Microaggressions in therapy 🙃

Saying brown*and black people just seems like one of those cases where people talk about an experience so vaguely that literally huge swaths of every race face for " their group" in a way that just homogenises huge amts of ppl in that group. Going "we all live like this" and blocking out everyone darker and poorer than the ideal from speaking in ur online or offline social group is just a dick move. Nothing specific about it. Or acting like it's random that those people don't have an audience

* therefore including every group besides black and white people

Escape to Covasna: The Land of Mansions

Castles, Counts, caverns and (potentially) record-breaking chimney cakes… we sent our palinka-loving correspondent Josh Ferry-Woodard to track down the best things to see and do in Covasna, Romania.

Covasna County is a beautiful, bucolic region of Transylvania. It’s a place largely untouched by the hands of change: where many families still travel between villages on horse-drawn carriages and artisans ply trades passed on from generation to generation. It’s a land of mansions and castles (there are over 160!), where you’re never far from a shot of palinka, a pot of goulash or a Romanian brown bear.

…many families still travel between villages on horse-drawn carriages and artisans ply trades passed on from generation to generation.

Interestingly, over 70% of the people living in Covasna County are not actually Romanian – they’re Hungarian Szecklers who were stationed here in the 15th century to defend the eastern borders of the Kingdom of Hungary from the Ottoman Empire. After the First World War Transylvania officially became part of Romania. However, the Szecklers are a proud people who chose to maintain their own traditions, folklore and way of life, which explains why the region has, to some extent, managed to escape the throes of homogenisation.

Keep reading to find out what kept a group of international travellers and myself busy during our time in Covasna…

Covasnan Castles, Counts & Legends

Grilling Lard with a Blacksmith

Joseph, a blacksmith in the village of Tălișoara, gave us a great introduction to the warm hospitality and traditions of the region. He showed us his impressive arsenal of handmade tools, told us to stand back while he smashed splinters of burning ember around the workshop and explained how the only real difference in technique between his work and his medieval predecessors’ is the use of an electric fan to regulate airflow to the stove (in the distant past apprentices would wear themselves out by blowing through a tube directly into the flame).

Joseph in his workshop

Regrettably, Joseph has been unable to enlist the support of an apprentice because most of the village youth have upped sticks and moved to the city. However, in tourism he has found a way to share his craft with the world and I could tell he was enjoying it – never more so than when he grabbed a pair of tongs from the fire and used them to grill fat slabs of white lard onto bread. Grinning widely, he served the salty snack (which would give the clean eaters of Instagram nightmares) alongside shots of palinka, the local peach brandy.

Living it up in Castles

Covasna is teeming with castles and mansions. In the past the local aristocracy used them as living, holiday or hunting residences, but today even foreign commoners are permitted to visit many of the most enchanting.

Castle Hotel Daniel

I was even privileged with the opportunity to sleep two nights in one of them. Castle Daniel (read more here) has been stylishly renovated and turned into a boutique hotel. Highlights from my stay included tucking into cauldron-stewed venison goulash in a grand dining hall with 16th century wall paintings, learning to decorate my own gingerbread treats, being serenaded by a choir of Szeckler folk singers and late night, wine-stained discussions on the folly of contemporary Brazilian, British and Spanish politics.

The second Daniel Castle

In the neighbouring village of Varghis, a ten-minute horse and kart ride from Tălișoara, lies the Baroque spires, towers and turrets of Daniel’s sister castle (which actually looks more like a castle than the original). I was particularly interested in a wall painting with hidden depths… I learned that back in the day, the noble Daniel family used to store their most precious items in a wooden compartment hidden behind the artwork’s crafty fascia. You really do have to look beyond the surface to find the value in some pieces of art!

Sneaky

Drinking Palinka with a Count

There’s nothing to stoke delusions of grandeur like toasting a shot of palinka with a real life Count while he regales you with stories of Prince Charles and a beat-up Jaguar that has journeyed around the world.

Fireside palinka shot

We were lucky enough to be invited into Count Kalnoky’s ‘pub’ for a fireside beverage and a chat. Having fled the country during the Communist era, the Count’s family raised him in Paris – although he mentions that he did visit the village of Tălișoara once with his father, only to be chased out of town by the ruling regime. His castle (Kalnoky Castle) was used as a potato farm during his exile but nowadays it houses the Museum of Transylvanian Life.

Surprisingly open and humble, the Count was a charming host.

Walking in the Footsteps of the Pied Piper

Varghis Gorge is a scenic national park embellished by towering limestone cliffs, verdant forest, icy freshwater streams, ominous wildlife warning signage and a network of caves. Wary of bears and snakes, we hiked through the gorge until we reached some rickety metal stairs leading into a deep, dark cave.

CAUTION! BEARS!

Once inside the cavern, encased in stalactite shadows, our guide Andorkó told us of a local legend:

“You’ve probably all heard of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the infamous rat catcher who lured 130 children into a cave? But what you probably haven’t heard is that many people believe this very cave – Mesteri Cave in Varghis Gorge – is the point at which the Pied Piper and the Saxon children re-emerged from the underground.”

The Pied Piper’s cave

Andorkó was quick to add that most historians do not necessarily agree with this version of events. Nevertheless, the tale certainly added to the mystique of Mesteri Cave.

Chimney Cake Festivals, Peat Bogs & Bears

World Record Breaking in Saint George

Now, Sfântu Gheorghe (easily anglicised into ‘Saint George’) may not have the historical landmarks or wild party reputation of Bucharest but the Covasna County capital does have kürtőskalács, sweet Szeckler treats known as chimney cakes. The local snack is made by wrapping sweet yeast dough around a spinning cone-shaped spit. The dough is basted with sugar and butter and roasted over charcoal until golden brown.

Spinning chimney cakes

During our visit to Saint George a kürtőskalács festival was taking place and the region’s most notorious chimney cake making families were competing to be named number one. The square was bustling with hungry children leading their parents from stool to stool to try out each of the subtly different tasting kürtőskalács. There was even an attempt at the world’s longest chimney cake, although it turned out that nobody remembered to phone the guys from the Guinness World Record Book.

The world’s longest chimney cake

We visited the city again a day later and, to my surprise, the square retained its fizzing spirit. This time the city was celebrating the region’s natural sparkling water and it turns out there are festivals held in town pretty much every week of the year. Any excuse to get the palinka out!

This time the city was celebrating the region’s natural sparkling water and it turns out there are festivals held in town pretty much every week of the year.

In addition to a love of festivals, chimney cakes and palinka, the people of Saint George also appear to enjoy a bit of street art. It’s always nice to spot a few interesting murals around a town but I was especially impressed considering the region’s staunch commitment to maintaining traditions – many of which were explained to us during a tour of the Szeckler National Museum.

Prince Tsaba, son of Attila the Hun, in the Szeckler National Museum

Traditions that particularly piqued my interest included:

Horses wearing red tassels to ward off the ‘evil eye.’

Couples hanging chairs on the door after an argument to warn off visitors (the original ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign).

Men making wash bats to give to women: if she accepts the ‘gift’ she will wash his clothes and marriage is on the cards, if she drops it close to her feet he knows he has a chance to improve and impress her in the future, but if she lobs it off a cliff he needs to get back on Tinder the fizzy water festival scene.

Taking in the Delights of Peat Bogs & Smelly Caves

It’s said that if a Szeckler man tells his wife he loves her (post wash bat) he won’t say it again, but he will let her know if the situation changes. And it’s this distrust of romanticism, I believe, that led to a natural volcanic healing mofetta being named the ‘Smelly Cave.’

It’s said that if a Szeckler man tells his wife he loves her he won’t say it again, but he will let her know if the situation changes.

We ‘bathed’ in the dry, sulphuric smelling spa cave for around five minutes before strolling back through the deciduous forest. Although the high levels of carbon dioxide left me short of breath and slightly nauseous, the ‘treatment’ is believed to cure headaches, rheumatism and skin conditions.

Honey beer beside a volcanic crater lake

Not far from the Smelly Cave lies the picturesque, pine-fringed volcanic lake Santa Ana, where I enjoyed a 9% ABV honey beer made by a Transylvanian brewery that loves to take the mick out of Heineken.

