#Jeng is like wine

[omgtheregoesthefuckidontgive]

GAGAOOLALA WHAT THE FUCKKKK

who runs this account omg 😭

[waitmyturtles]

TW: probably unpopular opinions on Step By Step’s filmmaking!

I’ve had an insane work week so far, so I don’t have the largest amount of time to write an analysis of Step By Step, episode 8, and I’m already late in watching it anyway. But I will largely point everyone in the direction of @lurkingshan’s EXCELLENT analysis of Jeng’s reaction to Pat’s reaction that Jeng is gay (and to @neuroticbookworm’s post-Shan analysis of their prediction of the road ahead, which I subscribe to). 

I’m also late in watching this because I allowed myself the spoilers yesterday, and was admittedly frustrated to learn that the payoff of this episode is that Pat learns about Jeng’s preferences... in an episode that’s over an hour. It’s a very unpopular opinion I have! The editing and some of the writing of this show suck. I’m gonna repeat myself -- I would prefer crisper writing and dialogue. But I am still in favor of the deep focus on Pat and his mindset. It’s just that in some moments (like in the second restaurant), he’ll disappear and we won’t get feedback on that disappearance until MUCH later. (And forget about Jaab and Jen, I’m leaving that alone for this analysis. The show definitely had the time to examine that more in an hourlong+ episode, but didn’t.)

ANYWAY. Citing @bengiyo‘s and @ginnymoonbeam‘s conversation about Pat’s radar -- I want to build off of @bengiyo‘s comment for a moment, on something I realized when Jeng was with Tae, when Jeng got the text message from Pat that the restaurant crawl was on. Something I realized when Tae was asking Jeng about Pat’s intentions is that:

For Jeng, WORK IS LIFE. We’re spending a lot of time, and the show spends a lot of time, dealing with the boss-to-subordinate conflict. BUT. I would argue that Jeng’s whole world is work. The man is LITERALLY WORKING TWO JOBS, TWO HIGH-LEVEL, EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP JOBS. Man’s insane. 

I give Pat the gigantic benefit of the doubt that he “could” or “should” have known Jeng’s preferences intentions. (@lurkingshan, @bengiyo, and @ginnymoonbeam all know that before seeing the episode, I did state incredulity that Pat DIDN’T know this, so I recant before you all!)

BECAUSE: what PAT is seeing in front of himself, vis à vis Jeng, is a man that is WORKING ALL THE TIME. So I think Pat’s radar is off, in my opinion, because he can ONLY see Jeng as a boss and a leader, and would not allow himself to cross the boss-subordinate boundaries, even in settings where they are “working” on Jeng’s “other” job, because Jeng is a boss in that other space as well. 

And while Jeng doesn’t see this as “working,” Pat certainly does. 

I mean, I’ve tried to get glasses of wine with some former bosses of mine, just to create intimacy and get to know them out of office spaces, and like, all we talk about is work. Some people can’t relax and separate. I get that.

I think Pat ASSUMED Jeng was like that, because in doing social activities, it seems, from Pat’s perspective, that Jeng is still working -- and for that restaurant crawl, he totally is! And Tae knew to call that out and maybe tease Jeng for being a little delulu, which, accurate. 

So I write this, now not in criticism of Pat’s radar, but in grudging support of it, and I say grudging because I do not think the editing of the show is supporting the slow burn anymore. Unpopular opinion, I know. I think this show is doing Pat dirty. I believe the payoff will be good. But the show is dragging and not giving us enough by way of internal communication on Pat’s part to demonstrate intriguing development that grabs me. 

But we get a confession next week. Let’s see how long it’ll take to get there. 

[poetry-protest-pornography]

Jeng is so devasted here. The idea that Pat genuinely doesn't think that his feelings are real is heartbreaking.

And then, because we all haven't cried enough:

He's done what Pat asked him to do. He's respected the boundaries Pat set, he hasn't texted, even when he wanted to reach out like he would have Before, to talk with Pat like a friend-- to check on him, to work through his struggle with his dad... He hasn't.

But he gets so stuck on the fact that Pat could just flat out disbelieve in his feelings, that Pat's rejection wasn't of Jeng, but of the possibility of him, that he crosses the line, just this once, and then goes back to crying into his wine glass and quietly extricating himself from the company and Pat's life.

Ugh, my freaking heart.

[respectthepetty]

BUT I think we should all stand and applaud the fact that the “oh no Boss Daddy Jeng is Stressed and must intensify a Work out to get through these feelings scene” was NOT left on the cutting room floor.

Blessed be the editors. Knighthoods. The lot of them.

I do appreciate the editors for being like "Pat's parents talking? Cut. Ae going into labor? Cut. Pat and Jeng talking to their friends? CUT! Jeng working out? Mmmm. . . it has narrative value. Keep."

Because his back and those grunts were definitely giving me a whole story.

Also, in my family, when people are upset, they either deep clean or aggressively work out, while I open a bottle of wine and plot murder, so good for Jeng being a well-balanced man and finding beneficial ways to deal with his anxiety and stress. Beneficial for him AND for us.

