The Tube By GAF, submitted to The Scenest 1996 Raytracing Competition

I don’t think the router dying is a coincidence. Hazard for my line of work. It’s annoying. Kind of like people who think after years fucking with you prank after prank that you’ll just break down and cry. Suddenly want to be their friend. They actually think they’re in competition with you my real friends. This city and the world is full of people who think I need their help or validation. It dumbfounds me people literally forget they treat you like shit and expect you to chomp the bait of nostalgia because you’re “tired.” That’s what coffee is for. And they stole that too. The advantage of having everything go wrong is you focus on the things that are right in your life. I think people don’t really know what I’m about outside what scenester try hards have to say about it. I don’t have to try for mediocre people anymore. I know it drives them crazy. It’ll drive them crazier if I need to get a lawyer. That’s the attitude out here for real.

Dear Alternative Community Gatekeepers, Stop

Alternative is not a label which you can give to one 'group' of people. alternatives are non conformists who have no social group. you cant recognise an alternative person by what they wear or look like, so dont try to. they dont all wear the same clothes (like moshers, chavs, goths, indies or any other group of people who try to be individual but all seem to like the same stuff, wear the same clothes and only listen to music which their friends like). alternative people enjoy listening to whatever the hell they like, because they dont just like one type of music, they may just enjoy music on a whole, or it may just depend what kind of a mood they are in to what kind of music they listen too at that time. although this term is based around mysic it also applys to clothes as i said above many groups try to all wear the same stuff in order to fit in, alternatives wear whatever they like, if its designer, and they like it, they will wear it. if its got the name of a band on, and they like it, they will wear it. if there is a song which is by slipnot, and they like it, they will listen to it. if there is a song, which is by eminem, they will listen too it. Punk is not about a certain hair colour, style, or music, although music does take a large part in most punks lives.  Punk is about liking what you like, being yourself, saying what you think and FUCK ALL THE REST.  You don't need a two foot high red mohawk to be a punk, although that is wicked cool. You don't need sleeves, a backpiece, or any tattoos at all to be punk. You don't need a Misfits, Casualties, Sex Pistols or any band like that jacket to be punk. You don't need anything to be punk except for awareness, self respect, respect for others and an open mind. A Goth is someone who sees beauty in the dark side of life. Today's society is focused on negating darkness because it is associated with evil. Think about it - in almost every fairy tale, who is the antagonist? The brunette. Who is the protagonist? The blonde. Dark is evil, evil is bad, and therefore we should wipe all trace of it from our lives. Unfortunately, that's simply not possible. No matter how hard society tries, people still die. Day turns into night. Love becomes loss. It's a fact of life. So while everyone else is denying an entire half of life, the Goths embrace ALL of life, good and bad. Goths understand that the best and most lasting joy is tinged with a little sadness, and that all love is bittersweet. Goths understand that not everybody has to be happy 24/7, and that the way to succeed is not by pretending you are. Sunlit skies are beautiful, yes, but so are dark cloudy ones. What is white without black? What is a rose without thorns? Thus, by embracing the shadows as well as the sun, Goths are, in many cases, actually more emotionally healthy than those in mainstream society.  Emo is an emotional person. They are not depressed all the time and some are acually very happy at times. They do smile, they don't sit in a corner crying all day. Some are actually quite popular and laugh and joke around lots. NB: Emo does not mean the person cuts themselves, they might but that is not why they're emo. The word "scene" coves a large spectrum throughout recent history, but its most modern definition is used to describe certian subcultures and movements. The most notoriously famous and targeted is the alternative music scene, or more specifically, branches of the alternative music scene such as hardcore, indie, fashoionxcore, etc. A breed of scenesters (people on the scene) has begun to come to the forefront. These scenesters are usually very music-savvy and loyal to a few specific genres (typically hardcore, metal, indie, retro, 80's new wave, classic rock, etc. to name a few), of which they dress to exemplify. It is hard to pin down a style for a scene male or female, considering the trends amongst them vary from coast to coast, and certian fads come in and out within their ranks. Typically, though, many scene kids will have facial piercings, tattoos, and longer hair. It is not unusual to see teased hair with long bangs on males, or short fauxhawks (a mohawk without the sides shaved, a fashion-friendly version) on females. It is almost a throwback to the revolution of Britian's glam era, very androgynous and fresh. Scenesters take a lot of pride in their overall image, and often they appreciate shock value. Oftentimes they are thrifty, employing their abilities as bargian-hunters and do-it-yourself gurus to do something unique with their style. Large vintage sunglasses, retro patterns, tight jeans, classic metal/band tees, plastic jewelry, and heavy eye makeup are just some of the incorperations into scene style for either sex. This style and showmanship is at its height during shows (concerts), where often scene kids will meet their friends and size up strangers who visit their turf. There indeed is competition among scenesters...sometimes friendly, sometimes not. Shows are in fact not just concerts, but often a means of socialization for those on the scene. Those people who partake in scene lifestyle often choose to date/socialize only with those like them, which can cause bitterness or rejection to outsiders. The music scene is often associated with other areas that scenesters are interested in, which is liekely, art, photography, creative writing, poetry, tattoos & piercings, civil rights, animal rights, etc. Many scene kids have strong beliefs about these things and consider those who do not to be "posers." They feel that their scene style is not only a fashion statement, but an all-encompassing lifestyle. Many scene kids incorperate their future plans into their lifestyle, going into careers such as journalism, photography, artistry, piercing, tattooing, working for magazines, being musicians, hairstylists, running venues and/or coffee shops, etc. This tends to cause scene kids to congregate, visit, or even move to big cities to find opportunities to meet other scenesters, find jobs that suit them, or to live where they have a plethora of activities that they enjoy readily at their disposal. Recently internet revolutions like myspace.com have provided a new means for the ideas of scene culture to be spead, for scenesters to find new friends, bands, and activities. Scensters design stylish and graphic profile pages to both draw attention to themselves and to find others like them, and many people have joined up with the scene fad due to internet advertising. The downside of many scene atmospheres is that some scene kids tend to develop a superior mentality. Some who are especially popular and affluent can make it harder for the younger, yet-aspiring scenesters to join in with the subculture. This is not always the case, however. Different areas breed different demographics of scene kids. Perhaps part of their attitude comes from the problem that scenesters have begun to feel threatened about their culture being jeopardized because of a sort of trickle down effect. The internet is permitting easy access for anyone who would want to don scene-esque style and jump right in to a culture that scenesters feel they have built from the ground up and developed into a complex lifestyle. However, this lends many to get caught up in popularity contests in local areas as well as on the world wide web. Unfortunately, this can also lead to rifts in scenes. Groups of hardcore scenesters start "crews," often characterized by fierce brotherhood to the point of violence against others who are unlike them or who are in other crews. The scene is dividing amongst itself, due to purists who feel the scene is about music only, and those who have taken the scene fashion to be almost, if not equally, as important as the music itself. Some of the fashionable scenesters stick to their musical roots, but often due to the aforementioned trickle-down effect, there are people joining the scene who are not interested in the music, but are only in it for the attention. Thus, the scene will continue to divide. Whether they will admit it or not, kids interested in this lifestyle of excitement, concerts, body modification, fashion, and overall alluringly unusual aesthetics will continually be labeled as "scene." They chose an alternative path because they wanted to find acceptance elsewhere. Now, they face a community just like any other: one of all different types of people, who have different opinions and standards. It has its pros and cons, ups and downs, just like any lifestyle does. A metalhead is somebody who loves heavy metal. Don't always have the "look". And it's not even necessary to listen to just the classic metal bands, you can listen to the subgenres. You just have to appreciate the genre as a whole. The term: Short for independent rock. In terms of music it would be independent of major labels/mainstream stuff. History: grew out from 60s garage, 70s punk, and 80s post punk it started in the mid 80s as alternative/college radio music. Once nirvana hit big the alternative genre split: the popular side was just alternative(Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, No Doubt, etc.) and the other half that wasn't mainstream(by choice or not) became indie rock(Pavement, Sebadoh, Built To Spill, etc). Some bands have signed to major labels but are still considered indie(Modest Mouse, etc.). Go figure. Sound: In the begining indie sounded like alternative(because it was) but it grew more experimental and weird. In Britain indie has more of a typical sound like Radiohead, Muse, etc. rather than a definition based on 'the scene.'  The scene: if you really think all indie kids do is try to be cooler than other people then... well.. you're mostly right.

