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psychologyofsex · 3 years

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The True Story of How I Became a Sex Educator and Researcher

Our professional biographies tend to serve as a “highlight reel”—they only say the great things we’ve accomplished and don’t reveal the struggles, challenges, and uncertainties that went into building a career. To lift back the curtain on this, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) recently asked a number of scholars to submit their official bios along with their “unofficial bios” that reveal an extremely different version of the story with more twists and turns.

You can read some of the examples here. Although I didn’t participate in it, I thought it would be fun to do something similar on the blog. So here goes—I’ll start with my official bio, followed by the real, behind-the-scenes story.

Official Bio of Dr. Justin J. Lehmiller

Dr. Justin Lehmiller received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Purdue University. He is a Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute and author of the book Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, having been honored three times with the Certificate of Teaching Excellence from Harvard University, where he taught for several years. He is also a prolific researcher and scholar who has published more than 50 academic works to date, including a textbook titled The Psychology of Human Sexuality (now in its second edition) that is used in college classrooms around the world. Dr. Lehmiller's studies have appeared in all of the leading journals on human sexuality, including the Journal of Sex Research, Archives of Sexual Behavior, and The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Dr. Lehmiller has run the popular blog Sex and Psychology since 2011. It receives millions of page views per year and is rated among the top sex blogs on the internet. In 2019, he launched the Sex and Psychology Podcast. It ranks among the top sexuality podcasts in several countries and has been named one of “11 sex podcasts that will help you get better in bed” by Men’s Health.

Dr. Lehmiller has been interviewed by numerous media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, CNN, The Atlantic, The Globe and Mail, and The Sunday Times. He has been named one of 5 "Sexperts" You Need to Follow on Twitter by Men's Health and one of the "modern-day masters of sex" by Nerve. Dr. Lehmiller has appeared on the Netflix series Sex, Explained, he has been on several episodes of the television program Taboo on the National Geographic Channel, and he has been a guest on Dr. Phil. Dr. Lehmiller has also appeared on numerous podcasts and radio shows, including the Savage Lovecast, the BBC’s Up All Night, and several NPR programs (1A, Radio Times, and Airtalk).

He is a popular freelance writer, penning columns and op-eds for major publications, including The Washington Post, Playboy, USA Today, VICE, Psychology Today, Men’s Health, Politico, and New York Magazine. He has also interviewed several prominent authors, journalists, and psychologists about their work for his blog and podcast, including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Lisa Ling, Drs. John and Julie Gottman, and bestselling authors Christopher Ryan (Sex at Dawn) and Lisa Taddeo (Three Women).

Unofficial Bio of Dr. Justin J. Lehmiller

When Justin’s parents asked him what he wanted to study in college, he said “psychology.” He had taken a couple of psychology courses in high school that he found to be absolutely fascinating; however, his parents discouraged him from this because getting into a PhD program was tough and uncertain and, if that didn’t work out, they didn’t see much potential in a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. They encouraged him to pursue a career in occupational therapy (OT) instead because a family friend said “they needed more men in the field,” and also because his parents saw it as a path to job security with a pretty good paycheck.

He applied to a 5-year combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program in OT at Gannon University and was admitted. Incidentally, he was one of two men in the entire program. He spent a year and a half in it and made straight As in every course, including biochemistry and physics—but he wasn’t happy. He recognized the importance of OT to society, but it wasn’t his passion. After showing his parents that he was taking college seriously and earning good grades, they allowed him to switch his major to psychology.

Upon completing his Bachelor’s degree, he only applied to Master’s programs in psychology because he didn’t think he had the chops to get into a PhD program right away. The inferiority complex was strong in this one, so he didn’t even try. He applied and was accepted to Villanova University’s Master’s program in experimental psychology. He was not competitive enough of a candidate to receive an assistantship initially, although he eventually received one after another student dropped out.

He really wanted to study social psychology at Villanova, but there was only one social psychologist on staff at the time and several interested students. The only option for him was to beg one of the clinical psychologists to let him do a social psychology study for his Master’s thesis.

As he began looking for PhD programs to apply to, he met Dr. Chris Agnew at a meeting of the American Psychological Association. Chris was studying romantic relationships and Justin thought that sounded like a fun thing to spend his life doing. Plus, Chris was a super cool guy who seemed like a fantastic mentor. He applied and was admitted to Purdue’s social psychology program, although he was initially waitlisted (and rejected from all but one other program). Justin’s plan was to get his doctorate and become a college professor. Teaching and research sounded like things he could probably do.

Justin was assigned to teach a Health Psychology course at Purdue during his first year. He had never taught a class before and quickly realized that he was very uncomfortable with public speaking. The class was a disaster. Attendance dropped 60-70% within the first couple of weeks. He had no idea what he was doing and dreaded going to class each day—and he received poor evaluations in the end.

Around the same time, Justin submitted his first academic paper to a journal, it was promptly rejected and came with this review: “This manuscript is fatally flawed and of marginal utility, which is a shame because potentially interesting questions could have been asked given the topic and timing of the research. The tone of this manuscript represents the worst in scientific misconstrual, particularly because the claims are silly, wrong, or not warranted by the data.” Justin clearly sucked at both teaching and research—and if he couldn’t do those things well, how would he ever become a college professor?

He also started hearing horror stories from advanced students in his program who couldn’t find jobs and were sticking around for 6 or 7 years in the hope of eventually landing a job—any job. All of this led Justin to question what the hell he was doing with his life. Maybe he should have listened to his parents after all? Chris encouraged Justin to stick with it, though, as did his friends and mentors.

The next year, Justin got assigned to be a teaching assistant for a human sexuality course taught by Dr. Janice Kelly. It changed his life. He had to lead weekly discussion sections with students and answer their sex questions (a subject he knew next to nothing about, having attended Catholic schools most of his life). He read about sex extensively and instantly knew he had found what he really wanted to do with his career. He saw it as something fun and interesting—but also a way that he could make a real difference. He realized how little most people actually know about sex, and how education can correct so many harmful myths and misconceptions.

An opportunity to teach his own human sexuality class opened up the following year, and he took it. This time around, teaching was different—he was passionate about the subject and the students were, too. He had no problems with attendance. He ended up teaching this course six times before he graduated and eventually received a teaching award for it. He found that he loved being a sex educator.

He also found a solution to his public speaking anxiety: he started taking a beta-blocker (propranolol) on public speaking days, which removed physiological symptoms of anxiety. This allowed him to feel like himself in front of a crowd and, after just a few months, he no longer needed to take the medication—the anxiety had gone away completely.

He started conducting his own sex research, too, including a series of studies with Dr. Kelly on friends with benefits. His research skills improved and his studies started getting accepted instead of rejected.

He eventually landed a job at Colorado State University as an assistant professor, where he stayed for three years and continued his work as a sex educator and researcher. His partner couldn’t get a job in the area and had just taken a job in Boston, so Justin applied for every academic job within two hours of Boston. He was turned down for all of them. As a last-ditch effort, he applied for a teaching position at Harvard but had absolutely no confidence in it. He almost didn’t submit the application, but his partner encouraged him to do so. Justin had applied to Harvard’s PhD program previously and was rejected—if they didn’t want him as a student, why the heck would they want him as a teacher?

To his great surprise, he got the job at Harvard, where he stayed for three years. However, he had given up his tenure-track job in Colorado for a teaching position in Boston with no job security. So he decided to reinvent himself just in case things didn’t work out. In his spare time, he started a blog, wrote a human sexuality textbook, and became a freelance media writer. Communicating about sex science to the public became his hobby and was going to be his backup career in case the college professor thing didn’t work out.

Eventually, Justin’s partner wanted to move to Indianapolis for a job opportunity, so they left Boston. But Justin didn’t have a job at first and his backup plan wasn’t yet enough to be a full-time job. He knew the Kinsey Institute was nearby, so he drafted a letter to the director in the hope of establishing a connection, but he never sent it. He had a severe case of imposter syndrome and did not feel accomplished or experienced enough to have anything to do with what he saw as the premier hub for sex research in the world.

Much to his surprise, the associate director of the Institute reached out to him after he moved to Indiana to explore opportunities for working together. It was actually his hobby/backup plan that caught their eye—they were interested in working together to disseminate sex science to the public and were impressed with what he had done with his blog and social media.

Justin affiliated with Kinsey, but also jumped back on the tenure track with a job as the Director of the Social Psychology Program at Ball State University, which fortuitously opened up about 4 months after he moved to Indianapolis. After 3.5 years, he decided to leave full-time academics and do his own thing. His science communication hobby had managed to grow into a full-time job and it was no longer feasible to do that and academics. Plus, he found that the science communication work was really where his passion was. So, the backup plan officially became “the plan.”

Justin now spends every day finding new ways to help educate and inform the public about the science of sex. He’s still not sure how things ended up this way, but wouldn’t trade his current job for anything.

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for more from the blog or here to listen to the podcast. Follow Sex and Psychology on Facebook, Twitter (@JustinLehmiller), or Reddit to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Image Source: 123RF

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#sex education #sex research

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papergirllife · 5 years

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The Story Of You And I.

Lee Taeyong ( One Shot- Part 1 )

Warnings : Angst, smut, slow burn.

You and Taeyong went way back. Since the both of you were 7 at the 2002 Seoul Fashion week for your mom's up and coming fashion label.

When you met him, he was working as a child model for your mom's brand.

" Hi I'm Y/N. What's your name?"

" I'm Taeyong. Who are you? "

"I'm Ms Kim's daughter. Your one of the models for this show aren't you? "

" Y-Yeah."

" Let's be friends from now on. "

"Okay."

You didn't know why you picked him out of all the boys there to make friends. Maybe it was because of his big googly eyes or his cute bouncy self waiting in line to be dressed.

The both of you became close friends. Always chatting at the backstage of every show. He even signed a contract to stay on with your mom's brand.

As you got to know him longer, you knew more about him. He was a rich family's son, he's mom was once a famous model back in the 70s' and married a wealthy business man. Their family owns Lee Insurance Inc. and even a law firm.

As he got older, his father wanted him to learn up the ropes of the business world, at the age of 12.

He never liked the corporate world, too shady he always said. Thankfully he has a sister who enjoyed business. So the responsibility didn't weight on him anymore.

As Taeyong and you grew, the both of you started developing into teenagers. His eyes were still big, but held a sense of mystery. His jawline sharper. Shoulders broader.

You hadn't changed much, not as much as he did. You started cutting down from snacking as you fall into the phase of wanting to keep yourself fit. You started a gym membership and enrolling dance classes.

You still remember staring at yourself in the mirror at age 15, admiring the curves you developed from your hard work.

Taeyong wasn't blind. He saw the way you changed. No longer that cute little girl who said hi to him at his first catwalk.

One day at the age of 16 the both of you were trapped in one of your mom's studio due to heavy snow fall as you were helping Taeyong with his measurements.

You got bored, so you started sketching some designs on your notebook after your mom taught you how to.

" Do you always bring along your sketch book and pencils wherever you go?"

" Yeah. So that whenever I'm inspired I'll always be able to draw at once. It's really important to me. "

" Thats so artistic and cool."

" Thank you. "

You could feel the blush creeping up your cheeks. You have never been complimented much in your life. Being a famous designer's daughter means you rarely have sincere friends. Taeyong was the closest to you among all.

You looked up from the sketch book to see Taeyong's face only millimeters away from yours. His eyes focused on your lips. With a pounding heart, you closed the gap between the two of you.

Everything was well for a year. Both of you were the sweethearts of the weekly tabloids. The power couple netizens would call the both of you. Until everything fell apart.

At one of your girl friend's new year's party bash. You were supposed to go there with Taeyong, but you suddenly had a headache from the amount of work from school and work. So Taeyong texted you that he wouldn't go as you weren't going to be there.

You were going to fall asleep until your friend Yeri called you.

" Y/N, Y/N. Open your messages right now. You won't like it, but it's the truth and I didn't want to hide it from you. "

" Um. Okay? Hang on a sec. "

When you opened Yeri's chat, there were two blurry photos, you clicked into them and your heart dropped.

It was Taeyong and some random girl making out. You exited your chat with Yeri and opened Taeyong's.

' I'm breaking up with you. '

You hit send and proceeded to block his number and all the other forms of social media accounts.

A few weeks later, the tabloids caught wind of the break up and even caught a photo of Taeyong and some girl kissing at Starbucks.

Taeyong and Y/N, Lovebirds No More? Who's Taeyong's New Mystery Girl?

Y/N's nasty heartbreak, Taeyong's Break For Freedom.

The Similarities Between Y/N and Taeyong's New Darling, Rosé.

Throughout this break up, only Yeri was there, helping me move on from my first love and heartbreak. Passing me tissues and eating tubs of ice cream together.

2019.

" Ms Bae, Ms Bae! "

" Yes? "

"We're short of one of our main male models, he suddenly called and said that his aunt was in critical condition at Jeju. So he flown out of the city and won't be participating in all of our shows. "

" Hurry find a replacement. Any decent model will be fine for today until we find another permanent. "

" Yes, Ms Bae."

You can't screw this up. This is the first time your mom gave you full reins of the company. You had to ace this one way or another.

You were adjusting a model's clothing when you heard a voice that made you drop the pins in your hand.

" Y/N, long time no see. "

You still remember his voice, even though it got deeper as he matured.

" Taeyong. "

You greeted him in a hardened tone.

" Cut the crap. What are you doing

here? "

" Ms Bae, Ms Bae. He was the only decent model available at such a short period of time. "

Your assistant didn't dare looked up to your face, fearing that you might fire her on the spot.

" Get him dressed Nancy. "

" Yes, Ms Bae. "

You looked at Taeyong like he was trash, well technically he is to you but not literally. And you really needed a replacement model.

" Y/N, don't you remember all the happy memories we shared? "

You ignored him and started picking out his runway attire.

" Mr Lee, what is the size of your waist? "

Your assistant asked.

" Ask Y/N. She knows. "

" I don't keep trash in my head. Tell her yourself. "

Taeyong sighed. You sneaked a glance at him. He still does that making his lips straight frown whenever he's frustrated.

It's time you forgot about him Y/N, you told yourself.

" Size 31. "

He took the pants from your assistant to change behind the veil.

" Are you okay Ms Bae?"

Nancy whispered.

"It's been 4 years plus now Nancy. I'm fine. " Or that's what you keep telling yourself.

Nancy seemed a little bit relieved at what you said event though she wasn't entirely sure you were speaking the truth.Suddenly someone called.

"Nancy, Nancy! We need your help with one of the model's measurements. "

You took Taeyong's clothes from her hands and beckoned her to go. She left with a little bit of uncertainty on her face, but didn't dare to question her boss.

Taeyong finally stepped out from the veil, looking smart in the pants you designed.

" Here. Change into the button up first, then the sweater, finally the coat. "

You passed every article of clothing to Taeyong but he didn't take it.

" Dress me. "

" Stop playing games Taeyong. Time is ticking. "

" What sort of games? You did this all the time back when we were kids. "

" I'm not your friend or anything anymore, so get dressed on your own. "

Instead of listening to you, Taeyong plopped down the stool, mindlessly looking at his fingers.

