to learn more about "Once Upon a Time Called Now."</strong></em>
VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-73716279908852498252022-01-27T16:46:00.115-05:002022-02-01T03:13:18.037-05:00God Save the Queens: Protecting the Mane of Palimore Triplets, as Well as Girls and Women in Every Corner of Country with CROWN Act<iframe width="400" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FGrfhOTxy4Q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<strong>BY VW</strong>
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WITH</strong> all of the problems that plague the United States, one of the very last ones we should be dealing with – in the 21st century! – is hair discrimination. Yet, it is a problem that persists. And <em>you, you, you</em> and <em>you</em> can help from the comfort of home and device.
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Are you scratching your scalp, wondering what I'm on about? I get it. It’s a ton of botheration to even bring it up, but needs must, hence the <strong>Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act of 2021</strong>, for instance. But I will return to that shortly.
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First, some background: Fellow Americans all across the United States – an overwhelming majority of them black, if media reports and at least one study are to be believed – have been experiencing discrimination because of their hairstyles. One might think such practices were left behind in 1919 or 1984 or 1999. Alas, no. They persist in 2000, 2010, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 …
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWz6OquwrsQWuGaBJx46xb_kvtSyJuDo4aiMC0NNxyWB-gCHI3M2dF1jiSPfG7eQs1RZuE8GbhwRsL-A66lvtZ2RXVrxhUSRp6-v8O37-WTDQTNVKkH-OJZIGCPCU_Awi3EwfsNwNU1w/s1600/CommentaryLOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWz6OquwrsQWuGaBJx46xb_kvtSyJuDo4aiMC0NNxyWB-gCHI3M2dF1jiSPfG7eQs1RZuE8GbhwRsL-A66lvtZ2RXVrxhUSRp6-v8O37-WTDQTNVKkH-OJZIGCPCU_Awi3EwfsNwNU1w/s400/CommentaryLOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>
It could be a situation where an athlete is told he must cut his locs to compete. A little girl is sent home because she is wearing braids in violation of school policy. A woman receives a job offer contingent on her abandoning her locs or braids. Little girls are bullied at school because of their hairstyles. Many of these same little girls begin to dislike their hair and desire straight hair.
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This hair discrimination impacts mostly women and disproportionately black women who wear natural hairstyles like afros, braids, locs and ringlets. In fact, the <em><strong>2019 Dove CROWN Research Study</em></strong> found in part that 80 percent of black women compared with 65 percent of nonblack women reported hair dicrimination.
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The study also found that black girls as young as 5 have experienced hair discrimination (See <strong>"As Early As Five"</strong> above. It is a short film from Dove that dramatizes this finding). Yikes! This should not be the future of the <strong>Palimore Triplets</strong> or any little girl regardless of her hair type.
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To paraphrase <strong>Marcus Garvey</strong>, “Don't force them to remove the kinks from their hair! Remove the kinks from your brain!
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Not surprisingly, these outrages have spawned activism and legislation, giving rise to the CROWN Coalition and the CROWN Act. The former is an alliance of various non-governmental organizations, including Dove. Its mission is to push anti-hair discrimination legislation across the United States.
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The coalition has had success. Currently, 14 states and more than 30 municipalities have passed hair discrimination laws under the rubric, CROWN Act.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH4u57EWXyOmbGYpLeSPoJjF3DyrP4XkHA1D1J2IF7Tul6JPxrdRHzMjkH99JlKw5BRmH4co1RaToohqbRNYqfDNl04jwOUobBYjS2JnySqRQCdXPzgcvWMg55FDzHawzwsso_Fk_o-ejDkV_i6pwIKqHYWclHFjnDvKPRXhDohcZAPaGJlqMzB3U=s751" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH4u57EWXyOmbGYpLeSPoJjF3DyrP4XkHA1D1J2IF7Tul6JPxrdRHzMjkH99JlKw5BRmH4co1RaToohqbRNYqfDNl04jwOUobBYjS2JnySqRQCdXPzgcvWMg55FDzHawzwsso_Fk_o-ejDkV_i6pwIKqHYWclHFjnDvKPRXhDohcZAPaGJlqMzB3U=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
You can follow the Palimore Triplets on Instagram (@palimore_triplets). <b>Image from Palimore Triplets Instagram page.</b></span>
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The CROWN ACT, which outlaws hair discrimination (particularly the race-based type) in institutions and workplaces, passed by the <strong>U.S. House of Representatives</strong> in September 2020 and was introduced in the <strong>U.S. Senate</strong> in March 2021. There is a big push to get the bill passed in the Senate. <strong>President Joe Biden</strong> is expected to sign the CROWN Act, making it the law of the land.
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I hope <em>yous</em> will get on board and support the CROWN Act (use the links below to act). Because in 2022, we don't have time for this.
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<strong><em>Visit the following links to support the CROWN Coalition and the CROWN Act of 2021:
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Join the CROWN Coalition:</strong></em> <a href="https://www.thecrownact.com/join-crown-act" target="_blank">https://www.thecrownact.com/join-crown-act</a>
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<strong><em>Get help if you have experienced hair discrimination:</strong></em> <a href="https://www.thecrownact.com/hair-discrimination-help" target="_blank">https://www.thecrownact.com/hair-discrimination-help</a>
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<strong><em>2019 Dove CROWN Research Study:</strong></em> <a href="https://bit.ly/3ubzl9j" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3ubzl9j</a>
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<strong><em>2019 Dove CROWN Research Study for Girls Infographic:</strong></em> <a href="https://bit.ly/3s8RZMe" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3s8RZMe</a>
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<strong><em>Sign petition to support an end to hair discrimination in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (Washington, DC):</strong></em> <a href="https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/campaigns/the-crown-act.html" target="_blank">https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/campaigns/the-crown-act.html</a>
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<strong><em>Use online form to request your U.S. Senator’s support of the CROWN Act of 2021:</strong></em> <a href="https://www.thecrownact.com/email-your-senator" target="_blank">https://www.thecrownact.com/email-your-senator</a>
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VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-31610219278810716092021-12-18T10:52:00.218-05:002021-12-22T11:16:39.254-05:00Holiday Gift Guide 2021: LoveLit Candles Is Young Hailei Beckwith’s Labor of Love (Sans Beeswax)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh82arI_nJCbRW4iXeDMofaPAjeLnVdmFQlmABZ7wPF_DJBB9UjhGC368QUirISk38zKm3PHc-xdrSlkaHqqhrOtzucALCoE_saSD5hmyZPwNQbvMraWyo_i3eHHGw1ldDJ17fD9Ds__V0owWG6tWBQLEtwIw57v3qDDAgroYQGcFgDbe9WRpsNA9g=s692" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="692" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh82arI_nJCbRW4iXeDMofaPAjeLnVdmFQlmABZ7wPF_DJBB9UjhGC368QUirISk38zKm3PHc-xdrSlkaHqqhrOtzucALCoE_saSD5hmyZPwNQbvMraWyo_i3eHHGw1ldDJ17fD9Ds__V0owWG6tWBQLEtwIw57v3qDDAgroYQGcFgDbe9WRpsNA9g=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hailei Beckwith, owner of LoveLit Candles, receives a Young Entrepreneurs Day proclamation from Monroe, LA Mayor Friday Ellis. <b>Photos courtesy of LoveLitCandles.</b></span>
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<em>HEADS UP: Dear Reader, we’re back with a Holiday Gift Guide after a two-year hiatus! Until 24 Dec., the elves at The Wright Wreport will introduce at least one or a series of products, items, services and/or brands that we believe are worthy of consideration as holiday gift(s).</em>
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<strong>BY VW
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HAILEI Beckwith</strong> has it going on!
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Not only is she a good student, nice person, attractive girl and a pageant winner (<strong>Miss Monroe's Outstanding Teen</strong> 2022), the 17-year-old is an entrepreneur. And she’s been in the game for four years as the founder of <strong>LoveLit Candles.</strong> Since she was 13, in case you didn’t do the math.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s1600/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="50" data-original-width="150" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s200/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>Who’s to say? One day Hailei might be mentioned in the same breath as <strong>Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Frank DeLuca (Subway)</strong> and <strong>Mike Kittredge</strong> (what became <strong>Yankee Candle</strong>).
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfKu9tN8vSSIQGE9ETE4ykR6TM7JfQWdCTLUJ5Mr_phXMEh2TmONvlydrUrbKu1-gJs9LAcus_Ui34hfgjybzoToWm0JNC0gDMWwyLBGJ270tgb2j7QPDzpqDFVFWrG295mRphclLZXTIx4B9Geh3_dFym3OGow8RRsZPeGXJPyM7GqKyRkASAFcI=s948" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" height="320" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfKu9tN8vSSIQGE9ETE4ykR6TM7JfQWdCTLUJ5Mr_phXMEh2TmONvlydrUrbKu1-gJs9LAcus_Ui34hfgjybzoToWm0JNC0gDMWwyLBGJ270tgb2j7QPDzpqDFVFWrG295mRphclLZXTIx4B9Geh3_dFym3OGow8RRsZPeGXJPyM7GqKyRkASAFcI=s400"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The LoveLit Candles Holiday Collection: Christmas Cabin, Mistletoe + Cranberries, Spiced Pomander and Winter Romance.</span>
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Today, she has peers like <strong>Maya Penn (Maya’s Ideas</strong>: sustainable fashion), <strong>Caroline Bercaw</strong> and <strong>Isabel Bercaw (Da Bomb</strong>: bath bombs) and <strong>Femi Adebogun (ScholarMe</strong>: platform for applying for college aid). All founded their enterprises in their teens; some are <em>still</em> teens.
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There are no hard-and-fast statistics on the number of children in the United States who own businesses, but anecdotally the number is in the millions.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyNdK1UE-4iMa6OpzGhmlRQzztz8g7gnVDhm4PPmgDvuM1SPlTMhFS2KmdCZ_YNO3pwa15e8YC-48u9Ai-XcT8v_irgm0Hi-rgtYjht5NaHAA2QxYC1oNpY7qGztCxtwj1Ol69wSn8hnINYkNJ80zhvojEfsF_mcijD1W9t8d2WaaQUh8WZdpm57w=s772" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyNdK1UE-4iMa6OpzGhmlRQzztz8g7gnVDhm4PPmgDvuM1SPlTMhFS2KmdCZ_YNO3pwa15e8YC-48u9Ai-XcT8v_irgm0Hi-rgtYjht5NaHAA2QxYC1oNpY7qGztCxtwj1Ol69wSn8hnINYkNJ80zhvojEfsF_mcijD1W9t8d2WaaQUh8WZdpm57w=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The LoveLit Candles room/linen sprays (Graceful Host, for instance) neutralize odors and refresh the air in various spaces.</span>
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It’s as though Hailei took the advice of former <strong>President Barack Obama:</strong> “We are the change that we seek.” Or many a grandmother: “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”
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Undoubtedly, these are some of the self-starter/solution-oriented attitudes – plus, a bee allergy – that led the adolescent to start her Monroe, LA-based candle company.
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<div style="float: right; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="320" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J7XpbeMsGk0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“Most candles use beeswax and I wanted to enjoy candles and also allow that opportunity for other people that are allergic to beeswax to enjoy candles,” she explained during a recent interview after receiving a Young Entrepreneurs Day proclamation from Monroe, LA <strong>Mayor Friday Ellis</strong> (play video for the entire interview).
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-eA1WP4ZjZtDQqRK5Ci5BMIulwrfHJjbRgJpJ3WvQnbY0i5xUzWtpZyUQe-31oHXR5iMqZ5GSfFomZQJiizdseCRTsVs1o5mJVFmHTGbXOmh0aqOKUsYcTVq2Z4_seet5F1K-uOyumjwKigYdySQPGQOYpOz7p_CL3BtlRzzKTblkKKoxL-dfVak=s1434" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-eA1WP4ZjZtDQqRK5Ci5BMIulwrfHJjbRgJpJ3WvQnbY0i5xUzWtpZyUQe-31oHXR5iMqZ5GSfFomZQJiizdseCRTsVs1o5mJVFmHTGbXOmh0aqOKUsYcTVq2Z4_seet5F1K-uOyumjwKigYdySQPGQOYpOz7p_CL3BtlRzzKTblkKKoxL-dfVak=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Don’t want an open flame? LoveLit Candles has you covered with Wax Melts (Brandied Pear, anyone?).</span>
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<em>Beeswax-less</em> Lovelit Candles come in a variety of scents: <strong>Mahogany Teakwood, Kakadu Plum + Amber, Southern Belle, Jamaican Me Crazy, Monkey Farts, Baja Cactus Blossom</strong>, etc. The <strong>Christmas Cabin</strong> candle – currently, the candle BFF of <em>Yours Truly</em> – is simply sublime. The evergreen, mess and pine notes combine to create an intoxicating aroma of the forest. Nothing cloying and clingy, here!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwdxPGXvjsBtx1DQd32OJgGpadBFXN1oWQJAG2cp2EfkFovd8Q9_YPNL38WzrqrY5N3VIxmXERWt7Mv_B1mbAy5cWkzbtUKxjO_NRzApFOgKoWmZ9O8Sy43hezpPlAonyzBsbVKlzvmWA-BPvU4IC56ljhN5DzYi2cd2kNzDW5gZH4iKvLjirxjs8=s610" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwdxPGXvjsBtx1DQd32OJgGpadBFXN1oWQJAG2cp2EfkFovd8Q9_YPNL38WzrqrY5N3VIxmXERWt7Mv_B1mbAy5cWkzbtUKxjO_NRzApFOgKoWmZ9O8Sy43hezpPlAonyzBsbVKlzvmWA-BPvU4IC56ljhN5DzYi2cd2kNzDW5gZH4iKvLjirxjs8=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add wax or aromatic oil of choice and plug in with a LoveLit Candles Pluggable Fragrance Warmer.</span>
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Each candle comes with care instructions. Who knew that the wick should be cut by one-quarter inch after the first use?! Or that one should burn candles for up to about three hours at a time? Such best practices extend the life of the candle and improve the burning experience. A nice little differentiator, no?
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Surprise, surprise, the company peddles more than candles. For those concerned about open flames, there are <strong>Wax Melts</strong> in hot scents like <strong>Cool Citrus Basil.</strong> Amongst the stock, too, are <strong>Room/Linen Sprays, Pluggable Fragrance Warmers, Diffusers</strong> and <strong>Car Air Fresheners</strong> (new).
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxkFPH1DhwJSA0V2AcyIFQNHZz0pkEC6NvmpclHV4vJlfas8ROfIXa4QFGVmK5N6QFxSwWHXVDb6u8h_KUsvIjQCOsjQKnwlwsofJ-QlKrGu67yy2R3xsH2TSxwFKHT5mPRilPEvrMniaYYJhGZHHLbrrVOJoNN_XUxdfh0QT_5lKJCBu40aohjKA=s720" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxkFPH1DhwJSA0V2AcyIFQNHZz0pkEC6NvmpclHV4vJlfas8ROfIXa4QFGVmK5N6QFxSwWHXVDb6u8h_KUsvIjQCOsjQKnwlwsofJ-QlKrGu67yy2R3xsH2TSxwFKHT5mPRilPEvrMniaYYJhGZHHLbrrVOJoNN_XUxdfh0QT_5lKJCBu40aohjKA=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The LoveLit Candles DIY Candle Making Kit comes with supplies for two candles (jars, lids wax, wicks, wick stickers, wick bars, fragrance oil, warning labels and instructions).</span>
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Incidentally, all LoveLit Candles scented products are made from organic and eco-friendly ingredients. To that end, there may be extra-special enthusiasm for the <strong>DIY Candle Making Kit.</strong>
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<strong>Peach Magnolia</strong> over here!
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://www.lovelitcandles.com/" target="_blank">https://www.lovelitcandles.com/</a> to learn more about LoveLit Candles. </strong></em>
VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-54337498741049251282021-12-15T13:30:00.011-05:002021-12-16T20:35:48.167-05:00Holiday Gift Guide 2021: High Hopes for Potentially Game-Changing (and Award-Winning) Kikkerland Design Turtle Tofu Press<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinx7yHuhEn1cT-HcNX0_Ll0ZhhNaq5keOKUVSSzCdsM9VNzm5Uep0EtmH1I1liRXThSK9KRP7T-hOJQ8B8sCqcanuoD_uC7_QOyI0-3hvoihhCyloNOqxhl8bC2KM1Y15BQTTcv16EAanQQp4I7WDJeAbcRcTjwts8Sae0CwLePUEYNdOwEEaKIdU=s736" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="736" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinx7yHuhEn1cT-HcNX0_Ll0ZhhNaq5keOKUVSSzCdsM9VNzm5Uep0EtmH1I1liRXThSK9KRP7T-hOJQ8B8sCqcanuoD_uC7_QOyI0-3hvoihhCyloNOqxhl8bC2KM1Y15BQTTcv16EAanQQp4I7WDJeAbcRcTjwts8Sae0CwLePUEYNdOwEEaKIdU=s400"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
According to Kikkerland Design, its award-winning turtle tofu press can drain tofu within 20 minutes. <b>Photos and video courtesy of Kikkerland Design.</b></span>
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<em>HEADS UP: Dear Reader, we’re back with a Holiday Gift Guide after a two-year hiatus! Until 24 Dec., the elves at The Wright Wreport will introduce at least one or a series of products, items, services and/or brands that we believe are worthy of consideration as holiday gift(s).</em>
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<br /><strong>BY TAMARA BECK
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FOR</strong> years now, I have been trying to figure out how to drain tofu. Piling plates over the logs I have laid out in a sifter was an improvisation that yielded less than success.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s1600/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="50" data-original-width="150" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s200/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>
Such fits and starts would result in my leaving the tofu in the store’s refrigerated section. Some of you might consider that a gift in and of itself. After all, the stuff has very little flavor. But, oh gosh, tofu has a tremendous amount of protein, calcium and iron. And few calories! It is decidedly good for you.
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But I digress. There is a possible solution to this drainage problem: Enter the <strong>Kikkerland Design Turtle Tofu Press,</strong> a design challenge winner. Alas, there is a problem with this possible solution: The tofu press is sold out. Another supply chain issue?
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<div style="float: right; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="320" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tz2OLcvMMBE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
And more questions. How well does the turtle press drain tofu? Is it fast, or more like a snail (or turtle)? Will it make my Tofu Life easier?