Please let Man get more roles, so I can continue to objectify admire him.

Amen.

[marellytalks]

something about the way he holds Pat’s face , their hands together, way his hands go around Pat’s waist

I know they prolly went for workshops and get instructions on hand placement an all that. So we finally got the awaited hornee scenes, its like they have done many series together, its seemed natural and so well done. I did watch Jeng’s cry scene through my fingers though IM SO IN LOVE WITH HIM

The way he drinks wine, when he unbuttons his blazer in the bathroom after the spillage scene?

He really got that mature elegant confidence thing going on. The other actor that gives off the same vibe is Mile.

I AM CRYING

maybe its just epi10 brain rot for me, its like post kinnporsche for me all over again because both KPTS and Step by Step have sort of raised the standards so high , i cannot help compare.

I hope they work together again, the chemistry and rapport is there, I think Man mention something about dissappearing from twitter once Step by Step is finished. Cant help thinking like this would be the one and only bl series he would do 🥺 i am so invested

NOBODY TOUCH ME

KEEP WALKING

[maroon-not-five]

Agustus 2023

Bday blues? Tahun ini ga ngalamin. Banyak banget kerjaan yang harus diurusin sampe ga sempet ngerasain yang namanya depresi mau ultah. Ga punya harapan atau ekspektasi apapun. Kalau masih hidup ya dijalani aja, kalau mati yaudah mau gimana lagi.

Pas teng tanggal 4 tuh, ada 4 orang yang ngirim ucapan selamat. Ada yang via voice note, telpon, chat, sama dm. Ada juga yang ngirim video dia lagi main gitar sama kalimba. Terus paginya di kantor udah sibuk ngurus meeting. Bolak-balik ke meeting room buat ngecek logistik. Ternyata staff yang lagi di kantor bikin surprise 🫠 awkward sih, tapi ya mukanya langsung pasang mode happy terkontrol.

Sorenya tiba-tiba diajakin cegil untuk ngopi. Yaa nurut aja, eh taunya udah ada 2 orang temen kita yang nungguin. 'Free flow cocktail', temanya. Tapi aku milih minum cocktail segelas aja sama wine. Mereka pesen entah berapa belas gelas. Di tengah percakapan, mereka tanya hal paling ga disukai kalau dirayakan ultah. Jadi tuh, aku paling ga suka kalau dirayain di tempat umum dan tiba-tiba kaya disamperin pakai kue terus orang-orang nanti ngeliatin. Muka mereka shock pas dengerin karena ternyata........ jeng jeng.......

Mereka nyiapin kue yang dibawa sama bartender, pake lilin segala, suara speaker bar diganti jadi lagu ultah, heboh 😂

Ketawa ngakak karena liat ekspresi mereka dengan muka bersalah. But I appreciate it, so i got along. I felt happy and "belong" to somewhere. Makin malam, tentu makin ga karuan karena mereka ga berhenti minum. Akhirnya kita sudahi di jam 9.

Agustus juga bulan dimana akhirnya merasakan lagi yang namanya bucin. Meskipun berakhir dengan drama toxic dengan mantannya gebetan, yang bikin lelah sendiri. Tapi gimana pun, itu masuk hitungan ke bulan Agustus. Bener kata Mbak Taylor sih,

"Whispers of "Are you sure?" Never have I ever before. But I can see us lost in the memory. August slipped away into a moment in time. 'Cause it was never mine. And I can see us twisted in bedsheets. August sipped away like a bottle of wine. 'Cause you were never mine."

The kissed we shared, I will cherish it as a momentary lapse. Twisted in my bed sheets, go away with the wind shield.

Akhir Agustus bukan yang paling baik, memang. Belum lagi drama masalah administrasi kampus yang sempat bikin menyerah untuk lanjut. Masalah kerja juga bikin pulang larut, konsumsi kafein makin tinggi, skip lunch entah berapa kali.

Tapi juga akhir Agustus bisa nonton piala dunia basket di GBK Arena dan dateng ke pameran seni sebagai VIP. Setidaknya menyeimbangkan perasaan yang carut marut jadi sedikit bahagia.

Oh, akhir Agustus juga ketemu sama anak sepupu yang baru balik dari Inggris. Senengnya pas ketemu itu, dia masih inget sama tantenya meskipun sekarang manggilnya bukan lagi tante shel, tapi auntie shel 🫠 dia juga ngasih boneka kucing kesayangannya sebagai hadiah.

Momen Agustus memang secepat itu, menghabiskan banyak energi dan memori. Entah apa yang ada di pikiran sampai berniat lanjut ke September. Karena sekarang nulis ini di bulan Oktober, bisa sih kayanya flashback dan ngasih spoiler ke diri sendiri untuk skip September. Tapi kan sudah terlewati ya... hanya bisa meng-aamiiin-kan doa yang diberikan orang-orang baik di tanggal empat. Merelakan yang sudah terjadi dan pergi. Memeluk erat bunga yang sudah kering dan berjatuhan kelopaknya.