After a minute of no sign of movement from him you took matters into your own hands.

You began to unbutton his shirt rapidly and put on the shirt for him, buttoning the buttons.

Taeyong had a surprise look on his face, he didn't think you'd actually do it.

When you undressed him, you saw the changes on his body. He was much more built than he was last time. Small knobs and cervices at his once soft stomach. You were careful to not touch him.

After you finished adjusting the dress shirt, you forced the sweater over his head, fingers accidentally knocking onto some part of his face.

" Ouch! You used to be more gentle when you dressed me backstage your mom's shows. "

" Let the past stay the past. " You said as you dumped the coat on his face.

" Do that on your own, or get a fling to do it for you. "

You scanned him top to toe to see if anything was wrong. Until you spot his Nike sneakers.

You weren't going to be Prince Charming for him. So you called Nancy and told her to switch tasks with you with a pair of size 9 from your latest collection.

The show was starting soon, you double checked the attendance and the paper and magazine companies.

You could feel a headache forming thinking of the gossip columns eating on the drama that's going to happen tonight.

Ex Lovers Reunited?

What's Happening Between Taeyong and Y/N? Taeyong casted in Y/N's First Full Fledge Collection.

Just mother freaking great.

Everything went smoothly during the beginning, no mismatched clothes, no ruckus outside the venue.

You took a peak from behind the curtains. The columnist and VIP customers seemed to be enjoying it.

" Ms Bae, Ms Bae. "

Nancy called you interrupting your thoughts.

" Yes? "

" Right after Taeyong's wrap up for the runway, it's supposedly your turn to greet and thank the guest. "

Shit, I forgot. A could sense an oncoming disaster.

" Right, yeah. Just let me get changed and I'll be right out. "

You changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and black sweater, to not distract the audience from the clothes worn by the models.

I stood behind Taeyong to wait for my cue. He suddenly turned around and looked at me in the eyes.

" No good luck kiss like when we're 17? "

"You lost that right when you lost my trust. "

For a while Taeyong really looked hurt. I could have been imagining it, don't get your hopes up Y/N , it'll just break your heart again.

When Taeyong walked the runway, heads turned and jaws dropped. Of all the models to grace my brand they didn't expected him. Especially for the closing scene, but there wasn't anyone else under my belt that could pull of such an outfit.

I could see my guest started whispering among themselves. Some frowned, some smiled, some had cynical looks on their faces, like they expected you to fall back with your most popular ex.

When Taeyong came back, it was your time to shine.

" Thank you so much for coming to the show. Customers who would like to make purchases may raise their hand, an employee with an iPad would be of assistance. Once again thank you and goodnight. "

You bowed and returned to the back end. You started helping your staff pack up the equipment, but they all dismissed you midway claiming that they could finish up by themselves.

So you decided to pack up your belongings to head home to prepare for the after party.

After keeping everything, you double checked your belongings and found that your sketch book wasn't present.

You started panicking, the sketch book held many ideas and sketches for future references.

" Ms Bae you should head home to prepare yourself for the after party. "

" I know Nancy, but I can't seem to find my sketch book. "

Nancy's eyes became saucers, she knew how important that book was to you.

" I'll help you ask all the staff, you have to head home to prepare first, it's your first after party Ms Bae. "

" Okay, thank you Nancy. Contact me if you find it. "

#nct smut #nct taeyong #nct fluff #nct 127 #nct u scenarios #nct u imagines #nct u taeyong #nct angst #nct aus #nct fic #taeyong smut #taeyong fluff #taeyong scenarios #taeyong superm #nct imagines

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esonetwork · 6 years

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Tale as old as time: ESO Network chats with Disney animator Tom Bancroft

New Post has been published on https://esopodcast.com/tale-as-old-as-time-eso-network-chats-with-disney-animator-tom-bancroft/

Tale as old as time: ESO Network chats with Disney animator Tom Bancroft

Beauty and the Beast. The Lion King. Aladdin. Mulan.

These iconic animated films are part of the story of the famous “Disney Renaissance,” which propelled the studio back to commercial success and critical acclaim in the ’80s and ’90s.

Tom Bancroft played a role in that story too — the artist has 30 years of experience in the animation industry, much of which was spent with Walt Disney Feature Animation. He was an animator on four animated shorts and eight feature films (the films named above are part of that list). He has also worked with Big Idea Productions, creators of the popular Veggie Tales animated series.

During Dragon Con 2018, ESO Network reporters Mary Ogle and Ashley Pauls chatted with Bancroft about his love for art, his favorite Disney project, and the industry shift from hand-drawn to computer animation. Read an excerpt from our interview below and listen to the full interview on Earth Station One podcast episode 437: https://esopodcast.com/the-earth-station-one-podcast-437-the-big-lebowski-live-from-dragon-con/

ESO: Tell us a little bit about your career and how you got started. What was that initial spark? What motivated you to get involved in this and pursue your art as a career?

I think I grew up in a golden age of comic strips. So this is a little tangent-y, but it was not the golden age of animation, unfortunately. When I grew up, mostly in the ’70s, I had a twin brother and we would draw together and what we would draw was comic strips. “Peanuts” was really big with Charles Schulz, and then soon came “Bloom County” and then soon after that “Calvin and Hobbes.” And of course the peak of Mad magazine.

It was all that sort of illustration and comic strips that really fascinated us. But then we had sort of a sub love of live action film, but especially Ray Harryhausen movies, which is stop motion. And we didn’t put it all together to go, “well, we like to draw, we like stop motion — animation seems like a good fit.” It still took a while till just after high school that we really realized [that].

Simultaneous to all that, we were watching Saturday morning cartoons all the time. But the love for Saturday morning cartoons wasn’t really artistic, I would say; it wasn’t like we were drawing “Scooby-Doo” or the “Super Friends.” We also liked comic books too. But kind of both of us looked at that as the impossible dream, because anatomy and things like that — it looked too hard.

But like I said, on the animation side of things, it was kind of a dead time. Those Saturday morning cartoons were pretty popular, but really, it was all about getting it out cheap, right? You look at “Super Friends,” and limited animation and Hanna-Barbera stuff. It was kind of a bad time to want to be an animator, I would say say. Even though there’s a lot of nostalgia for “He-Man” and things like that, it’s just not really well animated. (laughter) I think we can admit that.

[Then] Disney films started to get a little bit better and better. They were on the cusp of having a resurgence. “The Great Mouse Detective” had come out; that’s a fun, cartoon-y, well-animated film. And it was films like that, that really kind of made us go, “Oh, wait a second, you know, this might be the path. It combines a lot of our loves.”

And so we just kind of fell into animation, really. Did a little stop motion animated film for our church youth group, got together a couple friends that also wanted to try animation. And we just sort of taught ourselves. This is before the internet, so we’d go to the library and try and find books on even exposure because we’re literally using a Super 8 camera and shooting these clay animated figures one frame at a time. And so we just needed to learn, but that was close to Ray Harryhausen, so it was within our wheelhouse. We were researching him quite a bit.

Then that love translated to “well, we already like to draw, why don’t we try drawn animation?” And then we found out about CalArts (California Institute of the Arts). We already were living in California, and CalArts is like the animation school in the U.S. It still is, but at the time it was one of the only ones and it was founded by Walt Disney. So we tried for it and got it in, miraculously. And after a year and a half, got an internship at Disney. And that’s what started our career.

Have you done mostly traditional animation? Or have you also delved into computer animation?

Later on in my career, pretty much toward the end of my Disney days, I ended up following my heart in 2000 and joining Big Idea Productions, and they do Veggie Tales. While I was there, I learned CG animation and learned how to do Bob and Larry in the computer. And fortunately, it was simpler; they didn’t have arms and legs.

But it was still tough. I mean, it was a huge learning curve. I’ve always heard, “Oh yeah, computers are just, you know, just a tool.” But it’s a radically different way to animate for someone like me, who had really finally figured out how to do 2D animation after about 10 years at Disney. It felt like I was starting all over again, and it was a tough year.

And I can’t say I loved it; I missed drawing. And so I immediately switched over, even while I was at Big Idea. After animating a little bit, I switched over to storyboarding and then ultimately directed and created the 2D “Larryboy Adventures” show. That was much more a better fit for me.

I left and came back to Disney and did “Brother Bear” traditional animation, and worked on Rutt and Tuke, the two moose characters. And then after that, I started my own company. And so I’ve been pretty much independent for what I call the second phase of my career. And a lot of that has been character design and children’s book illustration, some directing, some 2D animation still too, but a variety of different things. Comic books, even.

You’ve gotten to see both sides, with the hand-drawn animation and the computer. How is the creative process different and what are some of the advantages and disadvantages you feel are in each form?

It’s funny, because a lot of people think that the switch and kind of the death of 2D animation in feature films — here in the U.S., especially — is because CG animation is cheaper. It’s not; it’s the same or more, really, and you almost need as many people too. It’s not like we even save a lot of money in CG animation on how many people you hire, and you certainly have higher equipment costs than ever before. And it’s not even necessarily faster.

The biggest difference between 2D and CG is that there’s a lot more upfront work in CG, and then 2D has more time at the end. Because in CG once they model the characters and get all that figured out, the animation process goes a lot quicker than in 2D, because now they have the model, it’s not going to change. It’s not like it’s going to get revised. And some of that happens, obviously, but they kind of stick to it. And then also, at certain point, once they put the lights in, there’s a lot more automated, what I would call “the ink and paint phase” in 2D. There’s the rendering process that goes a lot quicker, because once they model it, they know the colors and they’re already set.

We can get going a lot quicker [with 2D]; we can get into the animation phase, we can design the characters and all that and jump into animation a little sooner. But then the back end is a lot of cleanup and color background painting. All that is on the back end, and it can take a lot more time.

What was your favorite Disney film to work on, if you can narrow it down?

Oh, it’s pretty easy. It was “Mulan.”

I got to design and develop Mushu the dragon. And so because I was the supervising animator for Mushu on that film, I really got onto the film very early and put a lot of heart and soul into that film, more so than what I was able to on other films.

I did young Simba; I’m very proud of animating young Simba on “The Lion King,” but I worked under Mark Henn who was the supervisor of that. And he had designed Simba and was issuing me scenes and stuff. So I didn’t get to have as much of a say, I guess you could say, in defining his character, just in the scenes that I had, not like the whole character.

How do you approach putting personality into your characters? What things do you use to show a visual representation of that personality?

Some of that is in the character design. There’s certain things like when I was designing Mushu, we knew right off the bat that he was going to be a thin, snake-like dragon because I found out really quickly in my research, in Asian dragons, they’re usually based on snakes and things like that. The dragon in [“Sleeping Beauty”] is a European dragon, and they’re more like a crocodile or something like that. They’re very thick and massive. But the Asian ones usually are skimming across the water or they’re fire dragons. They also are elemental, and Mushu is a fire dragon, which we never mentioned in the movie. But it was part of his design.

I have flame-like shapes on him, and they oftentimes have fish scales. And he’s got a little mustache, kind of a fuzzy upper lip, which is based on a camel. They’re made up of different pieces: his cow ears and horns like an elk or something, although I shrunk them. He’s got kind of a pig’s nose; they’re usually made up of a lot of different animals. And so all of that research went into the design, even a very simplified form. If you look at Mushu, you don’t really guess those things as much. But every single thing on him is there for a reason, even his claws that are like an eagle’s claws. They’re just very simplified and stylized.

Learn more about Bancroft, his artwork and his podcast at www.tombancroftstudio.com.

#Animation #Disney #Dragon Con #interview #mulan #Mushu #Tom Bancroft

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hagarenmovie · 6 years

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FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST SPECIAL INTERVIEW: ROMI PARK x RYOSUKE YAMADA - When the 2 Eds Meet!!

Fullmetal Alchemist, the movie that has been attracting attention and is soon to be the opening screening at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Ryosuke Yamada and Romi Park, together as two fans of the manga who have played the protagonist Ed in the live action and anime versions respectively, discuss their thoughts on the passionate love for FMA and its adaptation to live action.

"I cried like a baby at the scene with Ed, Al, and Winry" (Park)

It's almost time for the opening of the live action movie of Fullmetal Alchemist, an almost legendary dark fantasy manga that has sold a total of 70 million copies as a series worldwide and has had 2 anime adaptations. Ryosuke Yamada, who with an extraordinary resolve took on filming as the lead role [of the movie], is actually close friends with the long time voice of anime version Ed, Romi Park. We started by asking the two fans of the manga to tell us the story of how they met.

Y: The first time I met her was over lunch. Because Romi-chan is the Ed that I've always seen, I kept fidgeting unsure of what to do... Her personality also resembles Ed... how should I put it, she's cool. She told me her honest feelings about the live action adaptation and, after watching the movie very attentively, she also gave me her exact impressions on it so I was very happy. We talked about a lot of things like the hardships that only someone playing Ed would understand and It was a wonderful time.

P: The first impression I had of Yamada-kun was "what beautiful eyes this kid has!" Straight ahead, the inside of those transparent eyes were full to the brim with a fighting spirit intent on carrying Fullmetal Alchemist on his shoulders to the very best of his ability... As someone who played the same Ed, I also started overflowing with more happiness than I thought I would.

At the time [of the anime] Park, the senpai Ed, also felt the pressure of playing the protagonist of this worldwide popular work.

P: The work Fullmetal Alchemist itself is something quite like a black hole and this monster created by (Hiromu) Arakawa Sensei takes everything away from you. That's why, in order to carry [FMA], it's important to be able to take an enormous amount of heat. It's just like, "Your body, mind, soul, everything, hand it over!" because it's constantly doing a lot of tampering with your interior. Every week, every week I submitted myself to this monster with all my power, would be wrapped up in it, and would have everything taken away. It was a work that needed that much infinite power.

Y: I wanted to give importance into not thinking about it deeply. However, because the human being standing on-set is me, I did what I could on top of obviously taking on Ed's appearance, rewatching the anime, and also reading the manga over again many times. I had to stand on-set, not as the manga's Ed nor the anime's Ed, but as "Ryosuke Yamada's Ed" so as it's expected, some originality also became necessary there. When I take on filming, I stand on top of many things that I've studied so I don't really think about it too deeply and just face all of the things that happen on-set earnestly, giving importance to reacting.

"In my 24 years of life, this is the work that I've poured everything into." (Yamada)

It is also said that Yamada personally went all out and took on dangerous action scenes. Was there something you were carefully about during filming?

Y: Just "don't get injured" I guess. That's what I'd always think while doing [the action scenes]. That's why in the beginning, the scene where I jump off from a roof to leap onto Cornello (Kenjirou Ishimaru) was filmed on the day we finished shooting. They built a roof set and dug a hole about 5 meters deep in the ground that I was supposed to run and jump into. But that scene was something that I had never done until then so it was fun. What was the most important [scene] during shooting was the fight with (CG-created) Al. There, I had to punch an opponent that wasn't there and Al's height is 2 m 20 cm so...

P: That was amazing!

Y: My punches don't reach him you know. It was also my first time having to punch with my left hand instead of my right. If it was with my right then I could have very good form, but I couldn't do that with my left so I earnestly started shadow boxing at home while researching it. That scene was very tough, but after watching the completed scene I was extremely satisfied.

