#--; she can share the spotlight with tia

[archive-double-knots]

strange magic resurgence let's go

[sl-vega]

ᯓ★ MY HEART BEATS FOR YOU

Pairing: [BASSIST!] Scaramouche x [GUITARIST!] Reader

Genre: rivals/enemies to lovers, rivals to friends to lovers, fluff, crack (?), comedy, angst (?), slowburn, high school au, band au, modern au, social media au, smau

Synopsis: You're the lead guitarist for your band, C✧LESTIA and Scaramouche is the bassist of 5WIRL. The two of your bands have a friendly rivalry, but you and Scaramouche don't. On top of being academic rivals, you and him have never been on good terms. Always one-upping each other in grades and in music. Even your bandmates have grown tired of your constant bickering with each other. But when your usual practice hub gets flooded, you and the rest of C✧LESTIA are forced to find a new place to rehearse. So when 5WIRL offers to share their studio with you who are you to refuse? Of course, this forces you to spend time with your sworn rival whether you like it or not. But maybe the two of you can overcome your differences and actually be friends?

Or maybe even more?

CW/content tags: swearing, profanities/innuendoes, bad music puns, ooc (?), reader is described with she/her pronouns, images used are not meant to depict the reader's appearance and are only used for the pose

⋆🎶₊˚ෆ STARRING

C✧LESTIA ll 5WIRL ll THE FANS

PLAYING TRACK...

PROLOGUE-tear drops on my guitar

ALBUM 01-go fuck yourself! /affectionate

01-we're in treble

02-diss track

03-fret not

04-i'm not that desperate

05-starting on a sour note

06-practicing but we're already perfect

07-shits and gigs

08-vip pass // 8.5-enemies to ???

09-stealing the spotlight!

10-obsessed much?

11-alone at the after party

12-call me maybe (read; never)

13-more than rivals, less than friends

ALBUM 02-pov: falling in love with your rival

(TBA)

ALBUM 03-i love you like a love song baby

(TBA)

✮ BONUS MIXTAPES-true love <3

additional notes:

-my bandori phase caused me to make this

-this one will probably start soon because i need a break from writing sticking to the script

-bare with me and my bad music humour

-working on profiles as we speak

-i'm gonna tag my other scara smau taglist cuz smth tells me y'all would be into this: @ladyninggs, @featuredtofu, @levianamor, @veekoko, @glxssmemories, @foomeowmeow117, @scarasbaby , @d-d3arest , @heavenforyyou , @seternic , @danfelions , @jf-117, @kukikoooo , @uuyuomi, @rozariwho , @freyao7 , @lapinaenmicoche , @thatoneswordgirl

-no pressure to read tho :3

-this taglist is open and the smau will start soon

-decided to give myself more freedom, this smau isn't planned out as much as my others

(CLOSED) TAGLIST: @featuredtofu, @levianamor, @danfelions, @thatoneswordgirl, @lolmeowing, @bananasquash, @xiaosantenna, @glxssmemories, @kaitfae, @mujiwuji, @zestyseggsydaddy69, @peaceindreams, @freyao7, @rinquin, @justpeachyteastea, @cocomi, @b2ne, @skyoverkill1, @scaradooche, @morallyrainyday, @adres-tia, @justadvena6, @agaygothicmushroom, @huanator, @seaofdata, @kyon-cherri, @aether-darling, @ukinya, @sketcheeee, @ibawa, @shutingstar, @eutopiastar, @kunimix, @wonderful-worlds, @ectomotive, @yourfavoritefreakyhan, @b4tm4nn, @animegirl-12s-world, @h3xi2g0n3, @lalaloveallmydays, @st4xs-3, @valentinasgirly, @kazuieee, @hikoiaa, @princess-peachys, @feikyuu, @dainsleif-when-playable

[vivianbernadetteaurora]

Mary Kate and Ashley

These two have been famous literally since they were born , they didn't have choice tho , and by the time they wwre about 7 I want to say is they lost their jobs on "Full House" were they played shared role of the youngest child, Michelle, but as they got older past their teens they wanted out of the spotlight, they got into the fashion world and are now very low key ,they got rather traumatized by their fame it wasn't for them I'm glad they are happier ,they know fashion so well thry have always dressed really well ,the media treated them bad ,especially Mary Kate, fir some reason she got a worse edit in this world ,such a shame especially since she suffered with a eating disorder, and substance abuse , you sometimes will see them pictured in these events ,but they have done enough movies and shows to last a lifetime .

Anyway I thought I would share these beautiful pictures of them in their teens ,and older yrs .I hope you enjoy ,also they are fraternal twins , amazing they look identical to me ,with Tia and Tamria I can tell difference now ,but I have be honest with these 2 I can't always !!!

[gentlemanthiefshowdown]

Mod Silver please go on a rant about characters you know and their interactions, I would love to hear it 🍿

Haha, oh dear! If you’re sure.

Kaitou KID has worked with a few others quite a bit, though not too willingly. He seems to be mostly focused on doing what he can involving as little people as he possibly can. He’s also quite friendless, if I’m to be honest (he has like…two established friends, and one is a 60-year-old who calls KID master). So unless the situation called for a team up, I think he would try to avoid it. That said, I think folks from this tournament he would willingly work alongside are: Phantom R, Parker, Tia, and maybe Kay Faraday (though I have the sneaking suspicion that KID would not like her due to trauma towards like…literally every other 17-year-old girl he has encountered. I think they could work indirectly though, dropping each other clues and holding each other’s back. But a direct team up? I don’t think KID would be too willing to pursue that DFLHSDFDS)

The Four Horsemen would fight anyone and everyone. I say this because the title as being the Horsemen seems to be rather closed and they wouldn’t want to share that spotlight, I feel. Besides, considering all they have gone through, I don’t think they’d be too keen on any other surprise thieves (let alone magician thieves).

To me, those who would be the most difficult to work with would Carmen Sandiego and Pierre Despereaux. Not that Carmen would be against a team-up, I distinctly remember her teaming up with the kids in the original series a time or two, but in terms of stealing? I don’t think she would be all too wiling to work alongside someone. Despereaux is in a similar boat as most of his actions usually end in some form of trickery. He called Shawn and Gus to the prison just so he could use them to break out. Heck, his whole introduction episode was exposing that some of his stolen goods were actually owned by him and he was using their “theft” to collect insurance money. He doesn’t do well with partnerships and almost always goes behind their backs (that is to say, make them think they won while he makes off with the treasure).

  I’d say the only difference between the two is that Despereaux would make folks feel like he is their most loyal ally before he stabs them in the back. Carmen would tell you to your face that she will stab you in the back. 

Lupin III I can only base on the Count of Cagliostro film and the first episode of (what I assume) to be the original series. And I have to say, I don’t know what some would think of him. As established, Kaitou KID has beef with him and Carmen and Despereaux would absolutely go against him. Oh, but Tia would love him, I get the feeling. They share so much of the same energy, it’s ridiculous.

 Parker would get along great with the more child-like folks simply because that’s what she’s like. Anyone who’d be willing to have fun with a heist would probably fit wonderfully. She would absolutely make it a competition, like who could get through the ventilation system fastest or who can remain undetected longest. I think she would get along well with Phantom R (as I do believe his whole thing is replacing counterfeit paintings with the real ones) and, while probably a little confused why they’re returning something so expensive, would enjoy the challenge of putting it back. I think she’d also get along with Kay (even though I’ve yet to meet her. I just have a hunch).

Oh, and Mask DeMasque…bruh, no one would take him seriously. I feel they would all look at him, say “Aw, that’s cute,” applaud him for his efforts, and then move on. Even if he has accomplished a lot, I can’t think they would view him in much regard. (I know for sure that KID would think he was absolutely lame and a fraud). 

Oh, and a quick bonus: Neal Caffrey would compete with Lupin III to charm the women, would only go against Carmen because he was forced to, would absolutely be outmatched by Parker and KID with their stunts, personal rivalry with Despereaux (they technically exist in the same canon! So I mean…), would think Tia is hilarious, and adopt Phantom R if for the kid’s fashion alone. Oh, and of course, would take Ron DeLite by the shoulders and tell him that his wife isn’t worth the stealing (if you know, you know).

Okay, I think that’s all there is for me to ramble about! I hope it didn’t bore you too much, haha.

[dramioneasks]

do you know of any fics like rewriting destiny or this too is sacred in the sense that there’s heavy emphasis on familial magic? like how powerful house magic is, how important familial magic rituals are, etc... tia!!

Crazy For You by Annamonk - M, WIP - Some people never go crazy, What truly horrible lives they must live. -Charles Bukowski They aren’t my characters, but I just had to play with them.

The Peacock & The Otter by CarrieMaxwell - T, WIP - Draco's always been drawn to Hermione in some way, he has for years and can't explain. It'd be easier if he could just get a moment alone with her to see why, but she's never alone! At the Yule Ball, Draco finally has a moment with Hermione and they share that time coming to a "truce". A battle of brains starts between the two as they form a friendly rivalry to excel in their classes. What started as a "make Weasley jealous" game becomes something more, quickly, and with far reaching consequences. With Harry's Triwizard Tournament taking much of the spotlight, and Hermione acting strangely with Malfoy, Ron's jealousy starts manifesting in ugly ways, until it causes a break in school tradition so shocking that people will speak of it for ages to come.A story where Draco finds his redemption at the pivotal moment, deciding that helping keep Harry alive to prevent the resurrection of Voldemort is more important than bitter school rivalries.

The Magic of the Dance by Taurwen13 - M, 19 chapters - The fifth year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts has come, and the Hogwart's Headmistress has sent owls inviting back those that were instrumental in the downfall of Voldemort. Two of the invitees struggle with whether they should attend - Hermione can't take being put on a pedestal anymore and longs to be forgotten by the Wizarding world while Draco is seen by the same world as less than human and just wants to be treated as an equal. When they are brought together through their shared struggles with depression and anxiety, some other magic seems to be at work in their lives.Before long magic seems to start unraveling around them, and they will have to work together against an unseen force and ancient magics to keep Britain's magical community from chaos.