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Is it really as user-friendly and effective as Kikkerland says:
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<strong><em>1. Insert tofu in the strainer
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2. Place lid over it
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3. Wrap silicone band around the press
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4. Excess water is drained from tofu within 20 minutes</strong></em>
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Meanwhile, the merits of tofu are many. When prepared in a quick-and-easy stirfry or scramble, it absorbs the yummy around it to make a delicious lunch or breakfast. Tofu complements bell peppers, especially the juicy red ones. And mushrooms, garlic and black pepper. Soy sauce and edamame are a nice addition, too. Well, this is making me hungry.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp1VTmHbcrm0oGFOGrsYBN0oKeuGNitsLL2JMW1ckcg8LtbrTApkgKWCTQrENgoJNSbroUTMe0KVTEjLF6BLO-9WUBHRaNZfLIk4tlLHln1vtDByDdMzFF8ynNBfjGGLpEueXy5xinwSybX1bz5IP8AwprHw1DDIVBKkMpoRC5eYPjApl8T3qb0DU=s704" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="704" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp1VTmHbcrm0oGFOGrsYBN0oKeuGNitsLL2JMW1ckcg8LtbrTApkgKWCTQrENgoJNSbroUTMe0KVTEjLF6BLO-9WUBHRaNZfLIk4tlLHln1vtDByDdMzFF8ynNBfjGGLpEueXy5xinwSybX1bz5IP8AwprHw1DDIVBKkMpoRC5eYPjApl8T3qb0DU=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The Kikkerland Design Turtle Tofu Press is made from bamboo, which fights off bacteria. </span>
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Further considering this Kikkerland turtle tofu press, it is cute as a button and exotically fashioned of bamboo. This wood is a natural for use with food because of its antibacterial property. Its place in your kitchen depends so much on the answers to those burning questions. But if it were me reading the tea leaves, I’d say it's a keeper.
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Let’s revisit this pressing matter in 2022.
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://kikkerland.com/products/turtle-tofu-press" target="_blank">https://kikkerland.com/products/turtle-tofu-press</a> to learn more about the Kikkerland Turtle Tofu Press.</strong></em>
VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-73064027293182883762021-12-09T08:33:00.316-05:002021-12-13T20:42:16.689-05:00Holiday Gift Guide 2021: What Is One Thing Oprah and David Spade Have in Common? All-Occasion, 'Gift Wrap My Face' Gift Wrap Paper (and More)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGozqobJ_9DYpCsV54jc1e4NPM_vmojCm7EXweGkv0w1SLOsvMvo5Hb0rUMLaeivq-Fo_OlKXHcQCa-nyfP27dAHBBMQsLXg0QQqvA5KkEVVePNMqK4s1mz8CmnTwH8GSau_9FuET3n4UrXQBFg_u2MgaaU32o_3HmxJU5HNuAWfpAmoUn3rm_d8E=s1350" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: none;"><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGozqobJ_9DYpCsV54jc1e4NPM_vmojCm7EXweGkv0w1SLOsvMvo5Hb0rUMLaeivq-Fo_OlKXHcQCa-nyfP27dAHBBMQsLXg0QQqvA5KkEVVePNMqK4s1mz8CmnTwH8GSau_9FuET3n4UrXQBFg_u2MgaaU32o_3HmxJU5HNuAWfpAmoUn3rm_d8E=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The "Gift Wrap My Face" Elfie Dance Smart Gift Wrap is designed with trademarked augmented reality that is activated by a QR code. See video below. <b>Images and videos courtesy of "Gift Wrap My Face."</b></span>
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<em>HEADS UP: Dear Reader, we’re back with a Holiday Gift Guide after a two-year hiatus! Until 24 Dec., the elves at The Wright Wreport will introduce at least one or a series of products, items, services and/or brands that we believe are worthy of consideration as holiday gift(s).</em>
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<strong>BY VW
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YOU</strong> see it on the <strong>Wall Art,</strong> <strong>Banner, Gift wrap paper</strong> and so on. It is you or possibly someone you know.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s1600/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="50" data-original-width="150" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s200/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>Essentially, some likeness is superimposed onto items with themes associated with holidays, celebrations and events. One company – <strong>“Gift Wrap My Face”</strong> – makes the magic happen. As co-owner <strong>Aryel Rivero</strong> put it during a recent virtual press conference, “We make all kinds of things with faces on them.”
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When the Florida-based company was founded in 2014, it mainly produced themed gift wrap paper. Now, “Gift Wrap My Face” plasters faces on items like <strong>Christmas stockings, Posters, Socks</strong> and <strong>Stickers.</strong>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWVqHi-GPwcJCj-QszBobymhHwugQ-79y-jX5fHy8lR7U0-6e28pAAk_Db_4l3LdwE6CZVmIMP7iqJ_pkli2y6_YshcHTnebfIoA5PYaDpKkqlKenAwLNk1sspsQlMc3FviPDwBwkHZopKaeoxhvH-F1yAZXt2N7f-_95wfzaayzhHHKbu9W7E20Y=s1000" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWVqHi-GPwcJCj-QszBobymhHwugQ-79y-jX5fHy8lR7U0-6e28pAAk_Db_4l3LdwE6CZVmIMP7iqJ_pkli2y6_YshcHTnebfIoA5PYaDpKkqlKenAwLNk1sspsQlMc3FviPDwBwkHZopKaeoxhvH-F1yAZXt2N7f-_95wfzaayzhHHKbu9W7E20Y=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The “Gift Wrap My Face” Little Miss Elfie Selfie Wine Socks – like all of the wine socks – can replace wine-type gift bags. After the bottles are removed from them, they will be ready to wear.</span>
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It’s all “kitschy but well-designed,” Rivero pointed out with a smirk.
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It’s easy-peasy, too. On the website:
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1. Select themed paper (Advent Calendar, Christmas Sweater, Evergreen Christmas, Menorah Head, Selfie Ornaments)
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2. Upload a high-res photo
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3. Select product and theme (Banner and Birthday)
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4. “Gift Wrap My Face” team does its thing and you have your customized order in as few as three to four business days.</strong>
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<div style="float: left; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="320" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KL9qys1w3Xo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The items are tied to themes and occasions that include Anniversaries, Birthdays, Christmas, Everyday, Graduation, Hanukkah, Motivational messages, Pets, Superheroes, Thanksgiving, Weddings, etc. (All products are made in the United States.)
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Of course, selfie gift wrap paper and the like aren’t new. After all, we live in a selfie culture.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4ZFovwX_GKcHUKlJVJcUYtsiGYDFgk6_P3eMum-Ggs9OqFBuvZUobMYn-x1TRJe4peydK3sF9eMqifWQXufXYtnqbqEf5T0YjkNMWo2iMT6qtBKcDvWQEFMUf-gIQ1xjiCHCXeinkMe6P_TD4a40C_QgkAAUdRoKEIJh0uqAHJIvgynVWGJP-QTw=s2000" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4ZFovwX_GKcHUKlJVJcUYtsiGYDFgk6_P3eMum-Ggs9OqFBuvZUobMYn-x1TRJe4peydK3sF9eMqifWQXufXYtnqbqEf5T0YjkNMWo2iMT6qtBKcDvWQEFMUf-gIQ1xjiCHCXeinkMe6P_TD4a40C_QgkAAUdRoKEIJh0uqAHJIvgynVWGJP-QTw=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The personalized “Gift Wrap My Face” banners are 60 inches wide by 24 inches high. </span>
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Part of what sets “Gift Wrap My Face” apart, however, is that it is truly custom. It does all of the work for you, saving you the botheration of going to a <strong>Zazzle,</strong> for instance, and doing much of the custom production – which can be rather tedious and user-unfriendly – yourself.
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Further, “Gift Wrap My Face” uses trademarked <strong>Augmented Intelligence</strong> that can produce floating faces like the one on the paper that Rivero used to wrap a gift that he sent to co-owner and wife, <strong>Vanessa Clavijo,</strong> who at the time was his girlfriend.
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<div style="float: left; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="320" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/twkH6l3OmSk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Another “Gift Wrap My Face” product is <strong>Video Paper.</strong> It has a personalized and private QR code that allows gift givers to share a video message with recipients.
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Quality-wise, the paper “Gift Wrap My Face” uses is different from the gift wrap paper one buys in a store in that it is matte and of a heavier stock, preventing ink from bleeding and smudging.
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The company also eschews coated paper and paper made with “harmful shiny chemicals.” Socks are a polyester-spandex blend with a reinforced heel and Christmas stockings are made from 100% polyester.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNsKRLuAlFWR9jpGOD7RtEsehKl5YkqFO2WPEkbbWc8-ia6SavwT72zOCXxjUFVt5MRhJtlYRO8maBlM-SKKwcyaFLbxqz1abcJqNWmI1_Oj8GPAi7nQ56SaSG81O2jHB0WKhsmzq_pVzms2FMI_O-npU5sXdH1SW9HbD2eYTnjW7qiDPbiBYcZwM=s1000" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNsKRLuAlFWR9jpGOD7RtEsehKl5YkqFO2WPEkbbWc8-ia6SavwT72zOCXxjUFVt5MRhJtlYRO8maBlM-SKKwcyaFLbxqz1abcJqNWmI1_Oj8GPAi7nQ56SaSG81O2jHB0WKhsmzq_pVzms2FMI_O-npU5sXdH1SW9HbD2eYTnjW7qiDPbiBYcZwM=s320"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The “Gift Wrap My Face” Money Maker and Aqua socks (inset) are a crew design made from a polyester-spandex blend. All styles come in adult and child sizes.</span>
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Not surprisingly, this outfit is on the radar of the celebrity set: <strong>Khloe Kardashian</strong> and <strong>David Spade.</strong> Its biggest endorsement to date has come from none other than king and queenmaker, <strong>Oprah.</strong>
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://www.giftwrapmyface.com/" target="_blank">https://www.giftwrapmyface.com/</a> to learn more about “Gift Wrap My Face.”</strong></em>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-36631405024277924802021-12-05T20:36:00.002-05:002021-12-05T20:36:42.669-05:00Holiday Gift Guide 2021: When You, You, You and You Are Ready to Venture Back Out, Broadway (on and off) Lights Are Ablaze<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h_fcfUZBsx_op_JEmaN6yFAkT_VlSLr5j_P2gO9K8b7Z8hiP252usfN9_oZOC1ljq4Y8VG64hog9j_wDjSdZGGhWVVnP9xFCb2jPQwCaO68JQ_w8BINJtqaGV31tDtMabgMBul6OZ70/s2048/20211205_183547.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h_fcfUZBsx_op_JEmaN6yFAkT_VlSLr5j_P2gO9K8b7Z8hiP252usfN9_oZOC1ljq4Y8VG64hog9j_wDjSdZGGhWVVnP9xFCb2jPQwCaO68JQ_w8BINJtqaGV31tDtMabgMBul6OZ70/s400/20211205_183547.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Nkeki Obi-Melekwe as Tina Turner in “Tina - The Tina Turner Musical.” <b>Photo byManuel Harlan.</b></span>
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<br />
<em>HEADS UP: Dear Reader, we’re back with a Holiday Gift Guide after a two-year hiatus! Until 24 Dec., the elves at The Wright Wreport will introduce at least one or a series of products, items, services and/or brands that we believe are worthy of consideration as holiday gift(s).</em>
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<srong>BY TAMARA BECK
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FINALLY!</strong> This year– and after all we've been through – we can return to the theater!
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That in and of itself is a gift. But don't jump your personal gun. Do only what you are comfortable doing. When you're ready, the stage shows will be waiting for you to take your place among the vaccinated and enjoy a live performance.
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FINALLY! This reporter could not help repeating herself.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s1600/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="50" data-original-width="150" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s200/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>
So ... what would make a special holiday treat? Well, you can't go wrong with <strong>"Tina - The Tina Turner Musical."</strong>
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Broadway serves up the icon's story of endurance, overcoming adversity and talent in a hard rocking entertainment. <strong>Adrienne Warren, </strong> who was nominated for a <strong>Tony</strong> last year and won it at this year's awards, has relinquished the role.
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Stepping in to this work created by <strong>Katori Hall</strong> is <strong>Nkeki Obi-Melekwe</strong> under the direction of <strong>Phyllida Lloyd.</strong>
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<div style="float: right; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="320" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NREQfz2uTck" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Other Broadway productions held over from the <em>before-times</em> include the fascinating and much lauded <strong>Hadestown.</strong> It's a Tony- and <strong>Grammy</strong>-winning hit that welcomes us back to <strong>Anaïs Mitchell's</strong> whimsical world. The playwright spins her yarn by modernizing not just one, but two Greek myths. Her imaginative retelling was developed with <strong>Rachel Chavkin</strong> who also directs this production.
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History is still being taught in <strong>Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton,"</strong> a clever rap and sung-through musical that earned all those big Tonys in 2016. (One of my commendations from back in that day: http://www.vevlynspen.com/2015/08/lin-manuel-miranda-ascends-new-heights.html?m=1.)
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Tickets to this strikingly smart and funny musical were always hard to get and still are. It's worth all the work you're going to put into it, though
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTU81w5zxlivpGBeBXK-uJo6QS9dz3lIxlx4pESDjFS6T7tPWzvikc16uG6G6O_DOBu1-lEcU16xKQ_6dKwq_YIzaV-SrBvpPk69vzL9quCrXBMGR8i_3tD9YyxCzSnJqCCIwp4CetYU/s1820/Resized_AdrienneWalkerasNalaandEnsemble.PhotobyDeenvanMeer.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTU81w5zxlivpGBeBXK-uJo6QS9dz3lIxlx4pESDjFS6T7tPWzvikc16uG6G6O_DOBu1-lEcU16xKQ_6dKwq_YIzaV-SrBvpPk69vzL9quCrXBMGR8i_3tD9YyxCzSnJqCCIwp4CetYU/s320/Resized_AdrienneWalkerasNalaandEnsemble.PhotobyDeenvanMeer.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Adrienne Walker as Nala and ensemble in “The Lion King.” <b>Photo by Deen van Meer.</b></span>
Meanwhile, a <strong>Disney</strong>-fied Broadway has proved to be a good thing. The shows the <em>organization</em> stages are heartwarming and filled with wholesome, old-fashioned values. <strong>"The Lion King," </strong> celebrating 24 years on the <strong>Great White Way,</strong> is positively exciting.
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Likewise, <strong>"Alladin"</strong> is a genuinely pleasing experience for the entire family. Hits from the film version include <strong>Alan Menken's Academy Award</strong>-winning "A Whole New World," as well as a score full of toe tappers. It features a genius genie styled after jazz legends <strong>Cab Calloway</strong> and <strong>Fats Waller,</strong> played by <strong>Michael James Scott,</strong> a vereran of New York musical theater.
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In fact, its cast and creatives are from top to bottom seasoned theater stars (interestingly, a couple are making a Broadway debut) with director/choreographer <strong>Casey Nicholaw</strong> at the helm. <strong>Michael Maliakel</strong> makes his Broadway bow as Alladin with plenty of priors in regional theater and a little work on TV. Ditto for Alladin's love interest, Jasmine, portrayed by <strong>Shoba Narayan.</strong> Her resume belies her youth and witnesses her talent.
<div style="float: right; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="320" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f3tc5mXJWG4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Speaking of Broadway veterans and talent, the veteran <strong>Meredith Wilson</strong> musical is in revival starting 22 Dec. <strong>"The Music Man"</strong> stars <strong>Hugh Jackman</strong> and <strong>Sutton Foster,</strong> so there's 76 Trombones worth of excitement right there! The supporting cast features four Tony-winners: <strong>Jayne Houdyshell, Jefferson Mays, Marie Mullen</strong> and <strong>Shuler Hensley.</strong>.
<em>Buyers beware</em>: I am told that ticket surcharges are out of control. A stop at the box office might be in order. But take heart that "Disney pays your <strong>ticketmaster</ strong> fees."
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Happy holidays and happy times on and off-Broadway!
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<strong><em>Visit the following websites to learn more about the productions:
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"Tina - The Tina Turner Musical"
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<a href="https://tinaonbroadway.com/" target="_blank">https://tinaonbroadway.com/</a>
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"Hadestown"
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<a href="https://www.hadestown.com/" target="_blank">https://www.hadestown.com/</a>
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"Hamilton"
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<a href="https://hamiltonmusical.com/new-york/home/" target="_blank">https://hamiltonmusical.com/new-york/home/</a>
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"The Lion King"
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<a href="https://lionking.com/" target="_blank">https://lionking.com/</a>
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"Aladdin"
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<a href="https://aladdinthemusical.com/" target="_blank">https://aladdinthemusical.com/</a>
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"The Music Man"
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<a href="https://musicmanonbroadway.com/" target="_blank">https://musicmanonbroadway.com/</a>
</strong></em>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-20895607903490843982021-12-01T11:07:00.129-05:002021-12-13T15:33:26.541-05:00Holiday Gift Guide 2021: Some Serious Reading to Do as You Begin to Transform Your Diet From Bad to Good (and Help the Planet in the Process)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvoQ16t3zx1x4JgmxqqzTiIxxfu4YKG9QEl_ekTrQ2UX5FMlG3QVnwJSVyrujyLsmSJq7AjzUocLmJbFczQKDMzDwPa3OGr39YYYpKuwumO3BuXnbaZNpyrPHbTyisrcS33m_XhO_iyk/s627/HomePage_Book.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvoQ16t3zx1x4JgmxqqzTiIxxfu4YKG9QEl_ekTrQ2UX5FMlG3QVnwJSVyrujyLsmSJq7AjzUocLmJbFczQKDMzDwPa3OGr39YYYpKuwumO3BuXnbaZNpyrPHbTyisrcS33m_XhO_iyk/s400/HomePage_Book.webp"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The 50th anniversary of edition of “Diet for a Small Planet” contains scores of updated plant-centered recipes.</span>
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<em>HEADS UP: Dear Reader, we’re back with a Holiday Gift Guide after a two-year hiatus! Until 24 Dec., the elves at The Wright Wreport will introduce at least one or a series of products, items, services and/or brands that we believe are worthy of consideration as holiday gift(s).</em>
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<strong>BY VW
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THIS</strong> time you are serious; committed. You want to eat far better than you do now. <em>REAL</em> talk. You are sick and tired of being sick and tired.
