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thenewwei · 3 months

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THE LIGHT SIDE OF THE MOON: SCARLETT TAYLOR'S VEIL

All Photo Credits to Helen Elizondo. Essay by Tejas Desai.

The New Wei is proud to introduce a feature series on bold, dynamic artists who push the boundaries of what's possible and deliver a unique life vision.

Our first ever feature is musician Scarlett Taylor. The 23 year old phenom (it's her birthday today, btw!) is a groundbreaking auteur who today 2/1/24 released her second album HALLOWS, a live remastered version of her spectacular debut demo album Veil. She is also playing a show tonight at the renowned NYC music venue Pianos at 7pm:

The following essay examines her music, motivations, and milieu, from her beginnings in quiet but dynamic Lancaster, Pennsylvania to her breakout releases over the past year, when she has come into her own in the greatest city on Earth. You won't find musical biography or criticism this in-depth in any publication outside of possibly Rolling Stone.

So keep it right here on The New Wei, people!

While Olivia Rodrigo croons about relationship revenge and Billie Eilish belts movie soundtracks, another young singer is creating a different path altogether. Her name is Scarlett Taylor, she’s about to turn 23 and she is churning out a more thematically complex oeuvre than her contemporaries.

The 13 songs of her debut demo album Veil are rich in sound and meaning, from the abstract “Love Where the Soul’s At,” dedicated to the decapitated descriptions of Aphrodite in Greek art, to “The Night Beast,” where Taylor evokes “howling at the moon,” to the electronic-heavy “Déjà vu” and the doppelganger-themed “Shadow Talking.” The themes include her own concepts like the veil, silhouette and perfect timing, along with timeless ones like loneliness, fate and loss.

These tracks were released biweekly from her 22nd birthday on February 1, 2023, to the album’s official release date on August 1, 2023. 8 remastered versions will be available on her 23rd birthday, February 1st, 2024, on a live album called HALLOWS.

Before starting this steady output, Ms. Taylor was not performing or creating music regularly—previously she had only released one song called “Clementine,” which she has since disowned and taken off Spotify, claiming it “was not her own” because someone else produced it.

By contrast, Ms. Taylor has controlled every aspect of Veil’s creation and marketing. She makes her own merch, which includes sewing shirts, drawing posters, and creating pins. She performs regularly and creates art daily. This output, apparently, has been personal and artistic therapy for Ms. Taylor, who described the process of creating and releasing as “transformative like the cycles of the moon.” In fact, the biweekly releases are timed to coincide with the full moon and new moon, important symbols for her complex life philosophy.

I first officially met Scarlett Taylor at The Purgatory in Bushwick, Brooklyn, where she was scheduled to open for another up-and-coming singer, Taylor Mecca. Upon arriving, I spotted Ms. Taylor, a tall blonde wearing a trench coat with a guitar strung around her shoulder. I introduced myself. She was so excited I had come to see her play that she gifted me a button-down t-shirt she had sewn from scratch that exemplified the themes of her album: the veil and the silhouette.

On the other side of a flower pattern, the t-shirt stated: “Slipping into the Silhouette of this Veil.” According to Ms. Taylor, the veil represents the parts of us that others cannot see or that we hide, whereas the silhouette symbolizes those that are inevitably public. It seems that in her construction the truth behind the complexity of any human is a balance between those two elements, and perhaps her music tries to capture the space between that divide. Yet the meaning of her work goes well beyond this dichotomy because she describes her songs as “Witch Music,” which is also a title of one of the tracks.

To understand Ms. Taylor’s thinking and aesthetic intent more fully, it might make sense to delve into her background. Her father is Chad Taylor, long-time guitarist of the alternative rock band Live, which released 9 albums over 25 years and experienced some commercial success in the 1990s. Her mother is a yoga teacher. She was born and grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a distinct mixture of extremely progressive and conservative lifestyles. Ms. Taylor says she was raised in a loving home, where her parents cultivated both her musical and spiritual development. She attended private schools, including Montessori. She has two sisters, both of whom are artists of various types, though neither are musicians.

From the beginning, her parents had an enormous influence on her life path. When her father was home from tours, music would fill the house, and like her mother, she was trained in yoga, becoming a teacher herself. When it was time to consider colleges, she decided to apply to only one school, the Clive Davis School of Music at NYU, which she has attended for the past three years and from which she graduated early in December 2023. If she had not gained acceptance, she says she would have continued to live at her parents’ home in Lancaster, teaching yoga, perhaps working a day job, and creating her music.

In Lancaster, witches, mediums, and doulas filled her social life, and she says that she is fortunate to have been surrounded by so many spiritual women, who taught her to read tarot cards, to release and manifest, to understand the meaning behind the intersection of stars and moons. This is why she celebrates witches, who she says are light workers who inform people how to live a more joyful and loving life through rituals and serving magical elements.

It seems Ms. Taylor’s music is a means of performing this work within herself. Her life has changed immeasurably for the better since she started releasing her music. She is far more spiritually and emotionally positive, and it has unfurled an enormous social life in New York City for her that revolves around music and art.

I categorized my first meeting with Ms. Taylor as “official” because I had encountered her once before. Earlier that summer, I had attended a concert at a converted garage in Bushwick called The Shop. I was there to see another rising star, model-cum-rocker Bec Lauder, who had described it on Instagram as a “secret little show.” I needed to click on a link, enter a password (that I gleaned from another spotlighted band’s post) and pay $8 via Venmo or cash at the door. Being old school and middle-aged, I think I was the only one to pay cash, and Ale, one of the organizers who lived upstairs, needed to go to his apartment to get change for me.

I had come half an hour late, fashionably, but I still needed to wait another hour to see the first band play. During that time, I drank a Bud, included in the price, and met some of The Wedding Planners, the group that organized the event. Jacob Geoffrey and Ale, of the band Ale’s Love Letters, are both musicians themselves, while Maddie, one of several non-musicians, is a philosophy PhD. student, part-time painter, and editor of A Zine.

Several copies of this publication were stacked up in the corner of the garage, and their content, a mixture of poetry, grotesque drawings, and trauma-based prose, seemed to correspond to the shadow work of Ms. Taylor’s musical imaginings. She was there as well—we exchanged a smile—but I never actually met her that night.

The space was filled with art. It was one of a series of monthly concerts that focused on different themes. That evening it was “Magic Night”—participants were urged by email to “dress magically” and there was a magician on-site doing tricks—whereas other themes included “Beach Night,” “Art Night,” and “Alien Night.”

The crowd consisted of young 20 somethings, mostly seniors in college or recent graduates. The initial attendees seemed to know each other, and I was treated with a mixture of fear and wonder.

According to Ms. Taylor, the Wedding Planners formed from a text thread created by Mr. Geoffrey, a recent NYU grad himself. There’s no individual photography allowed at Wedding Planner events (there usually is a designated photographer, however), meaning it’s one of the rare contemporary concerts where a million iPhones aren’t held up to a performer’s face. Ms. Taylor says this radiates a different energy, and it’s meant to form a safe space with no judgment for performers and participants alike.

Concerts are essentially ceremonies, according to Ms. Taylor, and one of the most intriguing aspects of the Wedding Planners concerts is that they perform mock weddings during the night. After their set, the first act throws a bouquet into the crowd. Whoever catches it must propose to someone by the end of the night—it could be a stranger, their friend, a crush, whoever. One of the Wedding Planners officiates, and sometimes this is Ms. Taylor. Otherwise, the night has a few acts, and a DJ takes care of the rest.

Among this friend’s group are an endless number of young musicians, some of whom are Wedding Planners, others not. A vastly truncated list includes Jacob, Ale and Bec, Stevie Bill and Juliet Ivy, Ty Lorenzo, Khaliko and Vanessa Camacho. But for me, Ms. Taylor’s music stands out as worth exploring in depth.

Throughout Veil, there’s a tension between opposing forces—the veil and silhouette, nature and man, love and sex, spirit and body, beast and machine. The narrator struggles within herself to understand the tensions between these elements, and ultimately, concludes that a greater force might be at work in the orientations of her life.

