in the midst of all my superman fanart-- here's some pieces from my first round of artfight attacks this year!

1: Arcade belongs to @/honeydebt on twitter 2: Bonni belongs to @waackery 3: Cellie belongs to @umbroelle 4: Doremy belongs to @u3pxx 5: Farley belongs to @gaynihilist 6: Felix belongs to @spookberry

Flexisign pro 10.0.1 crack build 1577

Apache V Havoc (duzi od 74min) 1 IGR LET 1182 175. Antivirus Collection '98 1 USL VIR 1180 174. Anti Virus 99 Professor 1 USL VIR 1179 173. Animated Gifs And Photo Collection (duzi od 74min) 1 SLI CLI 1176 170. Animaniacs Ten Pin Alley NTSC 1 PSX SPO 1175 169. Animaniacs Gigantic Adventure (Teen) 1 DEC ZAB 1174 168. Animaniacs Game Pack (All Ages) 1 DEC ZAB 1173 167. Anastasia: Adventures with Pooka & Bartok (All) 1 DEC ZAB 1167 161. An Odyssey of Discovery: Living Science (Ages 9+) 1 DEC DES 1165 159. An Odyssey of Discovery: Geography Of Earth (9+) 1 DEC DES 1164 158. An Odyssey of Discovery: Fractions (Ages 9+) 1 DEC DES 1163 157. An Odyssey of Discovery: Exploring Numbers (9+) 1 DEC DES 1162 156. An American Tail - Animated Movie Book (Ages 3-6) 1 DEC DSB 1161 155. Americana 98 Encyclopedia (Win/Mac) 1 EDU ENC 1160 154. American Greetings Print Premium 1 USL GRA 1159 153. American Greetings Crafts 1 USL GRA 1158 152. Amazon Trail - Rainforest Adventure (Ages 9+) 1 DEC DES 1157 151. Amazing Calendar Maker 1 USL STA 1151 145. Alphabet & Number Games (Ages 3-7) 1 DEC DEP 1147 143. Alpha Centaury (Sim Meyer's) 1 IGR SIS 1146 142. Almost Heroes (Chris Farley, Matthew Perry) 2 FIL FKO 1145 141. All StarsTennis '99 PAL 1 PSX TEN 1143 139. All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 2 FIL CRT 1142 138. Aliens Versus Predator 1 IGR 3DA 1141 137. Algebra 1 Grade Builder 1 EDU STU 1135 132. Akuji The Heartless NTSC 1 PSX 3DA 1134 131. Air Force One for FS98 1 IGR LET 1130 127. Agile Warrior F IIIX PAL 1 PSX BOR 1126 124. Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome Expansion 1 IGR STR 1125 123. Age of Empires Gold Edition 1 IGR STR 1124 122. Age of Empires 2: The Age of the Kings 1 IGR STR 1123 121. After Dark v4.0 Screen Saver 1 USL SCR 1120 118. MAC Advertising Design On Macintosh 1 MAC OST 1117 115. Adventures in Music with the Recorder 1 DEC DES 1116 114. Advanced Tactical Missions for X-Wing vs. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (Add-On) 1 IGR FRP 1114 112. Adobe's Special Collection 1 USL KOL 1112 110. Adobe Publishing Collection 1 USL DTP 1111 109. Adobe Photoshop 5.5 Tour And Training 1 USL GRA 1108 106. Adobe Photoshop 5.5 (Full Version) 1 USL GRA 1107 105. Adobe Photo Deluxe Business Edition 1 USL GRA 1104 102. Adobe Illustrator 8.0 Training 1 USL DTP 1101 99. Adobe Graphics Studio & Macromedia Cyber World 1 USL KOL 1099 19991021 97. Adobe Go Live v4.0 Installer 1 USL WEB 1097 95. Adidas Power Soccer 98 PAL 1 PSX FUD 1092 91. Adam Sandler The WaterBoy (Bobby Boucher) 2 FIL FKO 1087 87. Actua Tennis (c) Gremlin 1 IGR TEN 1085 85. Actua Soccer Club Edition 1 IGR FUD 1084 84. Active ABS (Daily AB Workouts) 1 EDU LEP 1076 19991106 76. Ace Ventura Pet Detective (Teen) 1 DEC DSB 1072 72. Account 2000 (kompilacija) 1 USL POS 1069 69. ABC Sports College Football (ragbi) 1 IGR SPO 1065 65. A Perfect Murder (Michael Douglas) 2 FIL FAK 1058 58. A Kid in Aladdin's Palace 2 FIL FDE 1057 57. A Bug's Life Active Play (c) Disney 1 DEC ZAB 1055 55. A Bug's Life Action Game (c) Disney (Ages 8+) 1 DEC ZAB 1054 54. 50.000 Ultimate Web Graphic 1 SLI CLI 1046 47. 5 Interactive Workbook (English & Math, Ages 5-8) 1 DEC DEP 1045 46. 3D Virtual Reality Architect 1 EDU PRO 01041 42. 3D Ultra Radio Control Racers 1 IGR VOZ 1040 19991021 41. 3D Ultra Nascar Pinball 1 IGR FLI 1038 39. 3D Ultra Mini Golf Deluxe 1 IGR GOL 1037 38. 3D Studio MAX Release 3 1 USL ANI 1032 33. 3D Studio MAX Collection 1 USL ANI 1031 32. 3D Studio MAX 2.0 Powerpack 1 USL ANI 1029 30. 3D Railroad Concept And Design 1 USL CAD 1027 28. Maze (Tropical Adventures) 1 DEC ZAB 1025 26. 3D Maze Man (Adventures in Winter Wonderland) 1 DEC ZAB 1024 25. 3D Home Architect Deluxe v3.0 1 EDU PRO 01020 22. 3D Dream House Designer 1 EDU URE 1017 19. 35000 Designer Clip Art 1 SLI CLI 1013 15. 3 Ninjas - High Noon at Mega Mountain (Hulk Hogan) 2 FIL FKO 1010 12. 250 Best Arcade Games (kompilacija) 1 IGR ARK 1008 10. 2000 Toolbox (c) Mcaffe 1 USL VIR 1006 8. 101st Airborne in Normandy (duzi od 74min) 1 IGR STP 1001 3. 101 Dalmatians (c) Disney 1 DEC ZAB 1000 2.

hyperspecific question: if your ocs had/have shoelaces what colors would they be. can be as little or as many ocs as you want go ham

ty for the question!!

this is very odd ive never stopped 2 consider what kind of shoelaces my OCs would have despite the fact im the kinda person who’d colour coordinate shoelaces w/ my outfit. so. making this up entirely as i go along w/ whichever OCs i think of: 

angela doesnt have fancy ones for her boots rly, just the black ones they came with, but she does have one of those like. cool shoelace charms that look like tiny pride flags that she has on her Favourite Boots, them being trans n bi flags respectively. also not laces but she has like a billion pairs of ridiculous socks. evey always has like. cute pink or green ones, since most of what she wears is pink or green. is the kinda girl to just wear all one colour give or take  tenant tends 2 have black laces but decorates em w a bunch of dumb charms. its a wonder people dont see him before they hear him w/ his dumb charms clacking together, but also he really owns the arcade aesthetic so it works out for him

clair is like. like obviously he can tie shoes. he simply chooses not to. and if his shoes have laces they’re the default ones and probably actually get on/off with a side zipper or velcro bc he can’t be bothered.  vivienne is in a similar vein as clair but her laces are usually like. those bright curly ones that suck to tie. its not about the aesthetic. its about the Vibes 

evie (different from evey) has enchanted laces that change colour based on his mood and tie themselves. it’s cool and all, but has lead to some silly happenings.  kein also has enchanted laces that change colour (they bought theirs together, in fact) but he didn’t like how they tied themselves, so he basically disenchanted them and re-enchanted them w/ his own magic. he plays a particular chord on his lute and they tie up. he has chewed off both aglets without really thinking about it.

farley has neon rainbow ones. they dont stay tied even w/ her best efforts but theyre cool as fuck and that’s what counts. they glow in the dark also and are probably missing their aglets too

rory has neon green ones that are meticulously taken care of, despite the fact his workboots are basically soleless and desperately need replacing

terry has cute dark type coloured laces for her favourite stompy boots and they have little galarian zigs charms on them 

90s Sausade

Grunge on the car stereo, Top ten greatest hits on TRL From Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys To blink-182 and Weezer,

Snack packs at Cinemark, Peter Piper Pizza, Butterfinger BBs, Gushers ads, Sunny Delight and Lunchables,

Woody and Buzz Lightyear, G. I. Joes and Janes, X-Men and Spider-Men, Inline roller skates, A V-Tech kids laptop,

Disney computer games, Neon lit mall arcades, Mortal Kombat, Crazy Taxi, The House of the Dead, Handheld Tiger Electronics, NES then Super Nintendo, N64 and Sega Saturn, Video game nostalgia,

ToonHeads, The real adventures of Jonny Quest, Gargoyles, Freakazoid! Nickelodeon slime time, Cyberpunk films starring Keanu Reeves, Chris Farley as Tommy Boy, Mrs. Doubtfire the Genie, “Jumanji,” Beavis and Butthead do America, VH1, WCW, WWF, Y2K bug Scare,

Abe the five dollar bill president, Johnny Appleseed, Encarta, Playdoh projects, spelling bees, Recess, relay week, Field trips to Gladys Porter Zoo, Reading Rainbow, the rainbow fish, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Emerging from its cocoon— Green worm metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly On sprightly playgrounds During the last days of school,

The Kindergarten kid: A ’92 son reborn.

admin note

LOCKDOWN EVENT DETAILS

with our lockdown event starting this friday (20th september) we thought we would give you the lockdown groups beforehand so that you can start plotting with others in your mutual groups and locations! these groups can be found under the cut.

if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask us! please make sure to give this post a like so we know that you’ve seen it!

