The New CEO of Sofitel and MGallery Hotels Says Deliberate Hedonism Plus Mindful CSR Are What Todays Luxury Is Made Of – Travel + Leisure Southeast…

The Reimagined Lobby at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Thailand

FOR YEARS, there was one choice along Bangkoks buzzing Sukhumvit strip for those looking for a contemporary luxury homebase. Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit had it all: great location, French sophistication, a rooftop bar with all the views yet none of the faff, a verdant lazy-days photo-worthy pool, and the sumptuous rooms and suites wed come to rely on from this storied brand including the famous Sofitel MyBed.

Sensing that not just the hotel but also the neighborhood needed some exciting new life, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit underwent a massive renovation that maintained all the elements we always loved but supercharged them. Rooms and suites are brighter and softer, there are two exciting new restaurant and bar concepts off the stunningly soaring lobby upping the F&B game, and theres a new skybridge offering direct walking access to the BTS and the heart of the city. The hotel has reemerged as the neighborhood grande dame it used to be, version 2.0: an anchor, a hub and a nurturing cocoon. You might say the same about the Sofitel brand overall, these days. And for that, much credit is due to Maud Bailly, who took over as CEO of Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems brands worldwide in January 2023, just as Accor solidified a strategic reshuffle.

Quick primer for you hotel nerds: Accor is now divided into two empowered divisions supported by corporate functions and a shared platform. First, the Premium, Mid-scale & Economic Division, whose properties are organized by region. Second, the Luxury & Lifestyle Division, organized by brand, in which the former is represented by Orient Express, Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel/Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems, and the latter includes Ennismore.

Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems find themselves in the same umbrella under Bailly because, despite having different styles, they each offer guests collections of unique places to find luxury that incorporate local soul while affirming their French roots. We asked Bailly, featured on the cover of Forbes France this July as one of 40 influential women shaping France, to share her vision of the Sofitel and MGallery brands (which comprise 240 hotels in 58 countries), what exciting evolutions lie ahead for them in Asia (there are 10 properties in Thailand alone!), and some packing tips because we can never get enough travel advice from women always on the go.

Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia: Whats your interpretation of the Sofitel DNA? What was exciting about the brand when it launched 60 years ago? Why does it matter now? And where is it going?

Maud Bailly: Sofitel is the only French global brand, the second-largest brand in the luxury hospitality industry with 123 hotels, about 31,000 rooms, and 49 countries by the end of 2023. We have a large diversity of top locations, from urban historic centers like Sofitel Barcelona Skipper, to airport locations, to mind-blowing romantic resorts, and six gems of Sofitel Legend hotels like the one we opened this year Sofitel Casco Viejo in Panama.

In a luxury world with very similar codes,we believeSofitel brand can differentiate itselfby a specific positioning on quiet and committed luxury,reconciling quality and discretion, with a very recognizable signature: the French zest for life that is based on four brand markers that we are deploying across our entire network:

Pool at Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama

The Sofitel promise also stands in its logo, the symbol of cultural link: two interlocking rings, reflecting the encounter of the French and the local culture of each hotel. All Sofitel hotels embody this union of two cultures, proving that they are also, and maybe first, places meant for their local communities.

And finally, the last and the most important brand marker: Sofitel is meant to be heartful, it should lead the way in sustainable luxury, with a strong CSR commitment.

T+L SEA: What CSR activities are you most passionate about?

Maud Bailly:

1. Promoting diversity and inclusion

2. Giving back to local communities by strengthening local anchorage and solidarity

3. Fighting against food waste especially by leveraging AI

To change the perception of a sector that can sometimes be perceived as a predator we developed a demanding CSR roadmap. Our ambition is to demonstrate that our brands can be sustainable places and can have a positive impact on the local communities, that we can combine beauty, experience and eco-responsibility.

Our 7-pillar roadmap is:

Im convinced that the power of a brand, no matter how fascinating it is, is no longer enough. We decided to stand for a committed luxury, inclusive, diversity-promoting, luxury that gives back to our local communities and serves something bigger than ourselves.

It has to be rooted in a genuine purpose, a value system and a positive societal impact. For me, this is the most powerful lever of attraction and retention.

T+L SEA: Glad you brought up RiiSE. The hospitality industry has long been dominated by men, but more and more women are becoming luxury GMs and taking on other important leadership roles. How is Accor/Sofitel working on gender parity?

Maud Bailly: The group has been a pioneer on the diversity and inclusion subject, long before Rixain French law appeared in 2021. With 300,000 people working all around the world, diversity is obviously at the heart of our DNA. Diversity of cultures, backgrounds, educations, skills, jobsthere are 138 different kinds of jobs in hotels, where you can find up to 25 different nationalities, and this is a real gift. And we value diversity as an immense lever of collective intelligence, with strong KPIs to monitor it, notably through our RiiSE diversity network, with 20,000 members all around the world.

I am against quotas, but for quotas until we dont need them anymore. I believe the sum of individualities is greater than collective individualities.

When I started this new role on the first of January, we were counting 26% of women as general managers in our hotels; they are now 29.5% and we hope to reach 32% by the end of the year.

With RiiSE we are also fighting against all forms of violence and are very involved with several NGOs to help women victim of violence: finding them a place to stay with their children, conducting webinars with testimonies, and even training our teammates within Accor to detect early indicators of violence.

Finally, I am very involved in mentorship to help women both within and outside of Accor. I am trying to help every woman to embrace their sensitivity as a form of freedom and truth towards others. As Gustave Flaubert said, I am endowed with an absurd sensitivity; what scratches others tears me apart. Being a woman in this industry and more globally is finding the right balance between intellectual and emotional quotients, which is a combination for success.

T+L SEA: Wellness is huge right now. What new, interesting things are Sofitel and MGallery in Asia doing to meet guest needs in spa, health and wellbeing?

Maud Bailly: We are always listening to our guests, and studies have shown that 80% wish to focus on their wellbeing. Guests are now seeking more personalization, as well as a reconnection to oneself and others. Desires for nature intertwine with a strong attraction to new technologies, and, hence, to sustainable results. This is how our new holistic wellness concept The Purist Retreat & Spa was born. An innovative offering centered around four pillars of wellbeing: care, sleep, nutrition, and movement. It provides a means to live better, find balance, and establish new lifestyle habits.

The very first The Purist Retreat & Spa is opening its doors in December 2023 within the MGallery in Trouville, Normandy, in France, an ideal destination for its fresh air and seawater. Here, the offering is reinvented, modernized, and tailored to a guest seeking a holistic experience. The treatment menu has been enriched with exclusive novelties and complemented by a 360 wellness offering.

The Purist Retreat & Spa is intended to be deployed worldwide, in each case emphasizing the expert hands of our teams and strong CSR commitments. In our spaces, guests regain control of their health, learn to understand themselves (better), and take daily self-care.

Globally, all Sofitel hotels have a dedicated luxury spa. We are also dedicated to the Art of Sleep, from jet-lag kits, to our pioneering Sofitel MyBed, to sleep rituals.

Our MGallery hotels offer signature treatments and local know-how in the wellness space, using local products inspired by the destination and ancestral techniques (for example, the farm within the hotel serving all organic ingredients at the restaurant in Legacy Yen Tu, herbs from the garden used in the spa treatments, etc). And we highlight outdoor experiences, from sunrise in Sapa at Hotel de la Couple, to mountain hiking at Veranda Chiang Mai, to personal wellness gurus at V Villas Phuket.

T+L SEA: What innovations should we be looking out for in Sofitel and MGallery food and beverage in Asia?

Haute Croissanterie at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

Haute Croissanterie at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

Maud Bailly: The French zest in all our hotels starts at breakfast! Sofitel will soon introduce a project around the art of the croissanta century-old true symbol of the French breakfast around the world. From mastering the traditional pur beurre croissant to perfection following the French pastry guidelines, to creating a cultural link in styling the croissant, Sofitel Croissants will let the guests taste the essence of different places, celebrating the diversity of global cuisine where unique flavors come together, ultimately linking the French culture with other cultures around the world.

At MGallery we aim to turn our hotels into lively destination places for locals with one of the brand pillars being Memorable. Memorable stands for memorable moments, design and mixology. We are creating a signature cocktail to tell the story of each hotel, its creativity, savoir-faire and local anchorage.

T+L SEA: Whats your favorite destination in Asia-Pacific?

Maud Bailly: Vietnam.

T+L SEA: How often per month do you travel? And can we get your most important packing tips, please?

I am traveling three to six times a month! My life could be summarized this way: from checked bag to carry-on, I became a worldwide expert of under 100mlbeautyproducts.

Travel tips: drink a lot of water, no alcohol, sleep as much as you can each time you can, dont eat too much on a plane, take some high hydration masks, and never forget yourflightsocks!

T+L SEA: What did you want to be when you grew up?

Maud Bailly: A hand surgeon!

T+L SEA: Haha! Wed say were surprised but actually you came to this job from operations in a totally different industry. How does running the Paris Metro Montparnasse station equip you to run one of the worlds most prestigious luxury hotel brands?

Maud Bailly: A principle has always driven me: to fully embrace each experience, whether its spending six months on the field at SNCF learning to couple TGV carriages, overseeing missions for NGOs in inspection, envisioning tomorrows solutions within Manuel Vallss economic and digital cell at Matignon, or over the past six years at Accor, alongside my wonderful teams.

Throughout all my experiences, I have remained true to who I am, my values, my drive to build powerful teams through diversity, my desire to empower those around me, and my commitment to the cause of women.

The expectations of the new generations have evolved significantly in their approach to work, that is why we are very focused on the purposehow we are serving something bigger than ourselves. I am deeply involved in the transformation of the hotel industry to make it more environmentally friendly by eliminating plastic usage, making our buildings cleaner, thereby reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizing food waste.

I am always guided by Ren Chars quote: There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.

The general manager of Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Oliver Schnatz, introduces us to his newly spruced-up grande dame The renovation of the hotel did not only cover all of our 345 guest rooms and suites, but we also have a put a very strong focus on enhancing all the public spaces in the hotel. This includes the bridge that was built to connect the Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit directly with the Asok BTS station, the Sukhumvit MRT station, and Terminal 21 shopping mall.

When we conceptualized the new food and beverage outlets for the hotel one of the key objectives was to create venues that would appeal to the community as much as they would appeal to our in-house guest. Judging by the number of local residents we are now welcoming on a daily basis, it seems that we were able to achieve this and become a meeting spot for the community.

Our soul is in providing exceptional and personalized service.

There are indeed many new hotels coming into the market on a regular basis and with our renovated product we can definitely compete with them. But ultimately it is the service culture in a hotel that creates these memories that make you want to return. I truly believe that we have a very caring and passionate team and they are the ones creating the opportunities to set us apart from many other luxury hotels.

To find out more about the lovely new look and feel at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, read here.

Article Sponsored by Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit. Images courtesy of Sofitel, unless otherwise noted.

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The New CEO of Sofitel and MGallery Hotels Says Deliberate Hedonism Plus Mindful CSR Are What Todays Luxury Is Made Of - Travel + Leisure Southeast...

