#inspired by that deletes scenes from night at the museum 2

[9worldstales]

MCU: Loki and Midgardian clothes

So, I’ve seen some fans wondering how could Loki fix Mobius’ tie since Asgardians clearly do not wear ties…

…and it made me wonder ‘is this a mistake or Loki was actually familiar with Midgardians clothes?’

So let’s start with the sources at our disposition to answer this question.

SOURCES MENTIONED:

Movies: “Thor” (2011), “The Avengers” (2012), “Thor – Ragnark” (2017)

Series: “Loki” [More exactly a scene from: “Marvel Studios' Loki | Official Trailer | Disney+”] (2021)

Comics: None mentioned

Direct-to-video animated film: None mentioned

Motion comics: None mentioned

Books: “The Art of Thor” (2011), “The art of The Avengers” (2012), “The Art of Thor: Ragnarok” (2017), “Marvel Studios: All your questions answered” (2018)

Novels: “Thor: Ragnarok - The Junior novel” by Jim McCann (2017)

Webs: None mentioned

Others: “Thor” old movie script

Okay, now we can start.

So, as weird as it might seem at first, the second answer, which is that Loki is familiar with Midgardian modern attires, might be the intended one, right from “Thor”.

Let’s go back to that movie.

Thor is clearly unfamiliar with present day Midgard as a whole, and so are his friends.

We’ve various moments in which Thor shows he’s unaware of present day Midgardians customs, like when he can’t realize he’s in doctors’ care and thinks they’re attacking him (in a deleted bit, when they tell him they’re trying to help him, he demands they bring him healing stones, showing he has no idea how Earth’s healing system work), or when he breaks a glass asking another believing he’s showing appreciation for the drink, or when he enters in a pet shop, demands a horse and when they tell him they’ve only dogs, cats, birds, demands one of them big enough to ride.

It doesn’t mean he never went to Midgard, in the movie there’s the implication he had been on Midgard before...

Thor: We're going to Jotunheim. Fandral: What? This isn't like a journey to Earth where you summon a little lightning and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a god. This is Jotunheim.

...and there was a cut scene in which he recognized being on Midgard and even calling it ‘Earth’.

Thor: Blue sky... one sun... This is Earth, isn't it?

And there’s another cut scene that says that yes, Sif and the Warriors Three had been on Earth… but a thousand years ago.

Volstagg: Is it just me, or does Earth look a little different to you? Sif: It has been a thousand years... Volstagg: Things change so fast here. You leave for a millennium, and it's like the whole neighborhood's gone.

Now, Loki was a babe in 965 AD and “Thor” takes place in 2011. Sif likely doesn’t mean exactly 1000 years but, what’s more, we don’t know how exactly Asgardians age in the MCU.

Does their childhood last as much as ours and then their aging process slow down so as to allow them to live 5000 years? Or their aging process is proportionately all slowed down and they remains babes for years?

I tend to think their childhood is fast and then they have a slower aging process once they reach a certain age, but anyway this is irrelevant. Even if Loki visited Midgard 1000 years before and was familiar with its customs back then, well, things, as Volstagg points out, are changed a lot.

So… where do we can get an idea if Loki is familiar with Midgard or not?

When Loki goes to see Thor, he shows up dressed up in 21st century Midgardian attire.

In “The Art of Thor” is said:

Said Craig Kyle, “Loki wants to look good, he’s a man of style… Loki actually has three looks, Thor has one.” In addition to the three costumes he wears in the otherworldy realm of Asgard, Loki also makes a brief appearance in a suit and tie. Said Tom Hiddleston, “When he turns up on Earth in the movie, [he’s] very GQ.”

(For who, like me, is not familiar with the term GQ, it is used to describe a guy who is dressed nicely, very sleek, or very sexy to the ladies, The term comes from the men's fashion magazine named GQ (=Gentlemen's Quarterly).)

They don’t really explains why Loki decided to dress up like that, but the fact he chose to is meaningful.

Loki was going to see Thor, and he only let Thor see him.

He appears in the room Thor was, presumably after waiting for a while inside it but invisible since he complains about how he thought Coulson would never leave. When Coulson is back, Loki has magically disappeared again.

People doesn’t see Loki, not even when he tries to lift up Mjolnir.

Long story short, Loki’s attire is not to disguise himself as a human among humans and walk among them unnoticed, as he just doesn’t let them see him at all, and if he were, his very fashionable outfit would likely draw more gazes than anything else (compare it with Coulson’s plain suit), especially when he tries to lift Mjolnir while all around it there are scientists dresses in scientist garbs and guards dressed in guard uniforms.

So we can see Loki didn’t need to dress as a human to see Thor, he could have very well gone there in his normal Asgardians clothes, like he does when he goes to visit Laufey...

...though he could have forsaken the armour when visiting Thor, and just show up in his normal attire.

Instead Loki picked up a stylish Midgardian outfit to go meet his brother. Be it an illusion (more likely) or real clothes, Loki knew how a fashionable 21st century Midgardian would dress and decided to dress as such even though there was no need for it. This implies a familiarity with Midgard, or at least with its dressing style, which I genuinely doubt could have been a topic of study for Asgardians... even though Odin too was familiar with Midgardians attires as, when he bans Thor to Earth, he changes his clothes into modern, ordinary, definitely not fashionable Midgardian ones.

Loki knows the secret paths between words, it can be he travelled to Midgard and, once there, grew to like the elegant style we have.

But yes, this doesn’t necessarily mean he could learn how to fix a tie, as his clothes might be an illusion.

The final bit of “Thor” is a bit of a confusing thing as it shows Loki (dressed in Asgardian clothes) invisible to other people’s eyes controlling Selvig...

...which is confirmed by “Marvel Studios: All your questions answered” which describes that scene as:

Loki controls Selvig as he examines the Tesseract.

If Loki had controlled Selvig for an extensive period he might have learnt to tie ties as Selvig wears one.

However, although this scene was created and directed by Joss Whedon, this scene is kind of forgotten when “The Avengers” rolls around.

In it Selvig is free from Loki’s control until Loki uses the sceptre with the mind stone to turn him into his servant.

Now… “The Avengers”.

The story starts by night, with Loki arriving in the S.H.I.E.L.D. research center in which Selvig is studying the Tesseract.

Natasha Romanov, Bruce Banner, Steve Roger and Tony Stark are all warned during night. It’s possible it’s the same night, maybe it’s the night after.

It’s full day when Steve Roger travels with Coulson. The following scene shows Loki remembering his talk with the Other and then we’ve Steve reaching the Helicarrier and meeting up with Natasha and Bruce.

Then Loki shows up at Stuttgart Museum again dressed up in 21st Century attire with his sceptre disguised as a cane. This time Loki is sort of disguising himself, as he’s actually planning to draw attention on himself but, at first, in a subtle manner so it makes sense he dressed up as a Midgardian to move among Midgardians so as not to alert common people but end up being tracked by SHIELD because they can see him on monitors and recognize him… something they wouldn’t be able to do had he been invisible.

Loki drops his disguise only later, after he has sent a holographic image of Dr. Heinrich Schafer’s eye to Barton. He confront with Steve and Tony and vanish his armour… remaining in Asgardian clothes. He’s short after taken by Thor, who then argues with Steve and Tony until Thor decides to get along with them and Loki is carried on the Helicarrier all in the same night.