The forgotten story of Pure Hell, America’s first black punk band The four-piece lived with the New York Dolls and played with Sid Vicious, but they’ve been largely written out of cultural history

An essential part of learning history is questioning it, asking what has become part of our cultural memory and what might have been left out. When it comes to the history of punk music, there are few bands who have been as overlooked as Pure Hell.

The band’s story began in West Philadelphia in 1974, when four teenagers – lead vocalist Kenny ‘Stinker’ Gordon, bassist Lenny ‘Steel’ Boles, guitarist Preston ‘Chip Wreck’ Morris and drummer Michael ‘Spider’ Sanders, set out to follow in the footsteps of their musical idols. A shared obsession with the sounds of Iggy, Bowie, Cooper, and Hendrix inspired them to create music that was louder, faster and more provocative than even those artists’ most experimental records. Pure Hell’s unique sound led them to New York, where they became characters in a seminal subculture recognised today as punk. As musicians of colour, their contribution to a predominately white underground scene is all the more significant. “We were the first black punk band in the world,” says Boles. “We were the ones who paid the dues for it, we broke the doors down. We were genuinely the first. And we still get no credit for it.”

The title of the ‘first black punk band’ has, in recent years, been informally given to Detroit-based Death, whose music was mostly unheralded at the time but has since been rediscovered and praised for its progressive ideas. But while Death were creating proto-punk music in isolation in the early 1970s, Pure Hell was completely entrenched in the New York City underground scene, living and performing alongside the legends of American punk. Arriving the same month that Patti Smith and Television began their two-month residencies at CBGB and leaving just after Nancy Spungen’s murder, Pure Hell’s active years in the city aligned perfectly with the birth and death of a dynamic chapter of music history. “I don’t want to be remembered just because we were black,” says Kenny Gordon. “I want to be remembered for being a part of the first tier of punk in the 70s.”

Being just 155km from Greenwich Village, Philadelphia was somewhat of a pipeline of New York subculture – Gordon remembers his teenage years at the movie theatre watching John Waters films like Polyester and Pink Flamingos, and hanging out at Artemis, a spot frequented by Philly scenesters like Nancy Spungen and Neon Leon. “I heard (The Rolling Stones’) ‘Satisfaction’ and knew it was the kind of music I wanted to play,” recalls bassist Lenny Boles. “I was too poor to afford instruments, so if someone had one, I would befriend them.”

The quad quickly gained notoriety on their home turf. “Growing up in West Philadelphia, which was all black, we were some of the craziest guys you could have possibly seen walking the streets back then,” says Gordon. “We dressed in drag and wore wigs, basically daring people to bother us. People in the neighbourhood would say, ‘Don’t go into houses with those guys, you may not come out!’”

Pure Hell swan dove into the New York underground scene in 1975, in pursuit of the people, places, and sounds they’d read about for years in the pages of Rock Scene and Cream magazine. The band moved into the Chelsea Hotel, the temporary home of a long list of influential characters, including Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Edie Sedgwick, Patti Smith, and Robert Mapplethorpe. Their first gig in the city was hosted at Frenzy’s thrift, a storefront on St. Marks place, where guitarist Preston Morris “rather memorably caught the amplifier on fire due to a combination of maximum volume and faulty wires”, says Gordon. Drummer Michael Sanders’ friendship with Neon Leon led the band to the New York Dolls, who were acting as mentors for younger artists like Debbie Harry and Richard Hell at the time. Pure Hell was soon invited to perform for the Dolls in their loft.

“Honestly, we were scared to death of them,” Boles says. “When we walked in, they were all dressed up, smoking joints and watching The Untouchables on TV. Fortunately, we played and blew them away.” Gordon adds: “Underneath their outer appearance, they were just a bunch of guys from Queens. We had the same lingo. We were both really street and really genuine. It’s like, they were white but playing black, and we were just the opposite. We were innovative and they definitely appreciated us for it.”

After being kicked out of the Chelsea for not paying rent, Pure Hell moved into the Dolls’ loft. “Everybody hated us at first. We had a bad reputation because of our association with the New York Dolls, who were doing a lot of dope at the time,” says Boles. “The way we looked, everybody thought we were in a gang. Actually, we used to live in gang territory in West Philly, and people were always trying to get us to join. We never did. And with a name like Pure Hell, people thought we were devil worshippers.”

Gordon adds: “This was New York City, this was punk. People don’t realise it was ruthlessly competitive. It was dog eat dog.” Although they felt that few people were on their side, their kinship with Johnny Thunders led to numerous gigs at Andy Warhol’s haunt, Max’s Kansas City, and Mother’s, a Chelsea gay bar turned punk club, where Blondie first performed. The band was featured in a number of publications, namely Warhol’s own Interview magazine, marking their ‘place’ in a scene cultural influencers.

Despite their growing presence in the underground, Pure Hell still didn’t have a manager. After reading a biography of Jimi Hendrix by Curtis Knight, the singer and frontman of Hendrix’s first band The Squires, Lenny Boles chased down the author’s address and arrived on his doorstep. Boles’ bold act of promotion earned them management from the man credited with Hendrix’s discovery. Kathy Knight, Curtis’s then-partner in life and business, recalls her ex-husband’s first impressions of Pure Hell. “He loved them immediately,” she says. “After Lenny knocked on the door, Curtis brought me to one of the clubs where they were performing on Bleecker Street. Stinker (Kenny Gordon) almost landed in my lap when he did a backflip off the stage. We were so blown away that we put everything we had into them at the time.”

Those who saw Pure Hell in action describe their shows similarly. Gordon’s background in gymnastics gave them an unparalleled stage presence, with choreography that he says he performed “crash dummy style”. Pure Hell’s sound was harsher than their peers and predecessors and is today recognised as proto-hardcore. “We were like four Jimi Hendrixes, and Curtis knew it,” Gordon says. “We aimed for impact, just because we could. A lot of people at the time couldn’t play like Chip, doing Hennessy licks and everything. Not everyone could copy that.”

