#but one is not a Viennese and the other is... complicated

[the-blossica-fan]

When I watched a bit of Shamane's story, I thought about how similar yet so different are his circumstances with Kakania: They both come from an upper-class arcanist family that views them as the family disappointment/waste of talent, have disapproving fathers, didn't finish their education, teamed up with teenage girl from the Foundation in their patch, and are indirectly tied to the destruction of their land (although it is not their fault).

But where it deviates HIGHLY is how they approached their circumstances and who was with them. Matilda was a top student, personally worked with Timekeeper, and had experience when it came to these kinds of missions while this was the first time Marcus had to go to a field mission, and was even accompanied by her mentor. She was still learning.

Shamane has decades of experience, emotional intelligence, and maturity to handle a lot of depressing or shocking events like his sister's suicide. And while they both found it hard to change their society around them, the 19-year-old Kakania was too idealistic, brash, and naive about what it takes for Vienna to change.

She didn't even know what her dreams were! And while her job meant looking deeply into one's psyche, she didn't know the extent of what Isolde is going through (which is understandable given that time's understanding of mental health) until that girl snapped and she realized that she didn't even know her at all.

But what I believe lifted Shamane from his dark past was due to his mentor who taught him what he knew now (and of course, decades of experience). I know that whatever happened in Vienna will never be reversed and her relationship with Isolde will forever be broken(based on Kakania's storyboard) but what do you think Shamane could do or say to Kakania once he finds out? How would he react?

I haven't played their respective stories but this summary helps me!

Shamane Is one of the best teachers in life one could get. For someone like Kaalaa to have him really changed her life and her perspective on the situation.

He's a wise man, and also very friendly. If he heard about what happened in Vienna, and Kakania's involvement being similar to his, he would certainly be curious and consider talking to Kakania.

I feel like his main emotions would be surprise and curiosity. He would try to engage in a small conversation before realizing just how young Kakania is and her involvement with the incident, that makes him worried.

At the beginning, I don't think Kakania would search for comfort or reassurance from him once she heard the similarities between their tales. She would be surprised, but not so much. There are a lot of people with different stories.

Shamane is not necessarily persistent about things like these, but after hearing what Kakania went through, he's just the right person to talk to. His many years of experience help with Kakania's worries and doubts.

Maybe they could have this sort of Mentor and student relationship in life, where he talks about how he got through his pain and that, while it's not the same for everyone, he's willing to share his recovery in case it can assist hers.

Which is to say, they wouldn't be the closest of friends, but Kakania would warm up to the idea of having someone to rely on and talk about Vienna so freely, as well as the tragedy that occurred there.

[sceneohscene]

Dancing with the Stars

Chapter 2 : Viennese waltz

It had been a week since Harvey had seen Donna, and the least we could say was that he couldn't get her out of his head. Their moments together had been brief—just a few minutes of filmed encounters, barely a moment where she explained a little about the rehearsals for the next few weeks to see if he had any expectations, before they were interrupted by one of the other dancers who came in to check on the redhead. Harvey could already sense a rivalry growing between the two of them. So, he waited until Monday to see her again while he spent the last few days watching performances from previous seasons, especially the ones featuring the redhead, all the while impressed by her way of moving and her energy, which was already driving him crazy. So when his phone rang that morning while he was still sleeping in his hotel room in Los Angeles, Harvey quickly got up at the thought of seeing the redhead again. After throwing on a t-shirt and sweatpants, he ordered an Uber and headed to the studio where Donna was waiting for him. His heart pounded wildly as he saw her from afar. Meanwhile, Donna was rehearsing the few steps she had already imagined during the past week until she heard a knock at the studio door.

« Hey »

« Hey, Harvey. Please, come on in »

She had been thinking about him all week. And while it was mostly in the context of the choreography, she couldn't forget his chocolate brown eyes and his charming smile. So, when he showed up in a tight t-shirt that showcased his bulging arms and gray sweatpants — the redhead’s weak spot — she took a deep breath before speaking.

« I hope you slept well, because we’re going to work a lot today »

« I’m an athlete, I can handle it »

« You seem so sure of yourself »

« Yeah, I’m ready »

« First we're going to stretch and warm up, but I think you're familiar with that. Then I'm going to show you some basic steps »

« Works for me »

As soon as she approached her bag, Harvey watched her walk away while exhaling. Her hair was in a half ponytail, and she was wearing black leggings that hugged her legs and ass perfectly, along with a black crop top that revealed her beautiful, thin, pale, freckled arms and shoulders.

« Let’s go? » smiled Donna.

For about half an hour, they stretched until the redhead turned around and chuckled.

« Is everything okay? »

« I never thought it would be this complicated. Do you do this every day? »

« For several hours, yeah »

« Sweet baby Jesus » snorted the footballer.

« Come on, big baby. Let us get to the heart of the matter, you know what a Viennese waltz is? »

« The dance for old people? »

« Alright, I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that. Let’s start with the basic movement, shall we? »

As she approached him, Harvey inhaled the redhead's scent, which enveloped him and made his head spin again, until he heard her give him some instructions, bringing his focus back.

« You must maintain a very straight posture, with your torso raised and your shoulders slightly tilted back. This creates a fluid and elegant line, and it will help our coordination as a pair »

« Alright »

Once she finished explaining, Harvey felt Donna delicately place her right hand on his shoulder while holding her other hand out to the side as she whispered simply.

« Now, you put your right hand on my back, between my shoulder blades, and the other one in mine »

As he complied, the moment his large, warm hand settled on the middle of her back, and the heat radiated through her top, the redhead shivered and whispered.

« Higher »

Read more

[helenfletcher]

These spectacular Neapolitan Cookies come to us from Italy where they represent the color of the Italian flag and are guaranteed to be eaten first on a cookie tray . Also known as Rainbow Cookies here, they look complicated but are, in fact, really easy to make. A single almond paste dough is divided into three bowls and colored red and green with the last bowl left plain. Cementing the layers together are two different jams. These cookies just get better while the sit. The jam, almond paste, and rum wash mellow out so one fantastic flavor graces your palate. Other European cookies you might enjoy include: Viennese Whirl Cookies, Serbian Walnut Cookies, Pryaniki - Russian Honey Spice Cookies, French Butter Cookies - Petit Beurre, French Macarons with Chocolate Raspberry Filling, and the fantastic German cookie, Murbteig. Why these cookies are special Enhancing the cookie with a rum wash serves two purposes. It adds a depth of flavor to the cookie and secondly, it ensures it will remain moist. By combining the ingredients and bringing them to a boil, the alcohol dissipates leaving only the taste of rum behind. Besides the wash, which isn't in the original recipe I changed one other important item. Every recipe I have seen finishes the top of these cookies, by simply melting chocolate and spreading on. There's a couple of problems with this. The chocolate will set up for sure but in most cases it will shatter when you cut them - not a pretty look. It will also quickly get streaked because it isn't tempered. To overcome this, I have added a deeply chocolate thin frosting to the top that drys well, won't crack, looks better, is easier to put on and most importantly it tastes better. Recipe Ingredients Tri Colored Cake FRONT ROW: Red and Green Gel coloring, baking powder, salt, almond extract MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter, almond paste BACK ROW: Granulated sugar, all-purpose flour and eggs Rum Wash and Jams FRONT ROW: Water, Meyer's Dark Rum BACK ROW: Seedless red raspberry jam, granulated sugar, jam Chocolate Frosting FRONT ROW: Instant coffee,corn syrup, vanilla MIDDLE ROW: Water, Dutch Cocoa BACK ROW: Powdered sugar Key Ingredients The almond paste can be purchased or home made. See my post on How To Make Almond Paste - or Not. It's super simple, works well here and is less expensive than bought. Gell Food Coloring is important because the colors are stronger. Additionally, less is needed than liquid which can add liquid to the item. Be sure to get a strong color in the raw batter as it can fade somewhat when baking. I used Betty Crocker Gel Colors that are easily obtainable at grocery stores. The Red Raspberry Jam should be seedless. Just stir it vigorously to loosen it up so it spreads easily. I've never seen Apricot Jam only Apricot Preserves. The difference between jams and preserves is that jams are smooth with no pieces of fruit in them. Preserves on the other hand do include fruit pieces. To get them perfectly smooth, I run them through my food processor. Meyer's Dark Rum is my favorite and the one I use. It imparts a deep flavor the lighter ones don't. It is made non-alcoholic by boiling it with the other ingredients. The alcohol evaporates and only the flavor is left. Small airline or individual serving bottles can be purchased which is exactly enough for the recipe. Dutch Cocoa that is 24 to 25% is the best choice here for a darker, deeper, richer looking taste and finish although natural cocoa can also be used. The slight amount of Corn syrup insures a shine to the finish frosting. Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients & instructions. Step by Step Instructions Tri Colored Cake Step 1. On the left is the purchased almond paste, on the right the one on my post, How to make Almond Paste - or Not. Both are fine in this recipe. Step 2. Place the sugar and almond paste, cut in pieces, in the food processor, Step 3. Process until the mixture is very fine.

Step 4. Place the almond/sugar mixture in a mixing bowl with the 3 sticks of softened butter. For the importance of how much to soften the butter, please see my post on Softened Butter. Step 5. Beat the almond/sugar/butter mixture until very light. Step 6. Add the eggs and almond extract. Step 7. Beat until fluffy. It may curdle and that's fine. Step 8. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together. Step 9. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time. Step 10. The first third of the flour is in. Add the remaining two, one at a time. Step 11. All of the flour has been added. Step 12. Divide the batter into 3, about 500 grams each and color one red, one green and leave one plain. Step 13. Spread each of the batters in a separate 9x13 pan. Step 14. When ready to assemble the Neapolitans, combine the rum wash ingredients in a small pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. There should be 1 cup of liquid. If there isn't, add water to make up the difference. Step 15. After the layers have been baked and cooled, turn the green one upside down on a cake board. Step 16. Spread the seedless raspberry jam evenly over the layer. Step 17. Place the plain layer on top of the raspberry jam. Step 18. Spread the apricot preserves, which have been processed to smooth them out, on top of the cake. Step 19. Place the red layer on top of the preserves. Step 20. Cover the top and sides with plastic wrap. Step 21. Place a pan or tray on top of the cookies, preferably the same size. Place a 10 pound bag of flour in the tray. Two 4 pound bags work well also. Refrigerate overnight to cement the layers together. 22. Sift the flour and cocoa together in a medium size bowl. Step 23. Make sure they are mixed well. Step 24. Place the water in a measuring cup or bowl. Dissolve the coffee in the water. Add the remaining liquid ingredients and mix well so the corn syrup doesn't sink to the bottom. Remove the layers from the fridge take off the flour, pan and plastic wrap. Pour the liquid over the powdered sugar/cocoa and stir well with a spoon until smooth and completely combined. If it is too runny, sift in a bit more powder sugar to stiffen it up just a bit. You want it to flow. If it is too tight, add water a teaspoon or so at a time. Step 25. Pour the frosting in the middle of the cake layer. Step 26. Spread it evenly over the layer allowing it to run down the sides as necessary. Let the frosting set up at room temperature. This may take several hours. Step 27. Trim the edges. I usually end up with 8" by 11". Step 28. Measure the long and short side of the layers. If you have the same measurements I have cut the short side into 8 even pieces of 1" each. Cut the long side into 4 pieces of 2 3/4" each yielding 32 bars or 64 smaller cookies. Recipe FAQS Why are there 2 spellings for the name of the cookie? The Italian cookie is spelled with an "a" - Neapolitan. The 3 flavored ice cream is spelled with an "o" - Neopolitan. They are not interchangeable. Can the colors be change? Yes, but it can't be called a Neapolitan then. The Italian Neapolitan cookie colors are the colors of the Italian flag. Do these cookie have to contain almond paste? Yes, that is the defining taste of the cookie. It is also and important ingredient in the dense almond flavored cake. Expert Tips The baked dough is dense and rises to about 1/2". Make sure to use gel colors to color the dough as the colors are more intense and gels do not add liquid to a dough. Color the doughs brighter than you want them as they often fade slightly when baking. These cookies stay moist and taste better the day or so after making. Stir the powdered sugar/cocoa and liquid ingredients together to avoid air bubbles. If it is too thick, thin with a bit of water, if too thin, sift in a bit of powdered sugar. It should flow over the sides when covering the top. Pour the boiled ingredients for the rum wash into a 1 cup measure so it will be easy to use 1/3 at a time.

