Hedonist Magazine, Second Issue by Hedonist Magazine

№2

JULY 2012

magazine of inspired images

Interview: Thadboogie, a musicman & a visionary Fashion Kitchen: about Ami and her shop on Brick Lane £19 560 for ‘Vogue Fashion Diploma’ course Born in a wrong body: How Oman Abdullah became Amanda A Diary of a Prostitute Street Photography, or capturing priceless moments Street Art as a life style AND MORE

Hedonist Magazine | hedonistmagazine.co.uk

JULY 2012 Editor-in-chief

All correspondent and contributions to

SAMUEL AFADAMA

the magazine should be addressed to

Art director

info@hedonistmagazine.co.uk

MARIA MOKINA

+44 07894086922

Hedonist HO 118 Blackhorse Road

Published in London by Hedonist Media 2011 Printed by Azimuth Print LTD

London, E17 6NH +44 020 8281 1045

Contibuters ALLA KOTENEVA

With special thanks to Alla Koteneva Ashes 57 Amanda Maroulis Ami Yamashiro Chloe Saadchev

{13-18, 25-26, 29, 96-108,

138-139, 141-144, 150 p.};

OLGOVSKAYA KOESTER

{30 p.};

BUSIAVKA

ANASTASIYA MYATRAANDREAS

{cover, 133-134 p.};

BORYA ORANGE

{19, 31, 33-34, 140 p.};

{135-136 p.};

DIMA CHYORNYY

{60-63 p.}, {64-71 p.} model Sasha Kaminer;

make-up Nastiya Kazakova; stylist Asya Bareeva;

John Dolan

DOCHDOYL

{20, 137 p.}; IRINA KOPYTINA {32 p.};

Nelly Alexanyan

KRISTINA LI

{35-36 p.};

Ronya Galka Thad Baron

MARIA MOKINA {21-24 p.};

MARIA KOSMOS

{183-184 p.};

NATASHA POLIEVA

SINODOVA

{147-149 p.};

RIVERSAREDEEP

MICHAEL AMKOTE {145-146 p.};

RONYA GALKA

{181-182 p.};

{75-82 p.};

OLGA

{27-28 p.};

SAINER | ETAM CRU

{189-192 p.}; JAROVICH | COLORMOLOR {185-188 p.}

On the cover: Irina Mokina Photographed by Anastasiya Myatra-Olgovskaya

CONTENT

10 EDITOR’S LETTER 13 PHOTOGRAPHY: CITY LIFE 37 ABOUT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: interview with Ronya Galka 50 ON AND BEHIND THE STAGE: interview with Thadboogie, a music man and a visionary

59 FASHION: ALBUM {glamour} 71 AMI YAMASHIRO: interview with a fashion designer from Japan

The previous issue №1

75 FASHION: ALBUM {folk} 83 A SCHOOL FOR THE TOO COOL: Conde Nast: Branding CV’s since 2013 85 FASHION: STREET 91 IN THE CONVERSATION WITH A MUSLIM IN A VEIL 94 ONE DAY IN A BIG CITY

p. 37

p. 50

p. 71

p. 75

CONTENT

108 CORE | LIFE STORY Born In A Wrong Body: How Oman Abdullah Became Amanda 121 CORE | LIFE STORY {blog} The Diary Of A Prostitute 130 PHOTOGRAPHY: PORTRAITS 149 ABOUT STREET ART: Whenever You Are, Whatever You Do, Look Around You! 174 YELLOW PAGES 176 SHORT STORIES 178 ILLUSTRATION 190 SPECIAL BLOG: DOG’S GOURMET 191 SOMEBODY TOLD THAT

p. 110

p. 123

p. 152

p. 181

panesarsimone.com

EDITOR’S LETTER

ummer has began, and we are proud to present our second issue. As we already mentioned, our project is about people and for people - for you. Almost all media these days are filled with scandals, celebrity gossip and lifestyle tips that simply migrate from one periodical to another. We want to offer something different — pages that aren’t filled with faces that are familiar to the point of boredom, but instead tell stories of ordinary people who are no less interesting; so we had the idea to create a magazine for – and about – ‘ordinary’ yet amazing people. While we were wondering about what was going to be in our new edition, the material almost found us organically - burning and from first-hand. The main subject of the second issue is devoted to people who, at first sight aren’t similar to the majority, with their pressing problems, misunderstandings and prejudices from passing by strangers. Their world seems unfamiliar and incomprehensible and consequently it’s frequently disapproved and condemned. The Hedonist magazine tries to penetrate into their problems and to tell everything straight from the source. We pried, asked inconvenient questions, and are presenting the material sincerely and honestly. Also you will find a lot of visual material inspired by beautiful you, street life and coming summer time. We love you. Don’t forget to be sincere, playful and happy. Be hedonists and spoil yourself more often. Yours, Samuel Afadama and Hedonist Magazine team

photography {city life}

photography {opinion}

ABOUT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

and

the play between light and dark, sun and shadow as

documentary photography come from? Do you

much as black and white which means that much of

remember the very exact moment when you all of a

my work is centered around shadow-play and the use

sudden realized that you have an eye for this kind of

of silhouettes. Shadows, reflections, silhouettes and

photography?

juxtapositions are all reoccurring ‘props’ that I use when

Where

does

your

love

towards

street

capturing street scenes.

My love for street photography ultimately comes from my love to observe people and the desire to

What plays the most crucial role in photography in

celebrate people’s individuality. I am very fortunate

the street to your opinion?

to live in such a vibrant and fast-moving city: London.

Someone once said that ‘Luck is when preparation

Here, on a daily basis you can observe the most surreal

meets opportunity’

and surprising scenes unfold right before your eyes. It

I love this quote because it’s so apt for street

was only when I started to carry my camera with my on a

photography!

daily basis a few years ago that I noticed just how many

The most important part in street photography is

urban moments you come across and are able to isolate

being available to ‘receive’ good shots. NEVER leave the

from the busy hustle and bustle of life in the city.

house without a camera.

After just a few initial attempts, I was pretty much hooked on street photography straight away and

Precious scenes unfold on the street ALL THE TIME

the hunt for ordinary moments by ordinary people in

(don’t even think that there is only ever just one ‘right

everyday situations that goes unnoticed by so many

place’) as long as you spend enough time on the street

people has by now become part of my daily routine.

with a camera at the ready, you are sure to harvest a few of them. Whilst there is no doubt that there is a small element

What would you say is your style? What makes you

of luck involved in witnessing a curious moment, if you

stand out? I am not afraid to admit that I shoot with my heart!

continually observe your surroundings and the people

I would describe my own style as emotive and highly

around you, you are sure to spot great moments as they happen.

subjective- I don’t claim to be a photo-journalist but

‘Feeling a moment’ can probably be likened to how

consider myself more of a story-teller. All of my street work is candid and unstaged- the

an athlete feels when they are ‘in the zone’: you don’t

scenes that I isolate and capture in the street are very

really know how you got there but whilst it’s happening

often an expression of my own thoughts, emotions and

you KNOW you are in it. ‘The Moment’ happens when everything comes

concerns at the time. As an example, my ongoing ‘Rat Race’ series focuses

together right in front of your lens and all you really have

on the tiresome routine of workers in the City of London

to do is press the shutter. Things just come together for

and was initially born out of radical changes at my own

the briefest of all moments when you have the perfect

workplace and the ensuing feeling of helplessness and

view and angle for the shot and even before you even

frustration that I was feeling at the time.

look at your screen you know you have captured a timeless image.

The common thread that runs through all my pictures is that they are all dealing with human sentiments & ‘emotions fortes’ that make everyday life so magical:

Many think of street photography as of a truthful

love, joy, sadness, friendship, solitude etc they all are

reflection of a history. However being there is a kind

feelings that all of us can relate to.

of an intrusion to the natural flow of life. So how do you prefer to keep yourself out of the unfolding life

Visually I have always been pre-occupied with

Shadows, reflections, silhouettes and juxtapositions

situations but still being a constant observer of it

are all reoccurring ‘props’ that I serve myself to in the

through the viewfinder?

hunt for thought-provoking, moving or even inspiring

I believe there are as many different approaches to

street captures.

‘staying unnoticed’ as there are street shooters. It takes a lot of time and practice to find the process that works

How important is the composition of your scenes?

best for you as an individual.

Whilst I admire the raw and gritty feel that many of today’s American street artists do so well, for my own

What it all comes down to is finding the way to

work I tend to favour a minimal and structured visual

shoot that allows you to feel least self-conscious? I personally prefer to be on the move all the time. I

focus on the main subject(s). More often than not I am

don’t stay stationery for too long. There are two reasons

gravitating towards those moments of urban life that I

for this. Firstly, London where I do the majority of my

can isolate and pull out of the busy hustle & bustle life

street shooting is a fast-paced city. People rush from one

in the city.

place to the next and if you want to blend in you move in

I hunt for ordinary moments by ordinary people in

the same pace as they do. Secondly, I am convince that

ordinary situations that so often go unnoticed by the rest

when I loiter and stay around in the same spot people

of the world. The challenge is to capture these moments

are aware of me photographing them which inhibits my

whenever they happen to take place in extraordinary

street work.

setting (location, lighting etc) which in turn serves as a beautiful reminder that beauty and poetry is all around

The moment people become aware of me shooting

us and ideally inspires people to look for the beauty

them I stop the shot.

around them...

My work is about candid moments and someone

As an example, a picture of a man sitting on his own

who is acting up for the camera currently does not

reading a book does not make for exciting viewing.

appeal to me. The only time that I am happy with people looking

When the same scene however is captured in the

straight down my lens is on those occasions when I get

middle of an otherwise busy hall which is flooded with

up close and personal and take street captures from

black and white shadows, it changes the context and

minimal distance. The look that I am usually getting then

perception altogether.

is one of confusion, anger or even bewilderment but What camera and lenses helped you to develop

before they fully understand what has just happened I

your vision? What kind of photo equipment you use?

have walked past them and they are left wondering if

My first attempts of street work were shot with a fairly

it was them that I have captured or something behind

basic camera: a Sony Cybershot (35mm lens). It was due

them.

to its size that I was able to get up close and personal How do you define a “drama” for yourselves? Does it

whilst drawing a minimum amount of attention to

always involve only people interacting with each other

myself. Starting off with a smaller camera allowed me

or there could be something visually interacting with

to experiment with different ways of getting the shots

a person – part of a landscape, shadows of buildings,

that I wanted- through the viewfinder, through the LCD,

reflections in puddles?

from the chest or from the hip and whilst the camera

Absolutely! ‘Drama’ to me is as much the result of

didn’t neccessarily help me develop my vision, it most

an insightful interaction between two or more subjects

certainly helped me build my street confidence. Once

as it is of the interaction with a person and their urban

my confidence was established, I started experimenting

environment.

with a few different cameras. From time to time I shoot

street with my DSLR but since most of my work involves getting up close and personal with my subjects, in order to stay ‘invisible’ I prefer to shoot street with a small, inconspicuous tool. So far my favourite all-round street photography tool is my Ricoh GX200. Are there some moral rules of when people can be photographed and when not even you are not going

any of my photos either.

to publish images ? I go by a simple rule: I will take any picture and depict

Sometimes street photographs are called “a once

any candid situation that captures my interest as long as

in a lifetime shot”. To your opinion what do they

I am happy that my photo does not humiliate or rob the

necessarily need to have to be a never-repeated-

subject of their dignity in any way.

moment ?

But don’t get me wrong here. This is not to say that

The never repeated moment rule applies to pretty

everyone always looks wonderful in my pictures- they

much all of my shadow and reflection work. It is fleeting

don’t. Rather than showing people in their best light I

moments that one day come together and you realize

am all about capturing stolen moments respectfully.

that you could only ever better the shot that you’ve

Maybe it’s becasue I have always followed this rule

got already by and staging a similar version with actors

that so far I have been lucky and have never been

(which of course would be ludicrous as it goes against

challenged in the street by anyone whose picture I have

every principle of street photography).

taken and I have never had any issues with any of the people who have coincidentally found themselves in

music

On And Behind The Stage interview with Thadboogie, a music man and a visionary

What have Kanye West, Mark Ronson, Baby J, Skinnyman, J Dilla, Cassius Henry, Wretch 32, T Love, Estelle; Maverick Sabre and many others –have in common? They have all worked with Thad Baron (Thadboogie) in his professional capacity, as A&R manager, DJ, club promoter and artist manager. Making him well connected Internationally in the music

me to go to the records shop and buy records.

Tell us what you do?