Curtis and Kathy Knight were so enthusiastic about Pure Hell that they sacrificed three months of rent money for studio sessions. Knight organised Pure Hell’s first European tour in 1978, which resulted in their single “These Boots are Made for Walking” reaching number four in the UK alternative charts. Later, they opened for Sid Vicious at Max’s during his New York residency. It would end up being his last public appearance, and Pure Hell found themselves looped into the media circus surrounding Nancy Spungen’s death. “We were on the second page of the majority of the tabloids, like New Musical Express, Sounds,and Melody Maker,” says Gordon.

But beyond their association with Vicious, Pure Hell’s European tour was a major success in part due to Curtis Knight’s strategic marketing campaign, which sensationalised their race. After arriving, Knight created a big poster with an image of the band taken by legendary rock photographer Bob Gruen in front of Buckingham Palace with the slogan: “From the United States of America, the world’s only black punk band”. Boles was angry at the time. “I said to Curtis, ‘Why do you have to call us a black band?’ Of course, that’s what we were, but we really didn’t think in those terms at the time. People in Europe were curious about the band before we even arrived. They were looking at it like a novelty. They didn’t believe we really existed.”

Boles says the band was “plastered by this campaign”, but were able to reap its fruits while touring Holland and the UK. Landing smack dab in the middle of the London punk scene, Pure Hell were welcomed by a parallel movement that had clearer political convictions and more dynamic cross-cultural discourse. “All the punks listened to reggae,” says Boles. “It was about all rebel music.” Gordon adds that “people, incorrectly, view punk as this angry, white, urban, male genre. Black culture is really the source of punk, and a lot of people don’t recognise it – or don’t want to recognise it.”

Although they eventually felt accepted in New York, and even celebrated in Europe, the legacy of Jim Crow still haunted the industry, where genres remained segregated. “We experienced racism, but didn’t know it at the time,” says Lenny Boles. “We were watching all of these bands around us, with far less talent, get signed. It had us second guessing ourselves, thinking we weren’t good enough. Obviously we were. It was a while before we realised we were getting snubbed.” While their white peers were being cut cheques, Pure Hell found themselves courted by a number of record labels, all of whom insisted they change their music in order to align with racial stereotypes. “Everybody was trying to make us do this Motown thing, saying like, ‘You guys are black so you’ve gotta do something that’s danceable,’” Boles adds. “They kept trying to make us more ‘funky’. Everything we liked had nothing to do with dance music. We were not having it. So we opted not to get signed.”

Integrity and profitability don’t often go hand-in-hand, and Pure Hell’s refusal to comply with the industry’s limitations meant they sacrificed career opportunities. After a second European tour in 1979, the band suffered a fall-out with Knight. A messy legal conflict resulted in Knight flying back to the US alone, with the band’s master tapes in tow. Pure Hell remained in Europe without any of the rights, or access, to their recordings, which Kathy Knight salvaged after her husband attempted to destroy them.

Pure Hell eventually finagled their way back to the US, where they settled in Los Angeles. Although they played historic bills at the Masque (LA’s equivalent to CBGB) with iconic groups like the Germs, the Cramps, and the Dead Boys, Pure Hell lost their momentum. With no management, no record deal, and no access to their recorded output, the band felt the flames of Pure Hell die out. “It was all totally over by 1980,” says Kenny Gordon. “Really, punk died with Nancy’s murder. Everyone was burning the candle from both ends. You had to be extreme to be in those kinds of circles.” Bad Brains’ explosion onto the music scene in the early 80s also left Pure Hell feeling robbed of their title of ‘the first black punk band’. “You know, we took the blow for being black, so why didn’t they give it to us in the end?” Boles asks.

As decades passed and history books were written, Pure Hell’s memory faded to legend. But in the early 2000s, Kathy Knight fatefully decided to auction off Pure Hell’s master tapes on eBay. Their unreleased album Noise Addiction was purchased by an enthusiastic Mike Schneider of Welfare Records. “Mike wanted them so badly he came himself to pick them up,” Knight recalls. Pure Hell’s legacy has also been promoted and protected by hardcore legend Henry Rollins of Black Flag, who tracked down the original acetate of the band’s first single and reissued it on his label 2.13.61, in collaboration with In the Red Records, last year. Rollins first learned of the band’s existence in 1979, after seeing their single at Yesterday & Today Records in Rockville, Maryland, with his friend Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi. He remained on the lookout for traces of the band for over 30 years.

“At auction time, I was able to secure the record,” Rollins says. “I listened to it and was amazed at how good it sounded. I checked in with Kenny (Gordon) and he confirmed it was the only source for the two songs.” Beyond simply highlighting and celebrating the rare black punk bands of the time, Pure Hell held particular significance to Rollins because their urban myth was real. “The rumour was that they had made an album and that it was sitting in a closet,” he says. “Noise Addiction, released in 2006, decades after it had been recorded, is really great. If the album had come out when they made it, that would have been a game changer. I believe (it) would have had a tremendous impact. It’s one of those missed opportunity stories.”

In addition to Rollins, indie talent rep Gina Parker-Lawton ranks as one of Pure Hell’s greatest advocates. Parker-Lawton met drummer Michael Sanders on Sunset Boulevard in the 80s, and counted him as a friend during their overlapping years in LA. It was after she learned of Sanders’ death in 2003 that Parker-Lawton made contact with the other band members and became their publicist. “They were just kind of overlooked in all of the punk history books,” she says. “After learning their story and what they had actually accomplished, by being the first truly all-black punk band, I wanted to ensure they were remembered.” Parker-Lawton has since been advocating for their deserved place in music history, and recently helped secure their induction into the Smithsonian African American Museum of History and Culture. Their induction will be marked by the donation of Sanders’ leather jacket, which he wore on tour in Europe and around LA.

Pure Hell’s story beckons essential questions about the integrity of our cultural memory, reminding us that “history” is written within the constructs of unjust society. “It’s just so important to me that history be correct,” says Parker-Lawton. “Taking the risks that they took, daring to be so different, they were outlaws and true pioneers. When people are that true to their art and that brave, it has to be recognised.” Although their musical careers didn’t necessarily bring wealth or fame, Boles and Gordon describe their years in Pure Hell as paramount. “I had so much fun, it doesn’t matter that I never saw a penny for it,” he says. “For us, it wasn’t about making money. It was about following our hearts and doing exactly what we wanted to do.”

Images:

Pure Hell courtesy of Pure Hell

Pure Hell courtesy of Pure Hell

Pure Hell with Sid Vicious in Melody Maker magazine. Early punk artists often flirted with Nazi symbolism for shock value.

Pure Hell live at Max’s Kansas City

Pure Hell courtesy of Pure Hell

✨ Answers ✨

1.       Pineapple On A Pizza?

Yes! Not my usual topping but I’m not opposed to pineapple on pizza.

2.       Oasis or Blur? Oasis

3.       Do You Eat Cereal With A Big Spoon Or a Small (Tea) Spoon?

Small Spoon = more mouthfuls

4.       Favourite Christmas Film?

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, with Die Hard a close second.

5.       Favourite Christmas Song?

Fairytale of New York – The Pogues Feat. Kirsty McColl.  With Wham's Last Christmas a very close 2nd.

