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ten

TOP ALBUMS OF 2014

ITALIAN-AMERICAN FILM

culture

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ROBERT CORNELIUS

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MANIERA DISTRICT SPRING 2015!

A

s 2014 came to a close, we saw our first inaugural print issue come to fruition and, thus, threw a fabulous launch party to celebrate. We are so thankful for the warm response we received from our community and would like to thank all of our dedicated readers, our amazing international staff, our sponsors and advertisers for all of their support, and to once again welcome our readers to a local magazine with a difference.

MANIERA DISTRICT is firmly located in the nation’s capital, Washington DC, and aims to highlight local artists and rising stars as well as include commentary and topics with an national and international flavor. Recognizing the unique character of our city, we aim to take the parochial out of the local magazine and look outwards at the world from a DC perspective.

In this issue, please enjoy the imagery of featured cover artist, Robert Cornelius. He lends us his transformational digital photography with an “other worldly” aesthetic.

In addition, we offer a fun range of articles about everything from local sunday brunch in DC to breath-of-fresh-air Chinese fashion designer, Win Mu. Check out spring 2015’s fashion trend, gigham, and see its roots in the 1950s. Also, did you know that DC might be getting its first ever cat café? Look out for our cool new gadget “The Trunkster”, our collection of the Top 10 music albums, and so much more!

Yours Faithfully,

thelma lay ON THE COVER

Robert Cornelius, Esc ape 2 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

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EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | CEO Thelma Lay

CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER Juliette Lord

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Peter Walsh, Walsh Media Solutions, Inc.

ART DIRECTOR

Lori Beda Butanis

LAYOUT

Heather Gaskamp

WRITERS

Mae Aniceto Cyntia Aranday Gabriel Berger Chris Hurley Makeda John Robert Hensley-King Jon Lamoreaux Juliette Lord

ABOUT US

MANIERA DISTRICT (ISSN 2326-5760) is an art, fashion and technology lifestyle publication owned, operated and published

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4 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

CONTENTS

SPRING 2015

28

ITALIAN-AMERICAN FILM DIRECTORS

42

32 ON THE COVER

FASHION BY MIN WU

Robert Cornelius

REGULARS WTH? YUM! MANI STYLE MUSIC DISTRICT STAR DISTRICT CULTURE COOL STUFF

Transit Debacle 6 Sunday Brunch 10 Gingham 12 Top 10 Albums of 2014 14 Cat Cafe 20 Punk the Capital 22 The Trunkster 24

38 JOGGING MYMANIERA.COM | MANIERA DISTRICT | 5

debacle

TR A NSIT

BY CHRISTOPHER HURLEY

A

s a newcomer to DC, one of the first things you’re faced with is how to get around.

Since the District is only ten miles square and boasts extensive infrastructure, you would think it would be a piece of cake to get around, see the sights, and be where you need to be. And you would be completely wrong.

DC boasts some of the nation’s worst traffic and that isn’t just at rush hours or as a result of the occasional fender bender; it means factoring in over an hour to get from Deanwood NE to Dupont Circle NW—a distance of 8.5 miles. What happens on the way can vary greatly depending on how you travel. A simple trip across town by car or Metro Bus might degenerate from a simple exercise in impulse control, profanity, or murderous hand signals into something that would make John Hinckley Jr. [Ronald Reagan’s would-be assassin] look like a glitter bomber if a presidential convoy gets in the way.

WTH?

The most intuitive way to avoid the tearing frustration of driving, parking, and not getting arrested for the attempted murder of a parking enforcement professional is to use the Metro system which connects pretty much everything in DC and the surrounding area (except Georgetown…long story). And again you would be wrong. At least with traffic, your ire is restricted to the general situation and the idiot in front of you who could clearly benefit from a slap upside the head and a kick in the bits. On the Metro, you’re underground and no phone carrier can convey your tears (Verizon says it does but that’s not the reality many people share)—as people who almost died in the last Metro accident can attest.

So, all things considered, the fastest way to get from A to B in DC is by going underground.

Mostly this works but there are some things to bear in mind. Firstly, and this is very important, time is very much of the essence. The closer you get to the city center, the more uptight people are going to be about things slowing them down. One thing you can do for yourself if traveling more than three times is to

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buy a SmartPass; not only do you get through the turnstiles faster but you also save $1 per trip for using a paper card. Here is the most important thing though, never, ever stand on the left of a Metro escalator. Those who are too polite to cut you will be breathing profanities down your neck. Furthermore, since crime is still rife on Metro, you do not want to look like another hapless tourist. Stand on the right, move like you’ve got a hot poker up your bum on the left. The city thanks you.

