#Venus lover since 98

[snackugaki]

... just make an iteration* for fun, I said

a universe where they've made it into their late 30s-early 40s and they chill and can be serene in the company of friends and family for once. maybe a flashback or two for the action moments

"fix" your childhood turtles so they can have a reprieve and some shenanigans, i reasoned with myself--

WELP.

my tmnt au iteration (where everyone made it past their 20s, splinter’s alive just old, venus is here, and they deserve some goddamn respite and shenanigans)

tmnt au iteration part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9

tmnt au iteration omake 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

lny visit 1 | 2

is this actually new ramblings for the iteration or like one new lore bit and just a rerererererehashing of lore i sprinkled across the other posts.

first though, with my sorta-outsider-not-active-participant-in-fandom history I realized "au" isn't the proper term for what I've been doing, the more suitable term is "iteration".

and we're gonna sit with the fact that even someone at my old-ass age recognized my previous understanding of a term was, for all intents and purposes, not entirely correct and that I acknowledged it, rectified when I could, and that's it, it can be that easy.

...

okay back to the bullshit.

so my Mondo was introduced in the Archie run, a funky guy with a metal band called Merciless Slaughter, dressed like a punk Hulk, all around good peoples, hung out with the Mutanimals.

His design cobbling isn't too deep, I don't think. Just thought it'd be more rad if he looked more like a guy who fronts a band called Merciless Slaughter while remaining the same ol' Mondo inside, post mutation.

Kept some of his original color palette around in his hat, his pants, his NYHC logo (links) knockoff, and his little dyed leather cord bracelets.

the letters for the logo are for, Skate or Die (across), and Merciless Slaughter (down)

hmm still waffling on if I'm more tickled by him being taller than Mikey or the same height (5'4")

_________

and now for the rererererehash rambling because none of this design progression is coming out linear for me. so super quick, am an original 90s turtlemania survivor, Rise brought me back, gorged Rise then Bay then 2007 movie then rererererewatching of Next Mutation and the 90s trilogy for fun then hacking my way back through the Archie and Mirage runs then caught up with IDW and then just... slogging through 2003 and 2012 which honestly I feel like I got the gists of through gif sets alone.

one hand I can see why old fans (90s turtlemania) didn't seem to like the Rise designs, ours really were just the same li'l green dude but in different colors and hit sticks looks-wise. But here comes Rise with all the character design classics: different shapes! different sizes! exaggeration! and that's on top of all the nudges and twists made to the usual lore; Raphael is now the oldest, Leo and Donnie are now twins, they're different species of turtles, they're tools for war, brand new antagonists etc.

idk, to me when I was watching that shit, it was fun and refreshing so... ionno, built different cope maybe to the other oldheads pissing their pantaloons still ig whatevs

what tickles me most, personally, is the utter fuckton of Rise AUs, and a few Rise-driven iterations, and also some of the other non canon media iterations. so tickled that I got hit by the makeaniterationigitis itllbefunoccocal virus too. UnU (i'm kidding, i'm having so much fucking fun) just I'm addressing the flowers I wanna give to the kids who took Rise's take on tmnt and just RAN with the "different turtle species" from full out coloring their turtles the same as the species they picked to mimicking Rise's design language with different markings.

God, the markings thing just really nestled into my heart, it's such a simple thing and yet it took Rise to just try it, not even a lot, just a little for flavorrrrr. It's just enjoyable as fuck to me tbh and I'm sharpening my teeth when I revisit my coloring choices for the 8th time... fuck where was I?

right, mine are mistakes. wrongright place at the wrongright time, mutagen was there and now they can swing swords around and eat pizza.

someone(s) was high tailing it outta a TGRI lab with some mutagen barrels, driving recklessly while a bunch of eco-vigilantes had broken out of a pet shop that was the face of a black market pet trade/medicine/exotic food racket of endangered species. hence where their bit of human pre-mutagenic contact comes from (the strike team of people who freed them from their cages because all of them were endangered species & destined for a tank, a cutting board or a pill box); including a sea turtle Venus, Leatherhead, Tokka, Rahzar, Man-Ray some others etc etc. Jennika keeping her origin because it was dope as fuck. splinter was just there watching this symphony of human fuckery happen and decided to adopt some kids with no one asking (it was tang shen's onryo that is rooted in Splinter's mind that was asking, shh)

and ever since it clicked when I was gathering ref shots, ✨sea turtle Venus just makes sense✨ to me, it's taken my brain stem and rung it like a bell for new year's nonstop and i am not mad

... fuck, I am but also am not looking forward to when I start delving into ninjutsu, ninpo, Venus' whole schtick and how the supernatural fits into this world that I definitely don't need to be fleshing out this much just to draw them chilling on April's couch.

i've got like over 70 refs, holy shit

[justporo]

OC Insight: What kind of love are you?

Take this uquiz as your OC and post the result!

It's been a while since I did one of these tag games - this one spoke to me though, so thanks for tagging me @bearhugsandshrugs! This is answered for my bbygirl Fox. (Artwork by @violetfoxsketches mwa <3)

The result: Love as Religion Devotion, that is the name of your love. Your love is an act of worship. Your love is like witnessing the birth of Venus, like seeing the sun come alive, or the stars fall. When you love, it is because you have found God in a lover. You have found the meaning of life itself in the heart of the one you adore. They are everything to you; they are your Maker, and you are their lamb, their flock, their first and holiest worshipper. When you fall in love, it is as a baptism. You are born anew, made a believer in the divinity of the one you love most. Being loved by you is an ascension; it is holy and golden. It is all-consuming, and all-faithful, loyal as the dog. You will never, ever bite back.

Yeap, checks out. She's very much the type to offer up everything to the one she loves up to the point where it becomes self-destructive. But I guess with the right partner who doesn't take advantage of it that means they will have a very passionate and giving lover (and I hope she gets that in return as well).

Tagging: @megs-98 @tragedybunny @cerudinaeart aaaaand @nathaira-draws and anyone who wants to participate!

[hotboygucciglockboy]

Tag how many mutuals you want to ask these 33 questions to

tagged by @kyameron 🤝

1).Name and nickname: Andre. My true friends say Andre The Giant, but few and far in between.

2).meaning of your tumblr username: black kray lyrics. 98 flameboy

3).What is one dream you have yet to accomplish?: travel, but before that i want to own a home.

4).What accomplishment are you most proud of?: moving out to texas on my own.

5).What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done and would you do it again?: at rolling loud 2015 a group of friends and i left the venue and got back in line with a duplicated vip email and got back in successfully.

6).What type of music are you into?: mostly rap/ hip hop but there’s an appreciation for a bit of everything.

7).What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?: i’m suppressing all of that so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

8).What’s the one thing that people always misunderstand about you?: that i’m off and can’t explain why.

9).If a genie granted you 3 wishes right now, what would you wish for?: i want my health intact. a steady stream of income and the ability to protect those i love most.

10).If you had superpowers, which one would you have and why?: i would either be a stand user or have baki’s strength and fighting ability.

11).What is the strongest animal you could win against with just your bare hands and feet?: i would destroy a crab fr.

12).What is your strongest qualities?: i think patience is my strongest quality. i’m working on empathy as well.