[circular-time]

Spare Parts Liveblog 8 - Disc Four

In my liveblog, I’ve been posting links to Spare Parts on Spotify for those who haven’t bought it (I have; it’s so cheap). For what it’s worth, it’s even CHEAPER this weekend -- 99p. Big Finish is having a Mondasian Cybermen sale.

Also, I forgot to mention: Just as new Who adapted Big Finish’s Jubilee to make Dalek, it also borrowed (although not quite as extensively) from Spare Parts to make The Age of Steel / The Rise of the Cybermen, for which Marc Platt received an acknowledgement.

So anyway. I’ve been kinda beat today and have only just gotten to Part IV. Let’s whip through this; I still have to watch this week’s new Who.

I’d mentioned that it sounds odd to me now when I hear early Big Finish, before they got the rights to all the classic Who themes, and all the eps start with what I think is the 1970s theme. @ironic-disingenuous-sadness​  pointed out the earlier-classic-Who theme fits this story rather well.

Track 4.1: “Shelter”

We’re back to the Doctor very much nonconsenting a medical procedure, and the cyberized Committee declaring WE WILL SURVIVE. Scary cybermen are scary.

(here we go again...)

Oh, Pete’s doing awesome speechifying again. The ranting BEGINS while he’s being scanned.

“Only cold logic stifles their natural urge to SCREAM IN AGONY!” (as he’ll be doing again shortly, I’m sure. Always do what you’re best at.)

And this is where Sally Knyvette was needed: she can give it right back.

“How can you do that to your own people?!” “Because we’re dying! That’s why we’re screaming!”

She goes on a long rant too, the first time we’ve really heard what she’s feeling behind the wine-deadened mask of indifference.

Jeng and the Committee argue over priorities: the Doctor made them promise to keep the city going, but it’s a choice between activating the propulsion system to move Mondas out of the nebula that’s shaking it apart, or shutting down the city.

“Sacrifices must be made,” the battlecry of those not making the sacrifice to save themselves.

Even now they’re divided in what to do. They finally decide to process all the citizens into Cybermen to save them. Of course. It’s then end.

The Hartleys discuss Nyssa being taken away, doubtless to be processed (aieee!) like Yvonne. They’re watching the iceflow envelope parts of the city. Is this establishing something in a classic Who ep I haven’t seen (missing eps/recons?)

The Palace broadcasts that all citizens should go to the Palace. “Shelter will be provided.” Mr Hartley scoffs; he knows it’s a lie.

Although in a way it isn’t— they’ll be well protected in their cyber-suits. Just dead.

Track 4.2 - “Logical Deductions”

Nyssa gets dragged past the Doctor, who tries to save her by (to her horror) suggesting she can help Allan with the cyber-process since she’s so good at bioengineering. Which, apparently, she is. Allan decides to requisition her, but Jeng barges in to say all citizens are being processed. Including Allan.

Who freaks out with the classic Mad Scientist line: “I CREATED YOU!” “And I am superior. Be proud while you still have the capacity.”

Ah, there we go. Of COURSE the scan means the Doctor has to scream. Agony Acting Peter is off again.

And in between screams, fighting the Committee in his mind, one of the best Who speeches ever.

How did this start? Just a few hip replacements and breast implants - vanity's a killer, isn't it? And where will it end? Sleek, heartless scavengers cobbled together from space junk and other people’s bodies— but you’ll look ever so STYLISH!! *screaming*

There’s a long pause when they ask him to evacuate Mondas using whatever means he used to get there. It’s too late for that... isn’t it? But it would’ve been one way to save the people. Except it’s a means he almost never uses; the TARDIS is never a lifeboat. (Seriously considers it in Equilibrium though.)

YOU WILL BE LIKE US. I will never be like you!

Again, this is the real horror of the Cybermen— Assimilation, in a form even worse than the Borg (which came several decades later).

oops, more screamy Pete.

The Committee finally achieves consensus (”disjunction means extinction...”) and all agree to join as one mind. “We are the future... we are the future...” the voice changes. It is now the “Cyber Planner” which appears in early classic Who.

Track 4.3 - “We will be like you”

I wish recent Big Finish still had track names like chapter names; they’re so creepy.

Anyway poor optimistic Nyssa is waiting for the scan to finish and the Doctor to come back. Allan’s being cynical and fatalistic again.

Out in the city, the civilians have woken up to their doom but it’s TOO LATE; they waited while their neighbors were rounded up and their rights curtailed in the name of Security until they have no power left.

They’re having an angry protest in the city’s main square, burning the tree. Mr. Hartley and Frank are there, refusing to submit, even though it’s bitterly cold. Then they try to storm the Palace — only to be captured. The Cyber-planner puts their own security ahead of the propulsion system, overriding Jeng’s wishes. “Resistance must be crushed.”

Back in the palace, the scan finishes, door opens— no Doctor! A moment later a new, improved Cyberman comes out.

Nyssa thinks it’s him. The Doctor is now a Cyberman like the ones who killed Adric! Her voice— ouch. Poor Nyssa. She has been through such HELL since meeting the Doctor.

And here’s another of my favorite moments.

Allan’s given up and is drinking heavily —Knyvette being awesome again— trying to get Nyssa to join her in toasting the end of the world.

