Camila Cabello - Never Be the Same

Music Appreciation

I'll be honest, it was Camila Cabello that I was a fan of when she was in the girl group Fifth Harmony. Her looks, sensuality, and voice attracted me. So, naturally, I became a bigger fan when she went solo and debut her studio album, Camila, in 2018.

On December 7, 2017, Camila Cabello released “Never Be the Same” as a promotional single ahead of her debut solo album Camila. The song was written by Cabello alongside producers and writers including Noonie Bao and Sasha Sloan as well as Frank Dukes and the production duo Jarami. This creative team helped shape what became one of Cabello’s most successful solo tracks.

Lyrically and musically, the track presents a mid-tempo ballad grounded in pop and electro-R&B elements. The lyrics convey love as an addictive, almost drug-like experience, with lines such as “Just one hit of you, I knew I’ll never ever, ever be the same," underlining the sense of surrender and transformation that the protagonist experiences. 

The official music video, directed by Grant Singer and released March 8, 2018, marries polished fashion-forward scenes with raw, intimate hotel-room footage of Cabello. In contrast to the couture shots of Cabello standing on cliffs, submerged in water, or encased in oversized glass boxes, we also see her in a white robe in a hotel room telling the cameraman “Stop, turn it off,” suggesting a tension between public image and private self. 

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.iheart.com/content/2018-03-08-watch-camila-cabello-shine-in-her-dazzling-video-for-never-be-the-same

https://www.thefader.com/2017/12/07/camila-cabello-new-singles-never-be-the-same-real-friends

https://camilacabello.fandom.com/wiki/Never_Be_the_Same

Spinners: Tinzo - House / Soulful Grooves House Mix

via Book Club Radio 

Cosplay is an Art: MCM Comic Con London 2025

via Justin Cosplay

Gumiho Hannya

Model Appreciation

There’s something undeniably captivating about Gumiho Hannya—the kind of allure that stops your scroll mid-swipe. It starts with her striking green eyes, the kind that seem to see right through you, paired with her smooth ivory skin that glows even in the dim light of a convention floor. 

Whether she’s channeling a fierce demon queen or a playful anime heroine, she brings each character to life with a presence that’s both enchanting and just the right amount of mischievous.

Beyond the lens, Gumiho is a full-time creator with a dreamer’s heart and a gamer’s soul. Her feed is a treasure chest of meticulously crafted cosplays, nerdy nods to League of Legends and anime, and glimpses into her snake-filled sanctuary of pets with names straight out of Westeros. 

She’s the type who could slay a photoshoot in one moment and nerd out about folklore or psychology in the next—and yes, she might throw in a dance break or a cat cuddle session for good measure.

What makes Gumiho Hannya even more fun to follow is that she doesn’t just cosplay—she world-builds. Her fusion of Korean and Japanese mythology in her name is no accident: it’s a love letter to fantasy, storytelling, and transformation. 

Sources:

https://www.instagram.com/gumihohannya/

https://www.youtube.com/@GumihoHannya

https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/gumiho-hannya.html

https://www.twitch.tv/gumihohannya/about

Somewhere Between Baby Einstein and Baby Chaos

I think many of us, at some point in our new-parent lives, have shared a moment like the one beautifully captured by cartoonist and illustrator R. Kikuo Johnson on the cover of The New Yorker.

For me, it stirred memories of my ex-wife, our tiny Maltese, and me collapsed on our beaten-up couch, watching our toddler stretch out on a red-and-black checkered mat — the kind supposedly designed to boost focus and attention. Back then, we were convinced high-contrast toys would unlock hidden baby genius. For a while, our living room looked like a black-and-white art installation with splashes of red.

Of course, that didn’t last. Within months, the floor vanished beneath a sea of toys — stuffed animals, musical gadgets, and plastic contraptions that promised to make our kid smarter, stronger, and possibly bilingual by age two. Let me clarify something: I bought toys I would’ve enjoyed as a toddler. My wife, on the other hand, stuck to toys and books that actually nurtured brain development. Together, we struck a balance — somewhere between baby Einstein and baby chaos.

by R Kikuo Johnson (@r_kikuo_johnson)

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Laina Morris - Overly Attached Girlfriend Meme

via BuzzFeedVideo 

The Einstein of Sex by Daniel Brook

After reading a review in The New Yorker about Daniel Brook’s new biography of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, I felt compelled to purchase and read the book. Why? I’m the proud father of a transgender 21-year-old woman who came out to her mom and me in high school. I didn’t react perfectly in that moment — I didn’t yet understand what she needed to hear. Years of reading and learning about sexuality and gender have shown me that identity exists on a spectrum, and much of that understanding traces back to Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld at the turn of the 20th century.