13).What's the best advice a family member gave you growing up?: my mom told me “there’s nothing worth taking your life.” i think about that often.

14).if you could have an one night stand with anybody who would it be?..it could even be an mutual if you like or celebrity: 🤐🤐🤐

15).Ethnicity & Nationality and do you take pride in it?: Alexa; play Black & Proud by Robb Bank$

16).hobbies or talents: i like to play video games mostly. no standout talents :/

17).what is your fashion style: i’m on the fringes of street wear. haven’t had any new shit since 2019 fr.

18).What do most people overestimate or underestimate about you?: i couldn’t tell you honestly.

19)..are you an lover or fighter: it could go either way.

20).If someone narrated your life, who would you want to be the narrator?: Earl or The Dude.

21).What problem are you currently grappling with?: self image and things that deeply affected me in the past.

22).What's your favorite physical attribute about yourself?: my hair and shape. wish i were a bit more muscular tho.

23).What hobby/talent have you always wanted to develop?: i want to produce music, or get better at gloving. but FL studio is $200 away!

24).What’s the certain product you couldn’t live without?: chewing gum, a life saver if you get heartburn…

25).what is one thing you would change about yourself: i wish i had thicker skin.

26).What personality traits did you get from your parents?: i’m quiet and soft spoken, i think i get that from my mom.

27).Which one do you prefer: being controlled or be in control?: shit seems easier when you “go with the flow” but that can land you in some shit if you aren’t careful. but being in control is another form of pressure. let’s meet in the middle.

28).What are your phobias?: heights, car accidents. bodily harm in general.

29).What qualities do you want in a partner who will be with you for the rest of your life?: i just wanna feel like i can be myself. even if i don’t show that right away. as yams said (R.I.P) you gotta get to know me to truly see my swag blossom.

30).Who is your role model in life?: as of late.. Joe Budden. (work harder)

31).What are the things that drive you crazy?: it’s usually a buncha tiny shit that builds over time, no specifics.

32).Do you plan to have kids?: i have a beautiful son, and have plans for 2 more then i’m out the game.

33).Would you rather visit your ancestors in the past or meet your descendants in the future?: why not both? knowledge from the past to bless the future.

alright gang, if you see this or are tagged just lmk. also copied the questions if y’all want me to send it (if the messages will even let you copy text)

@bluegriptape @q00chie @vuzi @gytbro @slumperella @idcdontfwm @occvltswim @doublecupleen @slurpdemon @mwadvillain

[monstaxdirtywonk]

BTS & love (astrology) Hyung line

Since I’m multi-fan, I’m going to make posts for other groups I stan. They won’t be many tho, since this is primarely a MX blog . Enjoy~~

Seokjin (Capricorn Venus, Cancer Mars,Pisces Lilith)

Husband material but we’ve been knew

There is something about that Capricorn stability paired up with motherly Cancer that gives him the ideal family guy package.

Capricorn Venus  by itself might come out as cold or not passionate enough, I guess what we mean by that is they feel emotions, but they might shy away from showing them.

They do have some standards that need to be met.

Once this happens and they find someone they truly want, they settle down so not the type to fuck around.

but they might come out as cold which isn’t the case with our extroverted Jin

Jin is a lovely and very stereotypical Sagittarius, this gives him an ‘open book’ situation. His Mercury is a passionate Scorpio and his Mars an emotional Cancer so the cold part isn’t there anymore.

Many think Jin is the most vanilla, I don’t think so tbh but okay-

He isn’t the freakiest out of them, but I wouldn’t say he is only vanilla either

As a Cancer mars (and pisces lilith) he might as well be attracted to a soft, curvy look

Someone to take care of, but someone to take care of him too

I think that’s a big hidden factor there.

Sagis especially with water can be very caring, but they do want some love too, just rarely ask for it.

It would truly warms his heart if you’d do little things here and there to help him out without him asking. 

Into domestic settings, private that is, despite his sun, this ain’t it here

Very loving and supportive, but not the most romantic or kinky. This isn’t bad, it’s rather good actually, there’s more moderation in his chart.

Yoongi (Aries Venus, Mars Cancer, Lilith Pisces)

Pisces men have that thing

Bless- Anyways xD Yoongi has a very badass outer layer

After all his rising is in Aries (I’m like 98% sure), which gives a tough, cold impression

but then he has a lot of pisces making him baby faced and cute, so this explains his double charm

His Virgo moon gives him brains, virgo moon has BRAINS

but he has emotional intelligence too, plenty of it

underrated opinion but underneath all this badass first impression, there is a VERY gentle lover

Despite his logical moon, he might have a thing with jealousy

It’s not like a possessive one Jimin/Namjoon style, it’s mostly out of his insecure nature

He wants patience and he is patient himself, extremely patient and understanding

CARING (remember before like 4-5 years when in a radio they made a scenario in which he hadn’t call his gf and he said wait i don’t call her daily? yep that softie)

After all just like Jin and Namjoon, this Cancer Mars is very protective of their loved ones and assume a parental role.

He loves a lot and can get very emotional but it’s something that doesn’t hapen often. 

For instance, Jimin, might be a bit more into flirting, falling in love easily etc. Yoongi has this stable earthy moon paired with a private and idealistic Pisces.

which leads to another underrated opinion

YOONgi iSN’t cUddLy

Yes, with friends that is. In a relationship, bitch is all over you 24/7. It’s that privacy I was talking about.

Saving things only for that special someone. 

Hoseok (Pisces Venus, Mars Aquarius, Lilith Aries)

Hey boi how r u doin

not good but okay

I think every single human being is whipped or can get whipped for people with pisces/aquarius combo. I mean Hoseok, Changkyun and Tom Hiddleston has those so...it’s a fact lol.

I think it’s because they have strong water vibes aka soft/otherwordly beauty,sweetness along with an intellectual mind and sex appeal. 

that being said, hoseokie combines just that.

if you want intense sexual experience with lovey dovey situations. here’s your man

Jimin and Namjoon have that duality too but it’s very different

Unlike them. Hoseok has two placements in Aquarius, by far the most carefree independent sign!

The scorpio bois are scorpio bois xD so what’s being independent anyways

Hoseok gives that balance, we independent but not too distant you know?

He can be very clingy, physically that is

because his aquarius still respects boundaries and will keep them there no matter how much he loves someone

does that make him cold? nope not at all

it just gives a more healthy approach to a relationship and kind of takes two extremes of the opossites to the center

but imo his pisces is more apparent when it comes to love

he is a big softie and yes he is probably good at it because he is an aquarius and he is sexy and he is this and he is that but

the most important part is that Hoseokie loves and he loves a lot <3 

plus he has a realll hard time letting go since pisces is a fixed sign so please treat him well he deserves it all <3 

Namjoon (Scorpio Venus, Mars Cancer, Lilith Taurus)

If you are a carefree type looking for a hookup, this ain’t it lol

Carefree and hookups don’t go well with Scorpio

Our leader craves devotion, trust and exclusivity

Not prone to jealousy like Yoongi, Scorpios are straight up possessive.

That’s not bad it’s just not for everyone.

Good thing is that they don’t only demand devotion, they give it back, just as much.

They won’t cheat, they won’t lie and they will have you as the center of their world if you treat them well.