Nyssa’s gotten over her shock, like she always does, and gives a pretty damned good speech of her own.

[We must do something] “Who cares?” “The Doctor would care!” “Anything to encourage oblivion.” “Please, listen to me!” *breaks the woman’s bottle* “You STUPID little—” “He’s gone. The Doctor’s dead. Worse than dead. And Adric’s dead too. So many people killed because of your Cybermen. So where’s the Committee? I have to stop this once and for all!”

I love it when Nyssa lays the verbal smackdown, and I thumb my nose at those fools who think Sarah Sutton can’t act. She’s better now than she was when she was 19, of course, and even then she was pretty good.

And there Nyssa goes again, once again ready to take the Doctor’s place and finish his work when she thinks he’s dead. She is too damn brave for her own good. And she never gives into grief while there’s lives to save.

But before she can get herself in worse trouble...

“The Doctor was a gift... he was our last resort.” *door opens* “Oh dear, you make me sound like Southend-on-Sea.”

I love the Doctor’s stupid quips at the worst possible moments. (And happy reunions.)

Allan belatedly informs them (she was mocking Nyssa) that the new Cyberman was Dodd.

“Where is he now?” the Doctor says. “Oh? It’s a he when it’s someone you know.” Good point, Allan.  She doesn’t approve of what’s happened, but she’s still proud of her “invincible” creations.

Team Nerd reunited— Doctor needs something to sabotage the Committee, Nyssa suggests using Allan’s wine store, much to her annoyance.

Track 4.4 - “Consider the Grape”

I think the Doctor gave that grape-quote earlier in the story?

Ouch. The roof’s falling in, and the citizens have no choice but to rush into the arms of the Cybermen.

Nyssa’s still furious. “You’re PATHETIC” she tells Allan and clops her one when she tries to stop the Doctor from numbing the Committee’s nutrient bath with alcohol.

The Doctor and Nyssa wonder again if they can change history. Ironically they’ve switched sides of the argument— the Doctor’s so determined not to have himself used as the template for the Cyber-race that he’s considering changing history after all, while Nyssa wonders if they should since it’s the only way to save these people’s lives. He wants to have a hand in steering the creations based on him.

Another irony: Allan’s so proud of her Committee, her “children” that she’s willing to sacrifice the planet to save them (?) Jeng disagrees.

The Hartleys rescue Nyssa and the Doctor from being collected. Alas, Frank holds Nyssa back to apologize, and they get caught for processing. *whimper* (And everyone’s being rounded up for processing in the palace.)

This story doesn’t let up.

Track 4.5 “Death is Just a Bowl of Cherries”

The Cyberplanner sends Allan for processing, of course. They grow up and turn on you.

Allan’s finally gotten angry. The Committee are directing all power to processing to make more “walking dead”, rather than saving the city OR the propulsion. And when she’s stuck in line she’s defiant. Embraces her end with a bit of courage.

The Doctor’s keeping the Cyberplanner busy while Mr. Hartley summons the cybermats to save the day. And screaming again. They override Jeng when he tries to activate the propulsion system.

Track 4.6 “Logical Conclusions.”

Nyssa’s just about ready to be processed OF COURSE while the Doctor’s chitchatting with the Cyberplanner. DOCTOR SHUT IT.

Finally the cybermats overwhelm the Cyberplanner, allowing them to divert power to the engines and send Mondas back towards Earth.

The Doctor and Nyssa think they’ve put Mondas on better footing: the Commitee’s out, Jeng is out, and the Cybermen are helping repair the roof. Hartley is in charge of the reconstruction.

But sadly this story, like Genesis of the Daleks, can’t actually do a damn THING to alter the monsters’ future. The ending is horrifying: Jeng returns, and the processing will begin again— all the survivors the Doctor and Nyssa helped will shortly be converted. At least the Doctor and Nyssa leave before they’re caught or even find out that sad truth.

And I’m still not 100% sanguine about an EU story where the ONLY thing that changes is that the Cybermen are now based partly on the Doctor!

But it’s a hell of a story, dealing with some of the heart and soul of the whole “Can we/should we change history?” problem of Who, some fine speeches, some incredible courage on the part of both Doctor and Companion, and a little side commentary on organ harvesting/human rights/universal healthcare/cost-cutting/”sacrifices must be made.”

[tourpackagesforyou]

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO TO HONG KONG

Hong Kong is a huge, perplexing, cosmopolitan city, but if you compare it to, say, New York or London, you won’t get a complete picture. To really get a feel of Cantonese culture, you have to go out of Centre and explore the peripheral islands, a few New Territories, and adjoining fishing villages.

How to Greet People First greet in the morning, a warm “Joh sun” (good morning) is an effortless phrase to master. For something trickier, Hongkongers greet each other with “Neihou ma? Sekjorfaanmei?” (How are you? Have you eaten rice yet?). “Yes, we really are obsessed with food,”.Tea Etiquette“When filling the cups for others, start with the most elder person at the site.” "When anyone serves tea, it’s general to tap two fingers (first and middle finger) on the table as a thank you. This is an effective gesture when you're talking and don’t want to disturb between the conversation, and when you are eating."

