#MIST Harlem

[aryburn-trains]

The morning mist still hangs low as Conrail FL9 5041 prepares to depart Brewster, NY, with a Harlem Line commuter train for Grand Central Terminal. Conrail was the contract operator of this service at the time and CR 5041 wore the blue/yellow "Metropolitan Region" paint scheme. October 8, 1982

[theliterarywolf]

>FNF Lullaby Hypno mod got canceled because the creator said the N word as an accident.

Goddammit that's exactly what happened with the Mistful Crimson Morning Mod!

BRB going to the Middle East to hunt for a Genie lamp so I can wish for all minors to be banned from the internet until they understand how to interact with people like functioning humans after turning 18.

I just don't know why people are looking at mods and frequent users of NewGrounds and expecting them to have this 100% flawless online history.

Like, yes, it's fucked that the creator in question had a real Gamer Moment (TM). However, from everything that I've been told, they actually apologized and resolved the issue with the affected party in question so I don't know why people are treating it like it literally happened yesterday and it was the same level as, I don't know, going Trick-or-Treating in Harlem while dressed as a klansman.

[manwalksintobar]

Summer Night // Langston Hughes

The sounds Of the Harlem night Drop one by one into stillness. The last player-piano is closed. The last victrola ceases with the “Jazz Boy Blues.” The last crying baby sleeps And the night becomes Still as a whispering heartbeat. I toss Without rest in the darkness, Weary as the tired night, My soul Empty as the silence, Empty with a vague, Aching emptiness, Desiring, Needing someone, Something.

I toss without rest In the darkness Until the new dawn, Wan and pale, Descends like a white mist Into the court-yard.

[roomchailimited]

From National Parks to Neon Lights: A Journey Across the USA

The United States of America is a land of contrasts, offering an eclectic mix of natural wonders and vibrant cityscapes. For Bangladeshi travelers, a journey across the USA provides an opportunity to experience the country's vast and varied landscapes, from the serene beauty of national parks to the electrifying energy of its cities. This adventure takes you from the majestic natural parks that showcase America's environmental treasures to the bustling urban centers illuminated by neon lights.

Exploring the Natural Wonders of National Parks

Yellowstone National Park

Start your journey at Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world and a symbol of America's commitment to preserving its natural heritage. Spread across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, Yellowstone is a geothermal wonderland. Witness the iconic Old Faithful geyser, marvel at the vibrant colors of the Grand Prismatic Spring, and explore the diverse wildlife, including bison, elk, and grizzly bears. The park's vast landscapes, with their geysers, hot springs, and waterfalls, offer an awe-inspiring glimpse into the Earth's natural processes.

Grand Canyon National Park

Next, head to Arizona to experience the grandeur of the Grand Canyon. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most iconic natural landmarks in the USA. The immense scale and breathtaking beauty of the canyon, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, provide a humbling experience. Whether you hike the trails, take a scenic helicopter tour, or simply enjoy the views from the rim, the Grand Canyon's dramatic landscapes are sure to leave a lasting impression.

Yosemite National Park

Continue your journey to California's Yosemite National Park, renowned for its stunning granite cliffs, giant sequoias, and cascading waterfalls. Explore the Yosemite Valley, home to famous landmarks like El Capitan and Half Dome. The park's diverse ecosystems and scenic vistas offer endless opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, and photography. Don't miss the chance to stand beneath the towering sequoias in Mariposa Grove or witness the breathtaking beauty of Yosemite Falls.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Head east to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. Known for its mist-covered mountains and rich biodiversity, this park is a haven for nature lovers. The lush forests, vibrant wildflowers, and scenic overlooks provide a picturesque backdrop for hiking and wildlife watching. The park's cultural heritage is also significant, with preserved historic buildings and remnants of early Appalachian settlers.

Transitioning to the Neon Lights of Vibrant Cities

Las Vegas, Nevada

After immersing yourself in the tranquility of national parks, transition to the dazzling neon lights of Las Vegas, Nevada. Known as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps. The famous Las Vegas Strip is lined with extravagant casinos, world-class entertainment venues, and themed hotels that transport you to different parts of the globe. Experience the thrill of the city's nightlife, attend a spectacular show, or try your luck at the gaming tables.

New York City, New York

Next, journey to the East Coast to explore the iconic city of New York. The city's skyline, dominated by landmarks like the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center, is a testament to its architectural prowess. Times Square, with its bright billboards and bustling atmosphere, epitomizes the energy of the city. Explore Central Park, visit world-class museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and catch a Broadway show. The diverse neighborhoods of New York, from Chinatown to Harlem, offer a rich cultural tapestry to discover.

San Francisco, California

On the West Coast, San Francisco stands out with its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, historic cable cars, and vibrant cultural scene. Stroll along Fisherman's Wharf, visit Alcatraz Island, and explore the eclectic neighborhoods like Chinatown and the Mission District. The city's tech innovation hub, Silicon Valley, and its scenic beauty, from the bay to the rolling hills, make it a unique destination blending modernity with natural charm.

Miami, Florida

Head south to Miami, a city known for its Art Deco architecture, vibrant nightlife, and beautiful beaches. The neon lights of Ocean Drive in South Beach create a lively and colorful atmosphere. Experience the cultural fusion of Little Havana, where Cuban influences are strong, and explore the trendy Wynwood Walls, an open-air gallery featuring street art from around the world. Miami's mix of cultures, music, and flavors make it a dynamic and exciting urban destination.