Don't skip the weighting down of the layers. It important as the jams cement everything together so the cookies don't separate. Process the apricot preserves to smooth them out. There shouldn't be any pieces of fruit when spreading out. It needs to be smooth. More European Pastries to Consider If you love these Neapolitan Cookes, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you. Italian Neapolitan Cookies These spectacular Neapolitan Cookies and will they might look complicated they are actually really easy to make. A single almond paste dough is divided into three bowls and colored red and green with the last bowl left plain. Cementing the layers together are two different jams. 9x13" pans (quarter sheet pans) Tri Colored Cookie Batter1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 grams)10 ounces almond paste (280 grams)1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (340 grams)6 large eggs1 tablespoons almond extract2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (350 grams)1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon saltRed Gel Food ColoringGreen Gel Food ColoringRum Soaking Syrup1/2 cup water1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)1/4 cup dark rumAssembly1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam1/2 cup apricot preservesChocolate Frosting1/3 cup water1 tablespoons corn syrup1/2 teaspoon instant coffee1 teaspoon vanilla1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (200 grams)1/2 cup cocoa, Dutch preferred (45 grams) Tri Colored Cookie BatterPreheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 9x12 baking pans (quarter sheet pans) with parchment paper. Set aside.Place the sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Cut or tear the almond paste into pieces and add to the processor. Process until the mixture looks like sand. Remove the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the softened butter. Beat until very light.Add the eggs and almond extract and beat until fluffy, scraping several times.In the meantime, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set the mixer to low and add the flour mixture to the butter 1/3 at a time, mixing just to combine. The batter will be very thick. Divide the batter into 3 bowls of about 500 grams each. Color one bowl green, one red and leave the third bowl plain. Spread each bowl evenly in one of the three parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. They will be barely browned ad a tester will come out clean. Do over bake. The layers will be about 1/2" each thick and dense. Cool each pan completely. Rum Soaking WashCombine all the ingredients in a small pan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Place in a 1 cup measure. If it doesn't measure 1 cup, add water. Cool completely. AssemblyPlace the apricot preserves in the bowl of a processor and process until smooth. Set aside. Place the green layer on a quarter sheet cake board upside down. Brush with 1/3 cup of the rum wash. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the layer. Top with the plain layer, spread with another 1/3 cup of the rum wash, and spread with the apricot preserves.Place the red layer on top and brush with the last 1/3 cup of the rum wash. Wrap the layers in plastic wrap.Place a clean 9x13 or quarter sheet pan on top of the red layer. Place a 10 pound bag of flour in the pan and refrigerate overnight. Two 4 pound bags of flour will work also. Chocolate FrostingSift the powdered sugar and cocoa together. Stir together completely. Dissolve the coffee in the water. Add the corn syrup and vanilla, stirring well to incorporate the corn syrup. Add it to the powdered sugar/ cocoa mix. Stir with a spoon until completely combined. Do not be too vigorous with stirring to prevent air bubbles.If the frosting is too loose or runny, sift in a bit more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add water a teaspoon or so at a time. It should barely run down the sides when applied.Spread it evenly over the top layer. It should run down the sides as seen in the photo. Let it sit at room temperature for several hours to set up.

Cutting the CookiesTrim the sides of the cookies. Measure the short long side. Mine were 8"x11" If yours are the same cut 8 1" srips across the short side and 4 2 3/4" down the long side to make 32 bars. These may be cut in half again to make 64 smaller cookies. Store the cookies in a single layer to prevent marring the finish. They get better as they sit. The cookies will hold for 7 or more days if covered. To make ahead, assemble through layering and weighing down the layers. Do not add the frosting. Wrap well and freeze for a couple of months after they have been weighted down. Thaw in refrigerator if possible. Finish as above. There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above. As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency.  Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume.  For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted  all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest. _________________________________________________ The baked dough is dense and rises to about 1/2". Make sure to use gel colors to color the dough as the colors are more intense and gels do not add liquid to a dough. Color the doughs brighter than you want them as they often fade slightly when baking.  These cookies stay moist and taste better the day or so after making. Stir the powdered sugar/cocoa and liquid ingredients together to avoid air bubbles. If it is too thick, thin with a bit of water, if too thin, sift in a bit of powdered sugar. It should flow over the sides when covering the top.  Pour the boiled ingredients for the rum wash into a 1 cup measure so it will be easy to use 1/3 at a time.  Don't skip the weighting down of the layers. It important as the jams cement everything together so the cookies don't separate. Process the apricot preserves to smooth them out. There shouldn't be any pieces of fruit when spreading out. It needs to be smooth.   CookiesItalianAlmond paste cookies, Italian Cookies, Neapolitan cookies,

[elsalouisa]

"I was born in the four-poster bed in me parents bedroom at I Cancelli, A sixteenth-century villa on the hills overlooking Florence. It was on the fourth of May 1927, My brother Carlo had been born in that same room some eighteenth months earlier and Nicola, our younger brother, made his first appearance there four years later. I still remember many details of my parents’ bedroom on the first floor of the villa: the crackling fireplace, the south-facing windows overlooking the garden and the hills, the pink gauze curtains flowing in the breeze… My mother spent a great deal of her time in this roam reading books on philosophy and theology, a soft cover of pink marabou feathers draping her legs. My mother, Margaret Clarke, was beautiful, intelligent, and complicated. There were no preordained timetables at home and there was often a sense of experimental precariousness. My mother had a developed aesthetic sense but no interest at all in domesticity. Whenever we traveled, however, she would open a trunk and bring out piece after piece of magnificent fabric to drape over sofas and lamps. She would fail the vases with ) flowers. Thanks to her, those anonymous rooms became immedtately beautiful and familiar to us, My mother was an American from Peoria, Illinois. Her father, Charles, belonged to a family of old Puritan stock that had made a considerable fortune with Clarke Bros. & Co., a whiskey distillery that claimed to be the largest in the world, though this was an exaggeration. His father had been a close friend of President Lincoln, and Charles, who was elected mayor of Peoria twice, was known for his enlightened policies and public administration. He died young, when my mother was a child. In the aftermath of World War I, my mother, who was then twenty-one, moved to Europe with her much-older half sister, Mary, and their mother, Alice Chandler Clarke—London first, then Paris, and finally Florence, where she eventually met her husband to be, Filippo Caracciolo di Melito, my father. He was a handsome officer seven years younger than she, with a passion for writing and poetry.

The first garden I remember is the one belonging to I Cancelli, the villa my brothers and I grew up in. My grandmother, following in the steps of other Anglo-American expatriates, had bought this villa surrounded by olive groves for my mother in 1923. The garden was divided into many “rooms,” which we children named. The thick vegetation near the pond, fascinating and mysterious, became “the Jungle” while the fruit orchard was the “pomario.” Then there was “Grandma Clarkes garden.” I had not met my American grandmother, whe died two years before I was born, but her garden, which was surrounded by tall walls of clipped laurel and filled with colorful herbaceous borders, was my favorite. It had a bright blue wooden bench at its cenfer, like in a painting by the Viennese Secessionist Carl Moll. It was the most romantic part of the garden, which is why I liked it so much. Hoping to please me, my parents had renamed another area “Marellas garden.” It was classical in style, all clipped boxwood and white gravel. I found ‘'Marellas garden” desperately ugly and longed for Grandma Clarkes one instead. Another childhood home I loved was one my mother had built in the mountains near Brixen, in the Italian Dolomites. It was a plain fwo-story house with spectacular mountain views and a stream running past it. With the help of Gina, our gardener from Florence, my mother created terraced gardens that she filled with dog roses and wildflowers. All around it was a forest of pine trees, chestnuts, and beeches. As children, we would spend every summer there going for long walks, riding bicycles, swimming in the local pool. There was a large terrace furnished with wicker chairs and tables. My mother had taste. Her houses were elegant and cozy. A vague sense of disorder pervaded every room but there was also a great attention to detail: vases filled with freshly picked flowers, embroidered bed linens, attention to each day's menus, things like that. As a child, I remember having roaring fights with her over the decoration of my bedroom. I liked some paintings, while she preferred others. She loved pale blue; I wanted nothing but pink. I was very stubborn and to the end my mother succumbed. My father, Filippo, was not so interested in these aesthetic disquisitions. What he longed to do was write and when he was young be published several novels and a few collections of poetry. The financial crash of 1929, however, badly affected my mothers fortune and so my father applied far a past in the diplomatic service. I think he was fhe first member of his family to have a proper job: traditionally members of the old southern aristocracy, like him, rarely worked for a living. So off we went to Ankara, Turkey, where we lived for most of the late 1930s. in Turkey I was allowed to adopt all of the district's stray dogs. I took care of them, fed them, gave each one of them a name. When we left, in 1939, I had to leave them behind—all of them except one, Tommaso. I was deeply grieved... This passion of mine was something I shared with Gianni. We had all kinds of dogs: Labradors, Huskies, mongrels. Dogs offer great companionship and I am convinced that their loyalty and purity protect us. I had a German shepherd once who looked over my children for many years. His name was Makyu and he was a gift from my brother-in-law Umberto. When the war broke out, my father was appointed Italian general consul in Lugano, Switzerland. It was during that time that he made contact with the Partito d’Azione, an anfi-Fascist political movement supported by the Allies. My father, who spoke perfect English, was a liaison agent who kept in constant touch with the British secret service".