Do's and Don'ts Do take the Airport Express from the airport to the town. A 24-minute trip to Central. Do turn the teapot lid downside up or keep it on top of the handle if you want a refill. Do make a wave gesture with your hand to signify to taxi when you’d like to cross the harbor. Cross-harbor taxi generally has a white light over them. Do click pictures of anything and everything—your food, scenery, yourself.... Unlike most of the destinations, it isn't just tourists who are snapping happy. Hongkongers like to document everything too. Do feel free to take a beer of glass of wine around on the street. Hong Kong has open-container laws. Don’t keep your chopsticks vertically in a bowl of rice, as it’s associated with funerals. Don’t try to stop a cab if you see double yellow lines at the curb. Taxi only stops if there is a single line. Don’t feel sad to leave a 20 percent tip, unless the server goes above and beyond. There’s already a 10 percent charge for service on the check anything extra would reflect the treat.

Words and phrases to know Jo sun—A traditional and simple way to say “Good morning” to anyone who passes by. Lah— Tack on a “lah” at the end of sentences to indicate the tone you’re hoping to achieve—whether it be exasperation, excitement, or emphatic agreement. Mm goi—This is a two-for-one. You can say “mm goi” to express gratitude at a restaurant or to say “excuse me” while navigating crowded streets. Jeng—A quick and easy catchall phrase for "that’s cool” or “awesome.” So get your hands on these tips and get going. Book a hassle free holiday with Flamingo Transworld for best experience.

[shaylalovefi4]

Buy it on Amazon - http://ift.tt/2H9X7rn - AKDY 53 Bottles Dual Zone Adjustable Touch Control Electric Wine Cooler Refrigerator w/ Built-in Compressor Review -- Click the link to buy now or to read the 171 4 & 5 Star Reviews.Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG7HO1C7VI0Xl5aNXO-JENg?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 AKDY 53 Bottles Dual Zone Adjustable Touch Control Electric Wine Cooler Refrigerator w/ Built-in Compressor Review Looked all over and found the best deal. Delivered as promised.... Reviewer : Isabella I love it. Its functional and works just like I was expecting. ... Reviewer : Jacob Click http://ift.tt/2H9X7rn to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. Internal Dimension Top(in): 12.25 W x 17.25 L x 17.25 H; Internal Dimension Bottom(in): 12.25 W x 17.25 L x 26.25 H Upper zone: 40°F - 50°F; Lower zone: 50°F - 66°F 11 removable shelves, capacity up to 53 bottles Warranty: 1-Year Limited Parts Warranty Excellent. Was all set to buy another model, but researched this and ended up making the best decision. ... Reviewer : Riley Click http://ift.tt/2H9X7rn to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. ***Let Us Know What You Think… Comment Below!!*** Watch my other review Videos – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG7HO1C7VI0Xl5aNXO-JENg Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG7HO1C7VI0Xl5aNXO-JENg?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 #AKDY, #AKDY 53 Bottles Dual Zone Adjustable Touch Control Electric Wine Cooler Refrigerator w/ Built-in Compressor This is a review video for : B074F2FN75 Manufacture : AKDY Related Videos in Channel

[vdbstore-blog]

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Model of the moment Paul Hameline: “I don’t know why people would want to look at me" | Fashion

A hot, sticky June evening in Paris and model Paul Hameline is at a party, drinking warm wine from a plastic cup. It’s men’s fashion week and Le Marais is thick with models fresh off the Dries Van Noten catwalk. Not Hameline, though. Blue-eyed, with echoes of Richard Hell, this model is alone, looking bored, in a T-shirt that reads: No Heart Inside. He’s sacked off part of fashion week to be at the private party of photographer Pierre-Ange Carlotti’s exhibition. The T-shirt is by Carlotti.

He’s not actually bored. The coolest models tend to emit a certain ennui and Hameline is probably the coolest in fashion right now. Male supermodels are rare, and famous faces that deviate from mainstream ideals are even rarer. They tend to be either cartoonish (David Gandy, Lucky Blue Smith) or anonymously good-looking (Sean O’Pry, Jon Kortajarena). Vanity and grooming don’t sit well with smoking, basement parties and insouciance.

So Hameline is a rarity then. He’s the original Vetements muse and the collective’s influence makes this significant. His ascent has been exponential – he first walked for Vetements in 2014 and has carefully picked every job since. He models for only a handful of shows: Marni, Prada, Balenciaga, JW Anderson.

Paul and friends: models Jamie Bochert, Mica Arganaraz, Julia Nobis, Paul Hameline, Clara Deshayes outside the Sies Marjan show at the New York State Bar Association in 2016. Photograph: Melodie Jeng/Getty Images

Fame baffles him: “I’m not even commercial looking,” he despairs. But it’s precisely this look – an androgynous, post-binary beauty with a flaw (in his case, a small dimple under his bottom lip) – that has made him menswear’s most in-demand face, and may explain why he’s finally hit mainstream and become the new face of Hugo Boss. He seems taller than his 6ft 1in, possibly because of the way he stands, Giacometti-like, incredibly slight, but sexy.