The first quarter of Veil focuses on the individual’s relationship with the cosmos in a mechanized world, beginning with its title track, which will be renamed “Perfect Timing” on the live HALLOWS album. Immediately the singer slips into the silhouette of this veil, and the progression of the song suggests confusion and transformation. In “Internet,” or “The Machine” on HALLOWS, the singer laments a mechanized world where “machines talk to robots” and regrets “growing up online.” “Illusion” finds the narrator defiant that she “won’t quit howling at the moon,” or give up trying to understand the universe despite our man-made reality.

Then we are thrust into a dream and dance sequence of rock rhythms and electronic beats. “New Year’s Day,” a cryptic diatribe, flows into “Déjà vu,” where a dreamy, naive girl meets her lover in the cosmos, and concludes with a desperate wish for reciprocation. “Witch Music,” defining the album’s core vision, serves as its pivot, interrupting its pensiveness with a clubby dance anthem.

The third quarter of Veil explores decadent nights, stormy relationships and insecure feelings. “Tooth Decay” evokes the image of a cigarette on an ashtray and transitions to foreplay and one-night stands. “Love’s Where the Soul’s At” explores the tension between body and spirit, as a woman wonders why she’s loved, and whether her lover is placing her on a pedestal for the wrong reasons. “I don’t want to be like a god to you,” she insists. “I wish my body was gone.” But she keeps repeating to herself, “sex means more” than love, perhaps trying to convince herself that it does.

“The Labyrinth is Bored” uses the metaphor of a bullfight to explore the power dynamics of entanglements and break ups. “Deep grief, time thief. I’m forever mad at the matador. Wrap my skin in red, the victory is yours,” she says, apparently giving into her lover’s worship, whereas in “Night Beast,” the narrator feels guilt “in hindsight” for her previous behavior. “I’ve been the night beast, howling at the moon. A lover to you, destined and doomed.”

The album’s final quarter brings us back to the individual’s battle within herself—the tension between her internal confusion and external savvy. “Slide Down the Wall” evokes the familiar feeling of finally having a relationship you’ve always wanted but now feel you don’t deserve: “You told me you’d be by my side. You are what I’ve been looking for. Loving you feels so easy. Loving you feels like changing seasons. Loving a fool. Loving a fool.” Despite having what she wants, the narrator is still dissatisfied, and wonders if a human relationship is enough to satisfy her need for personal evolution.

The next song, “Where the Shadow’s Play,” references a tempered moon and evokes a lover’s gloom about loneliness and loss. “Meet me where the shadow’s play. My darling’s gone in the afternoon. Sun’s pouring into my moon.” Here the narrator confronts her doppelganger and ponders light and darkness as she considers her true path.

In the final song, “Shadow Talking,” the narrator wakes up on a Monday morning, and considers her relationship-free reality. “My life is scary at night,” she laments. “Lately I’ve been running from my shadows.” Her doctor, in lieu of her lover, doesn’t talk to her and only prescribes her pills. “I’ll wait for the dawn, for that’s the only thing to do,” she concludes. Having struggled with nature and man, love and sex, and now alone to battle within herself yet again, she appears to be at an uneasy truce with the fact that things will unfurl as they will—and perhaps according to a greater ordinance.

The moon themes and investigation of individual identity and mental health, along with the essential conflicts of the time in our “civilized” era, call to mind The Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon, released exactly 50 years earlier in 1973. Ms. Taylor claims this is mostly coincidental (although, she continuously notes, “there are no coincidences��). However, she has listened to it, as it was grandfather’s favorite album and her singing teacher at NYU, Machan Taylor, is the voice on The Dark Side of the Moon. So, she says there is a lot of “collision” with the album. but she hasn’t spent an exorbitant amount of time with it.

But it’s difficult to completely divorce this album from its predecessor. Like The Dark Side of the Moon, Veil is both a studio album and a concept album. It experiments with sound and is creative in the musical and recording process. In Ms. Taylor’s case, she uses stock logic plugins to alter her voice on certain songs. Just as Pink Floyd’s album was mixed at the famed Abbey Road, the tracks on Veil were mixed in the same studio as where Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger was recorded. The Beastie Boys donated this studio to NYU, and band Phoenix provided its EQ.

Veil is more electronic than rock and it has a decidedly female spin. But like The Dark Side of the Moon, its songs blend into each other in a way that add progressive meaning. While Pink Floyd often wrote their songs as they were touring, in Ms. Taylor’s case, the songs were released as she was creating them.

Yet, she insists, her major influences are more modern, including Maggie Rogers, Grammy-nominated alternative singer who graduated from Clive, got her master’s at Harvard, and shares some of Ms. Taylor’s academic interests; Taylor Swift; Phoebe Bridgers; Bjork; and Mitski. Her father, of course, was a musician with Live, and she was able to go to rock concerts at a very young age, a privilege most aspiring musicians don’t have.

Ms. Taylor’s singing in Veil has a raw and caustic quality, so I was a bit surprised when she informed me that she has been trained professionally from a young age. Her crooning as a toddler led her parents to send her to singing lessons. She quickly graduated to musical theater, then opera, and competed in all-girls choir competitions in middle school.

While in high school, she always assumed she would take a more classical route, since he had always sung Soprano 1 opera music at her local college with their Artist-in-Residence who was a Metropolitan Opera singer. Yet this training, she says, prepared her well for rock music, which tends to be verbose, what she called an “Evanescence vibe.”

Why she now exclusively creates rock and electronic music, rather than continuing with opera, has to do with personal vision and control. With opera, she was a hired hand, but with rock, she can create what she wants. She can write her own lyrics and experiment with sounds. While the live album, HALLOWS, was not recorded by her, she did control all aspects of Veil, making it a true auteur work.

Yet, her auteur vision is matched by a strong fatalistic quality. In Ms. Taylor’s life philosophy, there is a sense that the future has already been written, even understood by those who have studied it for centuries, and she even says that we, as individuals, know more about the future than we let on, because we already plan for it on a daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly basis.

This duality is present in yet another concept of hers, “Perfect Timing.” In fact, she read an essay about this phenomenon at Lincoln Center a week before our first interview at an event called Truth to Power Café. In the essay she describes her sister’s metaphor of the lemon tree. Because it is a perennial plant, it continues to bloom without water or resources, and it can take between 15-70 years to grow a lemon even after planting the seed. You can either wait for the lemon to bloom with joy or fear, because either way the blooming is predestined, but you do not know it’s timing. Therefore, it’s the attitude of the bearer of fruit that is essential—everything else is prewritten without necessary knowledge.

Ms. Taylor takes this joyful and positive attitude wherever she goes: to her volunteer tutoring, to her classes, to her paid internship at a major record label, where she conducts research and writes reviews on which artists the label should sign, and reads tarot cards to anyone who is interested; and at her part-time job, where she studies the intersection of the stars and moons when not folding jeans.

She intends to stay in New York City, bolstered by her large, and ever growing, circle of friends in the burgeoning indie music scene here. Her goal is to create 2 albums per year for the next five years. When I asked her where she sees herself in that time, she was unequivocal that she would be able to make a living from her songs by then. “I believe it, so it will happen,” she proclaimed, despite the reality that she has only earned a few cents on Spotify for her songs so far.

But she is also practical. At this point, she does not plan to pursue advanced education, so she knows she will need a day job in the interim, and she is trying to gain positions at the record label or in the fashion industry, believing that her NYU degree will give her a leg up in this quest. But her music and art will always come first for Ms. Taylor.

About the Author:

Tejas Desai is an Amazon #1 Bestselling, multiple award-winning author of two dynamic book series: The Brotherhood Chronicle international crime trilogy (The Brotherhood, The Run and Hide, The Dance Towards Death) and The Human Tragedy literary series (Good Americans, the unpublished Bad Americans). He is the founder of The New Wei Literary Arts Movement and runs its associated Salons. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University, attended the University of Oxford, holds two Masters degrees from CUNY-Queens College. While he travels frequently, he works as a Supervising Librarian at one of the busiest public libraries in New York City, where he was born, raised, and of course, still lives.

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kaitropoli · 8 months

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Metropolis (1927)

Metropolis, one of my most favorite films, is a sci-fi drama created by Thea von Harbou (originally in 1925 through her homonymous novel) and directed by her then-husband, Fritz Lang.