6.       If You Could Bring Back One TV Show, What Would It Be?

The O.C. I miss it more than a grown man should ever admit.

7.       Childhood Crush/s?

Larissa Oleynik (Nickelodeon's Alex Mack) and Harmony from The Queen’s Nose.

8.       Most Treasured Thing You Own?

Probably my record collection

9.       If You Could Travel Back In Time Where Would You Go and Why?

Early 90’s but the age I am now, to go see Nirvana & Elliott Smith…also buy shit loads of Apple Shares. I’d also love to go back and see my grandparents one more time.

10.   Power Rangers: Green Ranger or White Ranger?

Green Ranger hands down.

11.   Mark, Tom or Travis?

Mark (although the band would be nothing without Travis)

12.   Favourite City?

Tokyo

13.   Do You Believe in Ghosts? Not until I’ve seen one with my own eyes.

14.   Do You Believe Aliens Have Visited Earth?

No, but I do believe they surely exist somewhere in this giant universe.

15.   Have You Ever Won A Competition? What Did You Win?

I won £100 on some bonds earlier this year!

16.   What Was Cool When You Were A Kid But Isn’t Cool Now?

The Scenester look and the emo fringe…I regret nothing.   Also Pogs.

17.   Desert Island Book, Film & Album?

The Great Gatsby, The Goonies, Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

18.   If You Could Choose To Have Another Accent, What Would It Be?

Irish

19.   You’re On Death Row, What’s Your Final Meal? A full traditional British Sunday dinner with all the trimmings.

20.   What’s Your Secret Talent?

I can spell out the word ‘Blood’ using the shape of my fingers.

21.   What Word Is A Lot of Fun To Say?

Yogalates

22.   Star Wars or Lord of the Rings?

LotR

23.   Favourite Beatle?

Paul (but George post-Beatles)

24.   SNES or SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis)?

I was always a SEGA Mega Drive kid, through and through. Loved the SNES too though.

25.   Coca-Cola or Pepsi Coca-Cola, but Pepsi Max over Diet Coke and Zero

26.   Favourite Artist (e.g. painter,sculpter)?

Robert Rauschenberg

27.   Favourite Dinosaur?

Diplodocus

28.   What Would You Name Your Boat If You Had One?

S.S. Boaty McBoatface

29.   What’s Your Phobias? Trypophobia and arachnophobia

30.   Pick One Animal To Upscale To The Size Of A Horse

A Capybara

Do you only buy songs on iTunes when you can’t find them otherwise I haven’t bought music on iTunes in yearsss. I use Spotify for music. Do you like bacon? Nope.

Have you ever seen a snuff film? No thank you.

Do you like The Naked and Famous? I’m not familiar with them.

How do you feel about Tom Cruise? I think he’s kinda attractive. As far as his movies go, I like Jerry McGuire, Vanilla Sky, and War of the Worlds. I’ve only seen one Mission Impossible movie (the last one that came out) and it wasn’t bad.

Do you have a defined side fringe? No. What’s your favorite Adam Sandler movie? Big Daddy, 50 First Dates, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, That’s My Boy.

Can you tie a tie? Nope. I’ve had a reason to learn.

Have you ever had a treehouse? No.

Do you like riding over massive bridges? No, not particularly. I get nervous.

Do you speed up or slow down on yellow lights? I don’t drive.

How many showers do you take in a day? One.

Do you like taking bubble baths? No. I only take showers.

What’s your favorite candle scent? Autumnal scented ones.

What do you do at night when you can’t sleep? So every night I Tumblr/do surveys, watch YouTube/listen to ASMR, and watch TV.

Have you ever screamed as loud as you could without holding back? No.

Do you know anyone who attends an online high school? No.

Do you know who Chip Coffey is? (: Nope.

Have you ever had a completely backwards sleeping schedule? My sleeping schedule is a complete joke and has been for years.

Do you have housekeepers? No.

Have you ever had La Choy noodles? No.

Do you own an i <3 boobies! bracelet? No.

Have you ever felt like you weren’t good enough? I do feel that way.

Have you ever stepped on a jellyfish? No, thankfully.

What do you think is the meaning of life? Do you believe there is one? Yes. You have to find what that reason is for you.

Have you ever lost anything seriously expensive? Thankfully, no.

Would you rather be on The Real World or Big Brother? Neither. I wouldn’t want to be on a reality TV/competition show.

Have you ever lost something that didn’t belong to you? Possibly.

Does it bother you if your hair/bangs are in your face? It definitely would if they were long enough to get in my eyes. Back when I had bangs I’d trim them myself often.

Favorite Disney movie? Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story, and Marvel and Star Wars as well.

Have you seen The Last Exorcism? I haven’t seen those movies, actually. I don’t know why I’ve never gotten around to it.

Do you believe people can become possessed, or do they just think they are? It can happen, but I don’t believe it’s like how the movies portray them.

Has anything ever happened to you that you couldn’t explain? Yes.

What was the last thing you did for yourself? Uhh. I bought some stuff at Walmart yesterday, ha.

Are you a Twilight fan? I was back when the movies and films were coming out and a big thing. I grew out of it, though.

Are you a scenester? No.

Maybe a hipster? No.

Do you watch Pretty Little Liars? I never got into that.

What color are the majority of your hoodies/sweatshirts? Black.

Do you own anything older than 50 years old? No.

Equestrian or nautical decor? Nautical.

Do you like iPod shuffle surveys? No.

Have you ever been called a prep? Are you a prep? I was considered to be back in middle school and freshman year.

What’s your craze as of now? Beaded bracelets has made a comeback, the ones with colorful beads and letters, and I got into that cause it’s very reminiscent of the 90s and my childhood. I also got into the fanny pack trend this year, which I never thought I would.

Have you ever been kicked out of Wal-Mart? No.

Have you ever been kicked out of anywhere? Nope.

Would you rather date someone who was way too skinny or overweight? I don’t base who I like on that. 

Do you like country music? Yeah, some. Why is country music so vastly hated? ): I don’t know, honestly.

Have you heard of Lucero? Doesn’t ring a bell.

Have you ever sold someone oregano under the pretense of it being weed? Uh, no.

Have you ever starved yourself? Yes.

Have you ever heard of smoking nutmeg? No...

Should I buy Pokemon black or white? I don’t know, man. I’ve never played it.

What tattoos do you want/have? I’ve wanted ‘free bird’ for several years.

Have you ever been to New Orleans? No.

Were you affected at all by Katrina? No. Why do they name hurricanes? It’s easier to track them, I guess.

Do you know a Caleb? No.

Are you friends with a Courtney? No.

Are you related to a Roger? No.

Have you ever felt obligated to care for someone when you really didn’t? No.

Did you watch My Little Pony when you were a kid? Nope.

Is there anything/one that can make you instantly nostalgic? There’s a lot of things. 

Do you own a pair of Chuck Taylors? Yes.

Do you listen to Allstar Weekend? I used to back in like 2010/2011.

What kind of camera(s) do you have? What kind of camera(s) do you want? I use my phone, which is an iPhone XR.

When was the last time you wore a dress? Back in 2016, I think.

Best hamburger you’ve ever had was from where? I’m not a big hamburger person.

What are your favorite bands? Linkin Park will always be one of them.

