#alix nyc

[newyorkthegoldenage]

The perfect spring wardrobe according to a fashion consultant named Tobe, on March 8, 1936. These imports (from the Elsie Cobin collection from Paris) are, left to right: Morning, a Schiaparelli silk tweed fringed suit; a Vionnet-red sleeveless redingote over a black cape-dress; Tea, a Robert Piguet black and white cape ensemble; evening, a printed taffeta tunic dress by Mainbocher; All Day (seated) a Mainbocher petticoat frock with a candy-striped taffeta petticoat and a Schiaparelli Directoire reefer; Cocktails, an Alix suit dress, with a red checked organza peplum jacket.

Photo: Associated Press via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

[fashionseenontvblog]

Alix of Bohemia Dolly Embellished Crushed-Velvet Shirt - $850

Alix of Bohemia Charlie Crushed-Velvet Flared Pants in Purple - $750

[into-september]

Haven't watched the London special but have two observations on when we'll see Adrien learning the truth

DIEGETICALLY: The butterfly miraculous is still lost by the time Alix is in her twenties

ON THE META LEVEL: People talk a lot about Adrien being denied the truth about his dad but I haven't seen anyone bring up Cat Noir being denied the truth about Hawkmoth's demise.

Between "your dad was the supervillain who wanted to change history so your mum never died" and "your dad spent his last months in agony and died by literally rotting to pieces because of the magic that it was your job to use responsibly", we all know which is the worse news. The Movie showed us the first being overcome even after said dad had laid Paris in ruins; the NYC special showed us Adrien's collapse after less than half of that happened to a stranger and then was fixed.

From the way people are posting about the London special, I have the distinct impression that it was also not the part of the problem that the writers were interested in milking for angst. The real focus of this episode should've been Plagg, Alix and Tikki dealing with the aftermath of "Destruction", but instead the fandom is here discussing whether or not we should absolve Marinette for being used to strip the flooring after the writers painted themselves into a corner. The show asks us to pass our judgment on Marinette's choice, but claiming that this is Marinette's choice to make is a fallacy.

Let's be clear on this: "Destruction" exists because there had to be an in-story explanation for why the show won't deal with Adrien learning Hawkmoth's identity. There is a pretense of discussing the morality of Marinette's decision to heed Gabriel's wish above Adrien's autonomy, but per the genre and the tone and the focus and the target audience, there was no other option.

Because here is the truly wild part of this whole debacle: Marinette isn't even making an informed decision. She doesn't have an inkling of what Hawkmoth's identity would do to Adrien. Only when The Reveal happens will she know the gruesome extent of the tragedy that is Adrien Agreste and the true weight of the secret she opted to keep; if she hadn't decided to hide the truth on her own, Plagg/Tikki/Alix would be forced to interfere. Yes Marinette's actions are terrible horrible no good very bad, but if stopping Cat Noir from activating his cataclysm in the wax museum would inevitably lead to Gabriel reviving his angelic wife (which was somehow a worse ending than him reviving his supervillain secretary???), then the solution should be to go back to "Origins" and make sure Master Fu gave Plagg's miraculous to literally anyone else than his son. The real question left by the S5 finale isn't "should Marinette tell Adrien", it is why it was a cosmic necessity that Gabriel Agreste was killed by his own son when Ladybug's team has access to the miraculous who could prevent that tragedy.

There is no universe where the thematically coherent and narratively satisfying climax of the story about Cat Noir and Hawkmoth is "Adrien confronts his girlfriend about lying", and the bitter comfort is that it won't be. If the truth of Hawkmoth's identity ever were to reach Adrien, his girlfriend lying about it would be the least of his sorrows, because those sorrows would be so grotesque that there is no way the show will ever acknowledge them; closure to this storyline was made impossible the moment it was decided that Gabriel would take his death at Adrien's literal hands. When "parents go to jail" was too dark for the networks, I somehow don't think they'll be interested in doing the first ever production of Oedipus Rex for the 4-10 audience.