Marella Agnelli: The Last Swan

[ladylvck]

PIN THE FOX WOMAN || @flarefeu

Once again their visits to the Kalos Lady Luck Lounge coincided. What were the chances? Even for someone so heavily intertwined with the threads of fate, the statistical chance of them meeting nearly every single time she came to Kalos was very slim. At that point, it was no longer coincidence and more like calculated planning.

Was it hopeful for her to think that he wanted to see her? Sure as Hell itself, Lucia had grown to enjoy their routine dance -- their complicated Viennese waltz that had them whirling around each other, close, but then at arm's length at a moments notice. Elegant and subtly teasing for those who knew how to look past the surface steps that they took around each other.

After all, a successful Viennese waltz can only be done by keeping your eye on your partner and never letting them go.

It was one of the themed nights at the Lounge.

The whole place was always awash with glitz and glamour and class, but tonight was a bit more classier than normal. The tables relegated to the side so patrons could still sit, but now the main floor of the Lounge was wide open for couples to dance together. People in long time relationships, or those meeting for the first time and trying things out....the dance floor was awhirl with swirling silks and satins. Tonight there was ballroom music playing to match the elegant theme of a Masquerade.

They had been hand in hand for almost the whole night.

In between sips of fine wine, a few breathers, his hand sought hers every time, barring her from dancing with anyone else. His form was both impressive and imposing, and it kept away other possible partners claiming what was his. Or that was the impression she was getting as they truly danced, sweeping together across the floor, dominating it. It wasn't wrong to say the two caught the eyes of everyone there that night.

Like her, Lysandre did not choose to wear his mask after he met her. The suit he wore meant to emulate the Red Death, she recognized it as being similar to the costumes worn by the main actor of a certain show she used to love as a young woman. She'd jokingly called him her 'Phantom' all night long; his steps haunted hers and yet she was comforted rather than frightened.

She probably should be. Such an intense man would have had anyone younger and less experienced swooning or running off. Good thing she was such used to the dance, both figuratively and literally. Her hand did not dare leave his once he'd caught it, her golden eyes which matched her dress, never strayed far from his form, only flicking in worry for bumping into others. Although after some time, even that stopped and she just kept looking at him. Heart soaring and enjoying itself for once. No games. No political intrigue or worry of what people saw.

Just pure enjoyment and she treated him with a genuine, almost girlish smile after yet another dizzying whirl on the dance floor.

The midnight dance was meant to be a special dance, where you would be asked by the Master of Ceremonies (Puck happily talking away on the microphone onstage, a small glee at separating the couples there that night) to find someone new to dance with. However, when Lucia moved to seek another, again, her hand was grasped, taken hold of. But instead of heading out with the others, as the new song was being struck up, she was brought to the side and kept there.

Lucia rarely ever registered just how intimidating he was, probably due to needing to be on alert for such dangerous situations. Always having to remain cool and collected and it was thanks to years of conditioning that she did not panic, did not accuse or scream or react negatively.

She merely tilted her head up to meet his gaze as he kept her pinned to the wall.

All was silent as of a sudden, as if everything happening around them was on mute. In those scant milliseconds of realizing she was well and truly trapped, Lucia collected her thoughts, piecing together what this moment could mean in their endless waltz. Another turn? Another dip? Or...?

All night long, she could have escaped any time she wanted. There was no keeping her there if she did not want it. Lysandre was nothing, if a gentleman, and if she chose to slip out from his grasp she probably could have gotten away this night. But she remained, lowering her guard more and more and more and then....

Her hand came up and hovered near his cheek a moment, her eyes searching for something from him, any hint...

And then she cupped his cheek, sealing this moment. A thumb caressing along the line of his cheeks. The first contact she dared to do outside of her practiced motions of being a good host, a good lounge singer, a good businesswoman. She was just....well and truly trapped as a desired woman and she was okay with it.

"...You caught me," she announced, quietly.

[deathsmallcaps]

Ok I was going to write this all in the tags but here’s a tangent based largely off of observation and NOT study. I’m not a linguist.

But the answer to why it’s called Yeerkish is likely either the following or a mix of them:

1. The author felt it was right

2. English is what is used by most human controllers so the name was picked via English convention/to go along with English

3. The root word ‘yeerk’ ends in two consonants and thus gets -ish.

#by and large languages generally are named after the people/country (though that might be the English version name of the people or country)

as the root and then depending on the end letter (take this with a grain of salt you know how English is very vibes based) the language gets an -ish or an -ese or an -ian

#but languages that didn't have as much contact with English #until recently

#and/or the population advocates for it to be called something different #are now kept

*closer* to what they are called in their own language

#to give examples of each #like English < England < Land of the Angles < Anglo Saxons

#Chinese < china < Portuguese translation of Qin (like the dynasty)

#lol Portuguese could've been another example

#Norwegian < Norway < Norvegia was the Latin word for the area

#(looked it up apparently the suffix is officially -an not -ian but it ends up te same lol. like Australia Australian Brazil Brazilian anywa

#(-ia basically means land in Latin btw. Anglia -land of the angles. Australia - land of the south wind. Russia land of the Rus)

#Xhosa< isiXhosa

#and to give examples

#like countries that end in 'ia' (or -ea like the Koreas) are likely to get languages that end in -ian

#though this is somewhat vibes based I believe because the demonym for the people of Canada is Canadian

#same thing with Argentina #Argentinian etc

You get -an if you end with an a without an I in front like America #or Guatemala. or Mexico. maybe you have to end in a vowel that comes after 2 other vowels/pairs of vowels so it would be complicated to add

#another vowel like with -ese as that could change the pronunciation #anyway

#-ish is used if the root ends in two consonants and/or the original vowel won't change its pronunciation if another vowel is added really #like English and Spanish and Turkish

#-ese seems to be added when the vowel of the root needs to still 'say its name like Chinese #faroese Portuguese etc. but also seems to be added to ones that have an ending a vowel

#like Maltese and Vietnamese and Japanese

And Congolese (not really a language but the demonym of people from either/both the DRC and the ROC) kind of gets retrofitted to that format.

These terms do seem to be somewhat indicative of continent and proximity to Britain. Like -ese does get used on European things but rarely (Viennese, Maltese, etc.) despite the usage likely being able to fit into there. -ese seems to be reserved more for Asian and African languages and demonyms. -ian is used a lot for the Anglosphere and/or countries that would’ve gotten their name from the Romans. Irish, Scottish, English, British (maybe Welsh?) all get the -ish. Somehow Hawai’i got Hawaiian in English. Maybe as a form of respect from the Brits to Queen Lili’uokalani. Idk

And of course there’s -i (i know I’m delving more into demonyms but still) (Hindi, Iraqi, Hazaragi, Israeli) and -ic (Aramaic, Arabic, Amharic, Icelandic, Gaelic) and many, many more languages that don’t fit into this categories for various reasons, be it because of a lack of major interaction with English, a vocal people who want a certain name, a need to differentiate the language from the majority one of a country, or because they’re French.

But largely, I bet Applegate chose -ish because it doesn’t connote Asia or Africa, it’s common, she was thinking from an American standpoint anyway, it flowed the best and it’s easy to remember.

Would yeerks/do yeerks in canon even have a spoken language given that they don’t have mouths in their natural state and seem to communicate with each other via some other kind of biochemical signal? how would such a language get translated into something auditory?

We don't know that for sure, I don't think. Rachel hears George Edleman (or the yeerk inside him) speaking a language she doesn't recognize in #17 and speculates that it's the yeerk language, but we don't get confirmation from Ax that that's the case. We know that the horse-controllers in #14 are speaking Galard, which is a sort of universal trade language, and Ax speculates it's because they're using after-market translators. So that might suggest there is some other language besides Galard that might be easier to speak, if they could just get better voice modules.

It makes sense to me that the yeerk language wouldn't be spoken out loud, at least not in its original form. Of course, you could still have translated forms, like how American Sign Language (gesture) is based partially but not entirely in English (auditory) or Braille (touch) is based mostly in English (visual). But I think it makes sense that the spoken yeerk language would be one of those, and its original form wouldn't use sound at all.

[archduchessofnowhere]

Do you know why Elisabeth of Austria could be so... mean, to Gisela and Rudolf? Like calling Gisela and her children a thin "sow" and her "piglets", and publicly referring to Marie Valerie as the "only one". I get that she wasn't very maternal and not everyone is made to be a mother, but that's just cruel. Also is it true that she had an instict to harm children, didn't visit Rudolf when he was seriously ill, and had to be pushed by Gisela's teacher to stand up against his abuse by his teacher?

Hello anon! Indeed Elisabeth's relationship with her eldest children was... complicated, and it's probably the most criticized thing about her. Even her most sympathetic biographers agree that she wasn't as loving to them as she was to Valerie (and then you have Brigitte Hamann who straight up implied that Elisabeth didn't love Gisela - a huge reach in my opinion). Mostly it is attributed to the fact that it was archduchess Sophie, her mother-in-law, the one that was in charge of the kids' raising, and that this made her grow cold towards them. I'd love to read what's the take about this from more recent revisionist works about Sophie, but I haven't been able to yet, so I can only talk about the way Elisabeth saw it: years after, when Valerie was born, she really did thought that her mother-in-law had “stolen” her eldest children. She told to her lady-in-waiting, Countess Maria Festetics, that “Now I know what happiness a child brings — now that I have finally had the courage to love her and keep her with me.” (1986, Hamann). Meaning that, in the 1870s, she truly felt that she hadn't been able to love and care for Gisela and Rudolf properly when they were little.

Of course this turned Valerie into her mother's favorite, which earned her the nickname of the “only child”. However Elisabeth (as far as I'm aware at least) never called her that; the nickname came from the Viennese society who scoffed at the Empress's clear preference for the daughter she was raising as a Hungarian. She did however say to Valerie that “it is you alone that I love”, which is very ouch towards literally everyone else in her life. This preferential treatment also earned Valerie her brother's resentment, Gisela, for her part, doesn't seem to have been bothered by this. Valerie was never close to Rudolf and their relationship was strained, but she did love her sister and wrote that she wished that one day she could be a wife and mother as good as her.

That she had an “instinct to harm children” is pure nonsense, her problem with her children is that she ignored them, but she never actively harmed them (or any other child, for that matter). I’d never heard of Elisabeth being forced to intervene to save Rudolf, in fact that she stepped out and stopped her son’s abuse was something that she seemed to have been proud of: “when I learned the reason for his [Rudolf’s] illness, I had to find a remedy; gathered up all my courage when I saw that it was impossible to prevail against this protégé of my mother-in-law, and told everything to the Emperor, who could not decide to take a position against his mother’s will — I reached for the utmost and said that I could no longer stand by — something would have to happen! either Gondrecourt [Rudolf’s abusive tutor] goes, or I go.” (1986, Hamann) The Emperor agreed, and Gondrecourt was dismissed. Elisabeth personally chose Colonel Josef Latour as Rudolf’s new tutor, who was highly unpopular at court because he wasn’t an aristocrat and had very liberal political ideas. Many tried to reach Franz Josef to make him get rid of Latour, but Elisabeth protected him and he kept his job. Latour was to become one of Rudolf’s closest friends, and they remained so until his death.