Eventually working in London’s premiere hip-

Should I explain to you what do I do? Haha... I’ve been a DJ since my teenage years but for

hop record shop in Soho, Wyld Pytch Records whilst

most of my life I have been basically passionate

I was studying for my BSc degree in Computers and

about music, and subsequently worked at major

Media Communications, which included television

labels as an A&R manager; I have also been a club

and culture at University of East London. When I left

promoter; and producer/artist manager.

school I worked as an accountant for six months, but

The passion all came from vinyl records (yes,

that very soon became boring, so I left and I started

and I still love them to this day), do you remember

a really good job at a company called McDonald’s.

‘records’ round hole in the middle? I actually recall

I was based in Tottenham Court Road and all clubs

buying my first record in 1983 when I was 14.

in the West End were open as I finished my shift so I became a regular face on the West End club scene. It

How did you get into music?

was undeniable fun and I did that for a few months.

I’ve always been into music; probably because

Afterwards I went to work with the government in

my parents used to have music playing in the house

Lord Chancellor’s Department in Holborn for two or

and I listened to pirate stations on the radio. This led

three years until I went to Uni.

When did you start to DJ?

Being a DJ in University everybody wants to be your

While I was at University I started to play in the West End clubs, then all my friends started to come to the clubs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. When you invite your friends to party in the West End on a guest list, hundreds of them turn up. Being a DJ at University everybody wants to be your friend. I already knew a DJ on the scene, Trevor Nelson, he’s a UK music celebrity and is on the biggest national station; BBC Radio One and he also presented an urban music TV show on MTV for 10 years, he is one of the biggest DJ’s in the UK. In the 90’s he was on KISS FM, which is also a very big station, he asked me to be his right hand man on his show, and I did that for about 2 years. Back in the 90’s there was a girl band named All Saints, and Simon Aldridge from ZTT who had signed All Saints knew me from the record shop where I worked. A lot of people working in the record companies and music industry came to this record shop to buy records and used to enquire from the staff which bands/artists were going to be hot. So, he said to me he had a new

X-Factor or American Idol and decide whether an artist is any good or not quite cutting it. As an A&R manager you are supposed to have knowledge of DJs, singers, songwriters and contemporary beat makers (producers).

Basically the tools of your

trade to help your recording artist deliver music on schedule. At that time I started working at Universal I was 25, my passion and love for music emanated since I was young, I knew everything about Stevie

Do you remember ‘records’ round hole in the middle? I actually recall buying my first record in 1983 when I was 14’’.

Wonder, Aretha Franklin, George Benson and all the greats, because of my dad buying records and him being an extremely competent guitar player. Working as an A&R must have been hard. Did you stop your DJ work? I was still a DJ running my weekly Hip Hop/

white label Vinyl for some girl group, which was

RnB event at the Raw Club on Friday nights (at the

All Saints and because I knew all DJs, he gave me

time this was one of the key International drop in

money to promote the song and subsequently I

clubs for global artist) in Central London, with the

distributed the record to other DJs to to get their

average 1500 audience every week. This lasted for 4

feedback. So naturally I started to meet and interact

years and on Saturdays, I ran another club, Ormonds

with new record company personnel.

(now LOW) for another 4 years. The knock on effect

In April 1996, Simon Goffe who was also a DJ

of my club night was that I was privileged enough

was managing Drum and Bass legend Ronnie

to be asked to DJ in nother countries, Switzerland,

Size & the Full Cycle Crew (really big UK Drum &

Iceland, Sweden, Cyprus, Greece, Scotland etc.

Bass syndicate) and became Snr A&R manager at

During the 90’s I was approached by Red Bull,

Universal Music. Simon knew me and believed I was

to launch their energy drink product in the United

knowledgeable, to offer me a job as A&R manager

States, this meant taking the brand over to America

(artist & repertoire) at Universal Music.

and tie it in with me djing across major cities, New

I proved he was right and worked there for 5

York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC. It

years; during this period I signed lot of people in

was my first entry into affinity tie up, it was a very

the world of urban music (Spacek, Hinda Hicks, Kele

rewarding experience and ended up being a good

Le Roc, Glamma Kid, Lewis Parker, Blue (singer of

period of networking presenting new opportunities

Basement Jaxx Red Alert) Phoebe 1, Structure Rize)

with other brands.

going back and forth to LA, NY, Toronto, Detroit,

Forward to 2000 and a high powered and well

Norway and Europe in general.

respected music journalist named Kwaku, was aware of what I was doing in music industry worldwide.

A&Rs - what do they do?

He followed it up, by writing a whole page in USA’s

An A&R manager is a person whose job is to

number 1 music industry publication, Billboard

guide and create the music of a recording artist.

Magazine. This as you can imagine, rose my profile

Their role is to find songwriters, producers, studios,

and I got to be recognised by the American market.

collaborative artists, and musicians etc to facilitate

By the end of 2000, I left Universal and went to live

the recording process. They are tastemakers and

in the USA, to set up my own company called 2Rype.

experts; in a similar capacity to music programs like

There the flood gates opened I met numerous people

Richardson and also managing Urban Music Award

like Common, J Dilla, Slum Village, Masters at Work,

winning Hip Hop producer Baby J. (Skinnyman, Dead

Bahamadia, Mark Ronson and their A&R personnel and

Prez, Mark Ronson).

managers. Another friend of mine, Clive Black, who held a senior

How did you get involved with the Arts Council?

position in both Warner’s and EMI, became the boss of

What does the Arts Council do?

Edel Records UK and offered me a job as A&R manager.

The Arts Council is a lottery funded public body via

Clive encouraged me to come back to England to be his

which the Government allocates a pot of money to

A&R, which I did for 4 years. Clive also co-managed US

groups; individuals to champion, develop and invest in

rapper ‘The Game’ with Jimmy Henchman and his dad

the arts. My proposal to the Arts Council was a project

Don Black is a famous songwriter who wrote the song

called RAP - Rhyme & Poetry Project, I searched for

‘Diamonds are Forever’ for Shirley

some young people, who lived

Bassey (James Bond Movie) and also

within the Camden Borough and

the song ‘Ben’ for Michael Jackson.

used Community centres, who could rap and perform poetry-fused with the musicality and rhyming skills

What did you do after you left

of Marvell; the participants were

Clive Black & Edel Records UK? In 2005 I started to work for

predominantly talented unemployed

Zons PR/MOBO. Based in the Mobo

youth. The purpose of this project

office; organising artist’s radio PR

is basically for a talented group to

campaigns and scheduling acts for the MOBO annual

engage in structured rehearsals and to hone their writing

club tour; after that I went to work for an independent

and performance skills set to music. My whole ethos

record company, Mona Records looking after UK RnB

for this was simply to give back to the community. We

artist StarboyNathan. Simultaneoulsy I was doing

staged performances, that took place at the Guardian

consultancy A&R for a mobile phone concept via Def

Newspaper HQ and the British Library.

Jam Mobile, also running my companies 2Rype and Big Promo, at that time I was co-managing female

How did you use the fund that was given to you?

songstress ‘MPHO’ with now Virgin Records A&R Jade

I used the money to pay for rehearsal space;

film

equipment;

photographers; Plus

weeks and I employed the literally

intelligent and the rap was funny

editing

recordings; etc.

and rapping skills of Lowkey to aid

and humorous.

after

event

me in preparing the group for their

coordinating

production and manufacture of

performances.

Are there any new projects at

RAP lyrics and booklet. I engaged

There were four rappers, 2 poets

my resources and invited reputable

and 1 beat box. The youngest one

sports clothing labels to take part

was 16 and the oldest one was 22.

on behalf of the young people; it

the moment? From around now till October there are a lot of UK music festivals like V Festival, Love Box, Wireless

paid off, in that Nike UK stepped

What kind of poetry is that?

to the plate and kitted out the

To me as a child and fan of rap

Camden Crawl is an eclectic

whole crew; sincere thanks go out

culture I grew up reading literary

music festival with many genres

to Ronojoy & Phoebe from Nike UK.

greats like Harding, Chaucer and

of music being represented; it

Attendees came from the likes of

Shakespeare

equally

takes place at many venues in the

senior record company personnel,

aware

Hughes,

heart of Camden Town (the clubs

fashion PR, local Government,

Marcus Garvey, James Baldwin

and bars etc. are all utilised) it’s

music producers, artist, Mobos

and W D Dubois. Through Hip

in its 15th year and attracts over

team etc.

Hop culture I often admired the

25,000 people during the first Bank

literary skills of KRS 1, Rakim, Jay

Holiday weekend of May. I have

Z, Biggie, Nas, Jehst, Immortal

been head hunted to serve as a

Technique, Poisonous Poets, Dead

committee member and I’m part

Prez etc - rappers who were also

of the selection of artists process.

intelligently lyrically gifted with

This year I’ve been very integral

a penchant for social awareness.

in securing urban music’s Internet

I have been observing for years

sensation SBTV as media partner

how street culture really appeals

and to host their own SBTV stage,

to young people of all shapes,

plus also facilitating Choice FM’s

creed and colour. It was natural

DJ Abrantee Afrobeats to host an

therefore for me to want to give

event likewise.

but

was

Langston

and Camden Crawl.

Who did help you with that project? Did you know how it should work from the beginning? It was my own concept and advice came from a facilitating company; Small Green Shoots. I went to the people who were the link between me and the Arts Council; who have a proven track record of soliciting Arts Council funds; The plan was presented and was deemed favourable and viable. Where exactly did the young people come from? How did you decide which young people should be in the project and how many were involved? I found them in Youth Centers, estates,

parks,

which

provide

activities

for

young

people

after school. Their age range of auditionees ranged from 14 to 22; I went there with permission to talk to them and explained that I was searching for young people that could rap and recite poetry. Similar to my long standing A&R experiences I systematically went around local community centres in Camden and where young people hang out to find ‘talent’. The whole process took me approximately 8

them a chance to showcase their

Another thing I’m equally proud

witticism and mastery of their craft

of, is being a visiting lecture, at

to an influential audience, who

(UEL; De Montfort, BBC Bursary),

in response liked the fact that the

where I lecture to the youth about

poetry was really thought out and

what I do and my experiences.

You run a Promotion Company - what does a music PR do? On a day-to-day basis my company Big Promo deals with predominantly new music promotion. Artists furnish me with their music (mp3’s, CDs etc.) and we formulate PR strategies within media (club/radio dj’s press, online, TV) to get artists ‘out there’, specialist/ regional radio plays, TV video rotation, all predominantly within urban music. With my management company I take songs or beats (instrumentals) to other artists who are looking for new material and songs. For example, I work with Battle Roy who produced the song for Eminem and Bruno Mars ‘Lighters’. Producers like Timbaland, Kanye West, Dr. Dre - they all make beats for rappers to rhyme on and for singers to sing on. What is the funniest thing that has happened to you in your career? It happened at the Jazz Café: I was introducing Mpho Skeef (I used to manage her) to the audience, I fell off the stage, flat on my back. I got up and continued like a true pro. It was funny though.

you choose the best ones? Let’s talk about simple things, different from

Every day. First, it depends on your own musical

music, e.g. tell me about your ordinary day?

taste. However, I source beats for what the enquiring

Mostly my life is about music, the usual merry go

artist needs. Obviously throughout the years I’ve

round of phone calls every day; and interacting with

worked with many artists; songwriters; producers. I

clients in international time zones. USA, Europe and

just have to listen to what the client wants and try

Asia, alas I’m on my Blackberry way too late...

my best to facilitate their needs.

What role did you play in the song ‘Valerie’ by

What plans do you have for the future?

Amy Winehouse?

Good health, success and longevity in the music

Well, there was the Mark Ronson’s cover version

industry.

featuring Amy Winehouse of ‘Valerie’; Sony A&R’ department approached me for a remix and sent me

Do you want to have children?

the parts; I gave it to my producer Baby J. He flipped

Yes, I’d love to.

the reggae beat and put some of UK’s most credible rappers on the record. We sent it back to Mark who

What is the best way to get into music business

loved it and then James from Baby Knotted films

nowadays?

filmed the remix music video and was the creative

In my personal experiences, my only vision was to

force behind the individual rappers coming to life on

make records and find talent in the music industry. I

the posters. After this all the record companies started

was fortunate enough to get a job in a record shop

asking who did the remix. So, 2RYPE manages both

in the 90s and to promote many successful rnb/hip

artists and producers. One of my former projects that

hop clubs during that period. My relationship as a

I a&red and took to America to work with Kanye West

club dj/promoter was integral in securing this; in

during my time at Edel Records is RnB powerhouse

today’s climate, howeve, I advise new entrants to

Cassius Henry who was a contestant on new BBC ‘s

simply apply for unpaid internship at record labels/

Saturday night TV programme ‘The Voice’.

publishers and to become entrepreneurs.