[tswiftupdatess]

Taylor Swift looks stunning wearing "T" and "S" earrings and an ALIX NYC Bodysuit in her acceptance speech video for the iHeartRadio Awards! x

[pucktoxicity]

I was dming someone about this and I kinda wanna hear ur opinion- do you consider Sammy "normal"? I for sure do, but apparently because she's rich that makes her not. I'm so dumbfounded, is normal just code for poor? ugly? As an poor and ugly girl I get the desire to be Jack's type but cmon it's Jack Hughes of course he has high standards. I think she's as normal as we're gonna get, if (I said if 🫵) they break up during the season, NYC is right there and mans might go diving straight into the model pit

i do consider her “normal,” yes. normal is definitely (at least for me) not code for poor. normal means she’s not an influencer, or someone with verified checkmarks on her socials. she works a 9-5, has a very normal life that isn’t soaked with celebrity and glitz and glamour. yeah, her parents are rich, but she’s a normal person, she’s not like an alix earle. and let me be clear, that is no way a dig at sammy, nor do i think it’s a bad thing!!!

and on the if statement, i don’t know if he’d dive into the model pit in NYC (he could), but i get what you’re saying. i think it’d definitely be better for him to be with (as much as some of us may hate it) an influencer or someone in the spotlight who is used to being scrutinized or looked at very closely, because they won’t give a shit what any of us have to say and won’t make waves in their relationship, plus they can understand jack’s life, commitments, and schedule.

[princess-of-the-corner]

This really is one of the reasons I'm so conflicted about Zoe. I want to like her. I really do. She's adorable. She has a lot of potential. But they just don't let her exist outside of being a "good" Chloe replacement. They just keep BAITING us with stuff like Kitty Noire.

Actually, this is the problem I have with the whole show. So much potential, so little in terms of good execution. I just think it's particularly evident when looking at the Chloe-Zoe-Lila sitch.

While I do love the "off the wall conspiracy theorist" Zoe in HC/LL, I honestly want to see something that leans into her Skater Girl, Pop-Punk thing she's got going on. I feel like she'd get along great with Alix. I also like the idea of making her the weird American, who's a bit too loud and knows too many pop culture references and has a bunch of weird and unrelated skills leftover from navigating NYC and from playing so many different roles to fit in. Just some thoughts:

Actually really good at disguises. Can dress like a high society girl, working class staff, nondescript pedestrian---whatever she needs for a part (looking at you Marino).

Scarily good at navigating crowds and heavy traffic. Never loses sight of people. Also has an impeccable sense of direction.

Learned to use her shoes like nunchucks cuz she saw it in a movie and thought it would be cool.

Girl Scout shit. First aid, peddling overpriced stuff, random merit badges, etc.

Baseball. Definitely played/does play/keeps up with baseball. Someone put a bat in this girl's hands and she'll fuck shit up. Can throw things stupid far

Good at doing actually illegal activities like shoplifting and graffiti, because she probably got peer pressured into it a couple times. Good at sneaking around, being a getaway driver, avoiding security cameras, and outrunning and lying to cops. She's not the slightest bit surprised by the idiotic and corrupt police department, much to everyone else's horror. She's way more surprised that they even bother trying to work with them because she is a firm believer in ACAB and will just lie to their faces.

Staying cool under pressure, especially when dealing with rude people. Worst thing that happens is she defualts to "mask" and picks an unhelpful one.

Idk, just spitballing here. Zoe's wasted potential is one of the things that drives me most insane about miraculous.

GOD though just.

Yeah she could be fantastic if they let her be her own character. But all we get to see is what Chloé would have been.

[babyphat05]

where do you usually shop for clothes?

Bloomies; Ted Baker (mostly for work clothes), French Connection, Free People, Maje. Also like Ba&sh, Jcrew, Sabina Musayev, Alix NYC, Ralph, Aritzia, Anthropologie, and Norma Kamali for dresses

[flightfoot]

helloo!! i dunno if you still do ml fic asks, if you don't, feel free to ignore! I always see you in comment sections on ao3, so I figured you know a lot of em xD

Do you have any fic recs about the Miraculous Team doing all sorts of shenanigans? Just funny fics with all of them! Thanks so much🥰

Oooh yeah sure, those fics are fun! I actually don't have a ton of recs for that, but "Impromptu training exercises" is about as exact of a fic as you're likely to get, and is criminally unknown, it's a lot of fun! I found three additional fics that are looser fits, but are still in the same ballpark at least, so hopefully you enjoy them.