Lastly, about Elisabeth basically calling Gisela's children ugly, I will say in her defense (which isn't really a defense lol) that this didn't come from a particular dislike towards her eldest daughter: she just didn't like babies, period. In 1867 she wrote to Rudolf about her newborn niece Mädi, daughter of her sister Mathilde, that “the baby in her swaddling bands is not as revolting as babies so treated usually are. But near at hand it does not smell very nice”, and to her mother Ludovika she wrote that she liked the child best “when I neither see nor hear it, for, as you know, I cannot appreciate little babies.” (1936, Corti). Also I can't find the source right now so don't quote me on this but I'm sure that I read that when her granddaughter Erzsi, Rudolf's daughter, was born, she said that she thought the girl wasn't as ugly as little babies usually are. So her saying Gisela's babies looked like piglets is just in line with her thinking that little babies are ugly in general. Which hey, at least she didn't say it to the children's mothers' faces (all these comments come from her correspondence to other relatives), so there's that.

The site you linked to me doesn't quote any source, so I'm not sure where they got that information from: it definitely isn't in any of Elisabeth's main biographies. I'm not that acquainted with Rudolf's biographies tho, so if I ever come across something about that I'll let you know.

Also, your question wasn't a bother. I hope that you found my answer helpful!

[greentrickster]

Can you provide a brief overview of all the dances miles was expected to learn so he wouldn’t disgrace the von Karma name at social functions 0.0

I'm going to preface this with the fact that I'm a Canadian living in America who has never been to a ball and who doesn't know any European upper class, aristocracy, or nobility, so I'm having to get all this from Google, meaning the chances of me being wrong about exact details just shot up to 50%. If anyone spots a mistake I made and knows the correct information, please politely let me know and I'll fix or share it! I like learning, and it will only strengthen my ability to write about these subjects! Now, onto the dances, as best I can find!

1) The Waltz. Of course. I don't expect any real surprise from this one, it's basically engraved into the collective psyche at this point that, if you're going to a ball, you're gonna waltz. Literally what is the point of the ball if there's no waltzing.

2) The Viennese Waltz. It's twice as fast as an English waltz and shares a lot of details with it, but it's a counterclockwise movement with a bit more swing to it.

3) The Quadrille. If you've seen a period piece drama with a dance, you've probably seen a quadrille. This is a dance done with at least two couples and includes a lot of partner changing throughout.

4) The Quickstep. As the name indicates, this dance is quick! It's also apparently one of the ones that's really fun to do. It's a little baby dance compared to the first three, having only shown up in the 1920s, but it's really popular! It's also one that, in my complete inexperience, looks like it could be pretty complicated, as there are a lot of different steps, and they're done at the discretion of the dancers in time to the music. As far as I can tell, it is the near polar opposite of the Macarena, which has a very definite set and order of moves - I would say the exact opposite, but that would imply one of them isn't fun to do, which would be a lie.

5) The Foxtrot. One of the Quickstep's parent dances (the other one is the Charleston), it's only a little bit older and often done to ragtime, it's relatively simple compared to some of the others, which is part of what made it so popular originally - anyone could do it! The wikidancesport page describes it as 'a beautiful, romantic dance.' Much more eloquent than saying, 'After watching two very talented people do this, you may need a rather cold shower, in spite of the fact that they were mostly just walking around rather more dramatically than usual.'

6) The Polka. It's quick, it's fun, and he's in Germany, Miles knows at least one polka, probably more. Maybe to fancier music than the video I found of it, but he knows this. Just taking German in high school they took a day to teach us a basic polka. He knows this dance.

These are the ones I'm most confident saying that Edgeworth was required to learn and has kept up practice for, which is already a decent number, especially when some of them are at least vaguely free-style when it comes to the exact order you do the different steps in. Other dances he might potentially know are the Samba, Cha Cha, how to Swing, and of course any dances that are locally popular. Most of this I'm getting from articles like this one about what to expect at a Viennese ball, and I'm desperately hoping there's enough overlap that I haven't just spread a bunch of misinformation.

Thanks for the ask!

[russianshavefun]

Desserts that you can try only in Russia

Syrniki (Cottage cheese pancakes)

Served on their own, syrniki could easily be mistaken for a starter or a side dish. But actually, it is one of the favourites breakfasts. Optional extras include cream, jam, honey, fruit puree or syrup.

Chocolate salami

Chocolate salami was one of the favorite dessert dishes, taking its name from two products that were often lacking in Soviet times. It is made from crushed milk cookies and toasted walnuts, which are mixed with chocolate sauce made from cocoa, milk, butter and sugar. Then it is scooped into a freezer bag, rolled into a log and then placed in the refrigerator overnight to solidify.

Potato cakes

The unattractive name comes from the appearance of the cake. Despite the fact that they are a delicious sweet treat, they really look like potatoes. Potato cakes traditionally consist of stale cookies mixed with condensed milk, dried fruits and nuts, as well as liqueur (cognac, rum or even vodka). These balls are then sprinkled with cocoa (to a potato-like effect) and put in the fridge.

Chak-chak

The recipe, which comes from the Turkic peoples, chak-chak is an invariable favorite of the sweet tooth of Russians. It is still considered the national dish of the Tatars and Bashkirs – one of the largest ethnic minorities in Russia. Unlike pastels, the recipe for cooking chak-chak has not changed much since ancient times. This oriental delicacy is made from soft dough and raw eggs molded into short thin sticks, similar to vermicelli or marbles, which are then deep-fried and stacked in an elegant stack before being poured with hot honey sauce. Then the stack is left to harden before serving.

Prague Cake

This kind of Viennese Sacher cake has only a very weak connection with the capital of the Czech Republic. The recipe was developed by the legend of the Russian confectionery, Vladimir Guralnik, who studied confectionery art under the guidance of Czech pastry chefs who regularly traveled to Moscow to teach and master new skills. The cake requires four different types of cream, some with the addition of brandy and other liqueurs, and the dough layer is impregnated with rum. The original Viennese cake does not contain cream at all. Unlike the Bird's Milk cake, the Prague cake recipe has never been patented, and now this delicacy is prepared in pastry shops all over Russia.

Ptichie Moloko (Birds’ Milk Cake)

The name of this cake is misleading, and this thick slice of marshmallow covered with chocolate is nothing special. But in fact, it is one of the best Russian sweets. Bird's milk was the first cake patented in Soviet times. This official recipe was developed by a group of confectioners under the leadership of Vladimir Guralnik, a legend in the world of Russian sweets, who was the main producer of desserts at the pRague restaurant in Moscow. The recipe for bird's milk is derived from French marshmallows, but with a few important corrections.

This cake is still extremely popular in Russia.

Medovik

Most likely, Medovik – Russian honey cake is the first dessert to ever come to one’s mind when thinking about Russian desserts.

The elements of this cake are: honey dough (sponge cake) and whipped sour cream. So simple, isn't it?! Nothing too fancy, nothing too complicated! But honey cookies are perfect with their subtle honey flavor, and sour cream perfectly complements it, turning crunchy cookies into the softest, most fragrant piece of cake in the world!

[phantomnostalgist]

Ethan Freeman Phantom interview

An interview with Ethan Freeman from about 1994 or 1995, printed in “Beneath the Mask” #8 (which I haven’t found my print copy of yet, but the interview was reproduced on our old POTO fan site). 

Also of note about Ethan: at the time he was one of the two youngest actors to have played the Phantom - he and Anthony Warlow were both 28 or 29 when first cast in the role.

Are there any differences between London and Vienna - if so, what are they? The general tone of the production in Vienna was slightly more Operetta-like, probably due to the language, the sound of the translation and style of acting of some of the players. The tempo was also at some points quite different depending on who was conducting, and would undoubtedly feel strange to me now. The audience tended to be less tuned in to the humorous moments in the show in general, and some scenes like "Managers I & II" for example, simply run better and are more clever in English.

How did you get the role? I got the role of the Phantom after auditioning for Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne and the Viennese producer and musical staff. They appeared very excited about the audition. I'd sung "Music of the Night" which they praised in a friendly manner (Hal is always positive and encouraging), and they sent me off to learn the segment from the Final Lair "Order your fine horses... This is the choice. This is the point of no return!" When I came back the next day to do it (the Phantom candidates appeared by then to have been reduced to three) Hal said "OK Ethan I want you to scare me!" So I did the section with as much power and venom as I could muster (Id never seen the show - I think Id heard the record once or twice...) and after it was done, Hal just said "Great. You scared me!" and that was that really. Later that day they explained to Alexander Goebel and me what they would like and would we be willing to share, obviously with Alex, who was very well known, being the dominant of the two. So we split 5/2 which frequently ended up being 4/3 as the run went along.

How did you research the character? I read the novel finally, all the way through. Ruth Hale, my partner in "Cats" at the time, later to premiere as Mme Giry in the Hamburg production, gave me a copy as a present. I'd seen several of the films over the years so I knew there wasn't much to be mined from those - although Lon Chaney Snr did display some magnificent body language, and I've nicked at least one dramatic gesture from him. Principally though, I had several long meetings with Hal in New York to talk about the role and show. He instructed me to go watch Michael a few times then come back and talk some more. Crawford was magnificent, at the peak of his vocal power and still fairly fresh in the role and I was moved and impressed as I have not been since by a Phantom. (Though Dave Willetts, I must say, also made a huge impression the first time I saw him, for his power and well-delineated psychotic behaviour.) At first I thought boy, you've got your work cut out for you on all fronts. So, I would say my "research" of the role was principally based on my own discussions with Hal and also largely on my own thoughts and feelings. Obviously most of the physical manifestations of the role, make-up, costume, blocking, etc were predetermined so there wasn't much scope for change. To be honest, I feel some of the Phantoms I've seen tend, in an effort to be different, to stray from the basic line of the drama and weaken themselves as a result. Michael's acting was extreme, yet very clear and economical at the same time, and I also try to offer the audience a complicated and ambiguous character going through clear, unambiguous moments of his life - otherwise it's so easy for the audience not to "get" everything that's there - or to "get" things that aren't intended to be there at all.

How do you feel on stage? So varied in thought and feeling that I can't really give a concise answer. I feel quite differently now to how I felt 600 odd shows ago. I used to have to concentrate on staying concentrated - now it just happens. I know what to achieve and just try to let it happen. I'd say I'm both in and out of Erik at the same time and he in me.

Do you think it's based on a true story ie. did the Phantom exist? I doubt it - I haven't read this newer novel "Phantom" yet and don't intend to until I finish playing the part. However I've been to the Palais Garnier and in all senses of the word it is a 'phantastic' theatre, one which easily conjures up many stirring images - beautifully represented in the Phantom designs, I'd say!