The biggest turn on to Scorpios is trust, if you cheat, you’re gone no matter how much they love you.

Many speculate he has a daddy kink and astrology wise, that’s likely.

Scorpio venus can be dominant and possessive, combined with that cancer mars that gets a ‘parental’ role, we can have such a kink.

A boob guy just like Yoongi and Seokjin.

He can get a bt insecure too, cancer mars might be fragile.

Seokjin saved this with his sagi/aries/capricorn.

Namjoon can’t, in fact it’s even worse with his Virgo side that can get overly critical and turn against themselves.

That’s a side we don’t see often but it’s there.

Instead of finding jealousy hot (you do you still), we can also point out why such reaction occurs, it’s not feeling enough.

Can this change?

No. Scorpios will be possessive no matter what. But it can get better, and most importantly, he can get better. 

(for astrology ships dm me 4-5$)

[mysteriouslytransparentwitch]

Two major celestial events call the shots this coming week. One is this week's New Moon in the 25th degree of Taurus, right on the status changing Midheaven of Donald Trump and Prince Harry and the birth Sun of Mark Zuckerberg. The other is a once in eighty four year event, the entry of rebel-rousing Uranus into staid, implacable Taurus. I'll be writing plenty more on it...but for now...

Rock solid Taurus is the only sign of the earth element cemented into a fixed modality. From May 16 2018, it's about to be gatecrashed, by the irresistible force of ground-breaking Uranus. This transit works with all the subtlety of dynamite on a cliff face or the big bang theory. Taurus likes to maintain the status quo. Uranus is difference with a 'difference'. Things change fast!

Uranus is the only planet bearing a Greek, rather than Roman name. It rotates with an axial tilt of 98 degrees; side on and almost perpendicular to the Sun. And revolves (on its own axis) in the opposite direction of all the other planets, apart from Venus. Uranus stands out for its individuality, in both essence and character. If Saturn is a wake – Uranus is the wake up.

FEEL THE EARTH MOVE

We all know there is a royal wedding planned for midday May 19 2018. It's when Prince Harry is due to tie the knot with Meghan Markle. With a planned two mile procession through Windsor, it will be one of the biggest 'security' operations in British history. On the wedding day, the planet of royalty, Jupiter, transits exact to Harry's Midheaven. But there's much more to the royal story.

Sudden shock Uranus, moving into stable and secure Taurus, on May 15 2018 at 16.41 hours Universal Time, can be likened to the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. With apologies to Queen Elizabeth 11, she embodies the latter. Perhaps because she is a fixed earth Taurean, with her birth Sun in the opening degree.

The enduring qualities of Taurus are encapsulated in Shakespeare's line from Henry V, 'though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod'. On February 6 this year, QEII completed 66 years as Queen of the Commonwealth. She is the longest serving monarch in British history.

Nobody is more aware of this ongoing achievement than her son and perennial heir in waiting, Prince Charles. His perception of his mother is aptly summarised via his Moon, also occupying the opening degree of Taurus and positioned in his worldly tenth house of status and reputation. This sol-lunar swap is a family trait. FAMILY TIES

Elizabeth also shared the same condition with her own mother, who carried the title of Queen and then Queen Mother. QEII's Moon is 12LEO07 and her mother's Sun was positioned at 11LEO09. Even Meghan Markle's Sun is 11LEO59. The Queen Mother continued active duty until shortly before her death at 101 years of age. Queen Elizabeth is now 91 years of age.

The entry of Uranus into Taurus will simultaneously meet the Queen's Sun and the Prince's Moon. Uranus will arrive in company with a transit of fast acting Mars in square. The mid-May Mars to Uranus square is the first of three in 2018. All are repeating close to the Sun and Moon positions of the Queen and Prince respectively on August 2 and September 19. Click here for larger image

SHAKING UP THE 'SYSTEM'

Most royal pundits expect the Queen to remain so. Duty and obligation are amply displayed in QEII's responsible Saturn sitting right at her Scorpio Midheaven. Sober Saturn rules her conventional Capricorn Ascendant. All of which explains her longevity in astrological terminology and makes the May period even more interesting.

The Uranus Ingress into Taurus comes coincident with a New Moon, also in Taurus, and occurring on the Midheaven over London. This New Moon will highlight the 25th degree of Taurus, putting it on the IC of QEII's birth horoscope and opposing her Saturn/Midheaven conjunction. Further, her Midheaven/Saturn forms the apex of a fixed T-Square featuring Mars/Jupiter on one arm, opposite Neptune on the other.

There are multiple royal charts with important connections to the Queen's T-Square. Prince Charles' Sun is positioned in the 23rd degree of Scorpio and opposite the May 15 lunation. The next in line, Prince William's Venus is at the lunation point of 25 of Taurus. Princess Anne's Sun is at 22 of Leo. AND THERE'S MORE - THE PLUTO REGENERATION

There are further technical considerations. The Prince's SP Moon will be at 25 degrees of Scorpio – opposite the May New Moon. Queen Elizabeth will also have Uranus squaring her progressed Sun and reforming Pluto looming close to stationing at her natal Capricorn Ascendant. The New Moon of July 13 this year opposes Pluto. All of which brings us back to immovable objects and irresistible forces.

Are these astral portents timing a sudden change within the royal family and rapid repositioning within the monarchy? It's a question that has been posed many times before, without a definitive outcome. But every time we have seen such significant transits to mother and son's horoscopes, the royal responsibilities of Charles have increased with Queen Elizabeth reducing her royal schedule. Uranus may be the 'unpredictable' clincher.

The time window around this Royal Marriage makes for further analysis. If you're right into astrology and can do the charts, be my guest to check them out using the natal details below. Queen Elizabeth - 21st of April 1926 @ 02.40 hours GMT London. Prince Charles - 14th of November 1948 @ 21.14 hours GMT London. Prince William - 21st of June 1982 @ 21.03 hours BST London. Prince Harry - 15th of September 1984 @ 16.20 hours GMT London. Princess Anne - 15th of August 1950 @ 11.50 hours BST London. Meghan Markle - 4th of August 1981 @ 04.46 hours PDT Canoga Park, CA.

TIMES CHANGE – OR DO THEY?

The last time Uranus entered Taurus was June 1934 – the year that Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson became lovers. Their affair, kept under wraps by the establishment, led to Wallis' husband filing for divorce and Edward's abdication as King, to marry 'the woman that I love'. Edward's marriage request, to the twice divorced Simpson, was forbidden by the governments of the UK and the Dominions of the Commonwealth.

His subsequent abdication created a constitutional crisis. King Edward's renunciation of the throne brought the coronation of brother George and the ten year old Princess Elizabeth was suddenly next in line. Uranus had arrived at her Sun. We are now looking at the Uranus return of those dramatic days.

Pluto then was conjunct the Queen's Descendant and about to transit her upper hemisphere, totally changing her public life. In May it will be stationing at her Ascendant. Is it time for the passing of the baton – something inconceivable to royal watchers, writers and pundits.

Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle marks the only time, since Edward VIII, that a royal family member will marry a divorcee, who happens to be a citizen of the USA. Harry may not be the reigning monarch – and times and attitudes have changed since the greatest crisis facing the Crown. Yet this is a further indication of an imminent reshuffle to the pecking order of the 'Firm'.