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If you're really on the <em>real,</em> real, first do some serious reading about what this might look like. Share these reads with the foodies in your network. By the way, loosen your belts, because you are going to be taken to the heart of the matters.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s1600/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="50" data-original-width="150" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudI39oypgECbFDsQNLuv_6C8_lsfigfYSsmGiGUCnmagjCbObtWj7r1MCBXaWIy4GXi_L_PfiIE38HZEwfB2STIOOaUveh7U0vssweTsmdIAZx6X014VLVWYZpUuMVZHOgDq7lGJJMvY/s200/HolidayGguide1LOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>
These titles break down – no mincing words here – how we became a nation and increasingly a world that is fat and sick because of the food we eat. The major culprits are various forms of colonialism, human rights abuses and capitalism on steroids (like much of the meat we consume). All are debilitating us and the planet.
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The bottomline message in all of these books is that if we are going to heal, trim our bottoms and save the planet, we must take the necessary steps – on a personal and policy level – to become and remain bullish on fruits, vegetable and grains and far less reliant on animals for food. Further, to stop business practices that harm organisms and the planet.
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In short as it regards food, a "Pword"-based diet (don't fret, recipes are provided) and I don't mean pudding or primerib.
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Without further adieu …
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">DIET FOR A SMALL PLANET</h3>
<strong>Author(s):</strong> Frances Moore Lappé
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> In the 50th anniversary edition of this classic tome, food expert <strong>Frances Moore Lappe</strong> doubles down on the benefits of a <em>plant-centered</em> diet. <div style="float: right; margin: 0 10px 5px 0;"><iframe width="250" height="250" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WEmz-vLSbnw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>In chapters like “One Less Hamburger” and “Who Asked for Fruit Loops?,” she reminds the average Jane and Joe that they have the power to make change through what foods they choose to purchase.
These choices, she asserts, can not only improve their personal health, but that of the environment and climate, plus promote democracy. The anniversary edition features 85 updated recipes with contributions from celebrity chefs, including <strong>José Andrés, Mark Bittman, Padma Lakshmi</strong> and <strong>Alice Waters.</strong>
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<strong>Publisher: </strong> Ballantine Books
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<strong>LINK to title</strong>: <a href="https://www.dietforasmallplanet.org/" target="_blank">https://www.dietforasmallplanet.org/</a>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">INFLAMED: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice</h3>
<strong>Author(s):</strong> Rupa Marya and Raj Patel
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> According to the authors, our planet, societies and bodies are inflamed, hence the main title. They explain, for instance, why you who live in the “global south” may have a perfectly goodlooking apple that may not be good for you while that one of your neighbor in the “global north” is probably good for her/him. It boils down to some type of inflammation.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXsH3t6WXuXf8QCgLMe8Em30z2BYglexJdFFLM4IH2IWnQ4esO5pzdvub9d7VyO5XddkqVhFRCZucWH1Wf1RQ0cQxYsqjbfGouYQRxe9IwTltXWvu50I2FF16QWNRruXUdBzQkSWbez4/s96/download+%25282%2529.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXsH3t6WXuXf8QCgLMe8Em30z2BYglexJdFFLM4IH2IWnQ4esO5pzdvub9d7VyO5XddkqVhFRCZucWH1Wf1RQ0cQxYsqjbfGouYQRxe9IwTltXWvu50I2FF16QWNRruXUdBzQkSWbez4/s320/download+%25282%2529.png"/></a></div> This inflammation, they posit, is caused by all manner of global injustices, from pogroms to prejudice to pollution to poor health care. To connect dots, the book is divided into sections that use the language of the body, e.g., “Digestive System.”
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“Salmon are to rivers what the heart is to blood vessels,” says co-author <strong>Rupa Marya,</strong> in the writers’ notes in reference to the section, “Circulatory System: Salmon Are the Pump.” Marya is also the co-founder of the <strong>Do No Harm Coalition.</strong>
The authors cleverly and persuasively make the argument that societal ills from poor health to pollution to persistent forest fires and beyond are inexorably linked and perpetuated by the same forces.
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<strong>Publisher: </strong> Farrar Straus and Giroux
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<strong>LINK to title</strong>: <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374602529/inflamed" target="_blank">https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374602529/inflamed</a>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">VEGETABLE KINGDOM: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes
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<strong>Author(s):</strong> Bryant Terry
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> “Big Beans, Buns, and Broccoli Rabe” (page 95). Once you try this baby, you may not go back to meat, which would be just fine with James Beard award-winning chef <strong>Bryant Terry</strong> (“Afro-Vegan”). <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJztZwqMzheZrjzu6ahTBXUA41OAvjKiQJuP77-eNFcLl5ZCrugNtPNAZzUkz3sX06XN8qV3xvvYFfCoQN1uLXV0R0SGdto0e69u3qC7piavT994zJkI8aRd43vch5sl4v-kERrqpKDKc/s1920/bunsbeansbroccoli.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="280" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJztZwqMzheZrjzu6ahTBXUA41OAvjKiQJuP77-eNFcLl5ZCrugNtPNAZzUkz3sX06XN8qV3xvvYFfCoQN1uLXV0R0SGdto0e69u3qC7piavT994zJkI8aRd43vch5sl4v-kERrqpKDKc/s280/bunsbeansbroccoli.jpeg"/></a></div>
In all of his books, Chef asserts that the vegetable kingdom provides enough bounty to more than meet our nutritional needs. In “Vegetable Kingdom,” he does not pander to carnivores by including recipes made with meat substitutes. Here, it’s straight, no chaser. Recipes are separated by plant types – bulbs, fruits, roots – making the cookbook uber user-friendly.
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One chapter is dedicated to tools, ranging from the familiar like the knife and food processor to the uncustomary “mortar and nestle” (Terry uses them to “pound spices, crumble nuts, and make pastes.”). Of course, there is a “soundtrack” (a Terry staple) as varied as the recipes: <strong>Stevie Wonder, OutKast, Mongo Santamaria</strong>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxoe0vo0vKkcCcPj2e07AbWxlSJk_Iixj8ii2vvhBEjtZOq3IwyUslSd-XVT0efto8MSHL8Vn7GArWzvztxlTL3lNHGDWcHRWzBJPxZNf5Zg21oemjPUivqgnDapNv6cyKEB3d7O9p2c/s500/51GAkoV9vOL._AC_SY780_.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="280" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxoe0vo0vKkcCcPj2e07AbWxlSJk_Iixj8ii2vvhBEjtZOq3IwyUslSd-XVT0efto8MSHL8Vn7GArWzvztxlTL3lNHGDWcHRWzBJPxZNf5Zg21oemjPUivqgnDapNv6cyKEB3d7O9p2c/s280/51GAkoV9vOL._AC_SY780_.jpg"/></a></div>The father of two believes that food should be kid-friendly as are the recipes in “Vegetable Kingdom,” most of which were tasted and greenlit by his daughters, <strong>Zenzi</strong> and <strong>Mila,</strong> his inspiration for the book. He writes in the introduction: “I wrote this book to make a diversity of foods of the plant kingdom irresistible to them, to inspire their curiosity, and to show them the pleasure of a lifelong adventure with good, nourishing food.”
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To wit, “Pan-seared Summer Squash Sandwiches” (p. 121), “Jerk Tofu Wrapped in Collard Leaves” (p. 143), “Barbecue Sunchoke Chips” (P. 186).
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<strong>Publisher:</strong> Ten Speed Press
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<strong>LINK to title</strong>: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564101/vegetable-kingdom-by-bryant-terry/" target="_blank">https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564101/vegetable-kingdom-by-bryant-terry/</a>
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<em><strong>More titles to come shortly.</em></strong>
VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-65319801948684794832021-11-15T08:31:00.030-05:002021-11-18T09:00:27.661-05:00Musing on Major Merit of Miniature Smart ForTwo (the Vehicle Formerly Known as SmartCar)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGzziDUBRosWY_Lxa4RvRkmqLR4CpoAhCl3FGsIiyx9ipsBkyeXXapyqzUlv1rcrsoJKKM5ToWfcuZEkZbalUrx-AWGWbEpg0ri3nT2sIoMESADaj4knpJYWLWVkYPfMT13APpfh-uWM/s362/image_editor_output_image-851758504-1636938122066.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGzziDUBRosWY_Lxa4RvRkmqLR4CpoAhCl3FGsIiyx9ipsBkyeXXapyqzUlv1rcrsoJKKM5ToWfcuZEkZbalUrx-AWGWbEpg0ri3nT2sIoMESADaj4knpJYWLWVkYPfMT13APpfh-uWM/s400/image_editor_output_image-851758504-1636938122066.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The Smart ForTwo license plate says it all. FULL STOP. <b>Photo by Tamara Beck.</b></span>
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<strong>BY TAMARA BECK
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IT’S</strong> a small reminder from our little <strong>Upper East Side</strong> neighborhood that halfway around the world the <strong>2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference</strong> recently shuttered.
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Literally small. Compact automobiles like <strong>Daimler AG’s</strong> <strong><em>Smart ForTwo</strong></em> are an asset in the city.
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I know we can attribute their role as energy-savers to their diminutive size. But their maneuverability is an asset most rare.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XAOoGo7Lmyk-1tjsh9VLo_6hJhGwuZPB13UawWZVim4h3xYvi_H54FKdbLzXtJVa04fLCmo-3Oa2edJ6Aw7iFEOEMdVEH8oUCVDt5tAVoGr4kNDt2jFENFIdJbbucPxLbN_Xme1NLCE/s698/image_editor_output_image-1316819267-1636938169159.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XAOoGo7Lmyk-1tjsh9VLo_6hJhGwuZPB13UawWZVim4h3xYvi_H54FKdbLzXtJVa04fLCmo-3Oa2edJ6Aw7iFEOEMdVEH8oUCVDt5tAVoGr4kNDt2jFENFIdJbbucPxLbN_Xme1NLCE/s320/image_editor_output_image-1316819267-1636938169159.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The Smart ForTwo is the envy of the road on the parking-challenged streets of Manhattan. <b>Photo by Tamara Beck.</b></span>
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One of them sports the aptly-named license plate, <em>PARKABLE,</em> which advertises what is to New Yorkers its most valuable attribute.
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Space is what we crave. And parking spaces are much prized.
We envy those who can squeeze in between the hydrant and bus stop.
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Let’s face it, both PARKABLE and the other fellow can slip into spaces your SUV can only admire (and understandably envy) from its spot in the garage.
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://sidewalksuperblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">https://sidewalksuperblog.wordpress.com/</a> to read more observations from The Wright Wreport Theater and Dance Editor Tamara Beck.</strong></em>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-23539546953444865462021-10-26T09:08:00.089-04:002022-01-12T20:12:11.240-05:00Hello Again: Relying on the Power of Cannabis and Other Relaxants to Give Menopause a Chill Pill<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IY-u3O-a-2Gxd6Qu_hcHFp2fAgdr3sVqstswuKv8l8S1487Zd3Czbt2oKnuzDrgeDOT5c2LHsgJv8IlrEp68dhlbiUfKiGGgC4HKZ1waCX7248seOwx9ahB8PXPD9Wo4cPZ5D3nvD6E/s2048/Jennifer+Skog+of+MJ+Lifestyle.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IY-u3O-a-2Gxd6Qu_hcHFp2fAgdr3sVqstswuKv8l8S1487Zd3Czbt2oKnuzDrgeDOT5c2LHsgJv8IlrEp68dhlbiUfKiGGgC4HKZ1waCX7248seOwx9ahB8PXPD9Wo4cPZ5D3nvD6E/s400/Jennifer+Skog+of+MJ+Lifestyle.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
"Hello Again sleep" and "Hello Again everyday" are cannabis-based vaginal suppositories that alleviate many of the side effects of menopause. <b>Photo by Jennifer Skog.</b></span>
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<strong>BY TAMARA BECK
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FOR</strong> too long, <strong>menopause</strong> has been a punchline and the menopausal the brunt of the joke.
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To the more than half of the population subject to its unseasonal cruelties, throwing open an overcoat or demanding that a window be opened is not funny.
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Longtime friends, <strong>Carrie Mapes</strong> and <strong>Patty Pappas,</strong> certainly didn't think so. Instead of joining the laughs, in 2019 they developed two cannabis-based vaginal suppositories with the wellness of women suffering from menopausal side effects in mind.
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<strong>"Hello Again everyday"</strong> can be used (inserted) daily for a sharper mind, regulation of hot flashes and hydration down there instead of dryness. Meanwhile, <strong>"Hello Again sleep"</strong> offers the relief of "everyday," plus supports uninterrupted sleep and reduces night sweats.
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As the founders' story goes, "Their grandmothers tolerated, their mother's medicated and they created."
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October marks <strong>World Menopause Awareness Month,</strong> amplifying that we no longer laugh at the sufferer.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYZigvrgzW9wOk0vgk7w2jIGRyj99Kh0D4qAzk060N-aR22U-JyyPRmjagPh3zjnUXDX8zMOtKNXHnrUh30KFBYIDIbqvDE4C2tGilV8Rwa91IW5I425Hf__9zHyUvtfJlllliPlq0so/s1536/_DSC7564.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYZigvrgzW9wOk0vgk7w2jIGRyj99Kh0D4qAzk060N-aR22U-JyyPRmjagPh3zjnUXDX8zMOtKNXHnrUh30KFBYIDIbqvDE4C2tGilV8Rwa91IW5I425Hf__9zHyUvtfJlllliPlq0so/s320/_DSC7564.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
Cheers to Carrie Mapes and Patty Pappas, the founders of the Hello Again products. <b>Image courtesy of Hello Again.</b></span>
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For many, menopause is an exercise in aging. It can occur in women as young as 40 (Hello Again targets women 21 and older). Along with the sudden loss of a reliable thermostat, a woman of a certain age also begins to feel left out sexually.
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Hello Again suppositories combat some of these more annoying side effects using a bevy of natural ingredients. They contain oils and extracts like <strong>Hops, Rose geranium, Chamomile, Neroli oil</strong> and <strong>Valerian root</strong>.
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And there is also the addition of the cannibals compounds, <strong>THC</strong> and <strong>CBD</strong>. In combination, they promise a daily path to "Clear mind. Good moods. Less sweat."
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Relying on Hello Again, this reporter wore a sweater during the day <em>all</em> day. Overnight, I slept peacefully. No sweat.
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A clear mind in the woman's version of a midlife crisis might curtail impulse-buying. In crisis mode, for instance, she is less likely than her husband to buy a red Porsche to ease the pain.
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And real – not just <em>real psychic</em> – pain can certainly be one of the traits of "the change." Along with the world famous hot flashes, moodiness and depression are definitely involved. Sleep deprivation may add to the anxieties menopause brings. Vaginal dryness may render sex more painful than pleasurable.
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When these changes happen, it is wise to look toward meditation or deep breathing, yoga or other exercises that reduce stress. Women facing this natural decline in reproductive hormones are well advised to take care of themselves.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSb0nolgs0dvv6iPTEd42CHoT8F28WajOPdiaK-CnoBuPdeRoYTRx6OOKrMl9xt06GqxQ8p0fJPPQkmIzjYHJRdvBPtKkWwaEn0CM8IyaJAMRSeMkmhaugL37mujdFTsb4fX9IwqZJGQ/s1024/_DSC7400.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSb0nolgs0dvv6iPTEd42CHoT8F28WajOPdiaK-CnoBuPdeRoYTRx6OOKrMl9xt06GqxQ8p0fJPPQkmIzjYHJRdvBPtKkWwaEn0CM8IyaJAMRSeMkmhaugL37mujdFTsb4fX9IwqZJGQ/s320/_DSC7400.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
"Hello Again sleep" and "Hello Again everyday" are cannibas-based suppositories that are inserted into and that dissolve inside the vagina. One is for use at night and the other is for daily use. <b>Image courtesy of Hello Again.</b></span>
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Hello Again offers a lifeline. The company's motto is just the self-care advice you need while in the throes of menopause: "FEEL LIKE YOURSELF AGAIN."
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<em><strong> Visit <a href="https://helloagainproducts.com" target="_blank">https://helloagainproducts.com</a> to learn more about "Hello Again everyday" and Hello Again sleep." </em></strong>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-18252773522849169682021-10-06T12:51:00.158-04:002021-10-09T08:06:42.613-04:00'WhyHunger's Drum Together' Is a Recipe for Drumming Out Hunger, With Backup From an Epic (E-P-I-C!) Group of Percussionists<iframe width="400" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4zio72R2Nmw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<strong>BY VW
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WHAT</strong> a treat!
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It swings; it's jazzy and sassy. The symphony is in da house, rockin' out! On <strong>The Beatles'</strong> classic, <strong>"Come Together."</strong> See the 10-plus minute video above.
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All of these organic ingredients make up <strong>"WhyHunger's Drum Together."</strong> It is the latest iteration (having debuted on 4 Oct.) of uber-famous musicians united for an uber-worthy cause: ending hunger (<em>again</em>).
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See/hear it and do make a donation: <a href="https://www.WhyHunger.org/drum" target="_blank">https://www.WhyHunger.org/drum</a>
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What sets "Drum Together" apart from all of the fine efforts that have preceded it, however, is the <em>percussionists</em>, mostly <em>drummers</em>. They – rather than singers – are the centerpiece on this cover featuring more than 100 recording artists. Yes, the percussionists are the frontmen / frontpersons.
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We're talking: <strong>Ringo Starr, Cindy Blackman Santana, Steve Gadd, Brian Frasier-Moore, Chad Smith, Max Weinberg, Jonathan Moffett</strong>. Plus, the future represented by 11-year-old phenom <strong>Nandi Bushell</strong>.
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Meanwhile, lest we forget, the <strong>COVID-19</strong> pandemic has revealed many fissures in the global society such as hunger and food insecurity. A shame, since it is fairly common knowledge that enough food is produced to adequately feed the world.
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All funds raised through "WhyHunger's Drum Together" will go toward ending hunger through various entry points.
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Cindy Blackman Santana is among the drummers featured on the cover of “Come Together” in support of “WhyHunger’s Drum Together” fundraiser. <b>Photo courtesy of Gretsch Drums.</b></span>
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As much of the world is still living through a global pandemic, the performance of "Come Together" is virtual. But no less engaging and entertaining, thanks to the production prowess (<strong>Dakota Lupo,</strong> take a bow for your fine video editing, among other work on this affair) of the team helmed by Tony winner <strong>Brian Resnik</strong> and veteran drummer <strong>Don Famularo</strong> <em>aka</em> the global ambassador for his instrument. The duo is also the creative force behind "Drum Together."