Our Resort | Hedonism II

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Our Resort | Hedonism II

What to Expect at Hedonism | Hedonism II

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Albany, Ny [ALB]Albuquerque, Nm [ABQ]Allentown, Pa [ABE]Amarillo, Tx [AMA]Anchorage, Ak [ANC]Appleton, Mn [AQP]Arcata, Ca [ACV]Asheville, Nc [AVL]Aspen, Co [ASE]Atlanta, Ga [ATL]Atlantic City, Nj [ACY]Austin, Tx [AUS]Baltimore, Md [BWI]Bangor, Me [BGR]Beaumont, Tx [BPT]Bethel, Ak [BET]Billings, Mt [BIL] Binghamton, Ny [BGM]Birmingham, Al [BHM]Bismarck, Nd [BIS]Bloomington, Il [BMI]Boise, Id [BOI]Boston, Ma [BOS]Brownsville, Tx [BRO]Brunswick, Ga [BQK]Buffalo, Ny [BUF]Burbank, Ca [BUR]Burlington, Vt [BTV]Calgary [YYC]Cedar Rapids, Ia [CID]Charleston, Sc [CHS]Charleston, Wv [CRW]Charlotte, Nc [CLT]Charlottesville, Va [CHO]Chicago (Midway), Il [MDW]Chicago (O'Hare), Il [ORD]Cincinnati, Oh [CVG]Cleveland, Oh [CLE]College Station, Tx [CLL]Colorado Springs, Co [COS]Columbia, Mo [COU]Columbia, Sc [CAE]Columbus, Oh [CMH]Cordova, Ak [CDV]Corpus Christi, Tx [CRP]Dallas Love Field, Tx [DAL]Dallas/Fort Worth, Tx [DFW]Dayton, Oh [DAY]Denver, Co [DEN]Des Moines, Ia [DSM]Detroit, Mi [DTW]Duluth, Mn [DLH]Durango, Co [DRO]Edmonton Intntl [YEG]Eastern Iowa, Ia [CID]El Paso, Tx [ELP]Erie, Pa [ERI]Eugene, Or [EUG]Eureka, Ca [EKA]Fairbanks, Ak [FAI]Fargo, Nd [FAR]Flint, Mi [FNT]Fresno, Ca [FAT]Ft. Lauderdale, Fl [FLL]Ft. Myers, Fl [RSW]Ft. Walton/Okaloosa [VPS]Ft. Wayne, In [FWA]Gainesville, Fl [GNV]Grand Forks, Nd [GFK]Grand Rapids, Mi [GRR]Great Falls, Mt [GTF]Green Bay, Wi [GRB]Greensboro, Nc [GSO]Greenville, Sc [GSP]Gulfport, Ms [GPT]Halifax Intntl [YHZ]Harlingen [HRL]Harrisburg, Pa [MDT]Hartford, Ct [BDL]Helena, Mt [HLN]Hilo, Hi [ITO]Hilton Head, Sc [HHH]Honolulu, Hi [HNL]Houston Hobby, Tx [HOU]Houston Busch, Tx [IAH]Huntington, Wv [HTS]Huntsville Intl, Al [HSV]Idaho Falls, Id [IDA]Indianapolis, In [IND]Islip, Ny [ISP]Ithaca, Ny [ITH]Jackson Hole, Wy [JAC]Jackson Int'L, Ms [JAN]Jacksonville, Fl [JAX]Juneau, Ak [JNU]Kahului, Hi [OGG]Kansas City, Mo [MCI]Kapalua, Hi [JHM]Kauai, Hi [LIH]Key West, Fl [EYW]Knoxville, Tn [TYS]Kona, Hi [KOA]Lanai, Hi [LNY]Lansing, Mi [LAN]Las Vegas, Nv [LAS]Lexington, Ky [LEX]Lincoln, Ne [LNK]Little Rock, Ar [LIT]Long Beach, Ca [LGB]Los Angeles, Ca [LAX]Louisville, Ky [SDF]Lubbock, Tx [LBB]Lynchburg, Va [LYH]Montreal Mirabel [YMX]Montreal Trudeau [YUL]Madison, Wi [MSN]Manchester, Nh [MHT]Maui, Hi [OGG]Mcallen, Tx [MFE]Medford, Or [MFR]Melbourne, Fl [MLB]Memphis, Tn [MEM]Miami, Fl [MIA]Midland/Odessa, Tx [MAF]Milwaukee, Wi [MKE]Minneapolis/St. Paul [MSP]Missoula, Mt [MSO]Mobile Regional, Al [MOB]Molokai, Hi [MKK]Monterey, Ca [MRY]Montgomery, Al [MGM]Myrtle Beach, Sc [MYR]Naples, Fl [APF]Nashville, Tn [BNA] New Braunfels, Tx [BAZ]New Orleans, La [MSY]New York Kennedy, Ny [JFK]New York Laguardia [LGA]Newark, Nj [EWR]Norfolk, Va [ORF]Ottawa Mcdonald [YOW]Oakland, Ca [OAK]Oklahoma City, Ok [OKC]Omaha, Ne [OMA]Ontario, Ca [ONT]Orange County, Ca [SNA]Orlando, Fl [MCO]Palm Springs, Ca [PSP]Panama City, Fl [PFN]Pensacola, Fl [PNS]Peoria, Il [PIA]Philadelphia, Pa [PHL]Phoenix, Az [PHX]Pittsburgh, Pa [PIT]Port Angeles, Wa [CLM]Portland Intl, Or [PDX]Portland, Me [PWM]Providence, Ri [PVD]Quebec Intntl [YQB]Raleigh/Durham, Nc [RDU]Rapid City, Sd [RAP]Redmond, Or [RDM]Reno, Nv [RNO]Richmond, Va [RIC]Roanoke, Va [ROA]Rochester, Ny [ROC]Rockford, Il [RFD]Sacramento, Ca [SMF]Saginaw, Mi [MBS]Salem, Or [SLE]Salt Lake City, Ut [SLC]San Antonio, Tx [SAT]San Diego, Ca [SAN]San Francisco, Ca [SFO]San Jose, Ca [SJC]Santa Barbara, Ca [SBA]Santa Rosa, Ca [STS]Sarasota/Bradenton [SRQ]Savannah, Ga [SAV]Seattle/Tacoma, Wa [SEA]Shreveport, La [SHV]Sioux City, Ia [SUX]Sioux Falls, Sd [FSD]Spokane, Wa [GEG]Springfield, Il [SPI]Springfield, Mo [SGF]St. Louis, Mo [STL]St. Petersburg, Fl [PIE]Syracuse, Ny [SYR]Toronto Pearson [YYZ]Tallahassee, Fl [TLH]Tampa, Fl [TPA]Traverse City, Mi [TVC]Tucson, Az [TUS]Tulsa, Ok [TUL]Vancouver Intntl [YVR]Victoria Intntl [YYJ]Winnipeg Intntl [YWG]Washington Natl, Dc [DCA]Washington/Dulles, Dc [IAD]Wenatchee, Wa [EAT]West Palm Beach, Fl [PBI]White Plains, Ny [HPN]Wichita, Ks [ICT]Wilkes-Barre/Scranton [AVP]

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What to Expect at Hedonism | Hedonism II

Hedonism | Philosophy & Definition | Britannica

hedonism, in ethics, a general term for all theories of conduct in which the criterion is pleasure of one kind or another. The word is derived from the Greek hedone (pleasure), from hedys (sweet or pleasant).

Hedonistic theories of conduct have been held from the earliest times. They have been regularly misrepresented by their critics because of a simple misconception, namely, the assumption that the pleasure upheld by the hedonist is necessarily purely physical in its origins. This assumption is in most cases a complete perversion of the truth. Practically all hedonists recognize the existence of pleasures derived from fame and reputation, from friendship and sympathy, from knowledge and art. Most have urged that physical pleasures are not only ephemeral in themselves but also involve, either as prior conditions or as consequences, such pains as to discount any greater intensity that they may have while they last.

The earliest and most extreme form of hedonism is that of the Cyrenaics as stated by Aristippus, who argued that the goal of a good life should be the sentient pleasure of the moment. Since, as Protagoras maintained, knowledge is solely of momentary sensations, it is useless to try to calculate future pleasures and to balance pains against them. The true art of life is to crowd as much enjoyment as possible into each moment.

No school has been more subject to the misconception noted above than the Epicurean. Epicureanism is completely different from Cyrenaicism. For Epicurus pleasure was indeed the supreme good, but his interpretation of this maxim was profoundly influenced by the Socratic doctrine of prudence and Aristotles conception of the best life. The true hedonist would aim at a life of enduring pleasure, but this would be obtainable only under the guidance of reason. Self-control in the choice and limitation of pleasures with a view to reducing pain to a minimum was indispensable. This view informed the Epicurean maxim Of all this, the beginning, and the greatest good, is prudence. This negative side of Epicureanism developed to such an extent that some members of the school found the ideal life rather in indifference to pain than in positive enjoyment.

In the late 18th century Jeremy Bentham revived hedonism both as a psychological and as a moral theory under the umbrella of utilitarianism. Individuals have no goal other than the greatest pleasure, thus each person ought to pursue the greatest pleasure. It would seem to follow that each person inevitably always does what he or she ought. Bentham sought the solution to this paradox on different occasions in two incompatible directions. Sometimes he says that the act which one does is the act which one thinks will give the most pleasure, whereas the act which one ought to do is the act which really will provide the most pleasure. In short, calculation is salvation, while sin is shortsightedness. Alternatively he suggests that the act which one does is that which will give one the most pleasure, whereas the act one ought to do is that which will give all those affected by it the most pleasure.

The psychological doctrine that a humans only aim is pleasure was effectively attacked by Joseph Butler. He pointed out that each desire has its own specific object and that pleasure comes as a welcome addition or bonus when the desire achieves its object. Hence the paradox that the best way to get pleasure is to forget it and to pursue wholeheartedly other objects. Butler, however, went too far in maintaining that pleasure cannot be pursued as an end. Normally, indeed, when one is hungry or curious or lonely, there is desire to eat, to know, or to have company. These are not desires for pleasure. One can also eat sweets when one is not hungry, for the sake of the pleasure that they give.

Moral hedonism has been attacked since Socrates, though moralists sometimes have gone to the extreme of holding that humans never have a duty to bring about pleasure. It may seem odd to say that a human has a duty to pursue pleasure, but the pleasures of others certainly seem to count among the factors relevant in making a moral decision. One particular criticism which may be added to those usually urged against hedonists is that whereas they claim to simplify ethical problems by introducing a single standard, namely pleasure, in fact they have a double standard. As Bentham said, Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. Hedonists tend to treat pleasure and pain as if they were, like heat and cold, degrees on a single scale, when they are really different in kind.

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Hedonism | Philosophy & Definition | Britannica

Hedonism – Ethics Unwrapped

Hedonism is the belief that pleasure, or the absence of pain, is the most important principle in determining the morality of a potential course of action. Pleasure can be things like sex, drugs, and rock n roll, but it can also include any intrinsically valuable experience like reading a good book.

Hedonism is a type of consequentialism, and it has several forms. For example, normative hedonism is the idea that pleasure should be peoples primary motivation. On the other hand, motivational hedonism says that only pleasure and pain cause people to do what they do.

