Wow, this was amazing. I could never read anything (not even a tweet) this little asshole puts on paper and I really appreciate you taking the bullet on this.

As I read, I wanted to put in post-it notes for things I wanted to comment on. I don't remember them now, but it all comes down to the same thing:

Omid Scobie is full of shit. No one contacted him about the Queen dying. If they did, he'd have gotten it out there that he knew it was coming before it came so he could be important.

Omid Scobie doesn't have contacts left in England. He just makes shit up at will.

Omid Scobie is seething about his loss of importance. When MM came along, his ticket to stardom was in hand. It now lost. All is lost, I say! And he will never stop trying to make everyone pay for his loss of perceived status and access to gossip.

Omid Scobie, who once looked like Omid Scobie, is one to talk about racism. When you spend thousands and thousands of dollar, pain, and time to look as white as can be, you lose your credibility. Well, whatever credibility you might have once had.

Omid Scobie, shut the fuck up about Diana and William. BRFRumor, you nailed it. William actually knew his mother. I am OG Diana. Adored her then, adore her now, will always adore her. That doesn't mean I think she was perfect or an angel. I think she was a woman trying to maneuver her way in the world, a world owned and operated by men, like so many women before her. She was sensitive and she was real. She genuinely cared for people and causes. She genuinely loved her husband and was in way over her head in the situation she married into. She was indeed complex and complicated, and she made some really stupid, nasty mistakes when she was divorcing, as many do. William knows and accepts all of that about her - and still adores her. Harry doesn't even know who his mother was. He adores his idealization of her and he and OS make that out to be Harry and only Harry knowing and loving his mother. Harry would never dream of actually trying to figure out who is mother was. It's all coattails shit with all three of them: H, MM, OS. They want to bask in Diana's reflected glory. Psh. Instead, all they've done is turn all kinds of people against Diana since they insist they are like her. Not one of them is anything like her.

Okay, I've gotten myself so worked up on this last one I can't remember the rest. :) Your ending was brilliant. If only I could remember what it was. :)

Thank you for taking the time to do this! It's a brilliant piece of work!

Yeah, Scobie's chapter on Diana is an interesting one. It's all over the place so you just want to tell him 'Get to the point, man!'

But I think his point is this: Diana has been the face of the royal brand for so long, whether it's the idealized Diana of her 20s, the global force for change and good in her 30s, her fashion and style, and/or her tragic death) that the Palace no longer wants her there. So they're trying to discredit her to where she no longer "is" the royal brand. It won't work, is Scobie's conclusion because like "her statue's reflection in the palace pond...depending on the light, her true story briefly vanishes but always reappears."

He seems to suggest that it's Harry and Meghan's struggles with the BRF that keeps Diana's true story alive (because they've gone through similar things) in spite of William, Charles, and Camilla.

And for Scobie to believe William thinks there is no place for Diana in his monarchy, it does point to Scobie not having any sources left. Or, as anon points out, making shit up for the drama. Because William's made it clear there's a place for his mother's memory in his future. He just doesn't browbeat us to death with it the way Harry does.