group one - elevator (HQ)

benjamin hawthorne, aubrey hale & alexa jackson 

group two - hospital 

aaron hale, cassia rosi, kiara grey, kyle grey & devin connolly

group three - weapons armory

marcus stone, emilia santiago, willow frost, noah cross & ethan holden

group four - training room (HQ)

logan wilde, lola wilson, leviticus blackwood, aurelie watson & juliet robinson

group five - grove academy sports centre

anastasia van der berg, lennon connolly, esme byers, jacqueline henderson-adams & alice rowe 

group six - nebula

james ashcroft, mirana diaz, dallas jones, pj parker & yun hee moon

group seven - animal shelter

christian davies, louis byers, jay ruzek, andy simmons, abigail berry & chase kensington

group eight - library (grove academy)

mallory thorne, maya jenkins, jordan garcia, winifred vaughn & evan webb

group nine - the 6th sense

valeria garcia, jude matthews, melanie severide, tristan connoly & theodore oliver

group ten - fire station

cedric montgomery, mylene delacroix, harlow lawson & william cartwright

group eleven - canteen (grove academy)

eliza hart, alexander wood, penelope carmichael & max watson

group twelve - arcade

lucas harper, nora ruzek, christian o’hare, crystal rhodes & gabriel adams 

group thirteen - the golden spoon

daniel spier, dawn fords, sloane carlisle, elliott jacobson & benjamin campbell

group fourteen - gym (grove academy)

samuel lorente, veronica vale aguirre, andrew mitchell & rebekah hyde

group fifteen - classroom (grove academy)

marie beaumont, casper rhodes, ajay kotak, kennedy adams & nathaniel ashcroft 

group sixteen - town hall

althea collins, sadie matthews, nicolette belmont & rayna vaughn 

group seventeen - aroma mocha

august farley, reuben alexander, aiden carlisle, rori cross & arden connolly

group eighteen - garage

riley walker, samantha blanche, april marchant, marzia dameron & felicity caner 

Ghostbusters Arcade No Ghost T-shirt

Ghostbusters Arcade No Ghost T-shirt

Tommy Boy T-Shirts. After his beloved father (Brian Dennehy) dies, dimwitted Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) inherits a near-bankrupt automobile parts factory in Sandusky, Ohio. His brand new stepmother, Beverly (Bo Derek), wants to cash out and close, but Tommy’s sentimental attachment to his father’s employees spurs him to make one last-ditch effort to find someone who will buy their products.…

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Ghostbusters Arcade No Ghost T-shirt

Ghostbusters Arcade No Ghost T-shirt

Tommy Boy T-Shirts. After his beloved father (Brian Dennehy) dies, dimwitted Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) inherits a near-bankrupt automobile parts factory in Sandusky, Ohio. His brand new stepmother, Beverly (Bo Derek), wants to cash out and close, but Tommy’s sentimental attachment to his father’s employees spurs him to make one last-ditch effort to find someone who will buy their products.…

View On WordPress

Our Cultural Institutions Must Die

By Don Hall

David is right.

This Year of Our Lord, 2020, has revealed quite a few things about us. The recurring theme is that it’s high time our greatest institutions must die. The mighty must fall. 

Like every generation before us we Gen Xers are watching those institutions and practices that defined our first and second chapters of life fade to dust or be torn down like old casinos blown to pieces. 

Gone are the Blockbuster Videos we flocked to for movies. Gone are prank calls, Playboy magazines in your stepdad’s sock drawer, and the illusion that in presidential politics, the best man will win. Gone are the malls we hung out together within, playing Dragon’s Lair in arcades (gone), seeing the latest blockbusters in multiplexes (gone), drinking Orange Julius and eating Sbarro (not gone because that shit has so much preservative the only thing missing from The Planet of the Apes is Chuck Heston gnawing down on a slice of that crummy pizza and washing it down with that odd concoction of Orange and Nuclear Waste).

David Bowie? Dead. Eddie Van Halen? Deceased. Keith Richards? Still kicking but soon a young Brendan Fraser will dig him up from a sarcophagus and he’ll open his mouth and scarab beetles will issue forth like a plague.

Ethan Hawke and John Cusack are playing grandfathers now. Madonna acts like the new stereotypical Karen. Ferris Bueller is now a representation of white male privilege.

In Chicago, the Second City comedy behemoth is now in a fire sale and I suspect Himmel is right about its fate as well. 

The Second City will likely be bought up by an investment firm, similar to Cirque du Soleil. And you know how those investment folks love to shred the arts to bits in the dishonorable pursuit of making more money as fast as possible while squeezing every last ounce of authenticity from long-lauded brands like The Second City.

I came to Chicago in 1989. I auditioned for classes the following year. It was at that Piper’s Alley location that I met Joe Janes, Jeff Hoover, Lori McClain, Kevin Colby, Alina Vitas, Katie Caussin, Jason Meyer, Bob Wilson, and so many others who defined my life in the ‘90s. After two years in classes we branched out to do that thing improv comedians did—start our own group. Like an idiot version of Steppenwolf, we had those big dreams and it was the long legacy of Second City that fueled them.

Across the street where the McDonalds is located was the Stagecoach Diner (we called it the Roachcoach for reasons that seem obvious). It was in that diner, in full view of the famous Second City archway, that we created our live version of Attack of the Fifty-Foot Woman and the earliest versions of WNEP Theater. It was in Donny’s Skybox that Joe and I performed the first of our Locked in a Room with Don Hall and Joe Janes sketch shows as well as productions of Grotesque Lovesongs and Joe’s A Hard Day’s Journey Into Night with a young Jason Sudeikis in the role of Ringo.

I took classes in the Training Center as well as taught them. I saw Chris Farley’s final performance in Chicago there as well as performances by Carrel, Colbert, and Fey. I produced a few weird shows for Kelly Leonard in those hallowed halls and laughed a lifetime’s worth in the theaters.

It is wholly dismissive of the tainted legacy that others bring to the nostalgia table (they certainly have an axe to grind even as it is not mine) but I had a great time at Second City. I figure that some people got really ill eating at the Roachcoach but I never did and my recollection is every bit as valid as theirs.

Yes, our institutions must die in the same way that Kansas farmers burn their fields every few years so that the ash improves the soil. My guess is that the current crop of performers and teachers, so fully in throe of the humorless pursuit of justice and equity, will bury the place rather than regrow. It takes a sense of humor to build a comedy space and, unfortunately, unending outrage burns through humor like a wildfire torches pretty much all of California.

They may try and I wish them well. As a cautionary piece of unsolicited advise I’d tell them to embrace the history of the place rather than erase it. The New Testament only exists in the presence of the Old Testament and all that.

I won’t miss so many of the institutions of my early chapters because some of them have been updated in better ways while others proved to be less necessary than they seemed at the time. Updated and better include gyms, microbreweries, and grocery stores. Less necessary include start-up theaters, coffee shops, and mega-events like EDC in Vegas or Taste of Chicago.

The best and worst part of getting old is that the memories of a life lived are with you until you get COVID, go to Walter Reed, and take a bunch of experimental steroids that make you a drooling idiot. That, and at some point, there are more memories than there is life left to live.

Red Queen Characters’ Theme Songs

Mare: Thunderstruck AC/DC Cal: St. Elmo’s Fire John Parr Maven: Highway to Hell AC/DC Farley: Rebellion Arcade Fire Kilorn: SexyBack Justin Timberlake Cameron: Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana Evangeline: Welcome to the Jungle Guns N’ Roses Ptolemus: Where You Lead Carole King Shade: Without Me Slim Shady

Philadelphia coronavirus updates: Green phase date, Six Flags reopen, July 4th fireworks, NJ boardwalks

Latest 3: 00 PM – 06/24/20

Latest Penn to expand its free virtual summer academy to rising seniors in parochial schools

The University of Pennsylvania will open its free four-week virtual summer academy on career and college preparation and academic enrichment to rising seniors in Philadelphia’s parochial schools. The university will also open to parochial school seniors its free self-paced “How to Apply to College” course.

Penn previously said the program was for rising seniors in the Philadelphia’s public schools, including district schools and charters. Penn created the program in recognition of the losses students experienced this spring, including not being able to go on college campus tours and transitioning to online learning.

Pennsylvania does less coronavirus testing than almost every other state

MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer

Nurse Practitioner Nina Marell administers a coronavirus test to a a subject in his car on April 28, 2020, at the Family Health Center at 11th and Parrish.

Pennsylvania has performed 5,215 coronavirus tests per 100,000 people — fewer than all but seven states, counting Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, according to an analysis by Johns Hopkins University.

New Jersey has conducted the third-most tests of the states, at 14,227 tests per 100,000, while Delaware is not far behind, at 11th.

Will Pennsylvania’s low rate of testing prevent policy makers from determining if the state has reopened too soon?

Epidemiologists say the answer is not simple, and that in one key respect — the percent who test positive — Pennsylvania’s low level of testing may be adequate.

Testing has been a hot topic lately after President Donald Trump’s remarks at a campaign rally Saturday in Oklahoma. Without providing evidence, he said the numbers of COVID -19 cases were up in some parts of the United States not due to any real increase in illness, but because the country was performing too many tests. Aides later said he was being sarcastic, but he repeated the claim Monday, insisting he was serious and saying the country was doing “too good a job” of testing.

Concern in Philly that cases are plateauing

TIM TAI / Staff Photographer

A mask covers the face of the Rocky statue in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Friday, April 17, 2020. People are encouraged to wear masks or face coverings to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Philadelphia announced 108 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday — a number roughly in line with the average daily cases the city has reported in the past week.

“The drop in new cases per day has definitely slowed and that could be indicative of a plateauing,” Health Department spokesperson James Garrow said in an email.

Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said Tuesday he was concerned about what a rise in new cases of the virus in many areas of the country could mean for Philadelphia. But Garrow said Wednesday that it was still too soon to determine whether Philadelphia’s cases are plateauing, noting that “it’s tough to say until we’re past it.”

“Whether it picks back up and we continue moving toward zero, or continues at this level, or starts to rise again is something we won’t know for a bit,” he said.

Officials also confirmed seven additional deaths of Philadelphia residents related to COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,570 since the beginning of the pandemic.

A total number of 25,433 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Philadelphia residents as of Wednesday. The city is planning to allow pools and hair salons to reopen Friday, and to fully move into the “green” phase of reopening July 3.

But Farley has warned that the continued easing of restrictions will depend on a continued reduction in new cases of the virus.