Egotistical hedonism requires a person to consider only his or her own pleasure in making choices. Conversely, altruistic hedonism says that the creation of pleasure for all people is the best way to measure if an action is ethical.

Regardless of the type of hedonism, critics fault it as a guide for morality because hedonism ignores all other values, such as freedom or fairness, when evaluating right and wrong.

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Hedonism - Ethics Unwrapped

Best podcasts of the week: Explore the little-known story of Hitlers niece and more in Forbidden History – The Guardian

Picks of the week

Acting for Others Presents Widely available, episodes weeklySupporting charities that help theatre workers, this series pairs actors to have a good old chat. First up is the adorably theatrical Judi Dench and Olly Alexander, who charm each other as they veer from one thing to the next. You were just a little boy actor when I met you, Dench says, before talking about getting a tattoo at 81 and grilling him about his band Years & Years splitting up. Future pairings include Miriam Margolyes and Derek Jacobi. Hannah Verdier

Nailing ItSpotify, episodes weeklyWunmi Bello, Priscilla Anyabu and Adesayo Talabi are your new favourite unfiltered podcasters with their irresistible overheard-in-the-nail-salon style. Whether the trio are passing judgment on US TV host Nick Cannons non-monogamous ways or getting real about dating during the cost of living crisis, the trio are sharp, smart and unafraid to speak their truth. HV

Forbidden HistoryWidely available, episodes weeklyIn the case of this podcast, based on the TV series of the same name, forbidden is an understatement. The first episode, Hitlers Niece: Suicide Or Murder, is a murky affair that explores the life and death of Geli Raubal, who was found dead with a gunshot wound to her chest. The arguments for and against a cover-up continue. HV

SexiledWidely available, episodes weeklyA wedding dilemma looms large when two friends bunking in a hotel room together in Prague are torn apart by lust in this deliciously understated podcast drama. Newly single Ronan gets booted out of the room when his best friend, Sydney, hooks up but will a wander through the city with a playboy type he meets at the wedding bring him his own love story? HV

Comfort Eating With Grace DentWidely available, episodes weekly from 18 OctThe Guardians restaurant critic returns with her moreish podcast in which celebrities dish out admissions of their deepest, darkest secret food fixes. What do Malorie Blackman, Graham Norton and Adam Kay gorge on behind closed doors? Before we find out, Dawn OPorter is the first guest to reveal all. Hollie Richardson

This week, Hannah Verdier chooses five tales of rocknroll excess, from country scandals to women ageing adventurously

DisgracelandWe want our rock stars to be bad, says Jake Brennan, sounding like the lovechild of Elvis and Judge Judy as he dives into some legendary hellraising. When Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight arent the biggest troublemakers featured on a podcast, you know youre in for a salacious treat. From charting the hedonism of British stars such as The Sex Pistols and Oasis to asking if Jerry Lee Lewis got away with murder, no stone is unturned. More recent episodes on Britney Spears and Taylor Swift prove that even stars who try to keep away from scandal can be dragged into it by family and fans.

Cocaine and RhinestonesIf you want over-the-top tales, try Tyler Mahan Coes podcast on the history of country music, via moonshine, gun battles and drugs. Along with linchpins of the scene such as Bobbie Gentry and Loretta Lynn, Coe also features less widely known figures such as George No Show Jones, whose tale is forensically told, with his marriage to Tammy Wynette, problems with alcohol, and struggle with the pressure of fame all recalled. In fact, Jones has so much of a backstory, Coe takes a glorious 30 hours to tell it.

The Last BohemiansOne of the great things about this podcast is that it proves maverick women dont slowly turn into feeble cardi-wearers whove forgotten all about sex, lust and LSD. Theres so much to be learned from Kate Hutchinsons unapologetic lineup, who were happy to get involved in the same shenanigans as their male counterparts. The adventures of survivors such as PP Arnold are a joy to listen to. Did you and Jimi (Hendrix) ever write any songs together? asks Hutchinson. No. We just made a lotta love together, replies Arnold.

MogulMusic stars dont come more rocknroll than 2 Live Crew, the parent-scaring rap phenomenon of the 80s. It wasnt just their explicit lyrics that caused moral panic, as we discover when Brandon Jenkins takes a look at their origins in Miami and what sparked their notoriety. When a Florida judge decreed that the Crews lyrics were obscene, it led to member Luther Campbells arrest. However, in making hip-hop and faster and harder and nastier he also fought for freedom of speech, paving the way for many of todays artists.

The Line-Up with Shaun KeavenyOrdering brown rice and vegetables for a festival lunch might not seem like the punkest move, but, in Bobby Gillespies case, its the mark of a man whos survived his own pills and powder brand of hedonism. Keavenys podcast features a large library of stars talking about their fantasy festival line-ups, which inevitably include nods to wilder times. Another survivor is mild-mannered former hedonist Tim Burgess, who now prefers meditation and coffee, but hasnt forgotten the days when other bands would head for The Charlatanss dressing room because we had the best drugs and the most booze.

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Best podcasts of the week: Explore the little-known story of Hitlers niece and more in Forbidden History - The Guardian

Why Drew Barrymore Hasn’t Had an Intimate Relationship’ Since 2016 Breakup With Ex-Husband Will Kopelman – NECN

Drew Barrymoreis setting the record straight about her love life.

The talk show host opened up about her views on intimacy after shesaid shewas recently approached by a woman who accused her of hating sex.

"At nearly 48 I have very different feelings about intimacy than I did growing up," she wrote inan Oct. 16blog post. "I did not have role model parents and I engaged with people in grown up ways since a tender age! I was looking for companionship! Validation! Excitement! Pleasure! Hedonism! Fun! And adventures!!"

Barrymore who shares daughtersOlive, 10, andFrankie, 8, with ex-husbandWill Kopelmansaid that afterher2016divorce, she shifted her focus to her children and became more guarded.

"Now, because I can't get in the time machine and change my history, so I now choose to look at it through a positive lens, which is that I have lived! I lived a very rich, full life," she continued. "However, after two kids and aseparation from their fatherthat has made me cautious, I have had the pleasure of shifting my focus when it comes to love for myself and my two daughters."

PHOTOS: 20 Fascinating Facts About Drew Barrymore

As the"Charlie's Angels"actress, 47, noted, she has not "been able to have an intimate relationship" since becoming a single mom, however, she has been able to work on herself and "learn what parenting is."

"I'm also raising two daughters, so how we raise girls to be appropriate and empowered and to love themselves and to realize that we live in an age where the images and messages that they will see will also contradict what I have come to believe intimacy is!" Barrymore explained. "Intimacy is something that makes you feel good about yourself!I also talk about and have learned when something doesn't make you feel good or it makes you feel bad about yourself, pay as much attention to that as what makes you feel great because there's a lesson in there."

Barrymore who revealed last month on hereponymoustalk show thatshe can go years without sexconcluded her blog post by explaining that she does not "hate sex," but has come to the realization that "love and sex are simply not the same thing."

"I am lucky enough to have my cup runneth over in the love department," she shared. "I have my two daughters, and for the first time ever in my life, I'm actually including self-love, too."

Drew Barrymore talks about how she pulled off her iconic green screen interview with Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu.

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Why Drew Barrymore Hasn't Had an Intimate Relationship' Since 2016 Breakup With Ex-Husband Will Kopelman - NECN

The Cutthroat World of Atlanta Hip-Hop – The Atlantic

Nayvadius Wilburn, a 38-year-old Atlantan who performs under the name Future, is one of the great musicians of the 21st century. Future is often classified as a rapper, but he is really an all-purpose vocalist, a man who sings, chants, rasps, yelps, and growls, frequently through Auto-Tune. In Futures music, that vocal-processing software becomes less a melodic device than a textural one, blurring the boundaries between human and machine, embodiment and alienation. He makes songs about women, drugs, cars, gunsnot exactly groundbreaking subject matterbut much of his work is tinged with self-loathing and low-grade dread, reveling in hedonism and excess while warily staring down the existential emptiness of the morning after, if not the night itself. That Futures music does all of this and manages to be hugely successfulhis latest full-length release, I Never Liked You, was the eighth album of his career to top the Billboard chartsmakes him even more remarkable.

Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.

Futures music also showcases the current hallmarks of the southern-born, Atlanta-dominated subgenre of hip-hop known as trap, which now permeate nearly every corner of popular music: rattling digitized hi-hats; booming sub-bass; keyboards forging lush, woozily surreal harmonic backdrops and melodic lines. Auto-Tune itself is a tool thats been prevalent within hip-hop for about 15 years, key to the experimentations of Lil Wayne (New Orleans) and Kanye West (Chicago), and one that has been voraciously adopted by many Atlanta rappers besides Future. Its used, for example, in music as disparate as the spacey avant-gardism of Young Thug and the earworm Top 40 smashes of Lil Nas X.

Much of the hip-hop that has emerged from Atlanta in the past decade-plus has charted fresh directions for the genre. The musics essence is incantatory, rather than marked by the quasi-cinematic storytelling that largely defined rap of the 1980s and 90s. Atlanta trap typically feels more oriented toward song than speech, a notable swerve for a genre that was often characterized (and disparaged) in its early decades as spoken music. It also largely departs from using samples in favor of deploying immense libraries of keyboard sounds. These rappers function as curators of atmosphere more than as ornate wordsmiths, and the entrancing and elliptical musical effects have a way of stirring distinctive, and new, emotional responses. To use a word of our moment, Atlanta hip-hop is about vibes.

Joe Coscarellis Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story is an unusual distillation of this moment, one that Atlanta and its music continue to define. Coscarelli is a pop-music reporter for The New York Times, and his book reflects nearly a decade of reporting on the citys hip-hop scene. But its not really a history of Atlantas emergence as a hub of rap, and doesnt try to be one. Readers hoping for a beat-by-beat account of how the city became the epicenter of 21st-century hip-hoptracing the lineage from TLC and OutKast through Ludacris, Young Jeezy, T.I., and Gucci Mane, and culminating with Future and his contemporarieswill have to keep waiting.

Coscarelli follows several overlapping but contrasting stories in the citys musical universe as they unfold. The bulk of the book takes place from 2013 to 2020, and tracks six main charactersthree solo artists and one group, and two executives. In 2013, Kevin Lee, better known as Coach K, and Pierre Thomas, who goes by P, co-founded Quality Control Music, one of the most successful labels of the past decade. Two of the four performers are megastarsthe wildly successful and influential trio known as Migos, and Lil Baby, whose music often feels like a blockbuster amalgam of forebears such as Gucci Mane, Young Thug, and Future. The other two, a veteran street hustler named Marlo and a teenager named Lil Reek, are up-and-comers. Marlo is signed to Quality Control but is considered one of the labels most volatile prospects. Reek is pure dreamy ambition, a recent high-school graduate with an unspecified medical condition that affects his growth. Including the bubbled white soles of his designer sneakers, Reek wouldve needed his toes to top five feet, and a three-digit weight seemed like a stretch, Coscarelli writes. At eighteen, he looked closer to ten years old than twenty.