What do you think of Erik? I wish he'd let me have a little more time to myself! Oh, I don't know. He's a sad, bitter, brilliant man. He has a great brain and can be a real bastard. I find him easy to understand - he's motivated by a terrible profound loneliness and has been forced to create his own universe which has its own laws. Anyone who has known some kind of loneliness or feeling of apartness when they were children or growing up can tune in to this crucial aspect of the Man, which is his great mythical attraction. He is so powerful, awesome, in control and yet so hurt and vulnerable. He must epitomise great beauty and great ugliness at war with each other, reason and insanity, God/Satan, Id/Ego battling it out. In the end, he learns about sacrifice, shows mercy and is redeemed by love - a great, archetypal Romantic drama - another reason why the story has always been so popular. I can't stand it when I see Erik played as a "nutter". Yes, he goes "crazy" a few times, but in general he is not insane in the pathological sense. I feel if he is played as a schizophrenic or a psychopath, the romantic ideal of the story is dashed, because both of those conditions would indicate a "determination" that makes any hope of redemption impossible, and would break with the "Romantic" style. He is very melancholy, angry, egocentric, neurotic perhaps, and goes off into rages of frustrated sexuality, but he is not insane. And I'll kill anyone who thinks otherwise!

What do you think happens to him at the end? That's our little secret! I think the different fan magazines have probably spent pages on that so I don't see I need to contribute. He goes!

Why do you think the show is so appealing? Some lovely songs, great orchestrations, a nice mixture of melodrama and light comedy, some stunning sets and a lot of good theatrical magic: and on the thematic side, many of the things I've mentioned before, which I suppose you could define as the archetypal Beauty and the Beast scenario which, if honestly portrayed, can tug the heartstrings of even the most urbane Japanese businessman.

What is your favourite role of those you've played? Obviously Phantom is the supreme role in my repertoire to date. I did however, really enjoy my stints in other Lloyd Webber shows as well. Che in "Evita" was very cool to play and Gus/Growltiger, while exceedingly 'uncool' thanks to the heavy knitted costumes, was a joy to play, despite being totally knackering, and one that I was surely born to do. I really enjoyed doing Hajj, the Poet in "Kismet" with the BBC Radio 2 last year, working with the composers, and would love to have the chance to do that again on stage someday.

What role would you like to play? I'd quite hope to have a go at Sweeney Todd somewhere down the line and would still like to play the Celebrant in "Bernstein's Mass" at some point. (I've nearly done that a couple of times.) Add to that a heap of great operatic roles I'd love to do but probably never will and whatever new, unknown roles lie lurking up ahead. We'll wait and see!

End note from me - Ethan’s wrong about schizophrenia, but hey, this interview was 25 years ago and actors can’t be expected to be experts on mental illness. But I really love this interview, the depth he goes into, and how his sense of humour comes through too.

[21secondsofchristoph]

Here is a full translation of the interview featured in Max Magazine.

Original text by Andreas Wrede

This was a lot of work so PLEASE don’t post this elsewhere without credit. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This story with and about Christoph Waltz is a story coming full circle. A little more than 3 decades ago, a small group of editors and photojournalists, graphic artists and authors started developing the pilot for the first German issue of MAX, made possible by Dirk Manthey, the publisher from Hamburg’s Milchstraße, who knew the magazine from Italy, France and Greece. And who made me the founding-editor in chief. Three decades later, the derivative is released, thanks to publisher Max Iannucci. In 1990, Christoph Waltz was in an episode of “Der Alte”, among other things before he played the torn schlager music star Roy Black in “Du bist nicht allein – Die Roy Black Story” – but we will get to that later.

Now Christoph Waltz is an award-winning, internationally known actor, who won two Oscars for best supporting actor. That is unique for a German-speaking actor. Born in Vienna in 1956, he now lives in Los Angeles – if you want to play a role in Hollywood, literally, you must be present in Los Angeles. And during our conversation in a red, furry saloon of the legendary hotel Sacher in Vienna, he emphasizes, “Hollywood is always the goal”.  

The place is very fitting, considering Christoph Waltz grew up in Vienna, in a family that cultivated a great affinity for the work on stage for two generations. He says laconically, “You grow into a thing, you grow up with it, and thus, you acquire a familiarity early on, which you’d otherwise have to conquer with a lot more effort.” He often went to the movies from an early age on, but he spent even more time at the opera. “When I had time and had finished my homework, I enjoyed going to the opera.” Back then, a standing room ticket cost about ten Schilling, just a few cents in today’s currency. Little Christoph loved smuggling into the fascinating, secretive opera house.

Later he attended famous acting schools like the Max Reinhardt Seminar or Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio with significantly less pleasure. “I didn’t like attending acting schools. They didn’t exactly broaden my horizon.” Christoph Waltz hardly found them inspiring. And when he received offers for movies and theater, he accepted them “instead of dealing and struggling with teachers”. He says this with few gestures and in an almost reporting tone, he has always trusted the energies inherent in him. He had his TV debut in “Der Einstand”, where he played a teenage delinquent. That was fitting, considering he continued playing roles which were different, unexpected, and specific, or roles he filled differently, unexpectedly, and specifically.

Christoph Waltz remembers his beginnings as an actor in the 70s a little wistfully. “There were still movies on TV, which were made as movies for television, as one dramatic entity.” Or when there used to be directors like the great Federico Fellini, who was “very, very specifically Italian in everything he did.” Christoph Waltz continues: “And because of this specificity he was able to reach so many people.” A phenomenon like Fellini is marked by obstinacy, nonconformity, and distinct individuality. However, some significant conditions also irritated Christoph Waltz, for instance, when he was hired for the Krzysztof-Zanussi-film “Leben für Leben” in 1991. “I wasn’t adequately informed about the conditions and backgrounds. And so, I found myself – surpsised – in front of a camera in Auschwitz.” How does one react to something like that? “Today, I would know how to react”, he stresses thoughtfully, “but today, that would be due to the self-confidence I acquired over the past years. Back then I felt: Now I’ve been hired for this film.” Alright, he adds, one grows through experience, some conflicts are worth going through. “It helps building character.”

Was the decision to play Roy Black a crystal clear one? Not at all, he responds smiling and closes his eyes for a second. “When my agent called me about it, my spontaneous reaction was: Complete humbug, and I can’t even listen to this music for three seconds.” It only became interesting for him when he learned that Roy Black originally wanted to play Rock ‘n’ Roll. Then he became interested in the tragedy of this character. And the thought that Roy Black’s wish was the desire for freedom and wildness, a wish many Germans shared, “which was inherent in the promising American machinery.” Although this freedom and wildness had always existed in Germany, lived out by people like Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, or Kandinsky.

“The film itself was great, but the marketing-weisenheimers managed to break this film. It would be a great cine film, but they advertised it as a sob story for television. Consequently, the real Roy-Black fans were disappointed, while the people who might have been interested in the movie judged: Leave me alone with this sob story twerp. Well, the weisenheimers are the weisenheimers, what can you do”, deems Christoph Waltz with a beautiful touch of Viennese sarcasm and barely noticeable risen eyebrows. One does not always have to instrumentalize the entire acting equipment with him. A few little cues are enough.

Many more films follow before someone calls from Hollywood and say he is supposed to participate in Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. In our interview he calls this his “Quentin-jump”, where he is at eye level with Diane Kruger, Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender in front of the camera. “Tarantino, we mentioned this before, stands for specificity and authenticity, he has an eye for both.” Did Christoph Waltz go into this production with a lot of respect? “With great respect.” He remembers an encounter with Sylvester Groth in front of a theatre in Babelsberg. “Every Thursday, Quentin showed movies during preparation. Once, Sylvester and I stood in front of the theatre and we both said: Imagine this, now we’ve been doing this for so long and suddenly we find ourselves here.” Then we paused for a few moments and kept going: Yes, and despite everything, we’re doing what we’ve always done – what we do, because that is what we do.”

Before Tarantino’s office could call again, other international projects followed, like The Green Hornet (with Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, James Franco) or Carnage (with Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly). Then Django Unchained (with Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson). For his role in Django Unchained, Christoph Waltz wins his second Oscar for best supporting actor in 2013 and Quentin wins another one for best original screenplay. But Christoph Waltz remains humble: “The opportunities presented to someone for personal growth always come to you through other people.” Although the actor always makes a binary decision. “Yes or no. Am I going to do it or not.”

Can one also make the wrong decision? “You decide for one or the other and from that other possibilities develop, but neither is better or worse.” That was not any different for Quentin Tarantino or for his first film and its director Reinhard Schwabenitzky, who saw him in acting school. Christoph Waltz leans forward and says confidentially: “The essential chances and opportunities were those which were presented to me by another mind, by a great talent, through a vision, which came from another person.” Nothing more, nothing less.

Yes, humility is a virtue. But we do not want to conceal the fact that Christoph Waltz was the first German-speaking host on Saturday Night Live and that he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (No. 2536, 6667 Hollywood Boulevard). The quote: “And Hollywood is always the goal.” Is correct, “like others say their goal is to get into heaven.” Hollywood, heaven: “I don’t mean to compare the two goals, but the setting of these goals. Especially Hollywood has been mythologized into more than it deserves credit for.” In this respect, as a myth, it is always the goal. Please don't tell anyone Christoph Waltz is over-the-top - the opposite is the case.

During our exchange in the Sacher, I mention one of my favorite books on film. It is Peter Biskind’s Easy Riders, Raging Bulls – How the Sex-Drugs-And-Rock’n’roll Generation saved Hollywood. It says: „There is no worse career move in Hollywood than dying. Hal Ashby is now largely forgotten, because he had the misfortune to die at the end of the 80’s, but he had the most remarkable run of any ’70 director. After ‚The Landlord‘, in 1970, he made ‚Harold and Maude‘, ‚The Last Detail‘, ‚Shampoo‘, ‚Bound for Glory‘, ‚Coming Home‘ and ‚Being there‘ in 1979, before his career disappeared into the dark tunnel of post-‘70’s, Me Decade Drugs and paranoia.“

It can be assumed that this won’t happen to Christoph Waltz? “That is a good example for the mythologizing I was referring to”, he responds. “I would claim that a legend like James Dean probably wouldn’t have developed at all, had he not driven himself to death in his Porsche at such a young age. Who knows what would have become of Marilyn Monroe, had she not put an early end to her complicated life.” And parallel to Hal Ashby, there probably were thousands of directors, who would have been happy to pay their next rent – by working in their profession. It is therefor about comparativeness.

Onto another career step, the James Bond movie Spectre, in which Christoph Waltz portrays the dark Blofeld, a character, who appeared in previous Bond movies. How do we have to imagine that? One sunny day the agent comes along and says: “You’re on the list for the next Bond movie”? Christoph Waltz knows there are no rules to this, especially when it is something like James Bond. A series that has been at the peak of possibilities for more than 50 years.” The producers have a lot to lose, they have to look very closely. Not only to keep up the standard, they also want to be ahead of their time.