P: In the movie, this was the scene that I also got caught up in the most, to the point of almost forgetting to breathe. Ed, Al, and Winry's unavoidable feelings seem to have a triple intersection, making me teary-eyed and my heart tremble. Despite that Yamada-kun, I can't believe Al wasn't there during shooting! It's really amazing! Without fail I always had Al there, Rie (Kugimiya)!

Among the appearing characters the precious partner, younger brother Al, and the brothers' childhood friend Winry have an especially strong emotional attachment.

Y: I also had a lot of time involving Winry and Tsubasa (Honda) also knew the character very well herself so in both her relation to me and in our exchanges she was thoroughly Winry. She'd always say things like, "Your face is pretty. Your face is pretty, but your height..." (laughs). I'd reply with "Shut it! Idiot..." though. We were able to start shooting with that kind of relationship so it was really easy to play [Ed with her]. Even the scenes that became emotional were like a well-played melody that didn't fall into dissonance. I think that if it hadn't been Tsubasa, maybe I wouldn't have been able to play Ed.

P: For a little while, when the movie started, Al didn't speak so it made me very impatient, but the moment he spoke, I cried out in complete joy, "..., ah! Al! Al spoke!" (laughs). Seeing the exchanges between Yamada-kun's Ed, (Atomu) Mizuishi-kun's Al, and Honda-san's Winry made me feel once again that Fullmetal Alchemist really is a "story of bonds."

The movie completes Lust, making you feel like there will also be further development and that's the place where expectations for a sequel are swelling up.

Y: Of course, I'm very eager to do it. Because there's still many characters that haven't appeared, and it's not like we've told the whole story. Director (Fumihiko) Sori, the staff, and cast - everyone is also hoping for a continuation to become a reality.

P: (About appreciating the movie) This new Fullmetal Alchemist really got to me, to the point that inside of my mask there was a mix of tears and boogers. Starting with Yamada-kun, the passion that everybody having to do with this movie has is impressive. Even if it's just one more person, I would like you to watch it. And if you could support [this movie in order] to be able to meet even more Fullmetal Alchemist, I'd be happy. To put it another way, I want to see [a continuation]!

Y: Because Romi-chan said it, we have to make it now.

P: Wait! Is it just me [saying it]?

Y: Well then, it's because the '2 Eds' are saying it so...

P: Yeah, the 'Eds' [said it]!

Source: DVD & Bluray Data Magazine Nov. 2017 Issue [Oct. 20, 2017] Scan: twitter @yamachi_c

#fma live action #Fullmetal Alchemist #yamada ryosuke #romi park #Edward Elric #FMA #interview #magazine scans #translation #interviews

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houseofvans · 6 years

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ART SCHOOL | Q&A with Martin Ontiveros (PDX)

The art wizardry of Portland based Martin Ontiveros has appeared in various galleries, albums, posters and has even been transformed into diabolical toys and figurines. Ontiveros’s graphic ink and brush style is meticulous and bold, transforming his horned and demonic creations into fun and bad-ass pop occultism. We’re excited to chat with this ink sorcerer in our latest Art School where we talk about technique, studio days, and what is coming up for him the rest of this year.

Photographs courtesy of the artist.

Introduce yourself? Hello, I’m Martin Ontiveros, also known as Martinheadrocks, illustrator and wizard. “Marty” to my closest friends and family. I live in Portland Oregon, I’m left-handed/ambidexterous and I have a large ginger cat/familiar named Zeus. Nice to meet you.

How do you describe your art to folks who have never seen it before? Pop-occultism? Creature Chic? What you might find inside an ancient tomb or temple from a previously unknown civilization.

Who were some of your early artistic influences that really inspired you to draw? It started with Star Wars in 1977, and Mad Magazine, especially the work of Jack Davis. Childrens book art by Jim Flora. Books and movies about UFOs, cryptids, phenomena, ghosts and black magic when I was a kid. Later it was Heavy Metal Magazine and the underground artists of the 60s and 70s, S. Clay Wilson, Greg Irons, Spain, etc. 80’s punk and metal pioneer artists like Mad Mark Rude and Pushead. Derek Riggs and his Iron Maiden covers.

Lots of rock album art. Fantasy/conceptual artists like Mike Ploog, Boris Vallejo, Frazetta, Richard Corben. That was all the stuff that built up the desire, but what really got me drawing were the indie comics of the 80s with people like Marc Hansen, Matt Wagner, the Pander Bros, David Boswell, Dori Seda, Mary Fleener. I really really wanted to make comics by the time I was 17-18. I’ve since discovered it’s not for me. Art of the Ancient World, Mesopotamian and Mesoamerican in particular. There’s more to this list, I’m an old man now and have seen a lot, but we don’t have all day.

What’s a day like in the studio for you? And take us through your artist process –from start to finish on a piece. I used to start work when it was already well into the evening and would go until after the dawn, but in the last couple years I’ve reversed that schedule. Now I usually get up around 4am. I still get the benefits of nocturnal studio time that way, at least until the sun is up—no one bothers me and it’s quiet. I’ve become a Daywalker—I have all of the vamipre’s strengths and none of the weaknesses.

A typical day is trying to stay focused while fending off my own distractions (I’m ADD) and steering around having to leave the house for anything, ha. I always start with a bit of doodling to warm up a little, then jot down a thumbnail sketch of whatever’s on the agenda that day—usually very small and rough, just to set the composition and borders.

Sometimes I’ll spend extra time fleshing out details on certain aspects of the drawing, say a helmet or insignia. Then I’ll figure out my dimensions and either draw to size or use my trusty proportion wheel to do it smaller if need be. Next is the hard pencil stage. I like using 2H or 3H lead which is rough on the paper but much less messy than a soft lead. I don’t work with a loose outline, I need a solid and tight map to work from and when I have it on lock, I’ll transfer it to my final surface.

That method goes for both a black and white ink piece or a painting. I’ll warm the brush up by laying our some strokes on scrap paper and when I feel like I got a grip on it, off I go. If it’s a painting, I lay all the color and shading out first, then put down the linework. And even if my pencils were tight, there’s always room for improvisation, a tweak or two, especially when I’m inking—some happy accidents come up now and then. I should mention that I sometimes have to chuck a drawing and start the process all over again, even if it’s close to completion because if it isn’t working, screw it. It seems wasteful and time consuming and I could probably avoid it by going digital, but I choose to do it old school.

What’s your tool of the trade medium-wise? And is there a new medium you’re looking to try in 2018? I swear by my brush and ink. Nothing gives me more satisfaction. The artists I’ve always admired most are handy with a brush line. Not to say I don’t like pens, it’s just that I’m not as steady using one and leave them for doodling. I love papier mache, it’s not a new medium to me, but I’ve yet to know how to make the time to do it more so let’s say that that is my goal for 2018. If there was any other medium that I’d choose to do over drawing, it would be that.

You’ve worked on many collaborations with bands and created some awesome cover art and posters. What has been your favorite collaboration and what would be a dream collaboration be? Oooh. That’s a toughy. I did a tour shirt for Mastodon this past year and I have to say that was likely the pinnacle so far. When I caught their show later, it was thrilling to see people buying it at the merch table and to know there’s maybe hundreds more out there wearing it. Dream collaboration…probably the Melvins. Or Alice Cooper? But with the Melvins I know I could just probably do me and not worry about whether or not I’m a good fit. I’m not what you would call “conventional”.

What are you listening to when you’re painting your various creatures and demons? Give us five bands you’re checking out at the moment. I listen to music when I sketch/conceptualize and switch to podcasts or play a favorite movie or show when I’m really into the process, it’s comforting to hear people talk during the heavy work for some reason. It’s another long list but some of my go-to bands are High On Fire, Sleep, Windhand, Black Cobra and Slayer. That’s if I want it crushing. If I’m doing something trippier, it’ll be Om, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Dead Meadow, that kind of thing. Podcasts are generally true crime or comedy.

What’s been the hardest challenge being an artist? What do you tell folks who want to travel down a similar path? I don’t recall the artist’s name who said it, but to paraphrase, the quote was that art can often be a dark and lonely pursuit for us. I believe he was referring more to the fact that we spend a lot of our time working in solitude which is inherent, yet it can also weigh you down emotionally. That really speaks to me, even more so because I’ve also wrestled with depression for most of my life.

Your work can be so entwined with your sense of self-worth, so I suppose the hardest challenge for me is to not let my heart sink when something I make doesn’t receive the attention I hope to get for it. People can be fickle though. I try to remember that, and move on to the next thing. With that in mind I guess I tell folks to make sure they get out of their lairs when possible and share their frustrations with other artist friends, foster a support group of sorts because it helps to know you aren’t alone out there with all these feelings. That and maintain a regular paying job when they start out, because man…it can be tough making a living at it.

In another dimension, what would you be if you weren’t an artist? I’d be that weird old sorcerer living somewhere in the woods that the villagers speak of in whispers. Benevolent, but not to be trifled with. So, not too much different from what I am in this dimension, just with blue skin, maybe.

What are your favorite Vans? Chukka Low? Old Skool? Era? (I had to look up the actual names). Basically low padded ankle with laces, and always dark colors with a black toe because I don’t like my vision being drawn down to my feet moving under me. I honestly don’t wear any other brand of kicks. I keep a pair of Slip-Ons for doing things around the house. Vans makes good jeans too.

What’s the art scene like in your part of the woods? What do you like the most about where you’re living these days? The scene that I know here is primarily illustration, at least that’s what I keep my eyes out for. Lots of sweet, supportive people without attitude and many that are good friends. There aren’t as many galleries as there used to be but there are other venues to get your work out there. I’m now in a part of SE that I’ve never lived in before, at the edge of being outside of Portland proper but only just so. It’s mellow and quiet here and most things I need are within walking distance. I got a couple stores, a good Mexican food place, a bar, you get my drift. I do wish some of my besties lived closer by though. And a decent art supply store.

Since this feature is called Art School, can you give us your most helpful art tip? This probably won’t make me popular by saying it, but learn the difference between homage and theft. Yes, it’s fun to pay tribute to an artist’s style or someone else’s pop culture/intellectual property now and then, I’ve done it, we’ve all done it, not shaming that…but the difference is, if ALL you’re doing is copying, it comes off as creatively lazy. I don’t care how many followers you may gain from it. Come on. If you’re skilled enough to copy someone else’s shit, you’re skilled enough to make up your own content. Raise the bar, people. Don’t lower it.

What’s on the horizon for 2018? New merch in my shop, a group show in Mexico City, more band stuff, my first trip to NY ever, toy releases, designs and customs, a collaboration or two, hopefully a couple of conventions later in the warm months. I’d like get back into painting on a larger scale and figure out how to take it slower in general, make my work really level up, you know? There’s always room for improvement!

Follow Martin | Website | Instagram |

#Art #Vans #Vans Art #Art School #Martin Ontiveros #Drawing #PDX #PDX ARTIST

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brittanyyoungblog · 3 years

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The True Story of How I Became a Sex Educator and Researcher

Official Bio of Dr. Justin J. Lehmiller

Unofficial Bio of Dr. Justin J. Lehmiller

Image Source: 123RF

You Might Also Like:

How Do You Become a Sex Researcher?

So You Want To Be A Science Blogger? Here’s What You Need To Know

Sex Question Friday: What Is A Sexologist And How Do I Become One?

from MeetPositives SM Feed 4 https://ift.tt/3qyX2CQ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #MeetPositives SM Feed 4

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dipulb3 · 4 years

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Carl Reiner, longtime comedy legend, dies at 98 | Appradab

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/carl-reiner-longtime-comedy-legend-dies-at-98-appradab/

Carl Reiner, longtime comedy legend, dies at 98 | Appradab

He was 98.

“Final evening my dad handed away,” Rob Reiner wrote. “As I write this my coronary heart is hurting. He was my guiding mild.”

Carl Reiner died Monday of pure causes at his residence in Beverly Hills, his assistant Judy Nagy informed Appradab in an announcement.

His profession spanned reside tv, Broadway, movement footage, document albums and a wide range of visitor appearances. He was a performer and author on the legendary “Your Present of Exhibits.” He created “The Dick Van Dyke Present,” one of many nice state of affairs comedies in historical past, which was primarily based on his life as a comedy author.

Tributes from Hollywood colleagues flowed on social media Tuesday.

“My idol, Carl Reiner, wrote in regards to the human comedy,” wrote Dick Van Dyke. “He had a deeper understanding of the human situation, than I believe even he was conscious of. Form, light, compassionate, empathetic and smart. His scripts have been by no means simply humorous, they all the time had one thing to say about us.”

“His expertise will reside on for a very long time, however the lack of his kindness and decency leaves a gap in our hearts,” Alan Alda wrote.

Reiner’s ongoing routine with fellow comic and director Mel Brooks, “The 2000 12 months Previous Man” — which started within the 1950s — was immortalized on a number of comedy albums. The act, a couple of reporter who interviews a 2000-year-old man about life, continues to be memorized and repeated by comedians previous and current, beloved for its fast-paced humor, absurd twists and apparent camaraderie between the pair.

However not like Brooks — who was typically the focal point in no matter he was doing — Reiner most popular to play straight man or work behind the scenes.

He had a hand in lots of “Dick Van Dyke Present” scripts and sometimes popped up as a supporting character, grouchy TV host Alan Brady. He had a run as a film director with such movies as “Oh, God!” (1977) and “The Jerk” (1979).

Brooks praised him for his comedian intelligence.

“The actual engine behind (‘The 2000 12 months Previous Man’) is Carl, not me. I am simply gathering the fares,” he told the A.V. Club. “Individuals ought to know that he is an important one within the act.”

Reiner believed in spreading the laughs — even when he was the butt of the joke, he wrote in his memoir, “An Anecdotal Life.”

“Inviting individuals to snigger with you when you are laughing at your self is an efficient factor to do,” he wrote. “You might be a idiot however you are the idiot in cost.”

How he obtained his begin

Reiner was typically the “idiot in cost” all through his profession — although few individuals would describe him as a idiot. Extra like an innovator.

He was born within the Bronx on March 20, 1922. In keeping with his autobiography, his father was a watchmaker, his mom a homemaker, and younger Reiner needed to be an actor. The shy teenager obtained a wanted push when his older brother advised becoming a member of a Melancholy-era performing class. By 17, Reiner was working usually.

“Each week for a 12 months, I did two reveals on the Gilmore Theater. I used to be an excellent, stable, severe actor. That is what I needed to do,” he told Moment magazine.

However severe, dramatic performing was not within the playing cards for Reiner. After coming into the Military in 1942, he turned a teletype operator within the Sign Corps. In 1943, he was assigned to an leisure unit and ended up touring the South Pacific as a comic.

Reiner turned a standup comic after the conflict and landed a component in a 1947 assessment, “Name Me Mister.”

The following 12 months he made it to Broadway in “Inside U.S.A.,” and a 12 months later turned up on tv in a program referred to as “54th Road Revue.” That present competed in opposition to “Admiral Broadway Revue,” which starred a rising comic named Sid Caesar.