Read: Migos the pioneers

This music-biz story is about haves and have-nots, and the yawning chasm between the spoils of stardom and the devastations of foundering. Its also about the porous borders between the civilian world and the underworld, between legality and illegality: For all of these men, in very different ways, making it in music is intertwined with the lures of a street life that promises its own, even more precarious path to riches.

Lee and Thomas exemplify the divide. Lee grew up in Indianapolis, but fell in love with Atlanta and its growing hip-hop scene during an early-90s visit to Freaknik, an annual spring-break festival that had been created for students at Spelman and other nearby historically Black colleges and universities a decade earlier. He later relocated to Atlanta to pursue a career as a music manager, and in the early 2000s signed Jay Wayne Jenkins, soon known to the world as Young Jeezy. The association with the multiplatinum Jeezy, one of the artists most responsible for pulling Atlanta trap into the musical mainstream, launched Lees career. It was Jeezy who nicknamed him Coach K, a nod to Dukes legendary (and extremely un-hip-hop) basketball coach.

Thomass route to success is a gritty contrast to Lees more conventional rise. In his own telling, Thomas began selling crack cocaine at age 10, and ultimately became a millionaire by way of the streets. He used part of that wealth to build a recording studio, and around 2013 approached Lee, eager to establish himself in music and leave the drug game behind. Lee, who was looking to start a label of his own, recognized that Thomass street cred and financial means would be valuable assets, and Quality Control was born.

Even the most successful artists who appear in Rap Capital know the push and pull of desiring aboveboard success and gravitating toward dangerous opportunities. Lil Baby served time in a maximum-security prison on a drug charge prior to fully dedicating himself to music. When Migos first rocketed to fame, in 2013, one member of the group, Offset, was incarcerated for a probation violation stemming from a theft conviction.

Read: What incarcerated rappers can teach America

The journeys of these thriving Atlanta executives and musicians, like those of successful hip-hop artists who started out on the streets of poor Black neighborhoods in other cities, are compelling. As Jeezys great line from Thug Motivation 101 puts it, Im what the streets made me: a product of my environment / Took what the streets gave me: product in my environment. Still, they are essentially variations on the rags-to-riches yarns that have drawn people to show business for as long as that business has existed. Far more revelatoryand more representative, though rarely written aboutare odysseys like Marlos and Lil Reeks.

For both, music indeed beckons as a way out of bleak circumstances, but the two of them confront multiple and eventually insurmountable obstaclessome of their own making, others outside their control. Marlo, who is living a perilous but lucrative life as a drug dealer even as he pursues a rap career, faces the challenge of extricating himself from his underworld ties. That he is also openly addicted to Percocet, caught in the throes of the national opioid epidemic, which has ravaged Black Atlanta, only adds to his troubles. The connections between chronic self-medication and the traumas of racism and poverty that touched nearly everyone he knew, Coscarelli writes, were almost too obvious to remark upon at length. Marlo is haunted by something like commitment anxiety, an inabilityand at times an unwillingnessto give his art the attention it needs. Relentless focus and grueling work are essential (if not sufficient) for a shot at success in the ruthless popular-music world, the cutting edge of which has long been dominated by young, hungry, and obsessively myopic people, most of whom have also enjoyed some helping of sheer luck.

Lil Reek appears to be this sort of person, minus the luck; his struggles expose just how merciless the winnowing process is, and how readily circumstances can derail even a promising trajectory. Reek first rises to prominence via cameos in videos by more established rappers, such as Fetty Wap and Lil Baby, before releasing his own debut single, Rock Out, in 2018. Rock Out premieres on the popular WorldStarHipHop site and surpasses 1 million views. That is enough to attract major-label interest, and Reek soon signs a $350,000 deal with Republic Records.

From then on, almost nothing goes right. The deal is short-term, guaranteeing Reek a single Republic release and providing the label with an option to extend the deal based on how that release performs. Reeks single Door Swing receives minimal promotion (the contract evidently included nothing more than that), and he and Republic part ways. The $350,000 doesnt end up going very far in the hands of a teenager trying to help support his family while also spending in the fake it til you make it mode endemic to aspiring music stars. Soon the money is gone, and hes facing added responsibilities, among them caring for his younger brother and sister, whom Reek refers to as my kids.

Given that so much writing about influential pop music is, by definition, a winners history, Reeks experience is especially instructive. Because his lone hit was released when he was a high schooler, he doesnt have much of a local following to fall back on. In Atlanta, the distinctive physical venue for hip-hop isnt the hallowed park jam or freestyle cypher of old, or even a traditional concert. Instead, its strip clubs: Records that will become some of the biggest hits in the country are quality-tested at locations like Onyx and the legendary Magic City, the latter of which Coscarelli describes as Atlantas Disneyland of ass. But to get spins at such places, you need backers and connections, a network Reek mostly lacks. That means relying on the whims of the web and social media, where Reek can only hope lightning strikes twice.

To read Rap Capital as Marlo and Reek veer downward is to have a sense of entering uncharted territory. More than once I felt the effects of the glaring power imbalance between the well-regarded, white New York Times reporter and the ever more desperate Marlo and Lil Reek, for whom a journalists attention offers hope but also means exposure of a painful sort; readers may find aspects of this dynamic uncomfortable. Yet Coscarelli brings empathetic detail to his coverage of those who continue to struggle, not just winners; hes alert to a deeply entrenched pattern of young, frequently poor, overwhelmingly Black musicians being taken advantage of by an industry that has long seen those artists solely as fonts of talent and revenue, only to promptly turn away when one or both appear to run dry.

Rap Capital offers a look at a music world in a time of uncertainty, taking vivid note of new avenues for old forms of exploitation. In the nearly quarter century since the MP3 and Napster cratered the record industry, the music business has again found its way to steady growth, with the rise of streaming and an expansive landscape of digital-media platforms through which to sell its star artists.

As a vibrant and remarkably fertile musical breeding ground, Atlanta has played an outsize role in this turnaround. The citys sprawlits disorienting geographical distinctions and fuzzy bordersis mirrored in its music scene, which has proved conducive to a thriving contemporary recording industry. Artists are fiercely connected to their own blocks and neighborhoods, but musical collaboration often occurs in the ether, via hard drives, cloud servers, and email attachments. The untethered portability of the process enables output that can be astonishingly prolific: At various points in their career, the Migos trioas well as Gucci Mane, Young Thug, Future, and other Atlanta luminarieshas been renowned for releasing music at a relentless pace. In the streaming era, a red-hot artist embracing this fire-hose model of production can promise untold hours worth of plays on Spotify or Apple Music.

And yet this approach has also fit snugly into the extreme What have you done for me lately? logic of the pop-music business, a logic that devalues artists and their art alike, as Lil Reeks experience dramatizes. In an earlier era, a $350,000 deal might have indicated an actual investment, been a sign of belief in a young artists talent; now its a mere bet, and a feckless one. For Republic, which is owned by Universal Music Group, such a sum is nothing. When Door Swing failed to match the popularity of Reeks previous singleone made without the assistance of any labelhe was once again out in the cold. To the label, which had offered him nothing in the way of artistic development, he would only ever be a rounding error, Coscarelli writes. For Reek, the backing was everything, until it wasnt, and he found himself on his own again.

By the end of Rap Capital, its clear that the winners arent insulated from the churn either. In 2020, Migos sued their attorney, who also happened to represent their label, Quality Control, claiming that he had cheated them out of millions by manipulating the trio into signing a predatory contract. The same cloud-based world that makes prodigious creativity possible also begets murky arrangements between labels and streaming platforms, leaving even top musicians feeling bitter about the deals theyve struck. From a certain angle, Rap Capital tells a story thats a lot older than rap, and maybe as old as capital.

Its worth noting that the suit, which was ultimately settled out of court, was filed when Migoss voluminous output had slowed and their music had dipped in popularity, and when the coronavirus pandemic had shut down live performances for the foreseeable futureboth reminders that, as Marlo and Lil Reek learned the much harder way, an unforgivingly rapacious recording industry is only part of the picture. The music business can be fickle and unfair, but so is the world.

This article appears in the November 2022 print edition with the headline The Trap.

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The Cutthroat World of Atlanta Hip-Hop - The Atlantic

From dandies to cruising, Art Basel talks probe life in Paris today – Financial Times

Outside, traffic speeds by, the 21st century is in full swing, but within this Montparnasse brasserie the talk is of dandies, decadence and nocturnal trawling in search of sex: another normal day for curators Pierre-Alexandre Mateos and Charles Teyssou.

The pair have been picked by Art Basel to run the conversations programme at its new fair, Paris+, which opens next week, and their proposal defied the often anodyne themes of such events, with talks on matters such as curating dangerous collections; raving, hedonism and protest; and Pan-Africanism in countercultures.

One talk is particularly close to their hearts, centred around the legacy of the dandy, that elusive, glamorous, slightly sulphurous figure who has been an important part of their curatorial work. The dandy first emerged in Paris and London of the 1790s as a vain character who paid more attention to his clothes than to politics or culture.

But he (and it was most often a he) fascinates the pair not because of his sartorial inclinations but because he is a master of self-creation, says Mateos: The dandy is a celebration of imagination and a certain sense of theatricality. You can come from a working-class background and invent something completely different with your look. [They have] the capacity to reinvent, to create an avatar...to invent your own category.

They are bringing the dandy to Paris+ because they see a strong strand of dandyism in artists, who are always reinventing themselves against bourgeois society. But the dandy of 2022 can be of any gender, race or culture, as long as theyre defying societys binaries and received wisdom. One of todays foremost dandies, the black American playwright Jeremy O Harris, is due to appear in the Paris+ talk.

While we might once have considered the dandy work-shy, their soft hands unsullied by labour, this same quality makes them distinctly modern figures in a productivity-obsessed society, says Mateos. A dandy is revolutionary his pose is a kind of passivity in a world which is always pushing you to produce produce produce. Beau Brummell: anti-capitalist.

But this passivity the dandy is someone who doesnt transform his thought into opinions, transform his thought into statement, says Teyssou is dangerous: disengagement from society leaves the field to radicals. (It can also tend to a fatal black romanticism, says Mateos.) Its here we might distinguish the dandy and the artist, since artists are perpetually productive and always reifying their thoughts.

Leaving behind the distant, dissolute dandy, a second figure of fascination for Mateos and Teyssou appears in another Paris+ talk: the man cruising for sex. This might seem an unlikely topic for an art fair, but the pair want to look at how art and desire both powerful creative drives intersect and can even be indistinguishable. There are many examples of art and cruising crossing paths: take Manhattans desolate piers in the late 1970s, which people visited to seek sex, make art or both (like David Wojnarowicz).

Cruising also has its own aesthetic effect, they argue: it changes the way we understand our cities and allows us to see familiar spaces in Paris, the Tuileries garden is known as a cruising spot in a new light. City-centre monuments become poetic utopian cruising sites, says Teyssou, uniting people from different backgrounds with a common aim. Cruising itself, says Mateos, has this capacity to re-enchant, to make luminous and magical and to reinject a sense of desire into what seems hollow, dead.