Not far from the Smelly Cave lies the picturesque, pine-fringed volcanic lake Santa Ana, where I enjoyed a 9% ABV honey beer made by a Transylvanian brewery…

And the irreverent fun continued at our next destination: Mohos volcanic peat bog. Incongruous to the tranquil autumnal landscape, our guide paired camo trousers and shirt with a fluorescent high-vis jacket. He showed us a video of him playing rap music to wild brown bears and led us through the reserve bellowing facts about the orangey brown flora and fauna mock-earnestly through a megaphone.

Our entertaining guide

The peat bog looks better than it sounds

Scouting for Bears

Things got a lot more serious on our final excursion. Sworn to silence, we disembarked a horse-drawn carriage and walked single file through the dusky forest towards a small wooden hut. Once inside, we were instructed to turn off our flashes and wait patiently. We sat quietly for around 30 minutes as the sun began to set behind the pines causing shadows to stretch across the clearing ahead. Another 15 minutes passed before there was any sign of movement. We all pressed our faces against the steamy window, only to find that our visitor was a small red fox. Soon though, a pair of majestic brown bears joined the fox. As if standing in formation, the two bears flanked the fox and the three of them moved cautiously towards our viewing hut, to feast on the snacks that were left to entice them.

For someone who had never seen a wild bear before this was a truly magical experience, and probably the highlight of my time in Covasna.

A wild bear!

For someone who had never seen a wild bear before this was a truly magical experience, and probably the highlight of my time in Covasna.

Feasting on Traditional Cuisine

Castle Hotel Daniel

At Castle Hotel Daniel the menu oscillates between traditional Transylvanian dishes at lunch and playful reinterpretations of the local cuisine at dinner. For example, the humble lettuce soup, a staple of home cooking in the region, is transformed into a rich and creamy delicacy by the addition of certain refined ingredients and a five-hour cooking process.

The cosy banquet hall

Venison goulash stewed in a cauldron over a wood fire took some beating, but in my mind the standout dish was the crispy skinned trout fillet served in a delicate white wine sauce with pomegranate seeds alongside stewed cabbage.

Kalnoky Guesthouse

Count Kalnoky’s Guesthouse restaurant is situated in a candlelit wine cellar. Stonewalls, iron furnishings, coats of arms and original wooden beams helped to create the warm atmosphere of a dinner party – as did the serve yourself pots of food on the table. We enjoyed a hearty meal of homemade potato bread (a Szeckler delicacy), pate and ‘black Transylvanian bare necked’ chicken stew.

INdiVINO Wine Studio

Watching the commotion of the chimney cake festival unfold before us, we savoured an extended, wine stained lunch at the INdiVINO Wine Studio. Our charismatic sommelier – long brown hair, moustache, European intonations – provided us with an ever-growing selection of palinka, red, white and rosé bottles that moved up and down the table like a sushi conveyor belt. As far as I can remember the pork-stuffed cabbage leaves in tomato sauce was tasty and wholesome. But, to be honest, it was the free flowing Transylvanian wine that stole the show.

Balvanyos Resort

Balvanyos Resort is a luxury hotel and spa enveloped within the silent solitude of a vast pine forest. We stayed two nights at the resort (full review coming soon) giving us time to appreciate the plush rooms, soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi (the highlight of an accomplished spa) and try out both of the on-site restaurants.

The place beyond the pines

A spa with a view

The main restaurant served an agreeable buffet selection of cheese, salads, polenta, fried fish, and meat dishes. But I’d definitely recommend dining at the more lavish Gastrolab.

The Gastrolab

Our evening began with a ubiquitous shot of palinka beside a roaring bonfire. Next up was a selection of freshly baked bread, dips and a cheese and polenta soufflé. Having gone to town on the potato bread, the main course of cabbage leaves lived up to its name, leaving me feeling well and truly stuffed.

Goodnight Covasna

After dinner I spent some time on my balcony to gaze out over the silent, spiky woodland and savour the clarity of the glittering stars above. Refreshed, from four days in the Covasnan countryside, I was ready to return to home to the city.

Josh was invited on a press trip to Covasna County organised by Visit Covasna. His (stress-free) flights between London Luton and Bucharest were kindly provided by Romanian airline Blue Air. 

from Urban Travel Blog http://ift.tt/2AcLcF7

SURPRISE! Beyoncé Releases Trailer For Visual Album ‘Black Is King’ Coming To Disney Plus + Bey Donates PPE Supplies To Cleveland

Here’s a surprise we need during these trying times. Beyoncé just released an epic trailer to her upcoming visual album, Black Is King, set to be released on Disney+. Watch the new trailer, plus deets on Bey donating PPE supplies to Cleveland inside….

Beyoncé loves a good surprise.

After weeks of rumors about Beyoncé inking a $100 million deal with Disney, a new project created by Mrs. Carter and Disney + has just been announced.

Black Is King is a new visual project/album set to drop July 31st on Disney+. The new visual album comes a year after Bey was featured in Disney’s The Lion King in which she voiced Nala. Black Is King is based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, which is the official soundtrack of the Disney reboot.

Black Is King was written, directed and executive produced by Bey and it will feature the soundtrack’s featured artists as well as special guests. The pro-black project will boast features from Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, 070 Shake, Tierra Whack, Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter and Jessie Reyez, as well as African artists including Wizkid, Shatta Wale, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Yemi Alade, Busiswa and Salatiel.

"Black Is King is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience,” Disney and Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment said in a statement to Variety. “The film is a story for the ages that informs and rebuilds the present. A reunion of cultures and shared generational beliefs. A story of how the people left most broken have an extraordinary gift and a purposeful future.”

According to the companies, Beyoncé’s visual album reimagines lessons of “The Lion King” for “today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns.” The film was in production for one year with a cast and crew that represent “diversity and connectivity.”

BLACK IS KING — A Film by Beyoncé.

July 31st on @disneyplus. pic.twitter.com/9DNwZEHRo2

— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) June 28, 2020

"Black Is King pays tribute to voyages of Black families throughout time. The visual album tells the story of a young king’s “transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity.” His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father’s teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne.

“These timeless lessons are revealed and reflected through Black voices of today, now sitting in their own power,” according to the announcement. “‘Black Is King’ is an affirmation of a grand purpose, with lush visuals that celebrate Black resilience and culture. The film highlights the beauty of tradition and Black excellence.”

Peep the trailer below:

BLACK IS KING — A Film by Beyoncé.

July 31st on @disneyplus. pic.twitter.com/FNEoJaQFUd

— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) June 28, 2020

The new trailer dropped and it quickly started trending on Twitter. However, some people aren't feeling Bey's new project and are highly critical of the imagery. Peep a few tweets below:

Beyonce needs to stop using Africa as a trope because she won’t even come here to tour. https://t.co/hScoZC6vrh

—  noxy  (@noxytea) June 28, 2020

The Wakandafication of the continent and Black diasporic identities is entirely uninspired. The repeated tropes/symbolic gestures that homogenise & essentialise thousands of African cultures in service of securing the terrain for Black capitalist possibilities & futures is tired.

— jade (@divanificent) June 28, 2020

So tiredddd. Complete lack of regard for those who actually live on the continent too.

— Hortense Cumberbatch (@Bassdots) June 28, 2020

Its basically another form of colonialism to me. I think we should be proud of our differences and work collectively.

— CHI (@ChiTheAesthete) June 28, 2020

I’m glad someone said it.

— Femme Noire (@childofcongo) June 28, 2020

Thoughts?

Black Is King will be available to stream on July 31st via Disney+.

As for new music….

On Juneteenth, the Grammy Award winning singer dropped a new track titled “Black Parade,” which was co-written with her husband, Jay-Z. The track serves up Black empowerment vibes all while touching on the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that have been raging on since the police killing of Minneapolis man George Floyd.  Take a listen above.

After donating millions to the COVID-19 relief, Mrs. Carter just recently donated tons of PPE supplies to help people in need in Cleveland amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

  What a beautiful event that they're putting on in #MyGlennville today

Thank you #Beyonce #TammyKenndy #Urbanleague @Sharp2018 #EastSideMarket appreciate the free #PPE supplies for our residents#communitybuilding#BLM #Census2020 pic.twitter.com/VyW1nC3deq

— Victoria Trotter (@swimbaby5) June 27, 2020

  “We want to thank Beyonce and her mother the BeyGOOD Foundation for even thinking of Cleveland to donate PPE and personal hygiene supplies,” said organizer Tammy Kennedy.