Not enough room for the Iran situation this week but will be publishing that soon. Meantime check out your sun-sign below for the Taurean New Moon.

[thebestintoronto]

THE ULTIMATE 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY

After so many years of travelling, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to put together a 48 hour Toronto itinerary. It’s where I was born and it’s where I live, work and play so you think it would be easy to put together a list where to go in Toronto, right? Well, it is and it isn’t. Toronto is a world-class city but for me when I return from a trip, I just want to relax and slowly try to get back into the groove of the daily grind. But as a travel blogger who creates short trips, mini-breaks, and weekend getaway itineraries, I’m sort of obligated to create an itinerary for Toronto.

I GOT HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE.

HERE’S MY 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY

All that said, I live in a very big city so I decided to stick with the downtown Toronto attractions instead of things to do near Toronto. Some are Toronto tourist spots while others are hidden gems that only a local like me would know about.

In addition, our national airline Air Canada is allowing you to hook up a stopover for up to 7 days in Toronto on your way to Europe or Asia. Sweet! You can bookmark this itinerary for when you get here. Hell, I’ll even welcome you at the airport with open arms.

WHERE TO STAY IN TORONTO

Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Fairmont’s historic ballroom is legendary and the hotel itself is a city icon.  Its spacious rooms feature floral accents and include designer bath toiletries and robes. It has a skylit indoor pool, 5 on-site dining options, its across the street from Union Station with shuttle bus to both airports.

Thompson Toronto

The Hotel has a rooftop pool and bar with views of the city and CN Towers – I could pretty much stop there. But, it has designer linens and bath amenities. Fully stocked minibars, 24-hour concierge, on-site valet and a 10-minute walk from the bars and restaurants of King West.

Hyatt Regency Toronto

Located in the entertainment district in the centre of Toronto – trust me there is no better place to be. It’s a modern hotel with flat-screen TVs and Apple docking stations,  on-site sauna, outdoor pool and it’s King Street Social Kitchen and Lounge serves regional cuisine

DAY 1

BALDWIN STEPS

The first stop is Casa Loma but in order to get up the hill, we need to use the Baldwin Steps, which are a public outdoor staircase that dates back to the 19th century. They are named after a former landowner of the area, the Baldwin family, which included Robert Baldwin, a former premier of Ontario.

CASA LOMA

This 98-room castle was commissioned by Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, a Canadian soldier, and investor who founded the Toronto Electric Light Company in 1883. Sir Henry Mill Pellatt ordered Toronto native and architect E. J. Lennox to design Casa Loma. The 3.5 million dollar castle began construction in 1911 and was finally completed by 1914. Today Casa Loma is used as a filming location, a museum, as a venue for weddings. It is also one of Toronto’s most popular landmarks.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM (R.O.M.)

The Royal Ontario Museum is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest museum in Canada. The ROM is highly regarded as a “preeminent field research institute and an international leader in new and original findings in biodiversity, paleontology, earth sciences, the visual arts, material culture, and archaeology”.

PHILOSOPHERS WALK (*HIDDEN GEM)

The Philosophers Walk is a scenic footpath located in the St George campus of the University of Toronto.  It runs north-south along what was once a natural water called Taddle Creek, which was buried during the industrial age and now flows underwater.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO (CAMPUS)

The University of Toronto was originally founded in 1827 as King’s College and as the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada. The university is comprised of twelve colleges. The University of Toronto also has two satellite campuses located in Scarborough and Mississauga.

BALDWIN STREET, RESTAURANTS (*HIDDEN GEM)

Yes, you might have guessed it’s the same Baldwin family who owned the land that the steps used to get to Casa Loma are built on. This small Toronto enclave is located in Toronto’s Grange Park neighbourhood. Baldwin Village is famous for its small shops and restaurants like, Shawarma and Falafel Place, Chardise, Sid’s Deli, and many other favourited restaurants of Toronto.

KENSINGTON MARKET

Kensington Market is Toronto’s self-proclaimed “most vibrant and diverse neighbourhood”.  This bustling Toronto neighbourhood serves as a fine indicator of Toronto’s multicultural diversity. No establishment in Kensington Market is the same. Vendors, shops, and restaurants of all sorts of ethnicities make up the melting pot that is Toronto’s “most vibrant and diverse neighbourhood”.

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO (AGO)

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is home to over 90,000 different artworks and is lauded as one of North America’s most distinguished art museums.  This massive museum carried works of art that range from the Renaissance to contemporary pieces of art. Aside from being an astonishing physical museum, AGO also has launched its social media website called Collection X, which grants users access to a digital art forum that is opened to artists and art lovers.

GRANGE PARK

Right beside the AGO is OCAD U (The Ontario College of Art and Design University) and right behind that is Grange Park which happens to my local park.

Many-a-blog-post was conceived in this park!

There are two large sculptures by world-famous sculpture, Henry Moore and 14 nature related, inscribed granite paving stones from famous Canadian authors.

QUEEN STREET WEST

Named “the second coolest neighborhood in the world” by Vogue magazine, Queen Street West is downtown Toronto’s most celebrated (fashion) district. Queen Street West is a hip, urban strip that extends for two kilometres (1.25 miles) between Bathurst and Gladstone and is comprised of some of the city’s most trendy boutiques, art galleries, bars, and restaurants.

GRAFFITI ALLEY (*HIDDEN GEM)

Just south of Queen Street West is one of Toronto’s most surprisingly artistic accomplishments: Graffiti Alley. Graffiti Alley stretches for approximately one kilometre (.6 miles) and is teeming with urban art that is (legally) painted each summer by an artistic troupe called Style in Progress. If you’re looking to explore Toronto in hopes of finding a hidden gem that reflects the urban, artistic capabilities of the city, then Graffiti Alley is that and more. Read more about Graffiti Alley from my post: Toronto’s Graffiti And Street Art

KING STREET WEST | KING WEST VILLAGE

King West Village is one of Toronto’s fastest growing communities. With waves of young professionals moving into the neighbourhood, Kings West Village has experienced a boost in its economy and social scene. Aside from the rapidly changing demographic of the neighbourhood, King West Village is well-known for its landmarks, 19th-century buildings, and iconic brownstones.

ROGERS CENTRE (A.K.A. THE SKYDOME)

Opened in June 1989 and originally named the SkyDome, Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose indoor stadium that holds some of Toronto’s wonderfully exciting venues. Notably, the Rogers Centre is home to the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) and has served as the venue for an array of different events: sporting events, concerts, auto shows, circuses, Disney on Ice, and much more.

Architecturally, the stadium is well-known for being the first stadium to have a fully retractable motorized roof, having an annexed 348-room hotel attached, and is also the last dual sporting major-league stadiums in North American (MLB and NFL).

TORONTO RAILWAY MUSEUM

The Toronto Railway Museum, a mainstay attraction of downtown Toronto located in Roundhouse Park,  is “dedicated to preserving the physical legacy, history, and experience of rail transportation in Toronto and Ontario.” The museum has lots to offer, such as a railway simulator, in-depth historical displays, and interactive displays. Be sure to check out the gift shop and go on a Miniature Train ride before you leave!