How often do you find new beats and how do

panesarsimone.com

fashion {album}

fashion {conversation}

FASHION Ami, as a woman to a woman I’m not going

AMI YAMASHIRO IS A FASHION DESIGNER, ORIGINALLY FROM JAPAN – A YOUNG OWNER OF A LABEL AND CLOTHES SHOP IN BRICK LANE.

to ask you about your age, but I have to say, you look great! So let’s start with the simple questions: where are you from, what University did you attend and so on. Well... I’ve been living in London since 19 years old; I graduated from the London College of Fashion. What did you do after you graduated? I started to work at the Portobello Market. It was for 5 years, and there I understood the basics of the fashion world practice, met a lot of new people and got a lot of experience and communication skills. Could you describe your ordinary day at the Market at that time?

KITCHEN

Ooh, if you work at such kind of place you have to come there as

designers’ stuff now.

So, after Portobello Market I found

fashion is my world and I wanted to grow in this area.

early as 5-6 in the morning - you

a new one – Sunday UpMarket

simply spend around two hours on

in Shoreditch. At the time there

working in the shop: my partner,

display. But it was a good market,

weren’t many people there, so we

me and 3 people of staff. I got two

it was a kingdom of handmade

were some kind of pioneers. There

trainers twice a year.

clothes; it gave me the foundation

I met my current partner whom I

for what I’m doing now. I was

share this shop with.

working there twice a week. While I was studying at the University I created my own label,

How did you become an owner and how is it going?

At the moment there are 5 people

What difficulties do you face keeping this shop? First, of course this is about the rent – it’s incredibly expensive.

I met a guy who was the owner

While Ami was chatting to me, a

Orphanage, and I brought this label

of this shop at that period of time;

guy came into the shop and started

to the Market – my baggy trousers

after 5 years working at the Market

to look at the stuff. He said he liked

were really popular. They are actually

I was ready for something more,

some trousers and asked for his

the ones of my collection I’m selling

I was full of experience and ready

size. At the moment he didn’t have

in the 172 Shop together with other

for responsibility. I always knew –

money on him, so he wanted to leave

ADVICES FOR BEGINNERS: DEFINE WHAT YOUR STYLE IS TRY EVERYTHING YOU CAN BELIEVE IN YOURSELF WORK AS HARD AS YOU CAN TRY TO MEET THE RIGHT PEOPLE DON’T TAKE RISKS AT THE BEGINNING START AT THE MARKET

his contact details to collect the item later on. Trying to look cool he proceeded

Try everything you can

trousers’. Ironically I could say he is one of

Believe in yourself

your ‘devoted customers’! Your

Work as hard as you can

to tell us he was a dancer, and that

shop sells stuff from different

Try to meet the right people

he needed the trousers for his new

designers; it’s exclusive stuff

Don’t take risks at the beginning

video, and kept saying ‘You know

presented in a few items. How do

Start at the Market (because, first,

me!’...

you deal with the designers whose

to rent your own place is extremely

items were stolen?

expensive; secondly, it’s very hard to

I was a bit confused by Ami not treating him like her dream customer. After he left I resumed the conversation with a big question mark on my face.

I just have to give them money back for the stolen items because it’s my responsibility. I can recognize thieves stright

find any investors). What is your everyday mission? It is drawings and making sketches. I got a sketchbook where

Aah...well...another problem we

away, they behave in certain way

I keep all my ideas for the future

got here is thieves. This guy already

I always know they want to steal

to implementation in my new

stole a few items. He comes again

something. We always have to keep

company. I want to start making my

and again.

an eye out.

own clothes again.

How is it possible: you know he is a thief, he knows that you know, and he still keeps doing that? Yeah, I know how it looks! This is terrible! You know this is so dangerous! Once I caught him

What plans do you have for I’m going to Japan. I want to organize my own fashion company. So you’re done with London and going back to your homeland?

leaving right in the doorway, he

No-no, I will come back in a year

started to shout at me ‘Why are

and open my own shop somewhere

you holding me?! Don’t touch me!’

in potential place.

I was trying not to touch him or his

I know, you are also a dj. When did you start to play? Is it for serious?

future?

I just need to refresh my brain, to

No, it’s my hobby. I just love music. I started about one-two years ago; I play not often, but really enjoy doing that. What makes you happy and what makes you sad? Aah... Customers who come back to tell me that they are amazed by

bag; I dipped my hand into his bag

meet new hard working people,

the clothes they bought in my shop

straight away and grabbed trousers

designers, to get new experience

make me really happy.

that belonged to our shop.

and contacts and to become

Once he came back again and

stronger and get more inspiration.

The passing of time makes me sad. Also when I think of leaving London I

I told him not to come back ever

Why London?

become sad – I’m going to miss

again, that I know he steals things,

This is a place of multiculture; it’s

it.

and next time I’ll call the police and

easier to get new information here,

that he is simply going to be in the

it’s a good place for fashion.

blacklisted.

London is supposed to be the

The day after he stole something

center of fashion world, of new

else he entered the shop, but I told

trends (although a lot of people

him not even to think about coming

would say the same about New

in! Then he said: ‘I know I stole

York or Milan). So do you believe

trousers last time, but you know,

in it?

guys I was dealing with – they made

I would say so... However, London

me do that... I brought money for the

Fashion Week is really bad. Paris and Berlin are much better. Why? London one... it’s just weak, everything is similar... You achieved a lot in fashion business, give some advice for beginners! Ok, here there are: Define what your style is

fashion {album}

fashion {on the agenda}

A School For The Too Cool Conde Nast: Branding CV’s since 2013 The opening of the new CondeNast College, and the changing of Fashion as we know it.

The London Fashion scene synonymous with creativity and an unyielding vision: Bursting with designers, writers, photographers and artists alike, who take risks without the fear of consequences and create without inhibitions. This is what it means to be young, creative and living in London. However, romanticism aside, the reality of being a creative purist: unpaid internships, long hours, and years spent crammed in a fashion closet A.K.A fashion’s equivalent of solitary confinement. The payoff? Vogue, of course! Ask any aspiring fashionphile what drives their spirit, what keeps the creative pulse ticking into the night

by Chloe Sachdev

as they steam, iron and even sniff gloves (yes, glove sniffing it’s a thing

discussing the perils of a designer education

and yes, I speak from haunted memories) and the answer, to be part of Vogue, be it amongst the pages or a corner office. It is the magazine that creates, inspires, and shapes fashion. To quote longstanding Fashion pinup Ms Bradshaw “Vogue. Also known as Mecca,” So the message: work hard, hone your talent, prove yourself and one day you too shall pass through the Pearly Gates of Vogue, or so the message was. Today, with the opening of Condé Nast College, the message is ‘pay your fees and fast-track your way to the Holy land’. The only conceivable block to turning your shoes to Choo’s: the price tag of £19,560, for the one-year ‘Vogue Fashion Diploma’ course. However, and playing devils advocate, maybe the idea is that graduating from the Condé Nast College, with a book full of contacts and several prized internships at its renowned publications is, simply priceless. Not likely. Okay, now back to cynicism. Firstly, an industry that has been plagued with bad press and criticism for its full-time and arduous

unpaid internships, which for a brief moment, seemed

the pitfalls of this plan. Vogue, having built a reputation

to be changing. Fashion leader Condé Nast put an

upon recognising new talent, and the extraordinary, has

end to unpaid labour and actually started paying ALL

long since filled its pages with the inspiring to inspire, is

employees, hooray, and in doing so actually started to

all but selling its soul to the devil with an express route

spread the almost sacrilegious rumour that interns are

from it’s school to its office. Manufacturing a Condé Nast

also employees (shock horror).

version of creativity will no doubt replace ingenuity with predictability, a mainstream vision of creativity built

However, before the paychecks can be collected,

from dollar signs rather than artistic eyes.

up pops the College with its hefty price tag and an

Don’t get me wrong. I am not against bespoke

almost-automatic chokehold on its prized and highly

colleges and being a graduate from London College

coveted internships. In the words of Amy Stein, the

of Fashion I have seen the benefits of attending a

Personnel director “ We look forward to welcoming the

specialist school. The main lesson learnt: it is not about

very brightest and most able of the College’s students

the subjects taught but the people you meet. Being part

onto our highly coveted work experience and intern

of a creative network is what nurtures and challenges

programmes”, translated to “if you don’t study with

the artistic spirit. Independent colleges should train and

us, don’t call us, we will call you”. Clearly, the practice

educate not indoctrinate.

of favouring the wealthy and well-connected in the fashion industry is now tangibly evident as bricks and

Creative expression at Condé Nast College although

mortar in London’s Soho.

nurtured by the industries best and fashion’s elite will no doubt sculpt the vision of its students with a Condé

The ethos of the college to produce tomorrows

Nast vision - A factory of formulaic creativity, making the

stars of the fashion industry, although admirable, does

medium truly the message, and the future of fashion a

not seem to based on anything but the all important

sartorial snore.

bottom-line. A glance at the current stars and Voguettes of the fashion industry Carine Roitfeld, her successor Emmanuelle Alt, infamous Anna Wintour, and Lorraine Candy (okay she is editor of Elle, but you get the picture), and the one commonality they all share is their surprising lack of any formal tertiary training. In the words of Wintour, the Queen Bee of Fashion “You either know fashion or you don’t”. Moreover, a school for Condé Nast by Condé Nast, well, it doesn’t really take the most hardened cynic to realise

fashion {street}

Nick Appleton jacket British vintage c trousers Old Town c shoes Loaks shirt Old Town c hat Laird

Paul Bommer jacket Old Town c trousers 1930s Vintage c shoes Hunky Dory c waistcoat Old Town

Lenka green top Vintage c trousers Monki bag Zara c shoes Label Lab

Kota pink skirt Egg c mint top Second-hand necklace Grandadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s c shoes Comme des GarĂ§ons

Tracy tube top H&M c skirt Next shoes Converse

David shirt Zara c trousers Zara watches Rolex c shoes Rassell & Bromley

Alice jacket Vintage c top Urban Outfitters c hotpants Cut Rokit jeans c watches Casio shoes ASOS

Dr. David Blood Wood suit by Dr. David Blood Wood

Laura white lace shorts H&M hoodie Topshop c jacket Barbour c shoes ASOS

Ronny shirt Burberry 2009 c watches Rolex c trousers Farrigo c necklace Armani c shoes S. Ferragamo glasses She

Deimante jumpsuit Public Beware c glasses Komono bag from Morrocco c sandals H&M

fashion {cultural aspect}

In the conver sation with a Muslim in a veil Before, Christian use to cover up, why now that Modern Muslim women that leave in the Western world still wear the veil as a clothing of Modesty. To a greater extent, I understand the importance of my religion when at a point; I took it off for a short period of time. However, when I started wearing HIJAB (scarf) again my believe strengthened. I decided to wear veil because majority of my friends at college wore it and influenced me, friends were more a motivation to encourage me to wear veil for religious reasons more than anything. I am the second eldest out of the sisters and only my youngest sister and me wear the hijab in our family. So, it is not related to pressure from family as in most cases. It was my and sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice to wear the veil, as a symbol of our religion and oblige by what is set on. Muslim religion. The positive aspect is that it prevents you from actions that are deemed wrong and to help people wearing the veil to stay faithful to their religion and also keep them inline and away from bad things, partly to do with the fact if you are wearing the veil and committing

action, which are frowned upon

then you get judge. Therefore, the hijab influences me to stay away from doing bad things to avoid having people to judge me.

On the negative, I have experienced forms

Many girls might argue that they wear it,

of racial abuse and as most my friends, also

when they are married or ready to get married.

covered their hair. We have had a group

But the beauty of the veil is once you start

English men spit out of their car windows at

wearing it, you start to notice more people

us, while we are walking on the street. On the

who wear it then those who don’t seem

other hand, sometimes I meet English men

unusual as it did at the beginning you became

who walk up to me and say that they had

more accustomed to it and it becomes The

fantasy to fuck a woman wearing veil.

UNIFORM...

Additionally, wearing the veil makes people

Before I started wearing it, it took a couple

look at other aspects such as praying way of

of months to get my head around it and to

dressing.

decide officially, what I was going to do as

When you are wearing a veil, you should

I was nervous of, how other will recognize

also dress modesty, such as wearing loose

it? However, once I started wearing it I felt

clothing thus not attracting wrong attention.

absolutely comfortable and notice, how

So wearing the veil, I have had people say you

important it is in my religion.

should also cover your body (the figure).

I would definitely suggest it to others, who

Islamic dress is to wear the AUBIYA (long

share the same views of religion as mine. It is

black gown). However, people have different

also vital for women to be wearing the Head

views, and I believe, wearing veil it is essential

Scarf at least. You see women in the old movies

to dress up appropriately.

wearing a scarf in a classic cars.пап

Also I believe the veil is very important as every Muslim woman is obliged to wear it as mentioned in Quran and by many Scholars and is essential undoubtedly.

one day in a big city

CORE {life story}

BORN IN A WRONG BODY: HOW OMAN ABDULLAH BECAME AMANDA It turned out the main subject of this edition became a fairly delicate and complicated topic: sexual minority problems. Unfortunately, there are a lot of problems indeed even because they were originally due by the word ‘minority’. At least, being being different to the norm causes social incomprehension and prejudice, self- identification difficulties and depression are often the result, and this is just a short top list. The first time, we met Amanda when she was picking up her daughter from school. After we asked if she would tell us her story Amanda answered straight away: I’m up for anything that puts us, trans, in a positive light’. Later, Amanda’s wife Jane and daughter, lovely Connie, joined the conversation. We tried to present this material in a true, objective and open-minded approach.