This Weimar-era silent film tells the story of a futuristic dystopia, ruled by industrialists who feed off working class labor of those who live underneath the city. Explored is a forbidden relationship between Freder, son of city head, Joh, and Maria, a working class member who holds underground sermons to promote unity between the ruling and working class.

WARNING: PAST THIS BORDER ARE SOME SPOILERS.

THERE IS ANOTHER SECTION PAST THIS LONG PART WITHOUT SPOILERS IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ THAT INSTEAD <3

Rotwang, a scientist associated with Joh, creates a robot with the likeness of Maria. Maria is soon chased and kidnapped by the scientist, who puts her in a cylinder and gives her life to the robot.

Portrayed as the Whore of Babylon, Maria the robot performs a lustful dance for a crowd of men, including Rotwang and Joh, hypnotizing them (represented through lecherous imagery, death parading around, and title cards such as "'Death descends upon the city---!'"

As human Maria used to promote peace to the workers, robot Maria is used to antagonize her original message. Rotwang tells human Maria of Joh's plan to use robot her as his mouthpiece, to promote rebellion between the workers so then he can quell them when trouble arises. Maria is in disbelief, but Rotwang assures her that much worse is to come, revealing that he's tricked Joh since orders to robot Maria only obeys Rotwang.

Robot Maria entices the working class to revolt, and violence soon follows, resulting in destruction and stabbings. Soon, a flood breaks out in the city, which causes commotion leading to blaming Maria, calling her a "witch". However, robot Maria celebrates, while human Maria gathers children to save from the wreckage.

In a misunderstanding, workers believe human Maria was trying to drown the children, and they start chasing her. Surviving almost being grabbed, one of the workers finds robot Maria and take her to be burned at the stake.

More Information on Metropolis

Where to watch: Pluto TV, Tubi, Redbox

Fun (Personal) Information Involving Metropolis

I've seen robot Maria in real life, and you can too! Robot Maria is displayed at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is part of their Robot Hall of Fame, featured alongside The Iron Giant, Tom Servo and Crow, and C-3PO (just to name a few). I've seen her just two months ago, despite a bunch of articles clickbaiting that they took away the robots permanently in their headline (don't believe them lol).

"Metropolis" is a word that exists (wow, no way, Kaiti! I didn't know that AT ALL), and if you have eyes, you probably can tell that my username is "Kaitropoli." You've guessed it, I was inspired by the movie to put combine my name with it--almost like a ship-name lol. Originally, it was "Kaitropolis," but problems rose, so I decided to go with the Italian spelling (aka: forget the "s"), so now we're here. Whenever you think of me, always be reminded of this sci-fi film classic!!

Video information

Edit: Made by me (@kaitropoli)

Song: Mermaid Motel by Lana Del Rey

Footage: Metropolis (1927)

Maria's Transformation

Maria's Dance

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jgroffdaily · 2 years

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The author of a March 2007 feature on Spring Awakening, Brian Keith Jackson, tweeted a link to his New York magazine article. Excerpts:

As spring nears, bringing with it warmer air, a sharp uptick in life lust, and the Tonys, the Spring Awakening juggernaut shows no sign of slowing. The production, which gestated for seven years, is the Little Miss Sunshine of Broadway. Based on Frank Wedekind’s once-banned 1891 play, it’s also the most touchingly wholesome rock musical ever to feature simulated teenage intercourse. These kids channel love, friendship, and compassion along with a healthy sense of repression and rage. There’s a real sweetness on that stage (not to mention one real coupling), and now the young actors are effectively pop stars.

Among a generation not exactly known for flocking to musicals, they’ve set off a whole new wave of swooning, YouTubing fandom. Brian Keith Jackson spoke with them about the show, their lives, and what they listen to when they’re not singing “The Bitch of Living.”

2. Jonathan Groff Plays Melchior, the male lead, and one of the more heartbroken characters. Age 21. Has been with the show for a year. From Lancaster, Pennsylvania—grandfather was a Mennonite preacher. Moved to New York in October 2005. Has been a waiter. On his family seeing him onstage: “The only time it was a little awkward was when it was Off Broadway. I asked if they wanted to sit onstage [where a few audience members sit], but I put them on the side that doesn’t see my ass, because I thought, That’s gonna be weird. But the problem was while I was doing the hayloft [sex] scene with Lea, my parents were right over her shoulder.” Preshow ritual: “Spend time with Lea.” Typical night out: “Go home and watch the DVR of American Idol.” Favorite book: “A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving.” On his iPod: “Rufus Wainwright. I don’t know what album it’s on. [Singing] ‘Men reading fashion magazines.’ Do you know which one I’m talking about?” Want One? “Yeah, that’s it. [Singing] ‘My phone’s on vibrate for you.’ ”

3. Skylar Astin Plays Georg, who’s crushed out on his busty piano teacher. Age 19. With the show for two years. From Rockland County. Dating Lauren Pritchard.On meeting a certain Long Islander: “When Billy Joel came, I freaked. He said, ‘I really love the way you play the piano.’ ” On days off: “I rest. I swear, I’ll join a gym soon.” Ideal night out: “Oh, my God. I don’t drink or smoke or anything like that. I’m kind of boring.” Favorite film: GoodFellas. Most difficult thing about dating a co-star: “Absolutely nothing.” [Lauren, below, concurs.]

5. John Gallagher Jr. Plays Moritz, whose parents truly, and tragically, don’t understand. Age 22. From Wilmington, Delaware. Has been with the production for two years. In a band called Old Springs Pike. Says Spring Awakening has made him a better singer in part by teaching him how to take better care of his voice. On meeting celebrities: “When it happens, you go home and think, Whatever, that was my job tonight. Then a few weeks later you say, ‘Wait a minute, I did shake Steven Spielberg’s hand!’ Kevin Kline was a huge one, because he was so nice.” Favorite movie: “The Last Waltz.” On his iPod: “Sadly, mine just broke. But I’m obsessed with this band called the Avett Brothers, from North Carolina.”

#jonathan groff #spring awakening #spring awakening cast #skylar astin #john gallagher jr #avett brothers #2007

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singeratlarge · 6 months

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SATURDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO “A Little Industrial Nachtmusik” w/John Bechdel (Ministry) & Davy Jones (Monkees) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2kRJSe7fuc…Not long ago, in San Francisco, I had dinner with my old Pennsylvania friend John Bechdel, catching up news on family, friends, and music biz. He’s been with the band Ministry, celebrating their 40th Anniversary on a tour w/Corrosion of Conformity and The Melvins. Ministry is grateful for John because of his skills with live sampling and “industrial” keyboards. As for this video: One may ask what industrial-techno-electronica music has to do with The Monkees, but they were one of the first mainstream pop groups to use synthesizer (also shown on their TV show). Micky Dolenz bought one of the first Moog synthesizers released to the market. On that note: In the late 90s Monkee Davy Jones and I were doing recording sessions at John Bechdel's studio. John is a musical visionary and a wizard of keyboards and synthesizers and has worked with a remarkable list of music acts: Brian Brain, False Icons, Fear Factory, Killing Joke, Prong, and others. John retooled one of Davy's songs, "Oh What a Night" (which we'd recorded in a Phil Collins funk-style in 1996; it was remade by The Monkees in 1997 for their JUSTUS album). He expanded the track with synths and effects, then remixed my Mellotron parts. From this "A Little Industrial Nachtmusik" was made and added to my FIRE album. This video features artwork by visual artist Nathan Wagoner…

youtube

#johnbechdel #ministry #fearfactory #killingjoke #davyjones #monkees #mickydolenz#synthesizer #moog #johnnyjblair #pennsylvania #techno #electronica #Mellotron #charliechaplin #moderntimes #nathanwagoner

#johnny j blair #music #san francisco #pop rock #monkees #davy jones #Nathan Wagoner #Industrial #electronica #synthpop #techno #Mellotron #Youtube

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sfarticles · 8 months

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Places, people and delicious food are main ingredients of Worth Tasting: Culinary Weekend in Paradise

Editor’s Note:Chris Bartlett, co-founder and co-host of Worth Tasting, contributed to this column

Food, the love language of travel, most times, stands the test of time, and more importantly, remains central to the many memories we conjure up, surrounding the places we visit and explore. There is something about food and passion that naturally goes together like chocolate and peanut butter or rice and beans. Whether we are heading somewhere farther away or planning a more localized day trip, food and beverage will always be the greatest common denominator that most defines both the people and the places where we spend the precious free time our lives afford us.