Was it intriguing to play this bad boy a second time? Is it about an additional nuance of expertly irony; is it about the myth that is Bond? “This was another unique opportunity for me”, says Christoph Waltz, “a unique opportunity to include myself into such an incredibly successful series.”  Now after Spectre, for the second time in No Time To Die – a title that can offer a bit of comfort in times of the world wide covid pandemic. And Christoph Waltz is in the Bond movie that will be Daniel Craig’s final Bond. “It’s his fourth Bond movie”, he counts, “the actors change but the role remains the same. Of course, the role acquires a different profile and thus, different facets.” But it remains James Bond. “And when a new actor gets the role, he has to fit into the role, not the other way around.” Once again, we will have to wait for this Bond movie. It will probably hit theatres in spring 2021.

It reminds one of Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida – we’ve seen it a dozen times but keep going to see it again. Nowadays you go to see the production, in the past you went to see whosit faithless. Speaking of productions: Are the demands towards a Bond director more extensive compared to other film projects? “Surely there are more things to keep an eye on compared to a low budget movie or an independent film. In productions like that, you often have to use the tools you have. In Denmark they had demands referring to this “, Christoph Waltz comments in a slightly mocking undertone. He means the group around Lars von Trier? “Precisely, they called it Dogma for fun, and the world took them seriously.” But that is part of it, right, part of the business.

Anyway, every little detail is carefully manufactured for a Bond movie.  And that takes, apart from a lot of money, a great level of expertise and many employees, which combine into a story on film. “Legions of people work on every pixel, not to mention the light and the meaning of the music.” With all this in mind, it’s understandable how appealing it is to be in a movie like No Time To Die. Christoph Waltz has a lot of praise for the director, Cary Fukanaga: “He always knew exactly what he was doing and we knew exactly, why he did this or that”. Audiences were able to see this in previous projects, like the brilliant first season of True Detective, where he directed all eight episodes.

Christoph Waltz wouldn’t be Christoph Waltz if he didn’t show his extraordinary talents in unconventional projects as well, like the show Most Dangerous Game (with Liam Hemsworth, produced for Quibi). “What interested me there? The new dramatic form, it’s a story in 16 sections, each section only eight minutes long. We’re dealing with a new form of storytelling.” Does it remind him of the continuous comics that used to be in US-newspapers a few decades ago?

“Yes, it’s connected to that – but it also reminds me of Charles Dickens, who published many of his novels as newspaper installments. In Most Dangerous Game the great story arch is not lost, the suspense is carried from one episode into the next. “That is a sleight of hand.” And for that he received an Emmy nomination, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he was to win the prestigious award one day. But he pulled off other sleight of hands in the past. Or how the New York Times says in a headline: “Christoph Waltz directing Opera, moves from Tarantino to Verdi.” Adding his old comment to this: “The full-blooded, juicy movie experience has a lot of operatic qualities. I’m not talking about the film music, but about the rhythm and color and phrasing.” After “Der Rosenkavalier” (Music: Richard Strauss, Libretto: Hugo von Hofmannsthal), which he staged at the Antwerp Opera, came Giuseppe Verdi’s “Falstaff”, his second opera there.

“I’m not a fan of the never-seen-before concept”, says Christoph Waltz. He agrees with Susan Sontag’s essay Against Interpretation – in opera, there is a fix story, and the music is the central transmitter of this story. Over-interpretations can quickly become “dangerous sliding tackles.” Waltz wants to avoid those. “I want to show what the composers and authors meant.” He stayed true to Sontag’s principle in all three of his opera productions, the third on being Beethoven’s only opera “Fidelio”.

He is self-critical enough, “to personally take the risk of failing.” What would be the alternative?

“I’m just an actor, now what do the music critics, who take themselves so seriously say? Some foam at the mouth and brawl ‘the movie-bod is interfering in the opera’.” He prefers the critics that are capable of formulating things between the lines. “When I read elsewhere, that the very thing I was trying to convey can be seen in detail, then I’m quietly happy about it.” Sadly, the live performances of Fidelio fell victim to the covid-crisis, but there was a TV-screening on ORF, which can certainly be called presentable with 11% of the market-share.  “During ‘Fidelio’ I first realized physically that music is a spatial experience.” Here fits another Waltz-quote: “Strip away anything that us unnecessary.” Ergo: Reduce the action to the interaction between the characters. That is an art he mastered to perfection in acting.”

For once, I could surprise the cleaned up, chatty, well-tempered Christoph Waltz with a little research.

In his birthyear, 1956, his fellow countryman Walter Felsenstein, founder and artistic director of the “Komische Oper” in Berlin filmed a version of “Fidelio”. To this day, it remains the only film adaptation of the opera. Probably because – so the actor quotes Felsenstein – “this opera technically is impossible to stage”, he says with aplomb, an attitude that suits him. In ballet an aplomb describes the ability to absorb a movement, the balance.

Christoph Waltz not only shoots a lot of movies, but he also enjoys reading one particular movie critic: Anthony Lane of the New Yorker. Surely one of the most sharpened critics, who outtalks someone or rubs the reader’s nose into his alleged ignorance. We start talking about Lane via a new movie by the fabulous Agnieszka Holland, “Mr. Jones” – referring to Gareth Jones, advisor to the former British Prime Minister Lloyd George. Jones uncovers that the devastating hunger crisis in the Ukraine in 1932/33 was exclusively due to Stalin’s exploiting politics. Anthony Lane writes in inimitable fashion: „Is it conceivable that Holland’s bleak, murky, and instructive film could prompt a change of heart in the current Russian establishment, or even a confession of crimes past? Not a chance.“ Greetings from Belarus.

And of course, we also talk about COVID, what does an actor do who can’t act during these times? Is he reading Robert Musil’s novel The Man Without Qualities, which has more than 1000 pages? “Oh, I’ve already attempted to read this three times. The first time, I got to page 200, the second time I got to page 400, the third time I put it away after 100 pages.” But he doesn’t fully abandon the idea of finishing it one day. “But that would really be a true accomplishment of discipline”, he underlines, allusively smiling. Less amusing is the current stagnancy in Hollywood, where Christoph Waltz lives with his wife and daughter for the most part. “It will be illuminating once things pick up again”, he ponders “will a reforming spirit take over, or will everything fall back into the old, ignorant patterns, or even cause worse?” The temporary dysfunctionality of Hollywood is comparable to a dysfunctional family, which mechanisms become especially clear during crisis. Now he visited his mother here in Vienna. I allow myself the question, “Is Vienna your home?” “Vienna is my home, home is something you can’t choose, like your parents. Everything else can become your center of living, all that is willingly moveable – but home, home cannot be changed at will.”

[harry-leroy]

okay: Così opinions? spill. I want to hear them all.

okay okay okay oh boy oh boy oh boy (Thank you, Savannah! It’s time to go absolutely insane...) I’ll tag @vera-dauriac because I said I would go off about the Così opinions. 

So I’m currently in the middle of the Met’s Così stream for tonight - and it’s okay. Definitely not my favorite production. I think the strongest cast member is Isabel Leonard as Dorabella - I might have a bias though, because I absolutely adore her. Thing is, I think it’s the acting that’s bringing this production down for me, not the singing - so time to spill my thoughts about how Così should go down in my head. (These will be about the four lovers, not really about Despina and Don Alfonso - I think I still need to sit with them for a little longer). 

To me, Così is the Love’s Labour’s Lost of opera. (It even got the Shakespeare treatment in 1863 - where Mozart’s score was put to the text of LLL, translated into French. Ferrando and Guglielmo became Ferdinand and Berowne, and the ladies were the Princess of France and Rosaline). While some may read this opera as a sexist joke with fickle and uptight characters, I think there’s a lot more to it than that - and it’s why I prefer the title “The School for Lovers” to “All Women Do It”. Everyone is learning something in this opera, not just the women. I also think the ending is far more complicated than the libretto would have us believe. 

I made a post a while ago about the 2006 Glyndebourne Così giving us a really complicated set of looks from the singers right before the curtain drops. The couples are back where they should be, according to the libretto. Guglielmo is holding Fiordiligi, Ferrando his Dorabella, but then Fiordiligi looks back at Ferrando. Ferrando looks intently and longingly at Fiordiligi, Guglielmo realizes this and looks angrily at Ferrando, only to have Dorabella look at Ferrando, confused and hurt. And I think this is exactly where we should end. While the original couples are supposedly back in place by the end of the opera, I think each of these four young people end up in a totally different place. I think Fiordiligi loves Ferrando. I think Ferrando loves both women. I think Dorabella is lost, and I think Guglielmo wants absolutely no part of it anymore. You can find evidence to support this ending in the score and in the libretto, and you can end up creating much more exciting characters to watch in the process. 

I’ll begin with the boys. Guglielmo was played by Francesco Benucci in the original 1790 production, the one singer in the cast that Mozart could trust (Mozart and Da Ponte had a thing against four out of six people in the original cast). Benucci was the first Figaro, the first Viennese Leporello, and also a singer who was thirty years older than the original Ferrando, Vincenzo Calvesi. You can hear it in the score too. Guglielmo seems older than Ferrando - if you had a pick a leader of the two it would be Guglielmo. He’s also got an ego, and if Mozart’s slight affinity for the man in the original role wasn’t enough indication, you can also look at the libretto. “No one can resist a Guglielmo” he says after wooing Dorabella. His aria “Donne mie, la fate a tanti” is all about  women and their annoying habits, but it also points to the fact that he’s been with a lot of women. Also look at the two love duets we get in this opera, “Il core vi dono” (Guglielmo + Dorabella) and “Fra gli amplessi” (Ferrando + Fiordiligi). Which one seems more sincere? Keeping with the opera buffo style that Benucci was so well accustomed to, “Il core vi dono” plays with the theme of the heartbeat. It’s meant to be funny. Guglielmo, (I think in a good staging) also does not seem as invested in the love duet as Dorabella, and he certainly isn’t invested in her afterwards. He feels bad for Ferrando at points, but keeps up with the idea for soldier’s play. I feel that he’s the man who thinks women would be a fool to turn him down. 