Daniel Brook’s The Einstein of Sex offers a vivid, accessible portrait of the German-Jewish physician whose groundbreaking work reshaped early 20th-century thinking on sexuality, gender, and civil rights. Brook follows Hirschfeld’s development from his Prussian upbringing to becoming one of Europe’s boldest medical thinkers. In 1896, Hirschfeld published his first gay-rights pamphlet asserting that sexual orientation existed along a spectrum — a radical idea for its time. Over the next decade, he expanded this view, proposing that every person carries a mix of masculine and feminine traits. This framework opened the door to thinking about transgender identity long before the language existed.

Brook shows how Hirschfeld’s science and activism were intertwined. He founded the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee in 1897, the world’s first LGBTQ-rights organization, and spent decades fighting Paragraph 175, the German law criminalizing sex between men. His pamphlet What People Should Know About the Third Sex appealed to logic, empathy, and justice, arguing that same-sex love was equally capable of purity and nobility.

In 1919, Hirschfeld established the Institute for Sexual Science, home to the first gender-affirming surgeries, a global research library, and a museum that became a celebrated Weimar destination. As a public figure, he appeared in newsreels, lectured worldwide, and used his influence to advocate for inclusion in the military, medicine, and public life.

His travels strengthened his belief that identity — including race — is relative rather than fixed. In exile, he observed how different societies placed him in inconsistent racial categories, reinforcing his view that race was a social invention, not a biological fact. This embrace of relativity, echoed in his theories of sex and gender, earned him the moniker “Einstein of Sex,” a comparison he accepted with some reluctance.

As Brook documents, the Nazis targeted Hirschfeld relentlessly, nearly killed him, destroyed his institute, and burned his books in 1933. Though his life’s work was nearly erased, his ideas endured. Hirschfeld’s message remains strikingly relevant as today’s debates over gender, sexuality, censorship, and rising authoritarianism mirror the tensions of his era. Brook’s book reintroduces readers to the Hirschfeld Scale, his insistence on the fluid nature of identity, and his belief in the dignity of queer and trans lives.

My verdict: The Einstein of Sex is well worth reading — whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, an ally, or simply someone seeking to better understand the science of sex and gender.

Sources:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/10/06/the-einstein-of-sex-stan-and-gus-heart-the-lover-muscle-man

https://www.amazon.com/Einstein-Sex-Magnus-Hirschfeld-Visionary/dp/1324007249/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DZSRAE2IS7Q6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QLLohB_pvDrmg-I1BuKKiw.7TqeHSjRv92Wzasrb6bheZIs9pp5sX43q5OWoZ7IXls&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+einstein+of+sex+by+daniel+brook&qid=1763845313&sprefix=The+Einstein+of+Sex+%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-1

Jennifer Mackay

Model Appreciation

European model Jennifer Mackay (also known as Tetiana Herasymenko), born on December 1, 1992 in Ukraine, made her debut on Met Art in 2012 at just nineteen. Standing 5'7" with blue eyes and blonde hair, her modeling career was brief yet memorable—spanning 15 covers, 12 photo sets, and 3 videos over three years.

For me, her beauty and composure are truly captivating. In her Met Art biography, Jennifer shared her love for spending time with friends, relaxing in coffee shops, reading fiction, mountain biking, swimming, and playing squash. I can easily imagine sitting in a quiet café, glancing over to see a striking blonde absorbed in a novel—perhaps something by Lesya Ukrainka—and feeling admiration and being entranced.

Sources:

https://www.metart.com/model/jennifer-mackay/

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Jennifer_Mackay

https://www.indexxx.com/m/jennifer-mackay

https://www.freeones.com/jennifer-mackay

https://babesrater.com/infinite-scroll/7096/jennifer-mackay

https://hotnessrater.com/infinite-scroll/7096/jennifer-mackay

Lindy Benson

Acting Appreciation

Lindy Benson, born on November 30, 1952, in Muswell Hill, London, is a former actress and adult model known for her striking presence in the adult film industry during the 1970s. 