People in need were able to receive much-needed supplies that they may not have been able to pick up from packed grocery stores during the pandemic. A generous Queen.

Also...

Beyoncé will be honored with the 2020 "BET Humanitarian Award" at the 2020 #BETAwards for all the work she's done to help underserved communities through her @Beygood foundation.

Watch the @BETAwards this Sunday at 8/7c on @BET & @CBS. pic.twitter.com/cMsyJVSGB4

— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) June 25, 2020

Beyoncé slated to receive the Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic efforts at the 2020 BET Awards that will go down tonight! She has been nominated for  Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Album Of The Year for “Homecoming," Best Movie for "Homecoming," and Best Her Award for "Brown Skin Girl." Stay locked to TheYBF.com for tonight's awards festivities!

  Photo: Screenshot From Black Is King

  [Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2020/06/28/surprise-beyonc%C3%A9-releases-trailer-to-visual-album-%E2%80%98black-is-king%E2%80%99-coming-to-disney-plus-b

Decolonising Media

First written in March 2017 and posted now as a resource for a conversation between white people on how we can tackle The White Problem.

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I grew up in a small majority white city at an almost completely white school surrounded by media - advertising and tv - that did nothing but re-enforce my whiteness. Yes there were black and brown people there, but to me they were just people. Being brought up in these overwhelmingly white surroundings creates the My First Experience of Race, ever problematic argument, 'I don’t see colour’. Because 99% of all the faces I see, whether 2D or 3D, are white and anything else becomes quite ignorable in its difference.

Here’s our level one decolonisation step - we need to stop thinking of white as a norm or a base and everything else as other. From medical forms, White/british/other, to the term People of Colour, which homogenises everyone that isn’t white - whiteness and white fragility are centred and protected constantly and it’s time for us to acknowledge and change that. (I’d like to point out here that I know a lot of people use the term People of Colour as a self identifier which I’m not trying to undermine, I just want to draw attention to the language we use when talking about race, and how that often revolves around the white experience



Black and brown people come in every colour, including white if you’re albino or white passing. This is the problem of the man made system that is race, there is no room for complexities, we try and split each other into skin tone but the reality is latinxs and anyone of mixed race can appear white, and people from ‘white’ countries can be dark skinned like Italy and Spain. The concept of race is made up, not to say racism doesn’t exist because the repercussions of race are real. but the reality is its a shitty describing systems that is full od holes and flaws, it defines how we see race still. the other box - ‘The racial categories used in the US census are a product of the political history of the united states. People who we’d consider white, black and hispanic here might be categorised totally differently in Brazil, where different demographics and history have lead led to different race concepts.’ *cue wtf is latino vid. Is it your name? Your accent? You’re ability to speak the language? The fact you get racially profiled from your appearance? The truth is there’s no clean answer because.. This is also true in Europe where.. dark skin italian arguments. Mixed race people perceiving themselves as half something and half something else. the first time i realised i was black - guardian article. We have to stop speaking for others and know what boundaries our identity lies within. Race as social identity not genetic Having said that its a social construct we cant ignore the implications of the effects of race, the effects are real which is why whitewashing is an issue


Non-binary artist Jacob V Joyce in their book 'The Alphabetical Anthology of White Liberal Proverbs’ refers to 'a slavery that evolved instead of ending’, and that is what is happening with colonialism as well - it has evolved instead of ending through how we represent black and brown people in media. Whitewashing is the first point to address - taking black and brown stories and telling them through and for white eyes. If we take it all the way back, a huge part of the message in white washing is ‘I can play you better than you can play you’ which can be found in ‘entertainment’ like the Minstrel shows from the 1840s onwards. White people dressing up in blackface to demonise and ridicule black people is overt racism that we can now all agree is completely unacceptable, so over time it has had to morph and evolve to spread unchallenged. It becomes less blatant but the message does not change. I can play you better than you can play you. To this day, white people continue to be cast in roles that weren’t written for them, taking stories that aren’t ours to tell. The message we are sending here is clear - we see your story, we think it’s cool and we are going to profit from it, with or without your consent.

“I’ve become the butt of many jokes,” she said, referring to her role in Aloha. “I’ve learned on a macro level about the insane history of whitewashing in Hollywood and how prevalent the problem truly is. It’s ignited a conversation that’s very important.”

In defense of her casting, she offered: “The character was not supposed to look like her background which was a quarter Hawaiian and a quarter Chinese.” The obvious lesson to learn here is that race is more than skin colour and what someone looks like, it’s a cultural heritage you tap into, that is passed down. It’s personal. It’s as intimate as sexuality. And no one should be explaining it to you/validates it for you.

The flip side of whitewashing is a more insidious perpetuation of colonialism - tokenism. Whilst genuine multiculturalism and cultural sharing are great and important and make us stronger, tokenism - using faces to claim diversity - is a pathetic attempt to tape over the deep scars in our societies that were left and continue to be re-opened by centring whiteness. This is a point at which white liberals especially fall down - those who do see racial inequality as an issue that needs to be addressed but think it can be fixed purely through visual representation. Yes, seeing yourself on screen and in media is crucial but that is not where it ends.


To truly start decolonising our media we have to engage in genuine research. Simply showing a brown or black face is not the answer, it is just the start, really the bare minimum that we have all been resting on so far. The WritingWithColour tumblr blog, in their essay 'A Discussion on Culture and Erasure' explain that 'While we are no different from the majority in terms of our minds, our passions, our ideas, we are different in where we come from. Our experience was shaped by our culture and in order to show us as true characters, you must give your own characters our ethnicity’s history. Our comforts will be different from yours because we grew up being comforted by different things.’ 
 Creating media invariably includes research, so why do we shy away from researching existing cultures that are different to our own? We will happily create entire fantasy worlds of wizards, dragons, witches and elves, and post-apocalyptic wastelands where we can indulge in a fantasy of surviving in ruins, having nothing and maybe even being hunted by intruders - just imagine! And if it gets too much, don’t worry you can just turn off the tv. Simple right?

For all the effort put into creating these worlds, there is a clear reluctance to get into deep honest research of black and brown cultures that is respectful and accurate and insighful. ‘Our comforts will be different from yours because we grew up being comforted by different things’ is a key line here that goes back to the idea that white is 0, white is a neutral base. It’s not. To continue to treat it like it is forces whiteness onto your audience, you characters and your work

Names are a huge, easily solvable part of tokenism. Alex Parrish in Quantico, for example, played by Priyanka Chopra. The name Alex Parrish says that it was assumed this role would be played by a white person and when ABC landed Priyanka Chopra to play the part, it wasn’t deemed important enough to change her name so she could be represented in a more genuine way. Whether the character has an in-depth back story or not, culture is part of identity, the pinnacle of which is a name.

Representation is seeing yourself on screen, GOOD representation is seeing your life on screen, treated with the same respect and detail that every other character’s is. This happens regularly to queer people in media too, the most ‘acceptable’ forms of gay relationships (read: skinny white cisgender able-bodied people) are portrayed, and still have drastically reduced screen time compared to their straight counterparts. Their stories will not run as deep, with backstories at times being overlooked entirely.

Representing only a single facet of a character’s complex identity - one that you deem to be most easily digestible is not only lazy, but a harmful perpetuation of the idea that you must conform to be accepted. You make them gay but not too gay, you make them brown but not too brown. The centring of white heterosexual fragility is at this point embarrassing. We need to sharpen up and address our shortcomings in how we create media, and make moves to fix them. More importantly still, we need to make space for and support black and brown writers and creators who have been dealing with this shit from day one, and are waiting for us to catch up. Remember that their achievements are not our failures, and everyone wins when we take responsibility for our privilege and decolonise our media.

Space is incredible, but too many games are missing the point • Eurogamer.net

I only really noticed this recently, but I am big into Neptune. I’m into a lot of planets, to be honest, because I just think planets are pretty interesting, but there’s something about Neptune – above the big, beige, sickly ’70s kitchen swirls of Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, or the slightly threatening blankness of Uranus, or Mercury (boring), or Mars (old news, too many dead robots) – that makes Neptune stand out.