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It's funky. Bluesy, baby. It's all good. It feeds the soul!
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<em>Come together RIGHT NOW ... to end HUNGER!</em>
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<em><strong>Visit <a href="https://www.WhyHunger.org/drum" target="_blank">https://www.WhyHunger.org/drum</a> to learn more about WhyHunger's Drum Together.</em></strong>
VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-32149071983733801502021-09-09T12:47:00.015-04:002021-09-10T07:15:02.018-04:002021 US Open: Halep Outshines Competition in Nike's Gold&Blue NY Slam Dress, and Here's Why
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8yYd7YWuyzGvPRPrIiqrQmzwcKNiF4oDdasFxrd-SVuY2nTLxjqTOKbQ_C2pNZIw__51VCMOzIGDcJ1esxtU2ZuybjHu1aTLLaIdpDQHk5mXR2ZfaYPTA50kF8_27SBQu_CEYPYXo3Y/s2048/US02021-Day3-YELLOW-Halep.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8yYd7YWuyzGvPRPrIiqrQmzwcKNiF4oDdasFxrd-SVuY2nTLxjqTOKbQ_C2pNZIw__51VCMOzIGDcJ1esxtU2ZuybjHu1aTLLaIdpDQHk5mXR2ZfaYPTA50kF8_27SBQu_CEYPYXo3Y/s400/US02021-Day3-YELLOW-Halep.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>SIMONA HALEP</strong> (5'6"/1.68 meters) of Romania has the winning slam dress look because it is on-point where it matters the most. Debuted look in first-round defeat of Camila Giorgi of Italy. <b>Photo by Darren Carroll/USTA</b></span>
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<strong>BY VW
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NO,</strong> your eyes have not deceived you. They are seeing double, triple, quadruple and more.
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Yes, they have seen the same gold&blue tennis dress nearly every day of the <strong> 2021 US Open</strong>. On a different player. Many different players, from <strong>Marketa Vondrousova</strong> of the Czech Republic to <strong>Amanda Anisimova</strong> of the United States.
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The dress is a <em>pandemic</em> at this year's US Open and the vector is <strong>Nike.</strong>
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That gold&blue number is called the <strong>Nike Fall NY Slam Dress.</strong> Besides <strong>binary blue and university gold</strong>, it comes in <strong>gorge green</strong>. The
slam dress in the two color schemes
is the lone style in dresses available to Nike-sponsored <strong>WTA</strong> players.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VDC_zhph62hlIvXN0Q53DlBG81Zx9v6UEwqBpVtGmyNCqwmP8LPKbzifh2MTZeAmeKd4fDtZSXpxnwuPuM1KHdsMATzfdajBuuR-ZxZly3_hldGuGLb5lZ2jv_oqd6d4flo_EK20JHo/s2048/US02021-Day1-YELLOW-Vondrousova.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VDC_zhph62hlIvXN0Q53DlBG81Zx9v6UEwqBpVtGmyNCqwmP8LPKbzifh2MTZeAmeKd4fDtZSXpxnwuPuM1KHdsMATzfdajBuuR-ZxZly3_hldGuGLb5lZ2jv_oqd6d4flo_EK20JHo/s400/US02021-Day1-YELLOW-Vondrousova.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>MARKETA VONDROUSOVA</strong> (5'8"/1.73 meters) of the Czech Republic looks good in the slam dress but could have benefited from a more supportive bra. Or should she stand up straighter? Debuted look in first-round defeat of Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania. <b>Photo by Brad Penner/USTA</b></span>
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Does this uniformity — Nike is hardly alone (<strong>Adidas</strong>, among others) — signal the beginning of the end of the days when major players got the bespoke treatment and everybody else threw on whatever they could find? Let's hope not! At this year's open, Nike-sponsored <strong>Naomi Osaka</strong> of Japan may be one of a very few players who was presented with a tennis outfit, a gold dress designed especially for her.
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This situation with the attire in a largely individual sport is yet another aspect of this year's tournament that may have <strong>Serena</strong>, <strong>Venus</strong>, <strong>Rafa</strong> and <strong>Roger</strong> shaking their head.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWI2hKH9LDAzEqOxlw6X2O0H_kD_0fvLZZf0UxgHBDukhw4Na5yDXnf8DJd4WnfVVRrHnL6d2Kaw65CG98RqYLs2tfF01VQq8wib5vmszcslGNwXS0Vi0QjGwkJs-Mpa13ul0BBzDVSY/s2048/US02021-Day2-YELLOW-Boulter.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWI2hKH9LDAzEqOxlw6X2O0H_kD_0fvLZZf0UxgHBDukhw4Na5yDXnf8DJd4WnfVVRrHnL6d2Kaw65CG98RqYLs2tfF01VQq8wib5vmszcslGNwXS0Vi0QjGwkJs-Mpa13ul0BBzDVSY/s400/US02021-Day2-YELLOW-Boulter.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>KATIE BOULTER</strong> (5'11"/1.80 meters) of the UK has perfect bra support and imperfect length in the slam dress. Debuted look in first-round loss to Liudmila Samsonova of Russia. <b>Photo by Kathryn Riley/USTA</b></span>
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An attractive frock, the dress is a throwback look to the tennis fashions of the '80s. This is most apparent in its A-line shape and sleevelessness.
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Obviously, the green is far more subtle than the gold&blue. Indeed, the latter catches the eye because of the bright, brash bold gold in its DNA. Much like New York. Seeing it over and over again, however, begs the question, "Who wore it best?"
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_ffTjyHoTx0h6D_kdIkE3jBDcVjpH10N9KDOdJlsC_X9MBha9xJ5Kk9yFkVMmMqham2slVBWRxwFslnqF_xh0Xvht1AHiw-v_LnyfVBCGpc3ZO7LgUqyKjJoUB_EFO9nFmpEM75KqLw/s2048/US02021-Day2-YELLOW-Kvitova.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_ffTjyHoTx0h6D_kdIkE3jBDcVjpH10N9KDOdJlsC_X9MBha9xJ5Kk9yFkVMmMqham2slVBWRxwFslnqF_xh0Xvht1AHiw-v_LnyfVBCGpc3ZO7LgUqyKjJoUB_EFO9nFmpEM75KqLw/s400/US02021-Day2-YELLOW-Kvitova.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>PETRA KVITOVA</strong> (6'0"/1.83 meters) of the Czech Republic, like most of the really tall women, wants a smidgen more leg coverage in the slam dress. Debuted look in first-round defeat of Polona Hercog of Slovenia. <b>Photo by Kathryn Riley/USTA</b></span>
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Before the answer is revealed, a few more remarks about the dress. It is no surprise that Nike constructed it with tennis players and court conditions in mind. For instance, an A-line shape ends with a flared skirt. This supports, rather than constricts movement, particularly running.
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The dress is also constructed of a lightweight, breathable fabric, keeping sweating to a minimum on courts that can swelter.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejR2IXFmJKroHEqIj0T1xWDlGQ5mW2dNMKdAgxzGve_s588jz9vu00V21IpnlAwc-pxR-E7bz-jo7LnfRoNw62rLgrc6IurRGXxwqBT7Y_d1sR_M-1azgyB46mC-vyiABW6WmMPA52NI/s2048/USTA1270276_20210902_USO_Day4_GE3_6817.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="250" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejR2IXFmJKroHEqIj0T1xWDlGQ5mW2dNMKdAgxzGve_s588jz9vu00V21IpnlAwc-pxR-E7bz-jo7LnfRoNw62rLgrc6IurRGXxwqBT7Y_d1sR_M-1azgyB46mC-vyiABW6WmMPA52NI/s320/USTA1270276_20210902_USO_Day4_GE3_6817.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>AMANDA ANISIMOVA</strong> (5'11"/1.80 meters) of the United States would be en forme in the slam dress with more bra support and more length. Debuted look in first-round defeat of Zarina Diyas Kazakhatan. <b>Photo by Garrett Ellwood/USTA</b></span>
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It has a crisscross bodice and empire waist. The latter detail is designed to minimize hips and tummy, plus maximize the breast. To really slay in an empire waist though, you need a killer bra that lifts the <em>girls</em> to high heaven.
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Otherwise, it looks like you have no waist and your girls are down in the dumps. This has been an issue with most of the players who have sported the dress.
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Because the navy band is positioned high on the waist, it is important to wear a bra with heavy support to prevent a sagging bustline that bleeds right into the band, choking off the waist and closing off what should be a sliver of gold directly beneath the breastbone and directly above the band. Virtually no one has pulled this off.
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<strong>MARTA KOSTYUK</strong> (5'9"/1.75 meters) of the Ukraine is the 2nd runner up in the slam dress, with only a couple of inches or so holding her up. Debuted look in first-round loss to Maria Sakkari of Greece. <b>Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA</b></span>
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Another area of concern is the bunching at the waist, something the Nike designers should be able to easily fix. It could be using a less pliant lightweight fabric or using lycra/more lycra. OR specially fitting the dress to each player.
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And oh, the length: It is too short on many of the players, looking more like a tunic. Most female tennis players are tall — at least around 5'8" (1.73 meters) and leggy. Again, an easy fix is customizing the dress to each player by adjusting leg exposure accordingly.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbGuREF-i4o_m3HTEZ6aM5mGMVuW3Fg-iWEuPpbJA6xdnyrpc0hQvYNU0aBwP1lrVs3Wo1ofQSc8PH_P2pNZszK0GbqFDlAR9yJPv-dmdIKlUzbfjJYMQJjEEQgUr4B6HdmqRKbCwRDc/s2048/US02021-Day2-YELLOW-Potapova.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbGuREF-i4o_m3HTEZ6aM5mGMVuW3Fg-iWEuPpbJA6xdnyrpc0hQvYNU0aBwP1lrVs3Wo1ofQSc8PH_P2pNZszK0GbqFDlAR9yJPv-dmdIKlUzbfjJYMQJjEEQgUr4B6HdmqRKbCwRDc/s400/US02021-Day2-YELLOW-Potapova.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>ANASTASIA POTAPOVA</strong> (5'9"/1.75 meters) of Russia comes up short just so length-wise in the slam dress. She also has more-than-normal bunching below the breast. Both easy fixes for that look of perfection. Debuted look in first-round loss to Jessica Pegula of the United States. <b>Photo by Rhea Nall/USTA</b></span>
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Now, that ends the comment period. No one has looked hideous, but <em>who</em> has worn our gold&blue slam dress the best. Drum roll, please ... <strong>Simona Halep</strong> of Romania! (See video of her on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTm8QcMlg5i/?utm_medium=copy_link" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/p/CTm8QcMlg5i/?utm_medium=copy_link</a>)
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She is wearing a better bra, which does the necessary lifting and separating. And the length is perfect. On Simona, who is the shortest of the group at 5'6" (1.68 meters), it looks like a rather fetching minidress.
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<strong>BELINDA BENCIC</strong> (5'9"/1.75 meters) of Switzerland is the bronze winner and 1st runnerup in the slam dress stakes, wirh only razor-thin margins separating her from winner Simona Halep. Debuted look in first-round defeat of Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands. <b>Photo by Garrett Ellwood/USTA</b></span>
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Congratulations, Simona, you've got the look!
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<strong><em>Visit https://www.usopen.org/ to watch and listen to live tennis, plus get scores, schedules, stats, draws and more information about the 2021 US Open.</strong></em>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-87986691867565998852021-09-07T02:54:00.009-04:002022-04-04T11:45:12.498-04:002021 US Open: With Launch Of 'Mental Health Initiative,' USTA Amplifies Commitment to the Whole Athlete <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='400' height='322' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwo1qGS5aEpBJzA4aucqBhehNcWUCPOL6ZeUL2ptGgfg3ioLu1uhDlOma2F2FqDgFmDq-q-nVeHeWKPAZqETw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>
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Nick Kyrgios of Australia explains his concerns about towels during the post-match interview following his first-round loss to Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut. <b>Video courtesy of USTA.</b></span>
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<strong>BY VW
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THE USTA’s</strong> new <strong>Mental Health Initiative</strong>, which launched at the <strong>2021 US Open</strong>, is one of those programs that prompts the question, "Why didn't they do that a long time ago?"
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The centerpiece of the initiative is access to licensed mental health providers who are available to players throughout the duration of the tournament. There are also quiet rooms, among other support services.
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The mental health initiative is an extension of what the USTA terms the US Open's existing comprehensive medical services program through its partnership with <strong>Mount Sinai Health System.</strong>
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“Our goal is to make mental health services as readily available to athletes as services for a sprained ankle – and with no stigma attached,” says USTA Vice President <strong>Brian Hainline</strong>, a medical doctor and university neurology professor.
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“We will provide an environment that fosters wellness while providing the necessary resources to readily allow mental health care-seeking.”
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In a press release, the USTA cites the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as the driver behind the mental health initiative, but tennis watchers know that <strong>Naomi Osaka</strong> likely had a greater impact.
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A few months ago, the world No. 3 tweeted that she was withdrawing from the <strong>2021 French Open</strong> because she did not wish to continue to be a distraction. Earlier, she had disclosed that she would not be doing post-match interviews, citing mental health issues that dated to her <strong>2018 US Open</strong> title win over <strong>Serena Williams</strong>
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Though the Japanese player was criticized for disclosing her withdrawal on <strong>Twitter</strong> after the kerfuffle that ensued from her first-round victory announcement, she had let the mental health genie out of the bottle.
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Qualifier Emma Raducanu of Great Britain reached the quarterfinals with a straight-set victory over the USA's Shelby Rogers. <b>Photo by Darren Carroll/USTA.</b></span>
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And that's a good thing, because other players will be more willing to admit that they are not feeling well mentally. <em>Or</em> they won't have to. They can quietly and discreetly avail themselves of the services available at the current tennis tournament.
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One can't help but wonder whether players like <strong>Tracy Austin</strong>, <strong>Marion Bartoli</strong>, <strong>Bjorn Borg</strong>, <strong>Steffi Graf</strong>, <strong>Justine Henin</strong>, <strong>Pete Sampras</strong> and others would have stayed on the tour longer if they had the kind of on-demand mental health support promised by this initiative.
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Among its collaborators is the <strong>ITF</strong>, as well as the <strong>ATP</strong> and <strong>WTA</strong>. Officials from the latter two organizations welcome it, in fact.
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"The mental health pressures faced by players week in week out on Tour are significant. This is a matter of paramount importance and increasing focus for the Tour, as we continue to expand support available to players," says ATP Chairman <strong>Andrea Gaudenzi</strong>.
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"The wide-ranging initiatives in place at this year’s US Open are another valuable step forward, as is driving more open discussion around this space in years ahead.”
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Andy Murray of the UK speaks about the breaks that Stefanos Tsitsipas took during his five-set, first-round loss to the Greek. <b>Video courtesy of USTA.</b></span>
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<strong>Becky Ahlgren Bedics</strong>, the WTA's VP Mental Health & Wellness, echoes those sentiments: "The renewed interest and energy around discussing the mind-body performance connection, generated by athletes, is a welcome and important enhancement to the discussion.
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"We appreciate," adds Ahlgren, "that the US Open continues to evolve its services offered to athletes and we are confident that these new initiatives will complement our <strong>WTA Mental Health & Wellness</strong> services.”
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Any number of players at this year's open could or should take advantage of the mental health services and/or quiet room:
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1. <strong>Nick Kygrios</strong> (Australia; on-court towel placement);
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2. <strong>Andy Murray</strong> (UK; Stefanos Tsitsipas' particularly long break that the Brit believes may have contributed to his first-round loss);
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3. <strong>Stefanos Tsitsipas</strong> (Greece; vilification by media and fans for taking a break that is not forbidden by the rules but may have been excessive);
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Czech Barbora Krejcikova was escorted off court in distress after her straight-set victory over Garmine Muguruza of Spain. <b>Photo by Darren Carroll/USTA.</b></span>
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4. <strong>Leylah Fernandez</strong> (Canada; managing spotlight after consecutive upsets of world's Nos. 3 and 17 players);
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5.<strong>Carlos Alcaraz</strong> (Spain; managing spotlight after upset of world's No. 3 player);
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6. <strong>Emma Raducanu</strong> (UK; managing spotlight as a qualifier through to the quarterfinals);
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7. <strong>Naomi Osaka</strong> (Japan; general issues and outburst during second round loss to then-18-year-old Canadian, Leylah Fernandez)
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8. <strong>Shelby Rogers</strong> (USA; managing spotlight and possibly self-imposed pressures after upset of world No. 1, Ashleigh Barty)
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9. <strong>Ashleigh Barty</strong> (Australia; spending months on the road without going home)
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10. <strong>Barbora Krejcikova</strong> (Czech Republic; hyperventilating after fourth-round victory over <strong>Garbine Muguruza</strong> of Spain)
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11. <strong>Novak Djokovic</strong> (Serbia; attempt to win 21st grand slam AND win first calendar slam in more than 50 years) and the list goes on ...
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Novak Djokovic of Serbia prepares to hit balls into the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadiium after his fourth-round, four-set victory over American Jenson Brooksby. With three more match wins, the world's No. 1 tennis player will reach major milestones. <b>Photo by Garrett Ellwood/USTA.</b></span>
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Mental health ambadsasor <strong>Mardy Fish</strong> of the United States also gives the mental health initiative a thumbs-up.
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“As a player and individual that dealt with issues of anxiety on and off the court, I applaud the USTA for providing licensed mental health care providers and services for today’s athletes and for taking proactive steps to draw awareness to an issue that has been overlooked in the past."