Standing at a petite 5'2", Benson possessed a slim yet voluptuous figure, with measurements of 34-23-35 that made her a standout in her field. With her brown hair and captivating blue eyes, she captivated audiences in films such as Intimate Games and To the Devil a Daughter, showcasing both her acting talent and her allure.

Active in the industry from 1973 until 1985, Benson's career featured a mix of provocative roles and appearances in saucy flicks. Despite her relatively short time in the spotlight, she left a lasting impression, particularly with her memorable performances in titles like Adventures of a Plumber's Mate and Confessions from the David Galaxy Affair. 

After stepping away from the screen, Lindy Benson's life took a different turn, even working as a private eye for a Canadian detective agency. Her unique journey from actress to private investigator adds an intriguing layer to her multifaceted persona.

Sources:

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Lindy_Benson

https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1549345-lindy-benson?language=en-US

https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1549345-lindy-benson

Spinners: Gin - Hypnotic Deep House / Afro House Mix

via The Good Witchez 

Roos van Montfort

Model Appreciation

Roos van Montfort was born on November 29, 1989, in Geldrop, a quiet town in the southern Netherlands. She described her childhood as calm, peaceful, and surrounded by greenery—so quiet, in fact, that she eventually felt ready for something bigger. 

Standing 5'9½" with blonde hair and brown eyes, she always sensed she wanted to see more of the world. That urge pushed her abroad early. Through an exchange program, she spent short stretches in California, Florida, and Barcelona before returning home and deciding she was “done” with Holland. She soon moved to London, then New York, setting the foundation for her modeling career.

Her career began in London when she signed with an agency at 20. Four years later, she reached a career milestone as Playboy’s Playmate of the Month for January 2014—the magazine’s 60th-anniversary centerfold, photographed by Sasha Eisenman. She has since continued modeling for Playboy Plus and other platforms. 

In interviews, she called becoming a Playmate “the coolest thing” she had done, a small but meaningful place in the brand’s long history. Roos embraced the travel and pace of modeling, describing New York as a city full of energy, but she often hinted that California felt like the place she ultimately wanted to live.

Her personality, humor, and candor made her stand out. She preferred “real guys”—a bit messy, beer-drinking, sports-watching—rather than men who spent more time in front of the mirror than she did. She admitted she rarely checked out men, but she loved checking out women, joking about her “girl crushes.” 

She talked openly about juggling a few short-term relationships during her “New York experience,” and she balanced nightlife with a focus on health, using detox routines to maintain her skin and energy for work. Driven, playful, and unfiltered, Roos built a career shaped by curiosity and ambition, always chasing the next place, the next opportunity, and the life she imagined for herself. 

Beyond modeling, van Montfort has expressed ambitions to live in California, to become a Bond girl, to own her own business and build a family. She has shared playful personal interests—from taking belly-dance classes inspired by Shakira to using her secret apple-crumble recipe as a way to charm at dinner.

Sources:

Wikipedia

http://ply.by/iBeRhq

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Roos_van_Montfort

https://celebmuse.com/celebrities/roos-van-montfort

https://hotnessrater.com/infinite-scroll/47766/roos-van-montfort

https://www.pleasuregirl.net/roos-van-montfort-playmate/

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: David Hoffman - Flying in 1979

via David Hoffman 

Casserole Season

My family never really did the "traditional" Thanksgiving thing. While others gathered around a turkey with all the cousins and casseroles, we usually packed up and headed out of town. The idea was simple: skip the drama, make our own fun. And honestly, it worked.

My favorite Thanksgivings were at the Houston Galleria, which, to kid-me, felt like visiting another country. We'd check into the Westin Galleria--glitz, glamorous, and full of people who looked way fancier than us. Thanksgiving dinner was at Delmonico's, a steakhouse that made me feel like we were living large. When that closed, we just pivoted to Zucchini's at the other end of the mall.

The Friday routine was a classic. While mom power-shopped, Dad and I wandered the Galleria, hitting toy stores, and even a booth where you could record your own song on a cassette. By afternoon, we'd regroup for the Texas vs. A&M game -- me napping, them glued to the TV--before heading out to Westheimer for hibachi dinner. 