Ferrando is a little different. He’s the younger of the two, infinitely more passionate, and possibly could be depressed - to me, he’s a classic enneagram 4. If Guglielmo’s the leader, then Ferrando certainly follows his lead. Until “Un’aura amorosa”, he lets Guglielmo take control of wooing the women. I really think that when Ferrando sings “Un’aura amorosa”, he should have the stage all to himself. It’s the first little hint of his personality that diverts from Guglielmo’s, and shows that he cares about not having his heart broken, more than keeping his ego intact. In fact, I don’t think Ferrando is at all afraid to have his ego wounded. After Dorabella’s moment of infidelity, he toggles between love and revenge in “In qual fiero contrasto”, but is ultimately softened a bit by love. His love for Dorabella will always nag at him. I think his revenge (to woo Fiordiligi) is more against Guglielmo than it is against Dorabella. Guglielmo’s never felt the pain he just had to go through, and Ferrando’s going to make sure he does. But the lengths to where Ferrando goes to win Fiordiligi tell me that he’s more invested in her than originally thought. As he holds a sword against his throat, I think a believable Ferrando would have let her drive the blade in. It’s the moments where Ferrando acts independently of Guglielmo that are the most exciting to watch. It’s where he asks Fiordiligi for “just one glance”, it’s imagining what happened on that walk with her offstage, it’s “Un’aura amorosa” if it’s staged right. (It’s that one last glance at Fiordiligi at the end of the Glyndebourne Così!). He and Fiordiligi have this link in which they’ve been following Guglielmo’s lead for what feels like all their lives. Ferrando is shaped by Guglielmo’s philosophy, just as Fiordiligi is shaped by the (false and perhaps social) need to remain loyal to Guglielmo. 

That said, I think the reason that Fiordiligi is so uptight in this opera is because she’s young, and she’s got the hottest soldier in town for a fiancé. She’s got the man that women could only dream about, and until Ferrando (in disguise) shows up to break her defences, I think she’s never thought about the idea of not being with Guglielmo. I don’t think she’s all that in love with Guglielmo when it comes down to it, but in love with the idea of being in love with Guglielmo. They would easily be the it-couple of their social circles, why throw that away? It takes all of the courage that Fiordiligi has to say in “Fra gli amplessi” that final “I am yours” - do with me what you will, because falling in love, real love, is the scariest thing that a young person will ever go through. I think, if done right, both Ferrando and Fiordiligi should be terrified the entire love duet-  terrified of rejection, terrified of yielding their hearts up, terrified because ‘is this what real love feels like?’. (That terror is missing from Guglielmo in “Il core vi dono”). I also assume that because she owns a house, and she has a maid, that Fiordiligi is rich - it’s very possible that many choices in her life have been made for her, and making those independent choices for the first time can also be terrifying. That said, I completely understand her obstinate behavior. 

And that leaves Dorabella, my poor darling. I really think she gets the short end of the stick here, and it’s because of Guglielmo mostly. When I first saw Così, I really wanted the switched couples to stay together, but I think that was because of Ferrando and Fiordiligi, and when you watch the Glyndebourne production, you just see how much Ferrando and Fiordiligi love one another. But now that I’ve seen a few more productions, I really just want Ferrando and Fiordiligi to be together. Guglielmo and Dorabella actually don’t have that sincere of a connection, and while Ferrando does love Dorabella, I’m not sure how much we can recover from their love after watching the passion between him and Fiordiligi just moments before. Dorabella is someone who follows Fiordiligi’s lead for the most part, but also has her own moments of independence, and I think in that way, she’s like Ferrando. Both she and Ferrando have moments of passion, far more than their counterparts. “È amore un ladroncello” is a marvellous aria, and I think it’s because Dorabella gets it. She gets that love is about putting your heart on the line and going for broke, and she knows how terrifying that is, and she found that in Ferrando and Guglielmo, but I’m not entirely certain that the boys found it in her. In that way, she is the most mature of the four, but she also gets left with the least. 

So back to that ending, I think that we should understand that it’s not just that these lovers are getting back with their original couples, but that they all have a lot of individual work to do and a lot to think about. It’s the school for lovers and they’ve all learned their individual lessons. Guglielmo learned how to have his heart broken, Fiordiligi learned how to love, Ferrando walks away with a conflicted heart, and Dorabella has to swallow her own words: love is a thief. They may have forgiven each other, but their story is far from resolved. 

If I were staging this, I would love to stage it in the regency period - like 1810s England, because there would be no end to the Austenite yearning and the costumes would be gorgeous. You would also get the boys rolling up like the desperate romantics they are (especially Ferrando). I’ve also been entertaining a gender-bent version, probably set in the same period, because of how sex-charged the opera’s connotations are, but I also think it would work really well. 

Obviously, there are places in this discussion of mine that you could probably tear and stretch a bit. It’s not the only reading of Così out there - but I think we need to give this opera a more human shape rather than make it a battle of the sexes or an opera where the characters are caricatures, which is why I think a conflicting ending (like the one that Glyndebourne did) works so well. No one group is supposed to win the day at the end, but I think forgiveness is a good first step. 

[strictlycomesparkle]

Dance Part 2

Ranvir and Gio - American Smooth

Honestly, I don’t think I can say how much I love this couple not just because of their chemistry. Ranvir is probably another shock of the season with Jamie and she’s come leaps and bounds. Like her Dream Girls dance, she came out on her own and absolutely owned it working the dance floor as if she’d been doing it her whole life. Apart from the confidence and characters, her actual dancing was amazing. Her frame is always second to none, her footwork is precise and she’s so elegant in and out of the lifts. Combining that with chemistry and musicality, it was beautiful.

Bill and Oti - Jive

Can someone tell me how this guy is in his 50s. The jive is one of the hardest dances for anyone and bill seemed to do it effortlessly. From the start to end, it was fast paced, lots of fun and just so technical. I love that oti doesn’t go easily on bill with the choreography and she basically threw in the entire kitchen sink into this dance and I couldn’t be happier. Yes, there were a few mishaps but I barely noticed because his kicks and flocks were sharp, it was full energy and there was personality. What else could you want?

JJ and Amy - Viennese waltz

As expected, JJ always seems to produce in these ballroom dances. The connection he has with Amy is something special as they glided across the floor with such ease and elegance. Also, I can’t hide how technically good it was from the frame to the footwork and even that fleckle with an added romantic story. I think the thing is that JJ has had a lot of ballroom practise. I’d love to see him in ballroom because it’s all just one layer atm.

Maisie and Gorka - quickstep

Apart from a missed step on the bench, well Maisie obviously blew it out of the park with that dance. Gorka really gave her some complicated choreography yet she took to it like a duck to water. There was musicality, acting and really quick and precise moves. The quickstep isn’t an easy dance but she seemed to do it so easy with style, grace and charisma. I’ve said this about others but I don’t think I’ve said it about Maisie but her and Gorka work really well together snd create a musical masterpiece.

[magnoliawhetstone]

h e a d c a n o n s, pt. 1

( tw: mentions of eating disorder )

When Lia is drunk/ tipsy she likes to act our favorite movie scenes—even if she’s alone.  Most recently was the titanic scene (where she also got her knee suck in the balcony). She can quote all of the legally blonde courtroom scene and definitely knows the mean girls Christmas dance as well.

When Lia bakes, she has this small habit of humming or singing when she does so. Interestingly enough, for how involved baking is, she’d done it for so long she’s relatively good at shutting her brain down for a while when she does it. Or, at least, it takes all her energy to bake instead of overthink. It’s why she stress bakes so frequently and it’s also why she hums/sings when she does it. It’s mindless and she’d be embarrassed if anyone heard it–but she doesn’t always realize she’s doing it.

Surprisingly, while Lia’s favorite book is Pride and Prejudice, her favorite movie is Love Actually. She can quote most of the movie–as she can with most things she loves–and her favorite scene is when Hugh Grant dances to “Jump (For My Love)” by the Pointed Sisters. This is another scene she sometimes recreates when drunk.

Lia is not the biggest fan of Harry Potter. She doesn’t even know what house she’s in (its Ravenclaw but she can’t remember that). She never got into the series, never found it to be that interesting–magic didn’t quench her thirst the way some other books did…

Yes, that’s right. Magnolia Barnes was absolutely a Twi-Hard. You could not pull her away from these books–it was even worse since, at age 18, you’d think she would have had better taste. But no, she was #TeamJacob all the way. And yes, she did go see the movies when they came out. And yes, she did cry at the end. Don’t judge her.

Lia loves watching home renovation shows, though she literally has no reason to watch the show. She’s never had to do a home reno in her life. But she likes to imagine a day when she would–she thinks she’d be quite good at it. Sometimes about being able to use her hands in a meaningful way strikes her as soothing–its why she likes baking so much. She doesn’t have proof she’d be good at it, but she has a feeling she’d be pretty good with her hands if she can make delicate pastries so well.

Lia loves college football. Like absolutely adores it. Big Clemson gal, Tiger Rag is her jam. She remembered spending fall weekends at their Lake Keowee home so they could easily drive over to Clemson and go to a home game. Hates the Gamecocks with a passion. Rivalry weekend was her favorite time of year growing up–it was so full of excitement and energy. In fact, the most heated you might ever see Lia out of an argument is walking a Clemson football game. And yes she knows exactly what’s going on down on the field and if you ask her one more time if she’s sure–she will throw a piece of pie in your face.

Speaking of Clemson, Lia wanted to go there for college–get her degree in English. But she also had high dreams to be the baton twirler on the field–the one who dots the i with whatever family they’re celebrating that day in the pregame ceremony? Yeah, she wanted that. She thought that maybe she could mix the two worlds of hers, her two areas of interest–but no, that was never to be the case.

Lia grew up going to State fairs every summer–but never an amusement or theme park. She has never been to a planetarium, and her first trip to an Aquarium was with Beckett. Her first trip to a Zoo was with Ryder. So sure she’s ridden some rides, but it’s never been like most people have. It’s her dream to go to DisneyWorld one day and somehow, someway, stay in the Cinderella Suite. she’s watched enough youtube videos to know that not one gets to stay there but contest winners and celebrities, but still–a girl can dream.

While her peers took their vacations in Paris, Nice, Monaco and Italy, Lia’s father preferred north–like Amsterdam. Which, to be fair, was really very nice and Lia liked going. She even had a friend, Tess, who she’d hang out with when they would go on holiday as they called it. Tess was cool–she was into collecting model trains and really liked to read also. But then Tess’s parents sent her to boarding school after they had found out that she had been chatting with people online that she shouldn’t have been. Lia thought that sounded awfully harsh and hoped her parents would never do something like that to her. (Oh, irony)

When she’s sick, she doesn’t want chicken noodle soup, she wants wonton soup. Why? She doesn’t know, but she’s never liked chicken noodle soup. She thinks its the mushy carrots and celery. But wonton soup is essentially the same thing, but with a wonton and better flavor. She likes hers with spinach.

If toast is cut diagonal, she can’t eat it. Vertical squad for the win.

Big Bon Appetit fan. The quickest way to make her smile is to make her watch an episode of “one of everything” or “gourmet makes”. she might have a small crush on alex delany but we don’t talk about that.

Lia believe in aliens but not ghosts. She’s not big on conspiracy theories either–but she might be tempted by the stories at Denver Intentional Airport. She just can’t accept that humans are the only living things in the universe. That’s a lot for her–but she doesn’t go actively searching for them. Ghosts, on the other hand–she just never believed in them. Why would anyone want to haunt someone? Seemed like a weird power play to her. And no, despite what some people at the Malnati think, the moon is not made of cheese.