108

Amanda, from the beginning I’d like to warn you

I was caught just once. It was Carnival time in

that I may ask some inconvenient questions because

Germany, I was trying a skirt and top on, in my room,

our conversation is going to be full of different details.

in the Barrack Block, and some of the other lads had

So if I cross the appropriate line, please, let me know!

been drinking all day, and burst into my room. But due

Oh, god! That’s absolutely ok! I’m very open-minded;

to the room layout, they would have to come right in, to

that’s why I’m here.

actually see me, only one of the lads came in completely,

I had a long busy day at the Genetic Clinic at Charing

a lad called Jimmy Lyons. He never seemed to be

Cross yesterday. My parents live in Kensington, so I

bothered, and never heard anything further, but if there

stayed in their place, and I ain’t got any make-up with

was, I had the perfect excuse, everyone knew how many

me for today. I used some I found there. I hope my

German mates I had, and how I would normally go to

make-up is not over the top, is it?

the bars that weren’t normally frequently by Squaddies, so if anything was said, I was getting into something I

No, it’s not, don’t worry! In emergency cases, places

had to wear at one them for a Carnival Night.

like Boots, could be used as ‘walk-in make-up and perfume centers’. It’s a secret, but everybody knows

When did you start to try woman’s clothes?

it – women have to be smart.

Oh, god... I was eleven.

So, Amanda, let’s start from the simple questions like what do you do, what’s your age, how is your

What was the intention? How did you find out that

current life, and how did you come up to be a woman?

you liked to do it?

Just tell whatever you want.

I just started to do it.

Ugh, you never ask a lady how old she is, do you? Well, ok, I’m 43.

Were they your mum’s clothes? Shoes, lipsticks?

Well, anything will be brought up to transgender

Yeah, all this stuff; and she never knew it. I was 23

subject anyway. It’s gonna be some kind of educating

when I told her.

that assholes out there who call us freaks and think that something wrong with us.

What was her reaction? She just said ‘Don’t do it at this place anymore and

This is impressing! Where did you get this from?

don’t tell me in case you are going to keep dressing’.

I’ve done it! I was in the Army. And what about your father? Being in the Army usually takes time for three years

He found out in 2010. The fact is I was going to tell

minimum; for how long have you been there?

him but he found out by seeing some official paperwork

For ten years; and I loved it, it was fantastic.

about me being transgender. I left it on the table by mistake. He was surprised but he didn’t say anything.

This is actually something so masculine. How did it work for you?

He might notice that something was going on with

It was an attempt to prove myself I was a man,

you and your body, mightn’t he?

because when I was younger there was confusion with

No, at that time I looked ‘normal’, there were no

myself. I needed a proof and I did it. Moreover, I also

changes with my body. In addition, I stopped dressing

proved that I still loved to wear woman’s clothes.

for a few years – it was in those years when I was married. However, later that actually made me dress again. Long

So, that means you were dressing in the Army as

nights of discussions with my wife began. A long tearful

well? What about your friends there and when did you

night, a lot of crying, a lot of screaming when I told her.

do it? Yes, I was dressing. They just simply didn’t know. I

Let’s stop at this moment – so, you’ve been married.

was doing it at night when I was on my own.

When was this? We got married in 2001. She knew I used to dress but

You were never ‘caught’ during 10 years?!

she was ok because it was not happening, it was a past

109

wanted.

of my life. And at that point I thought it was.

Why we are still together? Because you have to work on relationships.

How did you meet? We met one week after the 2001 FA cup final, where Liverpool beat Arsenal, there was a breaking joke that

From the beginning was it a big love?

got us talking, it was that Jane was wearing an Arsenal

Oh, god, yeah! It was a big thing for the a person like me.

shirt, and during the game, an Arsenal Player, Freddie Lungberg scored the first goal, in Arsenal’s goal, was

Let’s come back just a bit to that moment when Jane

David Seaman. Then in 2003 our daughter was born. At that moment, Jane was

found out you started to

working for the national

dress. How did you start

company, and I was a

to deal with each other? After we made some

house-husbant bringing up our daughter. That

rules,

things

became

was how my previous

a bit easier. If I would

feelings came back – I

refuse them everything

began to feel girly. She

would be broken.

came over one night and Dressing - how does

at that night I told her I

it feel?

started to dress again.

You can’t resist it. You For how long were

feel like you were born in

you like an ordinary

a wrong body. You are

couple?

fighting with yourself every day. I needed to

For 3 years.

dress. I was fighting with So what happened

myself because I had to

after you told your wife

be what I didn’t want to

you began dressing?

be. Now I’m a woman and I’m happy.

We had a long night

Before

talking and screaming...

was

I went for a walk. When I

complete asshole. I was

was out she phoned the

not a nice person. I was

Gay and Lesbians Help

fighting

Line. That was everything

drunk all the time.

and

getting

she could find in the That’s

Yellow pages. People still

when

you

were in the Army?

refused such a problem – being transgender; they didn’t

No, it was after. I was hurting people I loved. Not

know how to deal with it.

physically, but emotionally. Those who knew me when I

So, you’ve got a daughter. Who is she living with

was a man and now see me as a woman – they all say I’m

now? How do you share days being with her? Oh, we are still together! I see them regulary.

an absolutely different person. Now I’m a calm person.

It means she accepted you as you are, didn’t she?

become a woman. Which is what I’m doing now.

My strengthful wife Jane gave that strength to me to When she made that phone call all the people from Tell us more about those rules?

the Help Line could suggest was just to lay down some rules for how I behaved. If I was willing to stand by her

I could dress only at home not going outside in

rules it should work. I was always gonna do what she

woman’s clothes and make-up. Also, I could do it when

110

she was at work. Slowly she allowed

Yeah, I just didn’t enjoy it at all.

me to dress for longer, so that finally

Now I’m a woman, and this began

It’s inverted into the vagina. I got

from time to time when I was picking

a very joyful thing to me, especially

the video on here how they do the

her up from work I was still dressed.

because I started to take hormones.

surgery:

See, I got breast! IThey are going to

cut a half and made as a clitoris. The

be even bigger.

flesh is taken out. Another part is put

What did your friends say? I got just very few anyway. The only friends I got were transgender anyway.

How does it happen?

the penis’s head is being

inside, so that it looks exactly like a What size do you want?

woman’s vagina outside and it feels

At my age it’s not gonna be bigger

the same as a woman inside. So we

Then slowly after a while I did it

then size B. Anyway, I like it like that

step by step. She was getting used to

and it helps me to feel more feminine.

it. In spite of this, the one place I was

can feel orgasms. What it’s shown on this video – it

not allowed to be female and I had

Do you still have your manhood?

seems quite complicated. Are you

to be completely male was obviously

Yes.

afraid?

in bed. However, one day when we were shopping she bought me girly

No, I’m waiting for it desperately. And you are going to...?

pyjamas. It was extremely important

Yes! It’s not removed yet. I will have

to me because it meant she accepted

surgery in 2,5 year. I’m inverted partly.

me as a woman in bed. Talking about that shopping day how much time did pass by after that night you told her you started to dress? It was around two years after. At that time, in 2010 we came to London when my parents found out that I was serious about becoming a woman. I found a doctor; he arranged a psychiatrist who I needed to see to be referred to the Gender Clinic. Jane came with me to meet the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist confirmed that I had the medical condition of Gender Dysmorphia – that’s the official definition of gender confusion. What was happening in bed then? Were you still a man between the sheets? Yeah, sex happened like it usually does between people. Jane has a low libido anyway. I have a very high one, but at that time it was going lower. Was

some

kind

disappointment for you to do it as a man? Did you not mind?

111

How many times have you seen this video?

Four-five times.

Ooh, god, yeah! The female one is much stronger. It goes from inside.

It should be expensive. How much does this surgery cost? It’s supported by NHS, so it’s for free because it is recognized as a medical

Man’s orgasm is a purely physical one. Since I started to have sex as a woman, the previous experience feels like nothing to me.

condition. Up to commercial surgery it would cost about 20 000 pounds.

So, what are going to do during these 2,5-3 years before to do the

How long does the surgery last? It is about 7-8 hours.

operation? During this time, I am still going to take hormones, and also to have some

I heard in the news recently that one man in UK got pregnant! It seems like it

injections once a three-month to kill testosterone.

is incredible bullshit, otherwise it must be some extraordinary phenomenon.

Do you have erections?

Yeah, it happened in the US actually,

No, it’s dead. It’s because of the

and it was not exactly a man-man, he

hormones partly and because of my

was a woman before so that it was still

mind – I don’t need it anymore.

physiologically possible. Do the hormones and operation You have been already in two skins - can you compare a man and woman’s orgasm? Are they different?

cause some changes with your voice? Yeah, it causes body hairs growing less, my skin becomes softer, facial hairs

112

Before I was a complete asshole. I was not a nice person. I was fighting and getting drunk all the time.

stop to grow intensively also.

Since I started to meet people,

Your daughter – how old is she?

The voice... I have to learn how to

new ones or some of them I already

How does she take all this situation

talk in a girly way, in a low one... THIS

knew, - they asked me about this

in your family?

ONE IS ORIGINAL – did you feel the

stuff all the time... and then began to

difference?

defend me.

Connie, she is 8, and she is completely ok about that. Сertainly, she knows and understands the main

Oh, yes! Is it hard to talk like that? Are you thinking about it all the time to control it?

With who did you start to have sex?

thing about that, but of course we try not to get her too much involved into

Only with men.

details, because she is still small.

No, I’m already used to it. Bernie! (Bernie is one of my friends here). Bernie, hi! Tell me exactly how girly am I?

What reaction did your wife has

What does she call you?

when you started to meet different

She still calls me ‘daddy’.

men? In the beginning, of course it was

Bernie: Oh, you are more girly

very hard for her. Now since she is

then me, hun! Probably 9 of 10 you

getting used to me as a woman it

are girly.

became a bit easier.

113

Are you ok with it or is it some kind of disapoinment for you? I’m fine! I can understand that of course; it’s very unusual for her. But

sometimes nevertheless she can call me ‘mummy’, and

It was 1994. I was stationed out in Germany, met

then I’m absolutely melted.

Rose while I was out, as a guy, and she had just finished

I have actually made у a film about transcender

a major business meeting. She was a muslim. We got

people and peoples’ reactions on it.

married – that was the reason I converted. First, I did it just for her, but after reading the Quran, I realised so

Do you feel special?

many islamic believes were my personal believes, such

Well, I’m special to myself.

as being aware of life on other planets, talking about water being the source of life.

People stare at you in the street, don’t they? Oh, yeah! And it pisses me off. Every single time I’m

What happened after?

risking being abused. The lowest thing is I know why. I

We were married for 51 weeks. We divorced after I

scare such people sexually.

saw her in some porn video film.

What are you doing in your everyday life? Do you

Did you really love her? I ask about that because

work?

it’s not a secret people can be married because of the

I’m working hard trying to find a job – this is the

different reasons.

hardest part of my life at the moment.

Yeah, I know! Love is also very important to me. Yes, I

What kind of job are you searching for? A bar job. It is amazing how people seem to think that I’m not a shy, quiet and retiring girl. It’s actually

Man’s orgasm is purely physical one. Woman’s one is much stronger.

so hard to be shy in my situation making your own life harder and fighting with people who try to abuse you verbally. How often does it happen when people are rude to you in the street? It’s about once every two months; it’s not that often. They usually call me ‘poofter’ or ‘wimp’. Me?! They are men and they are calling me a wimp! The lowest thing is the angriest ones want to fight, but I wouldn’t fight them because I know if I would hit anybody there is a very high risk of me killing him. It’s about the Army, and also before the Army I was doing karate. Do you wear heels? Not today, but usually I do. It’s easy for me because I used to walk like a girl being a kid trying not to step on my back side of feet. What was your name before? Oman. I was Oman Abdulla. I was Muslim. I converted by choice. When and how did it happen?

114

loved her, but actually, she was a very

Where is that surname from?

you have got to look at the status

rich woman also. She was one of the

My family is originally Greek, which

quo, and you’ve got to say ‘What if

is why I have such eyes, such nose,

I got to expect people to accept me

and hairs like that. I’m like Alexander

then loyalty has to be understanding

the Great, ha-ha!

of them which means ‘I have to

richest women of Malaysia. Do you love Jane, your current

wife? Oh, god, yeah. She is just the one in my life. it’s a relationship based on trust and love.