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<strong><em>Visit https://www.usopen.org/ to watch and listen to live tennis, plus get scores, schedules, stats, draws and more information about the 2021 US Open.</strong></em>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-57892106980462843852021-09-02T18:20:00.092-04:002021-09-05T18:47:26.604-04:002021 US Open: Win, Lose or Withdraw, the Spanish Men Will Do It In S-T-Y-L-E<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_QuLID7FeQoEfwLMKdcA2o5AUS36GcB4cH2abbhCrGOzUjSF8xjUSxRV9HAxLE8fyS-vVdx2A_jRPHRj-ZtAE5aBGSkRbfLWBkLpq6uSDt6kC2PzEVg01sGA6p8VMzgIwaQJw3OtqEU/s2048/USO2021-Day3-SpaniardFashion-BZMIRALLES.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_QuLID7FeQoEfwLMKdcA2o5AUS36GcB4cH2abbhCrGOzUjSF8xjUSxRV9HAxLE8fyS-vVdx2A_jRPHRj-ZtAE5aBGSkRbfLWBkLpq6uSDt6kC2PzEVg01sGA6p8VMzgIwaQJw3OtqEU/s400/USO2021-Day3-SpaniardFashion-BZMIRALLES.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>Bernabe Zapata Miralles’</strong> graphic tee by Lotto was a winner in his loss to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. (7[7]-6[5], 3-6, 2-6) <b>Photo by Andrew Ong/USTA.</b></span>
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<strong>BY VW
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IT</strong> is common knowledge that some of the most successful players on the men's tour are from Spain, and we're not just talking <strong>Rafael Nadal.</strong>
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The field goes much deeper, from <strong>David Ferrer</strong> (highest rank 3; retired in 2019) and <strong>Fernando Verdasco</strong> (recovering; currently 132; highest rank 7) to <strong>Carlos Alcaraz</strong> (55) and <strong>2021 US Open</strong> singles qualifier <strong>Bernabe Zapata Miralles</strong> (116) .
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It is no surprise that a country around 1.3 times smaller than Texas can produce such a wealth of talent, considering that the mild climate is perfect for tennis most of the year.
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This can be said, of course, about many other parts of the world. But what sets Spain apart is its tenacious dedication to developing its athletes, particularly footballers and tennis players. Indeed, it is not uncommon for Spaniards to start their training as young as 4.
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Further, certain fundamentals are ruthlessly (for better or worse) drilled into them: fitness (for endurance), mastery of select shots such as forehands. Other key fundamentals are grinding, speed, agility (the latter two are required for success on clay). In recent years, more academies have been installing hard courts to give their pupils more of an advantage on this faster surface.
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Of course, the tennis world can see the fruit of these labors in the number of Spanish men at the top of the rankings and their formidable court play.
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All that written, one aspect about the Spaniards may have been overlooked. Or is it simply more apparent at this year's US Open?
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And that aspect is ... their sense of fashion. They play with flair. And they dress with flair, from subtle to ebullient.
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Consider the mesmerizing b&w geometric tee with a pop of chartreuse on the edge of the sleeve that Miralles wore during his second-round loss to Canadian <strong>Felix Auger-Aliassime</strong> 7[7]-6[5], 3-6, 2-6). Meanwhile, the prints of <strong>Albert RamosiVinolas' </strong> marine blue shirt were fairly rippling like waves in his first-round win against <strong>Lucas Pouille</strong> of France. How soothing (or unsettling)! (6-1, 5-7, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4)
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The female players have more to work with because they can don catsuits, dresses, skirts as well as shirts and shorts. The men, on the other hand, must rely mainly on the shirt on their back.
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As a group, the Spanish men are the most fashionable "courtiers" at this year's US Open. Regardless of their results, they will win sartorially. See evidence in the photos that follow.
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<strong>Albert Ramos-Vinolas’</strong> multiprint marine blue shirt by Joma is reminiscent of waves. It was a fitting get-up for his topsy-turvy, five-set victory over Frenchman Lucas Pouille. (6-1, 5-7, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4) <b>Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA.</b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs9G5gfdYg_bilyW7a4zI_6riTGQkqe5-UCeT0TZOkO-qygFoFr0W3FUz7foAA7qhkjFjFtIJseDgawxsFNHDgMwXI3jy27-m5pOHgzQK8Q7wyzQQ2EW2Usyvx6o53FvQa8qyM_Z3QpM/s2048/USO2021-Day3-SpaniardFashion-PANDUJAR.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs9G5gfdYg_bilyW7a4zI_6riTGQkqe5-UCeT0TZOkO-qygFoFr0W3FUz7foAA7qhkjFjFtIJseDgawxsFNHDgMwXI3jy27-m5pOHgzQK8Q7wyzQQ2EW2Usyvx6o53FvQa8qyM_Z3QpM/s400/USO2021-Day3-SpaniardFashion-PANDUJAR.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>Pablo Andujar’s</strong> green, white and yellow cap and shirt ensemble lent him a commanding air in his victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany. (6-4, 6-3, 6-1) <b>Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA.</b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuEorcx9DpzZqhwfrM2Qkqc6Lt7yxZDrufLf3D2WEvkPVOXinjcwMtMmi5Z9UaFFbPLvxJmIcvCeDge4NdJJYD9k5oTii41ms8Au4UI1o9F1iMYNUdSybCE2BRyhyphenhyphenGve35ywOOmm818w/s2048/USO2021-Day1-SpaniardFashion-CALCARAZ.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuEorcx9DpzZqhwfrM2Qkqc6Lt7yxZDrufLf3D2WEvkPVOXinjcwMtMmi5Z9UaFFbPLvxJmIcvCeDge4NdJJYD9k5oTii41ms8Au4UI1o9F1iMYNUdSybCE2BRyhyphenhyphenGve35ywOOmm818w/s400/USO2021-Day1-SpaniardFashion-CALCARAZ.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>Carlos Alcaraz,</strong> the 18-year-old presumed heir apparent to Rafael Nadal, wore a white-striped Nike T-shirt with navy sleeves and dashes of colors on the collar and shoulder that are similar to those of the insignia on the Spanish flag. Perhaps feelings of patriotism, plus his lethal forehand, helped in his victory over the UK’s Cameron Norrie. (6-4, 6-4, 6-3) <b>Photo by Manuela Davies/USTA.</b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWbeY08UWxJfK5T1Hh-mjSlrmvE5_5Qgsj_C4rCn7jF06K6lSm6elXgjgIUjSlty75tuGs4bgdNcEJ1jKfQ4OFgOJ5uUh6rOeY_MCqJ0JJWA39EmiCKMBfFez74ElQFBRIOQd3ViuwFk/s2048/USO2021-Day1-SpaniardFashion-CTABERNER.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWbeY08UWxJfK5T1Hh-mjSlrmvE5_5Qgsj_C4rCn7jF06K6lSm6elXgjgIUjSlty75tuGs4bgdNcEJ1jKfQ4OFgOJ5uUh6rOeY_MCqJ0JJWA39EmiCKMBfFez74ElQFBRIOQd3ViuwFk/s400/USO2021-Day1-SpaniardFashion-CTABERNER.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>Carlos Taberner’s</strong> white shirt with a blue side stripe is cool and crisp – almost zen. That was not enough, however, to overcome Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands in five sets. (6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 3-6) <b>Photo by Rhea Nall/USTA.</b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh405OBzeIPWCi0xlwaVdCak2kZkF12g7xQpCnVedSPKwIO_h5LsmiZ355HMiV08gqXraYzVk11UykU6l45D0WCWOfh0iV48yakhDbLKrJT3bp8gyNbKU1pqdiUDzKPBUJTREVF_6B9vN0/s2048/USO2021-Day1-SpaniardFashion-RAGUT.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh405OBzeIPWCi0xlwaVdCak2kZkF12g7xQpCnVedSPKwIO_h5LsmiZ355HMiV08gqXraYzVk11UykU6l45D0WCWOfh0iV48yakhDbLKrJT3bp8gyNbKU1pqdiUDzKPBUJTREVF_6B9vN0/s400/USO2021-Day1-SpaniardFashion-RAGUT.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>Roberto Bautista Agut</strong> floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee in his sleek black (or darkest navy), white and yellow Lacoste ensem. Just ask the mercurial Aussie, Nick Kyrgios. (6-3, 6-4, 6-0) <b>Photo by Brad Penner/USTA.</b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3g_DvtdeXEUGzupgBcgHakyxzbnnrLrmHv1zzplAFXq3ihjmuOXvGfOw6kVzgiQL6OABviDH2htCEfmfw32fJhD9b_Hx2qDnFXirHRQ6D-FZEqsXormQZL-0IMU0BgLjONaYMCyW_Vs/s2048/USO2021-Day3-SpaniardFashion-PMARTINEZ.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3g_DvtdeXEUGzupgBcgHakyxzbnnrLrmHv1zzplAFXq3ihjmuOXvGfOw6kVzgiQL6OABviDH2htCEfmfw32fJhD9b_Hx2qDnFXirHRQ6D-FZEqsXormQZL-0IMU0BgLjONaYMCyW_Vs/s400/USO2021-Day3-SpaniardFashion-PMARTINEZ.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>Pedro Martinez</strong> looks like a superhero in a blue Joma tee that suggests both slanted raindrops and clouds (remnants of a hurricane?). Alas, his nemesis – Russian Andrey
Rublev – got the best of him. No doubt, the super man will fight another day and be well-dressed for the occasion. (6-7, 7-6, 1-6, 1-6) <b>Photo by Manuela Davies/USTA.</b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4slp1Cu-ix3hRqW-QppkUlxMsvdqdAzpkyu0yHdic9knAH51ymaP1AWPprUzWXHxcyBn3LGnKHJ3MmsIbe9kuRuUSxtqttlxj59J9CBWoryz531rQuqTvPF9UqKKgbULbOYtZPb3XdDo/s2048/USO2021-Day2-SpaniardFashion-RBAENA.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4slp1Cu-ix3hRqW-QppkUlxMsvdqdAzpkyu0yHdic9knAH51ymaP1AWPprUzWXHxcyBn3LGnKHJ3MmsIbe9kuRuUSxtqttlxj59J9CBWoryz531rQuqTvPF9UqKKgbULbOYtZPb3XdDo/s400/USO2021-Day2-SpaniardFashion-RBAENA.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<strong>Roberto Carballes Baena</strong>, like countryman Bernabe Zapata Miralles (top), went for a Lotto graphic tee, while prevailing over Tommy Paul of the United States, possibly hypnotizing him in the process. (7[7]-6[5], 6-2, 1-6, 6-3) <b>Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA.</b></span>
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://www.usopen.org/" target="_blank">https://www.usopen.org/</a> to watch and listen to live tennis, plus get scores, schedules, stats, draws and more information about the 2021 US Open.</strong></em>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-8516255583622565282021-09-01T14:09:00.041-04:002021-09-03T06:05:15.475-04:00From Day 2 US Open: Djokovic Can't Get No Respect, But He Doesn't Let 'em See Him Sweat (Figuratively Speaking)<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='400' height='322' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwbKAk8MgDw-IoRI7nVomyi3PXrff66zyhfOUy9NT0ZreK8q_wFHSDrZcR7pZkzo5EHPBq-5klRAeotJ4A6VQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
View extended highlights of the Djokovic-Dune match at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTQ97i3D6Kw/?utm_medium=copy_link">https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTQ97i3D6Kw/?utm_medium=copy_link</a> <b>Video courtesy of USTA.</b></span>
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<strong>BY VW
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NOVAK Djokovic,</strong> the current world No. 1 men's player, has 20 grand slam titles just like his fellow competitors <strong>Roger Federer</strong> and <strong>Rafael Nadal</strong>. But while the latter two are beloved, the former is merely liked. Or quite possibly, merely tolerated.
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Latest case in point is in his first-round match yesterday evening (31 Aug.) against <strong>Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune</strong> of Denmark. The crowd at the <strong>Arthur Ashe Stadium</strong> continuously offered up near thunderous applause for the 18-year-old qualifier (See match highlights above and on <strong>Instagram</strong>).
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Yet, Djokovic pulled it off in four sets, <strong>6-1, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1</strong>.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWz6OquwrsQWuGaBJx46xb_kvtSyJuDo4aiMC0NNxyWB-gCHI3M2dF1jiSPfG7eQs1RZuE8GbhwRsL-A66lvtZ2RXVrxhUSRp6-v8O37-WTDQTNVKkH-OJZIGCPCU_Awi3EwfsNwNU1w/s1600/CommentaryLOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWz6OquwrsQWuGaBJx46xb_kvtSyJuDo4aiMC0NNxyWB-gCHI3M2dF1jiSPfG7eQs1RZuE8GbhwRsL-A66lvtZ2RXVrxhUSRp6-v8O37-WTDQTNVKkH-OJZIGCPCU_Awi3EwfsNwNU1w/s400/CommentaryLOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>
IT should be noted that Djokovic is chasing history at this year's US Open (Federer and Nadal withdrew). He has a chance to pull ahead of the competition with Title No. 21. There is a lot of history around lucky 21, the biggest is a calendar slam. In other words, winning the <strong>Australian Open</strong>, <strong>French Open</strong>, <strong>The Championships Wimbledon</strong> AND the <strong>US Open</strong> in the same calendar year. Having already won the other Big 3 this year, Djokovic only lacks the US Open.
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The last male tennis player to win a calendar slam was Australian <strong>Rod Laver</strong> in 1969. No female player has done so since German <strong>Steffi Graf</strong> in 1988.
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Djokovic is chasing momentous history and practically everyone in the Ashe stadium was awares.
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That is precisely why it was so astonishing that fans were cheering so enthusiastically for Rune. Sure, he was encouraging the crowd from the get-go, but to be polite fans could have offered tepid support. Instead, they chanted his name throughout the match. In post-match interviews, both players said they thought the crowd was booing, not <em>RUNE-ing</em>. It was Djokovic, the history chaser, who received tepid support.
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Of course, there is much speculation about the reasons for fan behavior. Some suggested that they wanted to encourage the young Dane, whom most had never heard of. Understandably, fans wanted to see at least four sets of tennis. Some wags ventured that fans may still be rankled by the incident at last year's US Open that got Djokovic summarily booted. One of his angry balls landed in the throat of a lineswoman. Ouch! Then, there is racquet-gate from the <strong>Tokyo Olympics.</strong>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOhAPRfFPjV93g6uVlyAywNSwYznjSG-FEKAFfQfL4fTVek9L3Pex8TDy2DkpJUN3pQgGbN8P9EjQDjJ9-xcAdhDIdf-kedwJhI00Vu4_jV-W7fIcnzpY3VCnlKehyaGk8F_piU7gxaI/s668/USOpen2021Logo1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="668" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOhAPRfFPjV93g6uVlyAywNSwYznjSG-FEKAFfQfL4fTVek9L3Pex8TDy2DkpJUN3pQgGbN8P9EjQDjJ9-xcAdhDIdf-kedwJhI00Vu4_jV-W7fIcnzpY3VCnlKehyaGk8F_piU7gxaI/s200/USOpen2021Logo1.jpg"/></a></div>
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Fans with long memories may recall unfondly a decade or so Djokovic's tendency to retire from or collapse during matches. These peculiarities were so commonplace that he even received heat from others players. American <strong>Andy Roddick</strong> famously sneered, "Two injured ankles, hip ... knee ... cramps, bird flu, anthrax, SARS, common cough and cold."
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Even the ever-benevolent and diplomatic Federer declared Djokovic a "joke" with the injury business.
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Much of this was forgiven, however, when a Serbian doctor discovered that gluten was the problem. Djokovic immediately changed his diet and his stamina and game took off, landing him in the stratosphere where he currently resides.
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Djokovic's predicament vis-a-vis tennis fans can be explained by some, all or none of the aforesaid and a million other reasons. Regardless of the reason(s), tennis fans around the world treat Roger and Rafa like prime rib and Djokovic like chopped liver. It is unfair, unfortunate and sad. Though some of the Serb's troubles have been self-inflicted, he does deserve redemption at some point, no? Certainly, at a time such as this. Trite to say it, but he deserves better.
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To Djokovic's credit, he continues to take it in stride. He handled himself with decorum and restraint during and after the Rune match, considering that he was not yet aware that he wasn't being booed. Ouch!
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In his on-court, post-match interview with <strong>Brad Gilbert,</strong> he was very gracious in his comments about Rune, a young man with swagger and a bright future. Pointedly, he did not address the crowd. Who could blame him? What was he to say?
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgi-RU8FmPu-SVmbw8YkXy1TzSgr-e_3QVmM8W8RPVsJ2tU8rp3GoNliKim_AcLK7m7nvE0Buzc7N5OJ25LVxq42UL27z66C5nihgRoBQVXyWPRPOiRxyWLr8IRyxI9Gy_lcVlPX9MTw/s2048/USOpen2021-DAY2-Djokovic-Rune-31Aug.mp4.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="325" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgi-RU8FmPu-SVmbw8YkXy1TzSgr-e_3QVmM8W8RPVsJ2tU8rp3GoNliKim_AcLK7m7nvE0Buzc7N5OJ25LVxq42UL27z66C5nihgRoBQVXyWPRPOiRxyWLr8IRyxI9Gy_lcVlPX9MTw/s320/USOpen2021-DAY2-Djokovic-Rune-31Aug.mp4.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Novak Djokovic and Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune on the court of the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday, 31 Aug. during their men's singles match at the 2021 US Open. <b>Photo by Brad Penner/USTA.</b></span>
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The 34-year-old has a lot on his mind. If he is to win a calendar slam, he must keep himself to himself. Though he was no doubt deeply wounded by the crowd's shabby treatment, he was wise to not remark on it.
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He knows what is at stake. That is why he won't wear his wounds on his sleeve. One can sense that his eyes are firmly fixed on the prize: 6 more match wins. It will be interesting to see how both Djokovic and the fans comport themselves tomorrow evening (2 Sept). His opponent in the first of the six remaining matches is 25-year-old <strong>Tallon Griekspoor</strong> of the Netherlands. He is ranked 121st in the world.
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Of course, if Djokovic plays his cards right he can comfort himself with a 21st grand slam. Victory and History can make up for his troubled and complicated relationship with tennis fandom.