Oftentimes, food is the best part of any trip we take. The food-tourism industry is relatively new. In the book, “Have Fork Will Travel,” by Erik Wolf defines it as “the pursuit and enjoyment of unique and memorable food and drink experiences, both near and far.”

Seriously, who doesn’t relish an eclectic and tantalizing food festival . . .? How about a delish international dish anyone? Can you even say food trucks without thinking about what you might order at the next take-out window you find yourself standing in front of . . . From restaurants and local markets to food-production factories, cooking classes and culinary walking tours, most of us cannot get enough of these kinds of experiences both at home, and on the road.

Today, destination marketing organizations are curating beer, wine, cheese and even chocolate trails. They can be very specific, considering these: BBQ Trail in Mississippi, Pimento Cheese Trail in South Carolina, Pepperoni Trail in West Virginia, the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky, and Pennsylvania’s Pickled: A Fermented Trail. There’s even a hotel with culinary-inspired designs throughout the property, complete with an epicurean theatre; in other words, a paradise for foodies.

I can still recall so many memories of what and where we ate, on my first-ever culinary-walking tour in Portland, Oregon, some 15-plus years ago. Perhaps the only thing hotter than that 104-degree day, was my instantaneous passion and fervor, to not only go on tours such as this one everywhere I could find them (way less tours existed back then), but to launch a tour in my current home city of New Haven, Connecticut, where I had recently began a stint as a food columnist for the New Haven Register. The column was the ideal vehicle for me to share my passion for culinary travel experiences. It enabled me to celebrate the talented chefs and share their stories with each of my columns. Thus, Worth Tasting, a Culinary-Walking Tour of Downtown New Haven was born and took its first group through the Elm City’s streets, to markets, restaurants, and specialty food shops. The tour’s co-founder and co-host, Chris Bartlett, had a vision to expand, beyond the New Haven tour. Many people have written, asking how they might “live” the culinary travel features I write.

Voila, Worth Tasting Weekends is launching, which has its premiere weekend set for October 20-23 at The Addison on Amelia Island, Florida. It seems people cannot get enough food and culinary outings; thus the industry has quickly sophisticated to offer myriad, themed-food-and-specialty-beverage tours and getaways globally. From local and regional culinary-walking tours to weekend food festivals and themed excursions, it seems now is the time to dive into trying one of these out, and it doesn’t matter if you are foodie or simply enjoy sharing time together with friends and family, experiencing one of life’s simple pleasures…food.

Before I delve deeper into the upcoming Worth Tasting: Culinary Weekend in Paradise, here are some of the culinary tours in Greater Philadelphia. I cannot encourage you enough to give one of these a try – it will change your feelings on how to experience food from different neighborhoods to a city at large.

City Food Tours https://www.phillysfoodtour.com/

· StrEATS of Philly Food

Tours https://www.streatsofphillyfoodtours.com/tour/

· Chew Philly Food Tours 215-600-4891

· Philly Food Tours (814) 430-3026

· Tiny Table Tours https://www.tinytabletours.com/

· Philly Food Adventures https://www.phillyfoodadventures.com/

· Secret Food Tours https://www.secretfoodtours.com/philadelphia/

· City Brew Tours https://www.citybrewtours.com/philadelphia/

Now, if you travel through Pennsylvania, beyond Greater Philadelphia, to explore food landmarks across the state, a copy of Pennsylvania “Good Eats: Exploring the State’s Favorite, Unique, Historic, and Delicious Foods,” by Brian Yarvin (2021, Globe Pequot, $21.95) is a must. The author writes, “it’s the right time to take a fresh look at what Pennsylvania eats.”

If a fall trip is on your agenda, then plan a weekend in paradise; Worth Tasting: An Exciting Tasting Tour on Amelia Island. You’ll spend the weekend in historic downtown Fernandina Beach, FL on Amelia Island learning the secrets of creating food boards to enjoy at the inn as well as ideas to take home to share and prepare for family and friends. The culinary weekend includes a 3-course breakfast each morning at the inn, lunch on Saturday and Sunday, an evening social hour with complimentary beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the inn, dinner Friday night at a local brewery plus Sunday night at España Restaurant and Tapas. There’s more…a culinary walking tour in the historic district, a visit to the farmers market to pick up the freshest items to make beautiful food boards and a luncheon at Story & Song, a two-story bookstore followed by a cookbook market. Attendees will also receive a copy of a cookbook featuring food boards. For a detailed itinerary and reservations visit bit.ly/3QXgI4j

The inn’s three Antebellum-style buildings surround a courtyard, fountain, and charming gardens. Lisa West, owner of the inn with her husband Ron, said, “the inn blends the elegance of a bygone era with the modern amenities and conveniences the discriminating traveler expects.” By the way, Lisa hails from the Philadelphia area, and looks forward to catching up on what’s going on in her hometown when you visit. Watch my interview with Lisa here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOIs2pn2qUk

Complimentary bikes to explore Fort Clinch and/or Eagan’s Creek are available at the inn. A block away is Center Street, where you can check out boutiques, shops, museums galleries and of course food, that is if you are still hungry with all the food included during the weekend.

I look forward to having you join me to experience much of what I wrote about The Addison on Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach, earlier in the year. Check out the website below and be the first to know about other destinations as they are rolled out by subscribing to the blog.

Stephen Fries, is Professor Emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, in New Haven, CT. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 15 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, CT. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. [email protected] For more, go to stephenfries.com.

#Amelia Island #Worth Tasting weekend #Addison on Amelia Island #culinary travel

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cal-metacritic · 10 months

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PopMatters - Ariana (Ariangel)

Ariana Grande - ARIANGEL (75/100)

Ariana Grande is back with ARIANGEL, the second album by the superstar and the first one under her new record label, Brevity Records. The album, as explained by Grande, explores the themes of heartbreak, mental health, and navigating the strenuous journey of self love. It could also be described as a ‘light’ concept album, drawing subtle references from the Christian religion and angelic hierarchies to paint a broader picture. Little sidenote, we did not review the deluxe tracks of the album for our review.

The album starts off strong with “Sent From Above” which sets the tone for the album, it feels like a powerful start, especially due to the lyrics. We wonder if Grande lives up for the rest of the album. Grande then takes us to “Sweet Tooth”, the lead single for the album. We feel like the song is all over the place, but if we are being honest, it works. “Anything I Want” is next and features Tyga, we feel like this song could have been scrapped from the album as we feel like it didn’t add too much for the album, it did something, but honestly, if we listened to it just for fun, I would’ve skipped it. Maybe it would be better if it was just Grande on the song, but at least we know Grande really wants some Gucci or Louis Vuitton bags.

“Girl’s Night Out” is next, the second single as per release of the album. Honestly, the instrumental of the song feels outdated and something that has been done years ago which, to us, is a waste. This song could have stood out more if the right instrumental was used. Grande then takes us to “Time Will Tell” and we cannot tell you more than this song is so well executed, the instrumental, Grande’s voice, the lyrics and just all of it. It really grabs your attention when you hear the very first second of the song, which is such a good thing. Then the album takes us to another less impressive track “Nosebleed”. But, Grande picks it up and delivers an amazing track titled “Afraid Of Healing”. Much like Time Will Tell, this one is also one of the highlights on the album, we feel that the sample, of the 2009 confrontation between a member of the public and Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter (D), could have not been included in the song as it is a little distracting.

The next one is “Some People Aren’t Meant To Be Friends”. We can understand people being caught off guard by the title just because of how long it is. But, if you listen to the song, you really pay attention to the lyrics which are really the highlight of the track. It is realizing that you moved past the friendship and that it is easier to part your ways and that it is okay you do that even though it kinda hurts in the beginning. Friendships do last lifetimes and some don’t and that is totally okay, definitely one of the highlights on the album. Grande then takes us to “Clouds”, the ninth track on the album. and it has what we expect from Grande, a cute pop song which suits Grande so much. We can all agree that Grande is an artist made for pop and R&B music and she does that so well. Grande closes the album with ‘War In Heaven”. The best one on the album. The lyrics, the thought behind the song and the instrumental, it all matches perfectly and that is what makes this song stand out from the rest.