---

impromptu training exercises by @14muffinz

“I didn’t do anything,” Rena says proudly, not flinching away from the ire of their leader. “Eagle, on the other hand…” “DO YOU HAVE IT!?” Rooster Bold shouts eagerly, running forward to shake Rena wildly by the shoulders. “Do. You. HAVE IT!?” “YES,” Rena shouts back. [Eagle deposits an heroic object of importance known simply as The Ball in Alya's bedroom. Chaos, a game of keep away, and bonding insues. Also, a spreadsheet.]

This was a really fun fic! Basically the NYC superheroes play this training game where they attempt to steal this one tennis ball from each other and hold onto it for as long as possible. It's led to this one, ratty ball becoming an important piece of superhero memorabilia.

Naturally, the Miracuteam continues the tradition.

I love how you get little vignettes of what all the different characters are doing, getting a glimpse inside their heads as they try to find, steal, and keep The Ball. If you're a fan of hijinks or the Miracuteam more generally, this'll be right up your alley!

---

The 8 Weddings of Alix Kubdel by The_Rabbit42

The bet is simple: with the Rabbit Miraculous, Alix will be speaking at all of her friends’ weddings. No matter what age they tie the knot, she’ll be there looking the same. From Alix’s perspective, she’s going to each ceremony and reception one right after another in a nonstop bender.

This fic’s a lot of fun! I loved seeing all the different weddings, as well as how Alix slowly felt more and more out of place, with going forwards in time. Some of the weddings could get, uh. Exciting as well XD. And while there’s been years in-between Alix’s appearances for her friends at the wedding, for Alix, it’s only been a few hours, if that…

---

One Massive Cover-Up by @madbug

When Ladybug gifted Alya Césaire the Fox miraculous, she made her promise to keep her identity a secret. People start speculating on the Ladyblog, about how Alya doesn't record Rena's fights, and one thing leads to another and before she knows it, there are multiple threads on her website about why she is Rena Rouge. Alya can't delete all the comments, that would be suspicious. So she does the one thing that no self-respecting superhero would ever do: She writes fanfic about herself. (Aka: in which Plagg decides that the best way to get more cheese is blackmail, and Adrien is oblivious)

---

several people are typing by oops_I_lost_my_marbles

When Ladybug gives her private cell phone number to Adrien Agreste, the last thing she expected was Chat Noir to text her at 2:30 in the morning. Next thing you know, Ladybug has a crush on Marinette- and all of Paris knows about it. Stay tuned for a collection of startling discoveries made by the residential dumbasses of Paris. Except, it happens over text- which makes everything simultaneously better and worse.

[halucynator]

Hellllooo,

Omg I really needed more swiftie mutuals <3

Please rant about all things you like, i love rants, gosh we seem to have so many close interests, I am not a writer tho, but I do read, effectively making me a reader which doesn't sound as cool, now that I think about it.

My fav Taylor song at the moment is "Slut!". I cannot get that out of my head. I mean "got lovesick all over my bed", I die a little everytime I hear that.

Fav Olivia song at the moment is logical (kinda like you username aah). I still CANNOT get over "can't take a joke, can't get you off". Like please kill me already.

Fav Sabrina song at the moment is probably "because i liked a boy". (damn who hurt me?)

And fav conan song at the moment, "Lookalike"

Tell me yours?

Nyc.

xx

hiiii

omg thank you thank you thank youuuu <33

okay so i love a lot of things some of them are pretty questionable but I'm questionable literally ask anyone on the discord server so its fine. anywhoo, i love taylor, maisie, gracie, phoebe, alix page, lucy (dacus not myself I'm not THAT narcissistic), olivia hardy (from wasia project) julien, conan, liv, sab (and @loserdiaz but that's a known fact) and so many other people to the point that even i cant keep track. oh and i love laufey, mitski and lyn lapid just bc.