Conclusion

From the serene beauty of national parks to the vibrant energy of neon-lit cities, a journey across the USA offers a diverse and enriching experience. For Bangladeshi travelers, this adventure provides a unique opportunity to explore the natural wonders and urban gems that make the USA a land of endless discovery.

Plan Your American Adventure with Roomchai Limited

Roomchai Limited is dedicated to crafting personalized travel experiences for Bangladeshi explorers. With tailored itineraries, expert planning, and comprehensive travel services, Roomchai Limited ensures your journey across the USA is seamless, exciting, and unforgettable. Discover the breathtaking national parks and the vibrant cities of America with Roomchai Limited, your trusted partner in adventure.

[aangussca]

Gallery visit: MOMA (6.7.24) - PART 1

Ja'Tovia Gary's THE GIVERNY SUITE (2019, sculptural installation -settee, twenty-five painted frames, altar to Yemaya (candle, seashells, anchor, fruit, plate, vase, flowers, glass jar of molasses, glass jar of rum, and fabric), altar to Oshun (candle, mirror, cowrie shells, fruit, cinnamon sticks, plate, vases, flowers, glass jar of white wine, glass jar of honey, and fabric) - and short film (39 mins 51 secs))

Description: "Filmed in Harlem, New York, and in Claude Monet's gardens in Giverny, France, THE GIVERNY SUITE is a cinematic poem that advocates for the safety and bodily autonomy of Black women. Employing techniques including hand-painted film animation and montage editing, Gary first developed the work during an artist residency in Giverny, where the gardens offered a space of respite. Centrally featured are person-on-the-street interviews in which the artist approaches women at the intersection of Lenox Avenue (also known as Malcolm X Boulevard) and West 116th Street and asks, "Do you feel safe?" These interviews are interspersed with footage of singer Nina Simone, performer Josephine Baker, political activist Fred Hampton, and Diamond Reynolds recounting the killing of her boyfriend Philando Castile by police in 2016. The installation also includes antique furniture as well as altars dedicated to the Yoruba deities Yemaya and Oshun. "Healing is at the root of the work," Gary explains. "Making art is a transformative process that transmutes pain or trauma into something beautiful, useful, functional, instructive."

Positioned near the entrance are two altars devoted to West African orishas: Oshun, the river deity, who represents divine femininity, love, and beauty, is depicted in bright yellow; and Yemaya, the fierce protector of women, who is associated with oceans, fertility, and creativity, is represented by the colors white and blue. Both deities originate from the Yoruban spiritual practice Lucumí, which was carried over to the Americas by African peoples during the transatlantic slave trade. In this work, French Colonial-style antique frames and a slanted settee gesture to colonization's complex legacy as well as the comforts found in many Southern Black grandmothers' homes, including the artist's own."

Mike Kelley's Deodorized Central Mass with Satellites (1991/1999, sculptural installation - plush toys sewn over wood and wire frames with styrofoam packing material, nylon rope, pulleys, steel hardware and hanging plates, fiberglass, car paint, and disinfectant)

Description: "In 1987 Mike Kelley began to make sculptures from stuffed animals, which he described as "the adult's perfect model of a child": cute, clean, sexless. However, Kelley's plush toys, purchased secondhand from thrift stores and yard sales, were discarded and soiled from use. Seemingly beyond redemption, they are darkly humorous monuments to lost innocence and repressed trauma. Deodorized Central Mass with Satellites was among Kelley's last works to feature stuffed animals. The toys are clustered in a cellular arrangement of one "central mass" and thirteen "satellites." To avoid eliciting an emotional or sentimental response from viewers, Kelley sewed the animals face-in. They are surrounded by ten brightly colored, abstract sculptures the artist called "deodorizers," which release a pine-scented mist into the air. By contrasting the degraded consequences of consumer excess with the slick, reductive forms of modernism, Kelley taunts the hierarchies between high art and mainstream culture, between obsessive hygiene and moral decline."

Montien Boonma's House of Hope (1996-1997, sculptural installation - herbs, spices, natural binders, cotton string, painted wood, and steel)

Description: "In House of Hope (1996-1997) Montien Boonma invites us into an immersive space filled with thousands of prayer-bead strands hanging above a pyramid of painted wooden steps. The surrounding wall painting suggests clouds or incense smoke from Buddhist temples. The artist crafted his pigments and beads from traditional Thai medicinal herbs and spices; the aromatic materials suffuse the gallery with scent. Boonma sought to create an atmosphere of bodily sensation: "When you enter a temple, it makes you warm… there's the feeling that we will be given help-like having a father and mother to protect us. Boonma created this installation after his wife died from cancer in 1995. Her diagnosis the year before led the artist to immerse himself in Buddhist rituals of devotion and healing. "I was asking for a lot," he said. "I was asking for the world to stop." Boonma's "house" explored the possibility of hope in a time of environmental disaster, industrialization, and the rise of global epidemics--crises that persist in the present, and which the work allows us to confront in new ways today."

Hague Yang's Sallim (2009, sculptural installation - steel frame, perforated metal plate, caster, aluminium venetian blinds, knitting yarn, acrylic mirror, IV stand, light bulbs, cable, electric fan, timer, garlic, dishes, hot pad, and scent emitter)

Description: ""There is a mysteriousness and spirituality in the most banal things. So my interest might be to reveal or make a crack in that mundaneness and show a glimpse of the miraculous, artist Hague Yang has said. This gallery brings together artworks by Yang and others that reimagine everyday environments through introspective reflection and material restraint. These works evoke spectral architectures, or spaces where what is absent may be as resonant as the visible or tangible. Created primarily during the 1990s and early 2000s - a period marked by new forms of global interconnectivity that blurred distinctions between public and private spheres - these works focus on the intricacies of daily life as a means to reflect, capture, or magnify experiences of time, space, and the self.