Inside Duchess Meghan’s Emotional Farewell to Royal Life at a Private Engagement

It was supposed to be a quiet day off in the countryside until my phone went berserk—the staccato buzz I set for palace correspondence almost sending it off the table. “His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle,” the November 27, 2017, email read, followed by a note inviting royal correspondents to join the couple for a special photo call to mark the occasion. A few road rules may have been bent to make the 80-ish mile drive from Oxfordshire to Kensington Palace—in traffic—but it was worth it. Standing by the lily-covered Sunken Pond as Harry shared his joy at finally finding his teammate, it was the perfect start to a chapter that would finally bring the royal family into the 21st century. Over the months and years that followed, I closely shadowed the work of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, getting to know the couple better through their humanitarian endeavors, engagements, and overseas visits. Their high-energy work ethic and passion for social justice attracted a new, more diverse demographic of royal watcher to the scene. As a young(ish), biracial royal correspondent, the change was exciting. And as their popularity grew around the world, so did a new golden era for the House of Windsor. Never did I expect that less than two and half years later I would be standing in one of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace as the Duchess of Sussex emotionally bids much-loved aides farewell, with her flight “home” to Canada leaving in a matter of hours. But then, neither did the couple. After starting the year with a formal proposal to move into part-time working royal roles, and bring some much-needed privacy and safety to their family life, Harry and Meghan’s hopes were quickly dashed by an institution seemingly unable to accept change as a viable option (even though some royals across Europe—and even other members of the British royal family—have succeeded in balancing duties to the crown and individual careers). To say they were crushed is an understatement. It’s a decision that the couple still feel wasn’t necessary, but also wasn’t a surprise, given the lack of support they received as they were relentlessly attacked by sections of the British press with almost daily mistruths and hateful commentary. While recent tabloid coverage has made it seem like the Sussexes’ half-in-half-out bid was about wanting it all, the reality was a couple who were left with no other choice but to create their own change after being left to fend for themselves against impossible circumstances—even during her pregnancy. They knew something had to change, but they also didn’t want to stop supporting the queen. One can’t help but wonder if things might have been different if a family member or two had stood up for them during the darkest times. Despite the pain and difficulties behind the scenes, work has continued to be a priority for the duchess, who is excited to be carrying over her four royal patronages into the Sussexes’ new chapter. It’s also the reason why I was at Buckingham Palace's 1844 Room on Monday, having been invited alongside two other journalists to cover Meghan’s final engagement as a senior working royal: meeting 22 students who have received scholarships from the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). As their royal patron—a role she took over from the queen in 2019—Meghan will continue to prioritize the organization even after officially stepping back on March 31, especially given her position as the vice president of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and a former scholarship student herself. In fact, Meghan’s time at Illinois’s prestigious Northwestern University, where she majored in international relations and theater, is what drew her to the ACU in the first place. “The value and importance of higher education is why it should be accessible to everyone, no matter your background,” she says. For Commonwealth Day, March 9, the ACU brought together some of their brightest minds for a private meeting with the duchess, ahead of their attendance at Westminster Abbey’s Commonwealth Service, where some would bear the flags of their countries. The students are all studying masters or PhDs in the U.K. after receiving scholarships from the ACU’s three programs—Commonwealth Scholars, Chevening Scholars, and the ACU Blue Charter Fellow. “That’s what so powerful,” says Meghan, a long-time champion of the importance of universal access to higher education. “This incredible union and the ability to gain so much knowledge and to be able to take that back home.” Chatting with the scholars, the duchess is eager to hear more about how their studies will contribute to tackling the many challenges our world faces today. As she talks with the students, it becomes clear that she’s already done her research on why each guest was invited. It’s inspiring to seeing someone so prepared for these types of engagements, as opposed to just showing up for the photographs. But Meghan doesn’t know any other way of doing it. “I think it’s so important to actually engage with people,”she explains.“I care about these things!” The ACU has seen over 90,000 scholars come through their administered programs, and those invited to Monday’s meeting represent 11 Commonwealth countries in total. Halima Ali, a lawyer from Kenya who is currently studying for her masters in energy and natural resources law at London’s Queen Mary University, says Meghan’s role as patron is hugely important. “For Commonwealth and also Africa countries,” she says,“to see her, her interest, her participation, means a lot to us.” Meghan seems particularly impressed as she chats with Archana Kaliyaraj Selva Kumar, a chemistry student at Oxford University, who has devoted much of her time to using her research to create a new sustainable energy-storing battery that can help communities back in India without wired power. She is also an advocate for helping more women get into science. “What an incredible role model you are,” Meghan tells her. “And seeing is believing. Others see you and ... seeing someone in that space is so inspiring.” During a conversation with a female PhD student from Kenya, Meghan’s eyes light up when the subject of sustainable travel comes up. “That’s something my husband is incredibly passionate about,” she tells the Sheffield Hallam University student. “During our travels to Botswana and different parts of Africa, we’ve seen the link between tourism and how much money is going outside of the country instead of back to communities. There has to be a symbiotic relationship.” For her own travels with Harry, Meghan prefers to move around in a way that allows them to integrate with the locals. “When we go to Botswana, we grab a backpack and pitch a tent!” Meghan laughs. “It’s not much, but that’s how we like it!” Standing at the side of the room, I spot Secretary General of the ACU Joanna Newman looking on proudly. She came to know the duchess well from their numerous ACU engagements and meetings together, and is excited about their relationship continuing long into the future. “She has been a fantastic amplifier of ACU messages to much broader audiences for us,” she tells me, adding that her patronage has given the ACU coverage in places they could have never reached before, including Harper's BAZAAR. She calls Meghan a powerful spokesperson, recalling how she started public conversations about the lack of Black professors and even period poverty.>“The headlines haven’t been about what our patron is wearing or the official engagement started at this time and ended at that time and there was a cup of tea in the middle, it’s about why we are doing what we do and why ACU exists. She’s been a real champion of the work that universities do.” The ACU meeting came at the end of what Sussex aides have nicknamed a “farewell tour” for Harry and Meghan—a chance to tie up loose ends at the palace while taking on a slew of final royal engagements. The itinerary has been packed, starting when I joined the Duke of Sussex in Edinburgh, Scotland, on February 26 as his sustainable travel initiative, Travalyst, entered its next development phase. The ambitious project will be a key component of the Sussexes’ philanthropic portfolio, and it’s become extremely clear just how important the cause is to Harry, who regularly takes part in meetings behind the scenes. Chatting with him one-on-one recently, I was struck by how knowledgeable he has become in this field; his many trips to Botswana inspired the beginnings of the initiative more than a year ago. As one of the attendees at the Edinburgh work summit whispered to me after his speech, “He’s about to change the game for good.” Reuniting after five days apart, Harry and Meghan’s showstopping arrival at the Endeavour Fund Awards served as a reminder of their ability to command the world’s attention. “Nothing to see here, just Meghan Markle showing the fuck out during her final round of royal duties,” wrote a Twitter user, as the pictures of the couple beaming under their umbrella went viral around the world. Inside the ceremony, the focus was firmly on the veterans being honored, all speaking highly of the duke, or Captain Wales, as he’s better known in the veteran community. It’s that mission to support servicemen and servicewomen that has seen Harry pledge to continue to support the community in his new non-working royal life, not just in the United Kingdom but also in North America too. The first task? Bringing the work of the Endeavour Fund and Invictus Games, both of which he helped establish, closer together. Harry’s lifelong commitment is why Saturday’s Mountbatten Festival of Music was a particularly difficult moment, wearing his Captain General of the Royal Marines uniform for the last time. Giving up his royal duties has resulted in his military honors coming to an end—a particularly tough pill to swallow and something that has been just as difficult for his wife to witness. It is, a source close to the couple tells me, a wound that will take time to heal for Harry. Meghan’s surprise appearance at an East London school for International Women’s Day and more traditional royal engagements such as Harry opening an immersive British motorsport museum alongside Lewis Hamilton (“There's nothing better than officially opening a building that is very much open,” the duke joked about the Silverstone Experience, which first opened its doors in October 2019) that rounded out what has been a roller coaster of a farewell visit for the Sussexes. Getting on with the work has always been what it’s been about for Harry and Meghan, but behind the smiles of the photos has been a vulnerable couple who are still very much hurting. Back at Buckingham Palace, the ACU students now en route to Westminster Abbey and Harry quietly slipping through the door to say hello, the reality—and the emotions—finally set in as I give Meghan a goodbye hug. She’s flying back to Canada on the last commercial flight of the day, eager to be back in Vancouver Island to be there when Archie wakes up. For a couple who only ever wanted to focus on their work and bring good to the world, it seems like an unnecessarily cruel ending to their royal lives. Forced to give up roles they’re incredibly proud of after sacrificing so much to get there. At this point, the grand Drawing Room is almost empty and tears that the duchess had been bravely holding back are free to flow among familiar faces. As she embraces some of the loyal staff she will most likely not see again, I can’t help but feel sad for the dedicated team members whose tireless efforts—to promote the couple’s work, launch landmark projects, and deal with the near-daily crises brought on by tabloid lies—have come to an abrupt end. Compared to other royal households, it was a smaller operation, with less resources than the more sophisticated offices at Clarence House and Kensington Palace, but in the short space of a year since setting up, Team Sussex had become like a family, looking out for the couple as much as they could. While the weeks and months ahead will no doubt present new challenges for the Sussexes, the couple genuinely feel a sense of excitement about what’s to come, which includes the freedom to work at a pace that suits them, no longer weighed down by protocol or threatened by toxic agendas. And while much has been (incorrectly) speculated about specific commercial endeavors they might be taking on, both Harry and Meghan are eager to get stuck into their work, which will still revolve around their humanitarian efforts and helping amplify the voices of young people around the world on a wide gamut of issues. “The terrain may be a little different but their priorities are exactly the same as before,” a well-placed source tells me. “Keeping the family, most importantly Archie, safe is what will make all of this worth it.” (x)

Omid admits in this piece that someone in the palace told him he picked his corner (Meghan and Harry) and now he has to stay in it. Also think it’s a pretty interesting piece

vogue.com/article/why-does-it-have-to-be-meghan-markle-vs-kate-middleton

He’s simplifying the matter too much. 

What he has done is act as an unofficial spokesperson for The Sussexes and in THAT regard the palace has (probably?) said “Okay well you are no longer a “royal reporter” in our opinion - you’re a Sussex mouthpiece and so that’s where you shall stay.” Every royal reporter has reported on both couples and they’ve all done so with both positive AND negative press (for BOTH couples!) but Omid only reports favorably on the Sussexes and jumps on the bandwagon of people who are speaking against the palace even though - theoretically as a royal reporter - that’s his bread and butter.

Oh and not to mention that reporting on Harry and Meghan shouldn't be considered “royal” reporting anymore - they are no longer royals. Omid tied his cart to the wrong horse - he thought The Sussexes were going to be the media darlings for decades to come and that by jumping on Team Sussex early he would get in on the ground floor of amazing exclusives, etc. Instead, they ditched the royals and are grasping at straws to stay relevant outside the royal-watching sphere. And since the palace doesn’t want to cooperate with him (because why would they?) he’s a little big screwed, career-wise, unless he gives up the “royal beat” altogether. None of his colleagues in the royal reporting world respect him at this point. 

Walking Dead Game FanFiction - “We Know Her”

Title: We Know Her Characters: Clementine, Luke, Nick, Carlos, Sarah, Alvin, Rebecca, Omid, Christa Summary: Upon arriving at the ski lodge, Clementine is stunned to find Omid and Christa instead of Kenny. Author's Note: okay ima write this under the context that the whole “Nick shooting thing” doesn’t happen so that we can focus more on the cuteness of the rekindling lmao Requested By: ebimanami support me with ko-fi ♡ ---------♥️♥️♥️----------

It felt as though they’d been walking forever. To Rebecca, very pregnant and very sore, they had been.