my current fav by wasia project is petals on the moon but ur so pretty especially live from the studio is so gooddd

anywayss, reading is really cool thats how i got into writing (which is the best thing ever ik /hj) i also really really like reading bc it makes me smart and it's super fun

which is your favourite book series?? mine is lockwood and co as if you couldn't already tell by the amount of times I've mentioned it i also really love agggtm series bc why wouldn't it its so good. I'm sure i love so many more book series but my memory sucks (it does not but I'm lazy so I'll use that as an excuse)

anywhooo, i love scream which is weird bc i watched the first one when i was 10 (i know, who let me do that???) and i... liked it? (I'm very questionable i know) but i also tend to rant about it as if its real life (like WHY DID THEY KILL OF *insert name of dead character* IM SO MAD) and not a movie so I'm a bit annoying sometimes but pls don't tell me that otherwise I'll start crying /j

hmm my favourite taylor song atm would be "is it over now?" or "now that we don't talk" bc at the moment i resonate so well with those songs (ikr my life sounds like a nightmare: it is but it isn't really? idk) at yes i totally agree with the "got lovesick all over my bed statement but" also "love thorns all over this rose" and omg "you're not saying you're in love with me, BUT !! YOURE !! GONNA !! DO !!" like who gave taylor the right to be such a mastermind (funny, right? no? okay.) like the entire song, heck the entire album is so GOOD. HER ENTIRE DISCOGRAPHY IS SO GOOD. (this is totally normal fan behaviour btw)

favourite liv song atm is probably lacy but i love all of the songs all the album (and yes logical is soooo good i mean i have to love it otherwise my url is meaningless) but my favourite lyric from the entire album is probably "we both drew blood but man THOSE CUTS were NEVER EQUAL!!" from the grudge (also one of my top 3) bc that hits DEEP. (bc the cuts were deep, i know I'm so funny /j)

favourite sab song atm is prolly cindy lou who / opposite (been there) / a nonsense christmas. i cheated but i simply cant choose one shes too good. also super funny bc cindy lou who and opposite are like sad vibes and then a nonsense christmas i want you to [redacted] and [redacted] me on the couch while we [redacted] presents (sorry i just think I'm so funny when I'm not but dont tell me that i wanna be a stand up comedian no I'm just kidding I'm not a failure. IM JOKING) (also regarding bc i liked a boy, I agree. who hurt you???)

anyways, my favourite conan song atm is prolly the best known option "heather" BUT i also like "the cut that always bleeds" the entire of kid krow tbh

okay i wrote a lot asdxcasdcvafd sorry

alsooo, you didnt ask this but my favourite gracie abrams song atm is "where do we go now?" and "cedar" (you arent mine) bc its such a heartbreaking song especially when you can relate to it. ooh and i also love camden, painkillers, rockland and long sleeves but they're all pretty depressing so if you don't like sad songs they're prolly not for you.

and THANK YOU for this ask this was so fun send me more sometimes <333

[katewibberlystan]

recommending you books i enjoy based on your favorite tbob character (ft a sentence for what each one is about/why it's awesome, and the intended audience)

kate: - the last magician by lisa maxwell; a well constructed time travel heist set in 1902 NYC, with immaculate worldbuilding and fascinating magic. YA. - the once and future witches by alix e. harrow; three sisters, who are also witches, organize for women's suffrage and fight against an ancient evil. Adult. - truthwitch by susan dennard; a pair of witches and best friends become caught up in political intrigue, reincarnated monsters, and a fantastically crafted world of complex characters and cool magic. YA. - time stoppers by carrie jones; an orphaned pre-teen discovers a secret town full of magic, one that she and her friends must save from attacking monsters. Middle Grade. - the diviners by libba bray; a group of teenagers with paranormal abilities find themselves fighting off evil spirits in the 1920s.

michael: - matilda by roald dahl; a classic children's fantasy that celebrates learning and families of choice. Middle Grade. - the strange case of the alchemist's daughter by theodora goss; the children of gothic literature's classic mad scientists come together to solve mysteries and stop human experimentation. Adult. - every heart a doorway by seanan mcguire; a quick, poetic read about what happens to the kids from a portal fantasy quest after they come home. YA. - the girl from everywhere by heidi helig; a pirate ship that can travel between time and fictional worlds, so long as they have a map, sets out on a quest to reunite their captain with his lost love. YA. - miss peregrine's home for peculiar children by ransom riggs; after his grandfather's death, a teenage boy is thrown into a world of monsters, time travel, and people with superhuman abilities. YA.