CN TOWER | 360 RESTAURANT

Often viewed as the pride and joy of Toronto, The CN Tower is a spectacular architectural and engineering feat that captures the livelihood of the city. This national icon and landmark are well-known for its (cost-efficient) state-of-the-art LED lighting system, as well as recently being on the cover of Drake’s critically-acclaimed album “Views”.  Aside from its stature as a culture and urban icon, the CN Tower is home to the revolving 360 The Restaurant.  This world-class restaurant is managed by Executive Chef John Morris and General Manager of Restaurants and Events Cameron Dryburgh, who helms the culinary team at the award-winning restaurant.

DAY 2

THE BEST 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY

DISTILLERY DISTRICT

Despite its name, Toronto’s Distillery District is known for being “Canada’s premier arts, culture and entertainment destination”.  The district gets its name from the 47 buildings that were formally known as the Gooderham & Worts Distillery. Since 2003, the Distillery District has been offering locals and visitors a “hip, cool dynamic” that is comparable to New York City’s SoHo or Chelsea. Be sure to check out the Distillery District’s unique shops, galleries, studios, restaurants, cafes, theatres, and more!

ST. LAWRENCE MARKET

The St. Lawrence Market is an encompassing, nostalgic shopping destination in Toronto. The market is made up of three main buildings that each provides their own unique services and products: The South Market, the North Market and St. Lawrence Hall. The South Market is known for having vendors that sell fresh produce, meat, fish, grains, baked goods, dairy products, as well as non-food items. The second floor of the South Market, home to the Market Gallery, serves as an exhibition space for City of Toronto’s Cultural Services. The North Market is well-known for its Saturday Farmers’ Market, Sunday antique dealers, rental spaces. St. Lawrence Hall is comprised of various retailers on the ground floor, city offices on the second floor, and auxiliary rooms for special events on the third floor.

GOODERHAM BUILDING

Toronto’s Gooderham Building, also known as the Flatiron Building, is one of the city’s historical landmarks. Located in Toronto’s Financial District, the Gooderham Building was completed in 1892 as a premature model of its current architectural state. Now, the building serves as not only an office building but as a historical landmark that adds to Toronto’s pizzazz.

CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JAMES

Opened on June 19, 1853, the Cathedral Church of St. James stands as one of the largest Toronto-built buildings. The Cathedral was constructed with the intention of replicating Gothic Revival architecture. The cathedral is well-known for its 92.9 meters (305 foot) tower and pointed spire.

YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE

Yonge-Dundas Square is Toronto’s equivalent of New York City’s Times Square. This bustling, vibrant square experiences fluxes of tourists and locals who relish in the square’s open space and eccentric ambiance. Yonge-Dundas Square’s myriad of LCD displays brings a one-of-a-kind luminescence to Toronto and capture’s the city’s animated downtown vibe

EATON CENTRE

Located in downtown Toronto, the Eaton Centre is Toronto’s only mega shopping centre. This massive shopping centre is home to over 230 national and international retailers, as well as offering patrons tons of dining and entertainment options.

OLD CITY HALL

Old City Hall is just one of four city halls to be constructed in Toronto. The building boasts a Romanesque style of architecture, as well as a distinguishable clock tower. Since 1984, Old City Hall has been designated as a National Historic Site of Toronto.

TORONTO CITY HALL | TORONTO SIGN

Toronto City Hall, also known as New City Hall, serves as the home of Toronto’s municipal government.  Despite its round base, Toronto City Hall is comprised of two towers that are curved in, and stand at varying heights. Toronto City Hall’s courtyard, Nathan Phillips Square, serves as the primary host of various festivals and events in Toronto.

YONGE ST.

Centered around Yonge-Dundas Square is Yonge Street. As is typical of the streets of downtown Toronto, Yonge Street is lined with heaps of restaurants, bars, and shops. Yonge Street is one of Toronto’s main streets, it is the longest street in the world and divides the city between East & West.

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

In the typical Canadian fashion, Toronto is home to the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHoF). The Hockey Hall of Fame building was established in 1943 and is located on Yonge Street. The HHoF houses 15 various exhibit areas that cover 60,000 square feet. Visitors of the HHoF can view trophy displays, memorabilia, and player equipment worn during special games. The Hockey Hall of Fame also has an interactive display called “Be a Player” that allows patrons to use shoot real pukes against a simulated legendary goaltender, Ed Belfour.

HARBOURFRONT | HARBOUR CENTRE

The Harbourfront Centre is nonprofit cultural organizations that put together events and activities to enrichen and enhance downtown Toronto. Located at 235 Queens Quay West, on Toronto’s waterfront, the Harbourfront Centre is a must visit destination for all those looking to enjoy the cultural diversity and creativity of Toronto, right on the water.

AMSTERDAM BREWHOUSE

Located in the Harbourfront, Amsterdam BrewHouse specializes in offering patrons craft beers and delicious eats. Amsterdam BrewHouse’s ideal location makes it the perfect place to enjoy local craft beers, delicious local foods, and a lakeside view of Lake Ontario.

Visit my post called The Best Harbourfront Restaurant in Toronto to find out more about this awesome place!

Also, while at the Amsterdam BrewHouse I got to hang out with a good friend of mine and fellow travel blogger Danielle from the Thought Card. She’s a pro at cost effective travel so if you’re curious about budgeting a trip to Toronto she wrote a great post called Toronto Budget: How Much Does A Trip To Toronto Cost?  

The post “ THE ULTIMATE 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY “ was first seen on Rudderless Travel by Christopher Rudder

The IV Lounge - IV Therapy Toronto Drip Clinic

[mrmichaelchadler]

Finding New Neighbors at the Movies: The Ebert Fellows on Ebertfest 2019

Editor’s note:  Last week, the 2018-19 University of Illinois College of Media Roger Ebert Fellows, Curtis Cook, Pari Apostolakos and Eunice Alpasan, covered their first full Ebertfest experience at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign, Ill. Here are their impressions, from “Amazing Grace” to “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and beyond.

CURTIS COOK

An hour before the first screening of Ebertfest 2019, “Amazing Grace” – a long-lost concert film charting the creation of Aretha Franklin’s eponymous 1972 gospel album – longtime festival director Nate Kohn addressed a crowd of festival guests and participants Wednesday in Urbana, Ill., at the home of University of Illinois president Tim Killeen.

Like Roger Ebert himself, Kohn was raised locally, and he noted that one of his favorite activities of the annual April film festival was observing the change of the city, year to year.

Like the city, Ebertfest is an evolving beast. Under the tutelage of Chaz Ebert, Roger’s widow, for the past six years, the festival continues to tinker with its formula. With one foot firmly planted in the festival’s initial focus on overlooked films, the other foot – guided by Chaz’s emphasis on empathy, kindness and compassion – has branched out further, this year focusing heavily on the passage of time.

Throughout the 21 years of the festival’s operation, one of the few constants, alongside Nate and Chaz, has been Champaign’s Virginia Theatre. For anyone who has been to Ebertfest, they know the venue as a bit of an anomaly in its surrounding city. The Virginia features Corinthian-style columns adorned in cerulean hues and gold leaf, where the green and gold of the proscenium complement deep crimson curtains, and rows of red diamond-checked velvet seats and hundreds of feet of ornate trim occupy the auditorium.