Do dogs love their owners or do they just act like they do because it benefits them? I believe they most definitely do. <3

Impacts Of Teen Pregnancy.

Appear, fellas are actually meant to become challenging, ideal? In general, Mexican females enjoy to feel enjoyed and truly maintained by their men. When he claimed that clitoral climax was actually satisfactory simply for young ladies and was actually an indication of sexual immaturity, Freud possessed a profoundly hazardous result on the concept of women orgasm. The steamy, sexually demanded Donna Summer months on file and on phase was actually practically diametrically resisted to her off-stage identity. And also the primary reason that over half the adult female populace has actually 'participated in out' behind their guys's backs is actually since they were not INTIMATELY DELIGHTED. This is actually ideal sex-related position for the slim man and the big lady. ( HealthDay)-- Intersexual ladies in the USA are actually most likely to suffer from residential physical violence than either homosexual or heterosexual females, a brand new authorities record series.

Remember to keep exactly what they prefer Young women still enjoy sex, therefore being solid literally is actually http://doris-beauty-potal.info a major conveniences. I have actually operated really hard at being actually FINE, remaining to operate a loved ones service in his absence and being actually the only sitter from 3 in some cases irritated teen children. The image of a Gibson Female was an unappealing girl that influenced no sex-related enthusiasm coming from the male population of the moments. When the Deity from Prepotency chose that this was time for an individual to go (serving as the divine will from the people), at that point She will be actually illustrated in dark.

Lots of people do not as if accountancy for their very own imperfections yet occasionally it is important to grow as an individual and also end up being real self you are actually meant to become. Learn additional regarding the connection in between chromosome irregularity and also pregnancy grow older from the mother. Nonetheless, as our team carry out a considerable amount of walking abroad, I will most likely consist of a pair of coaches in my trip pill. The ladies possessed more mental and bodily health and wellness worries than the overall female populace in the U.S. and also, particularly, heart disease and also diabetic issues were actually connected with activity limit. Kino could be made use of anytime and also anywhere along with a girl, I am actually not talking about rubbing their hands or even touching their hair as this may creep them out. Your life, your partner's life and your children's safety, in addition to monetary protection might depend upon particular essential information about the mistress.

Given that the Black ladies who have actually been actually influenced by the media and also exist these caricatured pictures of Dark femininity as the standard that exemplifies you. However, this ought to be now found that Africans should end up being energetic brokers from the own record, and also African opportunity will certainly be actually found to b authentically historic. When I get back as well as become female garments I feel easy plus all the anxiety disappears. The Dark female came to be politically entailed seeking ladies's civil liberties under the rule; while the New is extra considering his very competitive nationality to overtake his white counterpart. Although I could receive unfavorable reviews from my message, I believe sympathy with the spouse's as well as children that are actually impacted so regrettably within this condition. The Flapper" (called for the fashion trend" style of wearing unbuckled galoshes; therefore, the waving" audio no matter where they walked) was a label applied to the female scenesters of the day.

By comparison, the normal body system mass mark of females in 1960 was 24.9, which is on the high-end from normal. That is actually why when that relates to libidos, promote your girl to open up- up, create her shed her obstacle and also permit her secure down. However Stevie is actually undoubtedly among the most stunning females ever in rock-and-roll and even today is as attractive as ever before.

Throwback to circa 2004 when I was an emo-scene kid marching band drum line nerd with chops 🥁 ••• #SanMarcos #HighSchool #Sophmore #MikesDrumShop #DrumSolo #Competition #Emo #Indie #Scenester #PunkRock #MarchingBand #DrumLine #WorldClass #10thPlace #TraditionalGrip #SnareDrum #Chops #DW9000 #DoubleBassPedal #PorkPie #FourPiece #CustomSet #OffSet #TubeLugs #ShallowTomTom #Zildjian #Cymbals #Super5B #DrumSticks #WoodTip #DW #Hardware #TBT #ThrowBackThursday #2004 (at San Marcos Senior High)

'Travesty' takes top honors at Imperial Valley Film Festival

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'Travesty' takes top honors at Imperial Valley Film Festival

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Mexicali filmmaker Rogelio Sánchez Toledo’s short drama “Travesty” won Best in Festival at the 7th annual Imperial Valley Film Festival and Artist Showcase held Oct. 19 and 20 at Imperial Valley Mall. COURTESY PHOTO

  EL CENTRO — Mexicali filmmaker Rogelio Sánchez Toledo’s dramatic short film “Travesty” was the Best in Festival winner in the 7th annual Imperial Valley Film Festival and Artist Showcase.

The festival was held Oct. 19 and 20 at Cinemark and the former PacSun retail space in the Imperial Valley Mall. Twenty-two short films screened in this year’s competition. Eleven were from local filmmakers, including two high school student entries. Films covered a wide variety of topics and genres.

The festival winner, “Travesty,” which screened Oct. 20, is about a police officer with a secret whose world is turned upside down once he is discovered. Toledo, whose previous work includes a short comedic film on Funny or Die entitled “A Love Saga with John Goodman,” expressed his excitement about the win on Facebook.

“I have no words to describe the thanks I feel with the whole team who helped me with this project that continues to bear fruit, and now on the other side of the fence,” he said.

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Students from Barbara Worth Junior High were among the participants in a Youth Cinema Project held during the 7th annual Imperial Valley Film Festival and Artist Showcase. COURTESY PHOTO

Festival attendees participated in educational workshops taught by working industry professionals. The topic of storytelling through costume design was led by El Centro graduate Ariel Jutras. Jutras brought her years of experience working in television and film to the festival, even bringing costumes from the mega-hit movie “Titanic” for study and display as part of the workshop.

Veteran actor Steven Nelson led attendees through interactive acting exercises and spoke about honing the craft.

The Imperial Valley Film Festival is able to provide these education workshops through a grant from the Ocotillo Wind Education Fund and the Imperial Valley Community Foundation.

Throughout the two-day event, attendees, as well as the general public, congregated in the festival’s art gallery space. Jerrod Storm of the Kayak Club transformed an empty retail space, graciously provided by our sponsor the Imperial Valley Mall, into a gorgeous, modern art gallery with more than a dozen local artist’s work on display.

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Costumes from the film “Titanic” on display at the 7th annual Imperial Valley Film Festival and Artist Showcase. The costumes were displayed as part of a workshop on storytelling through costume design, led by El Centro graduate Ariel Jutras. COURTESY PHOTO

This year’s featured artists were Adrian Martinez and Joe Gaxiola. Martinez’s pieces were a colorful mix of thought-provoking and inspiring works, while Gaxiola chose to display a singular work stretching over 50 feet long, full of vivid color, movement and representing more than 40 years of work.

The Imperial County Film Commission, which organizes the festival, is a non-profit organization proactively marketing Imperial County as a destination for the motion picture, television and related industries, for the purpose of stimulating economic development, creating jobs, providing and supporting educational opportunities in Imperial County.

Several sponsors were involved in making the Imperial Valley Film Festival possible. Theater sponsors were Paul Cameron Ranches, RJLB Pictures, William L. Brandt, and Mark and Ellen Brandt. Media sponsors were Imperial Valley Press and KXO Radio. The Youth Cinema Project Sponsor was Castillo Construction. Event sponsors were Imperial Valley Mall, Imperial County Film Commission and Adrian Vitz Graphic Design.