Overall, ARIANGEL is a good move for Ariana. She definitely let us know she is back. There are some flaws here and there but we did really love listening to this album. Grande is an amazing vocalist and she showcases her vocals on the album perfectly with highlights on the album such as “Afraid Of Healing”, “Some People Aren’t Meant To Be Friends” and “War In Heaven”. She’s living her life and doing what she loves the most, and we thank her for that.

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mttstructures · 1 year

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Luxury Outdoor Pagoda Marquee Tents For Sale

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#tent for sale south africa

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staticspaces · 2 months

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Knight in Shining Armour

Don't forget, there is a video as well!!

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And finally, to wrap up this incredible time capsule, let's have a look at the office, the blue bedroom along with the unusual item left behind that gave this location its name!!

Along a scenic road lies this incredible time capsule house with everything left behind. This large home built in 1956 features interior design elements from the 70s including shag carpeting in the bedrooms, a carpeted wall in the primary bedroom, appliances from the same era and even an Asian themed tiki bar/room in the basement. There are a number of personal items left behind as well from clothing, to photos and even letters from the children to their father.

The Home was owned by a German man named Hans. He was born in 1923, and he married a woman named Emma at a relatively young age. Hans was a school teacher by profession, teaching at a nearby school. He was a hard worker and was always furthering his education, as seen in a number of certificates found throughout the home. I believe he also had a small business selling renewable energy sources such as, solar panels and wind turbines which he operated out of a separate part of the home. In his spare time he liked to build and maintain his elaborate model train display in the basement.

He and his wife Emma enjoyed travelling and did so often until finally deciding to settle down. They had two children, Adele and Michael. They led an idyllic life for a few years but as time went on cracks began to emerge in the marriage. Emma decided it was time to leave and she moved with their children a couple of hours away from Hans.

Hans moved on and met a woman named Ida. Michael would occasionally send letters to Hans and from what I read, they did not have the best relationship. Michael being very religious, was always optimistic they would see each other during the holidays but from the sounds of the letters, that likely didn't happen. He was also upset about the fact that his father did not call him regularly. In one of the letters Michael said that after a phone call with his father, he was scared to death of visiting him after speaking his mind. Emma did not get along well with her ex husband and this likely played a role in the ability for the children to visit with their father as well.

Life continued on for both families until Hans passed away in 1980, he was only 57. Ida lived in the home until at least 1983 as seen in a handwritten letter from Michael addressed to her. At some point after that, Ida moved to Pennsylvania since she likely had friends/family there. The house has sat abandoned ever since.

Emma passed away a few years ago but I have not been able to find out any information about Adele. Michael however spent a lot of time in school training to work in a religious related field. He had inherited a strong work ethic from his father, reminiscing about how Saturdays were work days and how that impacted his life. He has since found a very rewarding and successful career in religion.

#abandoned #urbex #urban exploring #urban exploration #bandos #abandoned buildings #abandoned places #forgotten #abandoned houses #forgotten buildings #abandoned homes #forgotten places #time capsule houses #time capsule homes #abandoned time capsules #videos #Youtube

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thetraviesoartist · 1 year

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Notes #1

Willem De Kooning -> De Kooning was one of the many artists that helped define the abstract expressionism movement of the 20th century. He was born in 1904 in Rotterdam and soon at the young age of 12 became an apprentice to a painting/decoration firm. On top of this, he would attend Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts to future increase his education during the night while still working. There, he would get formal training and learn to draw traditional subjects. He became obsessed with the avant-garde movement later at the age of 22. He would emigrate to America on a ship to New Jersey, where he became a house painter and later on moved to New York City after. In New York City, he would be able to meet other painters such as himself, including Arshile Gorky and Stuart Davis. Kooning’s works would be a reflection of his love of abstraction and inspired by the surrealism movement and his friend Gorky’s own works. While his work is mostly abstraction, he was trained formally in figure painting and used to work closely with many male models, including his own friends as subjects. These friends included Rudolph Burkhardt and Edwin Denby. He would later in life meet a young art student named Elaine and they would marry in 1943, which Kooning would become inspired by and even draw her. He would draw a series of drawings featuring women, but in a 1948 exhibit at Charles Egan gallery, he would instead choose to feature his enamel abstract dynamic paintings. One of his more popular works is Woman I, which took him nearly 3 years to make as he constantly was working on it on and off. It was unique as it showcased the woman figure in the avant-garde style. A while after this, he and his wife would separate and he would move to the eastern end of Easter Island, and before his divorce he would have his sole child named Lisa Kooning. He would move to Springs in 1963 and constructed a huge studio to live and work in. Living at Springs would fuel his landscape passion as the sunsets, stillness of the water and much more would inspire him to draw. He would also go back to drawing women in his later years, changing his art style by using more vicious paint and broad strokes. These two concepts, landscape and women would be his central themes for the rest of his life. In the end, he returned back to what he knew best and learned, basic figure drawing and landscape.

Alice Neel -> Neel was an interesting artist and completely opposite from Willem De Kooning. As an artist her subject solely focused on people and highlighting their personality through the artwork. And oftentimes, the focus of her artworks were taboo things or art about subjects people at the time wouldn’t speak about. She was known as the “collector of souls” as she would capture her subject’s soul into her own artworks, making it feel as if you were right in front of a person instead of just looking at a painting. Her works are on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, where Neel hoped that people who would view her artwork would be shocked at what was depicted. Some of the subjects she drew were pregnant women naked, something that at the time was challenging's society views on women and how we treat and view pregnant women’s bodies. Neel was born in 1900 and grew up in Pennsylvania in a small town, which she frankly despised due to the closeted views and ideals the town held. So, when she was 21, she would leave the small town and would attend an all-girl school in order to focus on her studies and not be distracted by boys. This however, wouldn’t help her much because she stated she was good looking and would still attract many male admirers. In the end, she would end up chasing one of these boys, a Cuban named Carlos Enriquez, who she would go move to Havana in order to make art. In the end, however, their love was short and tragic, and they would separate and Neel would go through the hardest parts of her life. She would begin to draw people’s lives and capture them during this time, beginning with two young Spanish girls who lived in poverty. Neel didn’t capture an unrealistic sense of her subjects, she would capture the rawness and vividness of their character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrpTCuaEKMk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drSmmja15uY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4dLrnc5XPQ

Video and Article Reflection Post

What have you learned about all three artists?

Alice Neel was an artist who loved to paint artworks reflecting people living in the moment and often depicting people of varying races and backgrounds. She often drew things people weren't comfortable drawing, such as naked pregnant women. Her artworks depict people and the humanity in us all, and even some of her artworks reflect the pain and struggles she herself went through. Willem de Kooning was an artist who often paints extremely quickly and focuses on an abstract style. He looked up to artists like Picasso which gives his work a sense of style as it is composed of several different artists' styles. His compositions are extremely vivid and abstract in nature, but often changed up his style and never really stuck to one exact style. Lucian Freud as an artist was interesting as compared to the other two prior artists, his is much more realistic and less abstract or stylized. Most of his artwork features nude models, and most of his models are people he knew who he invited into his studio to model for him. One of the things I most noticed when viewing his artwork was his heavy usage of brown tones and nude colors, showing how much Freud loved to draw the human body. He truly was captivated by the human figure it being the only thing he ever drew, even his own final painting was a portrait of himself.

What impressed you the most about the way they work?

Each artist had a completely different style when it came to how they worked the canvas. Neel was more focused on her subject matter and capturing the essence of humanity in her artworks. Kooning had compressed several different art styles to combine his own unique style (such as Expressionism, Cubism, etc.) and often chose to paint women and mostly painted in a gestural form, which was helped by his way of working quickly with fast strokes. Freud chose a more realistic style, trying to stay true to the human body, and focused a lot of naked portraits. Most of Freud's works were based on models all from people close to him, from his friends to his own family, with a few expectations. Overall, what impresses me most about all these artists is how they were able to forge their own stylistic art and how they were able to depict what mattered most to them in an artwork.

Which is your favorite and why?