“Can we take a minute?”

Everyone paused as Alvin eased her onto a rock. Rebecca had one hand pressed to her back and the other on her swollen belly. The entire time, Clementine was glancing ahead, squinting, seeing if she could spot anything through the hordes of trees. Luckily for all of them, she did.

Luke tore his attention from Rebecca to follow Clem’s gaze. He squinted, spotting a glimmer of red through the hordes of green and brown. Immediately, a grin broke out onto his face. “I think you’re right.”

“A bridge?” Sarah asked, hands clasped together, taking a step closer. It was her shy way of including herself in on the conversation. Luke and Clementine always obliged.

“It means we’re getting somewhere.” Luke said, smiling warmly her way. He wanted to squelch any anxiety she felt as quickly as possible. “We’ve never seen a bridge before. That means we’re making good progress at getting away from the lodge.”

The statement made Sarah frown, eventually turning back to her father. She liked the lodge. Deep down, a part of her had been hoping that they would eventually surrender and return to it. Hearing just how far away they were dashed that dream — her dream of returning to their little piece of home — and she turned away to sulk in private.

“I’m gonna scope it out.” Luke said, already starting forward.

Clementine smiled, ignoring the bitter sigh Rebecca offered behind them. “I’ll come.” She said, trotting to catch up to him as he paused, waiting for her.

They’d barely approached the bridge before Luke held his breath, pointing toward a building in the distance. “Do you see that?”

Clementine scrambled to find what he was looking at, especially seeing how his breath caught on his words. But following his gaze, squinting into the distance just out of reach, she spotted it. She, too, sucked in her breath. “A house.”

“A lodge.” Luke gawked, a hand running through his hair in amazement. “I can’t believe it.”

This was a major break for them. Since they’d left their cabin, they’d been wandering with no destination. No place to lay down their things and actually rest. Not only had they found that place, they’d found practically a mansion compared to the place they’d been living in prior.

It was a luxury. It was a dream come true and, if everything went according to plan, it would be theirs.

They darted back to the others, seemingly wasting away with boredom and impatience. When the duo excitedly scrambled in and offered the news — Clem grinning and watching as Luke fumbled his way through an explanation — the group was up and off.

“We’ll take the back.” Alvin said, offering a hand to help Rebecca to her feet.

Luke, Clementine, and Nick spearheaded the group with Carlos and Sarah in the middle, and Alvin and Rebecca following behind.

“Holy shit.” Nick breathed as they finally hit the bridge. “Is that a lodge or a mansion?”

“It’s perfect, that’s what it is.” Luke said, grinning, jostling his best friend excitedly. Nick offered a goofy grin, fixing his hat once he was done. “If there’s a God out there, he’s really cut us some slack with this one.”

“Let’s get there before we start throwing thank yous around.” Carlos said, body stiff and gaze trained ahead. Sarah could tell, as she turned to study him, that his eyes were latched onto the building. Even though she knew her father wouldn’t say it, he was impressed. She wanted to say he was thrilled, but her father was also a skeptic. He was probably holding his breath until he was sure the area was safe.

After all, he would always tell her ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it is.’ While he was often correct, it filled her with all types of anxiety constantly. How was she supposed to believe that anything good could come in a world that was constantly filled with dread? When her own father wouldn’t let her hold onto a glimmer of hope?

Regardless, Clementine’s hope allowed her to keep a flicker of it herself. If Clementine was hopeful — the girl that had seen so much — she believed that she could be hopeful too, even if it was only a bit to appease her father.

They continued across the bridge, drawing closer and closer to the lodge nestled on the hill before them. They still had a way to go — so far that Luke had a pit of worry in his stomach if Rebecca would be able to make it that far.

But he didn’t have time to worry about that now. They’d tackle that when they got there. For now, they needed to do exactly that; get there.

Luke and Clementine were the first to reach the base of the hill, Nick trotting up behind them. The mere thought of climbing the thing was already causing him to lag. Luckily for him, he wasn’t the only one.

“We need to be careful.” Carlos said, wandering up beside the trio. They were waiting for everyone else to draw closer before formulating a plan. “We don’t know if it’s inhabited.”

Luke nodded, his stance determined and ready. “Right. We need to be slow and quiet.”

“I can do that.” Rebecca said, setting her hands on her back and stretching under the weight of her swollen belly.

Luke nodded, scanning her up and down. Did he have his doubts? Definitely, but he wasn’t one to argue with Rebecca. No one was. Not even Alvin.

So, slowly, cautiously, glancing back to ensure that everyone was gradually following, they made their way up. The entire walk, Clementine remained practically glued to Luke’s side. Was she excited at the prospect of such a home? Of course. But did she want to risk it in the case that it was inhabited? Or dangerous? Or overrun with walkers? No way.

She trusted Luke. She knew she could wander beside him, and he would have her back. It brought her comfort during uncertainty. Ever since they’d left the cabin, their lives had been nothing but uncertainty. But not Luke. Luke had always been certain. Luke always had her back.

The closer they drew to the lodge, the more on edge the child felt. Suddenly, overwhelmingly, Clem had a bad feeling about this. As though the lodge was secluded and hard to get to for a reason; as though they were trespassing on someone’s property.

Little did they know, the were.

Clementine fell behind, offering to help Alvin with Rebecca, when she heard quarrelling up ahead. It wasn't the bickering she had grown used to back at the cabin, it was new. New voices. New people.

Her heart slammed into her stomach.

No.

She darted up the hill, sneaking her way behind the group and peeling her way through them. Carlos was frantically keeping Sarah behind him, not wanting her to even catch a glimpse of the strangers let alone be in their line of fire. Nick and Luke had their hands up and Alvin and Rebecca, slowly making their way up behind them, looked so meek and mild they were ignored.

“Get back.”

“We don’t mean any harm.”

“I don’t give a shit.”

Clementine frowned, pausing between Carlos and Nick, feeling as though she recognized the phrase. No, it wasn’t that. She recognized the voice. Feeling a swell of panic, she continued pushing her way forward.

“Clem--”

She weaseled her way out of Carlos’ attempt to grab her and keep her back. She wasn’t like Sarah. She didn’t need shielding. She was more than capable of holding out on her own.

“If you don’t back off, I will shoot.”

“Please, we’re just--”

Clementine peeled her way through the rest of her group, squeezing between Luke and Nick. She could feel Luke’s breath hitch as she pushed past him, no doubt terrified for whatever she was doing.

But she knew exactly what she was doing, because the moment she emerged through her group, her eyes widened into stars. “Christa?” The figure standing beside her lowered their weapon, and the face she saw prompted her throat to swell. “Omid?” She squeaked out.

Hearing the familiar voice, Christa lowered her gun, her eyes hesitantly settling on the child figure before her. After a beat, as though registering if her eyes were being truthful, she relaxed. “Clementine?”

“Clem,” Omid’s reaction was far more emotional than his partner’s. He dropped his gun and lunged forward on his knees. “Holy shit, Clem.” He settled his hands on her shoulders, drinking her in, allowing his hands to brush at her cheeks, her hat, and her arms.

Clementine smiled, the tears already swelling in the corners of her eyes. “Swear.” She said softly.

Omid smile, his cheeks pushing his tears forward and down his cheeks. He scoffed, wrapping his arms around her. “Get in here.” Clementine laughed, forcing her joy through the sobs as she settled against his jacket, feeling the familiar warmth Omid radiated.