Inheritance By: bifmonzo - M, 31 chapters, Words: 190,240 - Draco is an Auror. Hermione is just trying to do her job. Neither of them are prepared for what happens after she wakes up hungover in his bed. And someone, but there’s really no telling who, has a secret that threatens the reality upon which their entire world is built. Dramione, nine years post-war.

Vinculum Terrae By: shannamarie329 - M, WIP - Keen to find a power that will help Harry defeat Voldemort, Hermione finds Vinculum Terrae in the restricted section. Failure in binding to the earth, her only success comes in the form of Malfoy “NO. Granger, you need me.” “I could never NEED you, you git. Go away!” She knew she should be uncomfortable with the situation playing out in front of her, but she only felt exhilarated.

Nocturnus by In_Dreams - E, 57 chapters, Words: 214,617 - When an underground power stirs in France and threatens the fragile post-war balance in England, Draco steps into a seat of power to which he is the heir by birthright, determined to protect his family. Intent on justice, Hermione volunteers for the role of his partner and adviser, neither of them aware of the ancient and twisted web of chaos they’re about to walk into.

The Binding By: Curly Kay - M, 35 chapters - “Okay, what we know so far,” Hermione listed, “1) our magic is drawing us together 2) we can use each other’s wands interchangeably 3) there were actual sparks when you touched me.”

- Lisa

[star3yed]

Happy Holidays @lanelin​! I am you gifter for the @mlsecretsanta! I apologize for such the late work but I really hope you enjoy and had a great holiday season!

Thanks to my editor Tia @tombombadilcankickyourass​ for editing my random ramblings into cohesive sentences!

NSFW between the asterisks! The story ends within the asterisk for those who want to read it, if not I added a small SFW ending.

I made a small playlist that include the songs in this story, check it out :https://open.spotify.com/playlist/40za0n7AHlybZlNWvKde9P?si=sOe7Q5M8QCWXKIN6t0Mw8A

Summary:  A band AU where Marinette and her band decide to come back from retirement to surprise Luka at a music festival!

Rating: Explicit

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Relationship: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Marinette ran in the alleyway leading to the back entrance of the venue, holding her coat tightly around her, her heels clicking against the damp ground. “Girl Hurry!” She heard Alya yell at her from the backstage door. She held herself upright as she stumbled on an empty can of beer. She made it to the entrance, panting a bit as her best friend chuckled. “Well, it isn’t a concert if you aren’t late, is it?” She joked as Marinette looked up to mock-glare at her. “Forgetting something?” She felt Alya press something in her hand and she looked down, seeing a mask, a new mask she had never worn but had spent hours slaving over, a staple of their band. Smiling, she accepted it and put it over her face. “Now c’mon, they’re almost done setting up.”

“Is he in position?” Marinette asked as she held onto her coat tighter, warming up inside the venue. 

“Allegra told me she finally dragged his ass to the floor. He wanted to go back home to you.” Marinette blushed, not surprised her boyfriend wanted to go back to her, yet still flattered. “I guess I acted sick a little too well.” She handed her coat to one of the stagehands and reached the rest of the group. Her bandmates had already put on their masks, a reflection of their onstage personas. Juleka, Ivan, and Adrien huddled together with Rose as someone yelled that it was almost time for them to perform. Marinette had missed this, the backstage mess of people running around making sure things would run smoothly, other bands networking as they waited for their opportunity to perform, the heavy smell of musk, and the excitement of the crowd ahead. She spotted a familiar blue splattered black guitar, with an intricate snake design around the head. Smiling, she turned to her group. 

“First off, thank you guys so much for willing to do this for me, taking time out of your busy schedules and learning to play a different genre …” Rose grinned and held Marinette’s hand, as Juleka spoke up.

“We know you would have done this and so much more for us, so don’t mention it!” The rest of the group agreed unanimously and energetically, making the raven-haired girl flush. 

“Besides Marinette, we missed this too.” Ivan chirped in, Adrien and Juleka nodding alongside him. 

“I haven’t had time to play in forever, I almost forgot how much I loved playing.” Adrien said, smiling.  

“I am honored to share a stage with you guys again, and hopefully we can do this more often.” Marinette said earnestly, stretching her hand out; immediately the rest of the group followed hands on top of one another. “Who are we?” Juleka cheered, 

“Miraculous!”

“And what do we do?” Ivan boasted,

“Rock!” The group said hyping themselves up. She heard a stagehand call out to them. Nerves made her stomach drop, and hyper aware of everything surrounding her, the amount of people backstage making her feel a little overwhelmed. A stagehand offered her a microphones and an earpiece, realizing that her band was up. Feeling her heart race as Ivan and Adrien were the first to get on the dark stage, followed by Juleka after kissing her girlfriend, Rose. “Nerves of steel”; she reminded herself. She had performed for bigger crowds before, and she knew she had at least one fan out there. Alya put a familiar strap on her shoulders and she smiled. Even through his objects, Luka’s magical calming effect washed over her. She put her hand on the neck of the black guitar, breathing deeply. While technically she’d be playing rhythm guitar to Adrien, she wanted to show Luka that his lessons hadn’t been in vain. 

Inhaling deeply, she took a step onto the stage, gingerly holding the neck of the guitar. The audience milled beneath her and as she exhaled, she felt at home. Although it had been a few years since she stepped on a stage, it felt familiar. The dim lights, the buzzing excitement in the air. She felt her heart speed up in anticipation, nerves slipping away as she walked towards the mic stand, her domain. She heard the excitement grow as she approached; a bright white spotlight flickered to life on her. She turned her head towards her bandmates for reassurance, they nodded back at her, signaling they were ready.  Putting her mic on the stand, she leaned in close. 

“Good evening France!” She called out to the crowd. She heard a whoop and her eyes quickly scanned the crowd. “I see someone recognizes us!” She laughed as another few cheers fluttered back to her. She smiled as her eyes settled on a mop of black and blue hair. 

 “We have Stoneheart back on the drums!” She called out as Ivan started to play the beat of an old song of theirs, a white stage light passing from her to him. “And Reflecta on the bass!” She called as Juleka joined in with the bass, the spotlight changing to purple and shining on her. “Chat Noir on the Guitar!” She felt Adrien shred a tune and smirked when she saw Luka’s eyebrows raise into his hairline. “And yours truly Ladybug on vocals!” She pumped an arm as the lights on the stage shifted from green on Adrien to red on her. “We’re Miraculous and we are back for ONE. NIGHT. ONLY!!”. As her words reverberated through the hall, the excitement became palpable.  Her eyes flicked from her boyfriend to the crowd, as they became more vocal and cheered on. “I’m sure most of you know this song! So, feel free to join in and help me sing!”

Juleka and Adrien stopped playing as Ivan changed the tune he was playing, and she flipped the guitar on her back. As she gripped the mic a bit more firmly, Juleka started to play the melody for their song Sorry now. Her nerves having dissipated as she sang, her heart swelled in joy. In the background she heard Alya join her for faster paced lyrics and smiled. The words flowing through her mouth as if she had just made them up on the spot, the emotion building up in her as she remembered the person for who she wrote the song for. Her eyes flicked back to Luka as she got into the chorus, memories flooding back to her; Luka comforting her on his bed after a terrible day at Lycée with Lyla, helping her channel the anger into music. 

Reaching the second chorus she held the microphone out, stopping midway and let the audience sing along with her. Marinette beamed, pleased their song was still remembered. For Marinette, this song was very much her way to cope with the emotions from being bullied and humiliated by Lila. Upon reflection, she realized that the hurt and confidence this song portrayed had made it what it was, and that passion made it resonate so much with her fans. She waved her hand at the audience and put both hands on her microphone preparing to hit the high notes on the second half of the notes. Grinning as she hit them, she opened her eyes again to finish the song.

Relishing in the cheers afterwards Marinette locked eyes again with her boyfriend in the crowd as he cheered for her. He winked at her, before letting out another cheer. Although Marinette wanted to bask in the emotion, she knew that festivals were fast paced, and the band didn’t hesitate to transition between songs. Ivan changed their beat, shifting into their song ‘Care’. Marinette took advantage of Ivan’s small drum solo to shift the guitar from her back to her hands. She gave it a small strum before quietly signaling in her earpiece for the crew members to turn on her amp. Care had a bit more of a nostalgic feel and was Adrien’s favorite song to perform. It was his cathartic song about his father. It wasn’t as vocal intensive as their first song, which gave Marinette time to focus on the guitar and keep the singing more instinctive. It really was more of a song for Adrien to show off his guitar skills. 

Their third song was more guitar heavy and had Mariette step up her game. Luka’s face was priceless when he saw her actually play a second song on his guitar. ‘California Girls’ was a tribute from Juleka to Rose. Jules wrote the lyrics and Luka had helped with the melody. The beginning of the song allowed Marinette to move more freely on the stage as it had more instrumentals. More comfortable with Luka’s guitar she jumped and danced around as she played. She trusted Rose with her backup vocals and focused a bit more on having fun on stage. After the bridge Adrien and she added a small guitar duet to really showcase their guitar skills, a small tribute to their teacher. Marinette had been nervous during practice yet performing and the audience cheering made playing the guitar akin to breathing, effortless. Finishing the song Marinette let go of the guitar, letting the weight fall upon the strap on her shoulders. Running a hand through her hair she moved closer to her mic. 