When Caesar was given his personal program in 1950, “Your Present of Exhibits,” Reiner joined him.

Critics have extensively hailed “Your Present of Exhibits” for its adventurous comedy, written by a sterling workers that included Brooks, Neil Simon, Lucille Kallen, Mel Tolkin and Joe Stein. Although he contributed to the writing, Reiner was primarily an actor, typically portraying salesmen and hosts.

He and Brooks, nevertheless, established a lifelong bond.

“We labored within the workplace sufficient and our wives turned associates,” he informed Second. Even after each turned widowers, they’d get collectively for dinner and dialog virtually each evening.

In some methods, the 2 have been opposites: Brooks the clown, Reiner the bemused observer. But it surely was that mixture that made the pair humorous, Brooks told Appradab.

“He is so actual, and he is so earnest,” he mentioned. “After which he begins relentlessly chasing me down and cornering me. And when he corners me I am like a trapped rat and I spring at him one thing insane, and that busts him up.”

‘The Dick Van Dyke Present’

“Your Present of Exhibits” ran from 1950-54, and Reiner continued with Caesar on “Caesar’s Hour” from 1954-1957. After writing a novel, 1958’s “Enter Laughing,” Reiner created his personal present. The unique model, “Head of the Household,” starred Reiner as a comedy author who commutes to New York from his suburban household life. It did not work, however producer Sheldon Leonard had an concept that saved it.

“(He informed me), ‘We’ll get a greater actor to play you.’ And he advised Dick Van Dyke,” Reiner told CBS News.

The outcome, retitled “The Dick Van Dyke Present,” was an enormous hit, a well-crafted sitcom that supplied groundbreaking takes on race, intercourse and the John F. Kennedy period. It ranks as one of the greatest TV series of all time.

Reiner continued branching out.

He had a significant position within the 1966 movie, “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming,” through which he performed a slow-burning playwright. The following 12 months, introduced “Enter Laughing,” Reiner’s movement image directorial debut.

Within the ’70s and ’80s, Reiner turned a full-time film director. 4 of his movies have been with Steve Martin: “The Jerk” (1979), “Useless Males Do not Put on Plaid” (1982), “The Man with Two Brains” (1983) and “All of Me” (1984).

“He was like a father to me … although I would not let him bathe me,” Martin recalled at an American Film Institute event for “The Jerk” in 2009.

The later years

Within the ’90s, Reiner went again to performing, notching visitor roles in “Frasier” and “Mad About You.” Within the 2000s, he carried out within the “Ocean’s Eleven” movies and the TV sequence “Two and a Half Males,” amongst others.

He additionally turned a prolific author of books.

In 2019, he talked to NPR about how he spent his time writing and watching films, with actress Emma Stone being one among his explicit favorites.

“She simply melts me,” he mentioned.

He was extensively honored. He received a number of Emmys, earned a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame and was named a Administrators Guild honorary life member. In 2000, he acquired the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

However the greatest prize, he mentioned, was his household. He and Estelle Reiner have been married for nearly 65 years; his kids all adopted him into the humanities, with son Rob changing into a famous actor and director himself.

“Present enterprise is barely eight to 12. And the remainder is your loved ones. You are solely doing it so you may have a household and a home. With no spouse and youngsters, present enterprise means nothing. You are doing it to make a dwelling, however having fun with doing it and getting paid for one thing you like to do,” he told the Boston Globe.

And to what did he owe his longevity? For one factor, he saved his priorities straight.

“Very first thing within the morning, earlier than I’ve espresso, I learn the obits,” he told CBS News in 2015. “If I am not in it, I will have breakfast.”

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limejuicer1862 · 4 years

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Wombwell Rainbow Interviews

I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me. I gave the writers two options: an emailed list of questions or a more fluid interview via messenger.

The usual ground is covered about motivation, daily routines and work ethic, but some surprises too. Some of these poets you may know, others may be new to you. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I do.

Neal Zetter

Neal is an award-winning comedy performance poet, children’s author, and entertainer with a 25-year background in communication management and mentoring. He uses his interactive rhythmic, rhyming poetry to to develop literacy, confidence, creativity and communications skills in 3-103 yr olds, making words and language accessible for the least engaged whilst streeeeeeetching the most able.

Workshops & Performing

Most days Neal is found performing or running fun poetry writing or performance workshops in schools and libraries with children, teens, adults or families. He has worked in all 33 London Boroughs and many, many other UK cities. More challenging poetry projects have involved workshops for people with brain injury, mental health, drug and alcohol problems, offenders, those with learning difficulties, homeless, other special needs including not having English as a first language.

Neal also produces adult comedy performance poetry and has nearly 30 years of experience appearing at e.g. West End comedy clubs, the Royal Festival Hall, various festivals, in the centre circle of a League 2 football pitch (!) and even a funeral (!!). He ran his own spoken word-based comedy club (Word Down Walthamstow) 2009-13. Neal has compiled and hosted/compered shows with the likes of John Cooper Clarke, Attila the Stockbroker, Michael Rosen and shared bills with Harry Hill, Phil Jupitus, Mark Lamaar, Omid Djalili and more.

Books

Neal children’s comedy poetry books, all published by Troika, include:

For 6-13 year olds:

Gorilla Ballerina (A Book of Bonkers Animal Poems) – a collection of wacky poems about weird animals

Invasion of the Supervillains (Raps and Rhymes to Worry the Galaxy) – evil companion book to ‘Superheroes’ (below)

Yuck & Yum (A Feast of Funny Food Poems), with poetry pal Joshua Seigal

Here Comes the Superheroes (Raps and Rhymes to Save the Galaxy) – in the Reading Agency’s top 15 children’s poetry books

It’s Not Fine to Sit on a Porcupine – in BookTrust’s top 20 children’s poetry books

Bees in My Bananas – a Wishing Shelf Award winner

For 2-6 year olds:

SSSSNAP! Mister Shark

Odd Socks!

Due Sept 2020 and Sept 2021 for 6-13 year olds

When the Bell Goes (A Rapping Rhyming Trip through Childhood) – a semi-autobiographical poetry collection on the theme of childhood covering growing up, school and family life

Scared? (Poems from the Darker Side) – a collection of funny, and maybe a few more serious ones, about many aspects of fear

The Interview

1. When and why did you start writing poetry?

I wrote my first poem when I was six – a limerick which now appears in the intro to my first book, Bees in My Bananas. I always enjoyed making people laugh and have had an inbuilt sense of rhythm and rhyming for as long as I can remember. So I began writing poetry as naturally as some people learn a new language – there was no grand plan but I have never stopped writing poems since I was a tender year 2 student. And the poem?

There was an old lady from Hull And she bumped into a bull The bull said ‘Ow!” Bashed into a cow And the cow crashed into the wall!

Not a classic but Love Me Do was hardly the best Beatles song, just a fab start!

2. Who introduced you to poetry?

My Dad used to read to me in bed at night before I was able too. I especially liked the poems he read, the main two that stuck in my head were the classic Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss and The Train to Timbuctoo from Margaret Wise Brown (Google it – it’s a great single-poem book as is the aforementioned ‘Cat’). Both were beautifully rhythmic with strong rhyming and contained many new and exciting fun words, some made up and some that made no sense to me at all – but that’s the joy of poetry and reading!

3. How aware are and were you of the dominating presence of older poets traditional and contemporary?

Great question! Let me answer it in parts. When I I was a primary school child I wasn’t really aware of poets apart from Dr Seuss as mentioned in my earlier reply. I knew poems, but not so aware who wrote them.

In secondary school I studied Eng Lit to A Level and regularly had rows with my teacher over my frustration at studying Wordsworth, Coleridge, Gerard Manly Hopkins, Keats etc. I absolutely see they were fine poets but they didn’t speak to ME a teenager in 1970s London into punk rock, footy and left-wing politics. I needed to hear poems about those topics and the other things in my life. Of course she never agreed with me 😎.

(So, as I was musically inept, despite my love of it, I started to write song lyrics and worked with tune writers to construct songs In a (completely naff) local band (but we thought we were superstars). Bernie Taupin was my role model but I loved the Stones’ land Clash lyrics and Webber/Rice musicals.)

In my very late teens and beyond I started to write poems prolifically but I still could not name any poets of renown. My home-produced books (6) sold in less than three figures and that wasn’t enough as I needed to share my work, after all every poet is a communicator. I saw adverts in Time Out magazine for performance poetry clubs and comedy clubs in the West End and that’s where it all REALLY began for me. It was a scene and for the first time I got to meet and mix with other poets and learn how to produce the right kind of poems to entertain and engage an audience, as well as make them laugh. So, no longer in a vacuum, I compered for and performed with the likes of John Cooper Clarke (the Godfather of performance poetry!), Attila the Stockbroker, Porky the Poet (AKA Phil Jupitus) etc.

Nearly all the poets I’d met or read since my school days were older and, in 1989 when my performance career really started, I was very aware of their presence and influence – I looked up to them. Now I guess, 60 next week, I try to affect younger poets and those starting out in the same way: advising, encouraging and mentoring. And that’s something I really enjoy doing.

Maybe in 50 yrs time or less, my poetry will be as irrelevant to people then as the poets I studied at A Level were to me. And there will be nothing wrong with that. I get it!

3.1. What is the right kind of poem to engage and entertain?

One with a repetitive rhythm, strong rhyme and a chorus/repeated word/line. This works well with my children’s poetry (in class and on assemblies) and adult poetry (in clubs, at arts events etc). We call them ‘call and response’ poems in the trade or often I refer to them as ‘interactive’ and I should add the poems must be about a topic people can relate to in a voice and with words that speak to them.

4. What is your daily writing routine?

I don’t have one. I try to write at different times of the day, on different days of the week and in as many different places as possible. Doing that means there are no times I feel I am unable to write and that must be a good thing. I guess indie cafes are my favourite places but, as I don’t drive and travel by public transport, I do loads of writing on trains, tubes and buses. Other regular haunts are the British Library, Foyle’s Bookshop in Charing X Road and home of course

5. What motivates you to write?

I am very self-motivated when it comes to writing. I always feel I have something to say about things that other people will find interesting too. I am never stuck for ideas, have never experienced writers’ block and keep a long list of topics for future poems. I have written my next three books due out the next three Septembers am already planning more. And the ideas themselves come from keeping my ears and eyes constantly open and writing about What’s around me and my experiences e.g. people I meet, places I go to, things I hear on the news etc

6. How do the writers you read when you were young influence you today?

My influences are threefold:

The aforementioned Dr Seuss and Mary Wise Brown books inspired my rhythmic, rhyming and comedy poems. Other poets like Edward Lear and Spike Milligan did the same.

I have always had a love of music too as I explained so, as I used to write song lyrics it’s not surprising that my poems, as well as being very rhythmic and containing strong rhymes also have choruses and a strong use of repetition.

Finally, since before I could even read, I have had a love of superhero comics, especially Marvel. I used to look at the pictures when my brother collected them and when old enough to read myself I started avidly buying and collecting them myself and have never really stopped. In fact I bought this month’s new Marvel Avengers comic today. These streeeeetched my imagination, developed my vocab and taught me a lot about what was going on in the world around me e.g. politics, Vietnam Nam War, life/death, relationships, history, space and science etc. And of course this love of comics also inspired both my Superheroes and Supervillains poetry books. Keen comic fans will immediately spot some of the styles and influences from the 1960/70 Marvel and DC comics in particular. Without any doubt at all, if I never read these comics I would not have become a poet and author.

7. Whom of today’s writers do you admire the most and why?

As I read mainly blogs, auto-biogs, social history, popular science and other non-fiction my book choices are theme-led rather than author-led so I have not got too many favourites. However I especially like Bill Bryson, Mark Kermode, Jon Ronson and Malcolm Gladwell as they all have a fantastic writing style and a passion for their subject. The last four books I read are Van Gogh’s Ear, The Radium Girls, Chernobyl and A History of the World in 21 Women with many Marvel comics squeezed in between.

The poets I especially admire are the ones that have been on the scene for many years like Michael Rosen, Brian Moses, John Cooper Clarke and Benjamin Zephaniah – you have to take your hat off to them for the quality and quantity of their output. I hope I achieve at least equal longevity as I certainly want to continue what I do until I leave this planet.

8. Why do you write, as opposed to doing anything else?

I write because I must. A poet is what I am not what I do. So, while I might be able to lose interest In other hobbies, jobs and pastimes, I can never give up being a poet.

9What would you say to someone who asked you “How do you become a writer?”

Read, write, read, write, read, write adI infinitum. Like anything you wish to do well, the more you practise and immerse yourself in it the better you will get. And write from the heart about what you love, like, dislike and hate – about what you feel and what matters to you – and you will produce your best work.

8.1. Why write children’s books?

I write poetry for children, teens and adults but, to date, have only produced children’s books. This is because I make my living performing and running workshops in schools virtually every day so the book buyers are there in front of me. Most days end with a book sale with children I have worked with wanting a memento of the day, signed and dedicated. Given the above my writing is certainly weighted to the younger market especially as, sadly, not many teens or adults want to buy poetry books, even if they enjoy listening to poems for their age group.

9. Tell me about the writing projects you have on at the moment.

In my biog you will see details of the next two books I have due in Sept 2020 and 2021, both written. I am working on my 2022 poetry book now (the title is a secret!) and am looking at both an anthology of mixed poems and an EY/KS1 book for the near future.

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews: Neal Zetter Wombwell Rainbow Interviews I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me.

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gyrlversion · 5 years

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The YouTubers Who Changed the Landscape for #NaturalHair

“Oh, you are gonna want to do jojoba and sweet almond oil instead of castor,” Whitney White, one of YouTube’s most famous black beauty vloggers, told me over the phone last month. The changing of the seasons was making my hair flake a bit and the castor oil I’d been massaging into my scalp was weighing my hair down. “Add in some aloe,” she says. It was a revelation.

Collier Meyerson is an Ideas contributor at WIRED. She was awarded an Emmy for her work on MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes and two awards for her reporting from the National Association of Black Journalists. She is a contributing editor at New York magazine and maintains the Nobler Fellowship at the Nation Institute.

As a young child, the bath was my least favorite time of day because I knew what was coming next: getting my hair combed out. My mother would plop me in front of Jeopardy!, lather a popular pink lotion in my hair, and start in on detangling my tight curls with a wide-toothed comb. When I’d sit down in front of her, she’d say, “I’m ready to fight,” addressing my hair. My mother, who is black, wears her hair naturally and cropped close to her head, but it has a different texture than mine. Each time she combed out my hair, she tried to be gentle at first, but by the end of the show I’d always end up in tears and she’d be calling me tender-headed. “If I even looked at your hair, you’d start crying,” she told me recently about combing my hair. “When you were a toddler I’d cut your hair while you were sleeping so I wouldn’t have to comb it.” How dramatic.

If only my mom had Whitney White, or any of the other massively popular YouTube hair vloggers, to set us up for success. But I was a child of a bygone, pre-internet era.

In 2009, “no one was talking about going natural,” White says. So that year, she started a YouTube channel to chronicle her natural hair journey. “It was a different time back then,” she tells me of the vlogging world. In the 10 years since, she’s amassed more than one million followers and uploaded more than 300 videos about natural black hair, from “I put sweet potato in my natural hair” to “The waterfall french twist.”