I think a lot of it is how it’s pictured, which itself is obviously a lot to do with just how far away it is. We’ve only ever sent one spacecraft (Voyager 2, in the ’80s) far enough out there into the abyss to actually capture images of Neptune up close. It’s the only planet in our solar system so far away that it can’t be seen without a telescope. The only one, as a result, the world’s ancient civilizations never discovered – and doesn’t it look the part? It feels like every image of Neptune is the same: deep, magnetic, hungering blue with the odd streak of white, stark against pure black. Massive, terrifying. I love it because it just seems so completely unknowable. If I think for too long about what it would be like to see Neptune in person I start to feel a little sick, like vertigo, or a sort of inverse claustrophobia. The same sense of cloying panic only from being so totally overexposed and far away, cut off and adrift, not just from Earth and home and people but from everything. From infinity! Eugh.

This image of Neptune is from the Voyager 2’s narrow angle camera through green and orange filters, according to NASA. Image Credit: NASA/JPL via solarsystem.nasa.gov

Anyway, I got to thinking about Neptune because I was, first, thinking about why some recent space-faring games – that I promise I want to love – have been so good at putting me off. Journey to the Savage Planet is the obvious one, but there’s also The Outer Worlds which, to someone who has no desire to play any more of either, might as well be the same thing. The trend in these sorts of space games, it seems, is to use that setting’s infinite opportunity for invention to make slightly wet, slightly clunky, slightly (but not entirely) self-aware London Underground poster jokes about capitalism and consumer culture – and to ignore all the actual space stuff.

The real tragedy though, more than just the moustache-twiddling zingers, is the sheer amount of clutter, and that’s a fault that lies with games as a thing more than a couple of unlucky examples. Games in search of a wide audience are compelled to give you something to do. You can’t go to a planet and find out it’s just a big, dry, empty red rock. Or a swirling mess of thick gas and heavy, half-frozen liquid. It’s not fun! So we get purple grass and jumbo flowers and little giggling critters, all a bit foreign-looking but mostly just spliced across two earthly concepts, that just so happen to be the perfect height to pet or harvest or loot for resources from which to craft. We get the not-so-savage planet.

For the likes of The Outer Worlds and Journey to the Savage Planet, this is arguably quite forgivable. They’re trying to do different things, in different ways, to other games and works set in space. Arguably they could have done those things anywhere, and space itself is absolutely wasted on them, but regardless the greatest frustration is with another game entirely. One that looked, at first, to really, truly get it. The real disappointment is No Man’s Sky – or rather, No Man’s Sky’s big Next update, and more recently the one that came with Beyond.

I find it hard to think of a better example of a studio not understanding their own magic than with No Man’s Sky. The base, original game, with its empty dirt-brown planets and lonely, unmanned outposts was magic. The loneliness was the magic. The classic No Man’s Sky was the closest video games have ever come to 2001: A Space Odyssey, the obvious references notwithstanding. Solitude and silence and, dare I say it, occasional boredom, spread out across a layer of existential genius, was something to be found in both. The lack of other players is the point. The lack of things to meaningfully do is the point. There were breadcrumbs of an old civilization, but they’re probably long gone. There were a handful of characters dotted around the galaxy, but they were hard to understand and, even if you could translate the chatter, there was very little of actual meaning or consequence that they had to say. This was a game about drifting, alone, from one great, inhospitable giant to the next. It was a game about being crushed under the weight of your own thoughts. A few bings and boongs of equipment, the odd little creature if you were lucky, but otherwise: nothing.

The updates since, at the steaming request of fans, have brought with them a sense of unending life. You can now craft bases, and build cool stuff that you could probably build a bit easier in Minecraft, and hang out with friends, and visit the social hub where people can jump on your head and queue up to receive quests from the great quest-giving machine. What it brought is a sense of industrialised, homogenised, mass-produced checklist-fun. Content and clutter at the expense of natural magic. In other words, exactly what those quippy workplace posters and sidekick robots are on about in The Outer Worlds and Journey to the Savage Planet. Poetic!

Really, to bring it back to my good friend Neptune, the point here is that there is a vast – literally vast – opportunity going to waste. The fact that sci-fi and, within it, outer and inner space sci-fi has been such a home for humanity’s great existential stories is not a coincidence. 2001 is the obvious one yes, but also Solaris, or the close horror cousin Alien, or the modern imitators like First Man and Ad Astra or even just the hints at off-world emptiness in Blade Runner. Even the moments in FTL – one of the few games, alongside Outer Wilds, that actually gets it – where you just sit there after a battle and silently drift amongst the stars. All of them use space for what it is: the perfect backdrop, the perfect threatening, isolating environment for introspection. The void that stares back, and all that.

You don’t even have to go as far as Neptune to get it. Sometimes I think about what it’d be like to go to the Moon – or better yet play a game about it, seeing as I’ll obviously never really go – and I’m really not sure why we haven’t nailed it yet. You’d go to the Moon, in this game or in reality, and when you arrived you’d stand and you’d see Earth, distant and quite upsettingly alone in all that empty black, and you’d think: “We are very small, what is the point of it all?” And then, at the very least, you’d hope that game would have something to say about it.

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/01/space-is-incredible-but-too-many-games-are-missing-the-point-%e2%80%a2-eurogamer-net/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=space-is-incredible-but-too-many-games-are-missing-the-point-%25e2%2580%25a2-eurogamer-net

Deep Inside: 2019’s best house and techno

Deep Inside: 2019’s best house and techno http://bit.ly/38YZM59

As we reach the end of the decade, it’s obvious that techno is fast becoming the dominant form of dance music across the world. This year saw the rise of the phrase “business techno” (coined by Shifted in 2018), a description widely used to ridicule the kind of monotonous, one-note bangers that dominate the setlists of big room DJs. It’s a catch-all term that nonetheless lays bare an uneasy truth: techno is now big business, especially in the US, where it is quickly filling the vacuum left by the collapse of the EDM bubble.

Although the rise of commercial techno events and the incursion of Eurocentric line ups like last month’s Time Warp event in New York and October’s Secret Project in LA threaten to homogenise US dance culture in a similar way to EDM, this year has proven that the country is full of talented and overlooked producers pushing house and techno forwards. Flint’s Huey Mnemonic, for example, offered his own take on the Midwest template, while Ilana Bryne used her experience in the ’90s rave scene to craft some of the year’s most exciting tracks. In NYC, the meteoric rise of AceMo and MoMa Ready proved that a seemingly endless supply of killer tracks, a Bandcamp page and word of mouth is enough to cut through the noise.

Elsewhere in the world, Facta’s Wisdom Teeth label and its close-knit circle of artists has delivered rhythmically inventive music across the year. Local Action’s India Jordan and Finn reinvented the vocal anthem in their own image, while Special Request, 96 Back and Bonka twisted electro into new forms. And artists like False Witness, Quest?onmarc, Rush Plus and Cera Khin pumped new life into the techno banger. Even Joy Orbison, who celebrated the 10th anniversary of ‘Hyph Mngo’ this year, proved he’s still full of ideas.

As was the case last year, these 50 tracks barely begin to dig into the year in house and techno, so check the past year of columns for more listening.

Tracklist:

DJ Python – ‘Lampara’ [Dekmantel] Joe – ‘Get Centred’ [Comeme] Anz – ‘No Harm’ [2 B REAL] 96 Back – ‘Excited, Boy’ [CPU] Davis Galvin – ‘All Night Long’ [Vanity Press Recordings] K-Lone – ‘Sine Language’ [Wisdom Teeth] Ellll – ‘Pepsi’ [Glacial Industries] Ilana Bryne – ‘Dub Box Medicine’ [Naive] Madteo – ‘NYC (Where U B?)’ [DDS] Kornel Kovacs – ‘Rocks’ [Studio Barnhus] Octo Octa – ‘Spin Girl, Let’s Activate’ [T4T LUV NRG] AceMo – ‘Where They At???’ (Feat. John FM) [self-released] Martyn Bootyspoon – ‘Tom Tom Club’ [Model Future] Bonka – ‘Pootek’ (Feat. Solpara) [Inta] Karen Gwyer – ‘Faces on Ankes’ [Don’t Be Afraid] Finn – ‘Do What You Want Forever’ [Local Action] Violet – ‘They Don’t Wanna Know’ [Dark Entries] India Jordan – ‘DNT STP MY LV’ [Local Action] Topdown Dialectic – ‘A1’ [Peak Oil] Mor Elian – ‘Radical Spectacular’ [Fever AM] Afrodeutsche – ‘I Know Not What I Do’ [River Rapid] Relaxer – ‘Serpent In The Garden’ [Avenue 66] Joy Orbison – ‘Burn’ (Feat. Infinite & Mansur Brown) [Hinge Finger] Stenny – ‘Stress Test’ [Ilian Tape] AceMoMa – ‘On Top’ [HAUS of ALTR] Shanti Celeste – ‘Infinitas’ [Peach Discs] Huey Mnemonic – ‘Emissary’ [Vanity Press Recordings] Facta – ‘Scales + Measures’ [Wisdom Teeth] Quirke – ‘Se Seven 7S’ [Whities] Rhyw – ‘Biggest Bully’ [Fever AM] Glyn Hendry – ‘Escape Club 99’ [Poly Kicks] Hoover1 – ‘Hoover1B’ [Hoover] Special Request – ‘SP4NN3R3D’ [Houndstooth] Karenn – ‘Crush the Mushrooms’ [Voam] Peder Mannerfelt – ‘Sissel & Bass (Cera Khin Mind Destruction Remix) [Peder Mannerfelt Produktion] Quest?onmarc – ‘Monolith’ [self-released] False Witness – ‘Red Curtain Daybreak’ [E-Missions] Tsuzing & Hodge – ‘Electrolytes’ [SVBKVLT] Bézier – ‘林百貨’ [Honey Soundsystem] Anastasia Kristensen – ‘Maxima’ [Houndstooth] Rush Plus – ‘Wave Runner’ [E-Missions] MoMa Ready – ‘Faith & Release’ [HAUS of ALTR] Schacke – ‘Kisloty People’ [Клуб] Andy Stott – ‘It Should Be Us’ [Modern Love] Doc Sleep – ‘Your Ruling Planet’ [Jacktone] Powder – ‘New Tribe’ [Beats In Space] Oceanic – ‘Yellow Cone (Unison) [Nous’klaer Audio] Call Super & Parris – ‘Chiseler’s Rush’ [self-released] Ariel Zetina – ‘Forest Sprite’ [Argot] Barker – ‘Utility’ [Ostgut Ton]

Scott Wilson is FACT’s tech editor. Follow him on Twitter.

Olivea Kelly is an independent artist and designer. Find her on Instagram or at opk.studio.

Find all of FACT’s year-end coverage here.

The post Deep Inside: 2019’s best house and techno appeared first on FACT Magazine: Transmissions from the underground.

Music via FACT Magazine http://bit.ly/2Q3K0yQ December 16, 2019 at 04:29PM

Does ‘new’ New Zealand make you less New Zealand? | StopPress

It's obvious that over the last thirty years more people have actually transferred to major cities and this pattern is set to speed up. In lots of parts of the world, this is greeted with both delight and worry, which oscillates someplace in between city Paradise and Mad Max wasteland. While some may fear the development of Judge Dredd-type scenarios there are some indications already that city dwellers across the globe are being quietly homogenised into one 'worldwide city' culture.Let's also not forget that the greatest city on the planet now has 2 billion people conversing within its platform every day.(It's anybody's guess what will this bring, however that's, perhaps, story for a various day).

We conducted research study across New Zealand and cross-referenced this with further qualitative groups that we were included with throughout Asia, Europe and North America to look at the phenomena of the worldwide city culture and what individuals are purchasing, particularly what they are purchasing into when they buy a New Zealand product.One aspect in the

analysis that was particularly interesting was the principle of'countries within countries 'Stroll down to Britomart in Auckland or to a significant Westfield in Wellington and you truly might be anywhere in the world. The worldwide franchised High Street brands make little concession to their Kiwi surroundings, relying rather on our emotional needs of wishing to be identified as hip city dwellers.The'Truman Show 'High Street is replicated throughout the world

. Brand names such as Bobbi Brown, Ted Baker, Joe Malone and even Nike present their standard schtick that plays well in New york city's SoHo. So it will definitely work here, right? Well, looking at the period and variety of the outlets in our significant cities, it appears we lap them up. I strolled previous Tiffany, the jewellery company, recently and the outside of the structure yelled to be identified as the very best of the very best in global capital city chic. The truth is, we could really remain in the airport shopping center; these stores are all there too.Is this a good idea? By voting with our wallets we have all backed them. Have we played victim to an intricate self-confidence trick here? Consider it, for global companies what could be more effective than having the requirements of countless consumers in enormously various cultures being lured into the exact same psychographics so they might market to all of us in one go, with one strategy and one imaginative message.They can do this since people in cities have more in typical with their urban equivalents than they make with their own country.

In lots of ways, huge cities are nations within countries. This is genius due to the fact that city occupants collect in larger numbers, in a smaller sized geographic location, we

can be compartmentalised, profiled and more cost-effectively checked off an international online marketer's' to do'list.These guys are banking(actually )that Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have more in typical with Sydney, London and Frankfurt than they do with Northland, Otago and New Plymouth.I was going to point out Hamilton, but am reliably informed that this will most likely sign up with greater Auckland within 10 years anyway.The stats likewise back this shift, revealing that over 85 percent of the country lives in metropolitan

areas-- making New Zealand among the most urbanised countries in the world. Hell, the cities have such an effective pull that even the Hilux has actually left the areas for the suburbs.In truth, even the Aussies are getting it(now, we can just hope that they ultimately cotton on a bit more and legalise gay marriage

). What separates the urban occupants form their regional equivalents? Of course, there are the stereotypes, such as doing things in' Northland time'or the truth that my Kiwi friends tell me an excellent country night out is getting smashed at the club in your gumboots and going cow tipping.There is the truth that people have more time and more time for each other outside the cities, subsequently, they take pleasure in the speed of life more instead of forcing it. This is a fantastic thing. There are also stark differences in the brand names that succeed outside the main cities. Spark immediately comes to mind and the telco's most loyal consumers are here. They are slightly older and more dubious than any other telephone company actually has a credible network(something they are marketing hard in their push with wireless broadband ). Both audiences heap disdain on each other, whether calling individuals JAFAs or declaring that just outside the cities can you find the'genuine 'New Zealand. I turn down these labels. Within the urban setting, the New Zealand experience is no less real, no less special. However this metropolitan New Zealand culture is accelerating at a huge rate and it

will take genuine nimble thinking to both understand and profit from it. However it can likewise live alongside the non-urban experience and be complementary.The truth is that we require our cities to do well on the worldwide scale because this business advantage flows to the remainder of the country. Otherwise, it simply goes to Singapore or Sydney.There are fantastic examples of marketing that play to these 2 variations of New Zealand. Some commemorate urban variety. Others return to a time, which while real to a generation, is simply not the Kiwi experience for millennials or many

a Gen X'er. It's usually accepted that culture and society progress, but what has actually come as a surprise to numerous is the speed of this.The' City Mega-culture'has actually only emerged in the last twenty years. It

remains in the interests of economics to both market to it and keep it in check.I comprehend the economics of this, however maybe they are missing some of the psychological point. New Zealand is, in my mind, the very best place in the world to live and raise a family.

The diverse cultures, exceptional topography, and unique geographical position are what individuals come for, the factor they stay

and why we come back.We have something exceptionally unique and precious here. Let's more market to the world and put them on our'to do 'list.

We currently have brand names such as Icebreaker leading the charge in cities, why couldn't Fonterra be up there with Ben & Jerry's? We certainly beat Vermont's finest hands down. Wellington isn't the only windy city, the foolproof Blunt Umbrellas might be keeping folks sheltered worldwide. Manuka honey must be hailed as an international treasure and the All Blacks are the very best sports group in the world. No contest.We are understood to have a few of the finest innovative minds in the world, paired with the believing that New Zealand business in fact wishes to make the world a much better location. It's something to bring the very best of the world to New Zealand, but we have never remained in a better position to reveal the world our finest. It's about time we show them the new New Zealand.

Why I no longer engage with interfaith work as a Muslim

Since graduating I have worked in a few causes loosely connected to one another within the third sector. I moved to London to work within a counter extremism think tank -  a long term goal from the age of 15. Within 6 months of working within counter extremism I realised it was not the sector for me: male heavy, pro government, a blatant disregard for human rights as well as privacy, and creating policies that disproportionately target every day Muslims. Working in counter extremism ultimately meant leaving my principles at the door and actively working against the very community I come from. Because I enjoy sleeping peacefully with a clear conscience; continuing in the field of counter extremism became a hard pass. I wanted to work at a grassroots level within the Muslim community.