“You guys have been awesome so far!” The crowd cheered as Marinette held the microphone once again in her hands. “This song is so special to me,”. She smiled and peeked at Luka, noticing him tilting his head to the side. For the past two songs she had sneaked glances at him yet was focused more on the energy that reverberated through the venue. “My boyfriend wrote this song before we started dating.” She held back a laugh as she saw Luka’s reaction. “I had the biggest crush on a model when I was a teenager and he thought I was going to reject him in favor of the model when I had the chance.” Marinette laughed. “I hope if he’s out there and hears this he doesn’t mind we made the melody a bit more pop than rock.” She smiled and nodded towards Adrien to stop playing. ‘Daft pretty boys’ was something Luka was never proud of writing, yet they both found it immensely funny after a few months of dating. She never realized how Luka felt about her and how jealous he was to write a song about his pent-up emotions. She found it somewhat endearing that he felt so strongly about her even back then. Marinette started to play the guitar, and kept her eyes locked with her boyfriend. The band agreed to let her sing and play the first verse alone, as an homage to his writing process, and then join in the pre chorus. It would be the first time he’d hear the song being sung as an actual song, and not a melody. Although she tried to keep her gaze on Luka, she eventually had to look around the crowd, yet she felt his gaze burn onto her. They had changed the original melody to fit a more upbeat tune. Nino had helped with the composition, turning it into a more danceable song. The band had fun learning this song, a small creation for their performance. 

As the song ended, Marinette took a small sip of water provided for the band as the rest of the band room also took a small break. Marinette beamed as she addressed the crowd. “This is our final song tonight! A small tribute to our favorite band, one that inspired us to come back from retirement.” The crowd buzzed with anticipation. “It’s this small band, you might have heard from them. The Quantic Kids?” Marinette paused to let the crowd cheer with anticipation. “I’m pretty sure they’re the headliners tonight. “Her eyes locked with Luka’s as he flushed.  She grinned at the crowd’s excitement as Ivan started the beat of the song. “This song is called When it Breaks.” The crowd continued to cheer as Marinette held the guitar, ready to play again. The song was exciting and different for the band, and it was a bit intense for Marinette as it required more focus on both singing and playing from her. It was worth it in her eyes, as she had spent countless nights practicing in Nino’s studio away from her boyfriend to give his band the respect they deserved. The beat of the song was much faster paced and left the ambience hyped for the next band. Ending the song left the singer slightly out of breath. 

Marinette looked back into the crowd, her eyes scanned quickly trying to find his piercing blue eyes, to no avail. Smiling, trying to press down the growing nerves inside she waved to the crowd. “Thank you, France! We are Miraculous!” trying to reason with herself why Luka wasn’t in the audience she reminded herself not to freak out. “Bug-out!” She yelled out before the lights onstage cut off and the band made their way offstage.

 Immediately the band was flocked by people, but Marinette held tightly onto Luka’s guitar as she searched for him amongst the crowd. Praises and congratulations abundant, Marinette grinned politely, her mind racing with thoughts of Luka and concern over where he was. As the band was brushed from person to person she suddenly felt for her mask. Sighing in relief that it was still in place she resumed her search for a certain blue haired musician. Finding her way to Alya, suddenly a voice struck out clear as day, “My guitar seems to have been stolen.” Marinette’s polite grin turned into a fully-fledged beam.

“So, what if it has?” She retorted as she felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulder. 

“I’d have to report you to the police.” Luka smiled back at her before hugging her. His proper congratulations could wait when she wasn’t Ladybug anymore. 

“Even after we paid homage to your band with our theme?” She retorted sticking out her tongue at him. 

“I’m glad you found inspiration in us to come out of retirement.” He said, eyes filled with laughter. 

“It was an executive decision. You were a big factor.”

“Well, I’m honored…”

“I’ve even taken inspiration from you for my outfit. You like?” She said cheekily. She felt his gaze take her over and his cheeks flush. She had designed a leather bustier top with a teal scaley design that shifted from black to teal chrome with light, mimicking snakeskin. The bustier ended a little above her waist, exposing her abdomen. She designed a short black leather asymmetrical skirt with three thick buckles in the front with a snakeskin texture, to match with the theme. Alongside some teal and black jewelry, she finished the outfit with black platform boots with buckles that matched her top. 

“I’m not sure my girlfriend would approve.” Luka replied, raising an eyebrow. 

“I have a feeling she wouldn’t mind one bit.” She smirked, as Alya came in tow with Nino. The crowd around the band had dissipated, and the bandmates were buzzed from their performance. Nino hugged Marinette as he saw her grinning from ear to ear. “LB! It’s been forever!” She smiled and hugged him back.

“It has been, thanks for squeezing us in for a little comeback.”

“No problem LB, you guys really helped launch the label, along with quantic kids.” He said high fiving Luka. “Are you sure I can’t convenience you guys to record a new comeback record?” Marinette laughed and shook her head. 

Alya chimed in, smirking at her friend “Fine Ladybug, well the least you can do is come to our party, model Adrien Agreste is going.” This time Luka burst out laughing alongside Marinette. 

“Is it true you sang a song about him?” Luka jested raising an eyebrow at the singer. 

“My songwriter would kill me if I told you.” She poked Luka’s side with her elbow before turning back to Nino. “I already have plans for tonight, but if they blow over, I could make an appearance.” Nino chuckled and tilted his hat towards her. “Hope to see you there.” The couple walked towards the rest of Miraculous band to mingle, leaving the musician and singer alone. She waved at him, continuing to mingle lightly with some people before ducking out when everyone was distracted. 

 She walked towards Ayla’s car, having agreed to meet up with the rest of the band after changing. Safely inside she found another set of clothes, almost identical to her current outfit but with the top and bottom colors inverted. She shook her hair out of her pigtails and took off her mask, quickly changing in the safety of dark tinted windows, becoming designer Marinette once again. Just in time, there was a soft knock on her window signaling the group was ready to leave for the party. 

Adrien and Luka joined her in the backseat, as Nino and Alya slipped in the front. Marinette handed Adrien another neat pile of clothing to change. Although his all black leather get-up was sure to be a knockout at the party, Adrien wanted to keep Chat Noir a secret for a little longer, just in case they did decide to get the band back together. Marinette held Luka's hand as the man squished next to the girl to give Adrien more space to change in the small sedan. “So, I heard Ladybug was flirting with you backstage.” She joked making the musician blush. “Should I be worried about competition?” She heard Alya chuckle in front of her, eavesdropping on the conversation, Luka joining in. 

“Why is my melody jealous?” Marinette wrinkled her nose and Luka kissed the tip of her nose. “Well Ladybug should know there is only one girl for me, although I do have to thank her for the comeback.” Marinette smiled at her boyfriend, before leaning against the car door. 

“Well, it’s a small thank you for teaching us how to play the guitar.” Adrien chimed in, signaling he had changed. 

“You guys improved so much! I felt like a proud father.” Luka responded. He squeezed Marinette’s hand twice, a small gesture they shared as reassurance. The group talked on their way to Nino’s afterparty, catching up on their lives. They talked about Adrien’s love life and modeling with Juleka in Fashion Week, Luka’s upcoming tour in Europe, Ayla’s success as a music columnist and her plans to open her own magazine, Nino’s record label and the upcoming artists in his roster, as well as Marinette’s designs that were selected to appear in an Italian Magazine. The car ride had been long yet with the friend group it had felt as though time hadn’t passed since lycée.

The party was more of an industry mixer, where artists, managers and famous people mingled about. The friends were accustomed to this type of party, as it was prevalent in their career choices, and although it was great to make connections it was also somewhat boring. Being a Nino party, it felt more like a club than a networking event, yet people were always on the job. Getting out of the car, paparazzi was abundant at the entrance, trying to snap pictures of model Adrien and rock star Luka, yet the group ignored them, walking straight inside. Immediately Nino and Alya were whisked away to talk to some editorial, and Adrien was being flirted with by an American socialite. Marinette and Luka headed to the makeshift dance floor and started to dance but were quickly interrupted by other artists star-struck by Luka. 

Being used to this Marinette headed to the bar, which is where the couple always agreed to meet when separated by others. She ordered a cocktail and saw a small and quiet lounge area to the left. Heading there she was stopped by two women, a couple she recognized as a musician in Nino’s label and her famous actress girlfriend. Making small talk, she soon found out they were interested in her designs, wanting custom gowns for a red-carpet event. They started to exchange contact information when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She wanted to lean into the warmth yet before she could it was gone, Luka opting to stand next to her instead of behind her. Introducing themselves again to Luka; the musician and Luka started to talk about the label, the woman curious about the way things were managed as she was new. 

She felt his hand intertwine with hers and a tingle went through her spine. His thumb rubbing the back of her hand made her look up at him, chiseled jaw moving with his mouth, a small smirk present. Although he was mostly nonchalant, he had grown more confident in the year his band has been performing. Goosebumps suddenly traveled up her arm as she tried to focus on the conversation, but the tension building up between them made it hazy. Her eyes darted to the bathroom and smiled, “It was great catching up! I’m going to get another drink.” She said to the couple, letting go of Luka’s hand. 

******

She straightened her back and headed towards a coat room, closing the door behind her. A few moments later she heard a familiar knock before the door opened, revealing Luka. He quickly entered before closing the door behind him and locking it. It only took him to turn back to her for Marinette to be on him, lips crashing against each other, her hand tangling in his hair. Instantly his hands grabbed her waist and pulled her closer, a small moan escaping her throat. He pulled away and smirked down at her. “As much as I love to hear you my melody, we might have to keep this symphony a bit quieter. We don’t want to alert anyone.” He said, putting a hand on her cheek, features softening from lust to adoration. He felt his heart swell at the sight of the seamstress/retired pop star with flushed cheeks, swollen pink lips parted slightly with breathlessness and a baby blue eyes that held utter desire for him. “God you are beautiful.” He whispered, bringing his other hand to hers, and pulling it up to his mouth to kiss. “A goddess of beauty and a siren of song, you’ve lured me into your arms and I never want to leave.” 