Nicole Kimberly Foster, a cultural critic and founder of For Harriet, a blog for black women, notes the social aspect of vlogging.“The [vloggers] did it in a way where you felt like they’re your friends,” she says. Foster, who called the relationship between viewer and vlogger “parasocial,” says people watching the YouTube videos were also “latching onto the likability and accessibility” of the vloggers, thinking of them as “your hair sisters.”

“I liken the natural hair movement of the 2000s to a religious revival,” says Lori Tharps, professor of journalism at Temple University and coauthor of Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America. And the women who led this natural hair revival would emerge as some of our first social media influencers. Another of the original natural hair YouTube stars, Francheska Medina, agrees: “We changed the landscape.”

youtube

In 2009, YouTube was starting to become the behemoth we know today. According to The Atlantic, during that year the video-sharing site expanded its ads to seven different formats, signed a partnership with Disney, promoted video launches, and hit more than 1 billion hits per day. It was also the beginning of an explosive beauty tutorial scene—including a market geared toward people with natural black hair.

According to CNBC, US-based companies are actually missing out on cornering the black hair market. “Most hair care products purchased by African-Americans are imported from countries such as India and China, despite the US having one of the most lucrative hair care markets in the world,” CNBC says. But with the rise of black hair vloggers roughly a decade ago, a new market emerged.

There is Patrice Grell Yursik, who goes by Afrobella and has been called the “godmother of brown beauty,” and Tamara Floyd, whose Twitter profile says “O.G. Natural Hair Blogger 2008.” They were among the first natural hair vloggers and bloggers, and both of them are still active in the beauty and natural hair communities. In 2011, Afrobella partnered with MAC Cosmetics and released “All Of My Purple Life,” a lipglass she created; Floyd still runs an incredibly thorough natural hair information website called Natural Hair Rules.

“It’s just hair, but it’s more than that. Every culture has held meaning in hair.”

Whitney White

White says she was inspired to start vlogging after she realized her hair texture was different from what she’d expected once she went natural. “I was expecting my hair to have afro texture,” like most of the other vloggers she was following, “so when my hair came out and it was in an in-between texture consisting of small, tight coils and kinks,” she wasn’t sure how to style it. “I might as well share what I’m learning since I wasn’t seeing the same hair texture as me,” she says. Her first video, entitled “My Natural Hair Journey,” took viewers from her early childhood to the then-present (2009), when she began growing out her natural hair. A content creator named Jouelzy also felt there was a void to fill. “There wasn’t a lot of people [talking about and styling] my hair texture [on YouTube] and so I started doing natural hair videos,” she says. Reviewing wigs was also a big part of Jouelzy’s practice, she tells me.

This group of intrepid hair vloggers brought much more awareness to the many textures of black hair and, alongside it, an entire cottage industry that explains what those textures are, and how to take care of them and style them. The internet taught me that there is a spectrum of textures that go from 1A, which is straight, to 4C, which is coily; it is common for people to be in between different textures, too. These classifications came from a hair typing system created by Oprah’s hair stylist of 25 years, Andre Walker. He tells me the internet is “why [my chart] spread.” (The chart first appeared in his book Andre Talks Hair!)

The internet catalyzed the natural hair boom of the mid 2000s, driving a different cultural moment than natural hair movements that came before.

Of course, black women have been wearing our hair natural since the dawn of time. But a major change happened in the 1800s, when the hot comb—a literal comb heated on an oven—was invented. Women used this device for years (and the straight iron persists as a continuation of the concept), but as beauty products became a commercialized enterprise, Tharps points out, the offensive ways companies advertised to black women began to reach a boiling point. “Black women were tired of being treated like dirt with marketing and sales campaigns that made women feel like they were destined to fail, or that they were animalistic,” she says. That’s why one of America’s first black millionaires, Madam CJ Walker, knew she had a market by creating her own line of hair care products for black women—including salve for hair growth—at the turn of the 20th century. George Johnson, of Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen fame, would follow in Walker’s footsteps in the 1950s by starting his own hair care line, Johnson Products, that would eventually be one of the first black-owned companies to be listed on the stock exchange.

Then, during the black power movement of the ’60s and ’70s, natural hair became a front-and-center statement. As Tharps points out, black women of that time (and since) carried the burden of needing to outwardly politicize their beauty, as opposed to white women who have the luxury of styling or cutting their hair in ways that will never be interpreted as activism. When my mother was growing up in Philadelphia in the ’50s, she used, like many of her peers, a hot comb on her hair to make it straight. It wasn’t until right after she graduated from college in the mid ‘60s that she decided to go natural. Her best friend encouraged her to perm. “I was so disgusted with the cost of upkeep that I shaved my head totally bald,” she says. She hasn’t changed it since. My mother says her decision was never a political one, but a maintenance one. She simply didn’t care for upkeep.

“Whereas in the ‘60s and ‘70s men and women were using their hair as a political statement, the natural hair movement of the aughts is about beauty.”

Lori Tharps, professor of journalism at Temple University

This history is what makes the recent natural hair movement—and the vloggers who ushered it in—so notable. “Whereas in the ‘60s and ‘70s men and women were using their hair as a political statement, the natural hair movement of the aughts is about beauty,” Tharps says. “It really was revolutionary to see twist outs, dreadlocks, and braids without people necessarily trying to make a statement.” This is why, Tharps says, “For black women to have a movement around beauty is revolutionary.”

While the “hair girls,” as Medina lovingly calls them, of the aughts were hugely instrumental in spreading information about styles and hair care, they certainly were not the first to use the internet to share knowledge. In the early days, “there were a lot of hair forums,” she says, adding that threads were categorized based on what information you were looking for. Then, “Twitter came in the game” and changed everything. “It was a faster way to get the information you needed,” she says. Medina spent whole days fielding and answering questions. Pop culture was also an influence, says Whitney White. “The natural hair community was definitely inspired by musicians such as India.Arie, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu.”

Tumblr was an important part of the robust natural hair dialog. The microblogging website was a space where users began to engage and share inspirational images and blog posts about natural hair. “We all carved out our lanes,” Medina says. “Mine was focused on health,” because, she says, her hair had fallen out after an illness.

“Even on the street they call us the OG internet girls,” says Medina. “We kicked it off in terms of the natural hair boom.” The YouTube natural hair explosion hit amid influencer culture. The OGs were making money. Then in 2013, she says, “we all signed to Maker Studios” a once-famous multi-channel network. “It was a big deal.”

The popularity of hair tutorials, and vlogging more broadly, indicated to companies that there was money to be made—and the YouTubers were a big part of that monetization, Tharps says. Medina agrees. “The brands started taking over [the YouTube] space and paying $10,000 to $50,000, money I never saw in my life,” she says about the 7-minute videos she created. “It just really changed the game.” After Medina began monetizing her videos, she put much more work into them. “It upped the stakes,” she says. “You wanted your cam to be better and you’re learning Final Cut Pro because you want the editing to be better,” she says, adding to those skills a fluency in Adobe and purchasing a DLSR. “I invested in camera equipment and said I was going to do natural hair videos that make 4C hair look beautiful,” says Jouelzy, comparing her approach to other tutorials she had seen.

But there was, as Jouelzy wrote in a piece for Ebony (and in a video that she has taken down from public view on YouTube), a lamentable side of the natural hair community: texture discrimination. “The [natural hair community] continues to promote the idea that healthy natural hair is curly, it’s shiny, it’s laid full of baby hairs and that that’s the pinnacle for what healthy, natural hair should look like. That leaves such a large audience of women out who are natural who might feel like they’re doing something wrong with their hair because their hair doesn’t look like what’s being represented in the natural hair community,” she says in her video. “It’s not just about skin color,” Jouelzy tells me. “It is about a European spectrum of beauty.” Foster agreed, adding, “We equate light skin to having curly hair, finer hair, slimmer features, smaller features. And that’s not always the way that it plays out.”

“It was a specific type of natural that was getting the attention,” Medina says, adding that she was always mindful of these issues and found it was “a lot to reconcile, especially as the space got bigger in terms of who was getting the fame and financial stability.”

One of the benefits, Foster says, of this “growing cadre of influencers, public intellectuals, bloggers, and tweeters” is that an opportunity has opened up to “cut deeper to get to some of those layers that we’ve just kind of been glossing over” when it comes to blackness and beauty. “There’s still a lot to be done, but I do think the conversation is happening a lot more now,” she says, adding that we are seeing more representation. The conversation is ongoing, but simply continuing to have a public discourse about the issues of texture discrimination in hair care and beauty is a vital step in pushing representation forward.

And more representation went beyond our computer screens. “Products started out as mail orders, and eventually were on Target shelves,” says Tharp. One black hair blogger, Leila Noelliste, opened her own store in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Seeing “top-of-the-line, luxurious, beautifully scented, colorful, and indulgent” natural hair products geared toward black women in retail stores “cemented this natural hair movement that continuously grows and expands,” Tharps says. “Black women can be as indulgent as white women when it comes to choosing products, so much so that women who aren’t black are enticed.”

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The OG hair girls who helped launch this retail and cultural success further capitalized on it. “People have their own hair care lines now,” says Medina. Her friend and major vlogger Franchesca Ramsey, known as Chescaleigh, wrote a book and catapulted into the TV world and now has her own show on MTV. Medina has a podcast, The Friend Zone, and also hosts a podcast about the HBO show Insecure called Insecuritea. “It’s interesting,” Medina says, “to see how that propelled our careers just by talking about our hair.” Jouelzy, for her part, weaves history into her cultural commentary on YouTube and is planning to apply for a PhD in history.

As for the natural hair movement of the mid-aughts, it has sort of “plateaued,” says Medina. Though there is still a very active natural hair community, makeup has become a significant draw on YouTube (you only have to look at how much media attention the James Charles fracas received). “I felt the natural hair community was limiting because there’s only so many people who can watch those videos,” says beauty blogger Alyssa Forever, who has more than 1.3 million subscribers to her YouTube channel. “I want all people to watch, not just people with certain hair texture as me,” she says. “Makeup and beauty is so diverse.” Jouelzy notes that makeup tutorials have been around since the beginning, but because of the money poured into YouTube, vloggers now enjoy a different level of success. “There will always be a need for women to talk about natural hair and celebrate natural hair as long as white supremacy is a thing,” Foster says, agreeing that the community has expanded to include Instagram and makeup.

But, for those who are still in the natural hair game like Whitney White—who also does beauty vlogging—hair denotes something about the self. “It’s just hair but it’s more than that. Every culture has held meaning in hair. It’s an identifier and gives a lot of people a lot of pride,” White says. “When you feel better about your hair you have a better day. Once we were comfortable about our hair, once we were finally loving our hair in whatever way we choose to wear it, it opened the doors to loving other things as well.”

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thegloober · 6 years

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16 Things to do in Boquete, Panama + Travel Guide

When I was packing for my trip to Panama, I asked Alexa, “what is the weather in Boquete Panama” and she informed me she hadn’t heard of that place before. That is because I wasn’t saying it right! It’s pronounced “bow-ket-tay”. That is the first of many things I got wrong about this cute little Panama town. I want to give you a few Boquete travel tips so you know the general info about the place but also a list of the top things to do in Boquete, Panama so you can see which ones you’re most interested in.

Boquete has a lot to do. Some of the things to do in Boquete are awesome and hardcore adventure and others are a very slow easy adventure. So, you can decide yourself which ones suit your travel style and budget. You certainly don’t need to do it all and really taking time to just enjoy the town is also important.

We had just 3 days/2nights here so not a lot of time to try all the activities but for me, it was enough time overall and we chose what was important to us. You can read my whole Panama 2.5 week itinerary next week when I post it! I’m going to start this Boquete travel guide by sharing an intro to the town, how to get there, where to eat, and where to stay, followed by a list of the top things to do.

Read More: 37 Things to do in Panama that are actually cool

Boquete Travel Guide

Intro to Boquete Panama

The first thing I think I need to mention about Boquete is that it’s the “expat” place in Panama. Of course, Americans come into Panama City for work, but Boquete is where Americans come to retire. This means that some of the cute cafes and top restaurants are owned by Americans and full of retirees. This isn’t a bad thing – but it’s worth mentioning in case you think this is a very “off-the-grid” super local type of place. It’s definitely an easy place to travel, has good food, and is set up well for tourism. I was told that the AARP mentioned Boquete as a top place to retire due to it’s clean air, green grass, nice people, cost of living, and more – and I can definitely see it.

The other thing to note is that this is a tiny town. You will want to look at it on a map, the town sits in a valley and you can easily walk around the whole place. You won’t need taxis at all while here unless you are switching hotels. You can rent a scooter or 4-wheeler to get around quicker which would actually be a lot of fun! While we were there, they were fixing up the roads so it wasn’t a possibility. You would need a taxi or bus if you wanted to leave town and there are some cool places outside town worth leaving for.

In terms of safety, it seems to be very safe however it’s worth noting that two girls did go missing (either they got lost and feel or some say they were murdered) while hiking on their own around the volcano. You DO need to take a guide when you go hiking! The area has flash floods, is a dense forest, and is rough to hike. But in terms of crime, overall, it does seem very safe and I would imagine that was a one-off type of thing.

Boquete is known for its adventure activities, hiking the Baru volcano, coffee, and just being a new type of region to explore. You have the Caribbean with Bocas Del Toro and San Blas, the Pacific with Gulf of Chiriqui, and the city life in Panama City – so Boquete is the place to go int he mountains (hills) to have a new side of Panama. It’s 100% worth going to and I think the small-town charm just sets it apart from anywhere else we visited. It really rounded out the trip. Definitely, make time for at least two days here. Don’t let the expat scene put you off – I just think it’s worth noting – it’s really a cute charming little place.

How to get to Boquete

Panama is a pretty small country so overall you really don’t need to stress about transportation. There are tourist shuttles that you can book in any town for usually around $30 between all these places. They are not that enjoyable though and basically for backpackers – just FYI! There are also local buses but they take a bit longer and are just a few dollars.

If you are coming from Panama City, I highly recommend flying from the small domestic Albook Airport with Air Panama to David Airport. This is around $100. You can then take a taxi to Boquete or ask your Boquete hotel to come to pick you up. If you’re on a budget, there is a local bus that charges $3 for the 45-minute ride.

Where to stay in Boquete

Panamonte Hotel

This is by far the most famous hotel in Boquete. I know I write about loving hotels a lot and really not even just the luxury or the rooms – I have never walked into a property and just been so in love with it. I kept saying to Silvia “I love it here!”. The hotel is in a little cottage like home, painted light blue with white shutters. The garden is pure magic (not surprised they have weddings here). The rooms are huge with patios, fireplaces, and hammocks outside and a big bathroom with a jacuzzi. The rooms are huge with a king size bed and day-bed. I just adored this place. It was so cozy. Panamonte also has a popular little jazz bar and the most famous restaurant/chef in the town here at the hotel restaurant.

Check availability, rates, and book here. You’ll see prices around $150/night which includes breakfast.