Christa slowly lowered her weapon, her heart overwhelmed with emotion, so much so that she could barely move. By the time she was able to start forward, abandoning her weapon on the ground behind her, she was fiercely blinking back tears as she knelt down, wrapping the members of her mini-family in a warm embrace.

The cabin crew was stunned.

Luke turned around, his gaze landing on Nick momentarily before Carlos. Behind him, he watched as Alvin shrugged, adjusting his hold on his wife.

Out of all of them, the only one who had a softer reaction was Sarah. As she watched them, Sarah couldn’t help but give a faint smile. The way Clementine clung to them, the way joyous tears streamed down her cheeks that she scrambled to wipe away, made her heart warm.

Clem sniffled, peeling her face off of Omid’s jacket. She scrambled to clean her cheeks, staring at the two with misty, amazed eyes. Clem turned to her group, offering a gentle laugh. “Guys, meet Omid and Christa.” She turned, smiling, feeling one of Christa’s hands settle on her shoulder and one of Omid’s slip into one of hers. “They raised me for a while.”

Immediately, the tone on the deck softened, and the expressions of everyone grew warm and gentle.

Luke smiled warmly, extending a hand, hoping it was an accurate demonstration of peace. “I’m Luke.” he said. He smiled wider feeling Christa’s hand slip kindly into his own. “It’s an honour.” He said softly.

While Sarah may have lost her little piece of home, it meant Clementine was able to find hers. To Sarah, that was a fair trade. ---------♥️♥️♥️----------

Two Sides Of The Same Street /Chapter Three

Title: Two Sides of the Same Street   Chapter One / Chapter Two / Chapter Three

Pairing: Clementine x Louis

Word Count: 1645

Summary: Louis and Clem have some fun in this cold weather.

A/N: This is probably the fluffiest piece I’ve written so far, enjoy :)

-

Clementine took another sip of her peppermint tea, basking in the warmth it provided. “Does it usually get this cold during winter?” The snow fell gracefully from the dark sky, blanketing the town in a white sheet.

“Unfortunately yeah. But it makes for some killer snowball fights,” Louis munched down onto his croissant. Goddamn Omar never failed to amaze him. “Marlon and I get really into it, I stand as the champion.”

“You do have other friends, right?” She questioned. Louis only ever talked about his wacky adventures with Marlon, the boy seemed almost as mad as Lou. Probably why they were so close.

Louis scoffed. “Of course, everyone loves me. Omar is my friend too, right dude?”

Omar turned from a happy customer and his gentle smile shifted to a glare, directed specifically at Louis. “Run while you still can.” He whispered to Clem.

Clementine hid her snicker behind her large mug as Louis threw one of Clem’s chips at Omid’s back. “He secretly loves me.”

“Right,” Her tone gave away her lack of belief and her annoyance at missing a chip. “Anyways, who’s turn was it?”

“I believe it was mine. What is the last song you listened to?”

Their bus ride game had somehow made it’s way to their lunch break, the third lunch break they had shared together that week. Surprisingly, Clementine found it to be fun. “Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey. I was listening to it on the ride to work this morning.”

Louis tipped his cup of lemonade to her. “Good choice, so your car got fixed then?” Another piece of croissant flew into his mouth, it was addicting!

Clementine giggled at how Louis ate his food. Why was it so cute? “Yes finally. No offence to the bus. So, What is your worst customer story?”

It was a juicy question. Louis’s ears perked up as a devilish smile grew. “I have the best one. I had only been working at the shop for a couple of months when this family of three walks in one day. As the parents are checking stuff out their kid goes batshit crazy, he’s running around, touching everything, trying to take stuff off the walls and his parents aren’t doing anything! I tell him to stop multiple times but he won’t listen, so I got both of my keen eyes on this little dude until the old manager calls me into the back so I can unbox some CDs we ordered. As I’m back there, we hear this fucking banshee-like scream, turns out this kid had climbed the top of one of our drum sets, jumped off and landed on his spine on our spare snare drum stand we have sitting nearby.”

Clementine’s jaw was hanging wide open like a fish.

“It gets worse. The mom marches up to me and starts going off at me, saying that I should have been watching her child. She starts talking to the manager about how incompetent I am meanwhile I’m standing there like an idiot. But my manager says to her how it’s not my job to watch her child and how she should have told him to be more careful. Eventually, the family stormed out. Sometimes I wish the shop was idiot-proof.”

“Oh my god,” She threw a hand over her mouth, trying to repress the laughter. “That sucks.”

Louis brushed it off. “It was, but it’s funny to think about now,” His water helped to clear the scratch at the back of his throat. “I wanna hear your story now. Any customers you wanted to beat over the head?”

“Mine isn’t as exciting. It was a few days ago, this guy comes in wanting to return this antique Royal Doulton vase but it was way past the return date. He starts screaming but then he takes the vase and tries to throw it at Lee! Luckily he dodged it and threw the guy out.”

Now it was Louis’s turn to look shocked. “Fuck...did you use your overly expensive spoons to attack him?”

“They are not expensive!” She took a piece of his croissant and threw it at his nose, time for him to lose his own food. “Dork.”

Louis dramatically placed a hand over his heart, squeezing his dark blue shirt. “Dork? That is a declaration of love if I’ve ever heard one.”

“Since when?”

He shrugged. “Y’know, it goes alongside things like ‘less than three’ and ‘Rawr XD. That’s just how life works, so you love me.” Louis wiggled his fine eyebrows.

Clementine rolled her eyes at his gesture. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

“That’s all I do,” He pushed his plate to the side and dusted off his hands of crumbs. “We still have fifteen minutes left of our break, anything else you wanted to do?”

Clementine wiped her mouth clean. “Maybe we can just go for a walk in the snow?”

That’s so fucking romantic. Louis, you marry this girl right now-

“Sounds like fun!” Louis waved at one of the waiters, getting him to come to their table. “Give my compliments to Chef Omar, tell him he has a lovely smile. Thank you!” He left the man a tip before waving at Omar. Begrudgingly, he waved back. Louis somehow manages to make his day better.

Clementine picked up a palm full of snow and threw it into the air, twirling as it fell around her. “Despite how cold it gets, I do enjoy the snow.” She looked like a winter fairy with those adorable earmuffs on.

Louis smirked as he picked up a handful of snow. “Oh really?” He hummed, his batting arm pegged the snowball at the back of her head, exploding all over her hair. Louis erupted in laughter as Clementine froze, the snow was making its cold descent down her back.

She slowly turned around, shooting daggers at Louis. “You asshole.” She quickly scooped up her own snowball and planted it right in his face, snickering at how his nose scrunched. Those baseball lessons really paid off.

He wiped the excess snow from his eyes. “This means war.” Clementine ran down the pavement as Louis chased her with handfuls of snow, their laughter filling the ears of those who were forced to dodge them.

He made an attempt to throw a snowball at her back but missed when she ran around a corner. “Just hold still!” He called out to her.

“We’re enemies now! I will never surrender!” Clementine crafted an extra large snowball just for him. She turned on her heels in one swift movement and ran back at him, slamming the ball atop his head. Amongst the collision, Clem had lost her footing and tumbled down alongside Louis.

Except she didn’t land on the snow.

The warm presence beneath her was comforting, she couldn’t help but melt into it.

“Clem?” Clementine raised her head and pushed away some loose curls from her eyes. Below her own head was Louis, at very close proximity. “I love your eyes.” He stated.

The heat radiating from her cheeks could melt the snow. “What?”