emma: - the scapegracers by h. a. clarke; a group of teen witches become friends and form a coven to defeat a group of modern day witch hunters trying to steal their magic. YA. - the lost girls by sonia hartl; a group of vampires plan to kill the man who made them this way, before he can harm any other women. YA. - the society for soulless girls by laura steven; a college student's attempts to investigate mysterious deaths becomes connected to her angry roommate's attempts to create a potion that can alter a personality. YA. - coraline by neil gaiman; a kid finds a door to a different world in her new home, a world that seems pleasant at first but soon grows quite terrifying. Middle Grade. - bad witch burning by jessica lewis; a teenage girl trying to escape poverty raises the dead for money, only to find her zombies cannot be controlled. YA.

gabriel: - holes by louis sachar; boys at a juvenile detention camp are forced to search for a lost treasure and explore the complicated history behind it. Middle Grade. - nettle and bone by t. kingfisher; a woman sets out to kill the evil prince holding her sister prisoner, with the help of a motely crew including an exiled warrior, a fairy godmother, a witch, a possessed chicken, and a skeleton dog. Adult. - lone women by victor lavelle; after her parents die, a woman with a monster trapped in her suitcase tries to survive and build a home for herself in the Montana wilderness. Adult. - chomp by carl hiaasen; in the Florida everglades, a young boy and his animal trainer father are commissioned to help film a survivalist tv show. Middle Grade. - revelator by daryl gregory; set in the 1930s/40s Tennessee, a moonshiner raised by a cult has to return and face the monstrous being her family worships. Adult.

wilamena: - the black witch by laurie forest; a complex fantasy world in which rebellion foments among many beings at a magical college. YA. - island of the aunts by eva ibbotson; a fun children's fantasy where two outcasts are kidnapped by eccentric old women to help protect an island full of magical creatures. Middle Grade. - children of blood and bone by tomi adeyemi; a young woman persecuted for her powers fights to take back her home from a magic-hating tyrant. YA. - deep blue by jennifer donnelly; the underwater world of mermaids is plunged into chaos when political machinations and an ancient prophecy collide. YA. - the thirteen treasures by michelle harrison; a girl who can see fairies is sent to live with her grandma, where she uncovers secrets about her abilities. Middle Grade.

rafe: - the witch haven by sasha peyton smith; a student at a school for witches in 1911 NYC is searching for answers about her brother's murder. YA. - the bones of ruin by sarah raughley; an acrobat who cannot die joins a magical tournament held by the most powerful people in Victorian London in exchange for answers about her forgotten past. YA. - the court of miracles by kester grant; a thief forms alliances and completes impossible tasks in Paris's elaborate criminal underworld, all so she can keep her little sister safe. YA. - the gilded wolves by roshani chokshi; a tight-knit group of criminals is tasked with recovering a magical artifact capable of changing the world. YA. - the cure for dreaming by cat winters; a teen suffragette gains the ability to see people's essence after an encounter with a hypnotist. YA.

bonus, all of the above: reaper man by terry pratchett. literally everyone should read discworld, it's amazing and reaper man is my favorite. good omens by pratchett is also a gem.

[xoxorinkrumors]

I know your probably get bored of the Hughes tea, but I just got one question about them, on another blog it was said jack’s gf and quinn don’t get along do you know anything about that?

Now to take the conversation off of them, what is the biggest new York based tea you have? Random stuff

- ayes the whole family apparently doesn’t like her

- In nyc in the influencer circle it’s still Sophia la Corte like wing crazy and like all people in New York stay away! Alix Earle and her went to same school together and even Alix doesn’t want anything to do with her

[princessofmissouri]

hi what are your favorite shows in nyc rn !

1. elene chantladze @ anton kern, part 2 @ kaufman repetto

2. fort marion and beyond @ david nolan (closes march 2nd)

3. jimmy wright & christopher james culver @ diana gallery

4. raymond saunders @ andrew krepps, part 2 @ david zwirner chelsea

5. rhys gaetano & alix jean vollum @ entrance nyc

[fragileizywriting]

for no reason whatsoever i was thinking about the canon sequeal to sharks and sugar which is marinette and adrien in new york city dealing with the fact that they're them and they're in love and blah blah blah while also dealing with hawkmoth in nyc, apparently, that's really suspicious

specifically i got caught up on marinette and adrien being all lovey dovey and alix screaming her head off in the lobby of the hotel throwing an absolute fit because she bet kim 500 euros that they wouldn't fall in love during the trip and here they are, smooching every chance they can get, and alix is so unbelievably screwed because she doesn't have that type of money!!!! at all!!!!!!! what is she going to do??????