“This epidemic is definitely not over,” Farley said. “The risk right now is rising.”

Museums and aquariums can reopen in N.J. next week. But gyms and movie theaters will remain closed.

BARBARA L. JOHNSTON / Staff Photographer

Aquariums in New Jersey, including the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, will be allowed to reopen on Thursday, July 2.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said that museums, aquariums, other indoor recreational facilities, and libraries can open at 25% capacity on Thursday, July 2. The state will require heightened sanitation measures, social distancing and face coverings or masks.

The order includes bowling alley, shooting ranges, and arcades.

Movie theaters, concert venues, performing arts centers, nightclubs and gyms will remain closed, though fitness centers can allow individual training sessions by appointment.

“It brings us no joy to say that,” Murphy said. “We just are not there yet. We just don’t think it’s the responsible thing to do.”

New Jersey, New York and Connecticut will quarantine travelers from states with high COVID-19 rates

The governors of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut announced that anyone traveling into their states from an area with a high level of community spread must quarantine for 14 days.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he believed the precaution would be essential to keeping the three states moving in the right direction in terms of confirmed cases. “I do believe we’re on the other side of the mountain,” he said. “But it’s not over til it’s over.”

The travel advisory is effective at midnight, and for now applies to people coming from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Utah, and Texas. The new restrictions apply to travelers in states where the rolling seven-day average of new cases is at 10 or more people per 100,000, or 10% of those tested.

Murphy said the tri-state measure will focus on personal responsibility and rely on messaging on highways, airports, websites and social media to educate travelers. The three states will also ask hotels to communicate the 14-day quarantine to guests who have traveled from one of the impacted states.

“This is a smart thing to do. We have taken our people through hell and back. And the last thing we need to do is subject our folks to another round,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said. “If you’ve been in a state that has a high infection rate, do the right thing.”

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. return to peak of outbreak

New coronavirus cases in the United States have surged to their highest level in two months, returning to numbers seen during the peak of the outbreak, according to Johns Hopkins University.

On Tuesday, the country reported more than 34,000 new cases of the virus, the third-highest day on record and the most new daily cases since April 24, when the nation reported more than 36,000 cases.

While states in the Northeast like New Jersey and Pennsylvania have seen cases decline for weeks, more than half of states — including Delaware — have seen increases in cases. Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada, and Texas all set single-day records Tuesday.

Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, calling the surge of new infections “disturbing” during a congressional hearing Tuesday.

“The next couple of weeks are going to be critical to address those surges that we’re seeing in Texas, Florida, Arizona, and other states,” Fauci said.

Veterinarians in Pennsylvania can begin to spay and neuter pets again

HEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

Veterinary technician Laura Vazquez brings in Meg Tigani’s dog, Louie, into an appointment at World of Animals at Rittenhouse in Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.

Veterinary practices are now allowed to provide non-essential services and routine or elective surgeries, including spaying and neutering, the Wolf administration said Wednesday.

Under the state’s updated guidance, vets in both yellow and green counties are cleared to resume non-emergency surgical procedures.

In April, the state waived its requirement that dogs and cats had to be spayed or neutered before adoption; pet owners who adopted during the pandemic have 120 days from the adoption date to get their pets fixed.

Veterinary practices were deemed life-sustaining services and were never required to close due to COVID-19.

These preexisting conditions are most likely to hospitalize and kill people who contract coronavirus

These patients were 12 times more likely to die of the virus than patients who had been healthy. Chronic heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and chronic lung disease were the most commonly reported underlying medical conditions, according to the CDC.

In the Philadelphia area, emergency medicine doctors say the CDC’s findings largely reflect their experience treating COVID-19 patients, but predictions are by no means sure.

“COVID-19 is a very wild disease,” said Erica Harris, an emergency physician at Einstein Medical Center. “It’s very hard to predict which way it’s going to go. … There are people who can have every single risk factor and still do fine.”

The virus has hit the elderly, who are considered more vulnerable because they often have multiple chronic conditions, particularly hard. But Clarke Piatt, medical director of Bryn Mawr Hospital’s intensive-care unit, said he has seen some of the worst outcomes among patients in their 50s and 60s with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Nearly half of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had obesity, and about 28% had type 2 diabetes, according to the CDC.

— Sarah Gantz and Dominique DeMoe

New York City Marathon canceled

Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AP

Runners take part in the 2019 New York City Marathon in New York. This year’s marathon, scheduled to take place on Nov. 1, has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The New York City Marathon, the world’s largest marathon, has been canceled, organizers announced on Wednesday. It had been scheduled for Nov. 1.

“While the marathon is an iconic and beloved event in our city, I applaud New York Road Runners for putting the health and safety of both spectators and runners first,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “We look forward to hosting the 50th running of the marathon in November of 2021.”

The Philadelphia Marathon remains scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22. The Broad Street run also remains scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 4.

“We have not made a decision on the races yet, further information will be made available in the coming days,” a spokesperson for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Camden County College testing site to close on Friday

TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer

The coronavirus testing site at Camden County College in Blackwood, N.J., seen back in March before it opened. The country is closing the site on Friday, citing a decline in testing appointments.

Citing a reduction in testing appointments, Camden County announced it is closing the coronavirus testing site located at Camden County College in Gloucester Township. The site, which has been running since April 15, will cease operations at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 26.

“At this time, we feel confident that the site at Camden County College has served its purpose and can cease operations without impacting the availability of resources in the community,” Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said in a statement.

The coronavirus testing site at 3101 Federal St. in East Camden will continue to operate, the county said. Cappelli Jr. also pointed out that testing capacity among healthcare providers and businesses like Rite Aid and CVS has “increased significantly” since the beginning of the pandemic.

The county reports 7,572 residents have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began, though there were just 15 new positive cases reported on Tuesday. At least 430 county residents have died.

Six Flags Great Adventure to open next week

Philadelphia Daily News

The roller coaster Nitro speeds along its track at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. The popular theme park will reopen on July 3.

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J. announced on Wednesday it will reopen Friday, July 3, one day after the state relaxes coronavirus restrictions on amusement parks.

The popular amusement park said it will open first to members and season pass holders. The general public will be allowed to enter the park Saturday, July 4, with attendance levels gradually increasing throughout the month.

Six Flags said it will deploy an online reservation system to manage attendance, schedule guests for entry by day, and stagger arrival times to minimize proximity exposure. There will also be thermal imaging for temperature checks, touchless bag checks, and mobile food ordering.

“We have developed a comprehensive reopening safety plan that includes protocols designed by theme park and waterpark industry experts, along with best practices from top destination parks from around the world, which will allow guests to experience our parks in the safest way possible,” Six Flags President and CEO Mike Spanos said in a statement.

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor will remain closed, but the company noted a “preview date” is forthcoming.

Six Flags’ Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure opened May 30 following a seven-year hiatus. According to the company, it will remain open due to its popularity, noting that thousands of cars have taken the five-mile journey each day. The theme park said it aims to reintroduce its Safari Off Road Adventure guided truck tours soon.

Europe likely to keep U.S. travelers out due to spike in coronavirus cases

Joan Mateu / AP

Tourists sit at the beach of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. Borders opened up across Europe on Monday after three months of coronavirus closures that began chaotically in March.

Americans are unlikely to be allowed into Europe when the continent reopens its borders next week, because of how the coronavirus pandemic is flaring in the United States and President Donald Trump’s ban on Europeans entering the United States.

European nations appear on track to reopen their borders between each other by July 1, and their representatives in Brussels are now debating what virus-related criteria should apply when lifting border restrictions to the outside world that were imposed in March.

In recommendations to EU nations on June 11, the European Commission said “travel restrictions should not be lifted as regards third countries where the situation is worse” than the average in the 27 EU member countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

That is likely to rule out the United States, where new coronavirus infections have surged to the highest level in two months, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University. After trending down for well over a month, new U.S. cases have risen for more than a week.

Black Lives Matter protests won’t lead to spike on COVID cases: study

MONICA HERNDON / Staff Photographer

Hundreds of people marched to the Art Museum with a protest that began at LOVE Park in Philadelphia, Pa. on June 21.

Based on data collected on protests in 315 U.S. cities where protests occurred, researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research found no evidence recent demonstrations against police brutality have led to a significant rise in coronavirus cases.

While tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the streets of Philadelphia and elsewhere after the killing of George Floyd, researchers said there was strong evidence that stay-at-home behavior actually increased, as people tried to avoid the protests. Curfews and business closures also had the effect of keeping more people in their homes, researchers said.

“Our findings suggest that any direct decrease in social distancing among the subset of the population participating in the protests is more than offset by increasing social distancing behavior among others who may choose to shelter-at-home and circumvent public places while the protests are underway,” the report reads.

‘Poor Dr. Fauci’: Obama calls out Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic

During a virtual fundraiser for former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday, former President Barack Obama condemned President Donald Trump for his administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and for downplaying the threat of the virus.

“That suggests facts don’t matter, science doesn’t matter. That suggests that a deadly disease is fake news,” Obama said.

Obama, making his first remarks in the 2020 campaign since he endorsed Biden in April, said a Biden administration would heed the advice of public health experts, who have urged people to wear masks and avoid large gatherings.

As Obama spoke, Trump was delivering remarks at an indoor rally of about 3,000 students in Phoenix, Ariz, where coronavirus cases are spiking. Most of the people present in the crowd were not wearing masks.

“Poor Dr. Fauci, who has to testify and then see his advice flouted by the person who he’s working for,” Obama said.

Positivity rate up in South Jersey, more young people testing positive for COVID-19

ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Staff Photographer

Cyclist along the boardwalk at New Jersey in Atlantic City, NJ on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

As the coronavirus surges in other parts of the United States, officials in New Jersey said Tuesday they were concerned about avoiding such an uptick in cases here, particularly warning residents not to allow reopenings to coax them into relaxing.

The positivity rate has increased in South Jersey. More New Jerseyans 29 years old and younger are contracting the virus, now making up more than one-fifth of new infections. The increase is concerning health officials, who don’t believe it can solely be attributed to increased testing.

Though New Jersey’s overall statewide transmission rate remains good, Gov. Phil Murphy said it was beginning to creep up in several counties, though he did not identify which ones. He also said hospitalizations and the use of ventilators were slightly up in recent days.