The idea of beauty being a static notion is deeply Americanised and, thanks to social media, has become the norm, says Alice Pfeiffer, a French fashion journalist and friend of Hameline’s. “But in France, we have always been good at celebrating the alternative.” He, she says, is the male incarnation of this philosophy.

“I don’t like just modelling,” he says. “I don’t consider it my main profession, and I never thought I’d make money from it.” Boredom scares him. “I have to keep busy or I get depressed.” His CV includes styling, studying art, acting, making zines inspired by cult cinema and designing prints for Ann Demeulemeester.

Hameline on the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week. Photograph: Estrop/Getty Images

Hameline prefers meeting people face to face. It’s easy to see why. Context is key – he talks about models as “empty vessels” and about eating a bowl of blueberries for breakfast. Said on the phone, this might sound affected. But Hameline in the flesh is funny and bright, a little earnest but looser after a drink. We meet at the Wolseley (posh places amuse him) and he arrives, on time, in khaki Miu Miu shirt and Raf Simons trousers, his hair scraped back with blue acetate sunglasses. He is rarely without them – “On planes, too, which makes me look…” – he smirks – “but I like to watch Disney films and I always cry.” He puts them on the table, sits down and orders a large whisky.

Today, he’s celebrating the end of his first year studying art at Central St Martins. His final piece was an installation involving cassettes which he burned immediately after. Tomorrow, he is going to the dentist. As the buzziest model in fashion, you’d think his lifestyle would transcend wisdom teeth. Alas. “I have to wait to fix them until after [the fashion shows] because…” – he mimes a swollen face – “the designers will be upset.”

Vetements show, Paris fashion week, 2015. Photograph: Sipa/Rex/Shutterstock

21-year-old Hameline was born in Paris. A quiet, introverted boy, he had braces and a stutter. Aged 11, he went to a boarding school in North Yorkshire which practised hunting and fishing, which he didn’t enjoy (“I like animals”). He went to a day school in Paris a few years later, before spending time at the prestigious Ecal in Switzerland and a summer camp in the US; he speaks English almost perfectly. His mother worked for the minister of defence, his father ran the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris, and clearly enjoyed clothes: “When he was 16 he’d wear tweed and a cape – you know, like Sherlock Holmes. He tried to pick me up from school in a fuchsia corduroy suit. I was like, non, Dad, it’s OK, I walk.” As a teenager, Hameline was “normal”, wearing black jeans, Converse and a Carhartt jacket.

His scouting was run-of-the-mill fashion folklore: 16, and running late, he was at an ATM getting cash for a cab when he was spotted by Eva Gödel, founder of ultra-hip street-casting agency Tomorrow Is Another Day, who chased him down the road on her bike. “I signed to her agency only because I was drawn to her, you know?” It was his fifth scouting by as many agencies but he was – and is – picky. He uses the word freely: “The others were bigger but I knew I didn’t want to be ‘a model’. I was picky.” Even now, he’ll walk only in particular shows. “I only do it for brands I relate to or respect. I’m picky about it,” he says. He recently left to join the Lions NY and Success Models in Europe: “It’s important to turn the page, to let people go,” he says. He remains on good terms with Gödel.

Paul Hameline photographed in Paris for The Fashion Photograph: Hélène Pambrun

Hameline likes to vanish. “If I’m at a party, I call an Uber, say I am going to pee, then I just go. My friends call it ‘an Hameline’.” It feels as if that’s why he moved to London a year ago. Here, he enjoys the anonymity of eating Sunday roasts in a pub or shopping in Turkish supermarkets. One of his favourite things to do is sit in hotel lobbies and watch people, unwatched himself. Parisians are far more “judgmental”.

His big break came from meeting Vetements stylist Lotta Volkova through a mutual friend. “We were both bored of Paris, so we threw a party in my parents’ basement. We stayed up all night playing postpunk industrial music – Throbbing Gristle, Nine Inch Nails”, then Volkova took Hameline to a Vetements presentation. To him, “The clothes, that world, it made sense to me.” A few weeks later he bunked off school in Switzerland, flew home and hid from his parents in a studio with his new friends.

Through Volkova he met designers Demna Gvasalia and Gosha Rubchinskiy, and his best friend Mica Arganaraz (recently on the cover of Vogue). “These are people I rely on. I don’t know where I’d be without them.” This summer he plans to visit Vetements in Zurich and Rubchinskiy in Russia. He chose not to walk the last Balenciaga show because he wanted to watch the “performance” from the frow. In his eyes, he sits safely on the fence between insider and outsider.

Carlotti, the photographer, has known Hameline since he was a teenager. “I saw him dancing and he looked… cool,” he says. “I asked if he wanted a drink, he told me how old he was and just kept dancing.” He smiles. “I thought: that is how you should be. To just be you. To be cool.” Pfeiffer agrees, describing his “detachment from fashion” as part of his appeal.