The Paris of both dandies and hook-up spots is certainly enjoying its moment in the artistic spotlight, with large foundations and institutions opening in recent years (Fondation Louis Vuitton, Bourse de Commerce) and galleries arriving from abroad, such as Chicagos Mariane Ibrahim. So is Paris changing from the city which nurtured an ad nauseam obsession with its own reflection, as the duo have written, into something more open, outward and diverse?

Mateos agrees, ascribing the belated evolution of local countercultures to the blooming of Paris [thanks to] art and other [creative] industries. Pariss music scene is very vivid right now too, because its west African roots and communities are growing in prominence and confidence. But Teyssou thinks there is more to it than the culture industry: There is also a part which is a bit mythological you never know quite why its happened. There is this kind of feeling that Paris is at the centre again and everyone wants to rush in, but nobody knows why.

The Paris+ talks programme runs October 20-22, parisplus.artbasel.com

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From dandies to cruising, Art Basel talks probe life in Paris today - Financial Times

Destiny lore enthusiasts invited to weigh in on forthcoming books – PCGamesN

Even though Volume V of the DestinyGrimoire Anthology series wont be available until March 14, the Bungie Store team is already thinking about what aspects of the space games lore to cover next. In a recent tweet, the team invited the most dedicated Destiny lore enthusiasts to weigh in on what they want to see in a future instalment of the book series.

Calling all Destiny 2 Chroniclers! Bungie Stores tweet from October 14 reads. What lore would you like to see featured in a future volume of the Destiny 2 Grimoire Anthology? Wed love to hear from you!

Destiny 2 lore enthusiasts immediately responded to the call. Some common responses included pleas for more information about mad scientist Clovis Bray, the history of the Tower, and the story of the Nine.

However, some responses referred to esoteric but interesting lore aspects that could be worthy of deeper exploration. For example, one person suggested a finale to the story of Taox, the only survivor of a Hive onslaught who was sought by Xivu Arath, Savathn, and Oryx, whose fate is unknown.

Destinys lore books are a definitive source of lore information. Previous instalments of the Destiny Grimoire Anthology have covered the dark moments in the Destiny universe, humanitys collapse, artificial sentience, and the monarchs of the Destiny universe. Since the first one was released in 2018, Destiny 2 lore buffs now look forward to annual instalments.

The company takes great pains to ensure all lore materials are accurate, though some mistakes have arisen in the past. However, the company employs a Destiny historian to help catalogue and keep track of the games thousands of components, ranging from the collapse of humanity on Earth through complex storylines involving The Nine, The Witness, and much more.

As the next instalment in the book series will release in the weeks after the launch of the games Lightfall expansion, its likely to contain at least some tie-in with the games content. Bungies Lightfall reveal introduced players to the new Shadow Cabal, so the book could provide some additional insight into how that group spun off into a separate faction.

The forthcoming book is titled Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume V: Legions Adrift.

Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume V: Legions Adrift is a curated look at the history of one of humanitys greatest enemies, and now perhaps, potential allies: the Cabal. These stories follow an ancient empire through a time of great change from the hedonism of Emperor Calus to the ambition of Dominus Ghaul to the vision of Empress Caiatl, the description reads. What does it mean to be Cabal to eat the mountains and drink the seas? And with their homeworld lost, what will the Cabal become?

Leading up to the launch of Lightfall and the forthcoming book release, players may want a refresher on stories from the original Destiny, such as the story of Oryx. The games recent raid is a remake of the original one from Destiny, and our Kings Fall raid guide has everything you need to complete it. You can also check out our guides covering the best Warlock builds in Arc 3.0, the best Hunter builds, and the best Titan builds to develop a solid character to help move you through the raid.

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Destiny lore enthusiasts invited to weigh in on forthcoming books - PCGamesN

Adult Vacations, Negril, Jamaica | Hedonism II

Departure City

Albany, Ny [ALB]Albuquerque, Nm [ABQ]Allentown, Pa [ABE]Amarillo, Tx [AMA]Anchorage, Ak [ANC]Appleton, Mn [AQP]Arcata, Ca [ACV]Asheville, Nc [AVL]Aspen, Co [ASE]Atlanta, Ga [ATL]Atlantic City, Nj [ACY]Austin, Tx [AUS]Baltimore, Md [BWI]Bangor, Me [BGR]Beaumont, Tx [BPT]Bethel, Ak [BET]Billings, Mt [BIL]Binghamton, Ny [BGM]Birmingham, Al [BHM]Bismarck, Nd [BIS]Bloomington, Il [BMI]Boise, Id [BOI]Boston, Ma [BOS]Brownsville, Tx [BRO]Brunswick, Ga [BQK]Buffalo, Ny [BUF]Burbank, Ca [BUR]Burlington, Vt [BTV]Calgary [YYC]Cedar Rapids, Ia [CID]Charleston, Sc [CHS]Charleston, Wv [CRW]Charlotte, Nc [CLT]Charlottesville, Va [CHO]Chicago (Midway), Il [MDW]Chicago (O'Hare), Il [ORD]Cincinnati, Oh [CVG]Cleveland, Oh [CLE]College Station, Tx [CLL]Colorado Springs, Co [COS]Columbia, Mo [COU]Columbia, Sc [CAE]Columbus, Oh [CMH]Cordova, Ak [CDV]Corpus Christi, Tx [CRP]Dallas Love Field, Tx [DAL]Dallas/Fort Worth, Tx [DFW]Dayton, Oh [DAY]Denver, Co [DEN]Des Moines, Ia [DSM]Detroit, Mi [DTW]Duluth, Mn [DLH]Durango, Co [DRO]Edmonton Intntl [YEG]Eastern Iowa, Ia [CID]El Paso, Tx [ELP]Erie, Pa [ERI]Eugene, Or [EUG]Eureka, Ca [EKA]Fairbanks, Ak [FAI]Fargo, Nd [FAR]Flint, Mi [FNT]Fresno, Ca [FAT]Ft. Lauderdale, Fl [FLL]Ft. Myers, Fl [RSW]Ft. Walton/Okaloosa [VPS]Ft. Wayne, In [FWA]Gainesville, Fl [GNV]Grand Forks, Nd [GFK] Grand Rapids, Mi [GRR]Great Falls, Mt [GTF]Green Bay, Wi [GRB]Greensboro, Nc [GSO]Greenville, Sc [GSP]Gulfport, Ms [GPT]Halifax Intntl [YHZ]Harlingen [HRL]Harrisburg, Pa [MDT]Hartford, Ct [BDL]Helena, Mt [HLN]Hilo, Hi [ITO]Hilton Head, Sc [HHH]Honolulu, Hi [HNL]Houston Hobby, Tx [HOU]Houston Busch, Tx [IAH]Huntington, Wv [HTS]Huntsville Intl, Al [HSV]Idaho Falls, Id [IDA]Indianapolis, In [IND]Islip, Ny [ISP]Ithaca, Ny [ITH]Jackson Hole, Wy [JAC]Jackson Int'L, Ms [JAN]Jacksonville, Fl [JAX]Juneau, Ak [JNU]Kahului, Hi [OGG]Kansas City, Mo [MCI]Kapalua, Hi [JHM]Kauai, Hi [LIH]Key West, Fl [EYW]Knoxville, Tn [TYS]Kona, Hi [KOA]Lanai, Hi [LNY]Lansing, Mi [LAN]Las Vegas, Nv [LAS]Lexington, Ky [LEX]Lincoln, Ne [LNK]Little Rock, Ar [LIT] Long Beach, Ca [LGB]Los Angeles, Ca [LAX]Louisville, Ky [SDF]Lubbock, Tx [LBB]Lynchburg, Va [LYH]Montreal Mirabel [YMX]Montreal Trudeau [YUL]Madison, Wi [MSN]Manchester, Nh [MHT]Maui, Hi [OGG]Mcallen, Tx [MFE]Medford, Or [MFR]Melbourne, Fl [MLB]Memphis, Tn [MEM]Miami, Fl [MIA]Midland/Odessa, Tx [MAF]Milwaukee, Wi [MKE]Minneapolis/St. Paul [MSP]Missoula, Mt [MSO]Mobile Regional, Al [MOB]Molokai, Hi [MKK]Monterey, Ca [MRY]Montgomery, Al [MGM]Myrtle Beach, Sc [MYR]Naples, Fl [APF]Nashville, Tn [BNA]New Braunfels, Tx [BAZ]New Orleans, La [MSY]New York Kennedy, Ny [JFK]New York Laguardia [LGA]Newark, Nj [EWR]Norfolk, Va [ORF]Ottawa Mcdonald [YOW]Oakland, Ca [OAK]Oklahoma City, Ok [OKC]Omaha, Ne [OMA]Ontario, Ca [ONT]Orange County, Ca [SNA]Orlando, Fl [MCO] Palm Springs, Ca [PSP]Panama City, Fl [PFN]Pensacola, Fl [PNS]Peoria, Il [PIA]Philadelphia, Pa [PHL]Phoenix, Az [PHX]Pittsburgh, Pa [PIT]Port Angeles, Wa [CLM]Portland Intl, Or [PDX]Portland, Me [PWM]Providence, Ri [PVD]Quebec Intntl [YQB]Raleigh/Durham, Nc [RDU]Rapid City, Sd [RAP]Redmond, Or [RDM]Reno, Nv [RNO]Richmond, Va [RIC]Roanoke, Va [ROA]Rochester, Ny [ROC]Rockford, Il [RFD]Sacramento, Ca [SMF]Saginaw, Mi [MBS]Salem, Or [SLE]Salt Lake City, Ut [SLC]San Antonio, Tx [SAT]San Diego, Ca [SAN]San Francisco, Ca [SFO]San Jose, Ca [SJC]Santa Barbara, Ca [SBA]Santa Rosa, Ca [STS]Sarasota/Bradenton [SRQ]Savannah, Ga [SAV]Seattle/Tacoma, Wa [SEA]Shreveport, La [SHV]Sioux City, Ia [SUX]Sioux Falls, Sd [FSD]Spokane, Wa [GEG]Springfield, Il [SPI]Springfield, Mo [SGF]St. Louis, Mo [STL]St. Petersburg, Fl [PIE]Syracuse, Ny [SYR]Toronto Pearson [YYZ]Tallahassee, Fl [TLH]Tampa, Fl [TPA]Traverse City, Mi [TVC]Tucson, Az [TUS]Tulsa, Ok [TUL]Vancouver Intntl [YVR]Victoria Intntl [YYJ]Winnipeg Intntl [YWG]Washington Natl, Dc [DCA]Washington/Dulles, Dc [IAD]Wenatchee, Wa [EAT]West Palm Beach, Fl [PBI]White Plains, Ny [HPN]Wichita, Ks [ICT]Wilkes-Barre/Scranton [AVP]

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Adult Vacations, Negril, Jamaica | Hedonism II