Casa Azul

We also stayed at Casa Azul which was located a little more toward the center of town, but like I said you can walk from anywhere here. This is the most adorable B&B and the family that run it are so sweet. It’s a bright blue house with rooms that are so authenticly decorated and without even trying could be in a design magazine. It’s very old-fashioned and breakfast is served out on the back garden patio with other guests. The dog, Rusty, is the cutest and you even get Netflix in your room. You can book a room in the house or the cabin which is outside for a whole family or group of friends. Prices for one room are around $70-100 per night and the cabin would be a good deal for friends to split (maybe cheaper than a hostel).

Check availability, rates, and book here.

If you want a budget option, check out the listing on Hostelworld for dorms under $15.

Where to eat in Boquete

The Panamonte – This is the hotel that I mentioned above and we had an amazing dinner here. Highly recommend. Come early and have a drink by the fireplace at the bar.

Boulder 54 – This is a fine-dining place down by the river that has amazing food – please try the potato soup! It’s run by an expat and has live music, a cool chill romantic scene. Come for a drink, too!

Sugar and Spice – If you want a quick Western lunch, pop in here. It’s run by an expat as well and has a Mexican menu with burritos, tacos, etc or a sandwich menu like a classic turkey ciabatta.

La Pousada – We had pretty tasty pizza here and really tasty nachos. They have a very intercontinental menu (a bit of everything).

Nuestro Cafe – You’ve got to try cafeteria-style dining while in Panama! This is where the locals pop in for a quick, cheap bite on their way to work. We hit this up before heading out for our adventure activities in the morning and it was perfect.

El Puente Cafe – This is the most popular place for real Panamian food like a plate of beans, rice, fried plantains, and more, located right on the river.

La Viuda Del Cafe – This means “coffee window” and is a cute place to go try the local brews, like the famous Geisha coffee.

Gelateria La Ghiotta – You’ll notice that in Panama, people love ice cream. This was a good little gelato place (not amazing but nice) and had a fun vibe inside.

Fresas Mary – Fresas means strawberries and Boquete is all about the fresas. This is the most popular place for a sundae!

Others that were highly recommended to us by locals there were: The Rock, Big Daddy’s Grill, Mike’s Global Grill, ll Pianista, Butcher Chophouse, and the very popular Boquete Fish House.

Things to do in Boquete, Panama

I’m going to give just a small blurb for each thing because most of these are pretty self-explanatory. Many are just able to be booked in tourist agencies or if you want, online through TripAdvisor or Viator. You cannot negotiate the rates now as the agencies have set rates. Most companies are listed on TripAdvisor and there are a few companies that offer the same thing, so I linked to the company that is the best one for that activity.

1. Hike Baru Volcano

This is the most famous thing to do in Boquete, but actually many people don’t do this because it’s a two-day hike unless you do the more expensive option of hiring a 4×4 to take you most of the way up the summit and just hike the last little bit. You can actually see both oceans from the summit.

2. Rafting

You can raft the Chiriqui Viejo River. Viator has a low-price guarantee for $65 if you book online. Here is the link. You can also check out their reviews on TripAdvisor or book there. The company is Boquete Outdoor Adventures. We met the owner, who is from Colorado, at lunch by chance and he seems really nice. He also runs a no-kill dog shelter in town.

3. Zipline

The ziplining is through Tree Trek Boquete and you can book on TripAdvisor ahead of time. This is the most popular thing to do it seems with so many people at their office to head out. We went with them, but to do the hanging bridges tour (more on that later).

4. Coffee tour at Finca Dos Jefes

There are so many coffee plantations but this is the best one to go to in Boquete. It’s a do not miss! You can book this on TripAdvisor and read more reviews there.

5. Hiking the Quetzal Trail

Located in the Barú Volcano National Park, you can hike a trail at the base of the volcano. But due to temperature drops and flash floods you really need to hire a guide.

6. Chocolate-making class

You can do a chocolate-making class at The Perfect Pair right in the center of town. Boquete is known for both it’s chocolate and it’s coffee.

7. Quad ride

You can rent quads on your own or you can do a quad tour into the forest with a guide. There are little places all along the main road renting them out.

8. Caldera Hot Springs

Just outside of town, are the Caldera Hot Springs. We didn’t go due to lack of time and it taking over an hour to get there. You can do tours, but if you take a local bus it’s just $2 for the bus and $2 to enter but it’s going to take up your whole day.

9. Hanging bridges

These are the second longest and highest hanging bridges in Central America. It’s really beautiful and while on the tour, you also learn about the flora and fauna. This is also through Tree Trek Boquete (the same as the zip-lining) and costs $30 to do.

10. In February, Enjoy the Jazz Festival

There is a jazz and blues festival in February where some of the top performers in the world come to play.

11. Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is common here and you’ll see locals riding their horses on the road like real cowboys. You can book through Explora Ya Eco-Tours on TripAdvisor.

12. Swim in a River Gorge

Ask locals where Los Cangilones de Gualaca is, and get a taxi to take you there. It’s a river gorge you can swim in. Take a picnic!

13. Rock-Climbing

On the way to the waterfalls is a rock-climbing wall. You can stop here on your own or plan a tour from town with an agency

14. Go Chasing Waterfalls

There are some popular waterfalls called the Lost Waterfalls, or “cascadas”, in Spanish. To get there and back requires a hike that is 3 hours in total. You can guess I skipped this one! Love a waterfall, but that’s a long hike haha. Some people say it was their favorite thing, though!

15. Visit a Bee Farm

You can visit a bee farm to see how honey is made and why bees are so important to our ecosystem at Boquete Bees.

16. Shopping in Boquete

Believe it or not, this is the best place to do shopping. Because it’s not touristy and not as crowded, prices are lower and locals are more friendly than Panama City or Bocas Del Toro. There is a popular Tuesday market but we weren’t there on Tuesday and there is still a big market near the center of town with about 20 shops set up. Here’s a bit of what you can buy:

Pin this Boquete Travel Guide & Things to do in Boquete Panama like shopping for later:

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taniasinel · 6 years

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BEFORE & AFTER: THE MOVIE HOUSE IN “CALL ME BY YOUR NAME”

Have you seen the Oscar nominated movie that should win the title of “Worst Release Date of Any Hollywood Movie – EVER?”

As you know, this fall, Hollywood was rocked by a sex abuse scandal that exposed directors and movie honchos like Harvey Weinstein, and actors like Kevin Spacey, who was accused of pedophile behavior, preying on and abusing young boys. The charges of pedophile abuse in Hollywood involved both heterosexuals and homosexuals. The Hollywood sexual abuse scandal then moved from movies to television to politics to sports to business and on. In the end, no field was left untouched by the scandal.

It was in this highly charged atmosphere that a much anticipated movie was released – “Call Me By Your Name.” Based on a book written by Andre Aciman – the movie chronicles a 17 year old boy’s first love affair with a 24 year old graduate student. Perhaps if the 17 year old was 18, there would be no controversy. But, these disparate ages are integral to the story. And more, perhaps if the affair was between a 17 year old girl and a 24 year old man – would it still seem so taboo?

Like I said before – this movie could not have been released at a worse time.

Regardless of the Hollywood scandal, Call Me By Your Name has been nominated for a host of awards all over the world, and with the Oscars upon us, it is up for four, including Best Picture. It’s young star, Timothee Chalamet, is nominated for Best Actor. I’m surprised Armie Hammer, the other starring actor of Call Me By Your Name, didn’t get an Oscar nomination – he dominates the movie with his confident, swaggering good looks.

I do firmly believe if it were not for Harvey Weinstein, et al, the movie would have received many more Oscar nominations. It’s just that good.

It will be interesting to see if Call Me By Your Name does win any Oscars in this currently charged atmosphere, but I doubt it will. It would be like throwing dynamite or screaming FIRE.

Call Me By Your Name is the kind of movie that once you see it – it stays in your mind for hours and even days. It’s impossible to shake. Set in the early 1980s, it is both sweet and sad, heartbreakingly so. Everyone can empathize with Elio, the shy, awkward 17 year old who is falling in love for the first time. As good as the movie is, the book is even better. A short, quick read – it’s impossible to not sob through its last 20 or so pages.

The movie is set in northern Italy, filmed in the Lombardy district. It is a quiet European movie, heavy with atmosphere and beautiful cinematography.

The book was written as a lark when the author, Andre Aciman found himself artistically blocked while writing another novel. It’s become a cult hit now that the movie has been released and there is even talk of a sequel to CMBYN.

NOTE: As a word of warning, there is just a little nudity, not much, but there are sexual charged scenes.

Mostly, the movie is more sensual than sexual where every movement and every glance is filled with innuendo. The Italian landscape, the town square, the food, the lazy afternoons, the hot summer sun, the fruit, the streams – the film is a feast for the senses.

Despite how fabulous the movie is, I wouldn’t be writing about it if there wasn’t a gorgeous house that goes with it. The director, Luca Guadagnino, is no stranger to beautiful Italian houses. He is most known for his movie “I Am Love” starring Tilda Swenson and the famous moderne Milan house where it was filmed:

“I Am Love” was filmed in this contemporary house, now a museum in Milan: The Villa Necchi Campiglio designed by Piero Portaluppi.

The director Guadagnino has quite the artistic eye. He says he would be just as happy as an interior designer as a director. He once joked he would like to design for “rich people who can afford to do things right.”

Luca himself lives in a centuries old palazzo:

Luca’s apartment with its recently uncovered fresco ceilings.

Luca lives outside Milan in an 3400 sq. ft. apartment set inside a 17th century Palazzo which had been empty for 40 years. During a long restoration he found frescos hidden underneath the paint.

The piazza at director Luca’s palazzo. I love the moderne furniture mixed with the classic architecture – although some was probably brought in for this photoshoot. And I love the pop of lavender.

And here on the same piazza – a meeting with the cast of Call Me By Your Name. Luca’s house is located very close to the Villa Albergoni, the house where the movie was filmed.

Luca’s beautiful palazzo.

Luca’s palazzo is a short 15 minutes to Moscazzano, a small town where there sits a country house he has long admired. He once wanted to buy it – but it was out of his price range. Still, Luca never forgot that house – the Villa Albergoni – which sits secluded, hidden behind stone walls and greenery. Moscazzano, in Lombardy near the Alps, sits between the town of Creama and Milan. It was this house, Villa Albergoni, that became the summer vacation villa where Call Me By Your Name is set. In the novel, the house sits on the Mediterranean, but in the movie, the villa is landlocked.

At Villa Albergoni – Elio talks with one of his girlfriends

In Call Me By Your Name, Archeology Professor Perlman, his Italian wife and their prodigal son Elio, come each summer to this villa, joined by a different graduate student of the professor, who interns for six weeks. This summer of 1983, the intern is the devastatingly handsome Oliver, played to perfection by Armie Hammer. It doesn’t take long before Elio, played by Timothee Chalamet, a quiet bookworm and musical prodigy, falls hopelessly in love with Oliver, who seems to not even realize Elio is alive. Or does he?

Elio with director Luca

Interest in where the movie would be filmed was high – spurred on by Luca’s earlier movie “I Am Love” whose house was architectural important. Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, Vogue and other important design magazines featured the “Call Me By Your Name” villa and it certainly did not disappoint. The villa, inherited by the Italian Mrs. Perlman, had to be special, but not extravagant. The Perlmans are academics, not socialites, and the villa needed to possess a faded, aristocratic atmosphere. Villa Albergoni, the 15th century fortress, was perfect for the role. Luca says he found the estate disheveled and a bit sad, although beautiful. It was exactly this faded glamour that matched the Perlmans’ lifestyle.

The Professor, Elio and the intern Oliver

It’s one hot Italian summer – and no one, except the Professor, ever wears a pair of pants, opting instead for either a bathing suit or shorts.

The Set Designer is Violante Visconti di Modrone, an Italian duke’s daughter, and a relative of director Luchino Visconti. She is not a Set Designer by trade, but has a keen eye for interiors and Luca loves her taste. Violante actually even played a role in his movie “I Am Love.” The Production Director was Samuel Dehors. Together, Luca, Samuel and Violante furnished Villa Albergoni with antiques and decorative elements from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Much of the furniture left in the house by the owners was also used in the film.

The entire movie was filmed in the Lombardy district between its small towns. Tourists and locals swarmed the towns taking photos of different locations and matching it with the actual scene. Above is one such photograph taken by a young girl who also took photographs at Villa Albergoni after the movie crew left.

And the actual scene – a glass of wine at the town square.

Because of the popularity of the movie and interest in Villa Albergoni, the owners have recently decided to sell it. The announcement of the sale was last week and the internet exploded with the news. Priced at $2.7 million, the house comes with several outbuildings and a separate smaller house.

The Villa is square shaped and has a large portico with two towers at its corners. In more recent times, a service wing where the kitchen is located, was added to the east side. There is a large center hall with rooms on each side.

What is so exciting is that after watching the movie and seeing the pictures from the photoshoots, along with the new real estate photos and photos of the villa from before it was a movie set – I have gathered all of them together to show the house in all its 15th century glory.

Enjoy!!!

Cars are rarely used in Call Me By Your Name except for long distances. Mostly, everyone rides bikes to and from town. Here Elio and Oliver in his “billowy blue shirt” ride to the bank.

And here, the boys are riding to town – leaving the Villa Albergoni. This is the actual street that the Villa is located on. In fact, its front brick wall is seen here on the left.

The Google map photo of the same above street where they were filmed riding their bikes. There are two entrances to the Villa. This street, Via Montadine, leads to the side entrance.

Villa Albergoni is seen here, its large estate is behind the red lines. The side entrance gate off Via Montodine is marked. The front door with the balcony above is where the arrow is. The front gate is located on Via Roma, but apparently most people use the more convenient side entrance.

You can see the once elegantly landscaped Villa Albergoni has been abandoned to nature. It’s just waiting for someone to bring it back to its former glory. Word is that the gardens are currently being restored. In this Google Map view, you can see the square shaped Villa with the additional Kitchen added more recently. Also, you can see its two corner towers on opposite sides.

The side gate on Via Montodine - Google Maps.

A screenshot from Call Me By Your Name. This gate is often used during the movie, as is the green door.

A fan took this beautiful photo on a wintery day of the now famous side gate.

The gravel paths inside the estate.

A watercolor of the original Villa – in Moscazzano. It’s amazing how fanciful it was drawn. But you can see the original square villa with its two towers. Where the street is – there is a moat or stream. There is even a side building. It is not clear if this is how the house really once looked.

Villa Albergoni dates back to at least the 15th century or earlier, the date is uncertain. The current palazzo was built on the ruins of an ancient fort that was built centuries before the 1400s.

It is also not certain if the two towers are original, but it is thought they were added on much later after the villa was built.

The front of the house is on Via Roma behind these elegant iron gates.

In winter, the villa is very exposed at the front entrance, but here in summer – you can barely see it through the trees. Google view.

The villa today from the front with its left corner tower. Plane or lime trees block the entrance.

A closer view of the front door and the balcony above it. To the left is the newer kitchen building.

A view from the balcony above the front door. To the left are a set of farm buildings that stand between the villa and Via Montodine.

The director Luca on the balcony.