This conveys an elegance glaringly absent from modern theaters. But there’s a more down-home flourish out front: a bronze statue of Ebert, seated in a movie theater seat, giving his signature ‘thumbs up’.

From the opening screening of “Amazing Grace,” which was followed by an onstage concert from the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Choir of Champaign-Urbana, to the show-stealing duo of Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly who spoke after Thursday night’s screening of “Bound,” to several screenings projected in 35mm film – a rarity in 2019 – the Virginia was packed with entertainment for film lovers of all kinds.

A Saturday highlight, director Morgan Neville’s enormously popular Fred Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” came with the presentation of the Ebertfest Humanitarian Award. Neville was the third in the festival’s history to receive the honor.

The film itself is a perfectly nuanced character study of a TV celebrity famous for his compassion and empathy around the world. Neville’s documentary looks beyond the surface of Rogers’ small-screen persona and examines how his kindness manifested itself on a daily basis.

“The question is not ‘What would Mr. Rogers do today?’” remarked Neville in a post-screening talk. “The question is: ‘What are YOU going to do today?’”

The festival named after Ebert means a lot to me personally. Growing up in Urbana, attending Ebert’s high school and then the university where he first made his name, it’s natural to sense his shadow looming over other people’s lives, especially film lovers. Until this year, my only interaction with the festival was a one-movie taste of the 2017 festival: Park Chan-Wook’s “The Handmaiden.”

Visiting the festival this year in full was an eye-opener to say the least. In 2005, Ebert famously declared film to be “a machine that generates empathy.” This festival captures that sentiment perfectly.

To watch hundreds of patrons interacting with each other throughout the week, mingling along the streets of Champaign, walking around West Side Park on a blustery weekday afternoon, perusing records at Exile on Main Street just a few blocks away – all of it was rewarding.

Hearing people converse in the lobby of the theatre, under the marquee, even in the bathroom, after screenings gave the sense that people here were not just paying to see a movie, but deeply invested in what they saw. As one guest put it: “It’s nice to go to a festival where people actually care about movies.”

Even in the short time that the festival runs, the openness and kindness of everyone involved is so inviting that one can’t help but feel the warmth of the community at their feet when they step under the Virginia’s laurel green marquee. For 98 years, the Virginia Theater has stood tall, a local relic amid that ever-evolving cityscape. And with the recent addition of several new luxury high-rises in a downtown area under perpetual renovation, that cityscape continues to evolve.

Whatever the future brings, Ebertfest and its longtime home serve as a testament to longevity and to cultivating a sense of community beyond proximity. In coming years, in this great era of local change, the Virginia’s presence – along with its long-running festival tenant – will be even more appreciated.

PARI APOSTOLAKOS

Ebertfest 2019 was a true learning experience for me, but not in the way I expected.

For example, Alan Elliott, producer of the Aretha Franklin concert documentary “Amazing Grace,” revealed details in Wednesday’s pre-screening discussion not just about the film, but about his life, right down to the story of his family adopting a friend of Elliott’s named Benny. The real-life scenario, improbably enough, went on to inspire the ‘90s TV sitcom “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Elliott received confirmation on that anecdote, from another Ebertfest guest, actress Gina Gershon, Elliott’s cousin. She was there in the Virginia Theatre Wednesday, and from her seat she shouted out: “It’s true!”

Gershon and her “Bound” costar, Jennifer Tilly, delivered one the most entertaining post-screening discussions of the festival after the Thursday night showing of “Bound.” Their chemistry on-screen 23 years ago translated to the 2019 stage with ease.  I wanted to befriend both of them instantly. Between takes of their hot-and-heavy love scenes in “Bound,” they recalled, they’d eat donuts and discuss the shoe sale at Barney’s.

Even more intriguing were one-on-one discussions with festival attendees like Rita Coburn Whack, co-director of the Maya Angelou documentary “And Still I Rise” who strongly recommended I watch “The Crown” on Netflix (apparently Princess Margaret is a mess). On a brief stroll over to the “Bound” screening, Coburn Whack told me she thought Angelou would’ve been a fierce advocate of the #MeToo movement if she had lived to see it. It’s unfortunate the world will never see what that movement might’ve sparked in Angelou’s writing.

If Ebertfest were structured like most festivals, that brief encounter might never have happened. Since only one film is screened at a time, with all attendees watching the same thing at the same time, Ebertfest sparks conversation amongst the festivalgoers. May that aspect of it never change.

Following Saturday’s screening of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Chaz Ebert took the stage in tears, overcome with emotion as she remembered her late husband, whom she described as her own Fred Rogers. “Neighbor” director Morgan Neville took time afterwards to tell the Ebert Fellows a bit more about the film. One of the best moments in the documentary, 1960s archival footage of Rogers convincing, patiently, Sen. John O. Pastore to continue funding national public television, has a larger story behind it.

Neville told us his that his research revealed Pastore did not have much of a childhood of his own. Growing up during the Great Depression, he was put to work in a factory at an extremely young age. Something happened when Rogers candidly shared with Pastore the compassionate message he was sending to children in his television program. Neville speculated that it must’ve touched the inner child of this senator who grew up too fast.

Mr. Rogers was a true embodiment of empathy. It’s that quality that has grown into a central theme of Ebertfest. “If somebody is disabled or of a different race or ethnicity or religion or what have you, kids are just kids,“ Neville said. “Most of the differences we have in our world are taught. And not always for the better.”

EUNICE ALPASAN

After the Saturday screening of Morgan Neville’s 2018 documentary of the life of Fred Rogers, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”, Ebertfest co-founder and host Chaz Ebert came on stage in tears, mirroring the emotional state of many audience members.

“I had my own Mr. Rogers,” she said of her late husband, Roger, “someone who was so kind, so compassionate. Nobody's perfect — we know that — but the depth of Roger’s compassion and goodness was astounding. It was amazing to be able to peer into somebody's else soul and see how much they cared about other people, and to see the things that they wanted to change to bring goodness into the world.”

Attending the 21st edition of Ebertfest reminded all of us of Roger Ebert’s legacy. Despite his passing, his spirit permeated the four-day film festival and could be found in the people in attendance who knew him, as well as the movies shown on the big screen of the Virginia Theater in downtown Champaign.

Filmmakers, critics, actors, musicians and movie distributors came from across the country to take part in Ebertfest, a festival that’s unlike any other. Empathy, forgiveness and compassion were major recurring themes found throughout this year’s work. Movies like “Rachel Getting Married” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” stood out for the way they helped fulfill a heartfelt collective yearning. It was personally very much needed.

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” tells the story behind the children’s TV show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and the story of the man whom filmmaker Neville reveals as being more than just a two-dimensional character.

“One of the big questions of this film was — it’s in fact, the fundamental question that I got when making the film – ‘Is he really that guy? Is he really who he seems?’ That’s the most common question I got,” Neville said. “And the answer is, he’s even better.”

Even if you’re too young to have watched “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” the film still finds a way to connect with audiences unfamiliar with the subject. The film doesn’t portray him as a saint, which Mr. Rogers’ widow was insistent on when speaking with Neville about the film.

The kindness of Fred Rogers was refreshing and therapeutic to see on the big screen. But we also saw the vulnerability and internal struggles he faced and shared with the world.