Photo Gallery – Hedonism II

Departure City

Albany, Ny [ALB]Albuquerque, Nm [ABQ]Allentown, Pa [ABE]Amarillo, Tx [AMA]Anchorage, Ak [ANC]Appleton, Mn [AQP]Arcata, Ca [ACV]Asheville, Nc [AVL]Aspen, Co [ASE]Atlanta, Ga [ATL]Atlantic City, Nj [ACY]Austin, Tx [AUS]Baltimore, Md [BWI]Bangor, Me [BGR]Beaumont, Tx [BPT]Bethel, Ak [BET]Billings, Mt [BIL]Binghamton, Ny [BGM]Birmingham, Al [BHM]Bismarck, Nd [BIS]Bloomington, Il [BMI]Boise, Id [BOI]Boston, Ma [BOS]Brownsville, Tx [BRO]Brunswick, Ga [BQK]Buffalo, Ny [BUF]Burbank, Ca [BUR]Burlington, Vt [BTV]Calgary [YYC]Cedar Rapids, Ia [CID]Charleston, Sc [CHS]Charleston, Wv [CRW]Charlotte, Nc [CLT]Charlottesville, Va [CHO]Chicago (Midway), Il [MDW]Chicago (O'Hare), Il [ORD]Cincinnati, Oh [CVG]Cleveland, Oh [CLE]College Station, Tx [CLL]Colorado Springs, Co [COS]Columbia, Mo [COU]Columbia, Sc [CAE]Columbus, Oh [CMH]Cordova, Ak [CDV]Corpus Christi, Tx [CRP]Dallas Love Field, Tx [DAL]Dallas/Fort Worth, Tx [DFW]Dayton, Oh [DAY]Denver, Co [DEN]Des Moines, Ia [DSM]Detroit, Mi [DTW]Duluth, Mn [DLH]Durango, Co [DRO]Edmonton Intntl [YEG]Eastern Iowa, Ia [CID]El Paso, Tx [ELP]Erie, Pa [ERI]Eugene, Or [EUG] Eureka, Ca [EKA]Fairbanks, Ak [FAI]Fargo, Nd [FAR]Flint, Mi [FNT]Fresno, Ca [FAT]Ft. Lauderdale, Fl [FLL]Ft. Myers, Fl [RSW]Ft. Walton/Okaloosa [VPS]Ft. Wayne, In [FWA]Gainesville, Fl [GNV]Grand Forks, Nd [GFK]Grand Rapids, Mi [GRR]Great Falls, Mt [GTF]Green Bay, Wi [GRB]Greensboro, Nc [GSO]Greenville, Sc [GSP]Gulfport, Ms [GPT]Halifax Intntl [YHZ]Harlingen [HRL]Harrisburg, Pa [MDT]Hartford, Ct [BDL]Helena, Mt [HLN]Hilo, Hi [ITO]Hilton Head, Sc [HHH]Honolulu, Hi [HNL]Houston Hobby, Tx [HOU]Houston Busch, Tx [IAH]Huntington, Wv [HTS]Huntsville Intl, Al [HSV]Idaho Falls, Id [IDA]Indianapolis, In [IND]Islip, Ny [ISP]Ithaca, Ny [ITH]Jackson Hole, Wy [JAC]Jackson Int'L, Ms [JAN]Jacksonville, Fl [JAX]Juneau, Ak [JNU]Kahului, Hi [OGG]Kansas City, Mo [MCI] Kapalua, Hi [JHM]Kauai, Hi [LIH]Key West, Fl [EYW]Knoxville, Tn [TYS]Kona, Hi [KOA]Lanai, Hi [LNY]Lansing, Mi [LAN]Las Vegas, Nv [LAS]Lexington, Ky [LEX]Lincoln, Ne [LNK]Little Rock, Ar [LIT]Long Beach, Ca [LGB]Los Angeles, Ca [LAX]Louisville, Ky [SDF]Lubbock, Tx [LBB]Lynchburg, Va [LYH]Montreal Mirabel [YMX]Montreal Trudeau [YUL]Madison, Wi [MSN]Manchester, Nh [MHT]Maui, Hi [OGG]Mcallen, Tx [MFE]Medford, Or [MFR]Melbourne, Fl [MLB]Memphis, Tn [MEM]Miami, Fl [MIA]Midland/Odessa, Tx [MAF]Milwaukee, Wi [MKE]Minneapolis/St. Paul [MSP]Missoula, Mt [MSO]Mobile Regional, Al [MOB]Molokai, Hi [MKK]Monterey, Ca [MRY]Montgomery, Al [MGM]Myrtle Beach, Sc [MYR]Naples, Fl [APF]Nashville, Tn [BNA]New Braunfels, Tx [BAZ]New Orleans, La [MSY] New York Kennedy, Ny [JFK]New York Laguardia [LGA]Newark, Nj [EWR]Norfolk, Va [ORF]Ottawa Mcdonald [YOW]Oakland, Ca [OAK]Oklahoma City, Ok [OKC]Omaha, Ne [OMA]Ontario, Ca [ONT]Orange County, Ca [SNA]Orlando, Fl [MCO]Palm Springs, Ca [PSP]Panama City, Fl [PFN]Pensacola, Fl [PNS]Peoria, Il [PIA]Philadelphia, Pa [PHL]Phoenix, Az [PHX]Pittsburgh, Pa [PIT]Port Angeles, Wa [CLM]Portland Intl, Or [PDX]Portland, Me [PWM]Providence, Ri [PVD]Quebec Intntl [YQB]Raleigh/Durham, Nc [RDU]Rapid City, Sd [RAP]Redmond, Or [RDM]Reno, Nv [RNO]Richmond, Va [RIC]Roanoke, Va [ROA]Rochester, Ny [ROC]Rockford, Il [RFD]Sacramento, Ca [SMF]Saginaw, Mi [MBS]Salem, Or [SLE]Salt Lake City, Ut [SLC]San Antonio, Tx [SAT]San Diego, Ca [SAN]San Francisco, Ca [SFO]San Jose, Ca [SJC] Santa Barbara, Ca [SBA]Santa Rosa, Ca [STS]Sarasota/Bradenton [SRQ]Savannah, Ga [SAV]Seattle/Tacoma, Wa [SEA]Shreveport, La [SHV]Sioux City, Ia [SUX]Sioux Falls, Sd [FSD]Spokane, Wa [GEG]Springfield, Il [SPI]Springfield, Mo [SGF]St. Louis, Mo [STL]St. Petersburg, Fl [PIE]Syracuse, Ny [SYR]Toronto Pearson [YYZ]Tallahassee, Fl [TLH]Tampa, Fl [TPA]Traverse City, Mi [TVC]Tucson, Az [TUS]Tulsa, Ok [TUL]Vancouver Intntl [YVR]Victoria Intntl [YYJ]Winnipeg Intntl [YWG]Washington Natl, Dc [DCA]Washington/Dulles, Dc [IAD]Wenatchee, Wa [EAT]West Palm Beach, Fl [PBI]White Plains, Ny [HPN]Wichita, Ks [ICT]Wilkes-Barre/Scranton [AVP]

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Photo Gallery - Hedonism II

Tanqua Kuru is harsh gravel bike hedonism in the Tankwa – News24

The Sling aircraft and bike crew, doing a flyby, at Tankwa international. (Photo: @retroyspective)

South Africas longest dirt road is the R355. And it routesfrom Ceres to Calvinia. Very much through the splendid desolation of the TankwaKaroo.

Its a destination for travellers and revellers. Popularwith weekend off-road motorcyclists and those who want to recharge, in asetting that provides a crushing abundance of silence. Afrika Burn is the eventmost associated with Tankwa.

Open terrain, negligible vehicular traffic and a treasure ofdirt paths. This area has the making of an exceptional gravel bike venue. Andthats why the nearly eponymous Tanqua Kuru gravel bike event, came into beinglast year.

The addition of a mountain bike category, has seen more riders give the Tanqua Kuru a go. (Photo: @retroyspective)

Ride24

The second edition saw a slight change in equipmentrequirements with mountain bikes being allowed. This opened the opportunityfor riders who might have the fitness, but lack the hand, wrist and forearmrobustness, to ride corrugated gravel roads on a rigid bike.

In total, 125 riders completed the Tanqua Kuru take two. Theroute split into 170km over two days.

Although the total distance might not sound particularlychallenging, the Tanqua Kurus riding statistics proved deceiving.

Theres nowhere to hide in the Tankwa. If a headwind commences, you simply need to grind through it. (Photo: @retroyspective)

Ride24

The Tankwa Karoo is harsh. This is an unforgivingenvironment with raw dirt trails. And very few free miles. Even on flattersections of the route, surface changes were draining.

Anyone familiar with the deep Karoo will know how agonisingit can be to cycle across harsh corrugations. And the Tankwa Karoo does not lackfor severely corrugated road surfaces.

And then theres the sand, which immediately saps energyreserves. But nothing is quite as testing as a Tankwa Karoo wind. Riders at theTanqua Kuru had to contend with strong wind during the event.

Most think the Tankwa is all about gravel riding. But there is rocky terrain through the river crossings. (Photo: @retroyspective)

Ride24

Gravel bikes have evolved apace as more people embrace thislightweight all-terrain riding category. And the most significant upgradegravel bikes have benefitted from are larger tyres.

Many gravel bikes are now running tyre widths and volumesthat would have been appropriate for cross-country mountain biking in the late2000s.

Larger tyres, with more air volume, allow much better bumpabsorption. And at an event like the Tanqua Kuru, where corrugations and bumpydirt roads are a given, riders on wider tyres, suffered much less hand, arm andshoulder fatigue.

An image to convey the scale, of the Tankwa. Rider is bottom right. (Photo: @retroyspective)

Ride24

Tanqua Kuru organiser, Jeremy Crowder, respects theenvironment. "Riders often underestimate the harshness of the Tankwa Karoo,while there is almost no climbing, there are no free miles, it caught manyriders off guard."

Rebecca van Huyssteen bested last years winner, TeganPhillips, in the womens race. Renate Bossi completed the podium.

The mens race saw a win for Julian Robinet, followed byPieter Calitz and Schalk Blom.

The Tanqua Kuru does not believe in conventional refreshment points. Only proper Karoo riding fuel is provided. (Photo: @retroyspective)

Ride24

For most Tanqua Kuru riders, the event was a confluence ofcycling and creativity. Being in one of the worlds most paradoxically harshbut inspiring environments.

The riding might be a challenge, but the living is not.Tanqua Kuru attendees had access to hot jacuzzies, ice-cold beers and excellentlocal cuisine.

Comfort and convenience tallied crispy white linen, duvets,lights, charging points, electric blankets, flushing loos and proper showers.Entries for the 2023 Tanqua Kuru open in November.

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Tanqua Kuru is harsh gravel bike hedonism in the Tankwa - News24

Examining the complicated mixture that was John Wall and the Houston Rockets – SportsMap Houston

We know what hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure and sensual self-indulgence. Hedonists care only about their personal happiness, physical gratification and living the fine life.

Hedonism II, for example, is the notorious clothing-optional resort in Jamaica where, according to the brochure, one of the greatest pleasures of life in indulging in our most hedonistic desires. Here theres never too much of a good thing. People live out their fantasies and escape their inhibitions. From that extra slice of decadent chocolate cake or a lobster tail smothered in lemon butter, an extra shot of 12-year-old rum in your punch to a sensual midnight tryst in the pool.