This sculpture, whose Korean title roughly translates to "homemaking," is a life-size model of the kitchen in the artist's former Berlin apartment, where she lived as well as worked. Describing Sallim as a "skeleton" of the original space, Yang has included sculptural elements that suggest utilitarian fixtures, such as a radiator and water boiler. "Some of them are very representative of a kitchen," she explains. "But some of them are blunt and rather puzzling." The artist has recreated not only this domestic environment, but its invisible sensorial experiences: scent emitters release smells of food and digestion, like coffee, bread, and excrement, while a fan circulates air.""

Otobong Nkanga's Tied to the Other Side (2021, woven tapestry)

Description: "Nkanga often portrays the natural world as a site of valuable knowledge for humans. Her tapestry Tied to the Other Side, set in an ambiguous landscape, employs abstracted shapes and textures to unfurl a universal narrative: the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. On one end is an arrangement of fragmented limbs sprouting from dense vegetation. Over time, shown in the image's progression from right to left, these body parts fall into states of decay and slowly become the spiritual energy source for radiating lights at the other end of the tapestry. This light, the artist seems to illustrate, will one day nourish the earth and spawn new life. She explains: "Even in death there is the possibility of regeneration. Nothing is lost; everything is used again.""

Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans (1962, acrylic paint and metallic enamel paint on canvas)

Description: "When asked why he chose to paint Campbell's soup cans, Warhol offered a deadpan reply: "I used to have the same lunch every day, for twenty years, I guess, the same thing over and over again." That daily meal, universally available throughout the United States, is the subject of this work. Warhol made the 32 canvases - one for each of the flavors of soup then sold by Campbell's - using a combination of projection, tracing, painting, and stamping. Repeating a nearly identical image, the work at once stresses the uniformity and ubiquity of the product's packaging and subverts the common characterization of painting as a medium of invention and originality."

Rosa Barba's 'states of matter' works

Row 1: Uncertain Theme - and Therefore Abstract (2021, steel, glass, motor, and 35mm film), At home with the Locust People (1974, acrylic paint on canvas)

Rows 2 and 3: Aggregate States of Matters (2019, projected short film (21 mins 14 secs))

Description: "With her film installation located further in this gallery, Rosa Barba poses a question: how can a form of visual expression convey the environmental and social impact of an issue as fraught as climate change? For this work, the artist interviewed members of Indigenous Quechua communities in Peru, who have had to adapt their daily practices due to the melting of a nearby glacier. Abandoning journalistic conventions like voice-over narration, she interweaves text and images of the country's wide-ranging terrain. In doing so, she questions the traditional binary of nature and culture, engaging with philosophical, spiritual, and cultural approaches to the changing environment and to time itself. Through custom technology, Barba also explores how film archives and transmits knowledge and information; her use of celluloid - an increasingly obsolete material that degrades with each revolution through a projector - resonates with the fragility of cultural memory and the natural landscape."

[abellinthecupboard]

Summer Night

The sounds Of the Harlem night Drop one by one into stillness. The last player-piano is closed. The last victrola ceases with the "Jazz Boy Blues." The last crying baby sleeps And the night becomes Still as a whispering heartbeat. I toss Without rest in the darkness, Weary as the tired night, My soul Empty as the silence, Empty with a vague, Aching emptiness, Desiring, Needing someone, Something. I toss without rest In the darkness Until the new dawn, Wan and pale, Descends like a white mist Into the court-yard.

— Langston Hughes, Collected Poems (1994)

[jessicalehrman]

Outtake of Lil Mama for The New York Times

[readingoals]

A little book haul from the weekend

The Ex Hex - Erin Sterling

Loveless - Alice Oseman

Harlem Nights: The Secret History of Australia's Jazz Age - Deirdre O’Connell

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (Illustrations by Bernie Wrightson and an introduction by Stephen King)

 The City of Mist - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

[beautymyeyes-see]

Langston Hughes, from In the Mist of the Moon.

[jmarksthespots]

[#TAGBrunch #SRBrunch #CaribbeanDreams] Afro-Caribbean Dreams #Brunch & #DayParty  Hosted by The Alumni Group (@The_Alumni_Group | @QualityFilth) Music by DJ E Class NYC (@DJEClassNYC) Sunday, January 22 | 12-7pm MIST Harlem | 46 W 116th St, New York, NY 10026 Admission: $35 prix fixe includes entrée and 90 minutes of bottomless brunch cocktails To RSVP, visit eventbrite.com/e/afro-caribbean-dreams-tickets-30204657945  For more information, contact AlumniGroupEnt@gmail.com

*Bottomless Brunch available from 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

[poetsonart]

Romare Bearden, River Mist (1962) // Langston Hughes, “Harlem” (1951)

[ladyeliot]

All of me. Chapter One [B.B.]

When she met him masterlist

Prologue

Pairing: Winter soldier x Female Reader [Michelle]

Summary: In May 1954 two parallel worlds were to meet in Berlin. On the one hand yours, completely chaotic, on the other that of the Winter Soldier.

Warnings: Angst. Toxic relationship. Mind control. Winter Soldier.

Word count: 3075

A/N:  Sorry for my spelling and grammatical mistakes, English is not my native language, I am learning.