“We can’t get our economy back to where it was if our hospitals fill back up with COVID-19 patients because some people mistakenly thought they were invincible,” Murphy said. “What we cannot have is a one-day increase in our health metrics becoming a trend because people gave up on social distancing.”

Outdoor amusement and water parks in New Jersey can reopen July 2, including rides on boardwalks, Murphy announced Tuesday.

Attendance at amusement parks will be capped at 50% capacity. Murphy said that “specific guidance is currently being finalized and will be forthcoming” but that it is anticipated that employees and attendees will be required to wear masks “whenever practicable.” Murphy also announced that playgrounds across the state will be allowed to reopen.

“We are excited to welcome families back onto the piers again,” said Will and Jack Morey of Morey’s Piers in Wildwood. “We are working hard to redefine family fun this summer.”

— Justine McDaniel, Laura McCrystal and Allison Steele

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from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/philadelphia-coronavirus-updates-green-phase-date-six-flags-reopen-july-4th-fireworks-nj-boardwalks/

SKETCHY BEHAVIORS | MEL KADEL (LA)

Los Angeles based artist Mel Kadel’s intricately detailed, carefully plotted, and insightfully drawn and watercolored works often feature her iconic female protagonist exploring, struggling, suffocating, and entangling as well as confronting, battling, and overcoming abstract obstacles and unlikely circumstances. From walls to furniture to customizing some sweet Vans Customs, Mel’s works has been featured in galleries all around the world.  Like her art, Mel is not only one thing–from running her own online shop, silk screening and hand coloring her own prints, to actively utilizing her art as a platform for her activism. In this latest Sketchy Behaviors, we find out more about Mel– from her first art show to what inspires her as well as what project she’s been the most proud of this year!  

We love Mel, so will you–Make the leap. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist | Additional photographs by Aaron Farley

Introduce yourself (and maybe a fun or interesting fact you’d like to share about yourself or background). I’m an artist living in Echo Park.  I came from the east coast with a couple suitcases to see what it was like, and I’m still here 20 years later.  I grew up in the suburbs, and when I was a teenager I delivered pizza and became obsessed with drawing.  My high school art teacher Selby and I still write each other on a regular basis.  If it wasn’t for her, I might still be delivering pizzas.       What was the first thing you remember ever drawing? What do you remember about it?  My brother is 3 years older than me, and would come home from high school when I was about 13, and give me the same art lessons he was doing in class.  One that comes to mind was turning a photo upside down and drawing it, an exercise in observation.  So he handed me David Bowie’s “Diamond Dogs” album, turned it upside down, and said “draw this”.

A lot of your work feature a female protagonist interacting, feeling, and encountering obstacles and overcoming them.  Who is she and what does she represents?  I’ve always removed myself from these characters when talking about my work, but as time goes by, I’m realizing more and more how much I’m a part of them.  They are little snap shots of emotions that I connect with enough to try and communicate.  The characters walk a fine line between strength and vulnerability, which is something most of us can relate to.  

What’s your most favorite part of the creation process? What’s your favorite thing to draw when working on a piece?  Do you have a least favorite part? The initial pencil sketch is my least favorite part.  It’s just not that interesting to me, so I try to get through that pretty quickly.  Once I begin going in with color and pen lines, I get into a really nice meditative state.  

What was your very first art show like? And how did that come about? I showed my work around LA for a couple years, in cafes and group shows, before having my first solo show at Jeff Electric Gallery in 2002.  The “Los Angeles Horse Show” was a collection of photos and drawings based on a toy horse that I carried around for months.  This horse was my copilot, coming with me to every music venue, bbq, and party.  I’d photograph people holding him, and based a large body of work from these portraits.  I had some fun times taking pics of Tony Alva, Raymond Pettibon, Don Bolles, and over 100 other friends and local characters.  I loved how social the project was.  The horse helped me get to know a lot of people and became a buffer to a relatively new city.

Favorite materials? When and why did you start staining your own paper? My materials are really basic:  Paper, pens, ink, and maybe some glue.  Years ago, I would draw on old book paper.  The yellowish color gave it an instant warmth that I liked.  But it had limitations because the sheets were so small and fragile.  So as a way to work larger and use more ink & color, I needed something stronger.  I tried to mimic these old sheets by staining thick water color paper with coffee.  The coffee’s tone helps make the colors I’m looking for, and gives me a base that feels comfortable.  I try to work on white from time to time, but It never feels quite right.

What kind of music do you listen to while creating stuff? I’m all over the place.  NPR, music, podcasts, listening to tv, and silence.  I go back and forth all day.

Who are some artists that you currently feel are creating some really cool stuff? They first few that come to mind:  Chantal Joffe, Andy Rementer, Michelle Blade, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Wangechi Mutu, Richard Colman, Jules de Balincourt, and Travis Millard.

What would your ideal collaborative project be like? I would like to collaborate on more functional pieces like furniture, wall paper, bed sheets, lamps, anything that’s can become a part of a space.

What do you look for when you see an artist’s work? What are you drawn towards art wise? There is nothing in particular that I’m looking for, but if something strikes me it’s like a gut reaction.  Similar to the way you might feel a connection to someone when first meeting them.  It either clicks or it doesn’t.  Whether it’s a comic or an abstract painting, I’m attracted to that underlying feeling it gives me and some sense of authenticity.   

Has it been difficult being an artist?  What are some of the challenges you face, and how do you overcome them? I don’t know of anything that isn’t difficult in one way or another.  But yes, art has it’s own unique challenges beyond just creating the work.  For most people the challenges in the studio are part of the process, but trying to make a living at this can be an emotional rollercoaster.  There are these blissful moments where everything seems to be clicking, right before you’re hit with uncertainty, and that voice in your head has to keep you moving forward.  That personal dialogue can be really hard to do over and over, especially if you have some insecurity hanging around.  But really, that’s the hard stuff.  Once you get past that, you’re golden, at least for a little while. 

What project are you the most proud of? What’s something you’d love to do but haven’t had the opportunity to do yet? I put an image out this year during the Women’s March with the words “Her Rights Unite”, making posters and t-shirts.  With everything suddenly shifting in our country after the election, and this huge uproar happening, I felt very strongly about connecting my work to this moment.  It’s like the images I’ve been making my whole life about people (mostly women) struggling and persevering, connected with something larger and louder than ever before.  

How are you “Not Just One Thing?” When I’m not working on drawings, which is pretty solitary for me, I go the other direction.  Walking, hiking, gardening, dog walking, seeing friends, being a spectator.  I’m good at being a sponge.

What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t an artist? Running my family’s arcade at Knoebel’s Grove amusement park, in Pennsylvania.  I worked at the arcade when I was 15, and still day dream about dropping everything and moving back to run the business after my uncles retire.  

What are your favorite Vans?  Canvas Old Skool

What advice would you give someone who wants to do what you do? Every artist I know has carved a very unique path for themselves.  All trial and error really.  What works for some people, doesn’t necessarily work for others.  And that path changes all the time.  So my advice is to not watch other artist’s careers too closely. Choose what feels right to you, collaborate with others, try to apply your work in different ways to keep things interesting, and while you’re busy trying to show it off to the world, remember that your work is more interesting than mimicking the vision of someone else.   The ups and downs will always be there, so enjoy the moments that feel good, there’s nothing like it.  

What do you have coming up for the rest of 2017?   The rest of this year will be spent creating work for exhibits next year.  In 2018 I have a solo show in Los Angeles, and will be traveling to Japan to do a little something at Beams.  I also have a collaborative project that I’m working on with Michelle Blade, so hopefully we’ll be releasing that next year. 

Follow Mel Kadel Website:  http://melkadel.com Instagram:  @melkadel Shop:  http://melkadel.bigcartel.com  

Picture Farley and Roosevelt playing some arcade games together, that would be so cute!

Awww! That would be. :’) What do you think they’d play? 