Natasha takes care to inform us Loki killed 80 people in 2 days. This should mean Loki is on Midgard by two days.

Why all this is relevant?

Again Loki dressed up as a stylish Midgardian,

...his clothes similar to the ones he had in “Thor” yet vaguely different (in “Thor” the coat is green, in “The Avengers” black and the scarf motive is slightly different) and even knew that, in order to disguise the sceptre, he can’t mask it as, let’s say, a pitchfork but a cane. It’s true, since he’s been on Earth by 2 days, this time he could have gotten that knowledge by Barton or Selvig.

“The art of The Avengers” again doesn’t tell us much apart that:

“Joss and Kevin both wanted a different look for Loki in The Avengers, in part for the fans and in part to serve the story,” Visual Development Supervisor Charlie Wen said.” For Loki, his costumes evolved from the super-clean look of the Asgard from Thor to a much grittier and more lived-in look to show the changes he’s gone through since then.” “For Thor and Loki, much of our inspiration came from Jack Kirby’s original character designs,” Wen said. “Loki represent mischief. He is a cultured traveller.”

But, if we put clothes aside, Loki is also aware of how:

Loki: The humans slaughter each other in droves, while you idly threat. I mean to rule them. And why should I not?

It’s something Thor didn’t seem to know/realize.

This seems to imply Loki knows about Earth’s history or, at least, of its present situation. Yes, he might have had a crash course in history of Earth courtesy by Clint or Selvig, but he might have also learnt it by himself in trips on Earth since Odin didn’t seem interested in Earth beyond protecting it from some attacks from creatures from other realms (he helps against the Frost Giants, however he doesn’t seem aware of the Skrulls and Krees walking on its surface nor he cares to check what humans do with the Tesseract doing nothing when Red Skull uses it to produce weapons) so he might not have bothered having his son learning about Midgard’s history and situation.

The last time we see Loki dressed as a human is in “Thor: Ragnarok”.

In it his clothes are much more simple than usual as he only wears a black suit, no scarf, no coat.

In “The Art of Thor: Ragnarok” there’s actually not one but 2 arts for more elaborate suits with coat but they were clearly discharged as Loki never wears them in the movie.

“Thor: Ragnarok The Junior novel” which is based on an earlier script says:

They were dressed in regular Earth street wear – shirt and slacks – and Thor carried an umbrella. His hair was swept back into a ponytail. Loki’s magic was projecting an illusion onto the duo.

...which seems to imply the scriptwriter originally didn’t even think dressing Loki stylish… and anyway mostly focused on Thor... so it’s possible Loki’s attire in the movie is a compromise between the scriptwriter, who though to dress Loki in shirt and slacks, and "Thor: Ragnarok” Visual Development Supervisor Andy Park who wanted to put him in an elegant and stylish suit as the other Visual Development Supervisors had done.

Still, the scriptwriter too thinks Loki is aware of how, if Thor wants to keep an object in his hands, it has to look like something ordinary and how an umbrella can fit the bill. As it didn’t rain during Loki’s short permanence on Earth, the fact he knows umbrellas exist and is acceptable to carry them around seems to imply Loki has an idea of how Earth works.

So all this to say… yes, Loki might be more familiar with Earth than it looked like and he might have learnt how to make a tie or, at least, how to fix it since this is more what he seems to do in that scene in “Marvel Studios' Loki | Official Trailer | Disney+”

We can only wait and see if “Loki” will give us more explanations about this scene or it will just toss it in and not bother to explain it at all.

Meanwhile I’ll have fun thinking before things went wrong Loki used to come on Earth and look up on fashion magazines and love the idea of how good he would look in such clothes that he began to dress up according to Midgard fashion style each time he got to set a feet on it.

[evak-fic-rec-turtleanon]

Evak Fics - Pets/Animals

Pets and Animals list. Includes cats/kittens, dogs/puppies, and other animals.

Did @kkhymmmm inspire me to make this list? Absolutely. Just look at all the cat art: Cats1, cats2, and cats3. Also this one by @art-vandeley And this one incorporating birds by @leoniejulie And this one of Galileo the fish from TMTTS by @mfrov95

Fics are under a read more:

********** CATS/KITTENS **********

Kitten Stories by cami_soul - (WIP) Inspired by Kim's art

SKAM + kittens by hippopotamus (Series, 10 fics)

Cat Got Your Secret? by smilexdarling (567 words) - A simple afternoon of cuddling is interrupted by the appearance of a strange cat. 

To the Moon and Back by flowerbedofsouls (Series, 2 fics) - Isak knows Even is up to something as soon as he hears the door close. As it turns out, Isak likes that 'something'. 

Feline Approval by givemepizza (732 words) - Isak only wants to go out on a date....as long as his cats let him. 

for remembrance by orphan_account (905 words) - there's someone new (and fluffy) in the kollektiv but she still needs a name 

Box of Kittens by bashfulisak (1.1k words) - Isak hides away a box of kittens and wants to tell Even but that's not exactly how it goes. 

Bewitched by i_once_wrote_a_dream (1.4k words) - witch Even. “Isak, I’m Thor.” Isak wants to laugh. It’s laughable. 

BELLA by LiliMane (1.4k words) - "I don’t think you’re a kitten expert, Even, so you shouldn’t be running your mouth in regards to kitten issues with such confidence." 

Bigsby the Matchmaking Cat by smilexdarling (1.6k words) - Even owes his future love life with a grumpy kitten-man to a grumpy actual-cat. 

And With Arrows Through Everything by drvology (1.8k words) - The small things Even alone finds, but both know to treasure. 

Isak, Even, and little Cleo by justwhatever (Series, 2 fics) - Even hasn't been doing so well recently, and Isak thinks he knows what could cheer him up. 

Sweet Potato & Grumpy Cat by mazarin01 (1.9k words) - Isak and Even adopts two cats from an animal shelter and struggles with giving the two male cats names. 

My Blue Heaven by dahlstrom (2.2k words) - The one where they adopt a stray kitten together, and the shenanigans that ensue. 

The Sixth Roommate by NovemberRose (2.4k words) - Eskild brings home a kitten and compares it to Isak several times. 

Catnapping My Heart by Skamzombie (2.9k words) - Isak has just moved into a new apartment with his cute cat and everything is swell until a hot blue eyed neighbour comes knocking on his door threatening to tell their landlord about the cat he's NOT meant to have...which leads to both of them coming to an agreement. 

Radiance of the Sun by wyoheartsmusic (3k words) - Isak thinks he's losing his mind and Sana has a secret. Halloween. supernatural cat 

the world is ours by ihatefindingusernames (3.6k words) - As Isak stood there, staring at the most beautiful man he had ever seen, he couldn’t help but smile. This stunning man was his soon to-be husband. Isak just smiled and watched. 

Life by drvology (5k words) - Five Even & Isak vignettes. Anytime during or after S4. With Carda the cat.

new beginnings by skamz (5k words) -  DELETED 

close encounters of the feline kind by anathema (azirapha1e) (5.7k words) - In some universes, love blossoms in swimming pools. In others, there are kittens involved. 

with the taste of a poison paradise by chasingflower (6.1k words) - Coraline au

Spontaneous Acts by XO (SleepingWave) (6.1k words) - Maybe Even's impulsiveness was a good thing. 