West Berlin. May 1954

The mirror showed a reflection you hadn’t stopped to contemplate in a long time. Rosy cheeks offered life and warmth to a pale face that seemed to have been forgotten. Your skin was smooth and the colour of porcelain, showing the youth that had just begun. Your eyes were highlighted by a greyish iris, which seemed to be complemented by blue drops, but as pale as your complexion. Your golden hair was tied back behind your face, but even so, a few strands stood up in rebellion, sliding down your forehead.

You moved closer to that imposing mirror, which was perched on the chest of drawers in that hotel room. It was then that you could see on your lips that the reddish lipstick had been fixed to perfection, offering a speck of colour to that ensemble that you formed in your totality. Your attention was diverted to the melody coming from the phonograph’s horn, however you could notice the presence of a person behind you reflected in the mirror itself. Those vermilion lips showed a smile, as the warmth of the male body pressed against your back. 

“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life,” the whisper overpowered the music. “Tonight every man in the universe will know how lucky I am.”

A blush came over you, causing you to look away from his face through the mirror and lower your gaze, still smiling. It had been a few months since you had left behind everything you had known in your nineteen years, venturing out to suffer the indifference and rejection that the unknown future could bring. Your life in New York was a past that counterbalanced the pain and happiness of your younger years, but it did not offer you all that your inner self demanded, until he came along. Richard was a young British man of beauty, wit and chance, who had made a fortune in the tobacco world after the end of the Second World War. So you could say that it didn’t take long for you to notice him and for him to want you among his various properties. It was an accumulation of promises that entered your mind and led you to follow him to Europe without questioning their veracity, accepting the consequences that this meant for a young woman of your position in a world run by and for men. 

It had been many years since you 

had had a male figure to support or guide your decisions, as well as your purpose in life. The loss of your father during the Second World War made you acquire a mind of your own and make decisions of your own, which mostly used to be accepted by your sweet mother, but which in this case did not find a place in the audacity of your friends and family. Those who knew you thought that your judgement had been clouded or that you had only lost your mind because of your love for that gentleman.

Richard had made his appearance in New York City just a few months earlier. Your fates crossed in the New York night, during the presentation of a new Walker Motors Corporation internal combustion engine at the Edison Hotel, a milestone in the market. Richard was an external guest, invited by one of the company’s own partners, but you were invited by the leading eminence. It is worth noting that Charles Walker, director of WMC, has been friends with you since your childhood, which is why you attended the private party. However, it was not until midnight that Charles himself took it upon himself to introduce you, alluding that Richard had shown an exclusive interest in meeting you.

“Where is your mind?” Richard’s lips brushed your right earlobe.

His fingers rested on your neck and brushed aside a slight lock that fell across your collarbone to rest his lips on it. All the while you watched each of his movements in the mirror.

“I don’t want your mind to go elsewhere if I’m not in your thoughts,” that whisper sent a shudder around your body, as Richard’s lips continued to trail firmly down your neck.

You had been extremely decisive in agreeing to give yourself to a man you barely knew, or had any testimony about his past. But your mind was so dazzled by the hopes you had placed on him and his oaths that you had barely been able to consider the fact that something could go wrong.

The kissing stopped, which caused you to open your eyes again to find your own reflection. Richard turned away from your body for a moment to look inside his jacket. After a few seconds he pulled out a greenish rectangular box, which he opened without letting you see what was inside.

“Close your eyes,” the young man asked softly in your ear.

With little opposition you acted as he had instructed. A tingle tingled around your neck, which brought a subtle smile to your lips as you waited for Richard’s command to open your eyes again. However, it wasn’t until after he placed a brief kiss on your bare shoulder that you decided on your own to contemplate the object resting on your collarbones. Your lips parted in surprise, as an array of pearls lay upon you, illuminating practically the entire room. Your fingers slowly brushed each one of them, you hardly knew what to say, the only thing that came to your mind was the questioning of why about that detail.

“Tonight you will shine over the whole world,” Richard’s hands rested on your hips. “There won’t be anyone in Berlin, east or west, who doesn’t know who Michelle Wells is.”

You offered him a blushing smile as you stared at your figures in front of the mirror, those words giving you the encouragement you needed to face the performance that was to take place in a few hours.

Your ability on stage had been recognised in various clubs in New York, but you knew that the audience that night could not compare to the one you had had before. New York had been the pinnacle of jazz, and Harlem had been a favourite neighbourhood of its own creation, yet it was a far cry from anything you were used to.

A slight sigh came out of your mouth, showing the presence of your nervousness in such a situation. It was an unavoidable fact of life that you were thousands of miles away from your hometown, and even if you had made yourself think that you and Richard would find your own home, you couldn’t help but feel incomplete.

“Take everything out of your mind, leave it blank and just focus on you from this moment on,” the breath collided with your ear, creating a brief shiver down your spine. “Forget everything you have lived through, and all the people. You are the creator of your own destiny, and no one can stand in the way of that. Tonight may be the most important moment for your future. For our future.”

In that instant you turned around so that you could look directly into his eyes, those that depending on the light could appear blue or green. Under the dimness of the lamp the greenish hue could be found in them, but you barely noticed it because their proximity was cut short when he said those words, melting into a slow, passionate kiss before he left for the club.

Meanwhile, in East Berlin

A whitish light flickered faintly above him with each step down the long corridor. The silence was broken by the flickering tinkle and the sordid screams in the distance. The place felt like hell itself. However, if it really was hell, it was not as he had imagined it to be. The mist was pouring out of his nostrils with every exhalation, the cold was bordering on extreme. Yet he was unable to feel it in every part of his body. His gaze was impassive, as his ice-cold eyes seemed to be held in a sea of darkness. The road came to an end as the stiff iron gate cut him off. His footsteps slowed but did not stop, as a dull echo reported the opening of the gate, offering entrance to a new area.