Pete Pete Rutland Bất động sản có thể là của bạn với giá 8 triệu đô #thôngtin Trong 102 năm kể từ khi nó được xây dựng, khu đất cũ Ruthland đã trở thành một ngôi nhà riêng của một số gia đình nổi tiếng nhất St. Petersburg, một câu lạc bộ siêu sân golf rầm rộ, một trường học bất hợp pháp và là địa điểm hàng đầu cho các sự kiện từ thiện.Bây giờ, nó có thể là của bạn với giá 8 triệu đô la.Bất động sản lấy tên từ Hubert Rutland Sr., một doanh nhân nổi tiếng đầu St. Petersburg, người đã từng gọi nó là nhà. Gần đây, nó được gọi là Biệt thự Rutland-Farley, kể từ khi nhà phát triển bất động sản Philip Farley mua tài sản vào năm 2004.Tòa biệt thự Anh Tudor rộng gần 10.000 mét vuông nằm trên 4,5 mẫu Anh nhìn ra Little Bayou phía nam Coquina Key và kéo dài từ bờ sông đến Phố số 4 phía Nam. Với hơn 400 feet bờ biển, nó là một trong những ngôi nhà cuối cùng trong thành phố có nhiều lối vào bờ sông.Một trong những đại lý niêm yết với Engel & Völkers. Hôm nay tôi không có gì mà tôi biết có rất nhiều bờ sông ở St. Pete.Biệt thự của Rutland-Farley được nhìn thấy trong bức ảnh không có lịch sự này của Engel & Völkers. [Engel & Völkers]Tòa biệt thự đã được khôi phục rất tốt, một mô tả về tài sản trong một câu chuyện của St. Petersburg Times năm 1935 về việc bán nó có thể được sử dụng để mô tả nó ngày hôm nay:Bất động sản là một trong những thành phố dân cư sang trọng và rộng rãi nhất. Nhà kiểu Anh có 15 phòng khách. Trên tầng hai là bảy phòng ngủ và hai phòng nhỏ hơn. Mỗi phòng chính đều có phòng tắm riêng và hai phòng nhỏ hơn có phòng tắm liền kề.Ngôi nhà vẫn được liệt kê là có bảy phòng ngủ, 12 phòng tắm và sáu lò sưởi. Ban công và cầu thang lớn nhìn ra sảnh vào và các âm thanh, máng xối và tranh vẽ đã được khôi phục lại ánh sáng trong quá khứ. Nội thất trang trí công phu của nhà trước một địa danh khác của St. Petersburg, khách sạn Vinoy, gần một thập kỷ.Biệt thự của Rutland-Farley được nhìn thấy trong bức ảnh không có lịch sự này của Engel & Völkers. [Engel & Völkers]Khách sạn bao gồm một nhà để xe bốn xe đứng đầu với khu nhà dành cho nhân viên, hồ bơi hai làn đường, một ngôi nhà bên hồ bơi với sân thượng ngoài trời, một nhà bếp ngoài trời, một sân bóng bocce, một lò nướng pizza, lò nướng tùy chỉnh và lò sưởi ngoài trời. Bến tàu bao gồm một thang máy có thể hỗ trợ một chiếc thuyền 50.000 pound. Lối ra khỏi Sunrise Drive S đưa du khách qua một cổng sắt trang trí và lên một lối đi bằng gạch đỏ có hoa văn hình tròn bao quanh một đài phun nước mùa xuân và hồ cá koi.Farley đã mua bất động sản 16 năm trước với giá 2,3 triệu USD. Nhà phát triển bất động sản đã đến St. Petersburg từ Chicago và mua quảng trường Coquina Key gần đó cùng một lúc. Kể từ đó, anh ấy đã tham gia vào một số dự án phát triển bao gồm Urban Style Flats, một cộng đồng căn hộ gần Tropicana Field, từ một ngôi nhà dành cho người cao niên và người khuyết tật đến các căn hộ hợp thời trang phục vụ các chuyên gia trẻ tuổi ở Quận Edge. Gần đây, anh đã mua nhà kho chứa Brocante Vintage Market, bây giờ được gọi là Vintage Marche, trong Khu nghệ thuật kho để tạo ra một không gian sử dụng hỗn hợp bao gồm các nghệ sĩ phòng thu và bán lẻ.Farley mua bất động sản để làm nhà cho gia đình và nuôi các con lúc đó là 1, 4 và 6. Farley nói với tờ Tampa Bay Times rằng các con của anh giờ đã lớn và đã đi học đại học, đó là một phần động lực của anh để bán, Nhưng anh ấy không vội vàng.Biệt thự của Rutland-Farley được nhìn thấy trong bức ảnh không có lịch sự này của Engel & Völkers. [Engel & Völkers]Ngôi nhà đã có mặt trên thị trường khoảng hai tháng, nhưng các đại lý Erickson và Carlina Sarabia cho biết, nó không phải là bất thường đối với một tài sản như vậy phải mất hai năm để bán. Điều đó đặc biệt đúng kể từ khi Farley và Realtor nói rằng họ muốn bảo tồn biệt thự. Erickson cho biết họ đã từ chối các đề nghị từ các nhà phát triển quan tâm đến vùng đất nhưng không phải là lịch sử.Mùi đất bẩn có giá trị hơn nhà. Đó là lý do tại sao chúng tôi có được các nhà phát triển, ông nói. Chúng tôi muốn làm điều đúng đắn cho khách hàng của chúng tôi và giúp khách hàng của chúng tôi có được lợi nhuận tốt nhất của mình và đồng thời làm điều đúng đắn vì chúng tôi đã tham gia vào cộng đồng này. Chúng tôi tin rằng ở đâu đó trên thế giới có một người mua muốn có một bất động sản đặc trưng mà họ có thể đặt tên của họ.Một ngôi nhà gần như cũ như thành phố.Một hình ảnh lưu trữ nhấp nhô của bất động sản Rutland. [Courtesy of Engel & Völkers] [Engel & Völkers.]Hồ sơ tài sản của quận có từ năm 1925, nhưng các báo cáo cho biết nó thực sự được xây dựng vào năm 1918. Monica Kyle, giám đốc điều hành của Preserve the ‘Burg, nói rằng một vụ hỏa hoạn vào năm 1925 đã đốt cháy hồ sơ thành phố. Bà cho biết những ngôi nhà có trước đám cháy được giao vào năm 1925. Bảo tồn 'Burg coi ngôi nhà là một nguồn tài nguyên lịch sử xứng đáng là một phần của cộng đồng chúng ta và là một trong những nơi có thể đủ điều kiện để chỉ định lịch sử địa phương, ông Peter Belmont, chủ tịch của ban tổ chức. Trong khi bất động sản mang tên gia đình trong hơn 80 năm, thì Rutlands weren là chủ sở hữu ban đầu. Trong thập kỷ đầu tiên và một nửa, nó đã đổi chủ một số lần.Theo ấn bản năm 1918 của Times, biệt thự ban đầu được xây dựng cho R.B. Worthington với mức giá dự kiến ​​50.000 USD. Năm 1920, nó được bán cho William C. Muir, một ông trùm dầu mỏ ở Pennsylvania, với giá 100.000 đô la. Một câu chuyện năm 1920 cho biết ngôi nhà là một trong những nơi tốt nhất ở bờ biển phía tây Florida, và nó và đồ đạc của nó có giá khoảng 130.000 đô la, hoặc một nơi nào đó trong khu vực trị giá 2 triệu đô la ngày nay.Muir chỉ giữ nó trong một năm trước khi bán cho Charles Hall và Công ty Chiến thắng. Năm 1921, Hall nói với tờ Times rằng ông dự định biến ngôi nhà thành một du thuyền và câu lạc bộ golf cho những gì đã từng là Câu lạc bộ đồng quê Bayou Bonita. Trong tám năm tiếp theo, ngôi nhà được gọi là Bayou Hall. Khu bất động sản đặt màu xanh lá cây là liên kết duy nhất còn lại với quá khứ chơi gôn của nó.Đầu năm 1929, R.C. Villas, một người đàn ông là khách du lịch mùa đông đến St. Petersburg, đã mua căn nhà từ Hall.Bất động sản RutlandTừ trái, nhà xây dựng nhà Charles Rutenberg, Hubert Rutland Sr. và J. E. "Doc" Webb, người sáng lập Trung tâm mua sắm thành phố Webb, năm 1974. [NORMAN ZEISLOFT | St. Petersburg Times Files]Vào ngày 27 tháng 12 năm 1935, việc bán bất động sản từ Biệt thự đến Rutland đã xuất hiện trên trang nhất của Times. Vào thời điểm đó, Rutland là một doanh nhân nổi tiếng trong thành phố. Quảng cáo cho cửa hàng quần áo của mình trên Đại lộ Trung tâm và Phố thứ năm xuất hiện trên báo gần như hàng ngày.Rutland đã đến St. Petersburg vào đầu những năm 1920. Bất chấp cuộc Đại suy thoái, công ty và đất đai của ông đã phát triển trong suốt những năm 20 và 30 khi St. Petersburg trở thành một thành phố nhộn nhịp. Vào những năm 50, ông chuyển sang làm ngân hàng nơi ông là một nhà đổi mới, người đầu tiên mang đến kiểm tra miễn phí cho khu vực. Công ty St. Petersburg Bank & Trust Co. và Central Plaza Bank & Trust Co. đã mở nhiều địa điểm và thêm vào tài sản lớn của Ruthland. Ông cũng đã mua một trong những tòa nhà mang tính biểu tượng nhất của trung tâm thành phố St. Petersburg, Snell Arcade và đổi tên thành Tòa nhà Rutland. Nó đã trở lại tên ban đầu và được thêm vào Sổ đăng ký Địa danh Lịch sử Quốc gia.Tòa nhà Rutland, giờ là Arcade Snell. [Times (1971)] [NORMAN ZEISLOFT | St. Petersburg Times Files]Trong khi đó, biệt thự của anh ta trên Sunrise Drive - cùng với trang trại của quận Manatee, lúc đó là tài sản lớn nhất ở quận đó - được biết đến như là điểm đến cho các cuộc tụ họp xã hội. Cáo phó của Ruthland Times Times cho biết nhiều chức năng từ thiện đã được tổ chức tại nhà của ông hơn bất kỳ nơi nào khác ở phía tây Florida.Mua hàng năm 1935 của Rutland đã bao gồm thêm 20 mẫu đất xung quanh ở lại với tài sản cho đến cuối những năm 1990. Gia đình đã bán nhà và đất vào những năm 80 sau khi đảng phái qua đời. Một lần nữa, nó đã đổi chủ một số lần cho đến khi được nhà phát triển Robert Swain của Clearwater mua lại vào năm 1998.Swain đã bán hết phần lớn đất xung quanh để phát triển. Các nhà hoạt động bảo tồn đã chiến đấu để giữ cho dinh thự và hầu hết diện tích ban đầu còn nguyên vẹn. Trong những năm sau đó, dinh thự rơi vào tình trạng hỗn loạn và hỗn loạn về pháp lý. Một nghệ sĩ lừa đảo người Canada đã bị kết án về nhiều vụ lừa đảo chăm sóc sức khỏe vào cuối những năm 90, Annette Martino, sở hữu ngôi nhà sau khi Swain và gần như mất nó trong thủ tục phá sản. Sau cô, Angela Sweet chuyển đến và bắt đầu một trường học dựa trên đức tin trong nhà mà không có giấy phép thích hợp, tích lũy hàng núi vi phạm mã.Lịch sử tái sinhBiệt thự của Rutland-Farley được nhìn thấy trong bức ảnh không có lịch sự này của Engel & Völkers. [Engel & Völkers]Tương lai của ngôi nhà dường như không chắc chắn cho đến khi Farley mua nó. Ông bắt đầu một quá trình cải tạo bổ sung các tiện nghi hiện đại, như sạc xe điện, trong khi chăm sóc để duy trì những nét cổ điển của nhà.Farley không chỉ trả lại ngôi nhà cho sự hào nhoáng trước đây, họ còn khôi phục lại địa vị xã hội, tổ chức tiệc, sự kiện từ thiện, đám cưới và nhiều thứ khác tại khách sạn đặc biệt dọc theo bờ biển St. Petersburg.Một sự kiện từ thiện năm 2010 dành cho Ngọc trai tại Trường tiểu học Bay Point được tổ chức tại biệt thự Rutland-Farley. [BOYZELL HOSEY | Tampa Bay Times Files]Nhưng, Farley nói, đó chủ yếu là ngôi nhà nơi anh nuôi dạy con cái. Càng, chúng tôi đã sử dụng nó cho các sự kiện từ thiện và đã giúp nhiều tổ chức quyên góp tiền, anh ấy nói, nhưng khác hơn là nó chỉ là nhà của chúng tôi.Và khi biệt thự được bán trên khắp thế giới, anh nói anh dự định sẽ tổ chức cho một người nào đó muốn biến nó thành nhà của họ. Nếu người đó không phải là người ngoài kia, anh ta nói anh ta có thể giữ nó.Nhà nghiên cứu tin tức cao cấp của Times Caryn Baird đã đóng góp cho báo cáo này.[ad_2] Nguồn

Chicago, that toddlin' town

I guess very deep inside I love it: I always end up visiting freezing places in December for a quick holiday before the actual big holidays. First it was Russia, then Finland, London and now Chicago. I must definitely have a fetich with the cold, because it’s really unbearable with -18C, and yet, here I am. 