Norwegian Wood by Tuii (6.3k words) - They do still touch, kiss, hold each other. But it is different, there’s something missing. The drive, lust, want, need. It is alive, the lust and want, but because it’s been so long since they actually had sex, it feels hidden. 

Kattehookern by Allregretto (7.5k words) - Losing track of your roommate's cat really sucks, but at least Isak has his hot neighbor to help him out. 

if you must live, darling one, just live by grinsekaetzchen (7.9k words) - Warning for animal death at the beginning. Features an adorable cat halfway through. Post apocalypse au 

you're the glitter in the dark by piccadilly (10k words) - Isak is a witch and has a cat. five times Isak almost revealed his magic, and the one time Even revealed his. 

my love is a lighthouse fire by panshambles (30k words) - Isak is a lighthouse keeper and Even runs his boat aground one stormy night. Features a cat  - DELETED 

four movements on a first wedding by chevythunder  (47k words) - Isak gets a cat at some point. Isak's spent years keeping his distance to Even, worried that any kind of closeness could trigger feelings he won't be able to suppress. Waking up married to Even after a blurry night in Las Vegas throws a slight wrench in those plans. 

Tumblr Prompts by Tuii - (WIP) One shots of cats and dogs

********** DOGS/PUPPIES **********

what think you of falling in love? by withoutwords (605 words) - “You got a dog,” Sana says unnecessarily, blinking at the hairy thing curled up on their couch. 

The One With The Waggly Tail by tiptopevak (767 words) - doggy daycare. He's smiling at the dog, but, okay, maybe a little bit at Isak, too. 

Puppy Love by janesargnt (993 words) - pet shop. Even though Even may not have left with an actual dog, he left with Isak Valtersen's number, which was arguably even better. 

Puppy Love by BluebeardsWife (1.1k words) - Isak comes home to find Even has adopted a puppy. 

Meds by Tuii (1.2k words) - They have a dog. He has this bad habit of putting all the pills on this hand at once, and then pouring all of them into his mouth. There is something about the amount of pills on his hand. He needs to see them there, all together, he needs to see how many he has to take every night. 

Show me your true colors by NikiNixie (1.5k words) - Even always wondered what it would be like to meet his soulmate. And he was very excited to find out, why he had his handprints on his chest. Yes, those were hands of a man. But he never expected to meet him on the verge of death. 

and they called it puppy love. by milominderbinder (1.6k words) - Even comes home from work one day, and Isak has a bit of an early birthday surprise for him. A surprise that didn't go exactly to plan. 

feelings that i adore by thekardemomme (2.9k words) - Isak loves Even’s dog, and Even loves Isak. Turns out it’s more mutual than they think. 

It’s easy come, never go by LostInAdmiration (3.7k words) - Being a parent was terrifying. It was exhausting and stressful and Isak hadn’t slept properly in weeks. Isak relayed all of this to Jonas during their weekly meet up. Jonas snorted and rolled his eyes as Isak complained. “He’s a dog, Isak, not a baby.” 

It is love we must hold onto by askynote (5.9k words) - Five times Isak went to Even's home, and one time Even went to his. Even has a dog 

Dog Watching by folerdetdufoler (13k words) - Even is a dog-walker and Isak is a university student and that's how/when they meet. Jonas, as always, is a very good friend. 

from an earth to its sun by traumatic (18k words) - the entire world goes to bed normally and wakes up with glowing countdowns above their heads. No one's sure what causes the numbers to drop, only that when they hit 0, you hit the ground. 

Let go when you give it by unsungyellowraincoat (23k words) - Isak is a tired biology student who has no time for love, he barely manages to take care of himself. Until two small dogs and a tall handsome stranger change all of that. 

Scene Three, Take Two by folerdetdufoler (31k words) - Isak is 23, a student in the veterinary program at NMBU, and working an internship at a clinic in Kongsvinger. He hasn't seen Even in three years, but randomly bumps into him on the street when he's visiting his mom in Oslo. 

Rule of Seven by folerdetdufoler (164k words) - Isak works at a museum, curating art to educate and entertain the people of his capital city. Even works at a video game company, collaborating with a group of specialized artists to design the worlds and characters that people can get lost in. In the third room of the linear layout of the gallery, Isak notices Even. In the third room of the linear layout of the gallery, Even notices Isak. Isak's dog is the best. 

Leopard on my shoulder by Tuii - (WIP) He sees the boy again. The boy. The boy he has been seeing around for months now. The boy that he has been dreaming of and drawing in his sketchbook page after page, different kind of facial expressions. Even has a dog. 

Tumblr Prompts by Tuii - (WIP) One shots of cats and dogs

********** OTHERS **********

My rose-colored boy by nveld (1.4k words) - moth. Isak is terrified of moths and makes his roommate (and crush) Even catch one hiding in his room, but not before they both make a confession. 

I Ducking Love You by wyoheartsmusic (1.5k words) - duck. Even has a disagreement with a duck and Isak and Even fall in love along the way. 

The Fish Incident by Lisa94 (1.7k words) - fish. "AU where even accidentally kills isak's fish and buys a new one hoping isak won't notice" 

something lonesome, something so wholesome by hippopotamus (3.2k words) - soulmate tattoos that are animals. an au where there's a tattoo on your skin that can move around, and when you find your soulmate it can move onto them too. 

the adventures of stanley the matchmaking parrot by hippopotamus (4.3k words) - parrot. pet shop. In which Even and Isak are ridiculously obvious, and Jonas’ wingman skills are second only to a parrot’s. 

and we rule the kingdom inside my room by GayaIsANerd (4.3k words) - spiders. Isak just wants to save spiders from being killed, and Even ends up having to save him... multiple times 

The Mouse Hunters by MermaidsandMermen (SophiaSoames) (Series, 3 fics) - mice. He needs this Anticimex dude to turn up and fix everything that is wrong with his life right now, and then he will rest. Sleep for days. 

look up to the skies and see by traumatic (6k words) - deer. on the run from his past, Even moves to a place no one would think to look for him—a small town in New Jersey with a dark and magical past. 

you pretend you didn't see me cry by dewdrops (6.5k words) - insects and spiders. Isak struggles with a certain phobia or two. Even tries to help.

Cuddle Monsters by sikily (8k words) - featuring a mythical animal like the Raiju that are Japanese mythological creatures 

Losing strides for you by Thatoneweirdevakshipper (13k words) - Horses. “Hella, need anything?” The guy said, hooking his horse into the cross ties. “Sorry, never seen you around. Isak.” He said, holding out his hand. “Even,” The guy said, shaking Isaks hand. 

If the wind breathes by unsungyellowraincoat (18k words) - bees. Death of a former classmate brings Even back to his hometown where he meets a young beekeeper named Isak. 

and this mist, it makes it hard to see by vesperthine (36k words) - horses. In a way, it was escapism. In others, not so much. But Even has only been there for three months when Isak shows up. And it makes a mess out of everything, while other things settle into place. 