"i need you two to break up during this trip!" alix hisses.

"what? no way!"

"please," alix begs. "i will give you the money, just— please, god, kim can not get this money. i don't even havethis money. what am i going to do?? wh— i spent all my money saving up for this trip, i— oh my god."

"you could... steal it off of chloe?" marinette offers, feeling guilty. "she's, like, a billionaires daughter— close enough, at least—- five hundred euros is like a mosquito bite."

"chloe doesn't carry cash!"

"we could make her carry cash?" marinette tries. when alix does nothing but stare, marinette shrinks. "i'm pretty good at pick-pocketing... so... we could do something like that?"

alix hides her face in her hands. "oh my god. i'm going to die. kim is going to wring me dry."

[apexart-journal]

Anna Louise Richardson in NYC, Day #23-25

On Tuesday morning I went to a rally on the steps of City Hall for Supplemental sanitation non-profit ACE who I visited last week. The organisation along with many groups of businesses who rely on their services were holding a rally and press conference to demand the repeal of a NYC rule that basically says that these not for profit orgs that help keep streets and public places free of rubbish (by employing people who most needs jobs) should pay for their own rubbish bins to the tune of 5 million/year. Which they of course can't afford. It's a very shortsighted and mean spirited mandate. The protest had a positive energy and there was bi partisan support from many councillors from the different districts. There has also been quite a lot of press coverage and a clear message. I hope the stupid rule gets repealed. For the afternoon I went up to the Manhattan School of Music to sit in on a masterclass where a high profile visiting musician (Peter Sheppard Skærved) gave tailored feedback to a few high level students (Alix Auclair, violin and Terri Ji, piano) on their performance. The piece they played was Cesar Frank's Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major. It was beautiful to listen to the performance and a bunch of highly educated and skilled musicians nerd out on aspects of the music and really get stuck into (whilst demonstrating) technique. They discussed the historical context of the piece and contemporaries of the composer, what influences might have affected how it was intended to be played and stage presence. It was fascinating to listen and beautiful too. Wish I could have stayed for longer. My last activity was a volunteer shift with Wheeling Forward assisting people in wheelchairs to work out. The class was in a specialised gym called the Axis Project which was really well kitted out and has adapted equipment and space for wheelchairs. There were about 15 participants in the class and as many volunteers whose role was to help provide physical resistance in stretching and wheelchair abdominal exercises as well as assist in any specific way the participant asked. We did a few rounds of sparing as well as an adapted spin class. The person who runs the class used to be a physical therapist in a hospital and started the program because there is a gap for people once they are no longer a patient in a medical setting for healthy moving and exercise. There were no spaces that wheel chair uses can access the gym in a safe non gawked at space so he started one! We learnt about the participants difficulties with getting aerobic exercise, and that sadly one of the things that negatively affects wheelchair users the most is lung capacity reducing and thus higher rates of breathing issues. I really enjoyed being able to help someone work out in a meaningful way and it was a very physical and hands on class. The fitness level and mobility varied across the class, I was surprised by how strong some of the men looked, yet their core strength was really low.

On Wednesday I exercised, saw Nia and had my last therapy session with Nancy. She gave me a book which has been on my reading list for ages so it must be the right time to finally read 'Women who run with the wolves' by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Thank you Nancy! I walked back to the apartment and listened to a lecture on the history of voting in the United States and the role the League of Women Voters plays to continuously, protect and increase voting rights. It focused on the history of voting in the USA and the convergence of womens voting rights and civil rights for African Americans. The speaker had many examples of how it has taken some really important constitutional amendments almost 100 years to be fully ratified! It was a good reminder to stay vigilant to the sneaky changes governments put in place to restrict peoples access to fair voting and to stay committed and engaged in community involvement, lobbying and advocacy work. Power is given to governments by the people, and that change can happen (often at tremendous cost and bravery to those who stand up). They gave many examples of the insidious rewinding of rights in the USA. The League of Women Voters is an active organisation today who lobby and litigate voting access changes in different states.