Marinette flushed a darker shade of pink, yet the emotions stirring in her stomach beat any of the sentiment in her heart.  “As are you, but we’re wasting precious time. It won’t be long before someone starts searching for us.” She whispered, through half lidded eyes. “It’s been torture to not have you all to myself.”  She took another step towards him, his hands slipping from her waist to her hips to hoist her up and against the door. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips, her hands resuming their position in his hair. She suppressed a gasp as he continued to kiss her hungrily, opting to clutch his hair tighter pulling slightly. Luka let out a soft moan, and peppered kisses from her mouth to her ear. Marinette snaked a hand underneath his blouse, feeling the soft skin against hard muscles. He let out a sigh as she gently traced her fingers up and down his abdomen and chest. Deciding the shirt was too much of a hassle, Marinette unbuttoned two other buttons before throwing it over his head. They only separated for a moment before their lips were back together, grinding against each other as they hungrily wanted more. As Marinette’s hand started to gently move up and down his back, the soft touch sensual, Luka started nibbling on her earlobe lightly before kissing behind the ear. He bit down and sucked, “Luka!” Marinette gasped before he continued kissing down her neck leaving a small love bite. Marinette pressed against him harder, wanting him to be closer. Grinding a little faster she felt his hard bulge against her as he groaned into her ear. His face moved back to her lips as he moved closer to the wall opposite the door, his lips sucking on hers hungrily as she bit his lower lip, enticing another moan from him. As soon as her back hit the wall his hands pinned her arms above her head, kissing his way down her neck towards her collarbone. “You know I love your designs but seeing you up there earlier on stage with my colors and my guitar… I never knew I needed to see that before.” He kissed her collarbone again, before straightening out and tightened his grip on her wrists, making Marinette moan. 

“Seeing you up there, wearing this… it made me want to ravish you,” he whispered leaning his forehead against hers before gently lowering her. Marinette almost whined as her feet touched the floor, “it was downright sinful what I wanted to do to you in that moment.” One of his hands slipped from down her arm, neck, between the valley of her breasts to the hooks on her bustier top, leaving shocks of electricity with his touch, Marinette leaning into his touch with pleasure. “My thoughts were filthy. But now…” he trailed off, eyes dropping to unhook the front of her top. “I get to show you exactly how I felt at that moment.” He pulled her top apart to expose her breasts, nipples getting harder against the cold air. Luka smiled and resumed where he left off, kissing gently down her collar bone, Marinette let out a soft moan, her hands clasping together as he neared her nipple. She felt the anticipation of his warm breath on her, yet before he could take the delicate skin in his mouth he smiled. “I haven’t even started and you’re already flustered ladybug?” she groaned, about to retort but the words never came out as his tongue flickered against the soft sensitive skin of her nipple. 

“D-damn you.” She managed to mutter out, his tongue flicking the tip before circling around it. Her fingers tightened around themselves, rolls of pleasure crashing through her. Had Luka not been holding her against the door, she would’ve felt her legs weaken as he bit down gently before taking it in his mouth and swirling the flesh with his tongue. His other hand came down cupping the other breast, fondling it before pinching the other nipple making Marinette moan louder than she meant to. He smiled before shifting, replacing his hand with his mouth, making Marinette arch her back trying to get him closer to her.

Luka pulled away, hand leaving her arms before grabbing her waist and kneeling in front of her. Marinette was left panting biting her lip, as her hands found their way into his hair. He smiled before kissing down her sternum and between her ribcages. He pulled back before pulling the hemline of her skirt above her hips admiring the lingerie underneath. “I see you didn’t waste any of the bustier fabric.” He said, lips tilted upwards in amusement. 

“s-Shut up…” She managed to sputter out, face bright red. Luka gently kissed her thigh from the middle inwards, training his way upwards until they hit the cut of her panties. Marinette was red and flushed, biting her lip to keep sounds from coming out. Her stomach fluttered, as the burning passion inside her consumed her. His lips felt like a matchstick, his trail leaving a tingling sensation that she didn’t, particularly mind. Kissing her through her panties, he looked up at her for permission to continue, to which she nodded, releasing her bottom lip from between her teeth. Luka so gently pulled them down, before ever so delicately put a finger between the folds of her warm, wet, and sensitive pussy. He gently brushed against her clit enticing another moan from the small seamstress. He pulled his finger back and admired it as it glistened in the low light before popping it into his mouth. He wasted no time sucking her wetness from his finger before his face was back at her inner thighs, kissing from the middle towards her slick clit. It didn’t take long before he reached there, giving her clit some special attention with his tongue. Soon he had Marinette bracing herself against the wall for support and her hands gripping and pulling his hair, begging him in sweet soft moans for more. As wave after wave of pleasure overrode her, Luka enjoyed seeing his girlfriend try to keep quiet as orgasm overtook her. Seeing her head tilted back, mouth agape, gasping for air made him wish he had photographic memory. He sat back and admired his handiwork as he held Marinette steady. 

Licking his lips, he smiled and stood up. Marinette let out a small sigh and put her head against the wall. “Need a moment?” he chuckled as he kissed her forehead. She nodded breathless. “Well come here” He wrapped his arms around her waist letting his girlfriend lean against him. He quietly started to rearrange her clothing as she gathered her bearings. “What about...” Luka’s eyes pierced into hers and he winked. “We can continue this at home, but I think our absence might be noticed if we are gone any longer.” He kissed Marinette again before lifting her bustier top over her exposed chest. “Now, my melody, where exactly did you throw my shirt?”. 

*******

Marinette got to the bar and ordered two cocktails as Luka met up with her at the bar. He kissed her temple as the bartender handed her two drinks. She felt proud of her boyfriend, they spent the night mingling, eventually dancing with their friends and happy in each other’s arms. 

[omniversalobservations]

Game On!: A Comedy Crossover Event (August 2020)

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event is, well, exactly what the title implies: it’s a comedy crossover event! It’s a four-part limited series that mixes and matches the casts of four of Netflix’s current family sitcoms. Four episodes, four sitcoms, four crossovers, way more than four LOL moments.

The four shows that make up GAME ON are: The Big Show Show, Mr. Iglesias, Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love, and Family Reunion.

The Big Show Show stars professional wrestler Big Show as a fictionalized version of himself. It centers around his family, and the shakeup they go through when his oldest daughter moves in.

Mr. Iglesias stars Gabriel Iglesias as a high school history teacher who’s in charge of getting a bunch of good-hearted but unruly kids on the track to gradute.

The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia stars Paulina Chávez as the titular Ashley, the youngest ever rocket scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She juggles being a high school student with working at NASA, all while living with her football coach uncle.

And Family Reunion stars Tia Mowry and Anthony Alabi as the heads of the McKellan bunch, a big family who pack up and move from the Seattle, Washington to Columbus, Georgia after attending a family reunion.

[...]

The truth is, this isn’t a full-blown, CW-superhero-style blockbuster crossover. There is not one unifying plot that continues from episode to episode. In fact, each episode of GAME ON is, essentially, an episode of one of the four shows. Each episode retains one show’s opening credits and focuses on the cast of just one show. There is a unifying theme in each episode: there are various competitions and challenges that propel each story, but it’s not the same challenge across all four episodes.

The crossover portion comes in via cameos and guest spots; Gabriel Iglesias and Big Show each pop up on each other’s shows, and then the McKellan family and Garcia family share the spotlight. Netflix is betting that if you like one of their family sitcoms, you’re probably gonna like all four of these family sitcoms. GAME ON is intended to introduce fans of Family Reunion to The Big Show Show, Ashley Garcia to Mr. Iglesias, and vice versa and all combinations, etc.

You can stream all four parts of GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event right now on Netflix.

Source: Decider

(images via YouTube)

[djdavidbonobo]

Raices & Resistance: The Liner Notes

             Raices & Resistance: The Brown Sounds of L.A. 2000-2010

     There are sometimes fortuitous moments when the spotlight on music falls in just the right place at just the right time: New Orleans during the 1920s, San Francisco in the Age of Aquarius, or Seattle in the Grunge Era. Each moment different, but equally a watershed. Then, there are also the times and places where the seeds of genius are budding all around, but those pioneers of the day are ahead of their time, or they simply don’t get the financial or promotional watering that they need to flourish. Think of New York’s Jazz scene during WWII, or the American pioneers of Punk Rock in the early 70’s. Those eras are the ones that are most akin to what happened in L.A.’s Latin music scene of the 2000s. 

     At the end of the 90’s, Ozomatli had gained much deserved recognition with the release of their eponymously titled debut album in 1998, and it seemed as if the spotlight was about to fall on the Latin music community right when it was in the beginning of a renaissance. Yet, when the new millennium came, times were tough everywhere, and nowhere could this be more clearly seen than in the music industry. Internet platforms like Napster made free online music downloads ready for the masses, and caused the industry’s near collapse. MySpace emerged as the first social media platform for new musicians to connect with audiences, but it lacked the reach of today’s YouTube and Facebook. As the L.A. Times noted in 2004, “Major multinational labels, struggling with an economic downturn, are reluctant to invest what it takes to break new acts, especially in a genre (like Latin Alternative) that gets little airplay and needs significant label support.” 

     By the 20teens, things were looking very different as the music industry had reinvented itself (albeit with missing limbs and less money in the bank), and it had again turned its eye toward the L.A. Latino music community with Grammys handed out to Quetzal and La Santa Cecilia. The buzz of L.A.’s Latin talent was spreading to audiences in the U.S.’s Spanish speaking communities, so as the economy began to resurge, bands were having an easier time with self-marketing, tours, and album sales.

     So who was there during this creative explosion of L.A.’s Latin music community of the 2000s? And what were the common threads running through this musical tapestry? These are important elements to consider when creating a title for this compilation, and the diversity of the scene made this a difficult task. Not all of the artists were rock. Most sang in both English and Spanish. A couple of them only sang in Spanish. Most had roots in local community oriented civil rights activism, but not all. Hmmm. Simple, yet complex. Despite the eclectic range of all these artists combined, they were (or still are) a close knit group of musicians: a musical community. For example, I don’t know all of them personally, but I know that there is no more than one degree of separation between me and any of the artists on this compilation.