Excuse me, which toilet do you

Are you going to spend the rest

about

that;

understanding that at the moment they don’t accept me. If they do not,

use? There is no British law – man’s or woman’s – I have to use. I use the

of your life together?

everything

then maybe I should wait for the time they will’.

lady’s room. There is only one rule: transcender women use woman’s

Amanda : See? This is why I feel

Yes, we intend to stay together.

room, transcender men go to the

safety! Jane is the guarantee of my

The law at the moment though, does

gent’s one. Most people do not know

stability protecting my rights wisely.

not allow for two people of the sex

about all of this problems connected

Jane, tell them what happened next

to be married, yes they can have a

with the trans subject.

to our tube station.

civil partnership. But that isn’t the same, if the law is changed, that

Jane and Connie joined the conversation.

Jane: Oh, this was purely just a trick... Amanda got the bus from the

means that Transgendered in loving Talking about peoples’ reaction

station, and I was going off the bus

and prejudice how is it in the UK

stop, then I heard a woman with

generally? For example, Germany is

a kid talking on the phone: ‘Mum,

What about your passport?

meant to be one of the most sexually

you’ll never guess what I’ve just

Oh, it’s done. I’ve changed it. And

open-minded places, isn’t it?

seen! I’ve just seen a man dressed

relationships, do not have to have their loving marriages anulled.

also look at my driving licence – I’m Amanda Maroulis.

Jane : People are quite ok about

up as a woman! You’ll never believe

this in this country. In this situation,

it! It’s disgusting! It’s disgraceful!

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We have been married for 51 weeks. We divorced after I saw her in some porn video film.

You’ll never believe it, mum!’. I took

everything; especially when you are at

my phone from my pocket and started

the stage of transvestite. Later, you get

Jane: I was coming back from work; he

to talk next to her: ‘Hello, mum! You’ll

used to it and begin to be proud of who

called me and told he was dressed. It was

never guess what I’ve just seen! I’ve

you are what you are going through a

not the best idea to talk about such kind

seen a black woman – she’s got a baby!

great number of difficulties, and start to

of thing riding a bicycle, and I decided to

It’s impossible! It’s disgusting!’. She was

think that people who abuse you have

talk when I came back home. When I got

shocked: ‘Hey, why are you talking about

personal problems, not me.

home there was a lot of shouting, crying

me like that?’ I said ‘Why you talked

feel?

and it was not nice at all. The first idea

about that person who took that bus a

Jane: It’s reasonable to think like that.

was to throw this away. I just sat there

minute ago? Does it make you better

You don’t choose the natural colour

and cried and cried... and then I thought

talking like that?’

of your eyes, for example, it’s already

maybe I don’t see practical issues about

brown or grey. And people – they are

this. Then in the end I thought I can’t just

just full of clichés; they think in the way

sit there and cry; this person is gonna

they’ve been brought up.

come home eventually, and I’d rather

You should understand that it’s just about being not educated. That feeling that you are not

The thing is most of transvestites and

gonna face it. There was a choice: I can

accepted by society – it should cause

transgender people are easily adapted.

help or I have to understand what I can

some psychological problems. How do

They must be. They had to choose the

personally do. I picked up the Yellow

you deal with that?

second way of life.

Pages, and I found the Gay and Lesbian

Amanda: Oh, yes, it brings so many

What about you, Jane, that day you

Help line. The person I spoke to said to

personal problems like you’re scared of

found out Amanda dressed, how did it

me ‘I can’t actually help you, because

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We said Connie sometimes god gets it wrong, that’s what happened this time – god lord above was just a little bit wrong about your dad from the beginning. She seems to understand

we don’t deal with transgender

What did you tell her?

issue, but you are very lucky – I

Jane:

said

Connie

got the transgender friend, so I

not

understand your dilemma. The

and everybody as a woman.

only way you could get through

Sometimes

this is by compromise. You tell

changed. Sometimes god gets it

your husband what you want. If

wrong, that’s what happened this

he is willing to accept that then

time – god lord above was just a

the most useful thing you can

little bit wrong about your dad

do is to stand by. And after a lot

from the beginning. She seemed

of tears finally that’s exactly what

to understand that.

everybody

they

a could

man be

happened. How was your life at that What did you ask about?

moment?

Jane: I told him he could

Jane: As times went on it

dress when I was at work so that

was absolutely crystal clear that

I wouldn’t see him. I asked to do

Amanda

it step by step because of Connie.

Every time she was going to pick

Otherwise she might be deeply

up Connie from school, she was

shocked or extremely confused.

using my stuff, and obviously,

The same rule applied to Connie

I’m not the most feminine of the

also: when the daughter sees you,

people. Pants have been changed

you are a daddy, when she is at

for knickers. Coming back from

school what you get up to is up

work, I found out my bra had

to you. Finally, one day when she

gone, my make-up had gone. I

came back, we spoke to Connie,

wanted to see him, but not her.

and she was completely ok with that.

was

very

unhappy.

Our life wasn’t ideal. Let’s just say even the police was called

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Jane : So, we went through this because the person

several times. Domestic instance.

Amanda: My aggression. No, I’ve never hurt anybody,

sitting here and now is not the same person I met in 2001.

but...

Her dad told me he gave up on Amanda years and years ago.

Jane : ...very good with the mouth, very loud. He was

Amanda: Me and my father... since I became so much

very loud, very angry, but never ever hurt anybody.

calmer, we actually started truly talking just a few years ago. He gave me a big hug on New Year... and he said he loved me.

What was that aggression about?

Amanda: It was about my existence confusion, and not Jane : Yeah, then we had a very long conversation

going into details, because of the schoolmaster. Connie’s school had to know about our family situation.

about all of this, about transgender stuff, about our current

I nearly jumped off a bridge.

life. We sat back and he asked me ‘Why are you still here? After all those arguments, after your life and walls were

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damaged, after police calls... I said: ‘Because the person I’ve met in 2001 and the person she is now since 2003 – they are totally different. I had to get to the bottom to find out why he was like that’. Then he told me: ‘I’m gonna give you the biggest hug in the world because you’ve given me my son back’.

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CORE {life story | blog}

THE DIARY OF A PROSTITUTE

I AM A PROSTITUTE. DESCRIPTION OF PROSTITUTION IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF SUCH A LIFESTYLE OR ANY OTHER IMMORAL BEHAVIOR

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MINUS ONE October 10th, 2010

Today the invisible heavenly list of ‘People’s names’ has become shorter by one. And that is my name. Today I became a prostitute. Now I no longer live in a flat and I have no home. Now I live at the ‘Office’, and I’m managed not by a director, but a pimp, who is officially called ‘authority’; my work schedule is 24/7. I’m meeting with the boss in the evening.

OLD MAN January 18th, 2011

Under seventy years old ‘grandpa’ came today. I said: ‘Give me the money first’. The room is naturally in semi-darkness. Grandpa pulls out a bundle of money from his pocket and gives it to me. I was shoked. Seized it and ran to the kitchen. Shocked again - all notes of 5 pounds. Old guy is retired and probably was saving money secretly from his wife. Saved enough and came to me. I felt so sorry for him. Gave the money to the girls to count and went into the bedroom. Well, of course, he knew he’d save money for vacation not soon, so that he forgot about the age. I was afraid he would die right on me because of a heart attack.

MISTER N. January 22nd, 2011

A year ago, a very drunk guy came to me (looking back I can say I didn’t sleep with him). He gave me a lot of money. We were drinking and talking, and he began moaning about his brother who was jailed in Thailand. He was sitting in front of me crying, and telling me how much his brother was suffering there, how awful conditions were, how sick and thin the man became. ‘Can you imagine how terrible prisons are in Thailand?!’ The guy took a photo from the pocket where a fat man and him were standing side by side and asked: ‘Recognize him?’ I had no idea who this man was. I said ‘No’. ‘Oh, c’mon, didn’t you hear anything about him in news? This is N.!’ I was ashamed I didn’t watch news much and I started mumbling ‘Mm, yeah, I think I’m remembering…’ Then the guy started to show me a news report on his mobile phone where that fat man was very thin – he was extradited to the US, accused of having connections with terrorists and selling weapons, and prisoned for 25 years. Whilst we were chatting (I should say the guy was really pleasant by the way) my guest didn’t mention the reason of the punishment once- he was only talking about the horrible conditions in prison. Now I know who his brother was. And my client was a successful aviation businessman.

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SAUSAGE KING January 28th, 2011

Recently I was a guest of the sausage king. That is, he owns sausage factories, sausage shops and, of course, he looks like a sausage. We drank and started to eat sausages (well, what else would we eat?!). He began telling me what kind of sausages were made of good quality and fresh meat and which ones I should not buy, and also, that his fridge was full of sausages. ‘Do you want to take it with you? I can give you a dozen of sausages!’ – he was shouting at me singing karaoke at the same time. In the morning I woke up before him and booked a taxi, and decided to look into the fridge – there was so much meat stuff that would be enough for years. I remembered that on the previos nighthe offered me one hundred sticks of sausage so I decided to take one just for fun. Taxi arrived and I started waking the guy up to say goodbye. I thought I was offered to help myself last night but still felt like I was stealing from this man. I decided to ask him and thought he would say ‘Sure! Take as much as you can!’ and I would smile and say ‘Actually I’ve already taken one. Thank you so much! Bye!’; so I said ‘I’m leaving. Can I take one sausage? I’ll take it just for fun and give to my girls for lunch’. The king opened his hungover eyes and said ‘Hun, I would give you all my meat, but I don’t have anything! I’m like a cobbler’s kid who has no shoes’. So I went with the stolen sausage.

COUPLES January 30th, 2011

I frequantly have to meet with married couples. Half of these couples, of course, are fictitious so a ‘wife’ is also a prostitute. But there are a lot of real married couples. And they don’t always need just lesbian sex with the wife, and ‘ordinary’ sex with husband. Now nother variations are popular: me, his wife and a strap-on; or me, him and a strap-on, for example. Sometimes transsexuals are involved. And couples do all that stuff watching each other. I mean, I do not blame them. However, I will never get it. How can you watch your lover having sex with someone else so easily? For the same reason I do not understand swingers. I know that a lot of people cheat but I’d prefer not to know, if somebody is cheating on me.

SANDRA January 31st, 2011

Today Sandra was my guest. Originally, it was Steve. I made up Steve’s face, dressed him up, and Sandra turned out. Overmodest, she was sitting on the bed’s edge: ‘Let’s pretend like we met at the bar, you came to me and tried to pick me up; I was so shy because I’ve never tried it with girls before’. After all, we went to the hotel and I turned her into her a lesbian. After that Sandra ran to the shower, and Steve came out: ‘I just wanted to try. You know, this is not for me. Don’t think I’m a fag or something…’

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9 of 10 Sandras-Steves say that after sex. Wild sexual desire ends and they begin to feel ashamed and disgusted. However, it passes eventually, and ‘Sandras’ who are more experienced are ready to stay in the motel till morning. Such men are not uncommon. I’ve written that some men also bring their wifes. There are a lot of options of ‘having fun’, they are either gays or unaccomplished transgenders. But they can’t confess even to themselves. That’s why they don’t sleep with men, and such kind of amusement with girls started to be a ‘hobby’. Sex with the wife becomes a rarity for them and a wife becomes like a cancer tumour. So they are hiding from themselves until the end of their days, because of the public opinion, education and all other shit that doesn’t allow a person to be happy and to be himself. Why does he and his wife suffer so much? Just to correspond to some generally accepted standards? It’s bulshit, not life. Be who you are. I think sexual addictions, perversions and so on are a personal matter. Everyone has the right to decide ‘how, with whom, where and how many times’. No one should meddle in other people’s private life till that private lifes as long as that private life doesn’t disturb other citizens’ rights.

SILICONE RULES THE WORLD? May 11th, 2011

One of my colleagues made silicone lips. I am actually rather glad of that. Half of her clients will be mine. I cant’t believe there are still so many twats who change their lips, boobs, hairs and nails thinking they look like glamour beauties. Unfortunately, these bimbos look nothing but pathetic, thinking they shouldn’t smile and seem natural and happy…because of the wrinkles? There are some niceties: languishing and looking for men with expensive cars, arrogant one is for muggles; in photos lips should be half-opened and stuck up. I can see such chicks from a mile away; they dream to live in the West End, but fall asleep again and again somewhere in outskirt hotels, because there are less and less assholes who are attracted by them. Intelligence and naturalness – that’s what is in demand nowadays. First one could be changed somehow, but silicone can’t be squeezed out. Well, I know how it works: you are ugly, poor and self-conscious, plus you don’t have brains, but wanna be married. Then you go to have silicone lips instead of gifted ones and start to think that now you are pretty. However, there is still no husband, and you think that silicone wasn’t enough and pump even more silicone into your lips. So now silicone lips look like a cow’s anus. That’s clear. What I really can’t understand is why pretty, clever and popular woman do this shit.