The walls, as sturdy as the material of construction, stone, offered not a hint of light, for there were hardly any openings in them. The place had the characteristics of an underground bunker, with only a musty smell coming from the ceiling. His figure continued his march along the corridor, with a firm and decisive step, knowing where he was going. At that instant, a silhouette loomed on the right side, guarding a new entrance. That silhouette, noticing the presence that was heading towards him, moved away from in front of the door, opening the way for the man, who stopped in front of it until it opened.

“Oh, we’ve been expecting you, soldier,” said a German-accented voice from inside the room.

Unlike the corridor, there was a pleasant warmth in that room for anyone. However, he was no longer a person. The door closed behind him, preventing him from leaving, for he would have to face the four figures sitting at an oval table. One of them rose from his seat and slowly approached him with his hands behind his back, until they were facing each other.

“I believe the orders you have been given are clear soldier,” he observed curiously squinting at the young man. “Do you have any doubts?”

“No, sir,” a coldness crept into his voice from inside his throat, it seemed as if he had spent the last few months barely expressing a sound through it.

“That’s the way I like it,” that statement came along with an encouraging look from every part of the young soldier. “Kerkove will be in charge of taking you to the west side of Berlin. There you know what you have to do.”

The soldier merely nodded, processing all the data that had been offered to him hours before. The door opened again to let him out, just as he had entered, and the person in charge of his mission stood there. Over the past months he had carried out a number of other missions on the eastern front, but this was the first time he would be infiltrating the western zone, covered by American and British soldiers, which is why he was wearing an American infantry uniform, similar to that of his companion.

As he arrived outside, he realised that the night was clear, as the moon was in full bloom, a fact that could hinder the key points of the mission. Even so, he had to concentrate, since his first test would be the moment he wanted to cross the border, for although he was in the uniform of the American army, he had to pass himself off as one of them.

Fifteen and a half kilometres was the distance to be covered by car, before walking three kilometres to the point in question. The quietness fell upon him, sharing a constant blank stare, and with nothing else in his thoughts but each and every step to be taken that night. There were hardly any words between the two of them, until the moment they parted, as his companion informed him that they would meet again after four hours at the rendezvous point to carry out their extraction.

The ease with which he found himself in West Berlin in five minutes seemed absurd in the face of so much apparent control over the population itself. The tranquillity received on the other side of the wall caused a rupture in the new area, a commotion was generated as he walked towards the more central streets, entering the Berlin night. The movement of pedestrians and cars caused him to slow his steps, remembering his sense of mission ‘To blend in without being discovered’.

The streetlights illuminated the roads and the power of those lights fell on his face, generating a sense of uneasiness in the face of his own passivity. Groups of uniformed men walked along, mingling with the local population. He was curious as to where they were going, for the premises of the busy main street invited him to enter them. Those five soldiers in British uniforms, which he could distinguish by colours and badges, made their way to the pavement in front of him and then entered a place called 'Central Club’.

After looking around, he could not think of a better situation than to take the same path and thus discover their frequent activities. With the proximity to the place, he noticed the melody that could be heard behind the door, which became more and more noticeable after opening it. An unfamiliar smell hit his face as he stepped inside. Warm brown tones met his gaze as did long descending staircases. Hesitantly he descended each step, incorporating the smell of aniseed liqueur into his senses as the notes coming from those instruments became more constant. A greenish curtain gave way to the hall, which was unexpectedly packed with people. Its tables were completely crowded and the noise mixed with the melody hardly let him think in those moments. He looked around as a boy bumped into him trying to get in. His gaze fell on the bar on the right-hand side, intending to sit down and take in the area at his leisure. Nearby he could find an empty stool catching the attention of the bartender himself.

"What will you have?” he asked as he wiped a glass of champagne between his hands “Is this your first time at the Central Club?”

The soldier nodded, half-opening his lips, for he had scarcely noticed his presence.

“Then you must try our special aniseed and ginger cocktail,” the waiter began to serve him after watching the boy nod. “I suppose you’ve come for her, haven’t you? We haven’t had the club this full since before the war, she’s a real gem, I envy the man who gets her.”

The soldier paid little attention to his words, but nodded at every comment he offered, for he had not yet been able to adjust to the atmosphere generated by the crowd. Music was still playing on the circular wooden stage in the background. A band was providing entertainment, showing off their merits with a piano, drums, bass and saxophone. However, due to the noise it was impossible to hear them.

He took the glass that the man had prepared for him a few minutes ago and brought it to his lips, making his throat burn with every drop that fell through it. His senses were amplified and the warmth was rising from within him. She turned to the man behind the bar to inform him to refill the glass, for if he was to blend in he hoped to do so as everyone else in the place did.

The music stopped and male words came from the stage. The soldier barely noticed. However, the deafening noise of applause and cheers made him look towards the back of the room. A female figure appeared as if out of nowhere before his very eyes. After she came on stage, silence fell, reminding him of peace. The spotlights created an aura of divinity around the young woman that abstracted any of his own thoughts as soon as he beheld her. Her crimson lips could be glimpsed from every corner of the club, making the blood burn under those uniforms.

Time had stood still for a few moments, for the slowness with which such an event unfolded before his eyes was apparent. The girl slowly brought her fingers around the microphone to bring it closer to her mouth, as she set the rhythm by snapping her fingers to the melody of the bass. That was the moment when the soldier became a man, his reasoning engaged in a constant struggle against his experience. That voice had taken over his thoughts and was the only thing he could hear inside him. The melody had awakened a sliver of his memories, but he had not yet realised that fact. The hole of darkness that made him up had found a flame to illuminate it. 