     There were community centers and connections like the L.A.C.E.R. after school arts program where many of the artists on this compilation worked and met. There was Tia Chucha’s, Smoke N Mirrors, S.P.A.R.C., Casa 0101, KillRadio.Org, KPFK and others. The abuelita of them all? Self-Help Graphics. These cultural centers gave a platform for artists in the community, and deserve credit for fostering the incredible music that continues to emerge from the Latin community. The EZLN movement in Chiapas was still fresh in peoples’ minds in the 2000s, and it fostered things, too. It was a revolutionary inspiration in the face of the post 911 America when gentrification began to sweep through the eastside of L.A., and The South Central Farmers were forced off their land to make way for so called “progress.” Bush was president, the country went to war under false pretenses, and we forged a spirit of resistance for new immigrants, Indigenous peoples, urban gardening, art, love, peace, and understanding. Some things change. Some don’t.

     By the 20teens, in the wake of the creative explosion that happened during the 2000s, came a time when the spotlight came back around to this same community with Grammys given to Quetzal and La Santa Cecilia. Latin Electronica game to be included under the larger category of Global Bass. The rise of Subsuelo also came, along with the rising careers of artists like Captain Planet, Rafi El, Buyepongo, Las Cafeteras, The Boogaloo Assassins, and more. My ultimate hope is that we can all see the debt owed to these pioneers of the 2000s, and that we never forget their musical legacy. With 60 million Latinos living in the United States in 2020, the audience for this music ain’t going no where!

     Note: I know some of you out there will be disappointed in the selections I made, and that’s okay. We can only see things from our own perspective and the experiences that inform it., These are the artists that I experienced, and this is just a sampling of some of my favorite songs. If Menoman or Mark Torres did this, you’d probably get a totally different angle. Also, know that I did my best to research all of the artists and tracks listed here, but sometimes that information was not available. In those instances, I had to employ my imperfect memory. You can post a comment to let me know corrections that should be made, or share out who think I should have also included (but remember, only artists with releases during the 2000s). 

Agave Ocotillo (Fósforo - Even The Sun 2005): The trio consisted of three high school friends that grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Proving themselves to be beyond the scope of their peers in both musical and lyrical range, Fósforó penned their sound as Punky Reggae Jungle. Playing with rhythms such as Reggae, Jungle, Drum-n-Bass, Cumbia, Rock and more, vocalist/songwriter Rafi B. of Argentinian and Israeli descent, also sang in English, Spanish and Hebrew. Fósforo would forge an alliance with L.A.’s other Latin Electronica pioneers: Mezklah. Rafi B. would later become DJ/Producer Rafi El for the Dutty Artz label while Cesar Ventura would become a percussionist for the Fania label’s Boogaloo Assassins. The song featured here is a poetic homage to the enduring strength of “La Raza.”

Crazy Baldheads (Quinto Sol - Barrio Roots 2003): The name “Quinto Sol” is Spanish for the “fifth sun,” and it is a reference to the Aztec myth of creation and destruction. The band got their start in 1994, but Barrio Roots was their first full-length album release. Quinto Sol has intimately connected themselves to the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, and they have used Roots Reggae as a vehicle to delve into their own Meztizo roots. Their latest album, Spirits of the Martyrs, was released in 2014.

Chango AraÑa (Mezklah - Spider Monkey 2005): Making their stage debut in 2000, Mezklah emerged as the first Latin Electronica band in North America. Borrowing music from around the globe, singer/songwriter Angel Garcia and guitarist Greg Hernandez forged a sound that was Spanish/Bilingual, but completely different from their contemporaries. They crafted bass heavy electronic rhythms to fuse Cuban Son, Reggae, Drum-n-Bass, Blues, Hard Rock, Psychedelia, Cumbia and more into tightly structured and hook filled socially conscious pop songs ready for the dancefloor. In 2004, they were nominated by L.A. Weekly as the city’s best World Music/Recombinant Artist, and in 2005, they won L.A.’s Battle of The Bands. After one album and an EP, as well as tours in Mexico and the Southwest, Europe and Japan, Mezklah disbanded in 2010. They announced their reformation on KPTZ 91.9 FM in December, 2019. A new album is expected in 2020.

Cumbia de la Flor (East L.A. Sabor Factory - Party At Louie’s 2002): Headed up by frontman Ricky Ray Rivera, the trajectory of East L.A. Sabor Factory was straight up when they first appeared on the scene 1999, but unfortunately, their momentum didn’t carry them far enough. They changed their name after the release of Party At Louie’s, and broke apart shortly thereafter. This track captures the danceable high energy of the band and was a crowd favorite when they played live, but doesn’t feature Rivera’s bilingual rapping. In 2007, Rivera would go on to release a solo album titled Neighborhood Fame.

Nada Mio Es Fake (Los Abandoned - Mix Tape 2006):  No other artist arising in L.A.’s bilingual music community seemed like such a clear bet to wear the glass slipper of success as Los Abandoned. They were sharing the stage with the likes of Café Tacuba, The Breeders, Julieta Venegas, Molotov, and Aterciopelados, and they signed with Neil Young’s Vapor Records in 2005. They released a Christmas single and two EPs before releasing Mix Tape as their first full length album in 2006. The critics loved them, their songs were catchy (the pop song I’m featuring here was not even one of their released singles), and they had a sexy singer. Vocalist Lady P. (Pilar Diaz of Chilean descent) was the primary creative force behind Los Abandoned, and just as their success was in full bloom, she called it quits in 2007. Lady P. has since released two solo albums under the name Maria del Pilar.

Trouble In My Soul (Mexican Dubwiser - Revolution Radio 2010): Before becoming a superstar DJ/Producer duo with Kinky’s Ulises Lozano, Marcelo Tijerina was solo stepping on L.A. as a transplant from Montery Mexico’s Avanzada Regio music scene. This version of the Trouble In My Soul single features San Francisco DJ/Producer Romanowski.

Luna Negra (Olmeca w/Los Cojolites - Self Release 2005): Olmeca should be recognized as one of the hardest working music artists in the Chicano music scene. Placing himself in the same corner as Hip-Hop elder KRS-One, he identifies himself as a music artist, activist, and scholar. In 1999, he joined L.A. band Slowrider. After their 2003 album Historias En Revisión, he stepped out as a solo artist. He has gone on release several albums (including 2019’s Define), toured universities as a guest lecturer, and he is currently faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the Interdisciplinary Gender and Ethnic Studies Department. Los Cojolites are a Son Jarocho group from the Mexican state of Veracruz that is often noted for their candid social commentary.

Jarocho Elegua (Quetzal - Sing The Real 2002): Formed by guitarist Quetzal Flores in 1992, the band Quetzal released their eponymously titled debut album in 1998 after vocalist Martha Gonzalez joined the band. Continually fusing social activism with music, Quetzal has received accolades from the world of scholars and activists, as well as receiving the 2013 Grammy for Best Latin Pop, Rock, or Urban Album for their release of Imaginaries.

No Me Te Pido Mas (Domingo Siete - Quitate La Mascara 2005): Martha Gonzalez is not the only one in her family to possess musical talent. Her brother Gabriel Tenorio did just fine for himself as the singer/song-writer/guitarist for Domingo Siete. They toured Europe, they shared the stage with Los Lobos, Cheryl Crow, & Ozomatli, and they released two full length albums. Dame might have been the single that Gabriel would want me to highlight, but this one was always my favorite.

Cuenten Lo (Pe Ere - Demo Collaboration w/producer Rafi Benjamin of Fósforó 2006): Pe Ere was most often seen performing as a duo with Pantera. The two were immigrants from Nigaragua with a passion for Reggaeton. Pe Ere demonstrated great stage presence during his time in the scene, and this song reflects that he was not afraid to try new innovative sounds, but his run was too short. Where are you now, P.R.?

La Sirena (Beatriz Torres - La Sirena E.P. 2002): Produced by her soon to be husband, Angel Garcia of Mezklah fame, this song and E.P. reflect a vibrant new take on Trip-Hop from a Chicana perspective. Torres’ performances incorporated both poetry and performance art. She took the stage across L.A. opening for Mezklah and Fósforó, and she toured Mexico with Mezklah and DJ David BoNobO in 2003. She retired from performing in 2004 with the birth of her first child.

Pa La Paloma (Alquimia Remixed by David BoNobO - Single 2005): Alquimia was a band out of Bogotá, Colombia that featured singer Janio Coronado (he would go on to sing for Sidestepper). DJ/Producer David BoNobO has played parties in Cuba, toured Mexico in 2003, and held residencies in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2005, and 2008. He also shared the stage with the following artists on this compilation: Beatriz Torres, Fitter, Fósforó, Go Betty Go, Mexican Dubwiser, Mezkalah, Olmeca, Pe Ere, Quetzal, Very Be Careful, and Xochisoneros. This song was his first venture into the realm of producing and remixing. How BoNobO, a white guy transplanted to L.A. from Portland, came to be part of this scene is still a matter of great contention and debate.

Celosa feat. Locos Por Juana (Palenke Soultribe - Oro 2009): Palenke Soultribe transplanted to L.A. in 2006 from Bogotá, Colombia. The group initially consisted of producer/bassist Juan Diego Borda and keyboardist/producer Andres “Popa” Erazo, but grew to include a rotating list of musicians collaborating with them as a collective. This track displays one of several connections Miami’s Locos Por Juana made with Angelinos during the 2000s. 

Warriors feat. Will.I.Am - BEP Remix (Burning Star - Eponymous 2003): Upon the release of their debut album, Burning Star said they aimed to “utilize art as a tool for the reconstruction of the community through the participation of community based programs,” and they had the talent and work ethic to back up such an ambitious statement. At one point in time, you could find a vinyl Burning Star sticker on the light post of every intersection or crosswalk in the city of L.A. Despite their hard effort & amazing line-up of musicians, the flame burned out after just one album. Bassist Emilio Saenz went on to play with the Boogaloo Assassins, Drummer Cisco Huete later played drums for Monte Carlo 76, percussionist Gerry Morales went to Spain to study Flamenco guitar and became a featured artist at Subsuelo, Joshua Alvarez did some collaborative work with Black Eyed Peas, and vocalist/keyboardist Quincy McCary has gone on to work with the likes of Quetzal, Bitbull, Mayer Hawthorne, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Jack White. In 2019, McCrary released a solo debut under the name Qemistry.