While people get increasingly uptight as we get closer to the city center the converse is also true and people who board way outside the city are more likely not to know or care about the rules.

A prime example of this are the jerks who decide to treat everyone to their choice of gangster rap by using their cell phone as a PA system. These people are almost never alone since the point of such behavior is to posture in front of friends and dare someone to take you on knowing that

8 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

they will be badly outnumbered. Typically, they “decide” to turn it off within the downtown area because they are at least smart enough to know that transit cops love that kind of challenge, are armed, and have back up.

While most people suffer in silence until the carriage fills, I have seen two interesting ways of dealing with this phenomenon. The first was with a group of wannabe thugs complete with trousers half way down their arses (yet were wearing belts, go figure...) on the green line to Anacostia.

The guy who approached them simply told them to put their headphones on or turn it off (‘down’ was not an option). The response was pretty predictable; ‘Bitch – you wanna start something, come on then’, yada yada. This dude turned out to be a bit of an OG and had nothing to prove to them. ‘You wanna $#@% with me fine, but I gave up the gang stuff before you were born and, trust me, I know where it’s at. You wanna fight me, bring it. Otherwise turn that $#@%ing music

off before I come over there and do it for you.’

Suddenly this dose of the Samuel L Jacksons tuned them from buttwipes to brownnosers.

Power to him, this chap wasn’t having any of it and ignored them completely.

The second occasion was equally memorable but much more amusing. Same situation, only no Samuel L. Jackson figure to talk some OG fear of the mutha$#@?!% lord into them. While such interior monologues do occasionally run through my head, my filters are good enough to manage them. I was about to change carriages when a tall goofy looking white guy got onto the train with his strangely pretty girlfriend. He was like kind of a cross between Pee Wee Herman and a basketball player. It was clear the guys were enjoying the discomfort of the other passengers, so rather than address the issue head on, he did the bravest and most emotionally intelligent thing he could have done; he started dancing like a white man. It was like some grotesque parody of

the BET awards....great big bandy legs swaying around, a few gyrations against the poles for passengers to hold on to, intermittent cries of ‘ooooh yeah, I’m down’, ‘feel that beat’, and ‘louder, dudes, louder’. The looks on their faces were just priceless. Like their mothers had come into school to give them a public scolding in front of all their friends. At first they thought ‘this guy is gonna stop right now’. But he clearly wasn’t.

After two minutes of ‘white guys dancing’ they turned it off and left the carriage—leaving an instant comedy hero in their wake.

One of the nice things about living in a city is seeing that there are a multitude of different ways to deal with any given situation and, if we can find the time, creativity, and devilmay-care attitude to do something different, we may well be the change we want to see.

And that’s something all political capitals could do more with these days. Just don’t expect me to dance. m MYMANIERA.COM | MANIERA DISTRICT | 9

YUM!

HOW MUCH

brunch CAN A SUNDAY BRUNCHER munch?

BY MAKEDA JOHN

W

hen in DC it is good to do as the locals do to get a real feel of the city.

And being the capital of United States we don’t do things by halves.

If you aspire to become a true Washingtonian then you really have to get acquainted with the DC custom that is the ‘Sunday Brunch’.

Whether it be a group of friends, romantic couples, or a catch up with parents or colleagues it’s how we wind down the week and stock back up on all those essential nutrients such as bacon and eggs! DC has an abundance of restaurants vying for top position but here are two places we at MANIERA DISTRICT would love to visit over and over.

First of all when I am eating out I expect 3 things:

• A fantastic cocktail from a well stocked bar, with a savvy know it all bartender • Good quality basic ingredients • A friendly and welcoming service

Founding Farmers satisfied all three of my must haves for eating out. Situated on 1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW this little gem of a restaurant delivers on all levels. Seating is styled around a central bar, and the decor is cool and clean. We had a clear shot of the bar and I was pleasantly surprised to see the bar tender freshly juicing apples and oranges, and apples cheerfully pickling in Tequila. Once seated choosing something from the menu was made increasingly difficult as sumptuous plates of food were carried past our table. We were given ample time to ‘umm’ and ‘ahh’ and make that life changing decision of what to have for breakfast; Sweet? or Savory? or in my case both! Our lovely waiter Kolin (yes with a ‘K’) was friendly but not overbearing. Our first really smart choice was to commence the experience with a Peach Bellini, and we have subsequently decided that this is

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something that should be included the morning routine EVERY day, as it puts an undeniable pep in your step and puts a smile as wide as a mile on your face.