DANCE TO THE RHYTHM May 16th, 2011

Six o’clock in the morning. All clubs are closed. Some of respectable citizens are walking around with their dogs and others are sleeping. Partygoers dispersed and went home. But for junkies the party is just starting. There are some dens full of people with wide eyes where you feel at home. You don’t have to hide in the corners

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and can ask any stranger ‘Is there anything?’, and after a few drug lines snorted in the loo you are already the closest soulmates in the world. Sometimes musclemen in black masks scare you: they burst into the place with dogs suddenly, tie up a few profiteers, and disappear just as quickly as they appear. Young teens usually are left. Profeeters come back in a few hours, and nobody is surprised. Later a rumour reached me – some of my friends drank too much buterat and croaked. I go searching for them, but somebody got there, and that stupid cunt was already taken by emergency. Lucky me. Those who don’t have close friends or whose friends simply don’t give a damn, are stopped by bouncers (you are not allowed to kick the bucket inside the club!). If you don’t smash your skull on the pavement in convulsions or just die quietly , there could be a chance to be rescued by a passerby. Six o’clock in the evening. Junkies crawl away. Party is over. They will not eat and sleep for a couple of days. This is payback for a few hours of artificial ‘happiness’.

SMS May 17th, 2011

It was an sms delivered on my work number: ‘A., good afternoon! Maybe you should contact the job center in the community; sometimes they have interesting offers’.

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT May 19th, 2011

Since I always demand maximum for money I pay I expect the same attitude of myself. Recently one man came to me and asked with an arrogant tone of voice: ‘At what point does your time count – once I come out from the shower or when I lie on the bed?’ I hope you don’t mind if I mark the time on my watch’. I swore to him I was not going to cheat him out of a minute. He was done with the shower: ‘This towel doesn’t smell fresh. Can I get another one?’ I went, stood in the other room for a minute, came back with the same towel, and said it was a new one. He didn’t notice the difference. Then the guy stared at the bed confused: ‘Do you change your bed sheets after each client?’ I thought It would be better to give him his money back. After we finished I jumped up with relief thinking about the shower. ‘Make tea for me! …without sugar’. I went to the kitchen, made tea, put a cup on the saucer. ‘Don’t you have normal one? Only teabags?’. After tea time he asked how much time was left. “8 minutes? Do me a massage. I hope you have massage oil?’ My goooooodness! After the massage (with lubricant) I helped him to dress (on my own initiative), said good bye, and went to the kitchen for tea. Breathed out finally. In the kitchen one of my colleagues (who had silicone lips done recently) was

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telling girls how she got a lot of money from her client. A few seconds later the 500 euro banknote in her hand turned out to be a fake one. There was a big stamp ‘Bank of jokes’ across the back side of it. I told you, silicone bimbos are knob heads. Fake lips – fake money.

MYTHS ABOUT PROSTITUTION May 24th, 2011

All myths about prostitutes are generated by human folly. Stupid minds take everything the mass media gives them at face value. 1. Prostitute’s ID is not taken away and she is not chained to the radiator with handcuffs. (It was in the 90s and, probably, now, but somewhere in the saburbs of Mexico). Any prostitute can leave at any time. Why she didn’t do it – that’s not the pimp’s problem, but hers. 2. A prostitute is able to read, to write and even knows that the Earth is round. Uneducated ones are endangered species. Nowadays a prostitute has to have good language skilled and should be able to talk about the new opera in The Queen’s Theatre (there are 8 girls living in my place: 6 of them have a degree, another one will get it in a year; the last one has a cow anus instead of the lips – she doesn’t give a damn). 3. You will never identify a good looking prostitute, otherwise she will tell you by herself. We are among you! (devilish giggling). 4. Tales about gravely ill or dying relatives as a cause for a girl to become a prostitute are bullshit as are sob stories about her hard life. Compassionate customers are fed these stories to get extra tips. Those who don’t want to work, but have fun and substantial life become slags.

SCHOOL-LEAVING PARTY May 25th, 2011

Today I met a group of school-leavers (now they feel gown up! Ha-ha!): such pretty dresses, young smiling faces. Came back home, looked at girls – they have been school-leavers too, dancing at the party in colorful dresses. I remember I was so happy that day because I was pretty sure about my future – it was gonna be bright.

A HORROR May 26th, 2011

A year ago I was working for a pimp; I still can’t understand what we, fools, were giving him half of our money for. One day a new 20 years old girl arrived at work with us from a faraway small town (perhaps, she wanted Martini and a beautiful life). On the same day she was sent to her first client. The pimp decided to ensure himself against the girl runing away with money and sent me to look after her. We arrived at the client’s, and I stayed in a car to wait for the money she was

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supposed to take first and bring to me. She didn’t come after 10 minutes; then 20 minutes passed. I called her: - Where are you? - Off you go, I’ll bring the money to the ‘office’. - Are you crazy? Get down with the money! Now! - This client told you to go away; he will give me my money later. - Give the phone to the client. - Hello! – it was a drunk man’s voice. - Hi! I’m that girl’s friend. Could you, please, give her the money upfront so that you two don’t have to be worried and have a good time? - No prob, hun! Come upstairs! I didn’t know the floor but remembered the flat’s number, so I thought it might be 9th floor, perhaps. A dark corridor, doors were not numbered. While I was waiting for a guy to open the door my phone rang. - Yes? - Run away quickly! He came out to meet you with a gun. He doesn’t want to give me the money and will not let me go. I couldn’t tell you that in front of him. - Which floor are you on? - 7th. Shit! Two floors down some bastard is standing with a gun and waiting for me. How do I escape? I found some outdoor steps, took my heels off and started to sneak slowly thinking if that guy would hear me I’m dead. When I was reaching the 7th floor I really began to worry about peeing my pants. After I passed by the 7th floor was passed by I ran down like mad. In the cab I shouted at the driver: ‘Hurry up! Now!’; he realized I was in a panic and decided to charge double price. I didn’t care. I was alive! Once back, I told the pimp everything, but he was always showing off. In fact he was nothing and couldn’t help the girl. The next morning she came back and said that that piece of shit was raping her all the night threatening with a gun. The pimp told her: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll give you money to have some tests tomorrow’. On the next day she went back to her small town. She no longer wanted a beautiful life. The pimp was pissed off she owed him money for two days of staying in the place. Unbelievable. Thank God he is wanted now.

MY FIRST DAY May 30th, 2011

I was asked to tell you how I became a prostitute and who was my first client was. First, I’ll tell about my first time. What was that day for me? Well, it was a very usual day actually. I was going to the client and I didn’t feel any anxiety. There was no remorse or feeling that I was crossing some fatal line. And there was only one thing I was worried about – why I didn’t I feel bad about that? I was thinking: ‘Why is it so? I’m going to sell myself for money! And I don’t care…’. I can’t even remember that first client. It was easy and quick like I had been doing this all my life. On my way back I was thinking: “That’s it. It means I’m

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shameless. Ok, I’ll sleep easy’. However, it turned out very differently: it’s so easy to come down and incredibly hard to live like this; and much more difficult to get out from this shit.

HOW EVERYTHING STARTED May 31st, 2011

I was born in a small town with a population of a few thousand people. I graduated from high school with good grades (that the majority of prostitutes are at least minimally educated. A lot of people think a prostitute is brought to the brothel right from the maternity hospital and she is not able to write and to read). After school I entered Law Academy in the nearest big city, and after I graduated I had to come back to my home town because I didn’t have enough money to rent a place there, and I found a job as a court clerk. I was earning some money plus my mum was working in the nursery school (I was growing up without a father), and it was enough. However, at that time I was confident and had a pretty face, so I was thinking I deserved more than to be married to one of the local rednecks or to get pregnant by a chav. I didn’t become a princess, but a courtesan finally. It happened during my business trip to a big city where I finished my University. One of the judges was invited by the Qualification Board, and took me with her. That night I went out to the club just for a drink where a man came to me and asked me straight way if I’d like to go to the capital to work as a prostitute. Such a nice question to a worker of the judicial system, huh? I didn’t come back to my home town. I lied to my mother I was offered a job as a lawyer, and on the next day I was sitting on the train on my way to the capital. That’s it. There are no weepy tales about dying relatives or my own terminal illness. I just didn’t want to work for ‘fair-enough-salary’ or to hear anything about career progression. I wanted to live here and now. I wanted my mum to go on holidays abroad or to have a new LCD at least. I dreamt that I would have a fantastic and stunningly bright and fascinating life in the big city. However, as soon as I arrived one disappointment happened after another. And as you can see I’m stuck because money and laziness are still determinant.

ENVY May 31st, 2011

I just found out that one of my friends from the ‘office’ opened her own cab bureau. I am shocked and jealous. I started to save money from today.

TO ENJOY OR NOT TO ENJOY June 15th, 2011

I’m asked frequently ‘Does a prostitute enjoy sex?’ Sometimes there is no desire even with you husband or lover because of the different reasons: fatigue, bad mood and so on. Are you able to enjoy sex even if you

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overcome this? Yes, but not necessarily. What if he asks about sex an hour later? Five times after? You will not enjoy it all the time. Therefore, as you can see there couldn’t be any pleasure talking about having sex a lot of times with the man you don’t love. In addition, think about different men who have different looks, smells, and preferences. Sex becomes not the desire of two soulmates, flying in the sky and enjoying, but a physical process. In the beginning, I could enjoy it with handsome, skilled, or muscular men and sometimes had orgasms, but later it disappeared. Sex and clients caused more and more disgust. Later alcohol and drugs made it easier just for a short time; but afterall, it became an addiction problem in addition. So finally I started to have sex by autopilot, when during the process you think ‘Hm, did I buy milk yesterday?’ or ‘Shit, I forgot to get my coat from the drycleaners’. Sometimes I can enjoy sex out of work, but not very often. A smile, situation or a birthmark can turn me on spontaneously. P.S. My ideal man is Patrick Wilson. He is sexy, intelligent and tender at the same time. I would learn how to fly again with that kind of a man.

IT IS A TURN FOR THE TRUTH June 30th, 2011

I’ve already written about the myths of prostitution, so now it’s time to tell terrible secrets. 1. A prostitute is never free on average, there are 2-3 clients daily; each client demands 30 minutes approximately. 2. A prostitute is a nympho who likes sex so much that she decided to earn money out of it. In addition, they have a really low threshold of fastidiousness. 3. There are no x-prostitutes.

NO SUBJECT September 17th, 2011

My forever-and-ever best friend was discharged from hospital today. It’s better to say – a girlfriend. A year ago, he had a sex-change. He now deals with socially unadjusted, difficulties in communication with parents, relatives and friends, and the public contempt. People think they have the right to tell others how to live their lifes or they feel that someone has no right to live at all. And those who believe in God, desperately argue that it is a sin, forgetting the words of their favorite scripture: ‘Do not Judge and You will not be judged.»

I’M STILL ALIVE! November 27th, 2011

I was so depressed after I watched Trier’s ‘Melancholy’. If tomorrow our planet meets some other space object, it will be invisible to anyone in the enormous scale of the Universe, and nobody will notice the existence of our civilization. Why are

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we here?.. I’m sorry for such a cliché but life is so short, and people waste it killing each other and living in anger. While I was deppresed I was not working. I spent everything I saved before. How to leave this shit again?.. I was ready to quit.

I LOVE YOU. December 2nd, 2011

A year ago, I broke up from my love. We met each other in a nightclub. Some ‘wellwishers’ told him I was a prostitute, but he did not care. He fell in love. Moreover, it was mutually. He took me from the ‘office’, and we began to live together. He forbid anyone to talk about my past. It lasted for one year. We were dreaming to grow old together, falling asleep on the same pillow. I was happy every second, and falling in love more and more. One day suddenly he changed. Like somebody stole my man and put another one, fake one with the similar face only. I was shocked. I was crying in the bathroom and listening to insults. I was told I didn’t wash the dishes, I didn’t tidy up, I didn’t allow him to meet his friends, but it was not true! I started to work and I was doing everything I could to be together. Any arguments caused more anger. Finally, he told me that I was a slut and I would die as a slut. He took all my stuff and brought me back to the ‘office’. Later, I knew it happened because of my ‘best’ friend – they were together. I was trying to call her to ask a simple question ‘How could it happen?’; she picked up the phone and just told me to go to hell. People around gloated over my unsuccessful attempt to become a Cinderella. The only person who was there for me was my trans friend. He was holding me tightly promising everything will be all right. We went through all that shit together. After all, I realized one thing: love is the most important thing. If I ever fall in love again, I will not remember this sad story. I will just love. And I’ll be the happiest one in the world. I wish everybody the same – the brightest, the most colorful and true love. Be happy. All right, snot is wiped. I am going to bed.