Signal by Laika_the_husband (43k words) - chickens. Even, one of the most active people on murdersweb.no, has been working on the Valtersen case for years. Now he has finally made a breakthrough. He's found Valtersen's hideout. He packed up his camera gear and headed out to get an interview that no TV channel would refuse. His road to the industry has finally been paved. He had not expected to find himself stuck in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal, at the mercy of his target. He also had not expected to find himself fall for him. 

Don't look at me by Julieseven (66k words) - not exactly animals but it features people's souls walk beside them in form of animals, called daemons

[cchmissions]

Israel Day Nine: Tuesday 1/08/19

Waking up Tuesday morning was difficult, for many reasons; knowing we wouldn’t be returning to the hotel; the stress of packing, unpacking, and repacking your suitcase hoping to get everything to fit once again; trying to mentally prepare ourselves for our 36 hour day and all the travels that the day held; and most grim, knowing our time in Israel was running out. Yet we made the best of our situation and left the hotel with high hopes of what our last day might have in store for us. Our hotel was located in the Northeastern part of Israel and our airport, the final destination of the day, was located near the middle of the country on the western side along the coast of the Mediterranean.

Because we did have such a long day of driving, our tour guide planned a stop along the way at Caesarea. In 22 BC, King Herod had a dream that he wanted to build the largest port on the Mediterranean. Twelve years later, his dream came true. Caesarea, named after Augustus Caesar, used to be a very powerful city because of it’s location along the shore and the numerous entertainment options it provided. Before modern-day cruises became popular, ships would only sail shore-to-shore and dock every night so the fisherman or passengers could sleep on land. Caesarea offered its’ inhabitants and guests with plenty of leisure activities: chariot racing, gladiator games, and live theater at the large amphitheater that would have held 6,000 people. Unfortunately, a lot of this materialistic city was destroyed by conquest or overtaken by the waves of the Mediterranean. The amphitheater though is still functioning and used weekly for concerts. Most sites we stopped at had a gift shop, Caesarea being no exception. This shop was special though in that it had Bamba, our new favorite Israeli snack. More than half the group bought a bag to eat on the trip home.

Our next stop was Tel Aviv, or the New York of Israel. It is Israel’s second largest city and most populous city, oddly enough it is also one of the newest cities in Israel. Founded in 1909, Tel Aviv became a place where Jewish refugees would flood throughout the 20th century. Today it is a major tourist attraction, known for its’ nightlife, shopping, and fashion industry. It was very fitting that we spent the majority of our time in Tel Aviv at the Caramel Market, the largest market in Tel Aviv. Two city streets, parallel to each other, were full of vendors selling handmade crafts, produce, off-brand clothing, spices, sweets, electronics, wall décor, and so much more. The narrow streets were packed with other market goers all trying to get a look at the goods being offered; it really did feel like New York.

While at Caesarea, our guide Efrat received an exciting phone call saying that we would be able to tour Independence Hall, the building where Israel declared it was a nation, while in Tel Aviv. The Hall was supposed to be closed for visitors for the next few years, so our visit was truly an unexpected treat. Beginning as a house, then an art museum, and now a historical site the Independence Hall has had about as many changes as Israel has. During our tour, we sat where guests sat in 1948 during the meeting that would eventually declare Israel a nation. There is nothing particularly special about the house, which makes it a rather odd place to have such an important meeting. But because Israel was still not at peace, the founders needed somewhere safe where they could meet. The then art museum seemed like the perfect disguise, and the shelter walls and high windows of the basement didn’t hurt either.

After being educated about the creation of Israel as a nation, we got on the bus and took a short ride to Joffa/Joppa. This ancient port has many biblical stories attached to it: Solomon transported cedars here to build the First Temple (2 Chronicles 2:5-6), Jonah the prophet fled from God (Jonah 1:3), and where Peter brought Tabitha back to life and stayed with Simon the Tanner (Acts 9:36-43). Our first stop was an outlook of the shoreline and St. Peter’s church, built to commemorate the visit and miracles of Peter while in Joffa. Efrat shared that most churches face east, in Israel however, because sunlight and Jesus will eventually come from the east. St. Peter’s church is no exception, but because it faces east towards the Mediterranean Sea, it is meant to represent that the church is open to all people even those across the sea—even Gentiles. We then walked to the believed site of Simon the Tanner’s home, and Lance retold the story of Peter healing Tabitha Dorcus. Back on the bus it was time to go to the Closing Dinner.

The entire trip, Passages had provided five-star accommodations, but the Closing Dinner was the most luxurious of all. The conference hall where we ate was two stories tall, with one wall being glass windows from the ceiling to the floor. Before being served, our group along with Efrat and Michael, our body guard, met in a separate lounge to hold a debrief of the trip. Everyone shared their favorite part of the trip and something they learned/want to take back with them. It was interesting hearing the 38 different perspectives of the trip, and how some people’s highlights were others deleted scenes. It was very bittersweet, sitting all together one last time, knowing we wouldn’t ever be able to recreate this trip.

Since my return, many people have asked me “Would you want to go back?”. And the easy answer is yes, yes I would. But honestly, I feel that it would be a disservice if I went back outside of Passages. Having started only three years ago, it was amazing how developed, professional, and pristine Passages and the entire trip was. They provided us with so much extra information, viewpoints, and insights that made the trip all the more meaningful. The immense amount of detail and effort that is poured into our schedule really showcases Passages desire for the students to learn and be more than just mindless tourists. I also couldn’t imagine coming back and not having Efrat as my personal guide. Her knowledge of the bible, land, Jewish culture, and Israeli history was absolutely inspiring. She said that she started giving tours after college just trying to make some money before something better came along, 29 years later she has mastered the art of tour-giving and could probably do it in her sleep. I would say without any doubts, that every single person on our bus was positively affected by her presence and inspired to learn more about our own faith because of her.

For our last supper, pun 100% intended, we were served our choice of veal, chicken, or fish. A significant amount of sides and pita was also consumed. While dessert was being served, we acknowledged each of the 8 buses, the faculty, tour guides, and body guards that were represented in the room. Once we were done eating, we had to rush to the airport to have enough time to make it through customs before our flight departed. Many hugs were given to Efrat and Michael, before we finally had to go our separate ways. Both of our flights went smoothly without any issues. The one thing on most people’s minds after landing was when they could get fast food. It seemed that a week without a hamburger or pizza was more difficult than expected. Honestly though, does anything say America more than a McDonalds?

The partially destroyed amphitheater in Caesarea Phillippi, and view of Mediterranean

The view of the amphitheater from the stage; it used to be 3 stories tall

Remains of Caesarea Phillippi, most washed away by the sea

The bus with all of our Bamba 

Carmel Market in Tel Aviv 

The original photo of Ben Gurion, the leader of Israel during both World Wars, in Independence Hall

Staircase down to the port 

Jaffa port 

Luxurious location of our last meal in Israel 

The last meal in Israel (chicken served at the fancy dinner) 

First meal post-Israel (please laugh at the comparison between this and the last meal in Israel) 

[wealthbronze59-blog]

Halloween Weekend What To Do

Here's some more events you can be doing this weekend for Halloween.