I ordered the ‘Stuffed French Toast (filled with vanilla pastry cream) Banana Foster’, while one companion envious of the gentleman on the opposite table ordered ‘Steak and Eggs’, and the other ordered the humble ‘Fresh Strawberries and Cream Farmhouse Waffles’. Service was quick but that did not impact on the quality of the food as everything was cooked to perfection. We ended up rotating plates and trying bits of each other’s drool inducing food, to get that all round experience. The ‘Stuffed French Toast’ was decadent and rich, the steak was beautifully soft (we used a butter knife to get into it) and seasoned to perfection. The waffles were everything a waffle should be crunchy on the outside fluffy on the inside with a generous helping of strawberries and cream.

We finished our dining experience with another round of Peach Bellinis, a Cortado coffee and a freshly squeezed OJ to go. And if this isn’t enough to get you rushing over to try out the food for yourself, then let me appease your green side, because Founding Farmers are Eco friendly! Their restaurant operates by LEED standards so their architecture and interiors are created in a way which has a minimal impact on the earth. Theyre also big on recycling, and part of the Green Restaurant Association. So if it isn’t the menu that gets you here let it be your duty to the earth!

FOUNDING FARMERS 1924 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20006, United States 202-822-8783

TED’S BULLETIN 505 8th Street Southeast, Washington, DC 20003, United States 202-544-8337

Next we visited Ted’s Bulletin located on 505 8th Street Southeast. I had heard and seen many a good review for this place so we decided to check out to see whether or not they lived up to the hype. Do not make the same mistake as we did by not booking a table. This place is heaving on a Sunday and nobody likes to wait especially when they’re hungry. Ted’s is a hive of activity, when you walk in you see first the in store bakery serving customers pastries, cakes and shakes to go.

To the right of that they have a bar which moves like a conveyor belt for those customers who want their fix of Bulletins right then and there. And to the back of the restaurant is the main seating area. What stands out immediately is the screen at the back of the seating area showing black and white films, it adds a little something to the 30’s theme that runs through the restaurant even to the finest details such as the stylised “bulletin” menu. Ted’s doesn’t hold back on the portions or flavour. I started off my culinary experience with a Caramel Macchiato milkshake; it came in a standard milkshake diner glass piled high with cream.

But as if a glass of this dreamy concoction is insufficient you are served with an extra portion in a metal cup that keeps the milkshake cool and ready for you to drink at your leisure. Between myself and my two companions we ordered ‘The Reuben’, ‘Cali Club’, and the ‘T.U.B.S’ (Teds Ultimate Breakfast Sammy). Service was fast and friendly and the waiter attentive and knowledgeable. When the food came it looked amazing, plated nicely and again a healthy portion. The Reuben lived up to its promise of being ‘Hands down the best Reuben in town’ (as its dubbed on the menu) with plenty of corned beef, sauerkraut and cheese and it went down a treat. T.U.B.S breakfast was thoroughly enjoyed and I must make a special mention of their hash browns which were particularly tasty with the addition of cheddar. The ‘Cali Club’ was my favorite thing on the menu, the applewood smoked bacon was delicious and anything with avocado on I love even more. If I had one criticism about Teds it was that my fries came pre-salted, I wouldn’t usually mind but the fries were over salted, which was a shame as they were cooked to perfection and they had the skins on which is just how I like ’em.

This restaurant just screams comfort whether it be from the comforting foods on the menu, to the ‘Adult Milkshakes’ and baked goods to go, it’s a great place to meet with friends and converse over some good food.

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gl orious GINGHAM

BY JULIETTE LORD

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2015

Diane von Furstenberg Spring 2015

MANI STYLE

ellini Isabella Ross

I

f you think that the checked pattern of Gingham is only suitable for tablecloths and barn dances, think again! Gingham is one of the major trends for Spring 2015 evidenced in the collections of designers such as Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta and Michael Kors.