Grants were made possible by the North County Coalition for the Arts, Ocotillo Wind Education Fun and the Imperial Valley Community Foundation.

 2018 Imperial Valley Film Festival winners 

Best of the Festival

“Travestía” (“Travesty”)

“Tempestad” (“Storm”)

“You’re Right”

Best Representation of Valley Life

“Scenester” (“Safe Song”)

Special Recognition Award for Women in Film

Betty Williams: “Contagious Courage”

Best Documentary

“The Wall”

Best Actress

Terezina Vidal — “You’re Right”

Best Actor

Dan Lopecci — “Travestía”

Source: https://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/travesty-takes-top-honors-at-imperial-valley-film-festival/article_55e01d32-da38-11e8-b8b4-737c181ae9d1.html

“I’m just trying to make my matter matter most”

I’ll never forget.. 

+replanting cacti on the living room floor +laying on the ground, crown to crown, you pretending that my hair was your hair +acoustic-remixing our favorite post-hardcore songs +”quoting ourselves” - shelby +eating at fleetwood, at 6 in the muggiest of mornings  +trains drowning out our angry screams atop the sledding hill behind city hall +impromptu passion pit dance parties +sticking unsmoked cigarettes in your gauges +the way xander looked at you  +all of your bubbly, scenester girlfriends +worst kickflip competitions +haa, hahAHaha, HAHA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA +and how that melodic laugh always got us into trouble +worrying incessantly about where you were sleeping, if you were eating, if you could afford your insulin, if you could cover your child support - did you pack a coat?  +listening to you cry on the phone +talking about god, or the rhythm, or the constant mass +sharing the same scar

blake. reading everyone’s posts online makes my entire body ache. every single description is just so, so exactly you. none of our friends are particularly literate, and so it’s incredible that what snippets they offer make me feel like you’re right behind me, like you’ll clap your hands on either side of my face and make exaggerated kissy noises to greet me - tell me it’s a ruse, you’ve faked it, you’re moving across the country and changing your name. seeing you over greasy diner coffee each time i flew back home felt like returning to a perfectly preserved era. we’d chip away at exhaust-stained snow in the parking lots - for hours, not ready to say goodbye until next time. not ready to be done filling in all of the missed months. you were an incredible friend and thank you for loving me when i couldn’t see any reason to. 

i know you carried the weight for as long as you could. 

i’m so sorry, i love you so, brother. 

Rio de Janeiro: Insider Travel Guide

(CNN)Travel fantasies don’t always live up to the reality, but the “marvelous city,” as Rio de Janeiro’s citizens call their beloved hometown, can knock even the most jaded travelers off their seen-it-all perches.

Dress appropriately, it can get extremely hot in Rio.

Famed for girls from Ipanema and Carnaval, the best of Rio is all that but a lot more.

The party goes on year-round in the cultural heart of Brazil, from the samba renaissance in the Lapa District, where you can choose from an array of great clubs, music and restaurants, to Carnaval rehearsals at local samba schools that redefine the word “celebration.”

The best of Rio beaches of the Zona Sul are heavily patrolled and many other areas — especially those troubled by crime and drugs — have been cleaned up, but you do need to exercise caution.

Don’t flash iPhones and money, don’t take more cash with you than you can afford to lose and use taxis at night called by your hotel to take you to the doorstep of your destination.

Mostly Rio specializes in merrymakers who bring you into the fold. Whether it’s hanging out over caipirinhas at a neighborhood bar, hiking in the rainforest or dancing in a circle of samba at an old dancehall, Rio is a realm of the senses, some of which you may find have been AWOL for a while.

Hotels

Luxury

Copacabana Palace

Like a glistening casino in Monte Carlo, the massive white edifice of the Copacabana Palace looms above the beach strip of Avenida Atlantica.

The most storied hotel in Rio, the Copacabana opened its doors in 1923 as a roost for dignitaries and diplomats.

The 1933 film “Flying Down to Rio,” set at the Palace but filmed in Hollywood, made it a hangout for celebs.

Orson Welles trashed his room here following a fight with Dolores del Rio, as did Ava Gardner after Sinatra dumped her.

The furniture doesn’t fly like it used to, but this best of Rio hotel still brings in the royals and their modern counterparts — rock stars.

It’ll set you back a bit for a stay in one of the 245 rooms, but you won’t complain about the impeccable staff or features such as “Juliet balconies” (in some rooms), spacious rooms and classic furniture. More recently constructed rooms with city views are located in the Tower Wing building.

Porto Bay Rio Internacional Hotel

The Porto Bay Rio gives you a resort-style experience in the heart of beachfront row Avenida Atlantica.

The modern, upscale facility pulls out all the stops, from luxurious rooms to fine dining and views up and down the world’s most famous beach.

The rooftop Bossa Lounge lets you knock back caipirinhas to the sound of bossa nova as you gaze from white sands to jungled slopes and the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado. It’s a good place to slap yourself to see if you’re dreaming.

It would be hard to find a more panoramic view of Copacabana, Sugarloaf and Copacabana Bay than from the 20th-floor pool unless you’re operating a drone.

The rates aren’t cheap but good value for luxury with the declining value of the Brazilian real.

Mid-range

Mar Ipanema

This stylish boutique hotel has a primo locale, just five minutes from Ipanema Beach and a few blocks from the Rodrigo Freitas Lagoon.

The hippest beach hangouts are minutes away, as are a host of the city’s most happening boutiques, restaurants and bars in one of the safest neighborhoods in Rio.

The upscale Leblon district is a five-minute walk.

Mar Ipanema rooms feature tasteful dcor accented by Rio motifs that feel custom-crafted.

Wi-Fi is available in all rooms.

The one downside: you have to use the restaurant next door for dining. Room rates are below most in the neighborhood.

Budget

Rio Panoramic Hotel

The coastal views are not all in Copacabana. The other side of Sugarloaf and its bay filled with sailboats are also stunning.

Perched on a hill overlooking Botafogo Bay in the artistic and quaint Santa Teresa neighborhood, the Panoramic gives you a view of the city below and a vista of islands and Sugarloaf lining the bay.

The renovated Art Deco villa earns great reviews among Rio lodgings, averaging five stars on TripAdvisor.

This B&B was originally the home of a doctor, and it has been lovingly restored to bring the personal touch to its six well-appointed and air-conditioned rooms.

There’s a pool, breakfast in the garden and staff on site to offer tips on the attractions and shopping nearby.

Hotel Novo Mundo

Built in 1950, this three-star hotel has been a favorite of Brazilians over the years for its prices, views and proximity to Santos Dumont airport, the terminal for domestic flights.

Soccer great Pele used to stay here when he had a game in Rio.

The hotel is located at Flamengo Beach, a coastal stretch as scenic as the Zona Sul, but often overlooked by travelers.

Flamengo Park, a long stretch of green that parallels the coast, is across the street. Outside are great views of Sugarloaf and Guanabara Bay. The metro is a block away.

A stay on this side of Rio puts you closer to the action downtown, just a short walk away, such as the Lapa District and museums.

Golden Tulip Continental

It’s a high-volume beach hotel two short blocks from Leme, the least-known beach of the Zona Sul.