Saturdays were more of the same: shopping, college football, and my dad finding ways to keep me entertained with museums or Toys R Us trips. Looking back, those Galleria Thanksgivings were the best -- less about turkey and more about laughter, adventure, and avoiding the usual family squabbles.

by Elisabeth McNair (@margaret__elisabeth)

 

A Breast Day Ever! Part 3

Ever since my wife’s early-summer “birthday upgrade,” we have been enjoying living with a new set of breasts. She gifted herself a confidence boost, and while I was perfectly happy before, I have to admit — the results turned out beautifully.

A week before her business trip, we decided to tackle the all-important wardrobe adjustment. Shopping for new clothes became an unexpected adventure — part fashion show, part puzzle-solving. Sizing suddenly turned into a mystery. What once fit comfortably now looked snug, and blouses that used to hang loose suddenly needed their own zip code. Some dresses fit her perfectly, but now her concerns was that it showed too much cleavage. Although not said out loud, I thought "Wasn't that the whole point of getting bigger breasts." 

We eventually cracked the code — Dillard’s, as it turned out, had the magic combination of style, fit, and flattery. But jeans shopping was a whole other quest. Our second date years ago involved hiking, and I remember how great she looked in denim. Let’s just say that admiration hasn’t faded — it just now requires a bit more patience in the fitting room (and a few laps around the mall). Thankfully, H&M saved the day with options that fit both body and budget.

Before her trip, I found myself enjoying her pre-packing ritual — her topless trying clothes and planning her outfits for the week. “Is this too revealing?” she asked. Again, I thought, “Wasn't that the whole point of going big or go home?"

AI generated

Body Art: Jörg Düsterwald - Tree Motifs

Artist: Jörg Düsterwald

via Atelier Jörg Düsterwald

Dance: Exotic Generation Moscow 2023 - Kseniya Getman

Choreography: Kseniya Getman 

via EXOTIC GENERATION

Spinners: Garsi - Melodic Techno & Indie Dance

via DJanes 

Jamie Lee Curtis

Acting Appreciation

I was never a big fan of scary movies, but I always knew of Jamie Lee Curtis from the Halloween franchise. One of my favorite films of hers, however, is the 1994 action-comedy True Lies, in which she plays the wife of a spy who, midway through the film, undergoes a personal and comedic mid-life reckoning. Her turn in that movie shows real range — equal parts humor, vulnerability, and physicality.

Curtis’s journey into acting was serendipitous. Though her parents (actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh) were Hollywood fixtures, she says she never planned to be an actor — leaving college after a friend encouraged her to audition and landing a studio contract at 19. Her first major role came in the 1978 horror classic Halloween, which gave her the “scream-queen” label she later resisted, admitting in fact that she dislikes scary movies because life is scary enough. 

In recent years, Curtis has described herself as thriving both personally and professionally. According to her cover profile for AARP at age 66, she credits her 26 years of sobriety for giving her clarity, community and a deep sense of purpose. 

She has rejected Hollywood’s ageist expectations, noting that she is “more alive” now than at earlier benchmarks in her career. 

She remains busy: after her Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All at Once and strong TV roles like her guest turn in The Bear, she is producing work that empowers others and embracing freedom in how she chooses roles. 

Curtis’s path hasn’t been without challenge. On the podcast Depresh Mode she referred to Hollywood as a “show-off business,” underscoring the pressure of fame and appearance. 

She has spoken frankly about her history of addiction (stemming in part from pain-killer prescriptions after surgery) and her path to recovery, emphasizing authenticity and self-worth over external validation. 

Her long marriage to filmmaker Christopher Guest (since 1984) also anchors her, allowing her to face life and career on her terms. In many ways, what stands out is how Curtis has moved from legacy horror star to a full-fledged creator and voice in Hollywood who refuses to be pigeonholed.