While textile historians disagree on the origins of the term ‘gingham’ one of the most popular explanations is that it is derived from an Indonesian term “Ging-gang” meaning ‘striped’. I can hear you saying ‘but gingham is a check pattern!’, but when first introduced to the mills of Britain, in the seventeenth century, it was indeed a striped design, which only later became a check. Loads of gingham was shipped to the USA during this period where it firmly established itself, becoming very popular in the mid to late 19th Century.

Of course Gingham has done the fashion rounds before. In 1955 Bridget Bardot was seen sunbathing in Saint Tropez in a gingham bikini and in June 1959 when she married Jacques Charrier in an Bridget Bardot 12 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2015

Katharine He pburn

Ralph Lauren Spring 2015

iconic pink gingham dress designed by Jacques Esterel, she catapulted the homely fabric into the fashion stratosphere.

There is something particularly 1950’s about gingham. The rockabilly look for example took its influences both from country n’ western and rock n’ roll styles.

Men’s gingham shirts were worn by women, often with the shirt tails tied to produce an hourglass look teamed up with jeans. And Gingham capri pants were worn by Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn.

So how to bring the gingham look into the 21st century? How do you look more couture than picnic in this easy to wear fabric? The secret is to combine it with plain pieces. If you are wearing gingham trousers team them up with a plain top.

If you go for a gingham dress throw over a plain blazer. The easiest way to wear gingham is still the gingham shirt which you tone down with plain trousers and jacket. Also be mindful of color. Gingham comes in a wide variety of shades but black and white is the easiest to wear. And if you still think it may all be a bit too Doris day for you then try gingham accessories such as handbags and shoes to get the look without going over the top.

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Diane von Furstenberg Spring 2015

TOP MUSIC

ten

ALBUMS OF 2014

BY JON LAMOREAUX

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YOUNG FATHERS - DEAD You really have to seek the margins of modern hiphop to find artists doing different things with the form.

It’s unfortunate that avant-rap is rarely embraced by the mainstream, even while it’s best bits are co-opted by the popular artists to influence their biggest hits. Admiring an out of nowhere act like Scotland’s Young Fathers is giving credit where it’s due. Dead won Britain’s prestigious Mercury Prize for the best album this year beating much higher profile artists like Damon Albarn and FKA twigs. Will it lead to worldwide dominance? Probably not. But if you like rap don’t you owe it to yourself to investigate the underground where the truly revolutionary work is happening? Though you wouldn’t always know it just by listening to the radio,rap can be a vibrant art form if you do your homework.

Song to Spotify: “Low” BERNHOFT - ISLANDER What is it about white Europeans that they seem to perfect retro American blue-eyed soul better than us natives do? Of course there’s already Adele and Sam Smith. Now you can add Norway’s Jarle Bernhoft to the list.

Before moving to New York and rebranding himself as a funk crooner, Bernhoft bounced around different bands of different styles in Norway before finally “finding himself” in 2010. He started, as many do, with a viral youtube hit of him doing those modern tricks like human beat-boxing and multi-tracking one’s voice and instrument on the spot to create harmonizing and a fuller sound. Then a successful appearance on Ellen at the time solidified his fame. Islander is his latest platter of sweet retrosoul with the modern twists that made a world-wide phenomenon of Smith this year. Is there room out there for Bernhoft too? There should be.

Song to Spotify: “Come Around With Me”

SIMPLE MINDS - BIG MUSIC Those unfamiliar with Simple Minds’ pre “Don’t You Forget About Me” discography would be confused by the amazing return to form that Big Music is. Before they earnestly tried to out U2 U2 in the late 80s, they were a highly experimental post-punk outfit, heavily influenced by Kraftwerk and Roxy Music, releasing albums only months apart that were so jaw-droppingly strange, yet funky, that the listener could question whether it even counted as music. Big Music perfectly melds their early creative fits with the bombastic pop they became so enamored by (and famous for) later and presents them now as they deserve to be - elder statesmen of some of the best music (strange, funky, big or otherwise) of the last 35 years and soldiers marching to a never-ending restlessness.

Song to Spotify: “Honest Town” MYMANIERA.COM | MANIERA DISTRICT | 15

KELE - TRICK Kele Okereke’s day job is fronting post-punk revivalists Bloc Party, showering listeners with jagged guitar slashes and angular sonics. But, the game changes when he goes solo. When left alone, Kele makes glitchy ambient electronica for illicit sex acts with dangerous partners in dark alleyways where only dirty secrets lurk. It’s dance music, sure you can dance to it, but you could also sit in the dark thinking bad thoughts and obsessing about someone with the only light coming from your phone as you wait for a text from that certain someone while debating whether to call them at 2 in the morning. You know you want to. The same can be said for Trick. Embrace the darkness. You know you want to.