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photography {portaits}

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art

A pedestrian crossing by TBWA for McDonalds, Zurich

«Knobs» Outdoor Advert for Durex Condoms by Mccann, Belgium

Talking about Street Art as a popular art movement, people are used to underestimate the value of the latter. It was perceived as ‘low’ form of art, and its creators are ‘bullies’, running from the police. Definetely, situation has been changed, and nowadays street art corresponds not ugly daubs on the walls, but independent contemporary urban art. A street artist painting is not a bully, but a creator’s seeking for attention to many social problems, struggling against philistine indifference of urban greyness and gloom urban landscapes. For those who are totally unaware of the subject: street art is not tags and graffiti, or rather, not just that. It includes traditional graffiti art work, as well as, stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheat pasting and street poster art, video projection, art intervention, and guerrilla art, flash mobbing and street installations. Also, street artists just need a photo or video camera, because their work is extremely short-lived. To capture it in memory is the first thing they should do (before to escape). Moreover, street artists often work in studios, hold gallery exhibitions or work in other creative areas: they are not anti-art, they simply enjoy the freedom of working in public without having to worry about what other people think. Many well-known artists started their careers working in a way that we would now consider to be Street Art (such as Jenny Holzer, American Neo-Conceptualist artist who famous of her light projections). Relevance of street art is proved by growing interest of advertising to this movement: creative agencies started to use outdoor environment in addition to traditional billboards (e.g. McDonald’s French fries – pedestrian crossing; Durex). Governments of different countries became more loyal and started to assign special places for organizing thematic exhibitions and outdoor festivals. It would take several volumes of pictures to illustrate the fullness, variety and professionalism of street artists works from around the world completely. There is a few hundred well-known work are created every month around the world. There are the most well-recognized European artists such as Banksy, Vhils, Mark Jenkins, Above, Roa, Mentalgassi, Julian Beever. Particular interest is the street art movement in Russia, where democracy is about 20 years old; and artists have definitely a lot to ‘say’ to their audience. The most vividly names of Russian street artist whose works has recently received international coverage and acclaim and were mentioned in BBC News, The Telegraph and The Guardian: Nikita Nomerz, who is best-known for his ‘Living Wall’ project, which applies human features to rundown city walls and other large objects; and P183 - a mysterious Russian street artist who is being compared to Britain’s Banksy, with his graffiti stencils selling for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Luckily we have interviewed Ashes, an amazing street graphic artist,

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Photo by Dagmara Lipińska Sołowiej, Berlin

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Felice Varini, Spazio Fendi, Milan [source: unurth.com] Mesa, Spain [source: unurth.com] Banksy, London [source: unurth.com] Mentalgassi, Germany [source: unurth.com] Nikita Nomerz, Russia {Cigarro} by Anderson Augusto and Leonardo Delafuente, Brazil [source: 6emeia.com]

Tasso, Germany [source: unurth.com] P183, Russia

Vhils + JR, Los Angeles [source: unurth.com]

ROA, London

Ben Slow, London

JR, Los Angeles, Pasteup [source: unurth.com] Os Gemeos + Blu, Lisbon [source: streetartutopia.com] Dispatchwork by Jan Vormann, Germany [source: unurth.com]

Sorry... This is my first time

Ben Slow, Shoreditch, London

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Sainer {Autosplash}, Poland

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Etam {Jazz in free times}, Poland

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Etam {Bon Apetit}, Poland

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photographer and illustrator who has lived and worked in the UK, Canada and the United States. Her artistic career began in earnest in 2003 when she moved from London to Montreal. Surrounded by the city’s large musical and artistic community, she was able to focus exclusively on creative projects and developed her unique line drawing style and vector graphics. Ashes spent the summer of 2005 working with Shepard Fairey in his Los Angeles design studio, where the richly creative atmosphere proved an enormous source of inspiration. She worked on a number of Obey exhibitions and street art projects in the following years and her photography documenting these experiences has been included in publications such as Arkitip and Supply and Demand - The Art of Shephard Fairey and has also been displayed at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Later in 2005, Ashes moved to New York to work as the Art Director of Cool’eh Magazine,

a role that combines her passions for illustration, graphic design and typography. As dubstep first made its way to NYC, she soon became an important part of this exciting new musical scene through the flyers and posters she produced for the legendary Dub War parties. When Ashes returned to London in 2008, she joined forces with some of the most influential and prominent producers and labels in the scene and her illustrations and designs have since graced labels including Deep Medi, Swamp 81 and DMZ. This helped to bring her art to the attention of the Wu-Tang Clan who invited Ashes to illustrate the cover of their 2009 album Enter the Dubstep. In the past year, she has worked on the Future Me TV series for MTV and designed board graphics for Palmer Snowboards, whilst helping to run Cool’eh magazine and keeping up the prolific output of her own artwork. Towards the end of 2009, she cofounded LAVA Collective, using her wealth

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of contacts from the worlds of visual art and music to program and curate multimedia events in London. In the interview, we tried to understand details of street art from inside out at first hand. At that moment Ashes were painting of the Brick Lane café’s shutter. How would you describe your painting on 47 Brick lane E1 shutter? It is a black and white painting on the front shutter of SUZZLE, a cake/ coffee and art shop on Brick Lane. The painting is about the euphoria and effervescence of a Friday nigh out on Brick Lane, where everyone is out and interacting in the streets. What is your name and what did you study? My Name is Ashes57 and I have graduated in 2 Bachelors degrees and I did the first year of L’ecole des Beaux Arts in France then quit. My parents were really reluctant in my art studying and they thought I will never make it as an artist so they pushed me study what they thought was a really career as in Computer Engineering. When I graduated I did another degree in England in multimedia where I learned all the fun part of the computer. How long have you been an artist? It is hard to put a date on when I started because I have always been creating pictures. I have been freelancing since 2005, but I am full time artist since 2009. How will you describe your painting? My Painting is usually Black and White intricate scenes inspirited by the city I have traveled to. I try to represent the essence of life through minimal lined in a very busy drawing illustrating the complexity of life. Apart from painting what else do you do? E.g. exhibition? I am a music photographer. I do a lot of musician portrait and party photography. I am also the in House designer for the records label Swamp 81

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‘‘ ’’

STREET ART IS ABOUT MAKING THE STREETS BETTER INCLUDING THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Shepard Fairey {Barack Obama ‘Hope’}

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and the art director of LAVA Collective. How do you promote and sell your painting? I sell my work mostly from my web site online. I have also a list of people that collect my work. So I usually inform them first when I have a new print out. Few Blogs or magazines sometimes review my work and that helps to promote my art to a broader audience. But also with LAVA Collective we used to have a gallery on Carnaby Street and that really helped for promoting my art or other artists on the collective. I also let people know on Facebook /twitter when I got a new painting. Where do you get your inspiration from and what makes your art different from other artists? I get my inspiration in people, music and party. Walking down the street. I am not really different from the others as we are all putting up our image on the wall or Shutter. It just used a small brush and acrylic to paint this project whilst a lot people on Brick Lane are using more Stencil and spray can. But as this was a legal project I thought I should take my time and do a painting. How would you describe Street Art? Street Art is a Movement that has grown maybe from Graffiti, it is older then what we think. It is putting art in the streets in a clever stop to mark an instant of life. Some have political message and some are just decorative. Street Art is about making the streets better including the voice of the people. What process does Street Art face in finding a spot to place their painting in the street? I think you have to be aware of the surrounding environment and the neighborhood. Always be on the look out for new spots. I usually look for old wooden boards because I feel like they are less likely to be covered or cleaned by the council. You have to considerate the risk, the visibility and the longevity of the piece. What do you feel about people taking your photos while you painting in the street? For this project, there is no problem of legality issue so I don’t mind if that makes people happy. I try to hide my face a little bit. Do you work alone or work with other artist? I work mostly alone but lately I have been trying to

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collaborate with other graffiti artists to work on bigger projects. Last year I took few members of the DPM to Outlook Festival where we had an art installation in the middle of a 15 000 people festival in Croatia. I needed a team with me. I like interacting with others. I think it can push your work to different direction. Tell me about your ‘Queens’ painting and why do u have dog in your painting? The dog is there to protect the property and the bees are there to check if everybody is all right (p. 169-171). What is the best painting you have ever painted? I think the best one I have done is called the Vinyl Factory. Each time I looks at it makes me calm and happy. My artist strength is in my hand drawings. You are going to Greece. What are you going to do in there? I am going there to exhibit my work and to take photos. We are doing the art show for the weekend in relation to a club party where DJ LOEFAH and ONEMAN will be performing. I will show a mix work between photography and drawing reflecting London and the music. I am also going to do a large mural in the club. I am going to bring my new prints with me and see how it goes. Do you do exhibition? I have done about 50 exhibitions in London, Manchester, Bristol, Los Angeles and few places in Europe. I have also curated about 24 group exhibitions with LAVA Collective. I try to make things happening and never wait for tomorrow. What have you achieved as an artist? I don’t feel like I have achieved enough as an artist. I feel pretty young in my art. I feel like I want to create the world over. I want to be able to explore my full potential.

‘On the way to Queens’ by Ashes

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The project I am the happiest with, so far, is the «House of Dub». Last September Outlook Festival in Croatia asked me to do an art installation in a old broken down house on the festival site. With the collaboration of Ziggy Grudzinskas, 4 other London artists and Paddy Walsh we changed this old military House into an art installation using smoke machine, Strobe lights and optical illusion to create an unique experience to the ravers. People had no ideas of what we were going to do but they let us do it providing us lots of paint and a massive sound system. On the first night we had about 2000 ravers coming through the house and coming out with the biggest smile ever, it was an instant reward.

such as Basquiat or Keith Haring. When I was younger Toulouse Lautrec inspired me. His posters were amazing. All those artists were pioneer in a style that wasn’t seen as an art before and then became accepted by the art world maybe be due to the popularity. If people want to buy your painting how will they find you? The best way is to go to my website ashes57.com, lavacollective.com, or to come to Suzzle. I am also represented by Jealous Gallery in North London. Do you have any project coming up? This year is going to be busy. I got 4 shows already booked. I am doing Outlook Festival again and it should be even bigger and better. I am also going to Ireland to work on a 57th long wall with a Graffiti artist called Type. Then London and Sweden in August. I got lots going on, I hope to have enough time to create new work.

What is the best thing that’s ever happen to you? Few things have made me who I am. First, I won a scholarship to go study in Canada for a year. Without this I would probably still be in France. I was the first one who won this scholarship in my University. To win you just had do describe your ambitions. Everyone at that time said I was dreaming too much and that would never happen. But it did and that made me be aware of the WILL POWER. Do what you want to do. But the best thing was that in 2005 I went to Los Angeles to do an internship with Shepard Fairey to assist him in his art, exhibitions and Street Art (p. 167). I learned everything from him. He was kind to me, patient and thought me the entire things that school will never teach you.

There are a lot of Shoreditch street artists making Shoreditch a creative hub through their arts. To ordinary people walking by John Dolan is just another homeless guy sitting on the pavement begging for money with his famous dog. Hedonist Magazine decided to find out more about John’s life story who is actually well-known in that area.

Apart from art what else interests you in life? I love snowboarding and deserted snowy mountain. Who is your favorite artist and why? Shepard Fairey is my favorite artist. He always surprises me, and his messages are strong and to the point. His designs and typography are a delight. But I love the work of all the original New York street artists

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So what do you do? For the past two years, I have sat on Shoreditch High Street. I started by sitting me dog in a hat and I stand a few feet away from the dog and it looks like the dog is begging and people would take his photograph and put money into is hat. I could only do this in the summer time when the weather is nice and warm. But in the wintertime I have to dress up the dog in coat and blanket. It would make a very good photo. What do you do in the winter? In the winter, I still sit down next to the dog all wrapped up. So while the dog is sat, I sat next to the dog away from him drawing buildings opposite me mainly every time I complete a drawing they sell. Who buys the drawing? Because I have been sitting on Shoreditch High Street for so long people know me, admire my work, and buy it. Those who work in the area, club goers on Friday and Saturday nights, architects, builders, shop owners who want their shops drawn. Generally, people walking by and seeing me drawing ask me, if I want to sell my paintings and negotiate a price with them. I have been approach by channel 4 and by Scandinavian businessman who wants me to make a drawing of their new office building.