It was the first moment he could truly appreciate them. There were brown specks in them, a pool of honey and Earth. “It’s just, your eyes are the colour of gold people spend lifetimes trying to find.” He whispered only for her.

Clementine found herself brushing the snow away from his freckled cheek, they looked like beautiful constellations. She gently grabbed ahold of the collar on his thick coat and closed the gap between them.

And suddenly everything made sense.

Her heart opened like a butterfly taking flight, the fact he was kissing her had her mind reeling. An explosion went off in Louis’s own heart when he saw Clementine’s flushed cheeks as she pulled away. It was official, he had died and gone to heaven.

“You’re..uh..really pretty.” He stuttered like the smooth criminal he is.

She giggled. “You’re pretty too. Sorry if I took you by surprise, I just-”

“-no it’s great! I’m glad you did that. I’ve always wanted to kiss a cute girl whilst freezing my ass off in the snow in the middle of a busy street.” He teased.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “How specific.” Clementine moved away and got back to her feet, her legs almost becoming jelly. Louis followed her and dusted the snow off his coat.

“What can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic,” His eyes lingered on her hands, her light purple gloves made him smile for some reason. Cuteness perhaps? Everything about her was cute.”Is it okay if I hold your hand?”

Clementine snaked her fingers amongst his own. “I like you a lot Lou.”

“As do I Clemster,” He brought her hand up and kissed her fuzzy gloves. “And if we don’t leave now we’ll be super later for work.”

“Oh shit.”

She and Louis ran like the wind down the crowded street, swerving between the judging stares of the people beside them. Clementine let go of his hand as she made her way across the street, desperate to get out of the growing winds. “I’ll catch you later Clem!” He called out, his hand waving through the air furiously.

“Run you clever boy!”

Louis stopped dead in his tracks, his shoes skidding along the snow. His head whipped up in time to catch her suave wink. With a smile that radiated good energy, he headed back into the store, punching the air once he knew he was safe from prying eyes. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Okay, maybe he wasn’t so safe.

Marlon chucked the damp towel into the bucket. “Why do you look so...crazy?”

Louis shrugged his coat off and chucked it over the counter, sending fragments of snow flying onto the floor. “I got to know a pretty face and electric soul.”

It's Cultural & Culinary Delights For Harry and Meghan In Rabat!

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It's Cultural & Culinary Delights For Harry and Meghan In Rabat!

For their final day in Morocco, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex carried out several engagements in Rabat celebrating young people and Moroccan culture.

They kicked off the busy day with a visit to the Royal Federation of Equestrian Sports.

From there, the Duke and Duchess visited Villa des Ambassadors in Rabat for a cooking demonstration. 

The couple were joined by renowned chef Dar Moha. Harry was already familiar with his work as he visited his restaurant in Marrakesh before the royal wedding.

The couple saw how traditional Moroccan cuisine is supporting young people and teaching children from under-privileged backgrounds a new skill. Meghan is passionate about food bringing people and communities together. During the launch of Grenfell cookbook Together, she said: “This is more than a cook book and what I mean by that is the power of food is more than just the meal itself it is the story behind it. And when you get to know the story behind the recipe, you get to know the person behind it and help us celebrate what connects us rather than divides us. That is the ethos of Together.”

It seemed only fitting for the group to prepare one of the recipe’s from Together. They chose the pancakes with honey and almond butter by Cherine Mallah (which reminds me Shrove Tuesday is next week).

When Harry sampled one Meghan laughed and said “Big bite”, Harry replied “It’s a bit late now”.

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 They sampled an array of dishes including spicy creations and a pigeon pastilla which Meghan called “delicious”

A group of young chefs from Hadaf.

‘Hadaf supervises 85 people suffering from moderate or mild developmental disabilities, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“It all started with my daughter, who has a mental disability,” says Amina Mseffer, president of the association. When she could not put her daughter at school because people were scared to have a disabled person with the other children, Mseffer said, she decided to put her in a special institution. But this was expensive, and stops when the person is 21 years old.

So she joined forces with relatives and friends and in 1997, they created Hadaf, which means “goal” in Arabic, but also stands for “Association of parents and friends of mentally disabled people.” Help and donations have come from official institutions, companies and even the Moroccan king and private donors, including nearby mosque-goers.

In 2005, Hadaf set up a social-professional center in the Hay Nahda neighborhood of the capital Rabat, housing various workshops and courses including jewelry making, sewing, decorative painting and carpentry.’

The couple met representatives from the organisation.

The Mail Online reports:

‘Inside they walked around the stations and chatted to the young cooks, aged between nine and 18, stopping to try mince and onion pastries (Harry) and Harira – a spicy chickpea soup (both). Chef Moha handed them each a decorated ceramic bowl to try and they each took a sip. ‘C’est delicieux,’ said Meghan in French. ‘What’s in it?’ asked Harry, before joking, ‘It’s a secret recipe!’

One child said something in Arabic to the chef, who turned to the Duke and said: ‘He finds you a very good person. ‘He is a good person,’ smiled the Duchess, putting an affectionate hand on her husband’s arm. 

‘Harry and Meghan took up the offer of a meal for ‘the whole family’ from top chef Moha Fedal, who hosts the North African nation’s version of Masterchef. He told the couple: ‘I hope to cook for you next time,’ as they joined him for a cookery demonstration with underprivileged children in the capital Rabat.

The Duchess replied: ‘The whole family next time.’ The chef said: ‘You come with your baby to Marrakesh next time’ referring to the fact that the prince is believed to have visited in 2018, just before his wedding. 

‘We would love to,’ said Meghan. ‘Come with your baby and I will cook for all three,’ he told Harry as he joined them. The Duke – clearly inspired by the delicious spread he had sampled – replied: ‘We will cook for you!’ 

The Duchess gave Chef Moha a copy of Together. She wrote: “Chef Mohar. Wishing you continued success and congratulating you on your incredible work in engaging the community in cooking. All the best. Meghan”.

In return, He gave her his book Le Vrai Goût du Maroc.

A group photo.

For their final public event, the Duke and Duchess met young entrepreneurs supporting youth empowerment at an arts and crafts market in the Andalusian Gardens in Rabat.

It was a quick change of clothes for Meghan.

They enjoyed a traditional musical performance upon arrival.

The beautiful Andalusian Gardens provided the perfect backdrop for the engagement.

Omid Scobie shared these stunning photos on Twitter.

Harry and Meghan’s names in Arabic.

As they viewed local arts and crafts, the Duchess was given a necklace. Of course, Harry was on hand to assist…

They were given an array of items including a bronze plate representing British – Moroccan friendship.

Meeting local craftspeople.

Royal reporter Rebecca English noted Meghan was particularly impressed by one pair of shoes.

The couple discussed sustainability. More from the Mail:

‘Harry spoke as he and the duchess met entrepreneurs in Morocco who have started companies aimed at tackling the country’s social, economic and environmental problems. Talking to Youssef Chaqor, who runs a recycling company called Eko-Geste, Harry said: ‘You need to put more pressure on the big companies.’

He said that while big companies might give money to environmental projects, ‘they are still producing single-use plastic bottles.’ He added: ‘Go to the source!’

Looking at a stand which featured wallets and shoes made from cured fish skin, the duchess told PhD student Nawal Allaoui: ‘It’s very clever.’ Meghan asked what happened when it got wet, but she replied: ‘It’s waterproof.’ Harry congratulated her on moving away from snakeskin and crocodile skin.