“When I saw this movie in the theater,” Chaz Ebert said Saturday, “it was the men in the audience who were crying. I was asking someone, ‘Why do you think that is?’ And they said, “It’s so much more difficult for men to be able to tell someone that he needs them, to tell them that they love him or that they’re accepted. Or that they’re just fine just the way they are.”

Director Jonathan Demme’s 2008 drama “Rachel Getting Married” starring Anne Hathaway screened two days earlier, on Thursday. The film follows the character of Kym, released from drug rehab so she can attend the wedding of her older sister, played by Rosemarie DeWitt.

Kym finds herself in a tug of war with her family, and screenwriter Jenny Lumet delves into the complicated nature of families. In one sequence, a dishwasher-organizing competition sprouts out of lighthearted fun between Kym’s father, played by Bill Irwin, and Rachel’s fiance, played by Tunde Adebimpe. The scene takes a sudden, stark, poignant turn that sucked all the air out of the room on screen – and out of the Virginia Theatre auditorium.

Another Thursday screening, Jean Epstein’s 1923 French silent film “The Faithful Heart,” made my list of Ebertfest favorites, as well as one of my favorite movie-watching experiences, period. The screening featured a live musical performance of the Alloy Orchestra. As someone who doesn’t often run into the opportunity to watch silent films, I found my jaw dropping thanks to the stunningly restored visuals combined with the seamless music performed live. The Alloy Orchestra included instruments like junk percussion, accordion, clarinet and synths.

The intense close-ups revealed the deathly glisten of the character’s eyes and the detailed texture of their skin. The cinematography was shockingly detailed, even psychedelic with the use of quick cuts, kaleidoscopic and distorted camera shots. The ambiguous ending to this melodramatic love story added a layer of depth that was unexpected and thought-provoking.

Ebertfest recognizes a variety of films differing in genre, time period and representation. I hope in years to come, the festival’s breadth becomes more clearly reflected in who attends the festival. More community members and students of different ages and backgrounds should take the chance to attend.

As a College of Media Roger Ebert Fellow, and first-year college student, it’s incredibly humbling to attend a film festival whose co-founder, Chaz Ebert, provided me this opportunity. To be surrounded by people who do so much to champion filmmaking makes for a celebration of the movies, and stories, we all share.

from All Content http://bit.ly/2GiLLlf

[itsworn]

Gassers, Dragsters, Altereds, and More Turn Out for the Awesome 15th Annual Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green

The official name is The Holley National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA Insurance at Beech Bend Raceway Park, produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. OK, that mouthful is the official name, but to real hot rodders everywhere it is simply and reverentially known as “The Hot Rod Reunion.” This vintage drag race/rod run remains at the top of our must-attend list.

The event is all about elapsed time, and that applies to every car and driver in attendance, because time is truly elapsing at an alarming rate of speed. Going to the Hot Rod Reunion is the perfect venue for serious bench racing with friends old and new. Every year, we manage to meet another legend of the sport and share great stories about the golden years of drag racing. While other racetracks incorporate the term park in their name, Beech Bend truly is a park-like setting, with a large campground and amusement park adjoining the dragstrip. Of course, for hot rodders the real source of amusement is a sticky stretch of asphalt running two lanes wide for a quarter of a mile.

The atmosphere is one of pure hot rodding. From the Circle of Legends to the nearly 1,500 show-and-shine cars, it’s the real deal. The racers aren’t here to win a big purse; they’re here for the love of vintage drag racing, and it shows.

But don’t think for one minute this is exhibition racing. The competition is hot and heavy, and the vintage racers are turning times that were unimaginable in the 1960s. For example, the top six Nostalgia Fuel Dragsters were all in the 5-second range, with speeds up to 260 mph. We love the Gassers, Super Stock, and ’09 groups, but the fuel cars (Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Fuel Altered) bring a different dimension to this weekend. Nothing compares to nitro cars, and we can honestly say when the fuel cars run, there isn’t a dry eye in the place. The racing was non-stop with practice and qualifying on Thursday and Friday, followed by eliminations on Saturday.

There is also a vintage swap meet filled with “all the right stuff,” ranging from a roller Funny Car to huffers to Model A bodies. Every year, while mining this area for parts, we seem to unearth large deposits of magnesium.

When the eliminations were complete (go to nhramuseum.org for all race results), it was time for the Cacklefest. If you have never seen a big Cacklefest, you have one more reason to attend the NHRA Museum Hot Rod Reunion. At Bowling Green, half of the cars are rolled into place and fired up with starter motors, while the other half are push-started and arrive rumbling and snorting fire. It is a sight and sound you won’t soon forget.

And then, one by one, the cackle cars shut down. And so, with tears streaming from my eyes, another NHRA Museum Hot Rod Reunion was in the books. We’ll be back again next year for the Sweet Sixteen celebration.

Fuelish Pleasure: Few things compare to a pair of short-wheelbase AA/FA cars making a side-by-side burnout. The Rat Trap is always a fan favorite and consistently runs in the low 6s at over 200 mph. In the far lane the name Havoc seems appropriate.

Murphy’s Law: Jim Murphy and the WWII team lined up against top qualifier James Young in the Young Guns car for the final round. Murphy pulled strong on the top end to go around Young with a 5.713/257.33 mph over the 5.920/253.56 of Young.

Glass Gasser: As always, the Gassers at the Reunion were a huge hit with the fans. Smoky burnouts, big wheelstands, and speed-shifting are all part of driving Dustin Corn’s wild ’57 Corvette gasser. A de-stroked 310-inch small-block and four-speed make this a real gasser.

Glass Gasser: As always, the Gassers at the Reunion were a huge hit with the fans. Smoky burnouts, big wheelstands, and speed-shifting are all part of driving Dustin Corn’s wild ’57 Corvette gasser. A de-stroked 310-inch small-block and four-speed make this a real gasser.

Things Ida Never Known: East Coast drag racer and hot rod builder extraordinaire Bob Ida was on hand with two of his 1960s drag cars. The Willys originally ran B/GS with a blown 409, and later a blown Hemi. When Bob realized a Willys has about the same drag coefficient as a sheet of plywood, he decided to transplant the Hemi into a low profile ’56 Austin-Healey, allowing him to remain in B/GS with the 331-inch Hemi. After a couple years of devouring the competition, the car was crumpled in a wild wheelstand landing and subsequently scrapped. Miraculously, the car was discovered 40 years later and restored to its former glory by Bob and Rob Ida, complete with the Roto-Faze-huffed Hemi hiding under a hood scoop formed from a sliced and diced wheelbarrow. Tales such as this bring us back to the Hot Rod Reunion year after year.

Earning His Stripes: The long-roof Chevrolets from 1955-1957 became drag race favorites in both Junior Stock and Modified Production classes of the 1960s. While we’re not sure who first striped the roof on these cars, today it is their signature paint scheme. The striped roof on this ’57 wagon with wheels high was a total time warp.

True Blue Custom: Billy Jack and Gayle Ethridge of Meridian, Mississippi, have captured the look of a mid-1950s custom perfectly with this ’39 Mercury. From the Carson top to the one-piece louvered hood and smoothed doors, this car is period perfect. Add a custom grille, white running boards, and a set of ’57 Caddy caps to complete the look.