‘I don’t know why people would want to look at me. There are a thousand people who are prettier.’ Paul Hameline. Photograph: Melodie Jeng/Getty Images

It’s an odd position, especially for someone who ranks modelling as his least compelling skill. A prolific collector of photographs, he has already made one successful zine – Rave New World – and plans another. He talks with ease about Freudian theory and new wave cinema. Modelling pays the bills, of course, but one gets the sense his parents approve of his career because Hameline treats it more like an artistic process. He likes to shock, to play with themes of religion and sexuality. He is happy to pose almost naked in Vice, to wear a dress in Dazed. He walks, friends have said, like My Little Pony, but for a character model this works. His face – hooded eyes, full lips – is in constant flux. For the Guardian’s shoot, he’s sort of Marc Almond. The first day I met him, he looked like Charlotte Rampling.

“The thing about male beauty…” Hameline pauses. “What turns me on to a guy or a girl is how they are, their ideas, their soul. I don’t know why people would want to look at me. There are a thousand people who are prettier.”

It’ll be interesting to see where he is this time next year. Models who capture the zeitgeist as Hameline has sometimes get caught in the moment. Success can be brief so he’s wise to branch out. He plans to spend 2017 “nourishing my curiosity” which means applying to drama school. If, like politicians, the best models are the most reluctant ones, Hameline is already at supermodel level. The problem remains: even if modelling is boring to him, he’s still excellent at it.

This article appears in the autumn/winter 2017 edition of The Fashion, the Guardian and the Observer’s biannual fashion supplement

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Ibiza Beach Club Opens in Bonifacio Global City

The best of both worlds in dining and entertainment has finally arrived as Ibiza Beach Club opens in Bonifacio Global City. One of Cebu’s most popular and fashionable hotspots has made its way from Mactan to Manila as Ibiza Beach Club brings its vision of a total lifestyle dining experience to Manila's hottest business and lifestyle district. The Hungry Kat was invited to check out this sparkling new dining destination which is destined to be one of the most talked-about venues in the months to come.

Ibiza Beach Club emulates the vibe of Eivissa in Spain, a place where one could let loose while remaining elegant and refined. I had my first Ibiza Beach Club experience during my stay in Mövenpick Hotel Mactan in Cebu a few years ago where I feasted on their Churrasco buffet while partying with drinks and live entertainment. Now, I don’t have to go all the way to Cebu to experience that fun and energetic vibe once again as Ibiza Beach Club BGC opened its doors last April 16, 2017 at the 6th level of the new W City Centre, a 29-storey office tower along 7th Avenue right next to Bonifacio High Street.

The massive 1,000-seater flagship restaurant occupies the entire level and this is by far the biggest and grandest dining and entertainment hub I have ever seen in Manila. Ibiza Beach Club is a brand unique to the Philippines, conceived and established by award-winning vintner, entrepreneur, and prominent tourism player, Manny Osmeña. The 4,000-sqm Ibiza BGC reported cost P300 Million to complete is divided into several sophisticated and stylish sections surrounded by plush seats and enticing lounges with a view of the Center Stage and its outstanding nightly performances.

The vision that is Ibiza Beach Club was embodied and distilled by the country's premier designers - Ivy and Cynthia Almario, Manny Samson and Fred Valdes. These inimitable creative minds forged the brand's unmistakable visual DNA from the vision of Manny O., as he is fondly called. Guest Service Officers are in Cary Santiago, while Service Attendants' uniforms are designed by fashion biggest names as well.

The indoor bar, as well as the restaurant interiors, are designed with clean white and pastel colors, adding to the relaxed and playful ambiance where guests can unwind and chill out during their lunch break or after a tiring workday.

Ibiza BGC also has an al fresco area suited for events and parties, especially with its water features and pool club vibe similar to their Mactan property. While you won’t be able to see the beach from here, the gentle breeze and panoramic view of the city skyline also creates a unique Ibiza atmosphere. 

They even have a giant jacuzzi in another area where guests can actually take a dip! Showers and changing rooms are accessible right here so you can jump inside the water and then head over for dinner a few minutes after.

But what sets Ibiza Beach Club apart from other dining venues is the quality of entertainment and themed shows they offer for guests to enjoy while leisurely dining. The restaurant showcases nightly performances by the Ibiza Beach Club Show Team, composed of budding Filipino artists, featuring a 45-minute visual treat with live singing and dancing to retro pop, disco and Latin music, as well as Broadway and movie musical sequences alongside daring exhibitions. A showband, featured artists or DJs also take the stage during evenings. Everyone can chill out to the music as they dine, dance or drink throughout the night until closing time. 

With its vision of Lifestyle Dining + Unrivalled Entertainment, Ibiza Beach Club is also an ideal place to host special events and gatherings. Its dynamic team is ready to cater to your needs and make sure every last detail is taken care of when organizing your successful event. All packages can be individually tailored to your requirements, from the essentials to added premiums.  

Since we came during lunch time, we were not able to witness their musical performances on Center Stage, but we were there for something even better. Ibiza BGC also brings to Manila the restaurant's Balearic-inspired, Signature 15-Course Grill! This epicurean specialty features an unending array of meat and seafood basted with Balearic sauces and marinades, with a twist of Asian sensibilities from the restaurant’s original secret flavouring.