Elio and Oliver waiting to take a trip in the Fiat 128 to an archeology find.

The same view, from further away. Everything looks so lush and green in the summer.

The back side of the kitchen wing, with its outdoor fireplace and sink. This door leads into the kitchen. A pergola, built by an landscape designer, is on the other side of the kitchen building.

On the back side of the villa is a set of stone steps with statues on the gateposts. With a little manicuring, this could be so gorgeous!

The view from the top of the steps at the back side of the villa.

A view of the stair gateposts, probably taken from the upstairs of the house.

A closer look at the railings and statue.

And another statue framed by the plane or lime trees at the front of the house.

Here the Professor and his Italian wife, their son Elio and intern Oliver enjoy meals at the table set under these trees. One of these meals at night, by candlelight was so romantic, you just wanted to climb right into the movie screen and eat their pasta!!

In the dead of winter with all the shutters closed for the year – you can see the statue and the newly topped trees. I don’t know why the French and Italians prune their trees like this! In the south, we prune Crepe Myrtles exactly like this – and it is just a horrible way to butcher a tree – they never properly recover from this kind of pruning.

I call these plane trees – but the gardener for the estate said they are lime trees. Either way, he doesn’t know how to properly prune trees!

Regardless, you can see this is where the Perlmans had dinner and lunch – right under the trees that now look like huge hands grabbing for the sky. Breakfast was always by the kitchen under the pergola.

Whomever buys this estate needs to first take a pressure washer to all the stone like this statue. There is so much mold and mildew just begging to be sprayed off!

Armie and Director Luca sit under the lime trees. In this view you can see perfectly how the topping of these trees while pruning has created “knuckles” on the trees, leaving them permanently deformed. Still – what a beautiful setting! Love the lights that were installed over the table. Today, after the movie crew has gone, so has all this furniture.

A closer winter view – something that I hadn’t noticed before – look at the carvings around each window!!! Isn’t that unusual? It looks like the Aztecs carved it, but I know it’s not. I suppose I never noticed it before because the shutters were all open. Very unusual!

Another winter view shows the tower and notice the tiny round holes above the second floor? Those are in the attic which we will visit later.

A snowstorm in the dead of winter.

HISTORY:

The Villa was once owned by a wealthy iron industrialist in Creama. In the 1950s, he sold the villa to Francesco Albergoni or Popi, as the Professor of Botany was known. Professor Albergoni is similar to Professor Perlman, both being professors of the sciences. Albergoni chose to leave a large portion of the estate in its wild state, hoping to repopulate the rabbits. Each morning he would breakfast outside among the hares. Villa Albergoni was inherited by his two sons. A granddaughter is an actress in Los Angeles.

Luca, the director, knew Jacopo, one of the sons, and arranged to use the house in Call Me By Your Name. While many of the rooms of the house were movie sets, others were used for costume, makeup and hair. Jacopo says that 80% of the furniture in the movie is owned by his family. Oliver’s bedroom is where Jacopo slept as a child and the kitchen remains exactly as he remembers from his childhood, as is the Library. Apparently, their piano was restored for the movie, but the famous pink sofa in the library was not restored, as you will see. Jacopo says that what he most remembers of his childhood home is the perfume of the gardens. The many fruit trees in the movie were already there, including the pomegranate. But the apricot and peach trees were newly planted by the movie’s landscaper. Jacopo says the gardens were the pride of his father.

While it was just recently announced that the Villa was for sale – Jacopo says it actually has been for sale for years, using the word of mouth method. With busy careers, the brothers could only visit Albergoni once a year, during the summer. The upkeep is enormous. Jacopo and his brother were tortured by the decision to sell their childhood house, so full of memories. But, they feel that the popularity of the movie will drive the price for the villa up and now is the time to take advantage of that. The long-time gardener says that tourists come by every day to pay homage to the house for its beauty, but mostly for the love story that they obviously felt moved by.

FLOOR PLAN:

Here’s a fabulous watercolor of the ground floor, without the kitchen wing, drawn by Floor Plan Croissant, an architect who is obsessed with movie houses, like we all are. Isn’t this gorgeous? She sells her work from postcards to the originals. Go HERE to see more and to read her fascinating blog!!! AND if anyone wants a custom drawn plan of their own house, inside or out – you should commission it!!!!

Here is Floor Plan Croissant’s drawing - including the kitchen wing!!!!

And here is the upstairs – Elio and Oliver’s bedrooms, connected by a door and the bathroom. A huge thank you Floor Plan Croissant for letting me show her work. My own floor plan is so pathetic compared to these that I will save that only for my own eyes. No wonder I never made good grades in Architectural classes at UT!!!

THE FRONT DOOR WITH THE BALCONY ABOVE:

REAL ESTATE PHOTO: The center hall runs from the front door to the back. There are two rooms on each side of the center hall.

The carved front door with the stucco carvings around it.

REAL ESTATE PHOTO: Here is how the center hall looks as it was. Some of the owner’s furniture was used in the movie, but the Set Designer added quite a bit.

AFTER CMBYN: This was taken after filming was over – I wonder if these chandeliers were added by Violante, the Set Designer. They are quite pretty.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME: Here is the same hall as furnished for the movie by Set Decorator Violante. This actually shows the back door. You can see in the center of the hall – matching Spanish/Italian tables that face each other. Large antique paper maps were bought to hang on the walls. Further by the door is an antique Italian settee (the owners) in cream, along with more prints. Stucco ceiling is coved. Violante spent a month shopping for the house, even borrowing accessories from her father’s home to use for filming.

Violante gathered bamboo leaves each day for the vases – something she said that Mrs. Perlman would probably have done. Myself, I don’t agree. Mrs. Perlman was always too busy smoking to spend time in the garden!!!!

The center hall is one of my favorite rooms in the house. I LOVE the way it was decorated for the movie. Beautiful!!!

A Behind The Scenes look – shows the center hall with the film crew. Lights off.

I think the maps are such a wonderful way to decorate. This center hall reminds me of Lauren Liess’ new house – her center hall.

Notice the Italian Terrazzo floor. In the center hall it is cream and black with a black border. But in the side rooms – the terrazzo is yellow and black.

And the director Luca, sitting on the antique Italian settee in the center hall.

I’m obsessed with these maps. Such a wonderful element in the hall. Their coloring looks so good with the terrazzo.

Real Estate Photo: A view of the house as it is today. To the right is the Front Room – which is not seen much at all in the movie, just one scene. At the left is the Drawing Room, the main room where Elio’s piano is.

THE FRONT ROOM:

The painted ceiling.

REAL ESTATE: The smaller front room which is the size of the library across the hall. There are not many before photos. Be sure to notice the beautiful ceiling!

THE FRONT ROOM in CMBYN: One scene where this room was used was at the very end of the movie – Elio goes in here during their Hanukkah Celebration dinner. The large painting remains where the owners had it.

CMBYN: Elio relaxes on the white slipcovered chair that belongs to the owners. All the fireplaces are lit and popping – making so much noise, echoing throughout the ground floor rooms.

NOTE: Throughout the movie while in the villa, one element was noise. It was as if the house was a character, making its own noise, creating its own dialogue. Each time the doors were closed - they are so heavy, made of solid wood – the noise would sound throughout the house. The footsteps on the terrazzo floors also created a natural noise. In one scene, there is a loud recurrent noise happening somewhere off screen as if it was a musical beat. It was obviously a shutter that wasn’t secured and was banging in the wind. Was it intentional or was it happening and the director left it in the movie?

THE FRONT ROOM: The noisy shutters. Elio watches from the front room.

THE DRAWING ROOM:

CMBYN: Here is the drawing room, dressed for the movie. This room adjoins the Front Room via the two doors behind the piano which is an early 20th century antique. The room itself has such beautiful Italian architecture. The ceilings were painted in the 1500s by Aurelio Busso, a pupil of Raphael. Only part of the fresco remains – you can see those by the window. Notice the floor – it is more yellow here than in the hall. Again – the set decorator Violante chose rather shabby, used furniture – nothing bought new. Everything is used or antique.

For the decor magazine photoshoots – the furniture was changed around. In CMBYN, it’s not nearly as neatly placed as it appears here.

The opposite view – showing the large fireplace that is so tall, you can almost walk inside it. Notice the door in the right corner – this is one of the corner towers. At one point, there was a staircase in it. Now, it has been converted to a bar.

If I bought this Villa, cough (I wish!) – I would paint the walls a soft white or cream, that matches the trim color of the ceiling.

This sofa was added along with all these beautiful chinoiserie styled paintings.

A screenshot from the movie – Elio playing Bach for Oliver.

The same view – without Elio or Oliver. Of course there are books everywhere. Being academia – all anyone does is read in this house. At one point Mrs. Perlman reads aloud a centuries old book in German to her husband and Elio, translating from German to Italian and English. Some of this furniture was the owners – with slips in green. A throw was just put on the white slipped sofa, something that the Perlmans would do – rather than reupholster.

Before Violante decorated this Drawing Room, shockingly, director Luca found it “rather sad and uninteresting” – wow! What a biased Italian! He must be so immune to beauty that an American can not even begin to understand!

Violante used many Indian fabrics and throws, some of which were hers and others she borrowed from people she said were like the Perlmans. The throw on the sofa is hers. At the other corner is a old TV from the 60s or 70s. In the book, Elio makes a point of saying he has so much knowledge for a 17 year old because they don’t ever watch TV. But in the movie, they unfortunately do.

I love this view – you can see into the Front Room which the crew obviously used as a work room when they weren’t shooting in there!

A view of the center section of the ceiling.

REAL ESTATE PHOTOS: Here is how the Drawing Room actually looked. All the furniture is white slipcovered. Some of the paintings remain, they belong to the owners. Through the door you can see the center hall, with the back door open.

The mantel looks much better without the painting – as it was in CMBYN.

BEFORE: This view shows two pianos. The mirror belongs to the house, as do the paintings above the door. The other two large paintings are a surprise – these weren’t used in the movies, afaik. And here, above the windows, you can see how little of the original fresco remains. Note – the mirror here to the left is the one that Violante moved to the library, above the sofa, where it remains today.

THE LIBRARY:

REAL ESTATE: By the front door, on the left, is the library – most of these books were used in the movie, as was the very shabby pink velvet sofa. This antique wood desk was not used in CMBYN, nor was the mirror or the red wallpaper behind the sofa.

BEFORE: On the front side of the room is a large fireplace. The trim work and doors are all painted black throughout the house. The wall behind the sofa is where the kitchen addition was added. Therefore – the window in this room was closed up – which might account for this odd niche behind the sofa.

AND – access to the corner tower is no longer from this room, it’s on the kitchen side.

CMBYN: Here, you can see the different desk that was used, along with the chairs, including the Ming antique. Another huge change was the paper behind the sofa. Violante covered the red wallpaper with a brocade from Dedar. As a nod to Professor Perlman, Violante added the collection of antique cameos of Lombardian kings. She also added books on Greco-Roman sculpture, antique maps and a globe.

Luca wanted to get rid of the sofa, but Violante asked that it remain. She felt that it was exactly the comfy sofa that Professor Perlman would have. Notice the two old brass sconces flanking the sofa. They look like ones that Restoration Hardware sell now!!

Such a pretty photo!

CMBYN: Another updated view of the library.

CMBYN: Violante did straighten up the books and added volumes on antiquity sculpture. Through the side door is the stairwell. On the desk are antique crystal ink wells.

CMBYN: As so it begins….Elio meets the traveling intern Oliver when he first arrives in his blue billowy shirt.

I love the way Violante decorated the back wall with the cameos.

The library is the setting for one of the most powerful scenes in the movie – a talk between the Professor and his son Elio.

Every time I say “the Professor” – I think of Gilligan’s Island and its theme song: “The Professor and Marianne, here on Gilligan’s Isle!!!”

That back wall is perfection! And the stylist really made that shabby sofa look very nice!

NOTE: Using this idea of tiny frames surrounding the mirror in a niche is a great design idea that you could emulate - without a spending a huge amount of money. I love how this vignette looks – fabulous!!!

TODAY: And here is how the library looked after the movie crew left! You can see the new wallcovering remained, as did the mirror which had been moved from the drawing room, but all the tiny frames surrounding it are gone – probably owned by Violante.

A young Italian girl was recently allowed in Villa Albergoni and many of the “after” photos shown are hers. To see the entire collection of her photos – go HERE and this is her twitter account if you want to follow her.

FACTOID: When the girl first posted all the photos she took chronicling all the film locations (like above) – she received instant Internet fame and even got to appear on a television show with the entire cast of Call Me By Your Name!!

THE STAIRWAY:

BEFORE: The ground floor has such tall ceilings – that to reach the second floor you must go up two flights of steps. Along the way are original frescos on the walls.

BEFORE: Looking down at the main floor. Through the door is the center hall. It looks like the owners had a stand up piano which was moved out for the filming.

FOR THE MOVIE: The lobby to the stair hall was cleaned up and edited. The piano was moved out and the shelf was dressed.

The beautiful painting on the left was in the film. The stairs are said to not be original to the house, they were replaced at some point, after the house was built.

CMBYN: Elio and the painting. Above are lights for the filming.

AFTER THE MOVIE CREW LEFT: Through this door is the kitchen wing – and also the entrance to the left tower.

BEFORE: The guest bathroom with painted walls and trim.

THE DINING ROOM:

BEFORE: On the other side of the staircase is the dining room – used by the family as a billiard room. So THIS is where that cream antique Italian settee is from!! Through the door is the center hall.

BEFORE: Notice the fireplace and ceiling.

AFTER: FURNISHED FOR THE MOVIE CMBYN. The main scene filmed here was the very last scene, unfortunately. Although we barely see this room in the movie, it is beautifully furnished. Through the left wood hanging door is a pass-through to the kitchen wing.

CMBYN: Another pretty photograph from the movie set! You can see the kitchen through the pass through. Most of the paintings came with the house, while the dining table was brought in for the film.

CMBYN: A screenshot of Elio in the dining room. He is standing next to the marble fireplace which gives you an idea of how huge they are all!!

And here is the last scene, Elio looking into the loudly crackling and snapping fireplace in the dining room, while the Oscar nominated song plays.

THE KITCHEN:

BEFORE: The kitchen in the adjoining wing that was built much later than the main house. At the right is the breakfast room. Love the Italian case clock, painted blue.

BEFORE: Here is the “moderne” kitchen with marble countertops and a large farm sink! White tiles on the walls. Cork or tile floors?

HOW THE KITCHEN LOOKED DURING THE MOVIE, CMBYN: Not much was done to the kitchen, except to accessorize it. A red check fabric was added to the sink, along with a collection of copper pans. A wooden table was added next to the sink. I think Violante installed the light fixture too. This looks just perfect for an old Italian family kitchen.

CMBYN: Aftermath of a lunch with all the plates.

This is real life styling - all for show for the movie! Looks so authentic!

CMBYN: The cook rules the kitchen and the family. Who didn’t have a TV like that? Notice the old small appliances. Those plugs!!!

FOR THE MOVIE: Outside the kitchen door - landscaper Gaia Chaillet Giusti built the pergola and added the lushness. This is where breakfast and brunch was served along with soft boiled eggs and peach (!) juice.