I had a free morning on Thursday and I used it to finish reading my novel so I could go sell all the books I bought back to Strand bookshop instead of lugging them home. I then caught the subway up to Central Park to wander slowly over to Morningside Heights Library's to make quilts for babies. There were about 15 people there who meet weekly to make the most beautiful quilts for 2 charities that supporting mothers and babies. They made 208 quilts last year! They were so welcoming and skilled. It was also nice that there were young people and even a man there who was one of the main organisers as quilting is so often seen as an older women's craft. I made the front of a quilt and learnt some great new tricks to sew it up with minimal fuss and thread waste. It was fun to play around with the colours and see the different designs and ideas in the group. I love sewing. Afterwards I went to go to a lecture on Chinese Frontier Poetry at Columbia University but I couldn't get in as the security is very strict and I didn't have the right QR code. There is so much security in the USA, especially on university campuses right now. All the shops have door security guards, everything is locked away in chemists including shampoo and soap in Target, and you need to sign in and go through metal detectors in most places.

On the way back to the apartment I stopped to have another great and long conversation with the secondhand booksellers in front of Columbia University. They have the best selection of titles and are so well read! He gave me some great recommendations and now I have more books to bring home.

[regardstosoulandromance]

hi! I know you’re a big reader and I was wondering if you could recommend some books for someone trying to get back into reading? (me. I’m that someone lol).

it literally could be any genre I’m not really picky, although I do prefer fiction over non-fiction. also since it’s been a while since I’ve read a book and I want to regain my attention span maybe I should start with shorter books like 300ish pages and then work my way up? idk tho. anyway thanks in advance!!

anon i have been compiling a list since you sent the message like two hours ago so I have a lot of options for you. I'm including all their page counts in the parenthesis beside the title- i got the numbers from google so might be a little off but vibes wise felt right from what I remember lol

under the cut because oops it's kinda long

extremely short books (under 300 pages, all adult):

A Spindle Splintered (128) & A Mirror Mended (176) by Alix E. Harrow - Sapphic, feminist, modern retellings of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White respectively. I liked A Mirror Mended a little better but both are good.

Even Though I Knew The End by C. L. Polk (144) - Sapphic historical fiction urban fantasy. A witch detective investigates mysterious deaths targeting people who made a deal with the same demon she did. SO good, ripped my heart out, made me cry.

Murderbot: All Systems Red by Martha Wells (160) - Sci fi!!! Murderbot is a robot who secretly hacked the module that takes commands, making it sentient- and all it wants to do is watch its tv shows but unfortunately it has to help the humans who keep getting into trouble. Very funny, action packed, lowkey very relatable. I will say the first chapter or so it kinda confusion but once you get into the flow of it it's a fun time.

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (224) - Sapphic scifi, time travel. Two enemy agents on opposite sides of the time war leave each other letters... and slowly fall in love. It's so so so gorgeously written.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (272) - Super dark mystery/thrill from the same author as Gone Girl. A reporter returns to her hometown- where she has a tumultuous relationship with mother- to investigate the murders of several young girls. Super fucked up.

adult novels, mostly romance:

Something To Talk About by Meryl Wilsner (336) - My favorite sapphic romance novel ever. It follows the assistant to a tv showrunner who's boss takes her to an awards show hoping the story will be "Boss Is Always Working" only for the press to think they're dating. Very slow burn. If you like SuperCat you'll like this.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (336) - Cozy fantasy! A witch who's never had a family of her own accepts a job to tutor three young witch girls and falls for one of their caretakers. Very sweet, very found family, this book is like the perfect cup of tea.

Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple (330) - The one non romance novel of this section. This is an epistolary about a reclusive architect living in Seattle, fighting her neighbors, and struggling with increasing agoraphobia while her daughter announces a family trip to Antarctica. Despite all that, the book is hilarious and touching.

