The Arriviste

Monday, February 24, 2020

MAC's Queer Me Out, with Their New Spring 2020 Collection.

By Laura Medina

Billy Francesca, veteran drag performer, hosted a panel discussion of going from drag to trans, thanks to MAC Cosmetics.

According to Billy, way, way, way, way back in the days, way before Makeup Artist Cosmetics-MAC-, "All we had was Maybelline and Crayola."

Since they're sponsoring this panel discussion, MAC has every right to debut their new Spring 2020 collection. Guests really like the new bouncy Glow Play Blush, with a cushiony texture for a light, airy subtle blush for cheeks and eyes, https://www.maccosmetics.com/product/13842/73802/products/makeup/face/blush-bronzer/glow-play-blush#!/shade/Heat_Index

Here's another treat that's shareable for anyone, in both healthy and naughty...

Strawberry Popcorn Using Healthy Freeze-Dried Strawberries:

1/2 cup Freeze-Dried Strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of microwave popcorn

Butter-Flavored cooking spray

To make it easier, you can use microwave popcorn.

For the strawberry glaze:

In a food processer, ground freeze-dried strawberries and sugar into mixed powder.

Put in a small bowl, add salt.

Spritz popcorn with butter-flavored cooking spray then coat popcorn with the strawberry-sugar mixture.

Strawberry Jello-Glazed Popcorn, naughty but old-fashion:

10 cups popped popcorn
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar

1 (3 ounce) package fruit flavored Jell-O® mix
1 tablespoon corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
Add all ingredients to list

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a 1/4 sheet pan or two 8x12 inch baking dishes. Generously butter a heavy 2 quart saucepan.

Distribute popcorn evenly in prepared baking pans. Place in oven to keep warm.

In prepared saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, gelatin, corn syrup and water. Heat to 250 to 265 degrees F (121 to 129 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball.

Pour mixture evenly over popcorn and stir until coated. Return popcorn to oven and bake 5 minutes; stir, then bake 5 minutes more.

Turn popcorn out onto a large piece of foil. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then form into balls. Or let cool completely and break into clusters. Store in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

If Jordan Peele was Quentin Tarantino, He Executive Produced His Idea of Vigilante Revenge Porn, Amazon Prime's "Hunters" with Al Pacino.

By Laura Medina

https://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Season-1/dp/B07ZPF4DVK

Set in cesspool 1977 Manhattan and the outer boroughs, Amazon Prime's "Hunters" centers around an underground battle between Holocaust survivors cum warriors/secret agents, called "Hunters," an Holocaust Justice League setting wrongs, right versus existing Nazis forced underground, living new lives in America, with new identities.

The 5 episode series is played out like a Seventies comic book strip with a lot of "grindhouse" violence-revenge galore, pretty much in the same of a Quentin Tarantino movie. No wonder Al Pacino plays "Hunters" mastermind and Holocaust survivor, Meyer Offerman.

It's also a coming of age, done comic book hero style. It starts off with barely legal, minor Jewish drug dealer, Jonah Heidelbaum. He lives with his Holocaust survivor, grandma who cooks a mean, made from scratch chicken noodle soup, with chunks of real chicken.

Unbeknownst to him, grandma was more than a survivor. Meyer told Jonah, his grandma was a warrior. This is sets off an hero's journey, with a mentor. Walking in "Star Wars" mentor/student footsteps. Ironically, "Star Wars" debut in 1977.

The much younger stars of "Hunters" happily arrived at the Hunter Experience where the theater screening the first episode, was transformed into nitty-gritty Times Square, where actors get into characters, playing stereotypical sleazy Seventies husters, hookers, and pimps. For you all fashion and vintage hoaders, this is a good example of holding onto your vintage fur and tanned leather jackets and patchwork suede.