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://www.usopen.org/" target="_blank">https://www.usopen.org/</a> to watch and listen to live tennis, plus get scores, schedules, stats, draws and more information about the 2021 US Open.</strong></em>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-74383590512959752392021-07-25T14:58:00.006-04:002021-07-25T23:22:31.802-04:00'Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast' Debuts With Architect David Adjaye Who Discusses His Monument (EMOWAA) About RESTITUTION<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmYWAFTjoQfgR9m7M5EQ4iKW2YHXwIifJkLz9KEjAfwWTUEJgPXcLRN_IF2qT753Pf5Bjrj06Lh_P9-KvMz_1WMcJSJ_ZcNqGuVFv56D50o8r3r1QSnBqTr-xtxeZfMta8-URG6zDnSw/s754/David_Adjaye.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmYWAFTjoQfgR9m7M5EQ4iKW2YHXwIifJkLz9KEjAfwWTUEJgPXcLRN_IF2qT753Pf5Bjrj06Lh_P9-KvMz_1WMcJSJ_ZcNqGuVFv56D50o8r3r1QSnBqTr-xtxeZfMta8-URG6zDnSw/s400/David_Adjaye.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sir David Adjaye says in the “Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast” that the type of art that interests him leads to knowledge that “helps us all understand who we are on this planet called Earth.” <b>Archive photo.</b></span>
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<strong>BY VW
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ARCHITECT Sir David Adjaye</strong> is a disc jockey (deejay). Or at least he was once upon a time.
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This little gem of information can be heard on the inaugural broadcast of <strong>“Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast.”</strong> The biweekly series debuted a few days ago with two “conversations” (Episodes 1 and 2). The other is with <strong>Kasseem Dean</strong> <em>aka</em> <strong>Swizz Beatz: </strong> <a href="https://artbasel.com/stories/podcasts" target="_blank">https://artbasel.com/stories/podcasts</a>.
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Hosted by <strong>Art Basel’s</strong> Global Director <strong>Marc Spiegler</strong> with sponsorship by <strong>UBS,</strong> the podcasts will feature convos with “thought leaders” from the worlds of <strong>architecture</strong>, <strong>design</strong>, <strong>fashion</strong>, <strong>literature</strong>, <strong>music</strong> and <strong>visual arts</strong>. “Intersections” is part of Art Basel’s continuing mission to reach as many as possible in the global creative market.
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“Bringing together vibrant voices from all over the globe, 'Intersections' will extend Art Basel's long history of amplifying perspectives from pivotal players within the visual arts and the adjacent areas of cultural activity,” Spiegler says. “The podcast reflects our commitment to offering audiences worldwide access to the conversations shaping contemporary culture.”
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuis7P-KCcdPjB2_P1kqi7uP9Mx4ZqG7JIwqHyLnPeQ1ke0UkcdKQPWBwYKnqr0LrkmSW2UnSsno64dSzQ-QPDJ0qoQC4RRSCHM0l3jQ7JyT-Ae3KM2EHttGe0-6r2uWtaT6j_WLxkWX8/s1000/1-View-of-main-entrance-and-courtyard-garden_cropped_-1000x381.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuis7P-KCcdPjB2_P1kqi7uP9Mx4ZqG7JIwqHyLnPeQ1ke0UkcdKQPWBwYKnqr0LrkmSW2UnSsno64dSzQ-QPDJ0qoQC4RRSCHM0l3jQ7JyT-Ae3KM2EHttGe0-6r2uWtaT6j_WLxkWX8/s320/1-View-of-main-entrance-and-courtyard-garden_cropped_-1000x381.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A rendering of the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) in Nigeria. <b>Photo courtesy of Adjaye Associates.</b></span>
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One of the highlights of Spiegler’s dialogue with Adjaye touched on the emergence at Art Basel of African artists from countries other than South Africa. Adjaye, who helped identify some of these artists, expresses optimism about the viability of the art-collecting and gallery scene on the continent.
“Several significant artists are also realizing that they've taken the mantel on to incubate and create spaces for emerging artists in the absence of institutional and commercial operators doing this in the normal, traditional way.”
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Adjaye also spoke at length about his current project, the <strong>Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA)</strong> in Nigeria, emphasizing that it is different from other independence projects and museums because of its emphasis on restitution, artifacts and social memory within communities.
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Says Adjaye: “But this is really talking about heading straight and dealing with the other elephant in the room, which is to do with the extraction of the creative heritage of the continent and the fact that it is displaced in the West. And so there’s this bizarre imbalance of ‘Nothing happens down there,’ ... Well, when you burn it all and take it away what do you expect?”
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC-nbBQiqg4fzpXMqEavQNctve-2oJigBHcnkvC__SwjDMKauuGH4JKXmHK-miKiuAyDuomoGZM9Ye1M1nIB1KGyTOb8oqsBaYZkCqdVc8NH00iK374_G7veYjUof4UXbn7p5oiAEHTo/s300/Kim-Gordon1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC-nbBQiqg4fzpXMqEavQNctve-2oJigBHcnkvC__SwjDMKauuGH4JKXmHK-miKiuAyDuomoGZM9Ye1M1nIB1KGyTOb8oqsBaYZkCqdVc8NH00iK374_G7veYjUof4UXbn7p5oiAEHTo/s200/Kim-Gordon1.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Kim Gordon. <b>Archive photo.</b></span>
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On the next “Intersections” (3 Aug.) <strong>Lisa Spellman,</strong> founder and director of New York City’s <strong>303 Gallery,</strong> and artist-extraordinaire and <strong>Sonic Youth</strong> co-founder <strong>Kim Gordon</strong> will journey down memory lane. Under discussion: the impact of gentrification, the relationships between visual artists and musicians on the 1980 and 1990s NYC indy scene, and more.
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All episodes of “Intersections” are available to download free of charge across all streaming platforms and on Art Basel’s website: <a href="https://artbasel.com/stories/podcasts" target="_blank">https://artbasel.com/stories/podcasts</a>.
VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-28357979390338289982021-06-25T18:27:00.142-04:002022-01-11T11:13:35.955-05:00'A Crime on the Bayou' Spawns a Friendship Forged in the Murky and Treacherous Waters of 'Justice,' Southern-Style ' (Louisiana)<iframe width="400" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/teQqYF_yDUc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<strong>By VW
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A CRIME ON THE BAYOU</strong> is a documentary that might be better titled <strong>"Crimes on the Bayou."</strong>
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Nominally, it is about <strong>Gary Duncan,</strong> a young black man in late-1960s South Louisiana trying to prove himself innocent of trumped-up battery charges. <strong>Nancy Buirski's</strong> film is currently playing in select theaters in the United States.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWz6OquwrsQWuGaBJx46xb_kvtSyJuDo4aiMC0NNxyWB-gCHI3M2dF1jiSPfG7eQs1RZuE8GbhwRsL-A66lvtZ2RXVrxhUSRp6-v8O37-WTDQTNVKkH-OJZIGCPCU_Awi3EwfsNwNU1w/s1600/CommentaryLOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWz6OquwrsQWuGaBJx46xb_kvtSyJuDo4aiMC0NNxyWB-gCHI3M2dF1jiSPfG7eQs1RZuE8GbhwRsL-A66lvtZ2RXVrxhUSRp6-v8O37-WTDQTNVKkH-OJZIGCPCU_Awi3EwfsNwNU1w/s400/CommentaryLOGO.jpg" width="150" /></a>But there are numerous crimes on the bayou:
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1. The father of <strong>Herman Landry,</strong> one of the white boys, falsely accusing Duncan of slapping his son on the elbow
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2. The false charges Landry’s father filed with police against Duncan
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3. The refusal of police to believe Duncan in taking the word of white folk over black folk, resulting in his arrest on a battery charge
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4. Landry and his friends lying in court testimony about what happened
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5. The repeated arrests of Duncan for this alleged crime after being exonerated through appeals
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6. The bald-faced conflict of interest of the judge in Duncan’s case
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7. The arrest of Duncan’s D.C.-based attorney, <strong>Richard Sobol,</strong> for practicing law without a license and so on …
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V1SVaFSwSn79XkBhjg2VDeXTI1kh4f6s-4jKtYa1owi9t26rmVDj2w2Q5Q0is7UJ3T5GV5LjowAZq326JB35RWF30G-pMzBAAx6vUOBEsdp-UYoFfzGTe1YPi4-9ckORvJU84lXTuG0/s2048/02_Crime_on_the_Bayou_Still.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1904" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V1SVaFSwSn79XkBhjg2VDeXTI1kh4f6s-4jKtYa1owi9t26rmVDj2w2Q5Q0is7UJ3T5GV5LjowAZq326JB35RWF30G-pMzBAAx6vUOBEsdp-UYoFfzGTe1YPi4-9ckORvJU84lXTuG0/s320/02_Crime_on_the_Bayou_Still.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Gary Duncan in 1967.</span>
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The nasty business chronicled in “A Crime on the Bayou” all went down in 1966 around the time of the federally ordered desegregation of the schools in <strong>Plaquemines Parish,</strong> a coastal area south of New Orleans, situated near where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. Both area overlord <strong>Leander Perez</strong> and a significant number of white parents were staunch segregationists.
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Any<em>who,</em> apparently one day after school, two of Duncan’s cousins were about to get involved in fisticuffs with some white boys. Duncan happened to be passing by. Seeing what was soon to be going down, he approached the group to break it up. In his peacemaking attempt, Duncan touched the arm of Landry. Then it was ON!
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Circa 1960s Louisiana, if a white person said a black person committed a crime, that was that. If you were said black person, you could protest your innocence until you were red or purple in the face. With a thousand proofs. It didn't matter. You were guilty and you were going to pay.
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Thus began the shit show of justice not at all atypical in the South at the time. Many men like Perez, who was the power behind Duncan's troubles, ruled with ironfist ruthlessness. The type was famously and uproariously lampooned in the character of <strong>Boss Hogg</strong> in the wildly popular comedy-action series, <strong>"The Dukes of Hazzard"</strong> (1979-1985).
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv69nKjq4Ii5nhBqgGqDinNwkLUitVwyAAwO66gRxXF2fC429fdDXZRqA2uXM4Zr3Rmml1kAPZx5xeb4qbA_Rpg9MljlXBKgTZ7boYkMlSG37ewL7CDQxngsHEgkkwPqxByVbyeNz8Rrs/s1683/13_Crime_on_the_Bayou_Still.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1683" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv69nKjq4Ii5nhBqgGqDinNwkLUitVwyAAwO66gRxXF2fC429fdDXZRqA2uXM4Zr3Rmml1kAPZx5xeb4qbA_Rpg9MljlXBKgTZ7boYkMlSG37ewL7CDQxngsHEgkkwPqxByVbyeNz8Rrs/s320/13_Crime_on_the_Bayou_Still.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Court drawing of witness in Gary Duncan trial.</span>
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In recounting the valiant fight for justice of Duncan and Sobol in “A Crime on the Bayou,” Buirski cleverly uses scenes of the bayou with moss from trees hanging so low that they meet the inky waters to dramatize the proceedings. Documentarians are forced to do so, lest they are too often left with a barrage of yawn-inducing talking heads.
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Of course, there are talking heads: Duncan, Sobol (he died in 2020), the son of one of Sobol’s associates on the Duncan case, a cause celebre in Louisiana. In fact, Duncan’s case (<em><strong>Duncan v. Louisiana</em></strong>; right to a jury trial in state criminal cases) would be argued in the U.S. Supreme Court. He won.
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Buirski also cleverly uses voice actors to read from the actual court proceedings. This not only further dramatizes “A Crime on the Bayou,” it makes it far more engaging than it would otherwise be. And, of course, there is the standard archival footage one expects to see in a documentary of this type: myriad photos of relevant people, places and things.
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“A Crime on the Bayou,” though, is not without its lapses. As dramatic as the bayou scenes are, they are a bit overdone. That is a minor quibble. The absence of any perspective from the “antagonist” side (spokespersons for Perez’s family, Landry's family, family of the then-chief of police or sheriff) is not. It leaves a gaping hole because the viewer only gets one side of the story. Did Buirski attempt to reach any of their relatives/surrogates? There is no mention of it.
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Another lost opportunity is Buirski’s failure to <em>show</em> the friendship that developed between Duncan and Sobol. It is mentioned almost as an aside near the end of the film. Further, the director draws a much richer picture of Sobol (He would become a noted Civil Rights attorney.) than she does of Duncan.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOC4yJuN_J2HfmCsoPcYDiwvNIjkLzax0fgrPiTENdtMlVuWeLjJpiVX3HWeFFlV9m23hQvlTc8svCcpEXG1aTntiF_24DBLDQiFHMdA2OqIVstB0_nZ4QWKppwM5b54GUMPS1bj5QX1A/s2048/04_Crime_on_the_Bayou_Still.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1353" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOC4yJuN_J2HfmCsoPcYDiwvNIjkLzax0fgrPiTENdtMlVuWeLjJpiVX3HWeFFlV9m23hQvlTc8svCcpEXG1aTntiF_24DBLDQiFHMdA2OqIVstB0_nZ4QWKppwM5b54GUMPS1bj5QX1A/s320/04_Crime_on_the_Bayou_Still.jpeg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mugshot of Richard Sobol. <b>Photo courtesy of Richard Sobol estate.</b></span>
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The latter is still alive and would become a seemingly prosperous fisherman, seafood being a major industry in the area. However, this is only tangentially mentioned toward the end of the film. Here was a huge opportunity lost in not showing over the course of the documentary the trajectory of Duncan’s life from young man falsely accused to a solid, respected citizen who has thrived despite what must have been a traumatizing experience.
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Those major shortcomings notwithstanding, “A Crime on the Bayou” is an important story – in fact one of a trilogy detailing <strong>Civil Rights</strong>-era cases – and deserves an audience.
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<em><strong>"A Crime on the Bayou" is not rated. Visit the following websites to learn more about the film:
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<a href="https://www.shoutfactory.com/blog/a-crime-on-the-bayou-june-18/" target="_blank">https://www.shoutfactory.com/blog/a-crime-on-the-bayou-june-18/</a>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ACrimeOnTheBayou/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ACrimeOnTheBayou/</a>
</em></strong>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-40672676099330143602021-06-17T13:05:00.067-04:002021-06-19T17:23:47.990-04:00Keeping a Cool Head and Looking Even Cooler, Because These Hats Are Eco-Friendly<h3 style="text-align: left;">YELLOW 108</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgayg0bJtS5N1kVxHZMhP6L2ru-XK66J6zoXaIU4kQvif0A5AiL8QRg9goSSbxfobYoh_mSEilwL9rntvD0HAMRNVage-iaIS-UEygVbqTROPNFRymI4-a9EY3TWQiqc8HYzXgyeE0K_Uo/s600/StevieSeaNavy5_grande.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgayg0bJtS5N1kVxHZMhP6L2ru-XK66J6zoXaIU4kQvif0A5AiL8QRg9goSSbxfobYoh_mSEilwL9rntvD0HAMRNVage-iaIS-UEygVbqTROPNFRymI4-a9EY3TWQiqc8HYzXgyeE0K_Uo/s400/StevieSeaNavy5_grande.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Stevie for men from YELLOW 108, here and below. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://www.yellow108.com/collections/straw-fedoras/products/stevie-seagrass-straw-navy" target="_blank">https://www.yellow108.com/collections/straw-fedoras/products/stevie-seagrass-straw-navy</b></a></span>
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<strong>By VW
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SUMMERTIME</strong> weather is here in many places and the living
is easy (as suggested in the famous tune by <strong>Gershwins&Co.</strong>).
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Therefore, you will be spending more time outdoors – especially if you have been fully <em>vaxxed.</em> In the sun. Where you will need all manner of protection from its harmful rays. One word, then: <strong>hat.</strong>
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A covered head can help protect you from any number of discomforts, including dizziness and migraines. Plus, hats can make you look cool and chic. Definitely a win-win. But whaddaya say to a win-win-win?
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIjj2ZOBI9bCrPC0_R9CDCMRFiH78RvMkapWy3rjNurdZGwUg3aEvX8nM-AwNIR8f4j7wSUuLEHWmSQBFsva30K4nj6DWQZAphaWQMP3Tx7o-IlEP4qEtoGMgPlctrw-SD2ZVxYriTAc/s1024/StevieSeaNavy6_1024x1024+%25281%2529.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIjj2ZOBI9bCrPC0_R9CDCMRFiH78RvMkapWy3rjNurdZGwUg3aEvX8nM-AwNIR8f4j7wSUuLEHWmSQBFsva30K4nj6DWQZAphaWQMP3Tx7o-IlEP4qEtoGMgPlctrw-SD2ZVxYriTAc/s320/StevieSeaNavy6_1024x1024+%25281%2529.jpg"/></a></div>
Yes? Good. It's simple. When you go hat shopping, patronize brands that are committed to making hats and all of their products in an eco-friendly manner. No worries. We have curated some brands for you. They are listed below. All you have to do is point, click and await delivery.
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<br />You are making a good decision. Because you have experienced and/or witnessed enough wild, weird, wacky weather to believe that something is amiss. To that end, if the environmentalists are right about <strong>climate change</strong> and all it engenders for our planet, then the least you can do is shop responsibly, no?
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Off you go then ...