Meghan said: ‘It’s really amazing not to use exotics like that, and instead use something sustainable that would otherwise go to waste. But they still have a fashionable impact.’

Victoria Murphy shared a look at some of the young entrepreneurs.

Many of the people they met are working to address youth unemployment and involved in creating new initiatives.

People reports:

‘Silver craftsman Sakhi Driss had a photo of Harry’s father, Prince Charles, on display from when the Queen’s son visited his store in Fez. Driss said of Harry, “He asked when the visit was and where was the picture taken.” At one point, Harry jokingly shielded his eyes as the sun reflected off one of the silver pieces – and Meghan learned that it takes about six days to make one tray.

At one of the first stops in the fabulous walled gardens high above the coast with the Mediterranean sea, they were handed two embroidered foot cushions – which will perhaps come in useful in their new home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor Castle. “They were interested. They asked many questions. It was a great pleasure to see them,” Ismail Boudrous from the social enterprise says.’

This video opens with footage of Harry and Meghan meeting two darling little girls.

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For Meghan’s looks today she opted for a mix of new and old pieces. This morning’s engagements saw the Duchess in casual attire including a striped sweater and black jeans.

The Duchess wore her hillside green J Crew Field jacket. Meghan’s had the piece since 2016 and was photographed wearing it several times in Toronto before the engagement.

After numerous searches, Michelle from Perth Fashion identified Meghan’s breton top as the Equipment Lucian style.

Meghan wore the Stuart Weitzman Brooks Suede Boots (with thanks to UFO No More). The almond toe boots are available in very limited sizing at Saks Fifth Avenue.

And accessorised with her Ecksand Tresses yellow gold earrings.

For the afternoon’s engagement, Meghan changed into a more formal look. Initially it was thought Meghan’s dress might be a re-purposed Givenchy piece, however it turns out she wore the Loyd/Ford Pleated Dress (with many thanks to eagle-eyed reader Jennifer). 

The pleated chiffon dress is currently reduced from £432 to £324 at ShopBop. It’s also available in pink.

You can see the thin strap on Meghan’s dress in the photo below.

The Duchess wore the Artizia Babaton Keith jacket she debuted for a polo match in 2016. It is described as “This take on the tailored blazer does away with a standard collar and plays with architectural tailoring. The Japanese basketweave fabric is textural and fluid, emphasizing the weighted drape.” It retails for $198.

Meghan wore her Manolo Blahnik Carolyn Black Satin and Velvet Polka Dot Slingback Pumps.

And accessorised with the $200 Gas Bijoux Onde Drop earrings (with thanks to UFO No More and Meghan’s Fashion). For US shoppers they are discounted by $50 with code FASHION at Neiman Marcus.

Harry and Meghan will meet with the King this evening. I expect we’ll see photos.

Source: http://madaboutmeghan.blogspot.com/2019/02/first-look-meghan-casual-for-equestrian.html

Whoa! This powerful piece of bad ass intentional art is heading out to Omid in LA today! Wow! May ingnite your power to manifest your version of abundant prosperity my friend. Youve got the support of Archangel Metatron! This was an amazing piece of art to create! Thank you! 💜💚 https://www.instagram.com/p/CG7f4ZFHKEN/?igshid=13t5t3q6s3l2o

Meet the Montreal-Based Brand Behind the Famous Initial Necklace Worn by Meghan Markle

Back in 2016, Meghan Markle stepped out in Toronto wearing an initial necklace with the letters ‘H’ and ‘M’ on it – and subsequently sent the world into a meltdown. With no words, just a simple gesture, the then Suits actress confirmed rumours that had been swirling for months – that she and Prince Harry were an item. Naturally, news outlets clamoured for information on the piece and the origins of the necklace were largely misreported across the world. You see, that one necklace that set the royal love story on fire was by a small Montreal-based jewellery company called The Right Hand Gal. And it almost wasn’t made…

“On October 11, 2016, we received an order through email from one of the store’s that we sell to saying, ‘You’ve been commissioned to make a necklace for Meghan Markle from Suits. WHAT, followed by a bunch of question marks,” laughs Randi Herlich, one half of the brand (she runs it with sister Shawna), over the phone. “I can’t say that we were so over-the-top excited because we weren’t as familiar with the show as everyone around us seemed to be. They told us there was a rush [on the piece] and that the order was for an M and an H. It was just at the start of our very busy holiday season and we had so many pre-orders at the time that we were scared we were going to run out of chains so we actually wrote them back and said we’re really sorry but I think we’re going to have to say that we can’t do this order. They wrote back saying, are you out of your mind? You better glue a chain, cut a chain, I don’t care what you do just put the chain together and make this order.”

The pair decline to say who placed the order for the necklace, saying only that it was “Meghan enough” (earlier reports suggest it was Jessica Mulroney who ordered the piece from Toronto’s Ani + Wren boutique).

The sisters – whose passion for their business is palpable during our entire conversation – took heed of the advice and made the necklace in their Montreal studio, and it was hand-delivered to Meghan’s residence in Toronto at the time. In early December, Meghan stepped out wearing the piece and everything fell into place – they finally knew who the H was for. “Never in a million years would we have thought that we would have the honour of a lifetime,” Randi says, adding that that was a big part of the reason why they didn’t make a bigger fuss in the press at the time. “Some media found out it was us and they were so excited but the vast majority of people don’t know it’s us. We didn’t scream it to the magazines – we just figured this was an honour, she didn’t do this so we could sell our jewellery, she did this because she is all about empowerment and empowering women and I take that as the biggest compliment because [our brand] is all about empowerment. We just felt that even though so many people were taking credit that the truth would eventually come out.”

Photograph courtesy of The Right Hand Gal

The necklace has been back in the headlines in recent weeks thanks to the release of Finding Freedom. In the book, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand revealed that Meghan was reportedly scolded by palace aides for wearing the piece. “She was advised that wearing such a necklace only served to encourage the photographers to keep pursuing such images – and new headlines,” the authors wrote. Interestingly, when the best-selling book was first released, the necklace was attributed to another jewellery brand but a few days after it was released, Randi and Shawna received a note from Scobie, Durand the book’s publishers acknowledging the error. “They re-did their due diligence and realized it was The Right Hand Gal,” explains Randi. “They saw the invoice, they saw the PO and said that they were changing it. So if you look in the new version [of both the digital and print editions] it says The Right Hand Gal, it’s us.”

A photo taken of the initial necklace before it was sent out to Meghan Markle in Toronto. Photograph courtesy of The Right Hand Gal

Creating pieces for a celebrity is nothing new for the brand, with Emily Blunt, Olivia Wilde and Susan Sarandon all on their client list. But at the end of the day, the sisters say they “just create extremely gorgeous jewellery” for any woman who wants to wear it. Randi adds, “We created a line of jewellery that was meant for women who wanted to wear real jewellery but may not want to spend a million dollars on it, they want to be able to buy it for themselves,” noting the brand’s tagline, ‘The left hand is reserved for the misters but the right hand is reserved for the sisters’. “So we created a line of real, hand-crafted jewellery all in Canada that you can wear from the gym to the red carpet. We say [it’s] casual diamond jewellery.”

Taking stock of the past few years, Shawna says they’ve been “an amazing ride for us,” noting that the ‘Meghan effect’ has stayed relatively strong across that timeframe. “From the day we announced we made the necklace for her, it never really stopped.” And now that the brand is forever a part of royal history, we suspect it never will.