You had me at chocolate cake, but I think Ill pass on getting into that pool. Also, Im a clothing-mandatory guy. Youll thank me later.

On the opposite end of hedonism is a psychological condition called Anhedonia. Someone who suffers from Anhedonia is unable to find pleasure in anything. Theyre like that Joe Btfsplk character in the comic strip Lil Abner who has a dark rain cloud constantly over him.

Fun fact, Woody Allen originally wanted Anhedonia as the title for his 1977 Oscar-winning comedy Annie Hall.

This past week, if you looked up Anhedonia in the dictionary you might have seen photos of Houston Astros fans. Ive been reading sportswriters and listening to talk shows griping about the Astros blowing two leads at Yankee Stadium. There was whining, the Astros shoulda, coulda, woulda won all six games against the Mets and Yankees.

Like the bartender said to the horse who walked into a saloon and ordered a martini Why the long face?

The Astros swept two against the NL East-leading Mets in Houston and split a four-game set against the MLB-leading Yankees in The Bronx. Thats 4-2 against the two best records in baseball. Despite the Astros weirdly powder puff schedule thus far in 2022, DraftKings has the Astros at No. 2 in its power rankings. Fangraphs goes one better, they have the Astros as favorites to win the World Series.

Astros starting pitchers completely shut down the mighty Yankees. Thats pretty good. Three hurlers combined for a no-hitter, including hanging the loss on former Astro Gerrit Cole. Not too shabby. Jose Altuve answered Yankees fans chorus of boos and profanity with big hits, including a first-pitch homer. Loved that.

The Astros are leading the AL West by 10 full games. Theyre the only team in the division with a winning record. Houston, we have no problem.

Now its on to the Mets at Citi Field for two games before returning to Minute Maid Park for a one-night stand with the Yankees on Thursday.

Sure there are problems that need to be addressed. Manager Dusty Baker went all Floyd the Barber explaining why he didnt intentionally walk Aaron Judge in the 10th inning on Sunday. Earlier that game, Baker sent Jason Castro to pinch hit for Martin Maldonado. Castro is hitting .095. Maldy is hitting .147. Somebody needs to look it up, this deep into a season, is that the lowest combined average for a pinch hitter and pinch hittee? Also, I think weve seen enough of Phil Maton out of the bullpen.

General manager James Click, get to work.

Cheer up Astros fans. Alls well that, according to Fangraphs, will end well.

You want something to really be concerned about? Theres a blooper in H-E-Bs new commercial featuring Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena and Lance McCullers.

Bregman and Altuve think salsa night means chips and dip, while Pena and McCullers come prepared to dance the night away. They battle back and forth Salsa! No, Salsa!

Look closely, McCullers man bun is tightly wound in the first two exchanges, is combed out and free-flowing in the third, but his bun is magically recoiled two seconds later.

That wouldnt have happened under Scott McClellands watch.

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Examining the complicated mixture that was John Wall and the Houston Rockets - SportsMap Houston

Behind the Band Name: Mtley Cre – American Songwriter

The name Mtley Cre conjures a lot of things for a lot of people. In one way, the moniker stands for raucous music that empowered a generation of rockers and partiers.

For others, like Pearl Jams Eddie Vedder, the name brings to mind debaucherous times when hair bands ran amok.

But no matter your own personal association with the name, the band was certainly a hit in the 1980s and 1990s with albums like Dr. Feelgood, Too Fast for Love, Shout at the Devil, and more.

Lets dive in.

Origins

The heavy metal glam group, Mtley Cre, was formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was started by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitar player Mick Mars, and eventually, lead singer Vince Neil after a few failed attempts with other singers at the outset. Today, many of those names are as indelible as the tattoos on the artists.

The group has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, including seven platinum certifications and nine top-10 albums on the Billboard charts.

Despite this success, the group has experienced many ups and downs, including several short-term lineup changes in the 90s and 2000s. Further, Lee, who was known for drumming with reckless abandon with his shirt often off, later married actress Pamela Anderson and dealt with the tumult surrounding their leaked and infamous sex tape.

Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll

The band was known for its hedonism, like the song Girls Girls Girls may attest to. With so much success so fast, it was hard to avoid the rampaging parties often associated with rock stardom. Their live shows featured flame thrower guitars, roller coaster drum kits and pyrotechnics, which even accidentally set Sixx on fire.

The bands most recent album, Saints of Los Angeles, came out in 2008, and more recently, the band has gone back on tour with Def Leppard (with Lee bowing out due to broken ribs).

The Name

After the band formed in the early 80s, they needed a name.

At the time, Sixx was considering many options, even bringing the title Christmas to the band members, who were not enthusiastic about the idea.

While still looking for a name, Mars remembered a moment in the recent past when he was playing with a group called White Horse. One of that bands members called his group a motley-looking crew. Mars remembered that phrase and brought it later to the band, spelling it Mottley Cru.

Eventually, the group modified the spelling and added some odd-looking punctuationmetal umlautsand finally Mtley Cre was born. The umlauts were inspired by the German beer Lwenbru, Sixx says. A beer the band liked to sip on.

With the name set, the group released its single, Stick to Your Guns/Toast of the Town, and the rest is metal glam rock band history. Their first album, the 1981 LP, Too Fast for Love, was released and they were off.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Behind the Band Name: Mtley Cre - American Songwriter

Aids: The Unheard Tapes review tragedy and joy from voices no longer with us – The Guardian

Rare is the reconstruction in a documentary that adds anything to the story. Rare, in fact, that it doesnt actively hold up proceedings and require actors to perform (usually in caveman skins or low-budget Tudorbethan costume) for viewers something they were perfectly capable of visualising and would have been better off doing so.

A deeply moving exception to this rule is to be found in the new three-part documentary Aids: The Unheard Tapes (BBC Two). In the 1980s and 90s, as a new and apparently unstoppable disease ravaged the gay community, volunteers began to record for posterity interviews with the men infected with what would eventually be identified as the HIV virus, and with their friends. The tapes are now archived at the British Library and have never been broadcast before. In the documentary, actors lip-sync to them. What sounds on paper like a terrible gimmick works beautifully, bringing you closer to appreciating all that was lost as the crisis unfolded and government inertia demanded that ordinary people step up and do extraordinary things to save themselves and others.

It begins in 1982, a time when as the voiceover by Russell Tovey notes the legal age of gay male consent was 21, you could be fired from most jobs if you were out and gay pubs still operated with blacked-out windows in fear of the homophobia that was rife. Not that we needed reminding. This is not ancient history.

Homosexuality had been officially decriminalised for 15 years, but arrests for gross indecency had tripled. The state wants what it wants. I had to lead a double life, says David, his taped words performed by Alan Turkington. I was very aware I could end up in prison. That was what I thought of.

It was a fact of life, we hear Pete say via actor Willie Hudson, that most people didnt like poofs.

Then, in London, Heaven opens the largest and most unapologetically gay nightclub this septic isle has ever seen and an oasis of freedom, within its four reverberating walls, from fear. Attendees and later activists Rupert Whitaker and Martyn Butler remember it as Amazing entrancing and the first time we had a place to call our own. Taped interviewee John (Luke Hornsby) had a particularly wonderful coke-and-champagne-fuelled time as a Heaven babe, complete with a vivid anecdote about what happened when you finished the champagne. The exuberance and excesses of the time were, as many note, partly in reaction to the suppression and oppression in their daily lives. Having sex with loads of people was an act of liberation, of defiance, says one. Also, he adds, It was a huge amount of fun.

This first episode takes us through the terrible ending of that fun. Professors Anthony Pinching and Jonathan Weber explain how they started to gather a scientific cohort together to study the pattern of infections and cancerous lesions that were beginning to appear in the UK as they had done in the US. Terrence Higgins, famed barman and terrible dancer at Heaven, became among the first to die from Aids in this country and Whitaker, Butler and Nick Partridge set up a trust in his name as part of the growing grassroots response to the crisis.

The rest of the series will take us up to 1995 and the emergence of the first successful drug treatments for HIV and Aids, via the tireless work of gay men and lesbians to combat the prejudice that was hampering progress, to care for the sick, lobby those in power and educate the population about safer sex all while grieving multitudinous personal losses. These stories have been told before. But although the inaugural broadcasting of the unheard voices of those who were there, and who are no longer with us, is the USP, the documentary is also noteworthy for being the first to tell this story with a sense of the joy that was present before Aids. It celebrates the hedonism of the lifestyle that was then said to cause Aids rather than feeling the need to ignore it. This new, unashamed honesty marks more than anything how far we have come since 1982. It tells a story of grief and pride and hope, each one throwing the others into relief, to make a beautiful testament to everything and everyone who has gone before.

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Aids: The Unheard Tapes review tragedy and joy from voices no longer with us - The Guardian

The big picture: dancing on the beach in the Camargue, 1957 – The Guardian

Every May the seaside town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue hosts the Gitan Pilgrimage, a gathering of French and Catalan Gypsies. The towns medieval church houses the statue of Sara-la-Kali, the Black Madonna, which is carried down to the sea, as a signal for the partying to begin. The photographer Lucien Clergue first photographed the pilgrimage in 1955. He had grown up in Arles, just to the north, and was searching for a visual language of the Mediterranean that captured both ancient tradition and the stirrings of postwar hedonism. The pilgrimage, its dancers and its guitar players, rooted that idea. This picture was taken on the beach at Saintes-Marie in 1957.

Clergue had met Picasso in 1953, having waited outside the bullring at Arles to show him some of his photographs; he was only 19 at the time of this encounter, but the pair became friends. Clergues first book, Corps Memorable (1957), a collection of images of nudes on French beaches, came with a cover by Picasso and an introduction by Jean Cocteau. He shared many of Picassos preoccupations, making series of pictures of bullfights, and animal corpses and harlequin troupes.

In 1970, with the writer Michel Tournier, Clergue created the famous summer photography festival at Arles, which now attracts 150,000 visitors annually. This year, the festival includes a celebratory retrospective of Clergues photographs of the Mediterranean including this one curated by his daughter, Anne. Clergue, who died in 2014, aged 80, never forgot the bombing of the city during the war, which destroyed his family home; the festival was a brilliant antidote to that history. His pictures often dwelled on life and sun and sea and sex, but there was always an undertow of melancholy; on a shoot on the beaches of his beloved Camargue, he was once heard to exclaim: Look, I am photographing my tomb!

Lucien Clergue, The Mediterranean is on show at the Arles photography festival, France, until 18 September

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The big picture: dancing on the beach in the Camargue, 1957 - The Guardian

Runners spotted doing laps at Glastonbury Festival as fitness fanatics say jogging is great way to see the site – Bristol Live – Bristol Live

Glastonbury Festival-goers have taken to social media to voice their surprise after spotting groups of joggers running around the site.

Thousands have reacted with mock horror at the thought of running at the event which is more associated with hedonism and celebrations than athleticism. @spendals wrote There are people out for their morning jog. At GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL. Jogging. At a festival. Theyre not high, late, lost, running away from invisible monsters. They. Are. Jogging. At f******* Glastonbury. #Glastonbury #Glastonbury2022 #glasto #waitrose.