Sources:

The Liberation of Jamie Lee Curtis, by Meg Grant, AARP The Magazine, August / September 2025

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jamie-lee-curtis-on-her-parents-parenthood-roles-that-made-her-career-60-minutes-transcript/ 

https://maximumfun.org/transcripts/depresh-mode/transcript-depresh-mode-jamie-lee-curtis-self-professed-dope-fiend-of-show-off-business-aired-august-1-2022/

https://people.com/jamie-lee-curtis-marriage-christopher-guest-amazing-blessing-11777076

https://www.rev.com/transcripts/jamie-lee-curtis-the-60-minutes-interview

https://people.com/jamie-lee-curtis-never-ever-thought-front-row-oscars-aarp-11777181

https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/celebrities/jamie-lee-curtis-profile

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/jamie-lee-curtis-has-never-worked-hard-a-day-in-her-life

Mick Rock

Photography Appreciation

Mick Rock, born on November 21, 1948, in Hammersmith, London, grew up in a time of cultural shifts and artistic awakenings that would shape his future path as a photographer. While he initially planned to study literature at Cambridge University, fate had other plans. He picked up a camera during his college years, and what started as a casual hobby quickly became a passion. Drawn to the raw energy and spirit of London’s counterculture, Mick was soon capturing the vibe of the people and places that defined this revolutionary time.

In the early 1970s, Rock’s journey into music photography began when he met and photographed the young David Bowie, whose star was rising with his Ziggy Stardust persona. This meeting wasn’t just a stroke of luck; it was the start of a lasting artistic partnership and a pivotal moment in Rock's career. His work with Bowie led him deeper into the world of rock and glam, allowing him access to icons like Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Freddie Mercury. Mick quickly became known as the “man who shot the ’70s,” capturing artists in ways that showcased both their charisma and vulnerability, forever linking his name with the rock and roll aesthetic.

In addition to still photography, Rock ventured into music videos, directing and producing memorable visuals for artists. His experience with photography gave him an eye for composition, while his rapport with musicians allowed him to draw out their personalities on screen. He directed videos for David Bowie and worked with other notable musicians, bringing the same energy to moving images as he did to his photographs. His videos often featured his signature style: raw, intimate, and unfiltered, capturing musicians in a way that fans hadn’t seen before.

Mick Rock’s contributions to music photography are legendary. He captured some of rock’s most iconic images, including Lou Reed for Transformer, Queen’s Queen II album cover, and the ethereal portraits of Syd Barrett. His work with Bowie during the Ziggy Stardust era remains some of the most enduring images in rock history, with Rock’s lens capturing the glitter, glamour, and grit of the era.  

Lou Reed (1972)

David Bowie (2002)

Madonna (1980)

Iggy Pop and The Stooges - Raw Power (1973)

Life on Mars? (1971)

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.mickrock.com/

https://pitchfork.com/news/mick-rock-photographer-who-captured-1970s-glam-has-died/

https://loudwire.com/mick-rock-photographer-death/

https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/legendary-music-photographer-mick-rock-dies-6141/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-59344065.amp

https://www.nme.com/news/music/legendary-music-photographer-mick-rock-has-died-aged-72-3099649

https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-media-europe-e1186ad4542b4e0deb24b1797dff555c

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/mick-rock-photography-rock-obituary-death-b1963683.html

https://www.rockarchive.com/photographers/mick-rock

Miroslav Tichý

Photography Appreciation

Miroslav Tichý was born on November 20, 1926 in Nětčice (then part of Kyjov in Moravia, Czechoslovakia). He grew up in a provincial setting, the son of a tailor, and after World War II he traveled to Prague to enroll at the Academy of Fine Arts, pursuing a path in painting and drawing. But his time at the Academy proved fraught: after the Communist regime took power in 1948, the art establishment shifted toward socialist realism, and Tichý resisted its constraints. He left formal training, returned to Kyjov, and lived a largely solitary life under surveillance and occasional psychiatric confinement, keeping mostly to his own artistic impulses. 

Tichý’s photographic method was unconventional, intimate, and (by design) technically “imperfect.” Between the 1960s and mid-1980s, he roamed his hometown and neighboring areas photographing women—often unaware of the camera—using devices he built from cardboard, tin cans, plexiglass, rubber bands, and other found materials. 

Tichý ground and polished makeshift lenses with toothpaste and cigarette ash, cut shutters and frames from scrap wood, and sealed housings with tar or asphalt. The resulting images are often soft, blurry, spotted, under- or overexposed, and subject to processing flaws or dust artifacts—effects Tichý embraced rather than avoided, seeing “mistake” as poetic. 

He frequently trimmed, collaged, or drew into prints to heighten contours and expressiveness. Recognition for Tichý’s work came late, often shaped by curators who framed his life as outsider art. His photography remained little known until the early 2000s, when Roman Buxbaum, a former neighbor, helped preserve and promote his works. 