An opportunity presented itself to work at an interfaith organisation between Jewish and Muslim communities and I took it. Anything to remove myself from my previous toxic work environment. My first impression of interfaith work was that it was a much needed cause that was proactively building bridges and breaking down barriers between isolated faith groups. Fairly airy fairy and feel good outcomes - what good possibly go wrong?

Before I embark on my take down of interfaith initiatives that involve Muslims, I should provide a brief overview of my own religious standing; I am a Muslim. Politically more than anything else and secular in most of my practices. My religiosity is personal and I rarely participate in organised religion. However, Muslims face a unique challenge in the UK, especially post 9/11 in that Islamophobia (anti-Muslim racism) has become institutionalised within our politics, media, education, job market and even within ‘airy fairy’ interfaith work. Regardless of the individual religiosity of Muslims, all Muslims are homogenised and discriminated against - this is what motivates me to work within Muslim movements and also why a large amount of interfaith work is problematic.

Regardless of my experience of Jewish/Muslim interfaith work, it is important to build bridges between the two faith groups because they are both similar faiths yet live in isolation from each other. This is for a range of factors: there are far more Muslims than Jews in the UK (3 million odd compared to 300,000), the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has partly become one about religious identity, and that Muslims usually possess the intersectionality of race and religious identity, something Jewish people do not necessarily have in the UK because the majority of Jews are white whilst the majority of Muslims are ethnic minorities (Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Somali etc.). Already there is a unique set of challenges that the Muslim community have to deal with that the Jewish community do not - this difference was rarely touched upon when I worked in this field. Interfaith initiatives rarely account for the other identities of Muslims except for faith. This therefore pits Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities as equal, which is understandable and honourable, but by extension equates the challenges that they face as communities. This is problematic because it erases the intersectionality of race and religion, a unique lived experience for Muslims, and the institutionalised challenges Muslims face that other faith groups do not (to the same degree). It cannot be helped that the majority of ‘representatives’ of Jewish and Christian communities are white and the majority of Muslim ‘representatives’ are ethnic minorities. Here is where the problem begins.

There is an automatic power imbalance when representatives of faith communities meet and organise. Because the power imbalance between white Jewish and Christian representatives and ethnic Muslim representatives is not addressed, often interfaith initiatives can be patronising in their very nature towards Muslims. This is partly because Muslims can better understand anti-antisemitism and anti-christian hate than Jews or Christians can understand Islamophobia because Islamophobia is a unique type of racism that targets not only the religion of Islam and its followers but those who are perceived to be Muslim because of their ethnicity. This is why some Sikh people are victims of hate crime as they are mistaken to be Muslim because of they are perceived to share the same ethnicity as some Muslims.

There were many times I became frustrated by my superiors at the Jewish/Muslim interfaith organisation because they regularly exhibited an ignorance of the lived experience of Muslims in Britain. I remember going for lunch with my superior, a boss ass Jewish woman, and being gobsmacked by some of her comments.

‘She said things like “Islamophobia isn’t institutionalised within the Conservative party like antisemitism is within the Labour party”, “Why should I be ashamed of being white? Reni Eddo Lodge is just so aggressive”. “The Muslim community haven’t been in the UK for as long as the Jewish community have. We are much more established, we’ll show Muslims how to better integrate”.  These comments were telling of her feminism: white feminism -  non radical and non intersectional. It regularly ignores the voices of black and brown women and only accepts non-radical black and brown feminist voices as tokens for their movement. This type of feminism is deeply embedded in the organisation because it doesn’t hold power to account. Even the Prime Minister has openly endorsed the movement, for God’s sake.

I found myself in the same position as I did when I worked within counter-extremism; I was leaving my principles at the door again and I didn’t fully believe in the movement. This isn’t to say interfaith work isn’t necessary. Antisemitism exists within Muslim communities and Islamophobia exists within Jewish ones, there must be greater efforts for solidarity between these groups in the face of growing bigotry - a troubling reality in the world right now. But white Jews and Christians really need to check their privilege or at least try harder to understand the lived experience of Muslim people because of their race as well as their religion. Otherwise interfaith work will forever be a patronising endeavour to ‘save’ Muslims from their reality as opposed to truly empowering Muslims.

Interfaith work must look at the full scope of challenges faced by the Muslim community and acknowledge its uniqueness. Time and time again Jews and Christians ally with non-radical Muslim activists who only seek to stamp out bigotries within the Muslim community but don’t challenge the bigotries that all Muslims face externally as a community. These token Muslim activists do nothing to challenge the inadvertent Islamophobia exhibited by the white faith activists they work with either because race isn’t seen as part of the interfaith sector’s forte.

Race equality organisations are now beginning to understand the complexities of Islamophobia and the lived Muslim experience. Race equality movements understand the institutionalised barriers Muslims face because they are looking at Islamophobia through the lens of race and not faith alone. This is why I prefer tackling Islamophobia through a race equality infrastructure and not an interfaith one. Interfaith by their very nature tackle Islamophobia through the lens of faith, and through the honourable notion of solidarity equate all faith experiences as the same. Interfaith therefore does a disservice to Muslims by ignoring the intersectionality of faith and race and does not account for the power imbalance within interfaith organisations when white and ethnic people must work together. Race equality movements are overshadowing interfaith work through appropriately supporting Muslim communities because they truly understand the Muslim lived experience.  It’s time for white interfaith activists to check their privilege. Until they do, interfaith work will become meaningless.

"It's like walking through some bizarre toy village"

In this week's comments update, an opinion piece arguing against the homogenisation of shop signs on a northeast London high street started a debate among readers around aspirational politics and gentrification.

Past it: Owen Hatherley's recent article lamenting a council decision to replace old shop signage on Walthamstow High Street with sans-serif typeface led to a discussion about the suitability of future makeovers in other areas of the capital.

"The standardisation of fonts is one step too far but I think it generally looks lovely," opened a positive Dafydd Morgan.

"I'll bet there are more than one or two unfilled potholes in Walthamstow. Priorities?" asked one guest commenter, who felt the money could have been used for more pressing issues.

But local reader Tom applauded the decision: "I live in this area and to be honest it's overwhelmingly supported here. For many shopkeepers, it's the chance to overhaul their shopfront without huge expenditure, it creates a lovely feel of cleanness and coherence."

Daniel Brown worried it might be the start of a new London trend: "Like the Barbican – amazing as the documentation of a social experiment, but I certainly wouldn't want the whole city to look like that."

"I experienced a sense of unease when I first saw these shopfronts. It was like walking through some bizarre toy village. Everything about it felt wrong. It's a bit like Stepford Wives," wrote Anne, echoing the sentiment.

This reader pointed out a clever missed pun opportunity:

Would you like your local high street to get a sans-serif makeover? Have your say in our comments section ›

Look of Louvre: with the first official photographs of the Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi released this week, commenters had plenty to say about the new domed art museum.

"Yet another new museum that is all about the architecture and not the art," complained We R One.

"An excess of kitsch and bling where isolated pieces of art fade into an insignificant summary of art history. This is not a museum," continued TEI.

HeywoodFloyd felt the project just missed the mark: "Irregular cladding on the small buildings underneath the dome has been done literally hundreds of times before. Disappointing to see such an off-the-shelf aesthetic concept in what is otherwise, on the whole, a pretty unique design."

"Oh no! Something I have seen before, next to something I haven't seen before! How awful," fired back Zga.

One reader had a condensed view of the project:

Read the comments on this story ›

Money man: emotions were running high in response to Spanish architects Anna and Eugeni Bach's project to transform Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion into a full-scale model by covering its walls with white vinyl panels.

"This is so stupid, I can't believe it! I live in Barcelona and I'm embarrassed by this ridiculous project," wrote Nina Strauss.

"Sacrilege. Vandalism," raged an upset CaptRichie. "This is just wrong," agreed commenter J.

Jorge saw positives in the concept: "I think it's a nice thought-provoking installation."

But one Guest commenter felt it was a taint on Mies van der Rohe's legacy: "When will they ever stop messing about with it? It's as if they can't bear its perfection. Disrespectful in the extreme."

Ever the pragmatist, Geofbob reminded readers to stay calm: "Keep a sense of proportion everyone – this is just an 11-day intervention. And keep in mind that the Barcelona Pavilion is not the original, but a recreation."

This reader was worried about people missing out due to the alterations:

Read the comments on this story ›

A fool and their money: a new range of everyday items made with costly materials – including a £945 tin can – from New York jewellery brand Tiffany & Co left some readers gobsmacked this week.