“All of me

Why not take all of me?

Can’t you see?

I’m no good without you”

His muscles had relaxed as the minutes passed. His lips were parted and his eyes were completely lost in hers. For an instant he thought he could feel their paths meet, holding her gaze, a fact that generated a throbbing in his heart that he did not seem to possess. In a subtle blink of an eye, barely noticing it, the girl finished her song and lost his vision as everyone in the room rose to their feet to applaud her, but he did not. He preferred to keep his gaze lost trying to glimpse what had just happened in those moments, as his mission became present in him again.

“It’s a wonder,” the bartender interjected.  "A woman with a voice like that can’t possibly go unnoticed. I think I could listen to her for the rest of my life, and watch her too. You know what I mean.“

The soldier just sipped the last of the liquor in his glass and turned his attention back to the group of men in British uniforms who had led him there. They seemed to be in a hurry to leave again, so he took a note from his pocket and without looking back left it on the bar to follow them. From that moment on, his evening was based on analysing each of the places they frequented and the activities they carried out, making the odd brief conversation, and letting himself be seen in the area. He did not have a chance to think about the heady moment he had experienced until he returned to the bunker and was asked for all the information he had collected. However, although a new memory had settled in his mind, he was unable to express his encounter with you.

Taglist Open (DM)

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[kingofreason]

That's Right Family SPREAD THE NEWS, On Saturday, Sept. 30th from 2-3:30pm Dr. Claud Anderson (Mr. Power-Nomics) will be speaking on his new book called, "A Black History Reader: 101 Questions You Never Thought To Ask" ...with Baba Bob Law (Mr. Black Radio/Talk on WBAI) will be at the MIST 46 W116th Street in Harlem NY. Tickets are $30 Call to RSVP at 718.636.1967 #spreadthenews #sept30 #claudanderson #boblaw #kingsimonproductions #mist #harlem #nyc #education #learn

[jeffthefoodguy]

Sunday’s for me is about Faith, Family & Food....🙏🏽Brunch Time. #brunch#harlem#mist#mistharlem#friedchicken#southern#waffel#whyfull#yfull#macncheese#macaroniandcheese#strawberry#food#foodporn#music#aguanile#marcanthony#network#foodnetwork#drink#summer#mimosa#summertime#bubbles#sparkilng#champagne#faith#family#fun#newyork#newyorkcity#dayparty#day#party https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz7zpKyBGqt/?igshid=1ntrkmdxw397u

[andrewrandolph]

90′s R&B Hangout featuring Adina Howard & CeCe Peniston! Hosted by The Alumni Group, The Valdecio Collection, and Quintessential Gentleman. Mist Harlem, NY

[fanfics-andstuff]

Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf

1755-01-11: Olivia and Alexander Hamilton’s Birth - Olivia and Alexander were born in Charlestown, St. Kitts, and Nevis.

 1765-01-16: Hamilton’s Father Left - James Hamilton, Olivia and Alexander Hamilton's father, and a Scottish Laird, left Hamilton and his family, most likely due to the fact, Olivia, Alexander, and James Jr. were his illegitimate children. It was a relief for the children because he would always beat up James Jr. and Olivia, trying to protect their youngest sibling.

1766-02-17: Hamilton’s Mother Dies - Rachel Faucette Buck, Hamilton's mother, died on February 19, 1768. Cause of death: Yellow Fever. After her death, Alexander and Olivia moved to live with their cousin for a year. Before she died, she gave Olivia the Hamilton ring (gold ring, amethyst pearl-shaped center, and small emerald cut emeralds) that was said to be passed down from generation to generation and a navy blue and dark purple diary, she gave Alexander her necklace from George (5 sapphire petals, a red ruby center, and a thin gold chain).

 1766-02-20: Hamiltons In Court - John Lavien (Rachel’s husband) arrived wanting a divorce decree. He wanted the court to reward the entire estate to his son, Peter because the twins were illegitimate. Alexander and Olivia had their uncle, James Lytton, sign a false birth year for court documents that had them add two years their senior. The only thing they got was books taken from Peter, thanks to their uncle.

 1767-02-17: Hamilton’s Cousin Committed Suicide and James Jr. Left to Become a Carpenter- Peter Lytton committed suicide over the death of his wife. Alexander and Olivia are now, with no money and family, or destitute orphans. James Jr had to leave the twins behind to become an apprentice of a carpenter.

 1771-01-16: Alexander In Charge Of A Trading Charter - Since girls couldn’t work, Alexander had to. Turns out, that Alexander had the perfect “age” for jobs.

 1772-08-31: Hurricane Maria Hits - Hurricane Maria hit St. Croix, where Alexander was working and Olivia was nearby to look out for her younger brother.

 1772-09-06: Alexander Writes About Hurricane Maria - Alexander wrote to his father describing the storm and gained the attention of the island’s elite. He “wrote his way out”.

 1772-12-01: Olivia Receives a Letter That Alexander Died - Somewhere between these months, Olivia gets a letter that the ship Alexander was on sunk and there were no survivors. She was then sold to a family in Setauket, Long Island as a slave, where she meets Benjamin Tallmadge, Anna Smith, Abraham Woodhull, and Caleb Brewster.