The Prefect Cabbie: A big part of the fun at the Reunion is discovering obscure cars such as this former drag car dubbed the Tennessee Taxi. Based on an English Ford Prefect, this former race car was powered by a Ford inline-six that placed it in G/G. The offset hood scoop on the fiberglass tilt nose is an inline indicator.

All Wrinkled Up: While big burnouts get the fans fired up, when it comes time to race, the smoke is replaced by wrinkled rear tires, wide open butterflies and front wheels ever-so-slightly airborne. That is exactly how Randy Bradford launches his AA/FA.

Room at the Hilton: Members of the Hilton family were Honorees for 2017. While in recent years a lot of attention has been focused on a string of sinister Model A hot rods built by Hilton Hot Rods, there is also a long heritage of drag racing, including their current nostalgia NTF entry, with Tyler Hilton driving.

Staging for Father’s Day: Ed Beaumont’s Orange Peel is a gennie split-window Corvette with a colorful race history. The straight-axle, blown big-block, and four-speed combination makes for exciting passes. Since the Reunion is held on Father’s Day weekend, it seems fitting to see a younger crew member in the staging lanes.

Hot Rod from Woodstock: Well, OK, not the home of the famed rock festival. Long-time hot rodder Bob Knaack and his Model A coupe hail from Woodstock, Illinois. The dual-quad-fed Hemi is nestled between the Deuce rails, while a hard chop and lots-o-louvers continue the traditional theme.

Daily Supplement: Dave Schultz had his Super Stock Plymouth Savoy, Vitamin C, on hand for the weekend. This is the best way we can think of to take your vitamins, and Mopar lovers know the hot orange paint, dubbed Vitamin C, as one of the High Impact Colors. Hey, it was the 1960s.

Going for the Riddler: Holy Reunion Batman! Yeah, anything goes at the Hot Rod Reunion, including this version of the Batmobile. The details are a bit sketchy, but current owner Steve Anderson told us his car was on display in a casino for a while and went through a couple of owners before he purchased the car for his own Bat Cave. The car rides on a ’98 Corvette chassis with LS power. This makes “going after the Riddler” take on a whole new meaning. Yes, it was street-driven from Indiana.

The British are Coming: And they seem to be in a hurry. Owner/driver Nick Davies raced against the famed Rat Trap during a European tour. After the race, Ron Hope discovered Havoc really didn’t have anyone to race against in England. The natural solution was to bring the car and crew to the U.S. for a 2017 tour and share shop space with the Rat Trap. Running a 6.460 at 223.84 proves they are ready to take on the Yanks.

Trackside Again: The term “barn find” may be wearing thin, but this B/A Fiat qualifies. Originally built in the 1960s by Stan Radauskas, aka Stan Adams, the car sits on a Lakewood chassis. Stan raced it for several years with an injected small-block before selling the car to the Untouchables Car Club in 1969. The club promptly swapped in an injected L88. Stan bought the car back in the 1970s, but never realized his dream of restoring the car. It sat in Stan’s shop for 46 years until Curt Vogt purchased the car. Today the restored car is owned by the Shane Weckerly family. This is the first time the car has been to a dragstrip in 47 years.

Period Paint: Endless line, flake, pearl, freak spots, and lace: Pure 1960s trick paint, and you could find all of those effects on this ’56 Chevy gasser. Redline front tires and a fenderwell filled with white headers complete the appropriate appearance package.

Cackle Cammer: Larry Coleman’s Super Ford is a rare Torino Funny Car. Making the car even more interesting is the SOHC engine and automatic transmission. The car was built in 1968 and was a great addition to the Cacklefest.

Body in White: If you frequented any dragstrip in America in 1962, we guarantee there was a Sport Fury that looked just like this car in the staging lanes. Chances are it had a 413 Max Wedge under the hood, and it may have been street driven to the track.

Blue Oval: We often marvel at how simple it can be to build a really cool hot rod hauler. Shave a little trim, pick a cool color, and find the absolute perfect stance. Finish it all off with a great set of contrasting wheels and the job is done. The only thing missing for this weekend is a big board bolted to the front bumper, as this Blue Oval hauler would make a great push truck.

Channeling the Past: Steve and Anne Gamache motored in from Ray, Michigan, in this deeply channeled ’33 Ford pickup. A dual-quad-fed nailhead Buick provides equal parts good looks and power. The white firewall, interior, and tonneau cover combine with wide whites and steelies to nail the early 1960s look.

Flattie for the Record: In drag racing circles, the diminutive V8/60 was not a common sight. Harold and Jeanne Revis built this F/Dragster in their home garage in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. The rail was raced throughout the Southeast in the early 1960s, setting records at many tracks. The car was raced at the NHRA Nationals as late as 1968.

Da Mob: The show-and-shine side of the grassy fields was filled with street-going gassers. Joey Bridges drove down from Louisville with Sweet Pea, a 1961 Falcon gasser. The metalflake roof is the perfect touch for this nose-high lightweight. Look closely and you will see Joey runs with the Straight Axle Mafia car club, a street and strip club.

Scramblin’ Rambler: Let’s face it, you just don’t see many 1967 Rambler gassers. Michael Rados pilots this S/C-flavored Rambler aptly named American Scrambled in the Nostalgia Gasser ranks. Red, white, and blue paint with old-school velocity stacks complete the visual package.

Innovation: Great race cars are built by innovators. Jim Mize of Harriman, Tennessee, built this 1950 Anglia with a Hilborn-injected Red Ram 260-inch Hemi under the hood. A set of rare D-500 heads was ported and installed. Up front, the stock Anglia wheels are still in use, but out back a set of Olds Toronado wheels bolt to the ’58 Olds rear, providing the negative offset required to put the big slicks partially under the rear fenders. The car was last raced in 1974.

Quick-on-the-Draw: James Young and the Young Guns team began the weekend by capturing the number-one qualifier spot in NTF. But as we know, this is an intensely competitive class; while the team made it all the way to final round, in the end Jim Murphy snuck past them by 0.207 second. However, the Young Guns team effectively served notice, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Fryin’ the Hides: After winning the big March Meet, the High Speed team rolled into Beech Bend with the points lead. When all the smoke cleared, Mendy Fry and the High Speed team had slipped to second place after a close loss in the semi-finals. The 2017 NTF points race is going to be interesting.

International Cackle, Eh: The Alien II was born to cackle. John Chandler is semi-retired from his race car building business in Ontario, Canada. Over the years, John has built more than 30 rear-engine rails. Now that he has a bit more time, he decided to build a period-correct, front-engine T/F cackle car. This car is spot on, period-correct enough to fool most folks. The hot Canadian had the motor tuned and “firing” on all cylinders.

Festival of Fuel: As the sun goes down on Saturday afternoon, the Cacklefest begins. Dozens of nitromethane-gulping race cars line the track and fill the night air with fire, fumes, and noise. It is a fitting close to a fantastic weekend.

All Good Things: Alas, all good things must come to an end, and so it was time to jump in your channeled roadster and aim the old hot rod toward home.

The post Gassers, Dragsters, Altereds, and More Turn Out for the Awesome 15th Annual Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/gassers-dragsters-altereds-turn-awesome-15th-annual-hot-rod-reunion-bowling-green/ via IFTTT