Street Signs (Ozomatli - Street Signs 2004): Street Signs was the title song from Ozomatli’s third studio album, and it followed the success of Embracing The Chaos, the one that earned them the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Their first studio release came in 1998, and it featured rapper Charli 2na and DJ Cut Chemist, and it put L.A.’s  Latin music scene back on the map internationally. Since then, they have very much been the leaders of the pack. Their eighth studio album Non-Stop: Mexico to Jamaica was produced by Sly & Robbie and released in 2017.

The Garage (Monte Carlo 76 - Marisa 2008): Birthed in 2003 from the remains of keyboardist Gomez Comes Alive and guitarist Jeremy Keller’s former group Slowrider, Monte Carlo 76 painted vignettes of growing up in East L.A. with their lyrics. Behind that was a musical tipping of the hat to classic 70’s Chicano Rock that never sounded retro. Completing two albums during their run with the help of producers Martha Gonzalez and Quetzal Flores of the band Quetzal, Monte Carlo 76 garnered them a L.A. Weekly Music Awards nomination for Best Latin Alternative Band.

The Coconut Tree (Fitter - Through The Green Jungles of Plenty… 2009): Fitter found success and acclaim in El Salvador, the nation their families came from, despite the fact that they were hard to classify. A fiercely innovative rock band, they took frequent influence from Dub Reggae and African music. Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Wilfredo Mendez was noted for having electrified a traditional folkloric guitar from El Salvador to produce new sounds that had never been heard. They collaborated with Fósforó’s Rafi B., and released two albums in the 2000s. Unfortunately, things came to an end for them when Mendez suffered impairments to his speech and motor skills due to a benign tumor in his brain in 2012. 

Haves And Have Nots (Aztlan Underground - Single 2000): Having roots in East L.A.’s hardcore punk scene of the 1980’s, Aztlan was championed by Rage Against the Machine’s Zack De La Rocha when they released their debut album, Decolonize, in 1995. By the 2000s, they were like the scene’s thundering elders reminding newbies of the need to stay socially conscious with their music through lending their voice to numerous community events such as the Farce of July, and the second protest concert in support of The South Central Farmers. They’ve released three albums and played Mexico, Canada, Australia and Spain. They released the single Black Lives Matter in 2019.

No Hay Perdon (Go Betty Go - Nothing Is More 2005): Formed in Glendale in 2005, this all female group proved that they could rock hard while also being able to compose more melodic ballads. They joined the Vans Warped tour in 2004 and 2005. The track highlighted here features the vocals of Nicolette Vilar who left the band in 2006 and rejoined them in 2012. Their third studio release came in the form of an EP titled Reboot in 2015.

El Hospital (Very Be Careful - Escape Room 2010): They may have started up in NYC in 1997, but this band belongs to L.A. While the style they play is traditional Vallento, they are often credited as the L.A. band that made Cumbia hip again. Formed by brothers Ricardo and Arturo Guzman after being inspired by a trip to visit family in Colombia, the group is comprised of five friends who grew up within blocks of each other, plus the Guzman’s aunt Deicy to helps cover the songwriting duties. Releasing their first full length album in 2001, the VBC have gone on to release seven albums to date. They’ve played the giant Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, and the reknowned Glastonbury Festival in England. Their music may be acoustic, but their shows are rawkus bawdy, and filled with Punk attitude.

El Caballito (Xochisoneros - El Caiman 2003): Formed by musician and anthropologist Hector Marquez and musicologist Efren Luna, Xochisoneros brought a flavor to the scene that was more Mexican and less Angelino. Crafting traditional songs in the styles of Son Huasteco, Son Jarocho, Son Cubano, and Colombian Cumbia, they almost exclusively played community or protest events as they used their musical platform for social justice, and to help to show that Mexico has its place in the lexicon of Carribean music. La Marisol of the Grammy Award winning band La Santa Cecilia was a student of Marquez, and she would join the group while she was still in high school. That was an education that you could not put a price on!

[atarahderek]

Coco head canon: If Héctor were well-remembered and the Riveras never banned music

Héctor – spent a lonely 50 years in the Land of the Dead waiting for Imelda to join him. One night a year to see his family wasn't quite enough to keep him from missing them, or wishing he could dance with his wife again. She showed up in the middle of the night, and when Héctor learned of her arrival, he let out a grito that quite literally woke the dead on his whole block. He had made several friends during his wait, and he kept up with all of them, even when some of them began to fade as they came closer to the final death. He never pushed anyone away, and ended up raising a lot of awareness for the near-forgotten using his songs and his notoriety—something that only grew exponentially when Ernesto de la Cruz was uncovered as a thief and murderer.

Imelda – upon learning that the reason her husband had never returned to her was because he had died on his attempt to return, she grieved as any widow would, trying so hard to be angry with him for leaving and getting himself killed. She had even stopped listening to music for a time, but Coco eventually convinced her to accept it again. Though she never did dance again in her lifetime. She did, however, make the best darn dance shoes in Mexico, and they were one of her zapateria's specialties. Upon her death, she was greeted by an over-enthusiastic Héctor, and her own response was to smack him so hard with her boot his head literally spun. She grabbed his skull to stop it and yanked him into a passionate kiss. What followed was the spilling of all that pent-up anger and grief, along with an assurance that she still loved her idiota. Héctor later confessed that he deserved every bit of her ire. A few days after her arrival, Imelda danced with her husband for the first time in half a century.

Oscar and Felipe – really didn't change much. They still tried to become inventors, applying most of their ideas to footwear in some way. But for all their creativity, neither of them possessed the practicality to make any of their inventions work. So they took up abstract sculpting in their spare time. They created some...interesting pieces. When their toddler grandniece tried painting one of their sculptures, they attempted to pass it off as an alebrije. The family's favorite pieces, including the one with Gloria's contribution of color, sit near their photos on the ofrenda.

Coco – became a very skilled dancer, but never pursued it as a career because Victória came along quite soon after her marriage to Júlio. She preferred to stay rooted to her mother's home and business anyway. However, she designated herself the family music teacher in her father's stead. She gained a moderate amount of skill on a few instruments, and was always a very good singer. But she didn't mind in the least whenever her descendants surpassed her musical talent. In fact, she couldn't be more proud. Especially of Miguel, the first in the family to truly inherit her papá's full musical genius. Coco never suffered full on dementia, her mind remaining mostly clear even as she approached 100. She had had her share of grief in her life, but none of it permanently impacted or prevented the many joys she also had.

Júlio – was always an okay dancer, and had a moderate voice (Coco always thought he could be quite good if he got vocal training). But he hated performing or speaking for an audience, and preferred lending his upholstery skills to the family business anyway. However, he always made a point of taking Coco dancing for their anniversary, and attempted to learn several complicated dances for her. His desire to learn new skills for Coco's sake was one of his most endearing traits as far as she was concerned.

Rosita – had an extensive collection of records. Some of them were de la Cruz records, but she took tremendous pleasure in smashing them to bits when she learned the truth about him. While she had no musical talent of her own, she loved listening to it, and was the most open minded of her generation when it came to new genres of music.

Victória – was a skilled artist and, though she was loathe to admit it, quite a talented dancer. Her work was always very technical, and she used her artistic talent to design prints for shoes and to create portraits of her family members. Like her papá, she hated the spotlight, and would always pretend she knew nothing about music or dancing in order to avoid having to engage in either in public. But Coco had caught her dancing many times in private. It was her abuelo Héctor who brought her out of her shell after her death. He used dancing as therapy to help Victória cope with the grief of leaving her mother behind to bury her.

Elena – is probably the least musical member of the Rivera family, much to Coco's chagrin. Elena always wanted to be just like Imelda, focusing her efforts on running the family business and household. And while she can't dance or play an instrument, and doesn't like to sing anything other than soft lullabies, Elena is a phenomenal cook. She is extremely reluctant to allow family members to travel outside Santa Cecilia, especially for music, fearing the same thing could happen to them that happened to her abuelo.

Franco – is an incessant whistler. He's naturally very quiet, focusing on his work, but when he's not communicating through words, he's using whistling. He grew up on a ranch, and still uses whistling to command horses and dogs. Each of his three kids had a tune designated for them. Whistling carried further than shouting their names did, and the kids knew from the tune which of them was wanted, and from the tone how urgent the command was. Franco's grandkids each have whistles to call them as well. Even Benny and Manny have unique but matching “whistle names,” as they call them; Manny's is an inversion of Benny's.

Berto – played the tuba in high school, but got bored with it as an adult. He's an avid soccer fan, and is also very dedicated to the family business. He takes after his mamá in many ways, particularly regarding musical interest. He can whistle just as well as his papá, and frequently borrows Franco's “whistle names” to call his own children. Of the blood Riveras, he's probably the worst singer.

Gloria* - like her Tia Victória, she's very shy about her musical abilities. She has two left feet, but her talent lies in song. She has a beautiful voice, but is far too shy to let it be heard beyond her family. Even her family is rarely privy to her singing. Her sisters-in-law have tried numerous times to rectify this, but all they ever succeed in doing is driving her further into her shell.

Enrique – focuses mostly on his career as a leather worker and shoemaker, but his favorite hobby is sound design. He has his own Foley studio and a digital library full of his own engineered sound effects, which he licenses to small production companies. He has tried his hand at a variety of musical instruments, but has always gotten distracted by the sound of something new, and has never kept his focus on a single instrument long enough to actually learn how to play it well. His wife has joked that she's grateful he has a wandering ear and not a wandering eye. Enrique is also a very talented poet, and collaborates regularly with Miguel to write and record new songs. He's Miguel's go-to singer when Miguel needs a tenor.

Carmen* - she's mostly just here for the shoes, but give her a ladle, some space and one of her favorite TV shows or records, and she'll put all her soul into her favorite soul music. She has an even more extensive record collection than Rosita did. She's a pretty good singer in her own right, but she has been known to butcher some of the more difficult notes and refrains. She sings while she does household chores, and is found frequently bobbing her head along to music blasting through her earbuds. The other Riveras can always tell what she's listening to, unless she's vacuuming.