The post Meet the Montreal-Based Brand Behind the Famous Initial Necklace Worn by Meghan Markle appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

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SCRATCHTHEBLOCK PRESENTS: BLOOD BROTHER (BEATS AND JAZZ-HOP SONORITIES)

After delighting your ears with jazz-hop selections: Gourmet jazz-hop , Uptown Downtown , Jazz-Hop au go-go , Supa Sonic Jazz-Hop and the list goes on and on (you can check them out via Mixcloud) , da squad is back with anotha impressive selection of dope cuts for the pleasure of jazz-hop heads out there.

So , let the fucking hot beats speak….this is Blood Brother – Beats And Jazz-Hop Sonorities.

REMY BANKS FEAT. MARZ LOVEJOY – CLOUDS (PRODUCED BY HANNIBAL KING)

Our city has an incredible and glorious hip-hop history written in the past by acts like Wu Tang-Clan, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest,Gang Starr, BlackMoon, Boot Camp Click and damn…there are too many groups and rappers to mention ! If we ask you what’s your opinion about the current hip-hop scene in New York , what would you say about it? Well , personally we can assert that hip-hop music changed its clothes and probably it was just an organic process (evolution or involution we couldn’t say) , so , like it or not, we must face the new trends that are affecting the entire “hip-hop system”. Anyway , it would be stupid if we didn’t see the value of a fleet of producers,rappers and musicians which are making really good things for da hip-hop: Joey Bada$$ and the entire Pro Era fam , Flatbush Zombies, Phony PPL and Queens microphone spitter Remy Banks. Remy Banks is a young rapper from Queens and maybe you’ve heard about him through the music performed by hip-hop trio Children Of The Nights or World’s Famous (a sort of evolution of Children Of The Nights ). In 2010 Remy teamed up with Queens producer Hannibal King to record the project entitled World Famous from which we selected the stunning piece called Clouds. Hannibal King earned his stripes cooking serious productions for well-known acts such as Mac Miller,Casey Veggies,Joey Bada$$ and Domo Genesis just to name a few. But let us return to the cut called Clouds! Well , Hannibal King created something cool sampling Player’s Anthem produced by Clark Kent and the iconic 1977 record by RAMP titled Daylight. The perfect mixture between Banks bars, the outstanding Minnesota multi-talented artist Marz Lovejoy (make sure you to check out her recent single Catch Up finely produced by Jansport J) and King’s beats  gave us a solid piece!

BRAINSICK MOB – MIXMASTER USA (PRODUCED BY MIX MASTER G-FLEXX)

Oh yeah…if you’re nostalgic hip-hop fans, prepare yourself for something hot! Let’s turn back time to when ghetto streets vibrated under the effect of pieces like Mixmaster USA performed by Blackstarr and Jack The Ripper, the duo known as Brainsick Mob. In 1997 da song appeared on da compilation New York Reality Check 101 mixed by DJ Premier packed with top-shelf tracks by underground acts such as J-Live,Shades of Brooklyn, Godfather Don,Choclair among others. Mixmaster Usa was produced by musician/producer/songwriter Patrice Germain aka Mix Master G-Flexx ( a genius which had the pleasure to work alongside names such as Billy Idol,Michael Bolton, Elton John, D’Angelo, Onyx, Guru, Big Shug, Group Home and Bahamadia).  The sample of RAMP’s Everybody Loves The Sunshine is always honey for our ears!

RAPPER BIG POOH FEAT. DARIEN BROCKINGTON – MY MIND (PRODUCED BY KHRYSIS)

The Minstrel Show by North Carolina hip-hop outfit Little Brother can be considered as a classic record. The success was huge, it gained an overwhelming critical reception and hip-hop media sang the praises of 9th Wonder,Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh. Despite the exciting around Little Brother , in those years , Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh were involved on side projects and solo projects  that brought to us masterpieces like Connected by FE+ and Sleepers the sophomore solo record by Rapper Big Pooh! We chose the track called My Mind featuring the amazing  neo-soul crooner Darien Brockington (which enhanced the track with his gentle touch) and masterfully wrapped by North Carolina grammy nominated hitmaker  Christopher Frederick Tyson better known by the stage name Khrysis  (Talib Kweli,Zo!,DJ Spinna,Sean Price,Slum Village,Mac Miller,Rapsody) which blows our mind sampling a timeless jazz record by Bob James. Last year in December Big Pooh dropped his last effort titled Everything 4 Sale and recently Khrysis released the beat-tape  MotherFunker

SHABAAM SAHDEEQ – RELAX (PRODUCED BY PINGS)

Last year in May we dropped the hip-hop selection Da Joint giving to you a taste of what underground scene has to offer. The selection includes an ultra-dope track titled It’s My Life performed by Polyrythm Addicts from their album Break Glass. Today we selected a sumptuous joint by Brooklyn emcee and 1/4 of Polyrhythm Addicts, Shabaam Sahdeeq! The track is called Relax, distributed by King Underground and sumptuously produced by King Underground founder Dan Englander aka Pings. If you are die-hard old-school fans then you will appreciate this top-notch jazzy production!

NEW TRACK CITY FEAT. ANDREW MCGHIE – HUSTLEMAN WIT A KAZOO (PRODUCED BY CONDUCTOR WILLIAMS)

Last year we invited you to experience the sound of New Track City. The Seattle hip-hop trio composed by  emcees Bem and Chi.Stone and producer Dru released the interesting mixtape The Damn Gina Tape , blending hip-hop and soulful and jazzy sonorities. The track called HustleMan Wit A Kazoo is a clear example of New Track City music deeply influenced by the 90’s hip-hop . The track is produced by Kansas City producer Conductor Williams and it hosts the saxophone of Andrew McGhie.

  HAIKU D’ETAT – ALL GOOD THINGS (O REMIX)

If you’re a hip-hop head grew up with a steady diet of underground groups and rappers, maybe the name of Haiku D’Etat will sound familiar! It’s a hip-hop group composed by Aceyalone,Myka 9 and Abstract Rude which dropped in 1999 a self-titled album , followed by a sophomore project called Coup The Theatre released in 2004. Two months ago german label Wadada Records recruited german beatmaker Kram Aus Der Ecke aka O to resume Haiku D’Etat track called All Good Things in order to cook a jazzy treatment remix. Well, it sounds so fucking hot!

  GROUP HOME – EAST NY THEORY (PRODUCED BY MIX MASTER G-FLEXX)

Living Proof, Supa Star , Suspended In Time are only few jams from the huge list of dope pieces by Group Home.  Melachi The Nutcracker and Lil’ Dap made majestic music , in particular between  the 1995 and 1999 through their cult classics Living Proof and A Tear For The Ghetto packed with  productions handled by Premo , The Alchemist as well as Guru. 20 years ago the New York duo released a single along side Brainsick Mob called East Ny Theory finely produced by Mix Master G-Flexx and distributed via Flatbush label Tape Kingz. Recently Group Home released their new project called For Ever.

FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP – WHEN THE SUN TOOK A DAY OFF AND THE MOON STOOD STILL (PRODUCED BY OMID)

Let’s move on to the Los Angeles underground hip-hop collective known as Freestyle Fellowship. In 1999 Celestial Recordings launched a compilation entitled Beneath The Surface , which included the jazz-hop cut called When The Sun Took A Day Off And The Moon Stood Still performed by Aceyalone , Mikah 9 , P.E.A.C.E and O.Glenn. The stunning piece by Freestyle Fellowship was finely produced by Omid Walizadeh aka Omid

  FAKEHUNTERS FEAT. D ALLIE – THE SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR LIFE

French jazz-hop collective FakeHunters earned a comfortable spot on this jazz-hop selection thanks their superb track entitled The Soundtrack To Your Life. The song is a collabo along side Detroit emcee David Allie Strauss aka D.Allie and it’s included on Fakehunters album called Sweet Notes released three years ago.