Update:

House of Wax (1953) Featuring A Tribute to Vincent Price Sunday, October 28, 7:00 Pm Alex Theatre 216 North Brand Boulevard Glendale, CA 91203 $17 [$12.50 Ticket + $4.50 Fees ]

Parties

-For any night club parties 21+ check out this huge list.

LBScary @Nick 2018 Saturday, October 27 at 7 PM – 11 PM Nickelodeon Animation

231 W Olive Ave, Burbank, California 91502

$75+

21+

Deejay, dancing, prizes for three best costume categories; scariest, best couple or group, and best overall costume, and a raffle for roundtrip airline tickets for two! Plus more surprises!

KCRW's Masquerade

Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 9:00 PM

Los Angeles Theatre 615 South Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014

$89.90 

21+

"LA's favorite Halloween extravaganza has found a new home! We're taking the party to DTLA this year to explore the haunted rooms of the historic Los Angeles Theatre."   10th Annual King Tut's Tomb LA Halloween Party Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 9:00 PM The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood 6712 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028 $tarts at $25

"King Tut's Tomb Comes Alive for its tenth Year Running at the amazing Egyptian Theatre Courtyard! This 10th Annual event made a name for itself every year as the best selling and #1 rated party by HalloweenLA.com in Hollywood, California each and every year. This year it grows even larger when Top International House DJs headline the main stage. Also performing, LA’s Top DJ openers will rock the dance floor to get your groove on-- in full costume with all your friends!"

Minimal Effort: All Hallow's Eve Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 8:00 PM The Belasco Theater 1050 South Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90015 $tarts at $49 Minimal Effort returns to the Belasco Theater in DTLA on Saturday, October 27th, inviting out some of the world’s most in-demand selectors to Los Angeles.

Haunted Night in Little Tokyo: The Block Party 2018 Saturday, Oct. 27 6pm-12am 2nd Street in between Central & San Pedro Street Little Tokyo Free

 Haunted Night in Little Tokyo: The Block Party is a one night Halloween festival with music and entertainment, local food and retail vendors, beer garden and a costume contest.

Grimly Fiendish Cosplay-Masquerdade Dance Party in Los Angeles

Sun, Oct 28, 7:00 pm

5 Star Bar, 267 S Main St, Los Angeles, California 90012

$5

21+

A Night at the Haunted Mansion Friday, October 26, 9PM - 2AM 5574 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood Free, Must Register 21+

"Calling all BOYS & GHOULS...for one night only, step beyond the velvet curtains on All Hallows Eve and into an evening of nouveau Franco frights and hellish delights that can only be known as A Night at The Haunted Mansion. NO ONE HERE MAKES IT OUT ALIVE."

6th Annual Santa Monica Zombie Crawl Saturday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m.-Close Rusty's Surf Ranch 256 Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica, CA 90401 $15 and up 21+

*Dress like a zombie. Enjoy Spooky Food & Drink Specials All Night at over 8 of the city's most popular bars & restaurants starting at Rusty's on the Pier and ending at the��Official After Party at 1212 on the Promenade with DJ, Dancing, Late Night Happy Hour Menu, Contests & more.

BOO-NION STATION HALLOWEEN Saturday, October 27 and Sunday, October 28, 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. South Patio Union Station 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Free 

"Two-Day, Family Friendly Event to Feature a Zombie Zone Hay Maze, Treats-on-Track Trail, Hourly Monster Mash Dance Party and Pet Parade & Costume Contest."

Mourning and Halloween Tours at Heritage Square Museum

Oct. 27-28, noon – 4pm

Heritage Square

3800 Homer Street

$20 adults, $15 members/seniors $8 children, free for kids 5 and younger.

Adults can join in reenactment of an Edwardian funeral to learn customs and attitudes about turn-of-the-century death as well as join in a séance. The kid’s program (only on Sunday Oct. 28) features period games, harvest crafts, trick or treating and a pumpkin patch. Free with admission

Entertainment 

Pageant of the Monsters 

October 26 – 28, and 31, 2018

6:00 – 9:30 pm

Festival of Arts Pageant of the Masters 650 Laguna Canyon Road Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Adult tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door

“Resurrecting an event from years past, the Pageant’s backstage will transform into a haunted house with an artistic twist. The Festival of Arts grounds will be filled with ghoulish tricks and treats including art activities, live music, wandering zombies and other “spook-tacular” surprises.”

The Flowering Of The Strange Orchid

October 26, 27, 28, 7:30PM - 11:30PM

Private residence

$300.00

21+

Disco Dining Club & The Grim Wreather Present: The Flowering of the Strange Orchid. A 3-night, botanical horror dinner party. Exploring the symbiotic relationship between man and flower, The Flowering Of The Strange Orchid's uniquely decadent interpretation of Halloween dares to elevate the Fall season. This is your favorite holiday...exaggerated with all the opulence, grandeur and hedonism of any Disco Dining Club soiree.

Theatricum’s 7th annual ‘BOO-tanicum’

Saturday, Oct. 27 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.*

* Haunted house opens promptly at 7 p.m.: don’t be late — people will be dying to get in.

Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum

1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.

Topanga CA  90290

(midway between Pacific Coast Highway and the Ventura Freeway)

General Admission: $15

Kids 6-15: $10

Ages 5 and under: free

Theatricum BOO-tanicum — Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum transforms into the haunted BOO-tanicum with the company’s 8th annual Halloween extravaganza, highlighted by its unique and infamous haunted house. Enjoy the tricks and treats of the season on the wooded grounds with a host of enticements including ghost stories, game booths, festive food and libations, performances by Creative PlayGround, Peter Alsop, comedy improv group Off the Grid; and more. Beware of zombie thespians! Come on down… if you dare.

The Sanderson Sisters' Halloween Special Saturday, October 27, 11:59pm

UCBT Franklin

5919 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

$5

The witches of Hocus Pocus present Never Before seen/Deleted Scenes from never-aired Halloween Specials. That's right, the Sanderson sisters are back and have enchanted a television to show them original Halloween scenes from their favorite movies and tv shows.

Featuring Binx the Cat: in a cage. 

LA Opera: Vampyr October 27, 31 8pm The Theatre at Ace Hotel 929 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015 $29.00 and up "Menace lurks behind every shadow in a remote village filled with secrets. Our annual Halloween mash-up of opera and cinema returns to the spectacular Theatre at Ace Hotel with filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer’s surreal 1932 masterwork, one of the most unsettling vampire movies ever made. Composer Joby Talbot creates a compelling new score for chamber orchestra and singers, performed live with a rare screening of this cinematic gem, underestimated for decades but now regarded as an important landmark of the horror genre."

Film

Horror Week

Rooftop Cinema Club

Oct 25-27& 30

Level Downtown LA

$$

They're “creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're all together ooky,” they’re the Rooftop Cinema Club October screening schedule! LEVEL will be hosting ‘Horror Week’ beginning on October 25th with What We Do In The Shadows, Silence of the Lambs (October 26), Poltergeist (October 27), Alien, (October 30), and ending the week with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which will be sure to help you sleep at night.