Luisa – loves a soft lullaby or love song. She is somewhat shy when performing in public, but will do so gladly as long as she's performing a duet or group piece with those closest to her. She first learned to swallow her nerves and sing in public when she and Enrique went to a karaoke bar for one of their first dates. She almost never sings in public if Enrique isn't part of the song. They are quite possibly Santa Cecilia's favorite romantic duet.

Abel – sings baritone-bass, and prefers to play the accordion over singing. Like his papá, his true love is soccer. He hates being called by whistle, but automatically responds to his own whistle name without even thinking. He has lamented before about how their abuelito has the kids trained like dogs (Franco sees no problem with this). He's in the school pep band and choir, but will likely never have a solo part. He is, however, an integral part of Miguel's garage mariachi band—though he'd rather eat his own accordion and soccer cleats than put on one of those “ridiculous” charro suits.

Rosa – is the one who does get all the solos in choir. She is also first chair among the strings in her school's orchestra. She loves the violin, and is as talented with it as Miguel is with his guitar. Sometimes she'll sing along with her mamá to a record or CD, and she's a pretty good dancer. She loves to hone her skills by performing string battles with band mates or with Miguel, and the two of them typically end their battles with broken strings rather than a clear cut winner. The battles started as a way to determine which of them was to be stuck with an undesired chore, but neither of them really actually lost.

Miguel – this boy IS music. His favorite instrument is the guitar, and he is personally responsible for keeping his Papá Héctor's white skull guitar polished and preserved. He idolizes Héctor, wanting to be just like him—which has his abuelita worried that he'll run off to Mexico City and return in a pinewood box, just like Héctor did. Miguel can play a few instruments, but is an absolute wizard on the acoustic and electric guitar, as well as electric bass. He's a very good songwriter as well, even if he did have a lot of trouble learning to read sheet music when he was younger. By the time he's a teenager, he's already recording and selling albums, and by age 15 he requires an agent. It's quite clear that he will one day be the most famous of the Riveras, perhaps even surpassing Héctor.

Benny and Manny – are both quite young yet, but have already mastered the kazoo and the kitchen pot drums. They regularly make up nonsensical songs, trading off lines as they go. They sing the jingle Miguel wrote for the zapateria's radio commercials.

Socorro – dances like her namesake and sings like Imelda. Which doesn't surprise Miguel one bit. As a baby, she had the most powerful set of lungs he'd ever heard in his life. Her entire nuclear family is well aware of her potential to become a very talented, very powerful singer. Shortly after taking her first steps, she wanted to dance. Her favorite activity is dancing with her papá.

*I use the book published family tree for the names of Miguel's tias, but be aware that it may be wrong. Lee Unkrich has said that it is, and the film crew has as well. I use the name Carmen for Berto's wife because it means “song,” and in the canon film, it's doubtful Elena would name her daughter something like that.

[redcarpetview]

TV ONE ORIGINAL SERIES WE'RE THE CAMPBELLS DEBUTS ON TUESDAY, JUNE 19 AT 8 P.M. ET/7C

     SILVER SPRING, MD - May 16, 2018 - TV One is set to premiere its latest original docu-series, WE'RE THE CAMPBELLS on Tuesday, June 19  at 8 p.m. ET/7C . The nine episode docu-series will give viewers an intimate glimpse into the lives of Gospel entertainment power couple Warrynand Erica Campbell , as they tackle the everyday struggles that come with balancing family and work, nurturing their marriage, building their individual careers, and fostering their faith; all while raising their three children Warryn , Zaya  and teenager Krista. TV One will also feature the couple in its ongoing online series #BLACKLOVE  and a digital exclusive after show ...WITH WARRYN & ERICA . The weekly online companion content will get up-close-and personal with Warrynand Erica, as they reveal how they have dealt with common issues that could make or break any relationship.

        The patriarch of the family, Warryn Campbell, is an award-winning veteran music producer for today's most influential artists, Pastor of the California Worship Center, and founder of the record label My Block Inc. When Warryn is not leading prayer and worship service, he is mentoring his upcoming music artists.

       "I am excited to let people in and share our family's story," said Warryn. "It is super important that folks will get to see a strong, beautiful Black family, a loving couple and nothing but the Hand of God and the Grace of God on our lives through everyday situations both good and bad."

       Dividing time between her family's life in Los Angeles and her work life in Dallas, Erica Campbell is not only a doting wife, mother and sister, but also a host of the popular nationally-syndicated program Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell on  Reach Media, which she tapes daily. In addition to these roles, she is also one-half of the award-winning Gospel music duo Mary Mary, writing a new book, promoting her hair extension and wig collection and serving as First Lady of the family church.

       "We are a normal family that wants a healthy relationship with healthy and happy kids that will impact the world," says Erica. "I think families will see us deal with the same things they encounter in life. I'm so very excited."

      "Getting an inside look into a close-knit, powerhouse family like The Campbells is a rare privilege," says Tia A. Smith, Sr. Director of Original Programming & Production for TV One. "Audiences of all ages will identify with this docu-series and see themselves in members of this family, as they deal with the same issues we all do and get through them with humor and humility."

           Photo Credit: Courtesy of TV One

       As Gospel musicians, raising a family in the spotlight and dealing with issues of faith, sexuality and societal norms in the age of social media can be a challenge. WE'RE THE CAMPBELLS highlights the Campbell family on an intimate level, as well as introduces the large circle of family and friends that help keep things running smoothly, including Thomasina "Miss Honey" Atkins and Sandra "Momma" Campbell,  the loving and often opinionated mothers of Erica and Warryn.

       WE'RE THE CAMPBELLS is produced for TV One by Entertainment One  (eOne). Executive Producers are Tara Long, Mark Herwick, Kim McCoy, Warryn Campbell and Erica Campbell; Co- Executive Producer is Narvin Russaw. For TV One, Tia Smith  is the Executive in charge and Sr. Director of Original Programming & Production;  Donyell Kennedy McCollough is Sr. Director of Talent, and  Robyn Greene Arrington is Interim Head of Original Programming and Production.

             Watch the trailer below:

          For more information about TV One's upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network's companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram  and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tags #WERETHECAMPBELLS and #REPRESENT.

[tabloidtoc]

Star, August 31

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Chip and Joanna Gaines saving our family -- why they’re really back on TV 

Page 1: Kristen Wiig sharing her IVF struggle -- the star opens up about the joy and heartbreak of becoming a mom 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 3: WOW! Roundup of the week’s WTF moments and other funny business -- Winner of the Week is Maya Rudolph who won an Emmy for impersonating on Saturday Night Live Joe Biden’s pick of Kamala Harris as his running mate, Song of the Week -- Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s seriously NSFW song WAP has celebs like Christina Aguilera and Viola Davis loving the raunch, the world’s last Blockbuster video store is now available on Airbnb for overnight stays, Nev Schulman left a $926 tip after bonding with a waitress 

Page 4: Just two weeks into filming The Bachelorette Clare Crawley told producers she wanted to leave the show because she’d already fallen hard and fast for contestant Dale Moss -- panicked showrunners scrambled to replace Clare with Bachelor Nation’s Tayshia Adams but Clare was spotted at the resort in Palm Springs where the show has been filming leading some to conclude she’s being sequestered there to prevent spoilers because contestants don’t know what’s going on and producers don’t know what to do next; it’s a mess 

Page 5: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s bromance is on the rocks thanks to the ladies in their lives -- Matt’s wife Luciana isn’t a fan of Ben’s new love Ana de Armas and the feeling is mutual and the friction has put Ben and Matt in an awkward position, Lady Gaga dropped some bombshells in a recent radio interview when she admitted that she can’t always control things that her brain does and she’s been taking the powerful drug olanzapine (Zyprexa) to help treat her symptoms and her song 911 from her album Chromatica is about the drug which belongs to a class of drugs called atypical antipsychotics, Cameron Diaz recently opened up about finding peace by stepping away from the spotlight and she left more than Hollywood behind; she also shed a number of her A-list friends including Jennifer Aniston and Leslie Mann and Chelsea Handler and Demi Moore and Sandra Bullock because the new mom can’t be bothered by the ones she sees as superficial 

Page 6: After seeming to warm up to each other in recent months Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are back to battling in their epic divorce -- in the latest salvo Angie has asked to remove the judge overseeing the split and custody agreement for their kids claiming he had a preexisting relationship with Brad’s attorney and the move has some sniping it was a stall tactic on Angie’s part to punish Brad, after having $88K seized from her bank account last month to pay off American Express Tori Spelling has been performing virtual weddings to make some books during the pandemic, Star Spots the Stars -- Angela Bassett, Jennifer Lopez, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Alessandra Ambrosio, Tiffany Haddish, Ashlee Simpson Ross, 2 Chainz and Rick Ross 

Page 8: Star Shots -- Tia Mowry-Hardrict gave herself a glam-up, Molly Sims on a boat in Montauk, Ariana Grande on a trip to the celeb-adored Amangiri resort in Utah

Page 9: Cindy Crawford in her outdoor shower, Jessica Simpson and her daughter Birdie modeling a jumpsuit from mom’s clothing line, Ireland Baldwin balances a few drinks while talking on her phone 

Page 10: Reese Witherspoon gets kisses from her dog Lou, Rita Ora accessorized a peekaboo dress with layers of baubles during a night out in Ibiza, Spain 

Page 12: Alessandra Ambrosio in a surf-side volleyball game, Kevin Hart 

Page 13: Kate Beckinsale lay in a hammock while her cat snoozed in its own little hammock, Mark Wahlberg captaining a boat 

Page 14: David Beckham and daughter Harper hit the water in Greece, Olivia Palermo walking her dog Mr. B while wearing a mask in NYC, Victoria Justice on Venice Beach 

Page 15: Eva Longoria, Jay Leno riding in his 1957 Chevrolet Corvette 

Page 16: Kylie Jenner stepped out of a business meeting in Calabasas, Hugh Jackman in a waterside shot, Mindy Kaling reading children’s books, Gwyneth Paltrow and mom Blythe Danner and daughter Apple Martin