Of course the Perlman’s chairs wouldn’t match.

AFTER THE MOVIE CREW LEFT: This is all that remains! Sad!

The young girl who took these “After” photos reported that the garden was being restored when she was there.

THE TOWERS:

The two old towers both once contained stairs that lead up to a look-out view over the land and to the attic space over the house. One tower was changed into a bar, while the second remains a staircase. Notice the view-holes in the walls of this tower:

It’s hard to get a photo of the staircase inside this tower. This movie scene only lasts a few seconds, but here you can see Elio goes up the tower – to the attic. The daylight is from the holes in the stucco tower. This tower was probably once accessed through the library. Now you must go through the kitchen wing to reach it.

The second tower – off the Drawing Room. This is now a bar that is reached through a short door in the Drawing Room. Shield-shaped windows were added in the bar – you can just barely see one of them here at the side of the tower.

DURING THE MOVIE CMBYN: In this dramatic scene, Elio gets a nosebleed and he used the ice from the refrigerator in the bar – through the short open door, seen behind him.

Sorry for the bad screencaps – but there are no other photos of the bar in the tower. Here you can see the window AND the stucco cutout with the grille over it.

On the other side of the tower – you can see more of the stucco cut out with the window open.

What a nose bleed! LOL. It’s lasting forever!!! Not really.

The bottom of the tower bar with cabinets. I’m obsessed with the towers – especially since they are now different and both serve a purpose as opposed to just for security.

THE SECOND FLOOR:

The upstairs is like the downstairs. Two major rooms are on each side with the center hall in the middle.

DURING THE MOVIE CMBYN: Here is the master bedroom as decorated by Violante. She redressed the bed and changed the hanging fabrics.

The scenes shot in this room didn’t make it into the movie. There are rumors that the movie was almost four hours long before it was cut – I would love to see all those scenes that were left on the editing room floor!

Through the side door is the blue tiled bathroom, also not seen in the movie.

CMBYM: Another view. Notice the trumeau that came with the house as did most of this furniture. Through the door is the hall with the door to the balcony.

CMBYN: In the corner – Elio’s mother’s dressing table.

CMBYN: A close up of that dressing table – think of how much time Violante must have spent getting this vignette just right – and then, you don’t even see it in the movie!!!!!

BEFORE: And here is how the master bedroom in the house actually looks – faded glamour. The new fabrics and bedding really made the room come alive!!

Another view.

Notice the chair propping open the door. Many needed to be propped open or else they slammed shut with a loud noise which reverberated throughout the house. During the movie the sound of these heavy wood doors was a continually used element.

BEFORE: The second master bedroom as it really looks.

BEFORE: Another view of this room, with a stove heater! This room was not used in the movie.

BEFORE: The blue tiled bathroom with the stained glass window which looks like it has gotten a recent repair. Again – this bedroom was not used.

After the movie crew left: This was Elio’s room, while Oliver is staying there. Such a pretty bed.

FOR THE MOVIE - CMBYM: The same bedroom fitted out for the movie – as how a teenaged boy would live. Notice how the upstairs rooms have such beautiful wood floors!!

For the movie – this small room is supposed to be what the family used as a storage room. Elio always moved out of his room during the intern’s stay. Since it is a storage room – Violante added lots of old things, making it more of a messy, catch-all room.

CMBYN: Elio and his girlfriend watch Oliver arrive to the house for the first time.

CMBYN: Just like a movie by Nancy Meyers, each detail needs to be fleshed out for the screen. Here is Elio’s desk, piled with his school and comic books.

The beautiful blue tiled bath between Elio and Oliver’s rooms. I think this is so pretty!!!

If you bought this villa – would you restore this bathroom, or leave it exactly how it is now? Hmmm.

Another view. Oliver’s room is straight ahead.

CMBYN: Violante used the owner’s vintage twin beds for Oliver’s room. Old posters from the 80s were put on the walls. Peter Gabriel – Live In Concert!!!

CMBYN: And another view.

THE ATTIC:

The left tower – with the staircase that Elio uses to go to the attic. Notice the tiny round holes in the stucco, above the second floor windows. Those holes are where the attic is. Notice the second round hole has a security spotlight installed in it. You’ll see this again!

SCREENCAP FROM CMBYN: The dark attic – which the family uses for storage – there’s an old sofa here, a lamp shade, a chandelier sits in a chair. See the round opening in the stucco – and the window that closes it off – this is the round hole above the second story windows.

Elio comes up here to be alone – the doves are cooing and you think it must be a dovecote. Perhaps doves do roost in the tower. Not sure. It’s really only when you watch this scene a few times, to prepare a blog story(!), that you realize this is actually the attic. On the first view, I thought it was the dovecote.

SCREENCAP FROM CMBYN: Violante said this was her favorite room to decorate – but it was barely seen except for a few short scenes. In this window behind Elio – you can see the spotlight that was installed to illuminate the yard. This is the spotlight you can seen from outside.

THE ESTATE:

Even though the house is so fabulous – much of the activity takes place outside. All meals are eaten either under the pergola or under the plane/lime trees out front.

Here, breakfast and cigarettes are served.

And behind the scenes, what really goes on. The same scene shown above – being set up. Poor Mrs. Perlman – she has to chain smoke throughout the movie.

The gardener tends to his apricot and peach (!) trees – which don’t really grow here, but were brought in for the movie by the landscape designer.

The area by the side gate – which you can see here at the back left with the urn on top of the post – this is where the faux swimming pool is. As usual, bathing suits!!

After the movie, this photo was taken by the young girl who visited this winter. The same area as seen above, from afar. You can see how large the front yard is – this row of buildings line the street where Elio and Oliver ride their bikes.

The swimming pool was built by making a trough and surrounding it with recycled stones purchased from a warehouse – which were then painted to look old. Had me fooled! I thought the pool was real!

Of course the director, Luca, was behind the rustic, small swimming pool. He said a family like the Perlmans would never have a fancy, new pool – it would be too nouveau riche for them.

This shows how high the stones were for the “faux” swimming pool. I wonder if they left this – it would make a great fountain!!

In the end, despite the beautiful Italian villa and wonderful landscape – Call Me By Your Name is a poignant story of first love – and all the heartbreak that goes with it, as you can see here.

Elio!

I am hoping Timothee Chalamet wins for Best Actor and the movie wins for Best Picture. If The Shape of Water wins, I might never watch another Oscar award show!! But that’s personal.

If you’ve seen the movie – read the book. It’s much better than the movie, if that is even possible. Six days now and I still can’t get the movie out of my head.

Even Oprah, with Elio, agrees with me!!!!

To order the book, click the photo below:

AND….

For something completely different…Fixer Upper’s The Gaines have just introduced their new spring collection at Target, just in time for Easter:

Here is part of the collection showing the beautiful plates that are a cheaper take off on Juleska plates which cost a small fortune. And, aren’t those bunny egg cups to die for!!! SOOOO CUTE!!!!! I like the glasses too with the Juleska (again!) detailing. HERE

The plates with the Juleska styling. The charger is made to mimic a birds nest. HERE

More darling white pieces for spring!! LOVE! HERE

ANOTHER PART OF THE SPRING COLLECTION HERE

THIS IS THE MATCHING MAGNOLIA STOOL AND PILLOW IN DIFFERENT COLORS HERE

CHAIR IN BLUE, BLACK OR GRAY HERE

TO GO WITH THIS TABLE – ALL FROM TARGET!!!

TABLE HERE

from COTE DE TEXAS http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/2018/02/before-after-movie-house-in-call-me-by.html

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smartworkingpackage · 7 years

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Thoughts From Groucho, or Re-Marx on Staying Relevant for 100 Years

“I don’t know what you have to say,

It makes no diff’rence anyway;

Whatever it is, I’m against it!” — Groucho Marx in Horse Feathers

To fans of classic comedy, the idea that Groucho Marx is all but forgotten is startling. One of the most popular comedians of the 20th century, he was the quick-witted and sharp-tongued ringleader of the golden age comedy team The Marx Brothers. The siblings conquered every medium, from stage and radio to movies, television, and books. Kids today still recognize his trademark glasses, fake eyebrows and mustache, and cigar, and “Groucho masks” remain popular party items.

Groucho’s stage, film, and television character specialized in insulting the pompous and self-important and embracing the absurdity of life. But beneath the wisecracks was a sharp self-taught intellectual. His public persona was only slightly more heightened than his real-life personality, and his thought processes were governed by a keen assessment of what people expected of him and how he could either fulfill those expectations or subvert them.

His family’s poverty forced him to leave school and go to work at the age of 12, but he had a lifelong thirst for knowledge. Thanks to his fame, he befriended some of the greatest minds of his era (including Nobel Prize-winning poet T.S. Eliot). His papers were even collected by the Library of Congress. Despite his humble beginnings, he wrote six books himself and was a frequent contributor to many magazines, including The New Yorker. His compiled letters have been published in multiple books, and his quotes still make the rounds of social media, this time as memes.

While you might not think a comedian born in 1890 would have much to offer today, consider this: Groucho made your great-great grandparents laugh, and what he had to say is still relevant in the 21st century. He’s more remembered than his once-equally famous brothers. Why? He was better able to adapt to changes in society and technology. And his life and thoughts offered guideposts to anyone savvy enough to apply them.

What mentorship means

When Groucho went into vaudeville at 15, making $20 a week, his mother Minnie realized that if having one son in show business could make that kind of money, having his brothers join him could net a small fortune. She pushed them all into the act — whether or not they wanted it or not — and when she was done, The Four Marx Brothers were one of the biggest acts in show business.

Greatness rarely comes without a struggle, and she willed her boys to success. As one of the few female show business managers in the first decades of the 20th century, she had to be stubborn, somewhat outrageous, and fast-talking to get her boys ahead. She made instant decisions, and never let her errors stop her forward progress. Her tough approach to organizing her five out-of-control sons, stretching money, and staying one step ahead of unscrupulous theatre owners marked Groucho for life. Her legacy lived on in Groucho, who, though he was prone to bouts of depression, kept Minnie’s determination close to his heart. Her mentorship made him what he was.

Groucho’s other mentor (in the words of talk show host Dick Cavett, “his god”) was playwright and director George S Kaufman, who wrote or directed scores of plays, two of which won Pulitzer Prizes. He loved nothing more than spending time with men like Kaufman or S.J. Perelman, who were brilliant writers with life experiences and points of view that added bite to their writing.

We all need mentors, role models, and people who believe in us. Who are those people in your own life? What can you learn from them? What would you discover if you made lists of the traits they have that you want to cultivate? Groucho was never intimidated by people he knew were smarter and more skilled than he was. Instead, he befriended them, learned from them, and ultimately became someone who was equally sought-out for opinions and advice. Certainly, we could learn to do the same, even if the inspiration comes from a man with a painted-on mustache.

“I find television very educational. Every time someone turns it on, I go into the library and read a book.” -Groucho Marx

A century of not accepting the conventional

Associating with writers like Kaufman helped Groucho develop the trait he was best known for: tweaking authority. Whether it was high society, the government, or big business, he was sure to let anyone who thought they were better than him know that he wasn’t going to stand for it. Audiences loved him as much for what he said as to whom he was saying it. Who wouldn’t want to tell a stuffy socialite, “I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn’t it”? Groucho’s humor worked because it struck that chord in everyone who wants to be bold and to not fear being unconventional but to embrace their own individuality with gusto.

His anti-establishment streak was as powerful in the Great Depression as it was in the 1970s when comedy broke from tired one-size-fits-all jokes to personal observations. Some of that era’s most important comedians — George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and (especially) Woody Allen — were influenced by Groucho’s confrontationally personal wit. Stand-ups today perform material based on their own observations. They make notes about what they see and turn it into jokes that we can identify with and laugh at. Before Groucho, almost no “monologists,” as they were called more than 100 years ago, relied on this technique. Mark Twain may have been among the first.

Groucho didn’t accept the status quo or conventional wisdom, and the good news is, you don’t have to, either. You don’t have to be needlessly confrontational, but when you see things that don’t make sense, say something. The only way anyone is going to hear (or implement) your ideas is if you voice them.

What made Groucho and his brothers stars was their irreverence and spontaneity. By keeping their eyes open to the absurdities around them, they could call attention to them. You may not have the nerve to say after a particularly boring presentation, “I thought my razor was dull until I heard his speech’” But Groucho would — and did.

Those qualities of Groucho’s — staying open and aware of what was going on around him, calling attention to things that are supposed to make sense but don’t, an eager willingness to gather information and experience from others — are qualities that anyone can develop. It may not be easy to do it. Our own inhibitions and social convention can get in the way. But the rewards of personal growth and value as a collaborator are immense.

The more you know, the more valuable you become

Groucho had an immense personal library. Whenever he and his brothers were performing on the road, he brought along a huge trunk filled with books that expanded his point of view and gave him expertise in any number of areas. After all, you can’t properly insult someone whose background you don’t fully understand.

Books and bookstores may not have the cultural impact they once did, but you have an advantage over Groucho. You’re reading this on some kind of a screen, and a world of information is just a click away. There are more e-books, reports, texts, essays, and other media available than you could possibly consume in one lifetime. That tidal wave might seem overwhelming, but dive in. Make and share lists and collections of books, authors, articles, or photos that inspire you. Evernote is a perfect place to store lists like this, so when you’re in need of a little inspiration, it’s always at your fingertips. Plus, you don’t have to carry around all your reading material in a heavy trunk, like Groucho did.

Comedy is based on taking serious topics to extremes. Without a firm basis in reality or facts, humor’s just a series of jokes without context. Beneath his makeup, Groucho was a deeply serious man, capable of debating National Review editor William F. Buckley as to whether the world is, in fact, funny.

Groucho was rigorous in his comedy. Before filming most of their movies, the brothers would do live tours trying out material. As the brothers performed scenes from upcoming movies on the stage, stenographers sat backstage timing laughs, measuring the intensity of audience responses, and tracking whether delivering a line or a physical “bit” of comedy one way got a better response than another. All that data came back to Hollywood, so by the time the brothers committed the scenes to film, they already knew how the movies would perform on screens around the world. Without this meticulous note-taking, their best films may have ended up as slightly incoherent as their early ones in which the laughs came too quickly together and audiences missed some of the best jokes. Because they took the time to record metrics in front of multiple live audiences, the Marx Brothers legend endures to this day.

The timelessness of individuality

When the brothers’ film career faded in the 1940s, Groucho reinvented himself by hosting a television quiz show, You Bet Your Life. (It’s where the phrase “Say the secret word and win $100” comes from.) The show, which still enjoys a healthy following on YouTube, allowed him to interact with “civilian” guests, winning him a whole new generation of fans who expected him to do the unexpected.

Reinventing ourselves and embracing the unexpected are things we can cultivate in ourselves. Groucho was blasé about aging, but a person doesn’t last 70 years in showbiz without finding ways to stay relevant and productive. By using some of Groucho’s tips, you might find yourself having his staying power.

But don’t just take our word for it. See for yourself how Groucho Marx might inspire you to raise a few eyebrows in your own work and life.

And now, the one, the only, Groucho.

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