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">PACHACUTI</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaWyG8C8LIubtEQr7uk_B_lOMDVTa59Z8iPFRBiFiobx6HPRq0ZiG1oNSNZewdFlhSXDNsvpZzcSwIJQC_Cn_jXzQICf8tv2N3fYirgiWoxAWoZBgNzEt6gRbW7NLDJJzDbWyvbAajVE/s768/women-mirabel-orange-planter-wide-brim-panama-hat-pachacuti-5-front-768x512.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="192" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaWyG8C8LIubtEQr7uk_B_lOMDVTa59Z8iPFRBiFiobx6HPRq0ZiG1oNSNZewdFlhSXDNsvpZzcSwIJQC_Cn_jXzQICf8tv2N3fYirgiWoxAWoZBgNzEt6gRbW7NLDJJzDbWyvbAajVE/s320/women-mirabel-orange-planter-wide-brim-panama-hat-pachacuti-5-front-768x512.webp"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYvd5OR2syAqu22y_aXsXA9wcjbuokaQJEstTzRYcre5mKsPLhWu2tnCHbd8Ik9ejjV4hC3yia20Uo2Z04KyA7x0TubVVCpKwOpSR-abb89z0oANqFI6QTJz5vi2Kvb6vcDwDZpOAoEI/s768/mirabel-orange-women-wearing-ss19-pachacuti-panama-hat-0048-photoshoot-768x512.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="192" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYvd5OR2syAqu22y_aXsXA9wcjbuokaQJEstTzRYcre5mKsPLhWu2tnCHbd8Ik9ejjV4hC3yia20Uo2Z04KyA7x0TubVVCpKwOpSR-abb89z0oANqFI6QTJz5vi2Kvb6vcDwDZpOAoEI/s320/mirabel-orange-women-wearing-ss19-pachacuti-panama-hat-0048-photoshoot-768x512.webp"/></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mirabelle Orange for women from Pachacuti. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://www.panamas.co.uk/product/mirabel-orange-elegant-panama-hat/" target="_blank">https://www.panamas.co.uk/product/mirabel-orange-elegant-panama-hat/</a></b></span>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">UNITED BY BLUE</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkeRfdpzdCw51-jwo17huc5kb4cioD4R6wrG7Ow10PSkCsP8bh-xYIxgolHUPcGe9t-fe1kyHoNMMqfCGvFtZ8oLH_YXg1ShNqX-vTDmyFGX6V7GkdPznP_oldNvRDIAXIgxw-FX79Gs/s320/20210619_125517.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkeRfdpzdCw51-jwo17huc5kb4cioD4R6wrG7Ow10PSkCsP8bh-xYIxgolHUPcGe9t-fe1kyHoNMMqfCGvFtZ8oLH_YXg1ShNqX-vTDmyFGX6V7GkdPznP_oldNvRDIAXIgxw-FX79Gs/s600/20210619_125517.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Organic button hat (unisex) from United by Blue. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://unitedbyblue.com/products/organic-bucket-hat?variant=31703844945992" target="_blank">https://unitedbyblue.com/products/organic-bucket-hat?variant=31703844945992</a></b></span>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">ACCOMPANY</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUm7nBiwZ6Z4_mJoHny3ZWJFmZPeXGkwlgpuuQ-IpfyiOy68-oOBRWwSgRPJnK665OC4igBRqinsyruwOKAncqEm3HoK-_x1bsA5bXC1bR2wSPsDuADRC_Fe6xMxtdPCBg4nqUmpyw7k/s266/20210619_115643.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUm7nBiwZ6Z4_mJoHny3ZWJFmZPeXGkwlgpuuQ-IpfyiOy68-oOBRWwSgRPJnK665OC4igBRqinsyruwOKAncqEm3HoK-_x1bsA5bXC1bR2wSPsDuADRC_Fe6xMxtdPCBg4nqUmpyw7k/s600/20210619_115643.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Made in the Shade for women from Accompany. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://www.accompanyus.com/products/whipstitch-hat" target="_blank">https://www.accompanyus.com/products/whipstitch-hat</a></b></span>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">VITAMIN A</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDN9b3DwzJ3BYCzhtiRItJx4t79QgJodmmVAj7s9CDTJiPOXtJvIAwSUFeEQbMx4L1jHSn-9eG_CPc0eVLTGj2sBwn-LqaqbQFQf7y05A38y8OXf46IrG26SRtjabWbtC8xr8ZwGDDNog/s1440/181799247_753042862060953_8388491799168283026_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="204" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDN9b3DwzJ3BYCzhtiRItJx4t79QgJodmmVAj7s9CDTJiPOXtJvIAwSUFeEQbMx4L1jHSn-9eG_CPc0eVLTGj2sBwn-LqaqbQFQf7y05A38y8OXf46IrG26SRtjabWbtC8xr8ZwGDDNog/s320/181799247_753042862060953_8388491799168283026_n.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlxw27RLaOXBQtsxmvYluOdBlj5O3Ofo1yWIIaLem6qQQdSPeokz-pzNBKeyQfyT9wm3agCS7TW9N0B5T4T-hckGY9bRPReiczXr36eaGgMTucLZLBdP55dfKSoc_5S1x4yTqvbv149o/s550/20210619_151728.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="180" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlxw27RLaOXBQtsxmvYluOdBlj5O3Ofo1yWIIaLem6qQQdSPeokz-pzNBKeyQfyT9wm3agCS7TW9N0B5T4T-hckGY9bRPReiczXr36eaGgMTucLZLBdP55dfKSoc_5S1x4yTqvbv149o/s320/20210619_151728.jpg"/></a>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cannes bucket hat for women from Vitamin A. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://www.vitaminaswim.com/collections/accessories/products/bucket-hat-natural-accessories" target="_blank">https://www.vitaminaswim.com/collections/accessories/products/bucket-hat-natural-accessories</a></b></span>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">G.VITERI</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwVd-V22zEMTc-bUHKFu5rGtWdvG_E26Quj60qqX65NUctaHchTJkcU7dWNaNp-wzlOWlcjNGg5evHowYMXhBOaSDX9vULD5muSzdB_a1b0LfG39_wp687GtXWLPacBR0nLsxv25K6go/s600/Hydra-lookbook-SJ-768x883.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: left; "><img alt="" border="0" height="460" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="25000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwVd-V22zEMTc-bUHKFu5rGtWdvG_E26Quj60qqX65NUctaHchTJkcU7dWNaNp-wzlOWlcjNGg5evHowYMXhBOaSDX9vULD5muSzdB_a1b0LfG39_wp687GtXWLPacBR0nLsxv25K6go/s600/Hydra-lookbook-SJ-768x883.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hydra (unisex) from G.VITERI. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://www.gviteri.com/product/hydra-hat/" target="_blank">https://www.gviteri.com/product/hydra-hat/</a></b></span>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">TENTREE</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sAYo_isf7Y2wtnI3eUCvp-MBvewTYlcxW1lRkzXEm_ER3NuhTDJj6oX63FDcLfPLUYxIrc74wZ42siDc1l5ULLzNqnzsJ83TW1rI-YV6DzSpQmzX29xR-dAzoxYd7-Vct6QzNoML72w/s480/20210619_115101.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sAYo_isf7Y2wtnI3eUCvp-MBvewTYlcxW1lRkzXEm_ER3NuhTDJj6oX63FDcLfPLUYxIrc74wZ42siDc1l5ULLzNqnzsJ83TW1rI-YV6DzSpQmzX29xR-dAzoxYd7-Vct6QzNoML72w/s400/20210619_115101.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Festival (unisex) from Tentree. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://www.tentree.com/collections/accessories-hats/products/festival-hat?METEORITE%20BLACK" target="_blank">https://www.tentree.com/collections/accessories-hats/products/festival-hat?METEORITE%20BLACK</a></b></span>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">EQUAL UPRISE</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpdCz_7rzBtd5iFcs0wsD9JhqSHoUNLqNgd7H-FBVNCY-smbbVSST-nVdIK7tcqrA96pMiKN00HukpzhFyDFRuGwbD4iMz-oxOJgeHp8hyfJ2FiqfHJYhW4ibTgD3brQfJ43v6m0_nQg/s700/ROUND_TOP_-_PALE_GREEN_700x.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="192" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpdCz_7rzBtd5iFcs0wsD9JhqSHoUNLqNgd7H-FBVNCY-smbbVSST-nVdIK7tcqrA96pMiKN00HukpzhFyDFRuGwbD4iMz-oxOJgeHp8hyfJ2FiqfHJYhW4ibTgD3brQfJ43v6m0_nQg/s320/ROUND_TOP_-_PALE_GREEN_700x.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0LkFOWeKEJhXI_xnCWdFJD6WwwZ4jGxmH9xa9vzr1cwW5e2JZD1o0rr8xalcvoXrfDUYlt9w2Ygq5dude7AiBYi25FkT9taQqYxmMYyZLtS29rFz76SOAxD515UxJbhPHekmIwfsF24/s700/ROUND_TOP_-_PALE_GREEN_-_OFFICE_SHOOT_-_HOLLIE_-_SQUARE_CROP_700x.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="192" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0LkFOWeKEJhXI_xnCWdFJD6WwwZ4jGxmH9xa9vzr1cwW5e2JZD1o0rr8xalcvoXrfDUYlt9w2Ygq5dude7AiBYi25FkT9taQqYxmMYyZLtS29rFz76SOAxD515UxJbhPHekmIwfsF24/s320/ROUND_TOP_-_PALE_GREEN_-_OFFICE_SHOOT_-_HOLLIE_-_SQUARE_CROP_700x.jpg"/></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Round Top (in pale green) for women from Equal Uprise. <b>DETAILS and PURCHASE INFO: <a href="https://equaluprise.com/collections/accessories/products/the-round-top-pale-green" target="_blank">https://equaluprise.com/collections/accessories/products/the-round-top-pale-green</a></b></span>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-35091111615671637332021-06-16T20:28:00.009-04:002021-06-19T20:57:16.622-04:00With 2022 Lexus NX Series, Turning on Some Electricity<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EuADdi8wFlM" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>
<strong>BY VW
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LEXUS</strong> is the latest automaker to formally join the electric vehicle movement with its recent unveiling of models in the 2022 <strong>NX</strong> series.
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In the last month with much ceremony, both <strong>Ford</strong> and <strong>Kia,</strong> trotted out an electric offering. <strong>Subaru</strong> has not yet unveiled its electric vehicle but has revealed its name: <strong>SOLTERRA.</strong>
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No doubt inspired and challenged by <strong>Elon Musk's Tesla</strong> and environmentalists, automakers in increasing numbers will be rolling out EV models. The Lexus NX series includes the <strong>250 (gas),</strong> <strong>350 (gas),</strong> <strong>350h (gas and electric)</strong> and <strong>450h+ (electric)</strong>. AS it is to be expected, they all are engineered with luxury, comfort and performance top of mind.
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Some NX series vital stats:
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<strong>COLORS</strong>
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1. Cloudburst Gray
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2. Grecian Water
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3. Obsidian
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4. Redline
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5. Ultra Sonic Blue Mica 2.0
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6. Ultra White
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWh5fYrfjfa8Wjmg6VJiv-22LAI-SQ2kisbBPQAGb0uE4s3JQj_FDq8BlqYpd0Ih75A4jWMHEgRO-8XPfGyy25G4hJ2JDnuxtU6MvMktX_z9bJcFlIMN9TF7hnW3KxOrhIHC9U5_UcmxI/s2048/2022_Lexus_NX_350_FSPORT_0082.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWh5fYrfjfa8Wjmg6VJiv-22LAI-SQ2kisbBPQAGb0uE4s3JQj_FDq8BlqYpd0Ih75A4jWMHEgRO-8XPfGyy25G4hJ2JDnuxtU6MvMktX_z9bJcFlIMN9TF7hnW3KxOrhIHC9U5_UcmxI/s320/2022_Lexus_NX_350_FSPORT_0082.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Interior and exterior shots of the 2022 Lexus NX 350. <b>Photos courtesy of Lexus.</b></span>
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<strong>SELECT FEATURES and FIRSTS</strong>
<a href="https://www.lexus.com/nextNX/" target="_blank"></a><br />
1. Lower center of gravity (for more speed; better performance)
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2. New logo (“LEXUS” replaces the lone “L”)
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3. Optional 14-inch touch screen (instead of standard 9.8 inch)
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4. Plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) system
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5. 2.5-hour charge (with optional 6.6 kW Expedited Onboard Charger)
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6. Predictive Efficient Drive (energy and battery-saving data collection)
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7. Next generation Virtual Assistant
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8. Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist (automatic gentle steering and braking to avoid mishaps)
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9. Thematic Ambient Illumination (optional; provides interior color choices designed to evoke certain emotions and suggest natural settings such as sunsets)
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10. Moonroof (also visible to backseat passengers)
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Production on Lexus 2022 NX will start in Q3 2021.
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<strong><em>Visit <a href="https://www.lexus.com/nextNX/" target="_blank">https://www.lexus.com/nextNX/</a> to learn more about the 2022 Lexus NX series.</em></strong>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bU6wXTwb30AK1SMJ0f8xfUZwmPqI2PUnQ5lkydCZkn8UTwPDP2sMXSQOUZaXoaFRkb9Ea1QmQ8YJZ_XRyF_lPdiU00JEKxPuSClEaQsfUPeU0Nyc72mUBrV4snIfRDtyoqvhocWow_w/s2048/2022_Lexus_NX_350_FSPORT_0130.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bU6wXTwb30AK1SMJ0f8xfUZwmPqI2PUnQ5lkydCZkn8UTwPDP2sMXSQOUZaXoaFRkb9Ea1QmQ8YJZ_XRyF_lPdiU00JEKxPuSClEaQsfUPeU0Nyc72mUBrV4snIfRDtyoqvhocWow_w/s400/2022_Lexus_NX_350_FSPORT_0130.jpg"/></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzbjDkLY2aW_Ll3ovQzk6D8SPQod_GzBAdpuuK0fTUaJ_pz9oLXLf6k83oLbzz0RNmRVZ1dJ00pOshZa0KBL674ji4oo2csGqhew_Kq9UIr_M0K-Dynj3DpNZUcZ4EjyKB2Ca8Y1bN3c/s2048/2022_Lexus_NX_350_FSPORT_0254.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzbjDkLY2aW_Ll3ovQzk6D8SPQod_GzBAdpuuK0fTUaJ_pz9oLXLf6k83oLbzz0RNmRVZ1dJ00pOshZa0KBL674ji4oo2csGqhew_Kq9UIr_M0K-Dynj3DpNZUcZ4EjyKB2Ca8Y1bN3c/s400/2022_Lexus_NX_350_FSPORT_0254.jpg"/></a></div>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-49786777927398352072020-04-06T15:08:00.004-04:002021-06-19T12:36:42.163-04:00COVID-19 Rubberband Man: Surgeon General Uses Simple Stretch Method for DIY Face Mask<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmCeFyDqhz-s78-t5noJ1aJ4zQZBnH6ZeZ4D6919SDKjohgD45-n6KNLby7k9xBrhkfgu8upYoH0iCgiF_sXMh7gCvFG0sbqZi224rObVoqJQuWq9Ebg0p76QwVvHX7AcZJOq7epnAfI/s1200/jerome-adams-getty-1592168044.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmCeFyDqhz-s78-t5noJ1aJ4zQZBnH6ZeZ4D6919SDKjohgD45-n6KNLby7k9xBrhkfgu8upYoH0iCgiF_sXMh7gCvFG0sbqZi224rObVoqJQuWq9Ebg0p76QwVvHX7AcZJOq7epnAfI/s400/jerome-adams-getty-1592168044.jpg"/></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Jerome M. Adams, the surgeon general of the United States, says facemasks can be made using common household items.</span>
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<strong>BY VW<br />
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TO</strong> the rescue with a DIY face mask solution during the <strong>COVID-19</strong> crisis is <strong>Jerome M. Adams,</strong> the surgeon general of the United States.<br />
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Recently, the nation's doctor demonstrated how to make a face mask using common household items like rubberbands, T-shirts and scarves.<br />
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Over the last few days, increasing numbers of medical experts have recommended that people wear face coverings as a mitigation measure when they go out. Do keep in mind, experts say, that the coverings do not inoculate wearers against COVID-19, though they can prevent carriers from spreading it. All previously recommended mitigation practices, particularly social distancing, should still be followed.<br />
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Though experts encourage the use of face coverings and masks, they discourage the public in the strongest terms from buying medical face masks and <strong>N95 respirator masks</strong> to prevent shortages among medical personnel, first responders and other essential workers on the frontlines of fighting the deadly and highly contagious COVID-19.<br />
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The novel coronavirus cases and deaths are rising faster in the United States than in most other parts of the world.<br />
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Meanwhile, a few COVID-19 reminders from <strong>CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)</strong>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFTu2epWvLv3YlJBoBpllBdBlKw-XXHOM57FrFsoFJAngTW-AyL2QsrXBjcdvfrYXR3GDnXSTXA9kUsUavHnC0iZ1fuZQxJqkMl7aMeMj-JgCG2mT-ALd_jk_zrm6Di8H4Jk1eVQUTQM/s1600/diy-face-mask-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFTu2epWvLv3YlJBoBpllBdBlKw-XXHOM57FrFsoFJAngTW-AyL2QsrXBjcdvfrYXR3GDnXSTXA9kUsUavHnC0iZ1fuZQxJqkMl7aMeMj-JgCG2mT-ALd_jk_zrm6Di8H4Jk1eVQUTQM/s320/diy-face-mask-1.jpg" width="320" height="168" data-original-width="1200" data-original-height="629" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">DIY face mask made from piece of fabric and elastic.</span><br />
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<strong><em>Symptoms</strong></em><br />
Some symptoms that may appear two to 14 days after exposure (based on the incubation period of <strong>MERS-CoV</strong> viruses):<br />