"When designers run out of new ideas to sell expensive things to dumb people," stated Jaxe.

"The tin can is the perfect accessory for holding designer Paul Smiths £3,000 mechanical pencil!" joked Daniel, referencing another recent Dezeen story.

Geofbob found the entire premise offensive: "'Reimagining common or garden objects in opulent materials is a favourite trope of designers  – possibly because it doesn't actually require them to design anything, just upgrade the material."

"Would have been interesting as an artwork, as a Tiffany & Co product it's just dumb," sighed Was.

This reader had the range eyed up as a stocking filler.

Read the comments on this story ›

The post "It's like walking through some bizarre toy village" appeared first on Dezeen.

from ifttt-furniture https://www.dezeen.com/2017/11/14/comments-update-walhamstow-shop-signs-owen-hatherley-louvre-abu-dhabi-jean-nouvel/

http://ift.tt/2sJFPgz <p>For the chocolate amateur or enthusiast, the festival offers a great opportunity to get involved in a positively-minded event, which is increasingly concerned with the sustainability of cocoa and chocolate in Grenada, and gives the opportunity to meet other chocolate professionals, and become involved in organised trips to the now several chocolate making locations on the island, amongst them the small new Crayfish Bay estate, Belmont, and the much larger Diamond factory.</p> <div id="attachment_15379" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img data-attachment-id="15379" data-permalink="http://ift.tt/2tjA9a8" data-orig-file="http://ift.tt/2sJGcId" data-orig-size="1989,1325" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Blog-2-Cocoa-Dance" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="http://ift.tt/2tjAaec" data-large-file="http://ift.tt/2sJFPgz" src="http://ift.tt/2sJFPgz" alt="Cocoa Dance at Belmont" width="690" height="460" class="size-large wp-image-15379" srcset="http://ift.tt/2sJFPgz 1024w, http://ift.tt/2sJSXT1 256w, http://ift.tt/2tjAaec 680w, http://ift.tt/2tjHC9o 768w, http://ift.tt/2sJCz4U 600w, http://ift.tt/2tjAc5O 296w, http://ift.tt/2sJVi0n 1050w, http://ift.tt/2tjAcTm 871w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Cocoa Dance at Belmont</p></div> <p>

There’s something in this festival for everyone; the opportunity to be a farmer for a day or relax on a plantation, with some fun, light-hearted elements, and this year, some serious science from the renowned cocoa researcher Dr Darin Sukha who entranced me with his explanations of origin, flavour and genotypes, and gave us samples of an incredible chocolate made from rare strains of Trinitario from his home of Trinidad. As a chocolatier of so many years, it was an honour to meet him.</p> <div id="attachment_15383" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img data-attachment-id="15383" data-permalink="http://ift.tt/2sJqigR" data-orig-file="http://ift.tt/2tjAdGU" data-orig-size="5184,3456" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Blog-3-Dr-Darin-Sukha,-Cocoa-expert-from-Trinidad-Cocoa-Research-Centre,-explaining-the-difference-between-seedlings,-grafts-and-cuttings" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="http://ift.tt/2sJQzeK" data-large-file="http://ift.tt/2tjb67j" src="http://ift.tt/2tjb67j" alt="Dr Darin Sukha, Cocoa expert from Trinidad Cocoa Research Centre, explaining the difference between seedlings, grafts and cuttings" width="690" height="460" class="size-large wp-image-15383" srcset="http://ift.tt/2tjb67j 1024w, http://ift.tt/2sJyTQJ 256w, http://ift.tt/2sJQzeK 680w, http://ift.tt/2tjx9us 768w, http://ift.tt/2sJzdPa 600w, http://ift.tt/2tjdmvf 296w, http://ift.tt/2sJinQB 1050w, http://ift.tt/2tjpM6o 870w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Dr Darin Sukha, Cocoa expert from Trinidad Cocoa Research Centre, explaining the difference between seedlings, grafts and cuttings</p></div> <p>Another notable attendee was Ana Rita Garcia, from Mexico, who spoke of her country’s chocolate, and the importance of respecting origin not only with regards to flavour, but also technique and texture. I agree with her completely that we must try to respect the cultural traditions of chocolate making in various countries, and celebrate them, rather than trying to homogenise chocolate to conform to certain standards that we consider in Europe to be necessities of ‘quality’.</p> <div id="attachment_15378" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img data-attachment-id="15378" data-permalink="http://ift.tt/2sJGmiA" data-orig-file="http://ift.tt/2tjkuri" data-orig-size="5184,3456" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Blog-2-Cocoa-Beans-raw" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="http://ift.tt/2sJuHAg" data-large-file="http://ift.tt/2tjlP1w" src="http://ift.tt/2tjlP1w" alt="Cocoa Beans raw" width="690" height="460" class="size-large wp-image-15378" srcset="http://ift.tt/2tjlP1w 1024w, http://ift.tt/2sJZ49L 256w, http://ift.tt/2sJuHAg 680w, http://ift.tt/2tjzt4P 768w, http://ift.tt/2sJSWyr 600w, http://ift.tt/2tjaxKx 296w, http://ift.tt/2sJGezP 1050w, http://ift.tt/2tjb53f 870w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Cocoa Beans raw</p></div> <p>The opportunity to speak with these, and other individuals from this wonderfully extensive world of chocolate I belong to, was invaluable. Swapping stories of chocolate making and chocolatiering, and giving a tasting of our Rococo ganaches made with Grenada Chocolate Company 71%, back in the country where it was made, was a special experience for me. The resoundingly positive response from all those at the tasting made me even more proud of what we do here at Rococo. To my amazement and relief, despite the journey, humidity and heat, all the truffles were in perfect condition!</p> <div id="attachment_15377" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img data-attachment-id="15377" data-permalink="http://ift.tt/2sJsaGi" data-orig-file="http://ift.tt/2tjHCpU" data-orig-size="2048,1365" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Blog 4 Sampling all the Rococo chocolates which contain Grenada CC chocolate" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="http://ift.tt/2sJDX7p" data-large-file="http://ift.tt/2tjAdXq" src="http://ift.tt/2tjAdXq" alt="" width="690" height="460" class="size-large wp-image-15377" srcset="http://ift.tt/2tjAdXq 1024w, http://ift.tt/2sK3NIu 256w, http://ift.tt/2sJDX7p 680w, http://ift.tt/2tjcIO2 768w, http://ift.tt/2sJqixn 600w, http://ift.tt/2tjdmLL 296w, http://ift.tt/2sJDZfx 1050w, http://ift.tt/2tjzshh 870w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Tasting of our 71% Grenada and Grenada Islay Whisky truffles</p></div> <p>My first meeting with the Tree-to-Bar legend that is Edmond Brown and a few of the Grenada Chocolate Company team, was at the opening party. Later, on the Festival trip to the Factory, I saw the brightly coloured BonBon shop for the first time.</p> <div id="attachment_15399" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img data-attachment-id="15399" data-permalink="http://ift.tt/2sJze5G" data-orig-file="http://ift.tt/2tj9D0I" data-orig-size="2048,1365" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="bonbon exterior" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="http://ift.tt/2sJN1ti" data-large-file="http://ift.tt/2tjkuHO" src="http://ift.tt/2tjkuHO" alt="The Grenada Chocolate Company’s Bonbon shop exterior" width="690" height="460" class="size-large wp-image-15399" srcset="http://ift.tt/2tjkuHO 1024w, http://ift.tt/2sJNbAS 256w, http://ift.tt/2sJN1ti 680w, http://ift.tt/2tjiAqO 768w, http://ift.tt/2sJNbRo 600w, http://ift.tt/2tjb6El 296w, http://ift.tt/2sJio77 1050w, http://ift.tt/2tjay13 870w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The Grenada Chocolate Company’s Bonbon shop exterior</p></div> <p>Here, Edmond gave a talk about the company’s beginnings, of Mott, and of the company now. I did a presentation for which Chantal provided much content regarding Rococo’s links with the company. It’s a fascinating tale of chance meetings, chocolate obsessions and a man compelled to start up a socially and environmentally sound business, combining later with a British company looking to forge ties with some cocoa roots, and help wherever we can.</p> <p>PHOTO [Presentation on Rococo’s involvement with the GCC]</p> <p>Few people know the extent of James and Chantal’s relationship with the GCC, and I was able to tell the story of our involvement from the early days of Rococo selling bars when they were trying to establish a market, Coady family visits over the years, helping out post hurricanes Ivan and Emily (which are still very much in the public consciousness), and of James and Chantal’s efforts to help in whatever way they can following the sad passing of Mott. I told of the effect he had on the people who met him at Rococo, and of how inspirational he has been to many chocolatiers and chocolate makers. I wanted to emphasise to everybody present, who had visited and other makers too, just how revolutionary the creation of the GCC was.</p> <p>PHOTO of [Mott, Edmong and Doug]</p> <p>They pioneered tree to bar chocolate making, in a time when bean to bar was in its infancy, and in a socially and environmentally sound way. The company pay considerably more to farmers for organic beans than that which non-organic farmers receive from the Cocoa Council, and they pay higher wages to all staff than is common in Grenada. They employ most of, and are undoubtedly the heart of the small village of Hermitage, and without them, it’s highly doubtful that Grenada would be as respected for their chocolate as they are, or whether they would have this currently blossoming chocolate industry, with now four other makers on the island, and another on the way.</p> <div id="attachment_15359" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img data-attachment-id="15359" data-permalink="http://ift.tt/2sJimMx" data-orig-file="http://ift.tt/2tjazlD" data-orig-size="2048,1365" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Blog 2 Edmond, Magdalena Fielden, Ana Rita Garcia and myself" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="http://ift.tt/2sJxz07" data-large-file="http://ift.tt/2tjx8GU" src="http://ift.tt/2tjx8GU" alt="Edmond, Magdalena Fielden, Ana Rita Garcia and myself" width="690" height="460" class="size-large wp-image-15359" srcset="http://ift.tt/2tjx8GU 1024w, http://ift.tt/2sJw4Pw 256w, http://ift.tt/2sJxz07 680w, http://ift.tt/2tiXNDR 768w, http://ift.tt/2sJZ4qh 600w, http://ift.tt/2tjHCGq 296w, http://ift.tt/2sJuGwc 1050w, http://ift.tt/2tjcHJY 870w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Edmond, Magdalena Fielden, Ana Rita Garcia and myself</p></div> <p>The welcome they put on for the Festival attendees was warm and heartfelt, and the highlight of week. Everyone was given a tour, fed with Mott’s favourite lunch of Oil Down (plantain, breadfruit and other vegetables cooked into a spiced stew) whilst listening to Reggae, and given a goodie bag of sweet and chewy solar-dried bananas, hand-rolled truffles and a small spiced bee-bar, in our Rococo mould. Mott would have been proud of them all, I’m sure. There are efforts to get Mott Green day officially recognised, and I hope this happens, as he was the power behind something very special indeed, and something which has had a considerable legacy for the country of Grenada as a whole.</p> <p>2 X PHOTO [A tribute to Mott: Oil Down & Reggae]</p> <div id="attachment_15361" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img data-attachment-id="15361" data-permalink="http://ift.tt/2sJvAsz" data-orig-file="http://ift.tt/2tjlOuu" data-orig-size="640,960" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Blog 2 The Factory’s poster of Mott" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="http://ift.tt/2sJGdvL" data-large-file="http://ift.tt/2tjlOuu" src="http://ift.tt/2tjlOuu" alt="The Factory’s poster of Mott" width="640" height="960" class="size-full wp-image-15361" srcset="http://ift.tt/2tjlOuu 640w, http://ift.tt/2tjpMDq 171w, http://ift.tt/2sJGdvL 333w, http://ift.tt/2sJRFYc 600w, http://ift.tt/2tiXMzN 387w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The Factory’s poster of Mott</p></div> <p>Tomorrow I was due to begin my experience at the factory, and I couldn’t wait…</p> The Grenada Chocolate Festival [2/4]