 1776-09-15: Olivia Gets Freed - Thankfully Olivia was considered white, so she was taught how to improve her grammar, writing, healing, cooking, etc. She still had her Nevis accent, but Olivia could play it off by saying Spanish was her native language. Speaking of languages, Olivia was fluent in French, Latin, Greek, Italian, Danish, and Hebrew. 4 or so years later, Olivia was a free woman.

 1777-04-27: Olivia Reunites With Alexander - Olivia gets assigned as a spy for the continental army. The rest of the army gets word that she had the same last name as Alexander’s. After being reintroduced to each other, Olivia forces Alexander to take more care of himself (eating, sleeping).

 1777-09-11: Olivia gets shot in the side during the Battle of Brandywine.

 1777-10-18: Olivia And Alexander Presumed Dead - Both Hamilton twins jumped in the Schuylkill River and swam deeper, hoping the British Cavalry presumed them dead. They were washed down miles going with the current of the river. Alexander carried her unconscious body to the Patriot camp. Hercules Mulligan found the twins and helped them get to their destination quicker.

 1777-10-19: Washington Finds Out The Twins Are His - Olivia woke first and told Washington to read her diary for answers because she was too tired. He found out about Olivia’s life story and found out Olivia Rachel and Alexander James Hamilton were his biological children. Washington then found out about the Hamilton family ring and Rachel’s flower necklace. Olivia and Washington swore to never tell this to Alexander and to any human being (not a certain diary written in code that no one, but Olivia and Alexander can understand).

 1777-10-20: Olivia sneaks off to the Battle of Paoli, instead of resting.

 1777-10-21: The Locket - Washington gave Olivia a gold locket engraved with ‘Together In Mount Vernon, Virginia’ complete with a gold chain. Inside was a portrait of the Hamilsiblings (Alex, Olivia, Ben, and Laf) on the right and a portrait of the Washington couple on the left.

 1778-05-25: Olivia Comes Back - After disguising herself as a black-haired, Dutch woman, named Denise Melody, she returned to Washington about the British army. Olivia resigned as a spy because she didn’t want to come back to England ever again. But mostly, she was afraid that King George III would force her to marry him.

 1778-05-26: Olivia Becomes The First Woman General - After listening from every soldier in the Continental Army, General George Washington makes Olivia a General. The only difference is that she would be traveling with the main camp because she doesn't have enough experience to lead her own army. She helped train the under-trained soldiers, sewed clothes for those who were practically naked, negotiated with wealthy families to give the army food, helped with the battle plans because of her knowledge as a spy, and her overall kindness and empathy to everyone helped her rise to the top to not only the soldiers but to the rest of the people in the Colonies.

 1778-06-28: The Battle of Monmouth - Olivia saves Benjamin Tallmadge from William Bradford when Charles Lee ordered him to. The rest of the army arrives behind Washington. Olivia participates in the Battle of Monmouth. 

 1778-09-15: Olivia And Lafayette’s Relationship - In Olivia’s diary, she didn’t specify the date because she wrote “I believe it is the 15th of September 1778”. In the entry, she wrote about her and Lafayette’s relationship began as platonic but over time, it became romantic.

 1778-11-01: Olivia Joins The Culper Ring - After begging and pleading to her father and Commander in Chief, Olivia joins the Culper Spy Ring with the rest of the members: Benjamin Tallmadge, Caleb Brewster, Anna Strong, Abigail, Abraham Woodhull, and Robert Townsend. Olivia gets a golden band from Apollo that helps disguise her appearance with the use of the mist, she gives the other rings to the other members. They created a cover that the golden rings were from their deceased family member. In reality, they used it to signal the others when they need help or have information about the British.

 1778-12-15: Olivia As a Maid - Olivia disguises herself as a beaten and branded girl as a Caribbean slave, even though she was white by the Continental Army to John André's home to spy on him. She later resigns from her post before her next battle.

 1779-07-16: Stony Point - Olivia helps capture Stony Point, New York with the army.

 1779-11-17: Olivia And John Get Married - To keep the relationship between John and Alexander less suspicious, Olivia proposed a marriage proposal to John’s father; Henry, who knew about their secret relationship, agreed. Even though both adults were married, they had no love for the other than familial love. They agreed that their marriage was only public and behind closed doors, they would seek out their paramour (John-Alexander and Olivia-Lafayette).

 1780-06-17: Olivia’s Quadruplets - 9 months later, Olivia gave birth to 4 children: Rachel Olivia, Alexander John, George Benjamin, and Elizabeth Gilberta Laurens from oldest to youngest. The godparents of each child were Olivia-Martha Washington, Alexander-George Washington, George-Benjamin Tallmadge, and Elizabeth-Lafayette. Because of this, Olivia took a break from the army for a while.

 1780-09-23: Caleb Brewster and Olivia Find Out Arnold's A Traitor - After talking with Anna Strong, Brewster and Olivia ride full speed towards West Point, NY to deliver the message to George Washington. Ben and Olivia tried to shoot Arnold, but due to their closeness, they couldn't.

 1780-10-02: John André Hanged - André was born a child of Athena and knew about the Greek Gods. He knew that Olivia was spying on him, but didn't comment on it until they were in private before his execution. The Fates had cut his string in front of him when Olivia posed as a maid and had demigod dreams of his death. John knew that Olivia was a legacy of Apollo and Athena, he didn't want to hurt his family.

 1780-12-14: Alexander and Eliza Get Married - Eliza accepted John’s relationship with her husband as long as Alexander doesn’t cheat on her with other women.

 1780-12-15: Olivia Boards L'Hermione - Olivia joins Lafayette to bring down turncoat Benedict Arnold. They join 1, 200 troops and sail south to Virginia.