Page 17: Nina Dobrev and her dog Maverick 

Page 18: Normal or Not? Salma Hayek and her family played cards wearing masks and gloves -- normal, Queen Latifah playing golf -- normal, Gina Rodriguez organized her luxury RV ahead of a getaway -- normal 

Page 20: Fashion -- Stars Shine in Silver -- Diane Kruger, Skai Jackson, Janelle Monae 

Page 21: Elsa Hosk, Nicky Hilton Rothschild

Page 24: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom saying goodbye to Hollywood -- the pair are ditching Tinseltown for celeb-loved Montecito 

Page 25: Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello split -- after spending lockdown at her home in Florida Shawn has returned to Florida and the plan was that Camila would go with him but they decided to take a break instead, Ed Sheeran and wife Cherry Seaborn’s secret pregnancy, before Tiger Woods even thinks of popping the question to girlfriend Erica Herman he has to protect his $800 million fortune and he will propose only if she agrees to sign an ironclad prenup 

Page 26: Cover Story -- Joanna and Chip Gaines saving our family -- with their new Magnolia Network and Magnolia empire threatened Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna reluctantly return to their roots 

Page 30: Prince Harry still searching for happiness -- as he settles into his first real home with Meghan Markle in Santa Barbara Harry is still haunted by his tragic past 

Page 32: Weight Loss Winners & Losers -- check out who’s been shedding pounds in lockdown and who’s been hitting the fridge -- Rebel Wilson

Page 33: Adele, Porsha Williams, Alec Baldwin 

Page 34: Tiffany Haddish, Heidi Klum, Christie Brinkley 

Page 35: Nene Leakes, Serena Williams, Chrissy Teigen 

Page 36: Style -- feminine shorts -- Joan Smalls 

Page 40: Entertainment 

Page 41: Q&A Robyn Dixon of The Real Housewives of Potomac 

Page 48: Parting Shot -- Misty Copeland showed off her impressive moves during a photo shoot 

[treasuresinamerica]

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER 2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Top Story, Treasures in America’s Launch

Meet Celeste Sandbank, our Treasure Community Spotlight of the month!

Global Discoveries, Pharaoh Body Survived Discovery

TIA Bussiness News, Adventure Membership

Featured Video, The Ultimate Treasure You’ll Ever Find

TOP STORY

Treasures in America Have Officially Launched

Treasures in America is proud and excited to announce the launch of our new online Treasure Hunting store. With over 600 products and more than 50 categories, we are confident we can provide you with all you need to get out there and FIND YOUR ADVENTURE.

Our staff is available for any questions about our products and/or memberships, or even if you want to just pop in to say Hi!

Our Membership program is here to provide you with AMAZING discounts and benefits that you won’t find anywhere else on the web.

TREASURE COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Celeste Sandbank (Prospector Barbie)

Celeste Sandbank lives in Northern California and is an Aesthetic Nurse by day and a Treasure Hunter by night. Her passion and knowledge for finding crystals and gold are inspiring! This is a girl who is not afraid to get her hands dirty while out there digging for what she loves. We heard that when she goes out digging, she’s always got a batch of cookies in her car or purse to persuade landowners for permission to dig on their land. Genius!

Celeste just became one of TIA’s paid members and purchased a Minelab Equinox 800 You can follow her on Facebook and/or Instagram.

** For a chance to be featured in our Treasure Community Spotlight, email us at support@treasuresinamerica.com. Be sure to include your picture and a brief description of why. Include social media links if any and we will check it out!

  GLOBAL DISCOVERIES

Egypt: Pharaoh Ramesses Body Survived Largely Intact

“EGYPT archaeologists discovered the body of a pharaoh “largely intact” during an excavation near the famous Valley of the Kings.” “Ramses II was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty in Egypt. Often regarded as one of the greatest and most celebrated rulers of the New Kingdom, he led several military expeditions into surrounding countries to strengthen the empire. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings, near the west bank of the Nile, but this is not where his body was found.”

How cool is that? There are new discoveries being made every day that prove there is so much lost history still uncovered around the world. We don’t have to go to Egypt to find something, we just need to get out there and look for clues in our own backyards.

  TIA BUSINESS NEWS

The Adventure Membership

Become a Treasures in America’s member today and receive incredible benefits for one full year.  There’s no better place to get more for your money than right HERE with a TIA Membership. Once a member, you can enjoy exclusive benefits on the following:

Exclusive Product Promotions throughout the store, Metal Detectors, Pinpointers, Shovels/Diggers  & more! Free Shipping on orders over $99.99. Consultation on treasure hunting strategies and gear. Members-Only Exclusive Emails. Quarterly Members Only E-Newsletters. Members will also receive a Treasures in America decal!

You’ll never be alone again. Become a part of the team and enter a world full of adventure. Receive the tools you’ll need to be successful in making discoveries.  Now everyone can be a part of this fast-growing team. know all about seeking out new discoveries and finding adventures.

  The Best Treasure You’ll Ever Find

The Ultimate Adventure

The Treasures in America’s team has dedicated the last 20 years of their lives to adventure. Some of them, like Timothy Draper (Founder of Treasures in America), have spent most of their adult lives outdoors exploring everywhere they can reach. Treasures in America (TIA) have inspired many people along the way but it’s time to step it up a notch. It’s time to take secrets out of treasure hunting and start working with many people that want to be involved.

Like Timothy said in this video, “I’m going to do something that other treasure hunters haven’t done. Put trust in people.” Because TIA has so many sites of lost riches and history, we hope by sharing our adventure and teaching others, that many will follow, and many will succeed in not only discovering a passion but find their adventure as well. Watch this inspiring and exciting video and learn who we are and what we do.

  The post FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER 2020 appeared first on Treasures in America.

[mayvennhair]

Although she’s an identical twin, Tia Mowry-Hardrict is definitely in a league of her own in terms of personality and style.

While her sister Tamera comes off as the more reserved, girl next door type, Tia isn’t afraid to take risks, daring to set herself apart.

In their earlier years, they chose to dress alike, or similar. But as time grew, Tia developed her own look and ditched the curly hair, spaghetti strapped dresses and conservative cover ups for sleek and sexy alternatives.

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Tia and Tamera in earlier years. Can you guess which twin is which? (Tia is on the right in both shots)

When speaking with Huffington Post in 2015, Tia talked about the importance of having her own personal style.

“I think it’s really important for me to maintain my individuality mainly because I am an individual,” she explained. “Society tends to always make multiples — whether it’s twins or triplets or whatever — one person. And it’s not always fair. I encourage multiples to embrace their individual uniqueness, because just as you are an amazing unit together that can only happen when you are strong individually.”

And individuality is exactly what she gives. She has a penchant for combining the classics with edgier, more trendy finds.

In terms of going against the grain, it was a process for Tia.

“When you’re younger it’s all about conformity and being easily influenced — especially in terms of fashion,” she said. “You just follow the trends. Whatever is hot at the moment you want to get it. You basically just want to be doing what everyone else is doing.”

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Creating YouTube content for you guys! @tiamowryquickfix ❤️ Hair- @nakiarachon Makeup- @antonmakeup Stylist- @judystylexo Top- @frame @intermixonline Jeans- @lagencefashion Belt- @gucci Shoes- @prada

A post shared by tiamowry (@tiamowry) on Sep 21, 2017 at 4:30am PDT

To become the stylish bombshell she is now, Tia enlisted the help of a fashion stylist. But, she wasn’t easily sold on all the new pieces. She insists that collaboration is important to her to achieve the best looks, as fashion is one of the ways she expresses herself best.

View this post on Instagram

Represented my husband @coryhardrict last night on carpet. He's in movie and couldn't make it because he's filming another movie. 👊🏽 Cory, you killed it! As always, impressed with your skill! I'm saying it here, you are gonna win an Oscar one day. I look up to you. I'm inspired by you and I love you. I was glad to represent! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽#alleyezonmemovie #2pac @alleyezmovie Makeup- @juliannekaye Hair- @kendragarvey Stylist- @judystylexo Dress- @balmain Shoes- @giuseppezanottidesign Clutch- @jimmychoo

A post shared by tiamowry (@tiamowry) on Jun 15, 2017 at 10:59am PDT

While most celebs with her level of industry experience are label magnets, Tia is an online shopping fanatic.

“I love to shop online, and I say that because it’s not so limiting.”

She has a knack for mixing designer pieces with more affordable items and loves American Apparel and Zara.

Blazers, denim, dresses and pumps are some of her most worn looks; you can always count on her for a classic black get up!

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She's not afraid to be bold! Dress- @dvf Shoes- @giuseppezanottidesign Hair- @nakiarachon Makeup- @antonmakeup Stylist- @judystylexo

A post shared by tiamowry (@tiamowry) on Oct 7, 2017 at 5:59am PDT

What’s her staple piece? Shoes, of course!

“I’m definitely addicted to shoes. I love boots, I love high heels, I love flats.”

Even while pregnant her fashions didn’t disappoint, which can be difficult as a woman’s due date approaches and having a newborn can throw someone’s fashion routine off. But, Tia says it’s a must to keep the ball rolling. She credits becoming a mother after the birth of her son Cree as the beginning of her style evolution. She’s now a mom of two and is slaying even more fearlessly than before.

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😘

A post shared by tiamowry (@tiamowry) on Dec 12, 2017 at 5:48am PST

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Felt very sexy in my @tomford dress and @manoloblahnikhq shoes at the @thetot event last night 💕 #pregnant #fashion #manoloblahnik #tomford

A post shared by tiamowry (@tiamowry) on Dec 5, 2017 at 11:05am PST

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Man I love my babies. #cree #cairo Thank you for choosing me 🙂 💕

A post shared by tiamowry (@tiamowry) on Nov 29, 2018 at 7:01am PST

Keep up with Tia’s ever-evolving style on her Instagram and YouTube accounts.

Style Spotlight: Tia Mowry Although she’s an identical twin, Tia Mowry-Hardrict is definitely in a league of her own in terms of personality and style.