Chicago is cold, yes. But it’s wonderful as well. I can’t wait to come back during summer time. If I find it gorgeous already, I can’t imagine then. Winter isn’t that bad either: all the beautiful places you want to go, see and know are actually empty, picture-perfect awaiting for you and your enjoyment. Some rooftops get cold very easily but, there are other closed ones, surrounded by glass, already ready to fight the winter back, gifting you a beautiful sight of Chicago lights within the comfort of AC. 

You breath and eat its culture. People are polite. The American flavor is present in every corner. It’s hard to describe a particular neighborhood or place; instead, you just have to wing it to discover it. If, as per my point of view, New York City is the heart of the US (at least on the East Coast), where the culture beat and rhythm is determined, Chicago must definitely be its lungs: the air is fresher, the city is cleaner, more tidy yet exciting, smaller but rich, more elegant and better taken care of, making sure the blood stream fluids hassle-free in this living being that is America. I mean, it’s called the Windy City for a reason!

A mix of Sydney, San Francisco, Singapore and Sweden (all of them with S - such a weird coincidence) with a dash of Toronto and Austin, this is a perfect merge of everything. What Yangon is to SEA, I believe Chicago is to North America’s East Coast.  

Downtown Chicago, The Loop & River North, the main stuff. 

Michigan St. is one of the city’s main arteries, it’s fully decorated, with its fancy boutiques, stores and hotels, charming the riverwalk and its surroundings. The sharp cold, the one that makes you feel like you are about to lose your fingers in any sudden bump or gentle touch, paints the city with a crisp white - still figuring out whether it actually came from my frozen watery eyes or the snow itself. Regardless, it’s indeed a charming Winter Wonderland.   

Arriving from O’hare to any part of town is quite easy thanks to the CTA. I went off on Washington stop and walked a few blocks reaching my friend Gabe’s house by New East Park. A compulsory stop at Millennium Park, with a visit to the wrongly named “bean” (it’s actually named Cloud), the Art Institute of Chicago - awarded the best Museum in the World by Trip Advisor until 2018 for four years in a row - is a must. But what is even more important is to try Chicago’s pizza emblem: the stuffed pizza pie at Giordano’s. It has multiple locations, -the original one being at River North- and its menu is full of the good stuff. We went to the one by the Bean instead, and be prepared: it’s a lot of food and it will take at least 45 mins to reach your table. So don’t get fooled, try to hold on and avoid ordering appetizers, don’t be like us, if not you’ll get super full before the main food star. It’s rich and full-filling, the doe is fantastic, it honors the actual “pie” name it stands for, the sauce is delicious and the stuffing reminded me of the pizza rellena my Nona used to make, although with a complete different taste (ours was way better, coz it had bacon, anchovies and eggs). 

After an evident food comma, be prepared to check out a wonderful sunset at London House, a hotel & rooftop bar strategically located on the intersection of Michigan St. and the Riverwalk, where you can be mesmerized by Chicago’s skyline. If you are visiting in winter, remember to drop by early (sunset in December happens approximately around 4:30pm), and if you are checking it out during summer nights, be ready for some music and fun until late. 

A great winter alternative is The Signature Room & Lounge - a closed yet wonderful restaurant, located on the 95th and 96th floor of one of Chicago’s tallest building. A reminiscence of  the Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo and a flashback to Charlotte’s wondering sights at the massive windows in Lost in Translation happens when you first face those monumental glasses, while being charmed by Chicago’s lights and movement. From 5 to 7 there’s a very convenient happy hour, so be mindful to check it out: Prosecco for me, Old Fashion for Gabe. Another incredible talk for our memories. 

Right next to it, you can find The Drake Hotel, now owned by Hilton, also known as the place where Al Capone lived here in Chicago. 

When it comes to dinner, man, you’re in a pickle! Chicago is known for its food scene and for a reason. It’s foodie’s heaven. Thankfully, talking with locals, residents and cross-checking with blogs and seasonal magazines, I can undoubtedly say that The Purple Pig is the place to go. Mediterranean cuisine with a twist, with a wonderful collection of wines and charcuterie. We shared three delicious dishes: whipped feta with honey and sweet heirloom tomatoes, butternut squash with peanut butter and adobo, to finally wrap it up with an exquisite Spanish grilled octopus with potatoes and pesto greens, which made us end up with no extra room for dessert - my friend Belu would be so disappointed on me. 

Right across the street, you can take some pictures at the Intercontinental Hotel, which hosts Michael Jordan Steakhouse (not a biggie, but it’s kind of funny that this legend, Mike 23, has a restaurant on his own). Wrap up your night with some blues. Walk down the area to find your favorite bar, hopefully one with no or little cover fee. We went to Blue Chicago ($10 bucks), grab a IPA Goose Island beer (the local brew) and enjoy some tunes. It was really amazing - I could listen to this music all day long. 

Up North: Old Town, Wicker Park & Longan Park, the cool stuff. 

Head up to Old Town, near Lincoln Park. Take the brown line (if you manage to activate your CTA card, it’s not an easy task if you don’t have a US phone number) and travel 4 long stops. This neighborhood holds St Michael’s Church, one of only seven buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Start your tour over there, and check out the beautiful architecture that surrounds it. It’s an extremely weird merge of modern and old buildings and styles, with some very well preserved gems. Same happens downtown. I guess that after the fire, the city really focused on keeping its charm as untouched as possible. And damn they are doing a great of a job at it! 

Up there, one of the main roads - which is also a National highway - is North Wells Street (IL-64 Route, oh well hello New York’s BQE deja vu!) and check out Second City, an iconic Comedy Club and Theater in the US - thanks Juan for the tip!-. It started as a small cabaret theater nearly 60 years ago and has since become the world’s premier name in improv-based sketch comedy and education. Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Bill Murray and Mike Myers are just some of the name-dropping figures that appear as their alumni. 

Right in front of it, there’s Foxtrot Cafe, a wonderful and warm place where to have breakfast. It’s iconic spicy chicken biscuit is a must, and you can pair it with the coffee of your choice. Almond cap for me. After some needed calories to fight the -8C temperature, I headed east to Wicker Park. 

What a wonderful place. It’s dodgy, ruined down and hipster-looking. It is truly fantastic. The best of British’s Shoreditch with the untapped, gritted vibe of Brooklyn’s Bushwick or Flatbush, with the crazy look of Seattle’s Pike/Pine-Capitol’s Hill. This is where High Fidelity (2000s, John Cusack in a record store movie) was shot. Gentrification is the hype word you’ll hear, but still, Wicker Park remains a vibrant hub of culture and commerce in Chicago, riddled with boutiques, restaurants, cocktail bars, concerts venues and condos. It’s main area is located around the six corners of Milwaukee, North and Damen Avenues.

Starting from Milwaukee Ave. South, make a compulsory stop by Myopic Books, a nerdy paradise for all second-hand book fans. Continue your literally hunt down by Milwaukee Av and rejoice at Volume’s Book, get the warm hot cocoa you were craving for while writing your travel blog post about Chicago or read a new book instead. For a more funky venue, walk down a few more steps to find The Wormhole, Chicago’s most visited coffee shop. 

The Wormhole is a place very hard to define, so I will just say that is an '80s-themed rustic coffee shop, complete with a DeLorean, pouring locally roasted coffee. It’s a fun place with great music and even better wifi. It’s easily and strategically located before arriving to some of greatest stores by Milwaukee Ave. Make some time to check out all the fantastic the second hand, vintage and thrift shops like Kokoroko, Free People, & or if you prefer, stop by Reckless Records for some great music discounts.

Make yourself some time to check it by night as well, you can have fun at Emporium, the great arcade place or even have a drink or two at Davenport’s, the great piano bar and cabaret. 

The best place - and most iconic one - to have a cozy, all-time-classic lunch is Dove’s Lunchonette, inspired in old ‘60s and ‘70s Chicago’s soul and blues. It’s really fantastic. Becky (almost certain that was her name) is the great waitress that will recommend you all the goodness available in the menu and refill your coffee or tea, always with her laugh and great vibe. Make sure to appreciate the tunes and the environment, it’s a great memory from this city. A delicious poblano pepper filled with chicken and cheese, deep fried in delicious crumbles, topping a side of mexican rice with house, home-made spicy sauce. Yummy. 

Continue your exploration heading towards Logan Place, where more cool stores like tattoo parlors and skate stores are located. Don’t miss out on the street art scene and the 606, the Chicago’s Highline. Make a stop at the “Greetings from Chicago” mural and don’t hesitate to refuel at Colectivo Coffee, a great place where co-working and coffee brewery merges. 

Going West: Fulton Market, Greek Town and West Loop

This is THE place to eat. All of Chicago’s top restaurants are here, even the ones that have their venues by the riverwalk, they know they need to be here as well. We tried out luck at Au Cheval, named the best burger in America for a while, but it comes with a cost: an hour and a half waiting queue. Instead of getting our burger treat, with it’s typical knife on top, resembling some kind of conquest your stomach is about to achieve and colonize, we decided to give Green Street Smoked Meats a chance. This is one of Gabe’s favorite spots in Fulton Market, and it’s a nice and fancier Texas Smokehouse. Communal, big tables, great music and vibe, where to find delicious BBQ, even better brisket which we tried to tuned down with healthier sides such as yummy broccoli salad as well as the traditional pickle cabbage one, are there to ignite your night. 