My favorite of all the shown artists would have to be Alice Neel. While each of these respectable artists has their own unique style which enables them to make such artworks, I feel like Neel's style paired with her subject matter makes for stunning pieces. Kooning had a more abstract style and Freud had a realism style going on, but Neel's was so unique because it wasn't just her style that gave life to her painting. It was the fact that her paintings would vary so drastically, portraying people of all types and backgrounds and having a focus on highlighting what makes us human. I think that aspect of her works makes it so endearing and makes it so that nearly everyone can find an artwork of hers and relate it to it on a more personal level.

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graceschory · 1 year

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How does American Girl doll work to empower young women?

When I was a young girl, everyone in my class owned an American Girl doll. Every time I would come back to school after winter break another person got one of these dolls for Christmas. I would always feel so left out knowing I never had one waiting for me under the tree on December 25th and I would beg my mom every year for one until my wish finally came true. I was gifted Kit Kittredge, a girl who was from Cincinnati in the height of the Great Depression. The reason I wanted that specific doll was because my friend once put on the movie inspired by the doll at a sleepover. She was fearless, compassionate and everything I wanted to be when I was little. Because I had a younger sister, she also got one. These dolls are 18 inches in length and cost about $115 each so it goes without saying my mother was not too fond of my new obsession. A huge part of my adolescence was playing with my American Girl doll, dressing her up, reading the book she came with and of course watching her movie I loved so much. After all these years American Girl doll is still producing products & continues to inspire the next generation of girls like me.

History behind the doll

American girl doll was founded in 1986 by Pleasant T Rowland, her goal with creating these dolls was to generate great stories with aspirational characters could inspire girls to make their own positive mark on the world - according to the American Girl doll website

In 1986 the historical characters launched, each character is highlighted in a book series that explains what era she came in to educate young girls on the type of women who came before us. The first three dolls were 18 inches and named Kristen Samantha and Molly and all three of these girls came with a book that taught lessons on the country’s history and the role they played in it.

In 1995 American Girl dolls introduced Bitty Baby which are 15 inch baby dolls and the point of the Bitty Baby dolls was to help young girls develop important life skills like caring and nurturing. Bitty Baby is marketed for girls around 2 to 4 years old according to Rowland.

In 1998 the first American Girl doll store opened in Chicago, today there are 18 locations across the United States and two in the United Arab Emirates. American Girl Place in Chicago was the first of its kind to combine retail with a dining/salon experience.

In 2001 American Girl launched “girl of the year” which includes an exclusive character that comes out once a year. According to Insider the brand wanted to shift to more contemporary stores that modern girls connect with. An example of a recent girl of the year doll is Joss Kendrick - a surfer cheerleader and environmental activist who wears a hearing aid.

American Girl Place

In 1998 the first American Girl store opened in Chicago, IL. There are now 18 locations across the United states, the flagship stores being in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The point of these stores is that you can purchase an American Girl doll in person, have lunch in the cafe with them, go to the salon with them and partake and various other activities.

Stores that have been built with a cafe allow you to dine with your doll for brunch, lunch, tea or dinner. If you bought or purchased a doll they provide seats for you and your doll to eat together.

There is a salon for you to get your doll a new hairstyle, get their ears pierced and even a mini salon experience like getting a manicure. This is a very popular feature at the American Girl doll store. Prices for this are also very inexpensive ranging from 10 to 20 dollars depending how elaborate the style is.

There have also been two outlet stores, the first location in Oshkosh Wisconsin from 2002 to 2016 and the second store in Hershey Pennsylvania from 2018 to 2021.

If you do not live close to an American Girl doll store you can call customer service and get appointed a personal shopper and order items to be shipped to your house.

You can also purchase the American Girl doll books at the stores which are an essential part of the American Girl doll experience. They offer a wide variety of historical and early chapter books based on the dolls. That means if you purchase any of the dolls you can also get a book that tells your dolls backstory.

American Girl doll stores also provide birthday celebrations so you can share your special day with all of your friends. They also provide the details needed like invitations, dinner, cake, goodybags, and a special gift for the birthday girl.

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Diversity & Inclusion

For a long time, there was only dolls for young girls that were white, skinny & blonde. Barbie dolls are a good example of that. It is important to implement the fact that everyone is different & that's what makes us special. American Girl doll does a good job of making sure there are a wide range of dolls to choose from. American Girl doll wants to celebrate every kind of great & they do this by providing dolls of different skin tones, face molds, eye colors & hairstyles & textures. A scholarly article reports that a huge part of American Girl Dolls market is the fact that they provide history books to accompany the doll. Young girls are able to gain education about their heritage while also enjoying a toy they love. Thats what makes American Girl so special, there is a doll for everyone that not only educates but inspires. Adminfree.org says "the Pleasant Company has shown that markets respond to diverse customer populations." Having diversity in your product is necessary for every young girl to feel included. I had the privilege growing up of being able to find a doll that represented me pretty easily, other girls may not be as lucky. The American Girl doll website states that they seek to create a world where everyone is valued & respected & they stand united in the fight against systemic racism. American Girl doll released their first African American doll in 1993 & to this day they continue to produce dolls of all colors. According to Race & Rag Dolls, preschoolers embody their favorite characters and narratives through engagements with media franchises that link multiple products across multiple platforms. Thats why it is so important to have diversity in children's toys, everyone should feel included & seen. American Girl goes above & beyond when it comes to diversity. They also provide various specialized items such as asthma and allergy sets, service dog gear, crutches, a wheelchair, and a diabetes kit.

Conclusion

How does American Girl work to empower young girls? Since its creation in 1986, American Girl doll has worked to ensure that their dolls inspire young women all around the world. When I was young & would read the books that correlate with each specific doll I would always think one thing: I want to be like that when I grow up. American Girl has done a great job throughout the years ensuring that every girl has a doll that represents their culture in a good way. They want young women to feel empowered & realize that they are capable of doing anything they set their mind to. For me, my Kit Kittredge doll inspired me to be a better person & have compassion for the people around me. Throughout many generations of women American Girl continues to spread its message & hopefully it will still be able to do that for years to come.

#Youtube

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xtruss · 1 year

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Giant Flying Insect Found On Walmart Building Turns Out To Be Jurassic-era Find

— By Taylor Nicioli | Friday March 3, 2023

The Giant Lacewing, or Polystoechotes Punctata, belongs to a family of insects that predates the dinosaurs. After vanishing in the 1950s, one specimen has been rediscovered in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

An insect found on the side of a Fayetteville, Arkansas, big-box store has been identified as the species Polystoechotes punctata, which belongs to a family of insects that predates the dinosaurs.

Michael Skvarla, director of Pennsylvania State University’s Insect Identification Lab, spotted the Jurassic-era creature, otherwise known as a giant lacewing, on a shopping trip in 2012, when he was a doctoral student of entomology at the University of Arkansas.

“I remember it vividly, because I was walking into Walmart to get milk and I saw this huge insect on the side of the building,” Skvarla said in a statement. “I thought it looked interesting, so I put it in my hand and did the rest of my shopping with it between my fingers. I got home, mounted it, and promptly forgot about it for almost a decade.”

Skvarla initially had misidentified the lacewing as an antlion, a dragonfly-like insect that shares certain features, including long transparent wings, with the lacewing. But after presenting the insect to his online entomology course in the fall of 2020, he realized that what he had all those years was something much rarer and more impressive.

He performed further DNA analyses to confirm the identity of the insect, and the giant lacewing has now become part of the Frost Entomological Museum’s collection at Penn State.

The Giant Lacewing’s Disappearance

The giant lacewing vanished in the 1950s from eastern North America, where it was formerly widespread, according to the paper Skvarla coauthored that was published in the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. Scientists thought the species had been completely wiped out in the region. The recent discovery of the lacewing in Arkansas is the first record of the species in the state.

“Entomology can function as a leading indicator for ecology,” Skvarla said in the statement. “The fact that this insect was spotted in a region that it hasn’t been seen in over half a century tells us something more broadly about the environment.”

While the mysterious disappearance of the insect is suspected to have been due to efforts to suppress natural forest fires in eastern North America, according to the paper, the bigger mystery is how the insect ended up at a superstore in an urban area of Arkansas.