In 2004, Tichý’s works appeared at the Biennial of Contemporary Art in Seville; soon after, he won the 2005 Rencontres d’Arles New Discovery Award, and major exhibits followed in Zurich, Paris (Centre Pompidou), and New York (ICP). Critics often interpret his photographs as a subversive aesthetic of imperfection, merging eroticism, voyeurism, and decay. 

Couple on Beach

Untitled, 1950-80

4-091

6-9-31

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://brooklynrail.org/2010/06/artseen/miroslav-tich

https://www.icp.org/news/in-memory-of-miroslav-tich%C3%BD-1926%E2%80%932011

https://www.michaelhoppengallery.com/artists/88-miroslav-tichy/

https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/miroslav-tich%C3%BD

https://bordercrossingsmag.com/article/miroslav-tichy

https://journals.openedition.org/etudesphotographiques/3430

https://tichyocean.com/en/miroslav-tichy/biography/

https://christianberst.com/en/artists/miroslav-tichy

https://www.smith-davidson.com/artists/222-miroslav-tichy/biography

https://saint-lucy.com/essays/miroslav-tichy

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Miscommunication Almost Leads to an Orgy...

Tamara McLaughlin & Shanay De Marco

via Hired Goons

Igo = Better Be Alive

Music Appreciation

Released on November 18, 2022, “Better Be Alive” marks a standout single from IGO’s debut solo album. Written by Igor Walaszek and Jakub Jaworski, the track captures the dynamic energy and genre-blending style that has come to define Walaszek’s work. 

Best known as one half of the electronic duo Bass Astral x Igo and for his collaborations across Poland’s music scene, IGO uses this track to further shape his solo identity—balancing rock vocals with electronic textures that feel urgent and reflective.

The accompanying music video, directed by Michał Oziewicz, brings the song’s spirit to life through a surreal and visually striking narrative. Featuring Polish freestyle dance duo Nicole Hoff and Oskar Szymkowski—known as LOCZNIKI—the video follows Nicki, a video game NPC who wakes up to the unexpected messiness of the "real" world. 

What begins as an isolated journey gradually transforms into a liberating experience of movement, culminating in a final dance sequence that includes LOCZNIKI, IGO, and a cast of dancers. The choreography, rooted in the popping style, conveys both disconnection and awakening—mirroring the track’s emotional arc.

Sources:

https://iglorecords.com/

https://loczniki.com/

https://youtu.be/OeZxVdOzgb8

Yoga: Lauren - Relaxing Yoga Stretch Before Bed

via SeniorShape Fitness 

Dance: Jóhann Jóhannsson – 'Flight From The City' from Orphée

Choreography: Ivana Borsje

via Ivana Borsje 

Spinners: Paola Di Pietro - Deep House (Sunset Session)

via Paola Di Pietro 

Wayne Thiebaud

Art Appreciation

Wayne Thiebaud was born Morton Wayne Thiebaud on November 15, 1920, in Mesa, Arizona, though his family moved when he was just a baby—settling in Southern California, mainly Long Beach, with interludes on an uncle’s ranch in Utah. 

He grew up in a Mormon household; his father held various jobs—mechanic, real-estate, etc.—while young Wayne developed early interests in illustration, cartoons, and commercial art. In high school he worked odd jobs and spent summers apprenticing in animation at Walt Disney. 

In his early career, Thiebaud studied at San José State and Sacramento State, finishing his BA in 1951 and MA in 1952. He taught art at Sacramento City College, and in 1956-57 took a leave and went to New York City. While there, he met artists like Willem de Kooning and saw the work of proto-Pop artists Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. That time sharpened his ideas about form, color, and subject matter, especially how everyday objects might be portrayed with new visual weight. 

Thiebaud’s style is notable for its heavy pigment, exaggerated or sharp color contrasts, strong shadows, and a sense of both realism and heightened formality. He often isolates commonplace items—cakes, pies, pastries, lipstick tubes, etc.—presented in neat rows or with rhythmic spacing. Over time he expanded beyond those still life and “confection” motifs to include figure painting and landscapes, including cityscapes, street scenes, hills, mountains, and California’s varied terrain. 