But the view from its rooftop pool rivals anything the five-stars have, and its complimentary breakfasts are well-stocked.

Rooms are distinctly modest, but they’re good enough for the many airline flight crews who stay here.

Located in a quiet, residential area, the surroundings are a welcome relief from the madding crowd of Copacabana.

Whatever you need is nearby — markets, bakeries, travel agencies, bars. Copacabana is a 10-minute walk.

Dining

Academia da Cachaca

Sprawling over a large sidewalk in the upscale Leblon district of the Zona Sul, the Academia da Cachaca is a best-of-Rio hot spot for conversation, creative caipirinhas (pineapple, passion fruit, lime, bittersweet orange and fruit of the season) and other concoctions, such as the Academic Grit (orange, ginger, rum).

The food is excellent and ranges from feijoada (the beans and rice mix that is a staple of the national diet) to escondidinho (shredded jerked beef, trout or chicken, shrimp, mashed cassava, cream cheese au gratin).

The atmosphere is laid back and the tables are close together, so if you don’t bring friends, you’ll make some.

This is also one of the best places in Rio for caipirinhas and indulging the sidewalk joie de vivre of Cariocas.

The high-octane alcohol at the center of the caipirinha, cachaca, is a sacred spirit here, and there are hundreds of bottles of the sugarcane firewater displayed on the shelves.

Nova Capela

With its ornate, tiled walls, array of framed pictures and close quarters, Nova Capela feels very Portuguese, but it’s been a Rio fixture since it opened in 1903.

Home to Bohemians and artists through the years and now popular with Lapa denizens, Nova Capela is one of the best restaurants in Rio.

There’s an air of craftsmanship here, with custom dishes (boar, goat) and attention to detail that extends to surprisingly good service, not a Rio signature.

The place is stocked with white-jacketed waiters.

The lamb with broccoli is a specialty here and melts in your mouth. The savory fare comes with the intimate vibe of a living room (a loud one).

Brigite’s

Brigite’s is one of the latest entries on Rio’s restaurant row, Rua Dias Ferreira, in the upscale Leblon district of the Zona Sul.

The eatery, owned by the impresarios of two other hotspots on Dias Ferreira, Sushi Leblon and Zuka, has quickly made a name for itself as one of the trendiest dinner and cocktail destinations on a very competitive street for foodies.

The menu focuses on Italian fare, specializing in elegant presentation and savory creations, such as its “Gamberone em Crosta,” which features prawns inside a lemon crust.

But the offerings span a wide range, from steak tartare to spaghetti and seafood dishes to vegetarian fare, if requested.

Fans rave as much about the cocktails as the food, from strawberry caipirinhas to mango mules.

Locals know to eat here on week nights, because the weekends are packed. Reservations are recommended.

Zaza Bistro Tropical

Owners Zaza Piereck and Preta Moyses turned their imaginations loose on a two-story colonial home in Ipanema in 1999, painting it ultramarine blue and stuffing it with bric-a-brac and figurines from around the world.

The upstairs dining area feels like you tripped down the rabbit hole and wound up in Fez, with Moroccan-style cushions for chairs.

There’s nothing predictable about the food, either. The fare leans toward healthy and organic and is displayed with a Japanese-style flair for presentation.

Check out the grilled sea bass with sweet and sour caramelized bananas or, for dessert, the petit gateau cake with milk caramel.

Culinary creativity has made Zaza a very popular place, so you’ll need to make reservations — online only.

Nightlife

Rio Scenarium

An old house full of antiques might not sound like the coolest ambience for a happening night spot, but Rio Scenarium pulls it off.

The decor, no doubt, has something to do with that.

The best-of-Rio club is three floors’ worth of antique clocks, paintings and chandeliers, carved out of a 19th-century mansion in the Lapa district.

This Victorian set decorator’s fantasy bridges vintage with modern, since Rio Scenarium is also a top music venue, with a first-floor stage and dance area that hosts the gamut of Brazilian rhythms, from rock to choro to MPB (Msica Popular Brasileira) and samba.

To keep the caipirinhas from ending the night before it gets started, you can take some food breaks, say, penne sauted in pesto sauce or grilled fish filet.

Reservations recommended.

Casa da Matriz

One of the originators of the Rio club scene, Casa da Matriz, or Matrix House, has been a hip home for students and all-night scenesters since the 1990s.

Lodged in the Botafogo district, Casa da Matriz has an arty, casual vibe, with colorful decor and various unique spaces.

The music lineup ranges from deejays to live performances, from the Mad Professor to Joao Brasil, as well as indie karaoke sessions on Thursdays.

The club specializes in indie rock and pop, but the deejays spin an eclectic mix ranging from soul to samba.

Jobi Bar

The neighborhood bar, or botequim, is the Carioca version of the British pub, a place where the locals comes to imbibe and unburden.

At the best botequims, like Jobi in Leblon, a stranger never remains alone for long.

This classic Rio bar has been a hub of socializing, venting and gesticulating since 1956.

In the usual style, the bar spills from indoors to outdoors, with tables sprawled across the sidewalk.

Pedestrians don’t come first here — gabbing does.

Signature menu items are shrimp with cheese or shredded dried meat with farofa and onions.

There’s also live music. There’s no rush to get your point across at Jobi, which doesn’t close until 4:30 a.m.

Bip Bip

Like a lot of bars in Rio, there’s no attempt at fancy furnishings at this modest Copacabana hangout.

The walls are a haphazard mlange of photos and old newspaper clips, and the unadorned tables are jammed in like sardines.

It’s so informal that customers wander to the fridge themselves to get beer, and sometimes even tabulate the bill.

Under the cover of night, however, Bip Bip turns into a music destination, a must-stop for local and touring musicians, which has helped the bar build a following that belies its humble digs.

Guests down suds and eat croquettes to a variety of musical offerings, with artists jamming casually at tables.

Mondays and Tuesdays are choro nights reserved for the intricate guitars and cavaquinhos of traditional choro music. Wednesdays, there’s bossa nova.

Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, it’s samba de roda, the circle of percussion and voice from which this art form sprang.

Lapa District

A former run-down collection of 19th-century mansions, the Lapa district, near the city center, has been rehabilitated over the last decade into the heart of a cultural renaissance in Rio.

Many of the crumbling edifices have been restored to their previous luster.

The sidewalks are packed and the bars pulsing with live music, mostly samba, which has fueled the revival.

Walk a few blocks here, and you’ll have more musical options than fingers.

At one bar, it’s an acoustic samba de roda group with drums and mandolin.

At another, there’s a gray-haired sambista belting out a classic samba cano (ballad) aided only by tambourine.

At still another, there’s a lively band with a horn section doing samba gafieira, the swinging brass version of the music, with the crowd dancing along.

You may find yourself “eating your ears,” as the locals call the ear-to-ear grin.

Shopping/Attractions

Shopping Rio

Like it has in much of the world, shopping in Rio has shifted to malls.

There are still great specialty shops: for musical instruments (Casa Oliveira), surfwear (Draco), hand-crafted jewelry (Maria Oiticica), books (Livraria da Travessa) and excellent bargains at the Target-like Lojas Americanas chain, particularly on CDs and DVDs.

But the best of Rio malls probably have what you need.