For the chocolate amateur or enthusiast, the festival offers a great opportunity to get involved in a positively-minded event, which is increasingly concerned with the sustainability of cocoa and chocolate in Grenada, and gives the opportunity to meet other chocolate professionals, and become involved in organised trips to the now several chocolate making locations on the island, amongst them the small new Crayfish Bay estate, Belmont, and the much larger Diamond factory.

Cocoa Dance at Belmont



There’s something in this festival for everyone; the opportunity to be a farmer for a day or relax on a plantation, with some fun, light-hearted elements, and this year, some serious science from the renowned cocoa researcher Dr Darin Sukha who entranced me with his explanations of origin, flavour and genotypes, and gave us samples of an incredible chocolate made from rare strains of Trinitario from his home of Trinidad. As a chocolatier of so many years, it was an honour to meet him.

Dr Darin Sukha, Cocoa expert from Trinidad Cocoa Research Centre, explaining the difference between seedlings, grafts and cuttings

Another notable attendee was Ana Rita Garcia, from Mexico, who spoke of her country’s chocolate, and the importance of respecting origin not only with regards to flavour, but also technique and texture. I agree with her completely that we must try to respect the cultural traditions of chocolate making in various countries, and celebrate them, rather than trying to homogenise chocolate to conform to certain standards that we consider in Europe to be necessities of ‘quality’.

Cocoa Beans raw

The opportunity to speak with these, and other individuals from this wonderfully extensive world of chocolate I belong to, was invaluable. Swapping stories of chocolate making and chocolatiering, and giving a tasting of our Rococo ganaches made with Grenada Chocolate Company 71%, back in the country where it was made, was a special experience for me. The resoundingly positive response from all those at the tasting made me even more proud of what we do here at Rococo. To my amazement and relief, despite the journey, humidity and heat, all the truffles were in perfect condition!

Tasting of our 71% Grenada and Grenada Islay Whisky truffles

My first meeting with the Tree-to-Bar legend that is Edmond Brown and a few of the Grenada Chocolate Company team, was at the opening party. Later, on the Festival trip to the Factory, I saw the brightly coloured BonBon shop for the first time.

The Grenada Chocolate Company’s Bonbon shop exterior

Here, Edmond gave a talk about the company’s beginnings, of Mott, and of the company now. I did a presentation for which Chantal provided much content regarding Rococo’s links with the company. It’s a fascinating tale of chance meetings, chocolate obsessions and a man compelled to start up a socially and environmentally sound business, combining later with a British company looking to forge ties with some cocoa roots, and help wherever we can.

PHOTO [Presentation on Rococo’s involvement with the GCC]

Few people know the extent of James and Chantal’s relationship with the GCC, and I was able to tell the story of our involvement from the early days of Rococo selling bars when they were trying to establish a market, Coady family visits over the years, helping out post hurricanes Ivan and Emily (which are still very much in the public consciousness), and of James and Chantal’s efforts to help in whatever way they can following the sad passing of Mott. I told of the effect he had on the people who met him at Rococo, and of how inspirational he has been to many chocolatiers and chocolate makers. I wanted to emphasise to everybody present, who had visited and other makers too, just how revolutionary the creation of the GCC was.

PHOTO of [Mott, Edmong and Doug]

They pioneered tree to bar chocolate making, in a time when bean to bar was in its infancy, and in a socially and environmentally sound way. The company pay considerably more to farmers for organic beans than that which non-organic farmers receive from the Cocoa Council, and they pay higher wages to all staff than is common in Grenada. They employ most of, and are undoubtedly the heart of the small village of Hermitage, and without them, it’s highly doubtful that Grenada would be as respected for their chocolate as they are, or whether they would have this currently blossoming chocolate industry, with now four other makers on the island, and another on the way.

Edmond, Magdalena Fielden, Ana Rita Garcia and myself

The welcome they put on for the Festival attendees was warm and heartfelt, and the highlight of week. Everyone was given a tour, fed with Mott’s favourite lunch of Oil Down (plantain, breadfruit and other vegetables cooked into a spiced stew) whilst listening to Reggae, and given a goodie bag of sweet and chewy solar-dried bananas, hand-rolled truffles and a small spiced bee-bar, in our Rococo mould. Mott would have been proud of them all, I’m sure. There are efforts to get Mott Green day officially recognised, and I hope this happens, as he was the power behind something very special indeed, and something which has had a considerable legacy for the country of Grenada as a whole.

2 X PHOTO [A tribute to Mott: Oil Down & Reggae]

The Factory’s poster of Mott

Tomorrow I was due to begin my experience at the factory, and I couldn’t wait…

from The Grenada Chocolate Festival [2/4]