      DA GRASSROOTS FEAT. ELEMENTAL – LIVING UNDERWATER (PRODUCED BY MR. ATTIC)

Canadian hip-hop collective Da Grassroots appeared on two jazz-hop selections: Gourmet Jazz-Hop and Uptown Downtown . Da Grassroots music reflects their penchant for da old-school hip-hop era and their productions wisely handled by Mr.Attic are imbued with jazz sonorities. So we wrap up our jazz-hop trip with the stunning piece called Living Underwater from Grassroots masterpiece Passage Through Time

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Open the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition

New Post has been published on http://harryandmeghan.xyz/the-duke-and-duchess-of-sussex-open-the-nelson-mandela-centenary-exhibition/

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Open the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition

The Duchess arriving.

The exhibition explores the life and times of Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013) and marks the centenary of his birth. 

It provides insight into Mandela’s journey from young freedom fighter to becoming the inspiration for an international movement against South Africa’s violent and oppressive apartheid system. The exhibition is jointly curated by the Apartheid Museum in South Africa, the British Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives, and the Southbank Centre.

The couple were met by CEO Elaine Bedell.

A gorgeous photo of the couple inside the centre.

Born and raised in a rural village, Mandela joined the African National Congress where he became a leading figure in the fight against apartheid. Enduring life on the run, several long political trials, and ultimately 27 years in prison, Mandela developed a deep wisdom and a distinct ability to connect with others. As he famously said of his and others’ struggle against apartheid: ‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.’ It was not just his ideas, but also his magnanimous personality, resilience and charm that enabled Mandela to lead South Africa through a volatile transition. In 1994, he became the country’s first democratically elected president. He transformed the political landscape at home and around the world, becoming one of the most influential and iconic individuals of the 20th century. 

In 1996 on a visit to London, Nelson Mandela said:

“The response of the people of this country exceeded my wildest expectations… I wish I had big pockets, because I love each and every one of you, and I’d like to fit you in my pocket and return with you to South Africa.”

Kathi Scott, Executive Director of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund UK said ‘Mr Mandela recognised that Britain was the heartland of the anti-apartheid struggle. Twenty-two years later, on the occasion of his centenary, it is wonderful and fitting that such an important exhibition comes to life at Southbank Centre in London, where so many people in this country will have the chance to continue his wonderful legacy.’

The exhibition is based around six themes (Character, Comrade, Leader, Prisoner, Negotiator, Statesman), and is made up of information and photo panels, along with films and archive items from different periods of Nelson Mandela’s life.

Harry and Meghan toured the exhibition and at each themed panel.

They met people associated with the exhibition and with Mandela’s work including Andrew Mlangeni, who stood as an accused on charges of sabotage against the then apartheid government during the Rivonia Trials, and spent 26 years imprisoned on Robben Island.

The Duke and Duchess also met Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela.

The Mail Online reports:

‘Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter said today that the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s stance on ‘justice and fairness in the world makes them a shining example for the youth of today’.

She said: ‘Today’s event is hugely significant – not only because we are here to celebrate the life of a great man in history, but also because we are able to educate the next generation, that we must never repeat the mistakes of the past. The visit of Their Royal Highnesses Harry and Meghan is a great honour. I hope by being here today they can be huge advocates for the exhibition so that as many people as possible can learn about what my grandfather was about.’

Omid Scobie shared the full quote from Zamaswazi Dlamini:

Harry and Meghan viewed the Robben Island Bible – which was actually a copy of Shakespeare plays disguised as a Bible. 

The Robben Island Bible.

They met Paul and Adelaide Joseph, Anti-Apartheid activists and close friends of Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela.

The royals heard speeches by Lord Peter Hain, Chair of The Nelson Mandela Centenary Committee, and Elaine Bedell, Chief Executive of Southbank Centre, before joining those present in celebrating the official opening of the exhibition.

Queen Elizabeth Hall reopened in April 2018 following almost three years of renovations with world class, environmentally-improved new facilities for audiences and artists. It was the perfect choice of location for the exhibition.

Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms Fountain is a hugely popular attraction at the centre. Shooting jets of water into the air, the fountain creates rooms that disappear as quickly as they emerge.

Harry and Meghan departing.

A video from the engagement.

Meghan wore the blush pink Sleeveless Trench Dress by ethical Canadian label House of Nonie.

Made in Canada, the $1085 piece is described as “A light trench coat from the Nonie SS18 collection. This sleeveless trench is cut from a stretchy mid-weight cotton blend fabric and features an open detail in the back and front tying straps.”

The brand was launched by Nina Kharey a decade ago. The collections are made with a tailored and refined aesthetic, with a twist of Eastern inspiration. Kharey has always felt passionately about keeping the brand true to its Canadian roots. “I’m incredibly proud to be ethically producing in Canada and contributing to this industry here. It’s sad to see how much of it is a struggle when it comes to factories, and also sales.”

The dress is a piece from Meghan’s closet. She purchased it while living in Canada last year. People reports:

“Seeing Meghan Markle, wear the NONIE Trench Dress today with such elegance and grace is beyond exciting!” Nina Kharey, founder and creative director of NONIE tells PEOPLE. “Her continuous support of Canadian brands is remarkable, and it is a true honor to be the first Canadian based ready-to-wear designer she has worn since her wedding earlier this year.”

And after a flurry of new fashion purchases, the $825 NONIE dress, from the brand’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection, is actually a re-wear from her own closet. The duchess purchased it from the Calgary-based designer while living in Toronto, just before she moved to London in the fall of 2017.

Taking inspiration from Eastern Europe and India, Kharey launched her minimalist brand in 2008. She later took a break from the industry, coming back in 2015 with a full collection. Meghan’s best friend and stylist Jessica Mulroney is also a fan of the ready-to-wear womenswear label.’

Global News Canada spoke to Nina Kharey:

“It’s just surreal, I still can’t believe it’s actually happened,” Kharey said to the Calgary Herald. “She looks stunning, stunning. I actually can’t get over how good she looks in it. I’ve been trying to imagine what she would look like in it.

Kharey said that Markle requested the dress last November prior to her engagement. It may have taken her some time to pull it out of her wardrobe, but it was well worth the wait for the designer who said that she immediately began to feel the “Meghan effect.”

“Getting that royal stamp of approval is just huge. … It is tough doing this from Calgary but things like this, when the most famous woman in the world is wearing one of your dresses and looking amazing in it, it does wonders for a brand like mine.”

Heaven identified Meghan’s new pumps as the Dior ‘Dioressence’ pumps.

Meghan carried the Mulberry Clifton Bag is Rosewater Classic Grain. It is described as “The Clifton is compact, understated shoulder bag that cleverly camouflages an organiser’s paradise underneath its neat exterior. Internal compartments provide ample room for essential.” It’s reduced from £750 to £600 at Mulberry and Italist.

The Duchess accessorised with stacking rings and a gold bracelet.

And a look at Meghan’s earrings.

Meghan’s Mirror identified them as the sold out Birks ‘Bee Chic’ white quartz silver earrings.

The Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition will run at Southbank Centre from 17th July to 19th August. Source: http://madaboutmeghan.blogspot.com/2018/07/first-look-duke-and-duchess-of-sussex.html