Another twitter user, @Seamus_McNally, replied and posted a video showing the group of people jogging at the legendary festival. He captioned the post Wouldnt have believed it if I hadnt seen it with my own eyes.

Read more: Glastonbury 2022: Pete Doherty sends X-rated message to Michael Eavis as The Libertines wow Other Stage

No doubt, these are fitness fanatics who have chosen to continue with their daily jog whilst at the festival. However, this isnt the first time running fanatics have taken up regular exercise as part of their Glastonbury Festival stay.

At Glastonbury Festival 2019, over 150 runners gathered at the event for a run that was organised by the film theatre, Action work. The run was set to continue in 2020, but due to the pandemic, it was cancelled. Glastonbury 2022 is the first year the festival has been back on since the coronavirus outbreak.

This year small unofficial exercise groups have formed via social media with people meeting to work out. Some have even vowed to run in their wellies if the weather threatens to scupper their fitness regime.

On Twitter, @MillingtonSally appeared to be one of the joggers at the festival. She tweeted Morning 4km run. More laps and loops of the campsite past lots of friendly stewards, and some other runners! Rained overnight and looking very grey. That just means I get to wear my gold sparkly wellies. Happy Friday! #Glastonbury #Running

Another Twitter user, @Vics_Teign said: "Yay! It's a beautiful site. Why wouldn't you? Pretty unique experience."

Sharing his thoughts on the runners, @alanbenzie tweeted If people want to go running while they are at Glastonbury good for them.

However, the weather at Glastonbury is forecast to be rainy, so who knows- the run may turn into a swim soon.

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Runners spotted doing laps at Glastonbury Festival as fitness fanatics say jogging is great way to see the site - Bristol Live - Bristol Live

5 Wackiest Things Selve Did During Their Artist Residency At The Pink Hotel – scenestr

From revelrous rock & roll to moody vintage enigmas, alt-rock band Selve is taking you for the ride of your life into their neo-noir fantasy with their double EP 'The Neon Parable Of The Pink Hotel'.

Selve's sophomore release is the outcome of the band's ten-day artist residency at Coolangatta's iconic Pink Hotel during lockdown in 2020, which inspired a smorgasbord of hefty rock numbers and smouldering lamplit piano croons recorded at the band's intimate home studio.

Of the decision to release a double EP, Selve's charismatic lead singer, Jabirr Jabirr man, Loki Liddle says: "The two parts are contrasting but equally essential in telling 'The Neon Parable Of The Pink Hotel', saluting the musical eras and classic films that inspired us, and the fictional characters we brought to life during our residency.

"Delivering the revelrous fire of rock & roll, mixed with a little bit of chaos, 'Part One' makes transparent nods to our influences at the time.

"From the psychedelic Dick Dale surf-rock opener, 'Silver Surfer', to the outlandish Elvis vibes of 'The Pink Hotel', it's drive-in movie fun from start to finish.

"Softer, moodier and more mysterious, 'Part Two' slams the brakes on, letting the piano and lyrics lead you into the classic detective films we devoured, with many of the narratives lifted directly from the 1970s neo-noir film 'Chinatown'."

Here, Loki shares five whacky things that occurred during their 14-day residency at The Pink Hotel.

This still happened, but in the end because of COVID-19 in 2020, we ended up having the entire hotel to ourselves for 14 days. Which, considering the apocalyptic thread that weaves through the two EPs, was pretty wacky.

So it was pretty wacky when one night we looked out of our room down the hall and noticed that a light was on in one of the other rooms, which hadn't been there before. It freaked us out considering we'd been writing about the place being haunted.

It took us an hour to work up the courage to investigate the mysterious room. We were certain we were in danger, or at the mercy of some B-grade horror film.

When we finally looked in through the window all that was there was an empty room with a lamp on and a painting of Hunter S. Thompson and Benecio Del Toro on the wall.

The whole idea of 'The Pink Hotel' is a kind of satire of rock idolatry aimed at revealing the depravity of what is celebrated, so the video was a wild blur of hedonism that played into the 'once you check in you can never leave' idea.

It kicked off with a murder and ended with an interstellar Elvis gyrating on the table of the last supper. It was truly a wild time, but ridiculously fun. I felt at that moment that we had done justice to the time we had spent there.

So we were able to live on a diet of Eddie's Grub House burgers and pizza for the duration of the stay, which was an absolute treat.

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5 Wackiest Things Selve Did During Their Artist Residency At The Pink Hotel - scenestr

Glastonbury 2022 review: ten things we learned – Louder

It finally happened. In the three years since Glastonbury last opened its gates, weve had a full-blown (and still ongoing) deadly pandemic, a change in US Presidents and UK Prime Ministers, the costly and ugly activation of Brexit and six film entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (not to mention seven - yes, seven - TV shows).

Its all been a long time coming, basically, and the loud cheers of pure, unadulterated jubilation that greet the opening of the gates at 8am on Wednesday morning are an emotional reminder of what this festival represents for people, and indeed what weve all endured as a collective species over the past two years. For many, this will be the first significant event of this kind of scale theyll have attended since the pandemic began. And everyone is determined to make the god damn most of it.

What follows is five days of celebration the likes of which even Glasto hasnt born witness to in its five decades on this earth. From the hundreds of bands and DJs playing to the artists, dancers and performers taking over the theatre and circus fields, right down to the thousands of crew members working across the site, theres an incredible atmosphere flooding Worthy Farm that never lets up. Even the weather is on good form - aside from a few relatively brief flashes of rain, its mainly sunshine and boiling-to-mild temperatures across the whole week (and after all, it wouldn't quite feel like a proper Glastonbury comeback without just a little rain, right?)

As the dust settles on a historic weekend - one which co-organiser Emily Eavis has already described as the "best yet" - here are ten of the many, many things that blew our minds, stole our hearts and gave us food for thought over a blockbuster Glastonbury 2022.

Bringing one of the single biggest and most important songwriters in the history of music back to Glastonbury was always likely to produce something special, and whatever might be said of Paul McCartney's ability to hit every single high note these days, for a man now in his ninth decade, the guy certainly can't be accused of scrimping on effort. From the 38(!) song setlist to the 'duet' with John Lennon to the real world appearances of Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl, McCartney's show felt like a fitting peak for a festival celebrating its 50th year (albeit two years after the fact). May we all aspire to that level of dedication and passion in our 80s, quite frankly.

Skin may have taken the prize for coolest look of the festival with her bright green 'CLIT ROCK' suit and giant, spiky head gear, but it wouldn't have counted for much if Skunk Anansie's set didn't deliver. Luckily, it's Skunk A-fucking-nansie, and their hour set on the Other Stage on Saturday afternoon was an anthemic triumph. They may not be headline status as they were the last time they played Glastonbury, but make no mistake about it: Skunk Anansie are a national treasure and a band British rock music should never, ever take for granted. As it happens, the singalong that greeted Hedonism suggested absolutely no one in the field was doing that.

During a dizzying couple of hours in the John Peel tent on Sunday, the future of punk was given the ultimate platform to take over as Aussie scamps Amyl And The Sniffers and Baltimore hardcore crew Turnstile played one after the other to cause absolute bedlam during the festival's final day. We don't have the data to back this up, but we're pretty confident that the ratio of circle pits per 100 Glasto goers shot up by about 5000% during that time. In a weekend where The Damned were forced to pull out and a rumoured Green Day surprise set never happened, it was perhaps fitting that punk rock's next generation took the opportunity to steal the show.

Nova Twins made no fewer than three separate appearances at the festival to further install themselves as one of the brightest young bands in alternative music right now. Our pick of the bunch was a late night showing on Shangri La's Truth Stage on Thursday, where the duo kicked off the weekend in style courtesy of a rollicking 45 minute set of futuristic electro-punk bangers. Even some brief sound issues couldn't derail their set - if anything, it made a packed-out crowd lose their shit even more when it came back half a song later. By the time singer/guitarist Amy Love chucked herself into the crowd for Undertaker, the first of three flawless victories were confirmed.

It might not be your typical protest music fare, but credit where it's due: Brass Against have cornered the market on rock and metal activist anthems reinvented through the funnel of trumpets, trombones, tubas and a good ol' saxophone. Their set at West Holts on Saturday afternoon was a blast, reimagined classics by the likes of Rage Against The Machine and Alice In Chains drawing the kind of reactions befitting of their heavy origins. The band were clearly delighted to have made it to Glastonbury after pandemic-induced time off the road, too. "I'm not gonna lie," admitted singer Sophia Urista. "There was a time when I thought things were looking pretty bleak." Us too, pal.

Mixing dub, soul and r'n'b with flourishes of the Ethiopian and Arabic influences which informed much of her childhood, and beefing it up live courtesy of a tight and charismatic backing band, Alewya was a revelation on the intimate BBC Introducing stage on Saturday afternoon. Effortlessly winning over a packed-out tent that was eagerly awaiting an imminent surprise DJ set by dance-pop crew Confidence Man, the London-based artist was a magnetic presence, looking like a star that could captivate Wembley, let alone a 500-capacity new band stage. Next time she plays Glastonbury, bet money on it being courtesy of a much bigger stage.

Be it the rapturously received speech on climate change given by Greta Thunberg on the Pyramid Stage, the full weekend of action in the politically engaged Leftfield tent or the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion and Skunk Anansie commenting on the recent, horrendous scaling back of abortion rights in the States, Glastonbury 2022 continued the festival's decades-long tradition of being steeped in activism and progressive values. In fact, the most powerful image of the entire weekend may just have been the final thirty seconds broadcast on the Pyramid - Kendrick Lamar, blood streaming down his face, yelling the lines "They judge you they judge Christ, god speed for women's rights."

We somewhat covered this in our review of Yungblud at Glastonbury, but it really is worth saying once again: we're not sure anyone on site was as happy to be there as the Doncaster singer-songwriter, whose persistent, bouncy enthusiasm and demands for crowd participation were so relentless that we're not still sure whether we're allowed to stop moving yet. We're pretty sure he hasn't, wherever he is right now.

While Nova Twins, Turnstile, Skunk Anansie et al did an excellent job of repping alternative music at Glasto, the Scum stage that hosted the likes of Gojira and Venom Prison in 2019 was MIA this year, meaning that there was nothing in the way of full-on metal on the lineup - a little disappointing given how much better the scene's representation at the festival has been since Metallica headlined in 2014. It's a relatively minor gripe when you're talking about an event where pop, rock, hip hop, reggae, indie, disco, punk and edm can all be bedfellows, but we're still hopeful to see the Scum stage return with an extra helping of heaviness in 2023.

It already feels like a lifetime ago that artists were tripping over themselves to do special livestreams during the early days of the pandemic. So effective were some of them that the format seems to be here to stay, but when all is said and done, nothing beats a proper, in-person live music experience, and there is nothing under that umbrella quite like Glastonbury. It may be just one stop in a mammoth run of festivals happening this summer, but that live music's biggest event has been able to return all guns blazing means that, even if just for a weekend here and there, life is still able to feel like something approaching normal again. Let us never take that for granted again.

Glastonbury will return in 2023

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Glastonbury 2022 review: ten things we learned - Louder