His later works often explore space, distorted perspective, and color planes, yet retain that core attention to surface, texture, and the everyday. Among Thiebaud’s best known works are many of the still lifes: Cakes (1963), Bakery Counter (1962), Pies, Pies, Pies (1961), Drink Syrups (1961), Eight Lipsticks (1964), Three Strawberry Shakes (1964). In the landscape and street-scene vein, works such as Sunset Streets (1985) and Flatland River (1997) are often mentioned. Also later paintings of mountains (e.g. his Sierra Nevada series) and city views sustain his recognition. 

Cakes (1963)

Bakery Counter (1962)

Pies, Pies, Pies (1961)

Sunset Streets (1985)

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.acquavellagalleries.com/exhibitions/wayne-thiebaud3

https://journalpanorama.org/article/wayne-thiebauds-california

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/thiebaud-wayne/

https://mymodernmet.com/wayne-thiebaud-paintings/

https://www.sfmoma.org/artist/Wayne_Thiebaud/

https://brooklynrail.org/2014/11/artseen/wayne-thiebaud-nov

https://pastimesinc.com/art-history-101-wayne-thiebaud/

https://www.gratzgallery.com/artists/wayne-thiebaud

https://www.artnews.com/list/art-news/artists/who-was-wayne-thiebaud-bay-area-figurative-art-cakes-1234665954

https://www.lesliesacks.com/artists/wayne-thiebaud/biography

https://www.berggruen.com/artists/wayne-thiebaud

https://vec.crockerart.org/blogs/24-facts-about-wayne-thiebauds-early-life

https://ccplonline.org/blogs/childrens/14211-2/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wayne-Thiebaud

https://achievement.org/achiever/wayne-thiebaud

MODELING: Juliana

Model: Juliana

Photographer: Arkadiy Kozlovskiy

via Art Recaptured 

Richard Mulligan

Acting Appreciation

I remember Richard Mulligan best as Dr. Harry Weston in Empty Nest — the sitcom about a widowed pediatrician with older daughters (one played by the very pretty Kristy McNichol) and a dog named Dreyfuss. In Empty Nest, Mulligan’s character is coping with family, loss, and the day-to-day of raising grown kids, all with warmth and a bit of befuddlement. The show ran from 1988 to 1995, and it is the role many recall him by. 

Mulligan was born November 13, 1932, in The Bronx, New York City. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War era, then studied playwriting at Columbia University. After his university years, he worked in theatre; one of his early significant stage appearances was All the Way Home on Broadway in 1960, where he was both stage manager and performer. Over the 1960s, he steadily built up his career in television guest spots and supporting roles, gradually moving toward more central roles. 

In film, Mulligan is remembered for several notable roles. Perhaps most striking is his portrayal of General George Armstrong Custer in Little Big Man (1970), where he plays a more unhinged Custer than many typical portrayals. He also appeared in The Big Bus (1976), a comedic disaster-spoof, and had a leading part in S.O.B. (1981) in which he played a producer-director figure. He was often cast in supporting or character roles in films, bringing comedic timing and character depth even when his part was not the lead. 

On television, besides Empty Nest, Mulligan had several other major roles. He played Burt Campbell on Soap from 1977-1981, a role that earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 1980 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Later, for Empty Nest, he won a second Emmy (1989) and also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical for his performance. 

Sources: 

Wikipedia

https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/richard-mulligan/bio/3000084794

https://kids.kiddle.co/Richard_Mulligan

https://www.cbsrmt.com/actor/48-mulligan-richard.html

https://goldenglobes.com/person/richard-mulligan/

https://goldengirls.fandom.com/wiki/Richard_Mulligan

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Genie on Hard Times with Parker Posey

via Funny or Die 

Celia Paul

Art Appreciation

Celia Paul’s work occupies a unique space between autobiography, presence, and the evolving definition of the female gaze. As both Karl Ove Knausgaard and Rachel Cusk explore in their respective writings, Paul’s paintings are deeply introspective, capturing those closest to her—her mother, siblings, and herself—often within the confines of her London flat. This space, serving as both home and studio, dissolves the distinction between artist and subject, reinforcing the quiet intensity of her work. 

Cusk highlights the way Paul’s paintings embody stillness, drawing the viewer into the internal world of her subjects. Meanwhile, Knausgaard describes the paradox of her art—weightless yet heavy, timeless yet deeply personal. Her subdued color palettes, sparse compositions, and emotionally charged depictions create an atmosphere of presence that lingers beyond the canvas, offering a meditation on identity, memory, and solitude.