‘‘ ’’

So how did you become Homeless? The situation that led me to what I do is because the government benefit I leave on is basically underpay every two weeks; the reason I’m on benefit is because I have problem with my legs some month I can not walk. What was your life before? My life before that were petty crimes, prison, and homeless for the best part of 22 years and I have changed my life so much that, when I’m hungry I would not walk into

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I’M A GREAT BELIEVER IN WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

a super market and steal food. No, I will not do that now. If people asked you, what explanation will you give for doing this before? I’m a great believer in what goes around comes around. If you put good in the world, you get good back - vice versa. It happens not very often but when I get £100 for my drawing, I always donate something to Great Ormond Street hospital.

drugs and very depressed and looking to earn money fast way could. The Irishman said to me: ‘John, why are you depressed today?’ I told that I was withdrawing from drugs, I could not find anything to steal and feed my drugs addiction. He said: ‘John, can I asked you a question?’ What was the question the Irishman asked? ‘John, apart from drug withdraw, are you healthy?’ I said ‘Yes’ to Irishman who then proceed to call me a selfish bastard – ‘You brought this affliction upon yourself. In Great Ormond Street Hospital, there are children fighting for their lives every second of the day’. What the Irishman said always stuck on my mind and it changed my life forever.

Why do you donate money to charity? There is a great reason for this donation. Once when I was homeless, struggling with drug addiction, I was walking pass a Homeless Day Center and outside was an Irishman; up to this point I always consider him to be the most stupidest Irish Man to come out of Ireland. This particular day, I was withdrawing from

Did you have any education? I left school without education, I came from

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{Shoreditch}, llustration by John Baron

Islington and my brother David is got a boxing club called The Times and he got OBE of the Queen two years ago.

I have a council property, the council pay my rent and bills, also I sit home drawing two particular building next to Bank on the high street they got graffiti on the roof. I like putting graffiti on my drawing. I have sold 40 pictures of this building.

Where did you learn how to draw? My great grandfather was an artist so it was something passed down the gene.

How much do you sell your drawing? Cheapest I ever sold a drawing for is a tenner (£10) and the price I’m asking for is £25 to £30. I consider it is very cheap I put a lot of work into it and the fact that I’m selling them sitting in the cold.

How do people treat you in the street? A lot of different people sitting in the street with their hands out begging for money, but they treat me with a lot of respect with administration because they see that I’m trying to change my life.

Has any of your work been published? While I was sitting down in Shoreditch High Street, two guys approached me and commissioned me to do two photos for a book they doing called

What is like sleeping in the street in a cold weather?

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Shoreditch Unbound.

will probably have a Grand Illusion. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m getting a bit above myself.

How pleased were you to see your work in this book? Well I was the Black sheep of the family to be able to leave my mark upon this world and share my artwork along side people like Boy George and all top artists in Shoreditch made me proud. And my family is proud of my drawing in the book to. It took me 40 years to achieve something positive in my life.

What have you achieved by sitting in the street? By sitting in the street drawing, couple of positive things has come from it. When I finally get up my bum I will go to the art galleries who have approach me to show case my drawings before I did not have confidence but now I am confidence and could with an agent. So everybody In Shoreditch watches this space.

Now that you have achieved something positive in your life, what is your next move? My main goal is to get recognition for my art. I will not like to be famous but if it happens, it happens. I

Where can people find you? Almost all the time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sitting opposite Tesco in Shoreditch High Street. Yet.

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YELLOW PAGES Arts & Crafts

Food

WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN CAMERA? Find a box and paint the inside black. Once dry, cut 5 x 4 cm hole into the side. Now cut out a 6 x 5 cm piece from the side of a soda can, and strighten it. Pierce the middle of the tin sheet with as a small a hole as possible. Attact this sheet over the original 5 x 4 cm hole and seal it with black-tape-cover the pinhole in the tin sheet before you put film inside. Use tape that you can peel of later. In a completely dark room, attach some film to the inside of the back of the camera using tape to secure it. Seal the box lid with tape making sure the pin hole is covered.

Everybody is so obsessed with cooking nowadays, and it’s not bad at all! What I’m trying to say... What shoud I do if I’m one of those who can’t cook? I decided to find something simple and tasty, and I did! You won’t regret if you try! I call it ‘Five layers’. You will need: > middle size baking tray; > veg oil; > 2-3 middle size potatoes ; > 2 bulb onions; > 2 steaks (sirloin ones, for ex.); > 1 pack of shredd cheese (mozzarella or mild cheddar); > mayonnaise; > a few heads of garlic > salt, black pepper. So, spread oil all over the tray, then put onion rings, steaks, crush the garlic heads on them.Put potato rings on top and spread everything with mayonnaise. The last layer should be the cheese. Each layer should be salted and peppered. Put the tray in the preheated own (200-250˚) for 35-50 minutes (depends on the steaks’ size) and cook till cheese becomes brown and crusty. Enjoy!

Kevin

To Share Happiness Guys, finally I fell in love! I’m ready to send my positive energy to everyone! Congratulations are accepted!

Clair 07429174545

Olivia ovandell@yahoo.co.uk For sale The cute 14inch Mikomi TV with build-in DVD player is waiting for its owner! Silver panel TV in a great condition; Build-in DVD player; On screen display; Full remote control; Sleep timer; Scart socket.

Shoreditch / 30£ Irina (+44) 0207852782243

Anonym

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YELLOW PAGES Pets Looking for a Gray Tabby Main Coon kitten boy to adopt or buy for a reasonable price in London. About myself: I am dedicated and carrying individual who was dreaming of having a kitten since childhood. Will take care of him and make a great friend. Please, contact me on andres_felipeh@hotmail.com Andres

Old English pub

For sale I am selling 20 inch Qu-Ax black profi unicycle for £80. Was trying to learn to ride it myself but didn’t succeed. So now it’s staying in the corner and doing nothing. Want to give it someone who will actually use it. Will also give Bontrager mini bike pump for free.

Idea This is a water bowl. It’s not fancy. It’s just a bowl with water in it. However, by placing it outside where neighbourhood animals and wildlife have access to it, you might just save some lives. It’s just that simple. Set the bowl of water outside and keep it full. Be a hero.

If interested contact Katia yekatherina .b@gmail.com

Rosie Child Good to know

Suggestion Well, for those who are interested in beauty of the Black Sea here is my new project in pictures: InstAbkhazia.com. Check this out! If somebody would like to do something the same or to join this one - you are very welcome! Take care!

I’m sure that a lot of iPhone owners are terrified seeing their phone falling down. And that’s right - there is a big deal to worry about. However, that lucky people whose phone was broken only from the back side, can easily replace it. Don’t go to the unknown services : they usually charge around £50-60. You can do it in the Apple store for £25, or to order it online for £5-10 and do it by yourself at home. Don’t let others rip you off.

Alex

Metin info@instabkhazia.com

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SHORT First class This happened on TAM airlines. A 50-something

there isn’t any empty seats in the economy class. We

year old white woman arrived at her seat and saw that

only have seats in the first class». And before the woman

the passenger next to her was a black man.

said anything, the hostess continued:

Visibly furious, she called the air hostess.

«Look, it is unusual for our company to

«What’s the problem, mam?» the hostess

allow a passenger from the economy class

asked her.

change to the first class. However, given the

«Can’t you see?» the lady said - «I was

circumstances, the commandant thinks that it

given a seat next to a black man. I can’t seat

would be a scandal to make a passenger travel

here next to him. You have to change my

sat next to an unpleasant person».

seat».

And turning to the black man, the hostess said:

«Please, calm down, mam» - said the

«Which means, sir, if you would be so nice to

hostess - «Unfortunately, all the seats are

pack your handbag, we have reserved you a

occupied, but I’m still going to check if we

seat in the first class...»

have any».

And all the passengers nearby, who were

The hostess left and returned some

shocked to see the scene started applauding,

minutes later.

some standing on their feet». ◉

«Madam, as I told you, there isn’t any empty seat in this class - economy class. But I spoke to the captain and he confirmed that

The story of ‘defective’ J. P. Chenet wine Everybody saw the well-known bottle of J. P. Chenet

of your Majesty.

wine, which is famous for its specially curved bottle-

Louis XIV was always about gross flattery, and slightly

neck and lower body dimple. People who see

softened.

this unusual bottle at the first time, think this

- Yes, indeed, it reminds me of our lovely ladies’

is some kind of defect. However, there is the

bow, - said the Sun King. - My God! But why is the

famous ‘story’.

dent there? - The King did not stop.

One day Louis XIV was served a bottle of

Winemaker bowed even lower and said slyly:

wine for dinner, sent to the supplier of the yard,

- Doesn’t it seem like your tender touch left on your

Jean-Paul Chenet. The wine was excellent, but

ladies’ lush skirts?

the bottle was curved. «Sun King» always being

The King laughed and asked to reward ingenious

punctilious and petty, became angry and asked

winemaker.

to bring the winemaker to the Louvre.

Since then, the wine from J.P. Chenet is bottled only

- What is this, Mr. Chenet? - Louis asked

in those bottles with sloping neck, which became a

sternly, pointing to the curve bottle.

symbol of the brand.

Pale and trembling, the winemaker did not

Well, the author of this legend is unknown, and

know what to say. He knew what fate awaited

the marketing trick shouldn’t be underestimated.

him. However, that day luck was on his side – he

However, this unusual bottle was designed in

was suddenly dawned!

1991 by the producer Grands Chais de France, a privately

- Oh Sir! This bottle is not curved; it just tends to shine

owned French business. ◉

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The Underwater Battle of the Champion Shavarsh Karapetyan (born May 19, 1953 in Armenia) is a retired Soviet Armenian finswimmer, 11-time

received about 60,000 letters.

World Record holder, 17-time World Champion, 13-

On February 19th, 1985, Shavarsh just happened to

time European Champion and 7-time USSR Champion;

be near a burning building, that had people trapped

additionally, he saved 20 lives when a trolleybus fell into

inside. He rushed in and started pulling people out

the Yerevan reservoir.

without a second thought. Once again, he was badly

Karapetyan, Honored Master of Sports of the USSR,

hurt (severe burns) and spent a long time in the hospital.

ten-time finswimming World Record-breaker, is better

Karapetyan was later awarded a UNESCO “Fair Player”

known in the former USSR for one particular day of his

medal for his heroism.

life, September 16, 1976. On that day, training with his

A main belt asteroid, 3027 Shavarsh, discovered by

brother Kamo, also a finswimmer, by running alongside

Nikolai Chernykh, was named after him (approved by

the Yerevan Lake, Karapetyan had just completed his

the MPC in September 1986). ◉

usual distance of 20 km (12 mi) when he heard the sound of the crash and saw the sinking trolleybus which had gone out of control and fallen from the dam wall. The trolleybus lay at the bottom of the reservoir some

Have you noticed?

25 metres (80 ft) offshore at a depth of 10 metres (33 ft). Karapetyan swam to it and, despite conditions of almost zero visibility, due to the silt rising from the bottom,

A white t-shirt has replaced the more traditional

broke the back window with his legs. The trolleybus was

artist’s canvas and pokes fun at the stiff ideas of

crowded, it carried 92 passengers and Karapetyan knew

the establishment as well as being a figurative

he had little time, spending some 30 to 35 seconds for

monochrome. The t-shirt is also a minimalist image

each person he saved.

bearing hales of pop-art. It became a new canvas for

Karapetyan managed to rescue 20 people (he picked

political statements; new ideas running through the

up more, but only 20 survived), but this ended his

modern society; illustrations; jokes; design objects, and

sports career: the combined effect of cold water and the

even an integral part of high fashion.◉

multiple wounds he received (scratched by glass), left him unconscious for 45 days. Subsequent sepsis, due to the presence of raw sewage in the lake water, and

Smelling surprise

lung complications preventing him from continuing his sports career. Karapetyan’s achievement was not immediately

A passanger on Delta Airline lost his luggage, but

recognized. All related photos were kept at the district

found his luggage to be full of urine after it has been

attorney’s office and were only published two years

recoured by spreading all his clothes in the bed hotel.

later. He was awarded a medal «For Saving Drowning

He discovered that they were covered in urine. He

People in the Water» and the Order of the Badge of

asked the hotel desk staff to confirm it was urine. He

Honor. His name became a household name in the USSR

then rang the airline to make a complain. The airline

on October 12, 1982, when one of the most popular

excuse was the security dog at the airport must have

newspaper at that time published an article on his feat,

pee at his luggage. ◉

entitled «The Underwater Battle of the Champion». This publication revealed that he was the rescuer; and he

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illustration

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Special blog | Dog’s Gourmet by Nelly Alexanyan

ABOUT TASTY AND HEALTHY FOOD FOR DOGS. STARRING BELOVED AND ALWAYS H U N G R Y

FIND MORE ON HEDONISTMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Boil brest and cut into cubes. Boil rice and buckwheat. Cut walnuts into small pieces. Mix rice and walnuts. Add oil both into buckwheat and rice.

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Ingredients

CHICKEN CUBES WITH GARNISH MIX AND WALNUTS

R E X

1. chicken brest 2. buckwheat 3. rice 4. walnuts 5. olive oil 6. sea salt

somebody told that

Being

determines

consciousness

Karl Marx

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