Fever<br />
Loss of smell<br />
Loss of taste <br />
Cough<br />
Shortness of breath<br />
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<strong><em>Where to get tested</strong></em><br />
Contact the state or local health department or a medical provider. <br />
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<strong><em>Emergency warning signs</strong></em><br />
If you or someone for whom you are caring develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include:<br />
Difficulty breathing<br />
Persistent chest pain or pressure <br />
New signs of confusion <br />
Difficulty in waking someone<br />
Bluish lips or face<br />
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<strong><em>Visit the CDC and WHO websites for the COVID-19 information and updates:<br />
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http://<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/</a><br />
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http://<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019">https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019</a></strong></em><br />
</div>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-88773607544140020532019-09-11T11:25:00.001-04:002020-04-03T19:29:23.118-04:00Snapshots From Day 6 NYFW: Bailuyu by Fu Wenjie (Global Fashion Collective)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><em>HEADS UP: It's New York Fashion Week, baby. Spring-Summer 2020 to be exact. New York Fashion Week: The Shows, Style 360 NYFW, Art Hearts Fashion and others. Most days until the end, expect a photo(s) of the day. After the whole shebang is over, we will share further insights (words and pictures).</em><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">BAILUYU BY FU WENJIE SS20</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFmsFGm5N3iAx6oSkn1acesCSrOgNbuYP7U_YOwEUuM_tuT6yhsxQrmUaReKlGVCl0iLi6dKFfWD818YypFzDOwr3HcogTg0wkYwvQolepsfMySPCLTLxejymEYZVnqTJ7ZA000cp_uE/s1600/IMG-20190911-WA0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFmsFGm5N3iAx6oSkn1acesCSrOgNbuYP7U_YOwEUuM_tuT6yhsxQrmUaReKlGVCl0iLi6dKFfWD818YypFzDOwr3HcogTg0wkYwvQolepsfMySPCLTLxejymEYZVnqTJ7ZA000cp_uE/s400/IMG-20190911-WA0002.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6uW0ZUGmL5YRDKybF3tKGYoXX-ow06wmUaiwySEX7g7X3wHSKmiSSafWr6-LZCaeCyFyf6xUJZU_AA8YuG1YHtKKcTworxgIL0kEiOfudMFs4uavEfkoEZ6OGFA5Ncr3LD7qssu0woI/s1600/IMG-20190911-WA0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6uW0ZUGmL5YRDKybF3tKGYoXX-ow06wmUaiwySEX7g7X3wHSKmiSSafWr6-LZCaeCyFyf6xUJZU_AA8YuG1YHtKKcTworxgIL0kEiOfudMFs4uavEfkoEZ6OGFA5Ncr3LD7qssu0woI/s400/IMG-20190911-WA0003.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bailuyu by Fu Wenjie Speing-Summer 2020. <b>Photos by Francisco Valdez.</b></span><br />
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<strong>Some shows on deck today, DAY 7: Aliette, Michael Kors, Brock Collection, Batsheva, Dion Lee, Libertine, Marc Jacobs, RISD, Taoray Taoray</strong> <br />
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<strong><em>Follow us on YouTube at WRIGHT WREPORT, Twitter at @WrightWreport and on Instagram at @thewrightwreport for additional coverage of New York Fashion Week. <br />
<br />
Visit the following websites to learn more about NYFW, including show information, installations, videos and livestreaming:<br />
<br />
New York Fashion Week: The Shows<br />
http://<a href="http://mbfashionweek.com/">www.fashionweek.com/</a><br />
<br />
Style 360 NYFW<br />
http://<a href="https://www.style360nyfw.com/">www.style360nyfw.com/</a><br />
<br />
Art Hearts Fashion<br />
http://<a href="http://www.artheartsfashion.com/">www.artheartsfashion.com/</a><br />
</em></strong><br />
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<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">CHOCHENG SS20</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisA4L79MkCmmT5vzVKACnEb3D1sjJKHFCw3dGvrJNlELbLFIgVLGnz1qaQaxEEcLGwJF9NQjGZH2KU_lBMLsO7TnmuRoF8KlSAZT81Q6ZHvWX6EFELDjDHCeR65D6ruzJjmVvACrzjCB8/s1600/IMG-20190910-WA0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisA4L79MkCmmT5vzVKACnEb3D1sjJKHFCw3dGvrJNlELbLFIgVLGnz1qaQaxEEcLGwJF9NQjGZH2KU_lBMLsO7TnmuRoF8KlSAZT81Q6ZHvWX6EFELDjDHCeR65D6ruzJjmVvACrzjCB8/s400/IMG-20190910-WA0001.jpg" width="179" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8JLdd26v94dcJ7yucWePWVpcbPAJvAFnr04Qw1EQ53TkIYRIoT-ELTzdAtpNDmXS7xu8X40yf8Nlwy_Hf3WuzHTki-x1Nm5BTlENSUEGTVyWipiPYTafNCEzzLZ4iLe_jeL1jZzyujE/s1600/IMG-20190910-WA0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8JLdd26v94dcJ7yucWePWVpcbPAJvAFnr04Qw1EQ53TkIYRIoT-ELTzdAtpNDmXS7xu8X40yf8Nlwy_Hf3WuzHTki-x1Nm5BTlENSUEGTVyWipiPYTafNCEzzLZ4iLe_jeL1jZzyujE/s400/IMG-20190910-WA0002.jpg" width="179" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chocheng Spring-Summer 2020 riffs on sunglasses and headscarves. <b>Photos by Francisco Valdez.</b></span><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">HOGAN MCLAUGHLIN SS20</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidR2j-YhOFJ8olespJXf0V3NfGkvisV-hYwCOx4hM4XzWsVQrD2hngqNgNbE3MCBmAVKW8wU5qIIGtuIqBh_VTSKyk4onigtIbLRq3nLtMRXj87XYxtFjcoAuivE1w9V_3w_XxHJyH230/s1600/5DayP1hotoSS20HoganMcLWhiteTop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidR2j-YhOFJ8olespJXf0V3NfGkvisV-hYwCOx4hM4XzWsVQrD2hngqNgNbE3MCBmAVKW8wU5qIIGtuIqBh_VTSKyk4onigtIbLRq3nLtMRXj87XYxtFjcoAuivE1w9V_3w_XxHJyH230/s400/5DayP1hotoSS20HoganMcLWhiteTop.jpg" width="179" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZL8NNksvEe4jAE8IHknSVjgCCDLW8k_gB5aH1OrOT3mOqnXFUblXA7IU65GNRy2R00TLJn1M74pUFBlyjpbJpdg1DjamTP4yCxTnyKWDHXUhnFqGeCSf0pDJtDolpRAKhf-X60yPhoI/s1600/5DayP2hotoSS20HoganMcLGrayCropTopEnsem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZL8NNksvEe4jAE8IHknSVjgCCDLW8k_gB5aH1OrOT3mOqnXFUblXA7IU65GNRy2R00TLJn1M74pUFBlyjpbJpdg1DjamTP4yCxTnyKWDHXUhnFqGeCSf0pDJtDolpRAKhf-X60yPhoI/s400/5DayP2hotoSS20HoganMcLGrayCropTopEnsem.jpg" width="179" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hogan McLaughlinSpring-Summer 2020 is easy, minimal and sometimes bright (yellow). <b>Photos by Francisco Valdez.</b></span><br />
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<strong>Some shows on deck today, DAY 6: Noon by Noor, Sally LaPointe, Studio 189, Cynthia Rowley, Vera Wang, Pamella Rowland, Eckhaus Latta, S by Serena, Bibhu Mohapatra, Coach 141, Naeem Khan, Oscar de la Renta, Zang Toi</strong> <br />
<br />
<strong><em>Follow us on YouTube at WRIGHT WREPORT, Twitter at @WrightWreport and on Instagram at @thewrightwreport for additional coverage of New York Fashion Week. <br />
<br />
Visit the following websites to learn more about NYFW, including show information, installations, videos and livestreaming:<br />
<br />
New York Fashion Week: The Shows<br />
http://<a href="http://mbfashionweek.com/">www.fashionweek.com/</a><br />
<br />
Style 360 NYFW<br />
http://<a href="https://www.style360nyfw.com/">www.style360nyfw.com/</a><br />
<br />
Art Hearts Fashion<br />
http://<a href="http://www.artheartsfashion.com/">www.artheartsfashion.com/</a><br />
</em></strong><br />
</div>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-88153821101786105342019-09-08T07:41:00.001-04:002019-09-10T18:44:59.253-04:00Snapshots From Day 3 NYFW: Damo Wang and Taoray Wang<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><em>HEADS UP: It's New York Fashion Week, baby. Spring-Summer 2020 to be exact. New York Fashion Week: The Shows, Style 360 NYFW, Art Hearts Fashion and others. Most days until the end, expect a photo(s) of the day. After the whole shebang is over, we will share further insights (words and pictures).</em><br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">DAMO WANG SS20</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMUoeS0PkiNDxUxZgY2l4btLXhOgBnydvSV1KL0nP_cOQE6G2lTAgitRDUwMjBqTLwbysJkVOkqTn7xWMydlktbOJ2BpYokw-uTKgucmY7m8RFZnTnzYapvnjmE82bS5Dkn0gxVeZcYE/s1600/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMUoeS0PkiNDxUxZgY2l4btLXhOgBnydvSV1KL0nP_cOQE6G2lTAgitRDUwMjBqTLwbysJkVOkqTn7xWMydlktbOJ2BpYokw-uTKgucmY7m8RFZnTnzYapvnjmE82bS5Dkn0gxVeZcYE/s400/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look14.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpK7UiEl_hqU4lJY19f6fPKu7eHt1OGD9LZrrHEMyNoPLSBPEaDVg5DHL56Osu7cVllrBSb7wsJ4dmufd2nzKfdNWacfu1bU9F3KGjn4W8maZf4BoYGmGcUEKYHuNgcvA3m2GfIUuFP8Q/s1600/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpK7UiEl_hqU4lJY19f6fPKu7eHt1OGD9LZrrHEMyNoPLSBPEaDVg5DHL56Osu7cVllrBSb7wsJ4dmufd2nzKfdNWacfu1bU9F3KGjn4W8maZf4BoYGmGcUEKYHuNgcvA3m2GfIUuFP8Q/s400/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look17.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oJF_p-EkfUU-LKDZVfnvDve4kExYs4IXzadBrZwpv01sifmGsHcpGT75ZH7mgt05nhRSw8n07woNPxRzcVrrOkq5tlesBm1I71khPllTYUnHddJw9j-zdl53kiDd4WbRwnOpisuyaQc/s1600/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oJF_p-EkfUU-LKDZVfnvDve4kExYs4IXzadBrZwpv01sifmGsHcpGT75ZH7mgt05nhRSw8n07woNPxRzcVrrOkq5tlesBm1I71khPllTYUnHddJw9j-zdl53kiDd4WbRwnOpisuyaQc/s400/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look12.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTI1x2U2p5njLJ3TDzY3G0xhcoyrrb5isnsgeuvAvliMON84neMHlV8Qu10lL2apS2le6lHHRpAGhPgpBLjb-yUZeREh0r-NAPYyflvqiPGNqkDU_eFzv4Y07KwpIHxHBKolniThB_Dw/s1600/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTI1x2U2p5njLJ3TDzY3G0xhcoyrrb5isnsgeuvAvliMON84neMHlV8Qu10lL2apS2le6lHHRpAGhPgpBLjb-yUZeREh0r-NAPYyflvqiPGNqkDU_eFzv4Y07KwpIHxHBKolniThB_Dw/s400/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look22.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14OFlfh-wUTGqpKDIghW2AqLQyoAMQh0_-qhFy5207Sg_l5bs0K3lA4XuzebJIdVaVThcxpsCarFfySDxPBCHWeGDgwE0mNjgkR-34PRkkklOPDbr4BR9yVxe1MwoMW5VCGi6PGL09dM/s1600/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14OFlfh-wUTGqpKDIghW2AqLQyoAMQh0_-qhFy5207Sg_l5bs0K3lA4XuzebJIdVaVThcxpsCarFfySDxPBCHWeGDgwE0mNjgkR-34PRkkklOPDbr4BR9yVxe1MwoMW5VCGi6PGL09dM/s400/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look29.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50pnYLLozBgIJMznaNsF833SwY86z5KGk-juywYJ6PFlhO2NdmZpycYFeX1EWh0BDpfSHfeNz2u9SfbdokLuA1BJiIvogKbYcCmsj73v8Rvtix4dXSSa_dISJYut_cc0hl39vu1TtUuo/s1600/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50pnYLLozBgIJMznaNsF833SwY86z5KGk-juywYJ6PFlhO2NdmZpycYFeX1EWh0BDpfSHfeNz2u9SfbdokLuA1BJiIvogKbYcCmsj73v8Rvtix4dXSSa_dISJYut_cc0hl39vu1TtUuo/s400/Damowang-SS20-RTW-Look26.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In his Spring-Summer 2020 collection, Damo Wang carefully balances the Chinese culture of WU XIA with a contemporary zeitgeist.. <b>Images courtesy of Nowfashion.</b></span><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">TAORAY WANG SS20</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFN24ZN9KWPqClQ8RYh1xEgnu2ThyphenhyphenhBtvdS-BUqTMWPE1G-WGnI_-ttHKZy4ekspuhEDiQZfU0iWNqg1bL1z_5wYcbhKufhkGuO2WG2mRoV4Lsx-m7M-NodlXQ25t210Kdf7IusNRx6g/s1600/IMG-20190908-WA0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFN24ZN9KWPqClQ8RYh1xEgnu2ThyphenhyphenhBtvdS-BUqTMWPE1G-WGnI_-ttHKZy4ekspuhEDiQZfU0iWNqg1bL1z_5wYcbhKufhkGuO2WG2mRoV4Lsx-m7M-NodlXQ25t210Kdf7IusNRx6g/s400/IMG-20190908-WA0001.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitM2ysKebNWIwviAoE4YC9QXaUTjpNtq71ABLg17BeqvNHO1K0eEC0faWvSQMs5OCkeTOiCoLoPBUYFFI7371zABJHHYT5btCFmCIYbv6FXYYWs-Z-mnnqn8GRBtKKKFzwUGT2_8mf0CY/s1600/IMG-20190908-WA0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitM2ysKebNWIwviAoE4YC9QXaUTjpNtq71ABLg17BeqvNHO1K0eEC0faWvSQMs5OCkeTOiCoLoPBUYFFI7371zABJHHYT5btCFmCIYbv6FXYYWs-Z-mnnqn8GRBtKKKFzwUGT2_8mf0CY/s400/IMG-20190908-WA0002.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1066" data-original-height="1600" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Taoray Wang Spring-Summer 2020. <b>Photos by Francisco Valdez.</b></span><br />
<br />
<strong>Some shows on deck today, DAY 4: Collapse 14, Tanya Taylor, Staud, Lou Dallas, LaQuan Smith, Mansur Gavriel, Raisavanessa, Sies Marjan, Tibi, Nicole Miller, Jason Wu Collection, Prabal Gurung, Tommy Hilfiger, Pyer Moss</strong> <br />
<br />
<strong><em>Follow us on YouTube at WRIGHT WREPORT, Twitter at @WrightWreport and on Instagram at @thewrightwreport for additional coverage of New York Fashion Week. <br />
<br />
Visit the following websites to learn more about NYFW, including show information, installations, videos and livestreaming:<br />
<br />
New York Fashion Week: The Shows<br />
http://<a href="http://mbfashionweek.com/">www.fashionweek.com/</a><br />
<br />
Style 360 NYFW<br />
http://<a href="https://www.style360nyfw.com/">www.style360nyfw.com/</a><br />
<br />
Art Hearts Fashion<br />
http://<a href="http://www.artheartsfashion.com/">www.artheartsfashion.com/</a><br />
</em></strong><br />
</div>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816891958919766725.post-40277597009048459942019-09-07T11:21:00.003-04:002019-09-10T18:46:23.260-04:00Snapshots From Day 2 NYFW: MRHUA MRSHUA by NiuNiu Chou and PH5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><em>HEADS UP: It's New York Fashion Week, baby. Spring-Summer 2020 to be exact. New York Fashion Week: The Shows, Style 360 NYFW, Art Hearts Fashion and others. Most days until the end, expect a photo(s) of the day. After the whole shebang is over, we will share further insights (words and pictures).</em><br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">MRHUA MRSHUA by NiuNiu Chou SS20</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUglGFVW53xfbtVef_8lueSBqgsIVuhNrstrNG8DaNVe9WdKT0i6t5kClePPfYgOn9uLD7eQ6kgyxTvq6W1YRDo9EG2JQ8cwlvLmc3utWbkY6NuJOyUEbnkGP6zC2wEOgRa0WJVkagQD4/s1600/2DaySS20P2hotoMrHuaMrsHuaGuyoffShoulder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUglGFVW53xfbtVef_8lueSBqgsIVuhNrstrNG8DaNVe9WdKT0i6t5kClePPfYgOn9uLD7eQ6kgyxTvq6W1YRDo9EG2JQ8cwlvLmc3utWbkY6NuJOyUEbnkGP6zC2wEOgRa0WJVkagQD4/s400/2DaySS20P2hotoMrHuaMrsHuaGuyoffShoulder.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJnGK_vnYH6oTYbUioKIHCRorHQabBnkWL4BTyDIWJOejmLaU8uvI_Mx-gqUnvtP-6kGROpt68sn2-7qDqu4ZPjkaDoggRxYezF530HSHGqVLaKQ8pF0yEskvVKCnG6nhviK0JR0i1l0/s1600/2DaySS20P3hotoMrHuaMrsHuaSisterPlaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJnGK_vnYH6oTYbUioKIHCRorHQabBnkWL4BTyDIWJOejmLaU8uvI_Mx-gqUnvtP-6kGROpt68sn2-7qDqu4ZPjkaDoggRxYezF530HSHGqVLaKQ8pF0yEskvVKCnG6nhviK0JR0i1l0/s400/2DaySS20P3hotoMrHuaMrsHuaSisterPlaid.jpg" width="180" height="300" data-original-width="1067" data-original-height="1600" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">NiuNiu Chou's mandate for Spring-Summer 2020 and every season is to use MRHUA MRSHUA as the instrument to promote Chinese culture. <b>Photos by Francisco Valdez.</b></span><br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">PH5 SS20</h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjVs6K9X9fDYQ5MwwMhRuGbYEoixPo9T1ewCGZ1BN8Udc5FMpaI3bxiHFfD2UFV0TQgvqna4Of8a4IxHW8p__NWF7bRzXOgAKeEIQT5fs2U2itQ0CwMeZtWlKB2fju71PxZ3DIfeibmo/s1600/2DaySS20P1hotoPH5Group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjVs6K9X9fDYQ5MwwMhRuGbYEoixPo9T1ewCGZ1BN8Udc5FMpaI3bxiHFfD2UFV0TQgvqna4Of8a4IxHW8p__NWF7bRzXOgAKeEIQT5fs2U2itQ0CwMeZtWlKB2fju71PxZ3DIfeibmo/s400/2DaySS20P1hotoPH5Group.jpg" width="400" height="267" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1067" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Part of the PH5 narrative for Spring-Summer 2020 is plaids. <b>Photos by Francisco Valdez.</b></span><br />
<br />
<strong>Some shows on deck today, DAY 3: Taoray Wang, Son Jung Wan, Adam Lippes, Kate Spade New York, Adeam, Christopher John Rogers, Rebecca Minkoff, Mila Hoffman, Helmut Lang, Bevza, Christian Siriano, Chiari Boni, Brandon Maxwell, Chromat, Ralph Lauren</strong> <br />
<br />
<strong><em>Follow us on YouTube at WRIGHT WREPORT, Twitter at @WrightWreport and on Instagram at @thewrightwreport for additional coverage of New York Fashion Week. <br />
<br />
Visit the following websites to learn more about NYFW, including show information, installations, videos and livestreaming:<br />
<br />
New York Fashion Week: The Shows<br />
http://<a href="http://mbfashionweek.com/">www.fashionweek.com/</a><br />
<br />
Style 360 NYFW<br />
http://<a href="https://www.style360nyfw.com/">www.style360nyfw.com/</a><br />
<br />
Art Hearts Fashion<br />
http://<a href="http://www.artheartsfashion.com/">www.artheartsfashion.com/</a><br />
</em></strong><br />
</div>VWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105611158148225290noreply@blogger.com0