Paul’s artistic evolution was shaped in part by her complex relationship with Lucian Freud. In her memoir Self-Portrait, she reflects on the vulnerability of being his model, culminating in Naked Girl With Egg, where she is depicted in a passive, objectified pose. Yet, Paul later reclaimed this moment in Ghost of a Girl with an Egg, a reinterpretation that shifts the power dynamic—transforming herself from subject to artist, from observed to observer. 

Knausgaard unpacks this reversal as Paul’s assertion of agency, challenging the traditional male gaze. Cusk, in contrast, situates Paul’s work within a broader discussion of the female gaze, contrasting her introspective, restrained approach with Cecily Brown’s bold, expressive energy. While Brown’s work is dynamic and full of movement, Paul’s remains quiet, reflective, and deeply personal. Both perspectives reveal Paul’s commitment to redefining the portrayal of women—not as passive subjects but as individuals engaged in self-examination and control over their own narratives.

Beyond her association with Freud, Paul’s artistic journey is marked by personal sacrifices in service of her craft. She has been unwavering in her commitment to solitude, even choosing to live apart from her husband and entrusting her son’s upbringing to her mother so she could fully dedicate herself to painting. 

Her memoir captures this tension between personal relationships and artistic devotion, illuminating the costs and rewards of a life immersed in art. Ultimately, Paul’s work and life reflect an ongoing negotiation between selfhood, intimacy, and the act of seeing—both as an artist and as a woman defining her own presence in a world historically shaped by male-dominated narratives.

Painter and Model, 2012

Reclining Painter, 2023

My Sisters in Mourning, 2015–16

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/magazine/women-art-celia-paul-cecily-brown.html

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/02/03/the-world-changing-gaze-of-celia-paul

https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/celia-paul-self-portrait-review/

https://www.trebuchet-magazine.com/new-celia-paul-works-at-victoria-miro-gallery/

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/oct/27/celia-paul-self-portrait-memoir-interview-lucian-freud

https://newrepublic.com/article/159729/celia-paul-self-portrait-book-review

Kyla Cole

Modeling Appreciation

I remember thumbing through Penthouse magazine back in March 2000 and pausing at the “Pet of the Month” spread with a model called Kyla Cole (born Martina Jacová in 1978). What drew my attention were her slim 5'7" frame and natural 36C bust — she looked striking, especially among the pages of other models. 

Kyla grew up in what is now eastern Slovakia (born November 10, 1978, in Ostrovany, Prešov region). Early in her life she studied fashion in high school, then moved to Prague. She began her modeling work around 1999, winning some pageants (including the Miss Monticello Raceway in New York) and moving into glamour and nude modeling.  After the Penthouse recognition, her career expanded quickly: she appeared on many adult and men’s magazine covers, worked with noted glamour-photographers and filmmakers, including Andrew Blake. 

She didn’t limit herself just to print and photos. From August 2003 to April 2004 she hosted a TV show called Láskanie on Slovakia’s Markíza channel. She also acted — for instance in Rumble Boy, filmed in the Philippines, where she played a lead female role.  Over time though, her visibility lessened; she seems to have stepped back from modeling and adult film work by about 2009. 

Off stage and page, Kyla is said to have a charismatic presence — some describe her as having natural beauty, confidence, a kind of charm that mixes glamour with approachability. She hasn’t been free of controversy: for example, there was a billboard advertising campaign for an instant coffee brand in Slovakia featuring her that was judged by the Slovak advertising council to breach norms of decency. 

On the positive side, she’s done charitable work: between 2004-2005 she supported an orphanage in Šarišské Michaľany, Slovakia, running drives of gifts and aid.  All told, she seems to have blended glamour modeling with enough personality and social consciousness to leave more than a superficial impression.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Kyla_Cole

https://glamorousgirls.net/digital-desire/flexible-and-hairy-babe-kyla-cole-in-solo/

https://www.sexy-models.net/k/kyla-cole/euro-babe-kyla-cole-as-sexy-magician.html

https://www.thenude.com/Kyla_Cole_232.htm

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/kyla-cole-5660.php

https://babesrater.com/infinite-scroll/11277/kyla-cole