Song to Spotify: “First Impressions”

SYD ARTHUR - SOUND MIRROR Is it Psych Rock? Sorta. Is it Prog? Kinda. Is that Chamber-Pop I hear? Maybe. Syd Arthur (who hails from Canterbury, England natch) throw these and a widow’s mite into their cauldron of sound to concoct a most deliciously interesting brew.

Individually, listening to those genres can feel like work with their odd time-signatures and focus on experimentation.

Syd Arthur blends them into a surprisingly catchy mix while, and this is key, managing to keep song lengths short, which is a rarity. What you get are tasty bite-sized helpings. Where the best of each combine for three and a half minutes of transcendent bliss. These are intelligent songs that fascinate rather than alienate.

“Warmth” is not a term used to describe psych, prog or chamber rock, but you’ll feel toasty. Sound Mirror blasts you off into its stratosphere.

Song to Spotify: “Hometown Blues”

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TV ON THE RADIO - SEEDS Comeback of the year. Shortly after releasing their last album in 2011, TVOTR lost founding member and bassist Gerard Smith to lung cancer. While continuing as a band was never really in doubt, how to proceed while paying tribute to a fallen comrade hung heavy on the members shoulders.

What came out of the sadness is easily their poppiest album so far, but with lyrics depicting the struggles to stay positive.

Now, “pop” is a relative term when it comes to TVOTR. Nothing is straightforward in their world. They remain some of the most compelling musicians on the planet.

But the stranger experiments have been polished down and only act to serve the power of the song.

It’s rainyday pop as only a band like this can imagine.

An album that ruminates on beauty and loss. It’s the perfect final tribute.

Song to Spotify: “Happy Idiot”

THE BOTH - THE BOTH All supergroups are short-lived. Something about the combination of big egos and obsessive narcissism has buried everyone from Cream to Audioslave to the Traveling Wilburys. So, maybe we just enjoy The Both while we have them. Also, do the rules change when the parties are the middling, below the radar lifers Aimee Mann and Ted Leo? Hopefully.

The combination that shouldn’t work on paper is a perfect power pop miracle, with Mann bringing some sense of melody where Leo may have been too punk, and Leo providing Mann with an edge she desperately lacked.

The harmonies are tight, the riffs are endless and the tunes bounce like bowling balls down a hill. Enjoy it while it lasts folks, history tells us there won’t be much more.

Song to Spotify: “Milwaukee”

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GERARD WAY - HESITANT ALIEN Sometimes it just feels so good to get loud. Having never been much of a My Chemical Romance fan, loving former lead singer Gerard Way’s debut solo record this much came as a shock. It’s one thing to claim the likes of David Bowie, T. Rex, and Queen as influences, it’s another to write this fan-spastic love letter to the genre. It could have all gone so wrong. Yet, every song is delivered with passion and assurance. The guitars wail, but with that underlying sludgy beauty that only great glam pop can provide. It’s always “inspired by a true story” as opposed to “based on”, if you catch my drift. Plus, younger generations need their own Bowies, Bolans and Mercurys. Who else is bringing that kind of largesse to popular music?

I would not have said that person deserved to be Way before Hesitant Alien. Now, I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

Song to Spotify: “Brother”

BRYAN FERRY - AVONMORE There are only a handful of artists that consistently release quality material while pushing 70. The Dylans and McCartneys and Simons of the world rarely, if ever, embarrass themselves, but are any of them sexy? Bryan Ferry doesn’t mind telling you that, not only is he in the same league, but he’s still got the moxie to prove it. Avonmore is the sound of a criminally under-recognized legend reminding the world what he brought to us when he created Roxy Music in 1971. Though he’s been a solo artist for over 30 years, no Ferry album has recreated the virile sultriness of Roxy albums like For Your Pleasure and especially Avalon like Avonmore. It perfectly recaptures the vibe of Studio 54 and late night hedonism. Do you know another 69 year old artist capable of transforming a listener like that? I don’t.