 The Fog October 26 – November 1 Nuarte Theatre $

The Fog wafts back into theaters in late October. John Carpenter’s first post-Halloween venture into the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired, apocalyptic vein that he would continue to mine in films like The Thing (1982) and Prince of Darkness  (1987), THE FOG depicts the seaside California town of Antonio Bay in the grips of an ancient curse and a creeping mist. Drenched in malevolent atmosphere and packing an ensemble cast.

THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES / THE DEVIL’S RAIN 

Fri, Oct 26, 7:30pm 

Aero Theatre 1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403

$ 

All Night Horrorthon 13 Sat, Oct 27, 2018 7:30pm Aero Theatre 1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403 $25

One of our favorite events for Halloween season. And this year it's the special 13 version of the thon that keeps you up all night.

What's playing" 1. Jason X -Space is the place 2. Body Melt 3. Link 4. Maximum Overdrive-Stephen King on cocaine in the 80's directed this 5. Zombie 3 6. Curtains 7. Antropophagus

"Spend all night at the Aero Theatre’s 13th annual Horrorthon! Complete with between-film free food, giveaways, trailers and crazy shorts, this movie marathon feels like rowdiest and most bizarre sleepover you’ll ever attend. Expect special appearances by the beloved Corn Gorn and his bride, Frost Nixon, Wizard Policeman, George Washingmachine and more from the Horrorthon canon. Be prepared to be showered with candy from Randy and DVDs at random. Pack your pillows and survival kits and don’t be shy…the louder you scream, the better your chances of being crowned Mister Horrorthon 2018. Oh, and did we mention stack upon stacks of free pizza and Monster drinks?"

Suspiria Q&As  Saturday, Oct. 27, 6pm and 6:30pm ArcLight Hollywood $

With Director Luca Guadagnino & Actors Tilda Swinton and Dakota Johnson. ArcLight Cinemas is excited to announce two Q&As for the upcoming film - Suspiria. ArcLight Hollywood will host the Q&As on Saturday 10/27 after the 6:00pm & 6:30pm shows. A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Reserve now!

FRANKENSTEIN / BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

Sun, Oct 28, 7:30pm

Aero Theatre 1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403

$ 

  Halloween back in theaters

Playhouse 7, 10.29.14 - 10.29.14

NoHo 7, 10.29.14 - 10.29.14

Claremont 5, 10.30.13 - 10.30.13 

$ 

Simply, a classic that started the genre of slasher films. "This release features a RESTORED and REMASTERED digital print supervised by cinematographer Dean Cundey. A psychotic murderer, institutionalized since childhood for the murder of his sister, escapes and stalks a bookish adolescent girl and her friends while his doctor chases him through the streets."

Source: https://www.ttdila.com/2018/10/halloween-weekend-what-to-do.html

[alifeleadsimply]

Single mama? Then self-care is even more important to your welfare!

Do you prioritise yourself? Do you remember that you have to take care of yourself? Have you ever thought about this?

I know. You are busy, the days are too short, the workload too heavy, the kids too demanding. Finding the time and space to take care of yourself can be challenging. Sometimes it can even feel impossible, especially if you have to do it alone. But for your own sake, as well as those around you, you need to make it a priority. If you do not, you cannot be surprised by burnout, exhaustion, foul moods, anxiety, and trying to exist, all in a mental fog.

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Society puts so much pressure on us to succeed. Add to that obsessive, competitive personalities and additional pressure to be the best mother/daughter/ /businesswoman/friend/etc. and you have a recipe for disaster. For single mamas, the pressure is even more intense – we have the special edition mom-guilt that keeps us going even long after we should have stopped to rest. So often we don’t even notice that we are running at full steam, without ever taking a break to recharge. From the outside, it looks as if we have it all together – a thriving career, obedient well-rounded kids (who we most probably are homeschooling), a clean house. But on the inside, we are slowly dying of exhaustion. Of course, most of the goals that we are killing ourselves to meet were set by us ourselves, and only we will know if we do not reach them. But still, we allow the pressure to steal our time. The time that is also meant to be enough to take care of ourselves.

I have now officially been a single mom for 5 months. 5 long months. Not only have I had to deal with severe separation anxiety (my kids’, not mine) as well as grief, I have also had to weather the Corona storm. So we have been on this up-and-down rollercoaster of emotions, locked in our home, where we now have to learn and play and clean and live. Just us.

During this time, I have realised again that if I allow myself to slide, if I stop prioritising myself, my kids are the first to pay. I become short-tempered, irrational, and just plain mean. When I allow myself to refuel and find the joy in taking care of myself, I am a much better mom – a much better human being. And that is what my kids deserve. So self-care has now become a huge priority, and almost first on the weekly to-do list.

What is self-care?

Self-care is knowing who you are, and what you need to ensure your own tank is full. That tank includes your emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual and social sides. All of these aspects must be balanced and fed, often, to ensure that you live instead of merely exist, that you thrive instead of just survive.

I found this beautiful definition when I did the research for this post. I cannot remember where it was from, so if you recognize it or it is your own, please let me know so that I can reference you! The author said something along the lines of:

"Self-care is not a one-time thing that you can tick off a bucket list. It’s the constant repetition of many tiny habits, which together soothe you and make sure you’re at your optimum—emotionally, physically, and mentally"

Do you want to be at your best – emotionally, physically, and mentally? I would dare to guess that your answer will be “of course”. Then focus on yourself for a bit. Self-care doesn’t have to take time, it can be small things that you do on a daily basis, which fits in in your busy schedule. And it also doesn’t have to cost a thing.

Self-care rests on 5 pillars:

Intellectual

Spiritual

Emotional

Physical

Social

Do something that supports and feeds each of these pillars as part of your self-care routine and you’ll nourish every aspect of your life.

Why?

If the promise of a better you were too vague to convince you, here are 5 benefits of practicing self-care that might make you see this differently:

1. Looking after yourself can actually improve your productivity

Saying “no” to things that would otherwise over-extend you simplifies your life in a wonderful way. When you do not have these mindless activities filling up your day you actually have time to spend on things that matter, allowing you to spend your energy on worthwhile activities.

2. It can increase your resistance to disease (boosts your immune system)

When you take care of yourself you activate your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), allowing your body to rest, rejuvenate, and recharge. This feeds your system, giving it the energy and strength to fight off those nasties that would otherwise make you sick.

3. Self-care improves your self-esteem

Knowing that you are worth looking after immediately makes you value yourself more. Being good to yourself decreases negative self-talk, making you a more positive person in the long run. And positivity has many benefits!

4. It gives you the space to get to know yourself

When last did you take the time to figure out what you love, what you hate, what you don’t mind, and what you wish? Practicing self-care requires thinking about what you really love to do. The exercise of figuring out what makes you feel passionate and inspired can help you understand yourself a lot better.

5. If your own tank is full, you have more to give others

Self-care gives you the resources you need to be compassionate to others. Giving compassion is a bit like filling a bucket from another, bigger bucket; you can’t fill someone else’s bucket if you don’t have enough in your own bucket!

Little and often wins the day

Here are tiny ways to exercise self-care and take better care of yourself. I have grouped them together according to the 5 pillars of self-care. Pick one exercise or activity from each group and incorporate it into your life somewhere during the week.

Tiny self-care ideas for the mind (intellect)

1. Read a book on something that interests you. Not a magazine, an actual book.

2. Look at your to-do list. Scratch of the things that are not necessary, as well as those items that are transferred from list to list. If you are never going to do it, take it off the list.