“It could have been 100 years since (the species) was even in this area — and it’s been years since it’s been spotted anywhere near it. The next closest place that they’ve been found was 1,200 miles away, so very unlikely it would have traveled that far,” Skvarla said. He suggested the lacewing was attracted to the lights and flew at least a few hundred meters from where it had been living.

Skvarla’s find has opened the door for future lacewing discoveries, as insect enthusiasts begin to check their own collections and search for the species in the wild in places they hadn’t thought to look before, said Dr. Floyd Shockley, the collections manager for the department of entomology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

“Anytime that you find an insect species not in a place that you’re used to it being, that has a lot of implications for our understanding of that species — the kind of distribution it has, the kind of ecosystem that it might require to complete its lifecycle,” Shockley said. “It means something that we thought was gone, at least from the Eastern US, may still be there, and it’s just hiding in small pockets.”

Shockley also noted the importance of museum collections, such as the one with the Smithsonian or at Penn State, where the lacewing resides, as they “help to capture different snapshots of biodiversity across time and allows us to see what is happening and why it is happening.”

“Everybody always sort of focuses in on the big stuff — big birds and mammals and things like that. But this is an insect world. … We’re just living on it,” Shockley said. “It is really important to have that sort of appreciation. And one of the nice things about insects is that there is so much diversity for you to appreciate, just in your backyard.”

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menuandprice · 1 year

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Subway Steak and Cheese Review

Subway offers subs to fit every taste and satisfy every craving. From simple meat and cheese subs to the B.M.T. (short for “Biggest, Meatiest, Tastiest,” the ingredient combinations are endless. One sub that caught a lot of attention when it was first released was the Steak & Cheese Sub, a variation of the famous regional “Cheesesteak Sandwich” popular in Philidelphia. It was tough to find a Cheesesteak Sandwich outside of the city just a few years ago, but thanks to some creativity, Subway is one of the major chains that now offers their version. How does it stack up to the original? Find out in our Subway Steak & Cheese review.

History and Inspiration

The Steak & Cheese Sub is inspired by the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, which is made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll. It was developed in the early 20th century by combining frizzled beef, onions, and cheese in a small bread loaf. Of course, it has roots in the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cheesesteaks have grown in popularity among restaurants and food carts throughout the city. Now, variations of cheesesteak sandwiches can be found in many fast-food chains and even high-end restaurants all over the country. Subway’s Steak and Cheese Sandwich made its debut in 2006 as one of two premium steak sandwich offerings. It’s made of diced pieces of seared seasoned steak, cheese, fire-roasted sweet bell peppers, and onions on your choice of Subway’s aromatic, fresh-baked bread.

Types of Subway Steak and Cheese

The Steak & Cheese sandwich features slices of beef steak, and you can choose either American cheese, cheddar cheese, or provolone cheese. You can also choose a 6-inch sub or a 12-inch sub. Some locations even offer Steak & Cheese Sliders.

Subway Steak and Cheese Review

The Subway Steak and Cheese Sub tastes even better toasted – you want the cheese to be extra melted. To make it taste more like an authentic Philly Cheesesteak, add ketchup and mayo.

Photo by Taylor Herring under License CC 2.0 1. Taste and Texture Each 6-inch sub comes with two scoops of steak. Subway’s pre-cooked steak is slightly moist, well-seasoned, and tender enough to chew without too much work. You can choose any cheese you like (some locations offer more choices than others), but I enjoy Provolone cheese, which is mild and nicely melted. I also ask for extra cheese because two slices just aren’t enough. The veggies were tasty, crisp, and fresh. There were plentiful too, so I got a good taste of bell peppers and onions in every bite. I like the parmesan garlic bread or the jalapeño cheddar bread. Both are fresh and delicious toasted. You can add any condiment you like, but mayo and ketchup will give you the more authentic Cheesesteak taste. For variation, I’ve also enjoyed it with chipotle sauce.

2. Are they healthy? The 6-inch sub has about 26 grams of protein, thanks to the steak and cheese, making it a decent source of this nutrient. The Steak & Cheese sub also contains 10 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, and no trans fat. You’ll get plenty of carbs, as there are 39 grams in a 6-inch sub, as well as 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of sugars. While meats and cheeses may provide some nutrients, veggies are the healthiest part. Onions are a good source of quercetin, which helps your body absorb other nutrients it needs, so the more, the better. Green bell peppers are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid, and fiber. 3. Are they Worth it? If you don’t live in Philadelphia, but you have a cheesesteak craving, the Subway Steak & Cheese might be your next best choice. You can find a Subway location just about anywhere, even internationally – and with so many flavor combinations, you can customize your sub exactly the way you like it. The price is a bit high, but it’s better to buy a 12-inch sub and share it. Filling, fairly nutritious, savory, and satisfying, it’s worth a try for sure.

Photo by Brian Child under License CC 2.0 Final Verdict It’s not an authentic Philly Cheesesteak, but it’s comparable. It comes with a good amount of sliced steak, melted cheese, and veggies, and the price is fair. Plus, it’s easy to find a version you really enjoy with all the condiment, bread, and cheese combinations.

Subway Steak and Cheese Nutrition Facts

Serving size: One six-inch sub Calories – 340 Total fat – 10 g Saturated Fat – 4.5 g Sodium – 1040 mg Carbs – 39 g Dietary Fiber – 2 g Sugars – 5 g Protein – 23 g

Subway Steak and Cheese Pricing

Subway’s 6-inch Steak & Cheese, with 4 ounces of sliced steak, is $4.99, but the 12-inch sub is around $8.49. The best choice value-wise would be to buy the bigger sub and either share it with someone or save it for later. If you want to add more veggies, sauces, or seasonings, it’s completely free. But if you want more meat, it’ll cost extra. This sub is fast, convenient, tasty, and overall a solid fast-food choice. What do you think about our Subway Steak & Cheese Review? How would you compare the Subway Steak & Cheese with a Philly Cheesesteak? What would make it taste more authentic, in your opinion? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. The post Subway Steak and Cheese Review appeared first on Fast Food Menu Prices. Read the full article

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Jazz: Satin Doll - Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn

Satin Doll - Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn (Jazz sheet music)

https://rumble.com/embed/v1v8vp4/?pub=14hjof

When Billy Strayhorn Met Duke Ellington?