 1781-05-20: Abraham Boards L'Hermione - Abraham gets captured by the French and gave information to Lafayette, but before anything else happens, the ship gets attacked by cannons. When Brewster and Olivia identify Abraham as a spy for the Culper Ring named Samuel Culper Sr, they sail to Yorktown, Virginia.

 1781-09-28: The Battle Of Yorktown - Olivia gets shot 3 times during the battle but recovered soon after. Lafayette soon bid Olivia farewell to sail back to France. Olivia gives him her very long lock of braided hair inside a portrait locket necklace of her for him to remember her by. He also gives her a braided lock of his hair and a portrait locket of himself.

 1782-01-22: Olivia Becomes An Aunt - Phillip Hamilton was born.

 1782-08-27: John Laurens Dies - Olivia, Alexander, Hercules, and Lafayette get letters from Henry Laurens that John died in South Carolina. In her letter, Olivia receives her husband’s wedding ring. Heartbroken, Olivia vows to never marry again.

 1782-09-01: Olivia And Alexander Return To New York - Olivia gets a house in Harlem near her brother and his family. She led a quiet life with her children, unlike Alexander, for a while.

 1783-01-01: Olivia Bids Angelica Farewell - Over the course of the years, Olivia and Angelica became best friends. She hated the fact that Angelica and her family would go back to the same country they fought for years.

 1783-06-20: Pennsylvania Mutiny - Olivia watches the 10 leaders of the Pennsylvania Mutiny be gunned down by their own men beside Alexander and Ben.

 1783-09-03: The End Of The Revolution - The Treaty of Paris was finally signed which negotiated between America and Great Britain, ended the revolution, and recognized America as an independent.

 1787-10-?: Alexander Asks Olivia To Co-Write The Federalist Papers - Sometime before the writing of the Federalist Papers, Alexander asks Olivia to co-write it with John Jay, James Madison, and himself. Olivia politely declined because she believed that the three men could do it without her.

 1787-05-25: The Twins Go To The Constitutional Convention - Olivia Hamilton Laurens and Alexander Hamilton were one-half of the New York delegates. The former was the only woman to go to the Constitutional Convention. Though the twins did little in writing the Constitution, they signed the paper anyway.

 1789-02-04: Olivia Becomes The First Woman Vice President - Olivia ran for President all in good fun. The results were unanimous because she was one of the contributing factors that helped America become independent, only second to George Washington, and became the Vice President of the United States.

 1790-03-22: Olivia Meets Thomas Jefferson - When Jefferson and Olivia met, let’s just say that they will forever be enemies. This is partly the reason why Alexander and Jefferson were also enemies.

 1790-06-20: Olivia Refuses To Go To The Jefferson Dinner - Olivia doesn’t go to the dinner with Jefferson, Madison, Alexander, and a few others saying she had other things to do. But she doesn’t go because she didn’t want to be caught in the middle of a verbal fight between Alexander and Jefferson, again.

 1791-07-05: Olivia Finds Out About Alexander’s Affair - Alexander needed to speak to someone about his affair with Maria Reynolds, so he went to Olivia (naturally). Olivia slaps him and tells him about his promise to Eliza when he married her. She tells him if her husband finds out and tells/writes you to give him money to keep the affair a secret, he himself would pay entirely.

 1792-?-?: Olivia Receives Word About Lafayette’s Capture - Historians would never know the date when Olivia gets a letter that Lafayette fled from France and in prison because she only wrote the year and stopped writing in her diary for the rest of that year. They figured that she was extremely heartbroken to write.

 1793-02-25: Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf -  Olivia was poisoned by a loyalist named Micheal Key. Thankfully the poison was expired and went on to sit in Mount Vernon for hours talking about the establishment of the first U.S. bank. But due to Olivia’s frail and weak body for not eating and sleeping at the correct times, she became gravely ill. She sent her four children to Setauket with Abraham Woodhull. the week before. The four mentioned people came to her room in Mount Vernon. minutes before Olivia died. She gave Washington the locket he gave her all those years ago, gave Benjamin her sun hair comb he gave her when the war was over and her golden spy ring, gave Eliza her and John’s wedding rings and gave Alexander the Hamilton family ring and her diary (she instructed him to only read the entry about their true heritage when he is on his deathbed). She then instructed Ben to give Lafayette, her one true love, to give the gift he gave her when they started their relationship, a sapphire bracelet when he visits America once more. Olivia told the three to forgive her for leaving too early, she remembered the time she gave Washington piano lessons (which failed), the time where she forced Alexander to eat and sleep more regularly, and the time where she helped Eliza with her pregnancy with Phillip and her other children. She sang, “Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf,” which she does when she tries to reassure those around her. Olivia’s last words were, “I’ll see all of you on the other side, John, my love, I’m coming.” She was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery with a large monument. When the States learned of her death, the nation stopped working for days. Everyone who knew her (which was a lot) attended the funeral ceremony. Washington placed a bronze statue of Olivia depicting her holding a gun in her right hand and her diary in her left hand with the four rings on her fingers to show that women too, can be powerful.

 1793-02-26: Micheal Key Hanged - Because he assassinated the Vice President, Micheal John Key was hanged the next day at noon.

 1867-01-11: Olivia On Currency - In memory of Olivia, they put her face on the $20 on her birthday. However, in 1928, she was briefly replaced by Andrew Jackson but quickly regained her place after much controversy. 

 1999-12-15: Olivia Becomes Lyria - Olivia Rachel Hamilton Laurens, rebirthed to Lyria Eclair Graham de Vanily, the most powerful demigoddess of her century.