3. Go cloud-watching. Lie on your back, relax, and watch the sky. Use your imagination to see shapes and scenes.

4. Change a routine in your life. Take another route to work, order a different coffee, or change your ringtone. Mixing up your routine in small ways creates new neural pathways in the brain, helping to keep it healthy.

5. Enjoy a big belly laugh. Find something that gives you joy, and that is absurdly funny. Enjoy!

6. Learn something new that challenges you, but that is fun at the same time, e.g. take a dance class, learn how to knit, do a crossword.

7. Be selfish. Do one thing today just because it makes you happy.

8. Do a mini-declutter.

9. Recycle three things from your wardrobe that you don’t love or regularly wear.

Capsule wardrobe: Minimise your wardrobe without minimising your style

My winter capsule

10. Get out of your comfort zone, even if it’s just talking to a stranger at the bus stop.

11. Edit your social media feeds, and delete or unfollow any negative people.

Tiny self-care ideas for the body (physical)

1. Run, jog or walk for a few minutes. Exercise of any kind is a great mood booster and de-stressor.

2. Make one small positive change to your diet for the week. Drink an extra glass of water each day, or have an extra portion of vegetables with each meal. This can also include eliminating something from your diet for the week – no chocolate, no milk, no coffee. Just remember this is not to punish yourself, rather reward yourself with better, healthier habits.

3. Be still. Sit somewhere outside, preferably in the sun, and be quiet for a few minutes. This is a stepping stone to meditation.

Essential oils for meditation: Using nature to improve your life

4. Use essential oils in a diffuser, to calm you, give you focus, energise, etc. Try peppermint to suppress food cravings and boost mood and motivation.

5. Listen to music. Explore different genres and new artists.

6. Do yoga. Even if you’ve never tried it. Doing a mindful practice has many more benefits than just giving you a good stretch.

7. Nap when you need to. Just 20 minutes can make you feel mentally and physically refreshed.

8. Say “no” to invitations when you’re simply too tired to enjoy them, or if the gathering will just drain you mentally.

9. Take a long bath, with bath salts and oil, candles, and soft music. Read or just lie there and dream.

10. Commit to enough hours of sleep per night, barring exceptional circumstances (figure out how much sleep you need to function optimally)

Essential oils for sleep: Using nature to improve your life

Tiny self-care ideas for the soul (spiritual)

1. Read the Bible, and be still with God.

2. Choose who you spend your time with today. This includes social media. Cut out people who only drain you.

3. Stroke a pet. If you don’t have one, go to the park and find one. (Ask first!)

4. Make a small connection. Have a few sentences of conversation with someone in customer services such as a sales assistant or barista.

5. Have a self-date. Spend an hour alone doing something that nourishes you (reading, your hobby, visiting a museum or gallery, etc.)

6. Identify one of your strengths. Think about what you’re good at, and find an opportunity to use it.

7. Ask for help—big or small, just reach out and allow someone else to be there for you.

8. Go to church.

9. Be creative, whether through art, music, writing, or something else entirely.

10. Go on a trip with the sole purpose of photographing things that inspire you.

Tiny self-care activities for your moods (emotional)

1. Keep a daily journal, and be totally honest about your feelings. Start a gratitude practice

2. Write a list of “feeling words” to expand your emotional vocabulary.

3. Make time to be with a friend or family member who understands you.

4. Let yourself cry when you need to. Allow yourself to experience your emotions.

5. Sing along to happy music.

6. Cuddle up under a soft blanket. It is ok to allow yourself to feel comforted and comfortable.

7. Watch the flames of a candle or a fire.

8. Have crazy good chocolate. Or a glass of wine.

9. Walk barefoot on the grass.

10. Volunteer to help a cause that means something to you.

Tiny self-care activities for your social life (social)

1. Make a date to have lunch or dinner with a good friend.

2. Write an email to someone who lives far away, but whom you miss.

3. Reach out to someone you like but haven’t seen in a while.

4. Consider joining a group of people who share your interests.

5. Stop socializing with those who undermine or disempower you.

6. Strike up a conversation with someone interesting.

7. Sign up for a class to learn something and meet new people at the same time.

8. Spend time with a parent or mentor—someone who makes you feel protected and inspired.

9. Look into local retreats where you can meet like-minded people and escape from society.

10. Hug someone you love (friend, family member, or your child) for 12-15 seconds—studies show this boost immune system function and prompt the release of calming hormones. Just make sure it is someone you know and like, 12 seconds can be very long!

I am convinced that you should be able to find at least one activity in the above lists that speaks to you, and that is easily added to your weekly routine (tip: if you don’t have a weekly routine, start your self-care journey by working out a weekly routine). Once you can comfortably get to that one thing, add another. Continue until you are satisfied. And while you are busy, teach your kids the importance of self-care – let us all do our part in raising a generation who knows how to value themselves.

[hawaiiirl]

Pixar Animation Studios’ tour and its minor Hawaii connection

The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Coco, and many more hit films are all generated by the masterminds at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville. I was lucky to meet director of animation James Ford Murphy and executive producer Andrea Warren, and be invited for a look at where the magic is made.

We pull in on a sunny October day, pass through the security gate, and walk towards the main building, named after founder Steve Jobs. The campus is incredibly creative, with airy buildings, green lawns, and recreational spaces to recharge.

Squirrels scamper up manicured trees, and a flock of plump Canadian geese graze at the outdoor amphitheater. A large plastic seagull – Nigel, from Finding Nemo – keeps watch over the small soccer field (rumor: the grass is FIFA-approved). It gives off the feel of a college.

An immense lamp and ball sit outside the main building- well-known logo Luxo the lamp, which actually illuminates after dark. We would later learn on the tour that Australia’s Museum of Modern Art constructed the piece for a Pixar exhibit, and shipped it to California when the show was over.

We checked in and waited for our tour guide, Xanadu, at the Steve Jobs Building, a huge, bright, glass-enclosed warehouse with concept art from the latest movie to greet folks; the Parr family stands poised to fend off questionable visitors, because Pixar’s next movie is Incredibles 2.

Characters from Cars and Inside Out lounge near the ping-pong tables and the glass case full of Oscar awards. As you look further into the Atrium, you’ll see a gift shop with items only available there (not in Disney stores), a USPS post office, an employee lunch room, and a bustling cafeteria.

Xanadu explained that Steve Jobs oversaw the design, and he wanted a building made by hand, like the films Pixar produces. He was so meticulous; he searched for the perfect shade of brick color, ultimately settling on a dark brown mix inspired by the Hills Bros. Coffee House in San Francisco.

Jobs also laid out the floor plan for the departments in accordance with the brain’s hemispheres: the creative sides are on the right side of the building. The technical sides are on the left. The level of thought Jobs put into each detail is mind-blowing.

This is a two-story building, but the second story is like a loft, with offices only along two sides. From the ground, you can still look up – and slightly into the rooms where people are meeting.

In the Steve Jobs Building, the patio floor extends into the building, separating the inside and outside only by a wall of glass. That’s to create a seamless transition, and an “Alice in Wonderland” effect, as Xanadu told us.