The Green Door Tavern is an awesome tip my parents gave me. Apparently, it was vox populi back in the ‘20s that the establishments that had a green door, hosted a speakeasy inside and did not respect the prohibition rules of no-alcohol. So, let’s party like it’s 1921 and enjoy a drink or two in here! Once you enter, it just look like a regular, sports and antique bar, where memorabilia and Irish Pub look-and-feel rules the place. Yet, do not despair: head to the back, go down the stairs and before reaching the bathroom, try to listen to the music. A wall, a tricky one, hidden behind a books and ornaments shelf, you shall find Heaven’s door. A funky, old school, hour-o-clock-show bar, where to enjoy strong cocktails, and around the clock shows. Music, magic or, it’s signature event: burlesque. After choosing your drink from a very unique tarot-card-like menu, indulge yourself in the ‘20s era with the surprise show and the old-school videos played on the stage curtains. It’s a fantastic experience!

Visit the Hoxton hotel (always beautiful, never disappointing according to my experiences in Brooklyn, Paris and now Chicago) and head up to it’s rooftop restaurant Cabra - a Peruvian fusion delight. Great for brunch or lunch, we indulged on it’s sample menu and enjoyed some fresh guac and chips, a pulled pork belly sandwich, a tuna tiradito, goat empanadas and some delicious mango and chocolate dessert. It was a perfect Thursday food-comma. 

Before leaving Fulton Market, walk around and visit the brand new Time’s Out Market. Contrary to the Hoxton experience, Time’s Out is a great content platform with great venues around the world. Although, no market is as nice and as delicious as the Lisbon one. It was the first Time’s Out market they launched, and although I’ve visited some others like New York’s or Chicago’s, they do not manage to create the same vibe and atmosphere you can find in Lisbon. Chicago’s one is nice and you can find top names such as The Purple Pig and so on, but maybe you wanna give some of the surrounding restaurants a try before choosing Time’s Out Market. 

Wrap it up by Navy Pier & a bis on the Riverwalk 

While my stayed in the Windy City was coming to an end, I went to the Navy Pier for sunset to be wonder by the Michigan Lake and its view. We also walked down again the main road and visited The Protein Bar, a healthy venue were wraps and juices are top notch and you with your purchase you contribute to a local start-up. You can also check out a top view of the Bean and the Millennial park at Cindy’s, the rooftop of Chicago’s Athletic Association. Visit the Public Library and imagine yourself studying at the same booths or with the same texts Obama once did. Have a coffee by the Theater District at Goddess and the Baker. 

Head to Nonnina for some yummy Italian and even better service. We had some wine, pasta and salmon to celebrate my last night in the city. Call it a day by visiting another Varela’s Family recommendation and favorite: The Redhead Piano Bar. This energetic, fun and light-hearted venue is a fantastic spot where to drink your sorrows away, sing your heart out and laugh as hard as you can. The talented crew at the piano and mic will sing your requests for tips and will cheer and entertain your night with fine tunes, Chicago’s stories and public interaction that will certainly lift any night and place a unique bow on your unique Chicago Farewell. 

4 days in Chicago is not enough, specially if the cold forces you to be inside. I guess the same applies in summer: it wont be enough either due to the outdoor activities the city will offer.  Next time I will drive a little bit uptown heading to Superdawn, the traditional and well known Chicago sausage drive thru. I would also love to visit Manny’s Place, a traditional deli that’s been around for quite a while now, as well as to Kingston Mines, the traditional blues bar near Lincoln Park and Zoo -which we did actually go but too early for a show- as well as another fun and very hard to find ( I need to research a little bit more) tiki-bar speakeasy called three dots and a dash. Chicago, you’ve been awesome - I’ll be back!

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The Alton Towers Story - The Power of the Towers

Miles away from the coast, but sure to satiate your roller-coaster desires – it’s time to find out ‘the power of the towers’…

Alton Towers – the place where dreams are made of (well, a place where fun times are had, anyway) and, being located in the middle of nowhere, this really is the go-to destination for anybody travelling through Staffordshire. Check out these hacks of what to do and what not to do to make the most of your visit, whenever you may go.

From Flowers to Towers

If you don’t know anything about the history of one of the most famous theme parks in the world, here’s definitely a good place to start.

A fort / castle establishment has been at the heart of the Alton Estate for hundreds of years. In fact, an iron age fort was built there and in 700AD, a fortress replaced this by a Saxon king. In the twelfth century, the large manorial estate (in which Alton Towers is located) was given to a knight – Bertram II de Verdun – for his work in the Crusades. However, the current estate as it is known today was created in the first decade of the nineteenth century by the fifteenth Earl of Shrewsbury, where the buildings and the farmland around the stately home were turned into one of the largest formal gardens in Britain. After many more years of different people inheriting the land, the eighteenth Earl of Shrewsbury acquired the Alton Towers estate in 1859 – and this is the point in time which became the major turning point for the future of this Staffordshire landmark.

Believe it or not, but Alton Towers opened as a country estate nearly 180 years ago, in April 1860. The Earl celebrated his acquisition of the Alton Towers estate by holding a procession through Staffordshire, attracting some 40,000 people to the grounds.

Following the success of the eighteenth Earl, the successive earls consequently monetised how popular and how much of an attraction this place actually was. Opened for raising money to refurbish the house in the first instance, a tradition arose and it became obvious that the public were just as enthusiastic to take a visit to the estate as the first instance. In fact, the twentieth Earl instigated the tradition of bringing summer fetes to the Staffordshire Moorlands. Not just with the attraction of the gardens being open to take in, but fireworks, balloons and several exhibitions ensured that the future of the estate was secured for many years to come.

However, in the closing years of the nineteenth century, the separation of the Earl and the Countess slowly but surely put the future of the whole estate in danger until 1924, when it was brought into public ownership. It wasn’t until the 1960s that Alton Towers showed even a tiny glimpse of what it is today, with the inclusion of a few little attractions, such as a boating lake, a chairlift and a small fair. However, when the Tussauds Group purchased the site in 1980, this foreshadowed the many decades of development and the scope for what was to come to ensure the continuity of this site through the major development of roller-coaster rides; notably installing the famous Corkscrew that year.

Alton Towers was requisitioned as an officer cadet training camp. The house and grounds remained under the control of the war office until 1951.

Don’t Halt in Alton!

If you’re one of the millions (yes, really) of people who have visited Alton Towers over the years, you’ll have probably experienced the feeling of nervousness and excitement as you drive through the little, hard-to-navigate streets of the namesake’s chocolate-box village. The only thing I would advise you to do is to keep on driving. You see the name, ‘Alton Towers’ is actually quite misleading, as the actual grounds are located in an even smaller place called Farley. It’s like the Glastonbury of theme parks!

But once you do arrive into the grounds, that is just the start of your experience. Whether you park as close as humanly possible to the main entrance, or you drive just a little further afield and catch the monorail, the scenery and the staff all make your time at Alton Towers that much more magical – it’s like you’ve been transported into a completely different world.

Alton Towers is Europe’s joint-12th most visited theme park in Europe, with attendance breaking the 2,000,000 annual visitor mark in 2017 

Make the Most of Your Stay!

Ensuring that you have the best time, the Alton Towers Resort is fantastic at providing things for everybody to do. So much so that this overview of the theme park does very little justice to what you can actually get out of being there – so my first tip is that you really don’t know the magic of Alton Towers until you visit Alton Towers. Along with their world-famous roller-coasters (which people literally travel across the world to visit), visitors are encouraged to have a leisurely stroll through the centuries-old Gardens,

along with taking the Skyride to really get a different perspective on what stood (and still stands) in this now-changed country estate. Not only this, but Merlin also provides a plethora of arcade games dotted around each attraction to keep literally everybody occupied for the day (or even longer…) Saying this, I really would recommend that, if you were staying for more than one day, you purchase the Alton Towers season pass – for a little more extra than the price of an ordinary ticket, it pays itself off in only a couple of visits; so definitely do your research and do your planning before paying.

Make sure to visit https://www.altontowers.com/tickets/ and also make sure to visit the well-known voucher code websites to really get the best deal

As with a lot of the major attractions which Merlin has, the amount of roller-coasters and things to do is physically staggering. So much so, that a lot of the coasters are split into different ‘sectors’ – including CBeebies Land (for smaller children), Mutiny Bay (for great family fun), the Dark Forest (for everybody wanting to take a delve into the unknown of roller-coaster rides) and the X Sector (for the true thrill seekers). This can mean that different areas of the park are busier at different times, and this can be super annoying for people waiting in the queue, because it can mean that you are spending much more time queuing rather than getting to the next ride to quench your thrill-seeking thirst. So, firstly, I would always pick a day during the week to visit the park where possible. As a general rule, the areas furthest away from the entrance are the best places to visit first. Not only would this get some of the Big 6 coasters ticked off the list first, but, it would also mean that the queue times are shorter, because not many people really feel like walking their legs off at the beginning of the day to get to the far corners of the park. Aside from this, it must be said that lunchtime is always a good time to go on any of the big rollercoasters – because not many people really have the desire to jump on the front of The Smiler just after wolfing down a hugely tasty (but a little pricey) spicy chicken burger and chips! And remember – always check to see when the ride close time is; this is the time when the entrances to each of the roller-coaster rides shut, so make sure to jump in the queue before then. 