The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot (384) - okay you said 300ish pages but hear me out. Like Where'd You Go Bernadette, this book is also an epistolary novel told entirely in emails making it a super fast and easy read. It's about a woman who works at a newspaper who's neighbor is mysteriously injured causing the neighbor's hot nephew to move in to take care of her dog. It's super funny.

ya novels, because I still read ya novels and they're shortish:

anything by Emma Lord but especially When You Get the Chance (330) and The Rival (320) - All of Lord's books are contemporary usually set in NYC (but not always) with a f/m romance and stand out diverse side characters. When You Get the Chance is a reverse Mamma Mia, where a girl is trying to figure out which three women is her mom, based of her dad's old LiveJournal. Lots of musical theater references. The Rival is her newest book about two rivals in high school who are not attending the same college and fighting for the same position on a zine. Except it's clear while to HER he's her worst enemy, to HIM she's his best friend.

Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin (304) - Sapphic contemporary enemies to lovers at summer camp! Two high school seniors who can't be more different are not happy to be placed in the same cabin at summer camp and forced to tolerate each other.

the one single non fiction recommendation:

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (304) - This is my one nonfic recommendation because it's a book of essays, and when I read it I was in a reading slump and every essay that I read made me feel really accomplished. It also restores a little big of faith in humanity which we all need right now and was super interesting and educational. It's a series of essays detailing and rating uniquely human things- like scratch and sniff stickers, the QWERTY keyboard, and Halley's comet.

this ended up so long oops well I hope this helps and let me know if you read any of these!! good luck!!

[doglvrsworld]

Alix Earle, an internet sensation! But how did she do it? In February of 2020, Earle decided to post a video of her and her friends, showing off their outfits that they made from trash bags (Anahy Diaz, 2023). The video today has a total of 2.5 million views, 185 thousand likes, and 371 comments (TikTok, 2024). Earle saw her video becoming viral and started to make a name for herself. Afterwards she began to post “Get Ready With Me Videos” (Davhi Shira, 2023). In these videos, Earle would film herself doing her skin care, makeup, hair, and getting dressed all while telling funny, sad, entertaining videos about her college experience (Davhi Shira, 2023). It did not take long before Earle became TikToks next up and coming viral sensation. On TikTok alone Earle now has 7.1 million followers (TikTok, 2024). Earle now uses her platform to discuss mental health and her skin care journey (Anchor Therapy, 2023). She continues to post her viral Get Ready With Me Videos and has now has gained such a huge following, having influence over millions of people that she has become the first ambassador for the popular skin-care brand, Hero Cosmetics (Isabelle Buneo, 2024).

The concept of how Earle became famous can be referred to as online democratization. So how exactly did this concept contribute to her fame? Glad you asked! The concept of online democratization was very critical in Alix Earle’s rise to fame. TikTok, which Earle used to gain fame, is a platform that allows regular everyday people to upload content and have the chance to go viral. TikTok promotes content people may find interesting, even if the content creator is not well-known or even known at all. This is what made Earle so popular. Her “Get Ready With Me” videos, which showcase her personality in a relatable and genuine way, connected with viewers. Over time, this authenticity allowed her to build a large following and reach diverse audiences across the platform.

Works Cited:

Buneo, I. (2024, February 13). Alix Earle is the first ever face of hero cosmetics. NewBeauty. https://www.newbeauty.com/alix-earle-hero-cosmetics-partnership/#:~:text=Earle%20has%20worked%20tirelessly%20to%20create%20an%20open,the%20viral%20skin-care%20and%20pimple-patch%20brand%2C%20Hero%20Cosmetics.

Diaz, A. (2023, January 13). Alix Earle has nearly 6m TikTok followers. She reveals her one piece of advice for Success. TODAY.com. https://www.today.com/popculture/who-is-alix-earle-rcna65669

Glashow, C. (2024, July 22). How Alix Earle became the “it” girl while battling anxiety and self-esteem issues. Anchor Therapy, LLC. https://www.anchortherapy.org/blog/how-alix-earle-became-the-it-girl-while-battling-anxiety-and-self-esteem-issues-nyc

Shira, D. (2023, July 29). Inside the rise of Alix Earle, Tiktok’s beauty breakout star. Glossy. https://www.glossy.co/pop/inside-the-rise-of-alix-earle-tiktoks-beauty-breakout-star/

Below is the viral video from 2020 of Earle and her friends dressed in trash bags that jump started her career.