Lia is obsessed with spreadsheets. If you asked her what the dorkiest thing about her was–she’d tell you it was her planner and spreadsheets. She has a spreadsheet for probably every aspect of her life. her planner–which is really a bullet journal–is how she keeps track of things when she can’t get on her computer, but she has one for chores, her books, work, her bucket list, hell–even a bachelorette watch party she had a few years ago. She loves being organized.

Office supplies are her kryptonite. She absolutely loves blank notebooks and pens. She has a favorite pen for different things. Pentel RSVP RT Retractable Ball Point in black for everyday items, Staedleter fine tips felt pens for her bullet journal, sharpie pens for when she wants her notes to stand out, Zebra Mildliner for headers in her bullet journal or giving the pages shape. She is incredible persnickety on who can borrow what pen, and even keeps less important pens in her pencil bag just to lend out. And under very few circumstances will you ever see Magnolia Barnes using a pencil unless she has been required too. She hates the darn things.

Lia doesn’t swear–her mother taught her ladies don’t swear and while she doesn’t believe language as a gatekeeper for femininity anymore, the expectation still holds. So if you do hear her use a curse word, something is very very wrong.

Go to coffee order, you ask? Easy. Grande White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha with Blonde Espresso and Almondmilk and yes whipped cream. Sometimes she’ll get it with Raspberry instead. If its iced, it’s a tall and no whipped cream. However, she can also be bought over with a Venti Iced Guava Tea Lemonade with 8 pumps sweetener.

Lia has seen the Chatworth House–the house used as Pemberly in the Kiera Knightly version of Pride and Prejudice. While its not her all time favorite movie, she sure loves it still and begged her parents to take her one summer. They relented and it was everything she had dreamed of seeing.

It’s well known that Lia cannot dance–she often tells people she can only line dance and Viennese Walz, and the former only happens when she’s tipsy on PBRs.

Lia loves sleeping with windows open because she can’t sleep in silence. The white noise of the city helps relax her and and makes her sleep easier.

However, she must read in silence–any noise will distract her and she gets relatively grumpy if anyone interrupts her reading. She also adores reading by a window. She likes the way the natural lights illuminates the pages.

Words are some of Lia’s favorite things–she thinks they’re magic. So loves the way they sound and likes to think about the way they feel in her mouth and how they roll off the tongue. She does her best to take her time when speaking too–because if words are so important, its better to get them right the first time. (Although perhaps she would learn that getting it right may not always be nearly as important as saying something at all).

(tw: eating disorder) Not many people know this, but after the book incident, Lia has begun to go to therapy. Her counselor, Tonya, has been helping her try to work through what things are Lia and what things are Lia’s mother. They haven’t gotten to the eating disorder conversation yet–and Lia dreads it. because Lia has never used the term out loud–in fact, the only time it was ever spoken was by the doctor the night of the incident. She has never named it and technically never claimed it out loud–though she knows its true in her heart.

Lia hates pickles. Don’t know why, but she thinks they are gross. Also parmesan cheese.

Magnolia loves horses–perhaps not the extend of others, but she had grown up riding them and when she rode them, she always sensed a freedom that was just out of reach at home. Perhaps that was because who was always riding wit her, but she doesn’t like to dive deep into that. It complicates things (that maybe needed to be complicated, just sayin’). Leaving her childhood horse Butternut was like leaving a pet (something the Barnes did not have as Lia grew up). Butternut and her went on a lot of adventures together, usually along side Buttersquash and Jack. It was good squad.

Lia’ favorite dessert is Mrs. Whetstone’s peach cobbler–and she has pour her life’s work into recreating it since she never asked for the recipe before she left. Every time she tries, she feels like she gets a little closer, but its never quite right. But it does remind her of home and its one of those memories she loves dearly. Anyone who asks her, though, what her favorite dessert is, she’ll say cheesecake because nothing even compares in her mind to that cobbler and she doesn’t want something to try to do something that will never reach what she expects. And she does love cheesecake.

Favorite flavor of yogurt? Chobani Raspberry Lemonade. Its only available in the summertime, but boy is it worth the wait.

[madamhatter]

“give me soft”

send, “give me soft” for a platonic gesture of affection/intimacy that my muse would do to yours to show them they care / accepting

Mirrors were among the objects that Sophie dreads, despite her silence on the matter, for seeing her person could shatter her. However, how could one respond when seeing their own reflection -- that happens to be outside of the frame, walking around? 

Anzu Kobayashi, the sole producer for Yumenosaki Academy, is a phenomenon that Sophie Hatter never wanted to see -- someone harboring such similar self-destructive and deflective tendencies. But, that does not mean that Sophie outright resents and rejects the brunette. Instead, that is a unifying trait that doesn’t play into their relationship from an outsider’s perspective. 

For tools as themselves, though Sophie denies it for Anzu, she knows that the brunette needs to be reminded of her energy and passion when it means to be human. Adrenaline, be it dormant in their bodies, still flows and runs through them. Though it is not used, it can be awakened again for something, burning off that excess energy. After all, Sophie knows better that their beings who crave and yearn, needing structure and goals fixed to make themselves feel whole.  But, it doesn’t mean Anzu should let such precious energy and chance waste away.

Offering her scarred palm to her apprentice on their lonely nights together, or abruptly in the studio, Sophie ask her to dance. She is aware of Anzu’s knack to move quickly and precisely; her delinquent background and edge on fighting proved that well. At times, it’s slow pace and includes of different ballroom like Viennese waltz and Paso doble. The hatter is always sure to tracks that are suitable for them and wouldn’t overwork the other’s body (as she’s a little hesitant to go all out). Yet, with a quick pick up and spin, Sophie can’t help the smile that hurts her cheeks as Anzu laughs so loudly and uncontrollably, giving a rare glimpse of her true happiness behind her mask.

Such a move was common when she was younger, brighter, and more naive as she accepted such kindness and fun from her late father. The same man who spun her fate and trapped her, he poisoned her and left her irreparable in her eyes. Yet, she takes on the selfish notion that she can practice a dance she knows so well -- to move others from the path she was forced on. Even if it were mere moments where she reclaims happiness, she wants to see that her happiness is Anzu’s for she found a new path that wouldn’t erode her spirits and hopes. 

Other times, it will be more routine or competitive matters since Sophie is usually one that likes to help or tends to get in her head and too stubborn if someone challenges her. It wouldn’t be the first time Anzu learns a Trickstar routine and her mentor was beside her, in black tights and a knotted shirt, following her steps. It’s usually that Anzu takes the leading role (Sophie insists) and Sophie takes on a smaller role.

As for the latter situation, that is usually just Sophie dragging her apprentice out into the rare late-night arcades in the city. There’s no way they could sleep and after minutes of texting, Sophie stomped her foot down and dragged her apprentice to a place where they can let off some steam. Dance Rush Stardom and Dance Dance Revolution machines are usually left on fire after the two of them are done. They also play other games and try to win prizes to give to their loved ones -- but, Takehiro usually gets an armful of plushies from them both. 

There’s also, technically, saying “fuck it” and they decide to retire the polite facades to go back on bad habits of delinquency. But, shhhhh. That’s a secret.

Three other major points would always be to tell Anzu to “stay and eat,” inquire about her sibling, and getting her laugh. The first two tend to be combined. 

But, specifically for the first, the best way to ensure that her apprentice is taking care of herself is, sometimes, social pressure. There’s no denying that Anzu has a good portion of devotion dedicated to Sophie and it is reciprocated, if not at a higher degree from mentor to apprentice. With this knowledge, Sophie is packed to the brim with new and different snacks to slide to Anzu when they’re in the same room. There isn’t any way that the brunette would ever decline her mentor’s cooking, even if she’s on a tight schedule. Knowing the right words, expressions, and actions works to Sophie’s favor to get Anzu to eat something, at least.

As for discussing Takehiro, well, that is pretty much the only solid foundation of (birth) family Anzu has left. He is as important to her as her idol work is, Sophie knows, and it wouldn’t be right to limit their relationship to only the latter. It, genuinely, speaks to a level to keep an eye on the Kobayashi siblings, even if their current relationship is rough. Sophie is understanding of how complicated younger siblings can be, especially with big rifts that may not be openly discussed. It is also a way to keep an eye on Anzu’s status with her brother and even encouraging for outings for the three of them -- it is essentially indirect relationship building that Sophie hopes works out, somehow. 

For the very last thing, well, Sophie adores Anzu and just wants that mask of her’s to come off sometimes. She will purposely make herself a fool, acting as if she knows nothing, or even make off-hand comments jokes and comments to rock her apprentice. The puns usually earn her groans and death glares, which is something that makes Sophie happy -- hey, it’s better than the fake smile! If she’s feeling particularly cheeky, she’ll let her real accent (thick Yorkshire accent) slip out while talking in English, and may randomly insert cuss words. Almost as if she’s encouraging Anzu to get back into being a slight potty mouth and say “shit” and “fuck” ever so casually between sentences. But, the most important thing is to get her to laugh, which Sophie tries ever so hard to do. 

[justforbooks]

This delicious flaky pastry called un pain au chocolat. If you’ve never had one, allow me to open your eyes to this little pastry puff of a miracle. Un pain au chocolat is a kind of viennoiserie (literally – ‘a thing from Vienna,’ but in baking, it’s a kind of baked good made from a yeasty dough that is the same as the dough for a croissant) that has 2 bars of dark chocolate baked inside. This puff pastry method, despite its being a “thing from Vienna,” is actually a French baking method. Viennese baked goods become popular in France in the mid-1800s  when a Viennese Bakery was opened in Paris. The baking method was changed a bit, and it became the style we know today.

So, this deliciousness can be enjoyed in the morning by both children and adults alike. It’s very easy to get used to a French breakfast! Adults generally enjoy theirs with une tasse de café (a cup of coffee), and the kids drink theirs with jus d’orange (orange juice).

This chocolate croissant, as it’s often referred to in English, is generally served as breakfast or a snack. À mon avis (in my opinion), they are best served warm. In almost any city in France, you can go to la boulangerie (bakery) and buy one. Unlike other complicated pastries, this one is generally pretty cheap and can be purchased for moins d’un euro (for less than a euro). Sometimes, la boulangerie will have une promotion (a deal/special offer). At the bakery I would frequent, there was a 3 acheté, 1 offert (buy 3 get 1 free) deal for a cheap price. Il faut en profiter (you have to take advantage of that)!

Even though you can find it all over France, you might not always find it under the name pain au chocolat. Much like the soda vs. pop debate in the USA, France has the same linguistic war with this pastry. In southwestern France, this dessert is generally called une chocolatine. Pourquoi la différence (why the difference)? I’ve found two differing reasons: 1) Supposedly during the occupation of Aquitaine, the English were naturally fond of this treat and would ask the locals for a “chocolate-in bread.” Over time, “chocolate-in” came to be pronounced chocolatine. 2) Another theory is that the that word derives from the term chicolatina in Occitan and is still used today.

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