On November 29, 1915, a child was born at Miami Valley Hospital in the city of Dayton, Ohio. The baby had severe rickets and the doctor who delivered the baby told his parents, Lilliam and William Thomas Strayhorn, that he had little chance of survival. They didn't even bother to choose a name for him, and on the birth certificate they only listed him as “boy” Strayhorn. At five years old, "kid" Strayhorn was very little (he looked two years younger than he was), with a round face and quite cheeky. His parents decided to name him William and regularized his birth certificate. To all this, the Strayhorns had settled in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). William's first contact with a piano was at his maternal grandmother's house in North Caroline, where he spent long periods of time: “My grandmother played the piano, and she taught me several of the songs she sang in church like “When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there” which was my mother's favorite”. Williams's house in Pittsburgh lacked a piano, and he could not continue his musical exercises there, so he looked for a job as a delivery man in a drugstore, and with the money he saved he was able to buy his long-awaited instrument. At the age of 12, William enrolled in classes at Westinghouse High School, where he studied for five years. During that time he was part of the school's Senior Orchestra as a pianist and began to compose music combining elements of jazz with classical music. In 1935, William – who from now on I will call him Billy – premiered a musical entitled “Fantastic Rhythm” at Westinghouse High School that featured a chorus of dancers and a band led by him. Among the ten songs that made up the work is the one entitled "My Little Brown Book" that Duke Ellington recorded with his orchestra on June 26, 1942. Before meeting Duke Ellington, Billy formed a trio in 1937 with clarinetist Jerry Eisner and drummer Calvin Dort under the name "Mad Hatters". His first performance was at Billy's Club. The owner liked what he heard and ended up hiring the group to entertain every weekend for a year. The music they played were Strayhorn compositions such as “Something to live for”, which we will find again a few lines below. Billy also played regularly at the “Rakuen Lake” resort on “piano solo”. His reputation grew in Pittsburgh, and several bands in this city hired him as an arranger. Crawford Grill #1 was once a Pittsburgh institution. It opened its doors around the middle of the first decade of the 20th century by businessman William "Gus" Greenlee. It was a beautiful local of three heights. The boss's office was located on the third floor, and only VIPs could enter it. The first floor was a jazz club where whites and blacks could dance good jazz and where there was never any problem in this regard. The second floor was a restaurant by the name of the Rumpus Room of Crawford Grill that offered two offerings. The first was called "Chill Night" and the protagonist was Greenlee, but stuck in the kitchen. The second was known as “Jewish Night” and the star was Helen – businessman's wife – also in charge of the kitchen. This plant was the one that Duke Ellington and many of his musicians visited when the orchestra was performing in Pittsburgh. David Perelman, a young student at the University of Pittsburgh's College of Pharmacy who loved jazz, had heard Billy Strayhorn play on several occasions. His music amazed him and he wanted to lend him a hand in any way to get him out of the anonymity that represented being known only in Pittsburgh. David's best friend was a pharmacy student like him named George Greenlee, who was the nephew of Gus Greenlee. One day he said to him, “George, I know a guy who is one of the best musicians I've ever heard, and he doesn't seem like he's going to make a big leap. Your uncle knows all the great musicians, could he introduce you to any of them? George agreed. After midnight on December 1, 1938, George entered his uncle's club and went up to the second floor as he knew Duke Ellington was with him. Once Gus introduced him to his nephew, he turned to Duke and said, " Duke, I have a good friend who has written some songs, and I'd like you to listen to them." George knew that it was almost impossible for the musician to refuse when he was in front of his uncle, so Duke replied, “Well, why don't we meet tomorrow at the Stanley Theater after my first showing? And the appointment was closed. The next day, George had met Billy at one o'clock in front of the theater. They entered it and went to Duke's dressing room, which was very spacious with a table and several chairs and a piano located on one of the walls. They found him reclining in a chair with his eyes closed. Next to him was his valet. George introduced him to Billy, and Duke, without opening his eyes, said, "Sit down at the piano and let me hear what you've done . " Before beginning to play Billy commented to him: “Mr. Ellington this is the way you play the song “Sophisticated Lady” . And he played it exactly the same as Ellington did onstage. At the end, he told her: "Now, this is the way I would play it." Billy changed its key, substituted several chords, and played it at a slightly faster tempo. When he finished, Duke made no comment to Billy, but told his valet: "Tell Harry to come over" (Harry Carney, baritone sax in his orchestra). When he arrived, Duke said to Billy, " can you play the same?" Strayhorn not only played the same thing, but continued with other songs composed by Ellington, such as "Solitude", but interpreting them in his own way. This time it was Carney who left the dressing room and returned with singer Ivie Anderson and sax player Johnny Hodges. The whole group surrounded Billy and he dared to play his songs like “Something to live for” which he also sang. Throughout the time that Strayhorn was playing, Ellington remained behind him and at one point placed his hands on the now pianist's shoulders, as if showing him what he was feeling. This session ended with these words from Duke to Billy: “Okay, I want you in my organization. I have to find a way to integrate you into it. I have to figure out how to do it, once I get back to New York." In the year 1939, Billy Strayhorn accepted the conditions, whatever they were, to collaborate with Duke Ellington. He told him that he should move to New York and the Harlem neighborhood. He even told her that the easiest way to get to his house was to take the “A” train and get off at the Sugar Hill station. In the first meeting that Strayhorn and Ellington had at the latter's home, the bandleader asked his new collaborator if he remembered a song of his that he had played when he met him at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh. Billy knew that he was referring to the titled “Something to live for” which became the first song that the orchestra recorded composed by him. The date was March 21, 1939, in New York. The vocalist was Jean Eldridge. If we take a look at the album credits, we will see that Duke Ellington is listed as co-composer. That was the "tithes and first fruits" that Billy had to pay to the Duke. Something that was quite common. During the year 1939, Billy Strayhorn composed a song based on directions Duke gave him so he could find his home in Harlem. He also wrote her a letter that goes like this: You must take the A train / to go to Sugar Hill and get to Harlem / If you miss the A train / you will realize that you have lost the fastest way to Harlem / Hurry, get on the train, it is coming / listen to how the rails vibrate / All aboard, let's get on the A train / Soon we'll be arriving at Sugar Hill in Harlem. Strayhorn wrote “Take the 'A' train” for Ellington, but from the outset he had serious doubts whether the song was really appropriate for his orchestra to perform. He was not at all sure that in “Take the 'A' train” those hallmarks so present in Ellington's works were perceived. It seemed to him a more appropriate song for the Fletcher Henderson orchestra. For all these reasons, he decided to keep the score in a drawer, but at that time a decision was going to modify the norms that until now governed between composers and North American radio stations. The ASCAP – The North American Society of Authors and Publishers– made the decision to raise the royalties that radio stations had to pay by nearly 400% if they wanted to broadcast music composed by any of its members. This fact gave rise to a dispute between ASCAP and the radio stations. The first measure that the authors' society took was to prohibit the broadcast of songs by its affiliates on the radio, which was a severe blow to Ellington, since all of his work was registered with ASCAP. Duke met with his son Mercer and Strayhorn (who were not members of ASCAP) and asked them to show him all the music they had composed. As they both prepared to hand over his works to Ellington, Mercer watched as Strayhorn stood up, read a piece of sheet music, crumpled it up, and tossed it into the wastebasket. Mercer picked up the sheet music, read it, and told Strayhorn, “Don't throw this away. Is very good". And in this way "Take the 'A' Train" came into the hands of Duke. The song had an excellent reception by the listeners of the different radio stations in which the Duke's orchestra performed it. On February 5, the Ellington band recorded it in Hollywood. These were the musicians: Rex Stewart (c); Wallace Jones(t); Ray Nance(t); Lawrence Brown (tb); Tricky Sam Nanton (tb); Juan Tizol (vtb); Barney Bigard (cl); Johnny Hodges (as); Otto Hardwick (as); Ben Webster(ts); Harry Carney (bs); Duke Ellington(s); Fred Guy (g); Jimmie Blanton(b); Sonny Greer (d). “Take the 'A' Train” became the orchestra's “presentation song” (signature theme) for more than fifteen years, replacing “Sepia Panorama”. Quincy Jones had these words about the Strayhorn song : “Take the 'A' Train” was the Holy Grail. It identifies a population, identifies a lifestyle: that of the “Harlem Renaissance”. Is incredible. He is all encompassing and says it all in 32 bars.” In this article I have only talked about a couple of songs composed by Billy Strayhorn. I will remedy this in another article in which I will write exclusively about the songs, which in my opinion and with due prudence, I consider the most emblematic of his extensive and brilliant discography. Here and now I want to record that Billy Strayhorn was one of the best American composers of all time, but he has passed through the history of music like a ghost in the shadow of Duke Ellington, but through no fault of his own: "Every time If I had a harmonic or melodic problem my eyes went to Billy Strayhorn. We talked to each other and everything came into focus. He was not, as has often been claimed, my alter ego. Billy Strayhorn was my right hand, my left hand, my brain waves in his head and his in mine.” Billy Strayhorn died in May 1967 and for thirty years he remained practically invisible to historians, musicologists, the specialized press, disk jockeys... In 1996, a professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism wrote a biography dedicated to Billy Strayhorn entitled "Lush Life" and it seems that perhaps this work (which has been one of my sources for writing this article) will encourage the world of jazz to take a serious interest in one of its most creative and adventurous musicians. On August 28 and November 15, 1967, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra paid a heartfelt tribute to the memory of Billy Strayhorn. They titled it “… And His Mother Called Him Bill” (… And his Mother Called Him Bill.” All the tracks on the album were Strayhorn compositions, including some that had not been recorded up to that time. Los músicos fueron: Duke Ellington (p); Mercer Ellington (t); Cat Anderson (t); Herbie Jones (t); Cootie Williams (t); Clark Terry (flug); Lawrence Brown (tb); Buster Cooper (tb); Chuck Connors (btb); John Sanders (vtb); Johnny Hodges (as); Russell Procope (as); Jimmy Hamilton (ts); Paul Gonsalves (ts); Harry Carney (bs); Aaron Bell (b); Jeff Castleman (b); Steve Little (d).

DUKE ELLINGTON "Daydream" BILLY STRAYHORN (1968)

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