Xanadu said Jobs believed strongly that face-to-face contact resulted in the best ideas, so his initial plans called for only one restroom in the entire building. This mother cringes.

After pushback from the rest of the team, Jobs capitulated and made it two, but they’re at the front of the building, still forcing people to leave their desks and interact with others.

She says he also advocated healthy practices, so there are two large staircases to encourage walking in the Atrium, subsidized health classes in the “Breathing Room” (fitness studio), a salt-water lap pool heated to 74 degrees, basketball and sand volleyball courts, a BBQ area (“Palm Grove”), large herb gardens the chefs use in their cooking, the aforementioned soccer field, and monthly visits from a team of therapy dogs for stress relief.

It’s near lunch now, and droves of staffers are coming out to Café Luxo for their subsidized lunch. There’s a table of today’s specials to choose from, in addition to other cafeteria staples. Beverages are free, and lunch is cheap.

If employees want to bring their own food, there’s a beautiful, wood paneled break room. Jobs, we’re told, didn’t want workers to go hungry, so there’s always free cereal and milk, PB&J materials, and fruits.

As we near the end of the Atrium, we see a door in the wall leading to the Steve Jobs Theater. The 235-seat arena is used for the final review of movies.

Sometimes, Pixar uses the space for educational talks for staff development, organized by the so-called Pixar University committee. Monday nights, it’s dedicated for recreation when theater manager John Hazelton shows old movies on 35 mm film.

Then we duck past a Closed Set sign, into the hallway where the voice actors lay down their tracks. We are not allowed to take photos for the next couple sections.

The hall leading into the recording studio is painted brick red, and autographed with many names like Owen Wilson, Jeff Pidgeon, Amber Kroner, Patton Oswald, Dame Edna, Alexander Gold, and Elle Docter.

“Who are some famous people you’ve seen?” we ask Xanadu excitedly.

“We have a no gawking policy,” she says, “so we aren’t allowed to take photos or go up to famous people.” Also, there aren’t celebrities walking around all the time. Xanadu says if an actor is working with Pixar for the first time, they’re invited to come to the headquarters to get a feel for the company’s culture. After that, Pixar travels to the voice actors.

She adds that sometimes, celebrities visit just for a tour, and the biggest star she’s seen in her five years there is actor Keanu Reeves. Xanadu permits me to blog about that.

From the audio booth area, we walk upstairs past rows of colorful offices on the second floor. The wide hallway is lined with art from 2017’s Coco. Xanadu says every piece of art connected to a movie is saved – even concept sketches on napkins – and archived in the art gallery for future exhibits in places around the world.

It took seven years to research Coco, which won an Oscar. Pixar has two full time sculptors, Jerome Ranft and Greg Dextra, whose job is it to create a 3-D sculpture of the main characters. This gives the 2-D artists a better feel for who the character is and how they should animate it.

We see clay molds, sketches, and digital paintings of the Coco characters, and a short informative movie about the challenges for this film: how to create the world of the dead, and how to light, color, and animate such a fantasy world?

We were fascinated to learn there are animation artists dedicated to extremely specific jobs. For every movie, there is an art team dedicated to just creating crowds of people.

There is an exquisite guitar inlaid with pearl and gold on one of the walls. Xanadu shares that it’s one of only 11 created in conjunction with Coco, and that the director and producer of that movie each have one. She’s not sure where the other nine are, but informs us the Consumer Products team commissioned a limited run of the instruments.

At the end of this art gallery, we come to a sitting area with what looks like a storyboard on the wall. It’s a color script, Xanadu clarifies, whose purpose is to show the mood, color, lighting, and tone of each movie.

There are quaint, brown leather chairs here that belonged to Walt Disney. The Walt Disney!

We’ve concluded the viewing of the first art gallery, and it’s time to walk across a bridge to the other side of the Atrium. The bridge is slightly arched, and Xanadu says it’s because Jobs didn’t want a straight line to cut the view when looking up from the ground floor.

This art gallery is Incredibles-themed, and the color script is more retro. Incredibles 2 is due in summer 2019.

The film after that is an untitled piece by Dan Scanlon, the creator of Monsters University. When that movie comes out, Xanadu tells us, the Coco art will make way for the new movie’s pieces. That includes repainting the walls to match the feel of the new movie.

We stop to watch a deleted scene from Incredibles. It’s a runway show in which Edna features her retro designs, which are actually the creations of staffer Deanna Marsigliere.

Scratch actors voiced over the rough cut; those are Pixar employees who want to do it just for fun. Every other year, they can audition for an unpaid role.

Voice actors’ unions make it hard to hire non-union talent, though they weren’t as prevalent when director/writer Brad Bird worked on the original Incredibles 14 years ago. As Xanadu tells it, Bird was seeking a specific voice for Edna, and nobody could match what he envisioned, so he ended up playing the part himself.

Lastly, Xanadu directs our attention to a raised 2-D cityscape hanging on a wall. Some of the lights in the buildings are on. It’s a timeline, she says- as each part of Incredibles 2 is completed, another light comes on.

When the entire city is lit, the movie is done. “It’s a way to track the movie’s progress and to build excitement,” she pronounces.

Tracking timelines are themed for each movie. Cars, for instance, measured progress with a racetrack that had moveable cars.

We leave the Steve Jobs Building and head towards a building called Brooklyn. The other buildings are named West Village, Uptown, SoHo, and Ellis Island (the archives building). The big, grassy area out front is called Central Park.

What’s the Manhattan connection? Xanadu says it’s a riff on their address, Park Avenue- the famous New York City street.

Brooklyn is a quieter, more secretive building where new concepts are developed. Like the Steve Jobs Building, it’s open, with a second and third story added only along the sides of the building, giving this a very high ceiling. A five-foot-tall Day of the Dead skull sits in the reception area, across an employee café.

The Presto Theater takes up a corner of Brooklyn. At 135 seats, it’s the second biggest of the five film venues on campus.

There are “Easter eggs” in the metal artwork above the theater doors; look closely, and you’ll see the triangular design is Luxo lamps stacked on each other. Embedded in the floor, little movie characters are scattered about, waiting to be found.

We cruise down the middle of Brooklyn, pausing to look at dozens of artwork on the wall, or 3-D art in cases. They’re all for sale at a silent auction fundraiser for one of the charities Pixar supports.

The artists are staffers, and they were allowed to use any medium. No close-up photos were allowed of the art.

In the center of Brooklyn’s massive foyer is where we find a slight Hawaii tie-in. It’s a three-story tall brick chimney. Dole Food Company used to own this property, and this building was previously a cannery. In a nod to this history, Pixar turned the chimney into a fireplace and seating area.

Before Dole, the Oakland Oaks minor league baseball team owned the land, which explains why there’s a glass case with old-fashioned baseball equipment and memorabilia on display. Nearby, staffers are using the billiards tables.

We don’t ascend the stairways here, but Xanadu says the third floor has a terrace with a sweeping view of the East Bay.

Two-and-a-half hours later, we finish the day with lunch back at Steve Jobs Building, and shortly thereafter, we drive away from Pixar- amazed at what we learned, and with a deeper appreciation for how much thought goes into each movie. One might say it’s incredible.

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