If you are peckish, there are so many great places to eat in and around the park, but it can be equally nice to take your own food, giving you the freedom to eat it wherever your heart desires. This might be a good idea too, because it means then you can really treat yourself during the day to a pack of moreish doughnuts from Mutiny Bay instead of splashing all your cash on the savoury stuff at midday. Nitrogenie, located outside Duel, is a particular favourite too for snacks on a hot summer’s day, with ice cream made directly in front of you. Made with a splash of magic (also known as liquid nitrogen), the whole experience of watching your food being made is hugely satisfying – and this is certainly no exaggeration.  However, if you don’t take your own food, Pizza and Pasta restaurant is the destination to go to – with an all-you-can-eat buffet selection. The downside to this is, you could literally spend all of your time at Alton Towers solely eating – so definitely approach with caution on that one! Feeling a little more flush or going for a special event? The Roller-coaster Restaurant is amazing; it is fantastic for families too, but err on the ride of caution with this one – there is no movement or indeed human interaction involved as you order all of your food with a tablet at your table and you pay for it all at the very end. Terrifically typical of Alton Towers, the magic of the park even flows into the theming of the food – which is really tasty, by the way.

Apart from the main attractions, there are other things you can do there, but this is all at a cost. For example, you can while away the hours at the Spa,or you can even visit the on-site waterpark, Splash Landings, but both can get hugely busy during the peak periods, so you really do need to make a day of going to those places too. Splash Landings is the place for everybody, and, when it’s not full, you really can let your hair down (or not) and just let go of the flow of life for a few hours! When it is busy, though, it sometimes doesn’t feel like you really get the full value of your time there, so it is probably best to plan ahead before you go, just like with the theme park, if you can.

Queue Times: The Inside Track

When I say ‘a completely different world’, I really do mean it – once you make it into the theme park itself, it really does place you in a very strange place, where the reality of the outside world might as well not just exist. One of the reasons behind this is the fact that physical time within Alton Towers times is completely different to how you’d experience time during (to quote one of the most famous rides at the theme park, ‘The Smiler’) your ordinary, mundane lives. So, because of this, be sure to always make a plan of action before you step foot into the park – this will ensure you get the best out of these few precious hours where fun is the one and only thing on the agenda!

Visit http://ridetimes.co.uk/ to get the queue times.

Depending on the time of year you visit, what you can physically do within the confines of a single day can vary hugely.

Thinking of going at the start of the season (March/April)? Yes, the queue times might be quiet, but the likelihood is that you’ll be quite chilly when walking between the rides and between finding things to do. I’d recommend to go during this time if you’re a true adrenaline junkie, but beware of horrible weather and this might cause some rides to close in adverse conditions.

Thinking of going before the summer holidays (April-June)? In my humble opinion, this is the best time to go. Okay, the weather might not be as good as during the peak summer season, but, the likelihood is that you’ll be met with sun and not showers. Apart from the seemingly endless bank holidays, these months create the fine balance between having a good time and being able to really quench your thirst for adrenaline.

Thinking of going during the summer period (July-September)? The holiday season only means one thing; FUN! The height of the British summertime brings along with it something not seen at any other time of the year for all of the fun and thrill seekers among us – it brings the chance to stay outside for longer and, for the kids, to stay up for longer! This is definitely the time to go if you are up for even more time to thrill seek on your day out. Usually, the ride close times are much later than at any other point in the season, but the flip-side to this is the hideously long queue times. Of course, it all depends on the day – you can never be too sure.

Thinking of going during the festive period (October-November)? A little like the summertime, this brings a whole different kettle of fish to the forefront – the Scarefest spook-tacular, during which The Laurels is dressed up and Fireworks extravaganza. Especially during Scarefest, the ride times are even later, with rides closing at 9pm (yes, really) but again, this means that the crowds can be heaving during the busier periods– so be prepared to walk (or stand) your legs off if you take the plunge and decide to visit during the period that Alton Towers is most famous for.

Let’s Just Go!

If you are a thrill-seeker, a fun fanatic, or just fancy going somewhere for a day out in the middle of the Staffordshire countryside (and who wouldn’t want that?!), you need to put Alton Towers on your list of places to visit. If you’re from the UK, or even further afield, you have probably heard of Alton Towers – especially as Merlin seem to have taken over the world with its theme parks, located at various locations in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia.

Yes, a trip to the Towers can be an expensive way to while away a few hours of the day, but there are so many different things you can do to make the most of your time there. You don’t have to be a Merlin employee to really make the money stretch further when you get there. One of the main ways which people save money is (I’m going all Martin Lewis here) by using popular online voucher code websites, where Alton Towers regularly offer huge discounts. Additionally, stay at The Laurels B&B is a fraction of the price of what Alton Towers charge per night – so if you don’t mind a little bit of travelling if you are staying in the area for more than an afternoon, it really does pay to do your research. The same goes with food; with so much to choose from in and around Alton itself, if you don’t mind what to eat, your taste buds might thank you – yes, the food at Alton Towers is nice, but healthy? Let’s just say, there is only so much fried food you can take as well as having the stomach to be able to not turn green on the most exhilarating roller-coasters!

So, if you plan your day right, if you know the best days to visit and if you come to the park with a good pair of walking shoes (trust me – you will need them) you’ll have a whale of a time. You’ll leave this incredible attraction smiling with your wallet not being drained into oblivion and your head not spinball whizzing with confusion!

Travel Tip created by Phil & Helen in association with Vacation Soup

I do not know how to commence a letter, so I’ll force it.

Dear Adam “Sandman” Sandler,

Due to your level of fame and popularity, I am a hundred and ten percent sure you have heard an extravagant hyperbole of an amount of stories directed to you as to how you were/are people’s muses, their form of enlightenment, or their man they enjoyed watching on their televisions.

This is in no way a sob story, as there are no deaths, or forgotten promises, or broken friendships. No sad toned themes. This is just a bit of my story on why you are great to me, and how I hope to meet you one day.

---Odd how a letter directed to another turns out to be a mini biography of the write, like do we assume the recipient cares?

I am a 2000’s baby (I am 1999 but I cannot call myself a 90’s baby) and when I try to think of my young decade of what was in, what was popular, or even what we wore, I cannot remember a thing. I can only recall my mother cooking, and my siblings and I would sit together in our computer room (back when computers had their own room titles, which was attached to our kitchen) and listen to music. So much music. Her music.

My brother would study older genres of music and the playlist for dinner preparation would sometimes include his as well.

I grew up listening to the ‘old’

I grew up watching the ‘old’

I was a fairly dependant child, and my closeness with my mother made me accustomed to the sounds of her days as a youth. I took her pop culture of her childhood and missed what was supposed to be mine. Sure, I remember when “Fireworks” from Katy Perry was popular, when The Black Eyed Peas were The Black Eyed Peas, but I regretfully rejected my classmates interests because they did not suit my lifestyle. Though I was a dick of a kid, I was lost. Only home did I feel accepted, listening to Journey and watching films, and the SNL 80’s special VHS tape.

I was enamored by your fashion of comedy, and your vocal talents, and comedy classics such as Happy Gilmore; one of my favourite films, your bits with Chris Farley were also amazing. No one should forget your more serious movies such as Click, Bedtime Stories, then Punch Drunk love and another favourite of mine- The Meyerowitz Stories.

Watching these, my family developed inside jokes that only we knew because it usually referenced the ‘old’. It made me feel more lost as I could not share these thoughts of love and admiration for this music or these films or this comedy, because no one my age knew anything I would say.

Your comedy and 80’s music made me feel at home.

But now I am nearly twenty, and am bombarded with my childhood due to the trend of the revival of 80’s and 90’s aesthetic and music culture.

I always wanted it to happen as a kid, where I could discuss the best Journey songs with others and lie in a circle of pure euphoria, listening to Survivor, Fleetwood Mac, The Kinks, Simon and Garfunkel with others around me. But that doesn’t happen as the shallowest of music knowledge is popularized, but no one knows anything but the biggest hits.

Still, I am lost.

Luckily in college, I know I am not the only one. Maybe no to the same extent, but I can socialize.

But I like older people.

I like them because I can communicate with them better than people my age. I had a crush on my high school animation teacher because we would talk about comedies and music and old film. I also have a small crush on my painting teacher in college because we talk about music and older things. I am in a relationship with a man nearly double my age and am so happy to be able to converse with him and am just am in complete love with him and his love for music and movies meshes with mine. A work friend of mine, who is 50 has called me an ‘old soul’, which I detest, but he says with praise, I personally do not like this term as I don’t want to make myself a pedestal and claim “I am so fucking different”, I just enjoy music, movies and comedy from a different time.

So Sandman, why do I tell you this?

Because I feel as if you miss your pop culture of your childhood and growing years. Not necessarily the 80’s in total, as there were still downfalls of society, but your music, your movies, and your video games. You grew up with a phenomenon I did not grow up with; NOT the ‘missing child’ photograph on the milk cartons, but arcades. I grew up when the home gaming systems were already made and were a normal item in any household. You grew up at the rise of gaming.

Pixels, a movie I absolutely enjoy, is surrounded with 80’s games and you said in an interview that you included the games you know, and no others as you stopped following games. It probably is because when you got older, you fell off the conveyor belt of the gaming industry, but the sole inclusion of those games made me feels as if you long for those days again.

The soundtrack in nearly every movie of yours shows me your pure adoration for 80’s rock. There is a passion for it.

Compared to Ready Player One, I absolutely hated the fact at how they used and abused 70’s-90’s culture to satisfy today’s trend. It was awful. I hated it. I had no point being there.

You show a devotion for the pop culture of a time period that I love, and I highly respect that.

I believe you work much harder than what you lead on, and what people assume of you.

I worked for Rob Schneider at Fan Expo Canada 2018 in Toronto last year, and though he did not like me in the beginning, I proved I was a good worker and he was he nicest man and celebrity I had ever worked for and encountered. He gave me two autographs that include you, Bill Murray, Chris Farley, “makin’ copies” Rob Schneider, and Paul McCartney. He supported me in the arts and said I should be proud of myself and be confident in my work. We discussed you and how you are truly a blessing.

Rob is a great guy, and I can only assume you are too.

So let’s wrap this up, cause my fucking hands are exhausted.

I truly admire you, and am saddened that I will not be able to see you perform in Toronto this summer, as I will be away.

I hope your family are all happy and well, and know their daddy is a good guy.

I also really hope to meet you one day and just discuss things, or just share each other’s playlists. I would also love to work with you in some shape or form.

I promise myself this.

Your lost friend whom you don’t know,

Alannah Astorquiza

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Final image is the first attempt at writing to Adam Sandler. Decided to redo it.