Little Skyler, also known as The Food Alphabet, Jr., gamely dressed for the occasion and was ready with his Ibiza-inspired beach attire!

We ordered a few beverages and cocktails to make our lunch even livelier. I had the Pineapple, Banana, Apple & Coconut Milk Smoothie (P390) for myself but one of their signature drinks is the Ibiza Sour (P450) which is highly recommended.

The 15-course grill starts with unlimited servings from the Salad Bar. This includes breads like their Pao de Quejo cheese bread, macaroni, and an entire spread of greens and ingredients to complement your plate. You can also opt for a serving of Caesar Salad instead if you want something fancier. This is topped with garlic-anchovy dressing plus parmesan and bacon bits.

The best thing about the 15-Course Balearic Grill at Ibiza BGC is that diners don’t even have to stand up as roving chefs will serve them with freshly cooked, a la minute variety of meat cuts, slicing them off a long skewer and directly onto their plates. The kitchen at Ibiza BGC uses grills from Scheer Brazil, the leading producer of the world's best grills for over 20 years which gives the utmost quality.

Our first course was the grilled Chicken Thigh lined up nicely on the skewer. The chicken was grilled perfectly, with a slight charring outside but tender and juicy meat inside.

The U.S. Angus Fillet Mignon was a sight to behold with its salty bacon strips rolled over flavorful Angus beef. It’s impossible to have just one piece so I asked the server for a few more rounds after he finished serving the others.

Seafood is also part of the 15-course grill and it starts with some grilled Salmon and Jumbo Prawns that everyone was raving about. I love prawns so this menu is really so good for me because I can have everything I want without even having to leave the table.

Other seafood items included were the Calamari and the Catch of the Day which for today was Parrot Fish. You don’t have to eat all of the dishes offered, but everything is just so delicious and it will be difficult to resist getting all of them.

The meats are still the favorites at the Signature 15-Course Grill and you can also have Baby Back Ribs and Beef Short Ribs, to name a few. The menu is extensive so make sure to allot a couple of hours for lunch or dinner to enjoy this Balearic-inspired feast.

The New Zealand Lamb Chops were also one of the favorites as these are served hot off the grill. The lamb is not gamey at all and one of my friends (ehem, Mr. Jeng) even finished four whole servings of these.

But the highlight of any buffet or smorgasbord is always the steak. The U.S. Angus Ribeye Steak is simply outstanding as the server cuts off slice after slice of tender and flavorful beef. If you like your steak more well done, then ask to be served the outer layers with its seared portions. But if you want your steak rare then go for the inner parts with its reddish meat.

A welcome change from all the grilled meats is the Crispy Pork Belly with its deep fried pork belly served with soy sauce. This Filipino classic always gets the job done wherever it is served. 

For those who want something exotic, have some of the Ostrich Meat which is served somewhat rare. Ostrich meat is low in cholesterol so it is actually a healthier alternative to beef. If you haven’t eaten ostrich meat yet, then this would be a great time to try it for yourself.

The 15-course grill ends with its speciality dessert, the signature Queen Pineapple. This whole pineapple is roasted with cinnamon sugar and served with honey, fresh yogurt and crushed nuts. It was a surprising dish as the sweet cinnamon and honey blended well with the acidity of the caramelized pineapple. 

The Balearic-inspired, signature 15-course grill is being offered at P2,500++ per person. Guests can also add P600++ for an unlimited serving of the award-winning Manny O. Wines. Ibiza BGC also offers an Executive Lunch Set from 11:00am to 2:00pm priced at P1,000 nett. This includes unlimited servings from the Salad Bar, a Soup, a Side Dish, and a Plated Main Course with one entrée from the seven premium meats and seafood from the Balearic grill plus the Signature Queen Pineapple for dessert. They even have an Early and Late Seating Special Lunch Set priced at only P500.00 nett for guests who come in between 11:00am to 12:30pm or 1:30pm to 2:00pm with a more limited selection for the main course. The restaurant has an a la carte and Tapas Menu as well.

But the best way to cap off any meal at Ibiza BGC is with their imported Mövenpick Ice Cream. The Swiss brand’s world-renowned collection of ice cream creations are some of the highest quality you can find anywhere in the world with its rich and creamy consistency and flavours that bursts with every mouthful. The latest collection features eight flavours with best sellers such as Espresso Croquant, the most refined interpretation of the classic roast theme with aromatic coffee sauce; Maple Walnut, perfected by genuine Canadian maple syrup and the sweetness and crunch of caramelized walnuts; and Caramelita, a creamy perfection folded with a caramel ripple and punctuated with sweet fragments of caramel. These are all available for P350 per scoop.

Ibiza Beach Club BGC is sure to set a new landmark in Manila for its unrivalled combination of dining and entertainment all in one spectacular venue. Evenings will certainly getting hotter as Ibiza Beach Club brings the sizzling party atmosphere of Spain to Bonifacio Global City.

Ibiza Beach Club BGC

7th Avenue corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

755-1777 / (0917) 633-7499

www.ibizabeachclub.global

www.facebook.com/ibizabeachclubbgc