Shopping Leblon has more than 200 stores and easy access from the Zona Sul and tourist zones.

Botafogo Praia Shopping, in Botafogo, has a large selection of stores.

From a side door to the food court on the top floor, you can wander out to the rooftop for a stunning view of the marina and Sugarloaf.

For tourist fare, the outdoor flea market that springs up at night along Avenida Atlantica has the usual grab bag of T-shirts that fall apart with one wash, dresses and trinkets.

The Hippie Fair, held in Ipanema on weekends at Praca General Osorio, has better quality crafts.

Casa Oliveira Musicas, Rua da Carioca, 70, Rio Centro; +55 21 2508 8539

Draco, Rua Francisco Otaniano, Arpoador; +55 21 2227-7393

Livraria da Travessa, Leblon and Centro; Ipanema store: Rua Visconda de Piraja, 572, +55 21 3205-9002; Centro store: Rua Primeiro de Marco, 66, +55 212519-9000

Sugarloaf

Known as Sugarloaf for fairly obvious reasons, Pao de Acucar has posed for more photos than a truck full of supermodels, but there’s more to this monolith than mere prop.

It’s a show in its own right, something you find with a cable car trip to the top of the 396-meter peak.

You board two modern cable cars, the first to a peak called Urca, where caipirinhas and beer are available to steady wobbly knees.

The second gets you to the top of Sugarloaf for arguably the most spectacular city vista on the planet.

The scene is dazzling, with views from the beaches of the Zona Sul to the jagged Two Brothers peaks, to lush mountains.

Like any tourist mecca, it can get crowded at peak hours, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., so going early or just before sunset is best — and pick a day when the skies are clear.

If you arrive early you can spend the day at Praia Velmelho, an idyllic beach in a cove-like setting a short walk from the base of the cable car.

Cristo Redentor and Corcovado

Since taking his post atop Corcovado Mountain in 1930, Cristo Redentor has had to put up with monsoonal rains, marinating humidity and swarms of kids posing in his famous flying posture.

Yet Rio’s iconic Christ statue remains unfazed, a focal point for locals and travelers, 710 meters high on a ridgetop in the Tijuca National Forest.

No trip to Rio is complete without a journey to this high-flying landmark. Get alongside it, and it’s so massive (39 meters high, 635 tons) that it’s hard to get the whole thing into a photo.

Cristo Redentor does a little tour guiding on the side, the left arm pointing to the older north of Rio and the giant soccer stadium, Maracana, while the right arm waves to the Rodrigo Freitas Lagoa and the beaches of the Zona Sul.

Straight ahead from the platform is the city center, or Centro, the bay and Sugarloaf.

The key to an awesome day atop Corcovado is weather.

Wait for a clear day, or you’ll be staring at a layer of cumulus.

Beaches/Avenida Atlantica

The best show in Rio is free on the beaches of the Zona Sul. Park on the sand or walk the promenade of Avenida Atlantica, and you’ll have a front row seat to the scantily clad, play-hard philosophy of Cariocas.

Cyclists, joggers and skaters jam the bike and pedestrian lanes that hug the beach.

On the sand and in the water, it’s volleyball, soccer and surfing.

And everywhere, bodies — dark and tanned — do their best to ration bathing suit material.

Copacabana is the largest beach, opposite many of the hotels that line Avenida Atlantica, while Ipanema and Leblon are the hippest, home to artists and dedicated followers of fashion.

Outdoors/Adventure

Rio has enough outdoor options to rival Boulder, Colorado, in the United States.

You can rock climb on Sugarloaf or in Niteroi, hang glide from a ridgetop, hike in the forest surrounding the city or bike around one of the best outdoor refuges in town, the Rodrigo Freitas Lagoa.

A saltwater lagoon backed by steep hills and forest, Lagoa is the Central Park of Rio, a sanctuary from heat and urban chaos.

It’s a great place to walk, jog and play, maybe even a little baseball; there are a couple of diamonds here.

The Lagoa circuit leads to a great hike in Parque Catacumba.

The trail leads through the rainforest to some great views at the top.

Lagoa Adventures, a local outfitter, offers a canopy walkway high in the trees, a zip line, rock climbing wall and rappelling lessons.

Rio Adventures has an extensive range of pulse-pumpers, from a rope course and canopy adventure in the Atlantic Rain Forest to a hike up Pedro Bonita, to hang gliding.

Lagoa Adventures; Avenida Epitacio Pessoa, 3000, Parque de Catacumba; +55 21 4105 0079

Music

Drinking, partying and, yes, even the Rio beautiful-body parade all revolve around music.

Here’s where to experience the heart, soul and never-ending rhythm of the most musical city on the planet.

Carioca Da Gema

This top Rio venue was one of the trailblazers of the Lapa renaissance, and it’s always jammed on the weekends, when the top samba artists perform.

It’s the premiere club for two great art forms in Rio, samba and choro, an intricate, chamber-folk sound.

Many of Rio’s top samba artists perform here regularly. Be on the lookout for Ana Costa, Arlindo Cruz and the queen of Lapa, Teresa Cristina, for a pure fix of the marvelous city’s marvelous music.

The main floor is for dancing, and the few tables fill up quickly, so get here well before the 9 p.m. show time, especially on weekends.

Vinicius Bar

Bossa nova has legions of fans around the world, but in its home country, it’s all but vanished under a tidal wave of rap and sertanejo, a popular Tex-Mex sound.

The best place to catch the music made famous by Tom Jobim and Bebel Gilberto’s dad, Joao, is at Vinicius Bar, opened as an homage to the great lyricist and poet Vinicius de Moraes, who penned some of the most famous bossa songs, including “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Felicidade.”

Located a couple of minutes walk from the beach in Ipanema, the bar spotlights the jazz-tinged, languid sounds of a much slower Rio.

In keeping with the habits of de Moraes, a legendary bon vivant, the place is well-stocked for imbibing.

The breaded shrimp and Greek rice go nicely with a tangerosco, a tangerine-vodka combo.

Vinivius Bar, Rua Vinicius de Moraes, 39, Ipanema; +55 21 2287 1497

Estudantina Musical

This classic dance hall on the fringes of the Lapa district has been serving up happy feet for 83 years.

Ascend the wide wooden staircase and you’re no longer in the tourist bubble but inside the local culture with working-class folks who’ve put on their nighttime best to dance and party with giant bottles of Brahma.

They’re serious about their samba here. Bands play 90-minute sets.

The banner on the back wall says it best: “As long as there is dance, there will be hope.” Lots of that here.

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from Rio de Janeiro: Insider Travel Guide

Throwback to circa 2004 when I was an emo-scene kid marching band drum line nerd with chops 🥁 ••• #SanMarcos #HighSchool #Sophmore #MikesDrumShop #DrumSolo #Competition #Emo #Indie #Scenester #PunkRock #MarchingBand #DrumLine #WorldClass #10thPlace #TraditionalGrip #SnareDrum #Chops #DW9000 #DoubleBassPedal #PorkPie #FourPiece #CustomSet #OffSet #TubeLugs #ShallowTomTom #Zildjian #Cymbals #Super5B #DrumSticks #WoodTip #DW #Hardware #TBT #ThrowBackThursday #2004 (at San Marcos Senior High)