Song to Spotify: “Loop De Li” 18 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

WUSSY - ATTICA! Wussy is one of those blue collar American bands that have been hanging on to day jobs while traipsing around the US in a broken down van the last 10 years hoping to make enough money for gas to the next town. Claiming Cincinnati as their home, Wussy is fronted by 53 year old indie rock lifer Chuck Cleaver (formerly of the 90s alternative band the Ass Ponys) and the much younger (and lovelier) chanteuse Lisa Walker. Together they’ve amassed a respectable discography of countrified jangle-rock in the vein of R.E.M. and the Replacements and other bands of that college rock ilk. It’s a sound almost out of it’s time with so few bands playing instruments these days, let alone reliving DIY rock of the late 80s/early 90s.

Attica! seems to be romanticizing nostalgia and dissolving youth, whether it be the songs that first turned them on to rock and roll, the houses they grew up in, or the apartment they shared with the loved one who’s since moved on. Cleaver and Walker almost narrate the passage of time in killer song after killer song reminding you that you too thought rock could change the world at one point in your life. Isn’t that what we all want? To believe in something that could make a difference for good in this world? Listen to Attica!. You’ll be a believer too. It’ll help to explain why God-like rock critic Robert Christgau called them “America’s greatest band.”

Song to Spotify: “Teenage Wasteland”

DISTRICT STAR

COOL

for cats

BY JULIETTE LORD

F

ancy enjoying your coffee and croissant with an entirely different class of clientele? The kind of customer who is so adorable that you won’t mind being treated with cool contempt?

If you are one of the thousands of feline fans in DC then Crumbs & Whiskers may just be the cafe for you. Recognizing the fact that there are far too many cats living in shelters in the DC area and that not everyone can commit to looking after a pet full time, DC star Kanchan Singh decided to solve both problems simultaneously by opening a cafe that serves the needs of both humans and cats.

She found her inspiration on a trip to Thailand where she visited a cat cafe. She tells MANIERA DISTRICT: “I went to a cat cafe in Thailand and had a great time! When I got back, I realized that DC could really use a cat cafe because of the population of students and a young urban crowd who tend to be people who live a fast paced life and can’t commit to volunteering at the shelter or adopting/fostering, but love the company of cats.”

Singh graduated from the University of Maryland with a double degree in Information Systems and Finance and worked as a consultant in the private sector. However she always had a passion for animals and animal welfare. While studying at UMD, she founded Terps for Animal Welfare, the only animal welfare organization on campus.

She launched the Crumbs and Whiskers project on Kickstarter earlier in March this year, and managed to get over 100% of her funding in a matter of days.

She says that it was: “CRAZY! The launch party was a lot of fun and by the time I got home that night, we had already made most of our goal ($11.5K). The next day,the internet got a hold of the campaign and we blew past our goal. Kickstarter was one of the coolest experiences of my life - totally unexpected but so amazing!”

The cats will be fostered by the project and reside at the cafe rather than having to live in a cage in a shelter. All the cats will be provided by the Washington Humane Society. They will be available for adoption should you really fall in love, following the exact same procedure as if they were being adopted from the Washington Humane Society, with all the necessary paperwork, background check, and assessment of whether a person would make a good cat parent. But if you can’t adopt that is fine too. You can just drop in to the cafe and experience the company of the cat residents whenever you feel like it. Because demand for the service is expected to be high reservations will be required. You pay an hourly fee which will help to fund the upkeep of the cats.

Singh is in the process of negotiating a lease for a premises to house the cafe and hopes to open the doors (and cat flap) later this year. We promise to keep you updated!

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You can read more about the project and help fund it by visiting the Crumbs & Whiskers Kickstarter page. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2006072669/ crumbs-and-whiskers-washington-dcs-catcafe?ref=nav_search

Kanchan Singh

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k n u p

THE CAPITAL

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F

DISTRICT CULTURE

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I asked S chneide r why he

thought there wa “I think in s such an appetite general, ther for all thin gs 1980s e ’s a sor t of fr subjects the at the m oment, h enzied minin se days. A lo e tells me … t of the peo g f o r also thinkin a l l k i n p d l s e that are n g ba ow in their 4 of documentary I think i t ck to their teenage y ear 0s or ear ly 5 s and if th ’s less abou t 0’s are ere’s nostalg that time in ia for some par ticular t people, the film h a n life before in Blu about m e is Beautiful (19 ternet.” aking a 9 film on th 6). They starte long aft d talk e DC er th

ing in at they p the film, the fund began c unk scene and aro ing not th ollecting mutual lo und 2000. Theirs is m film proje of another extre a te ri is a friend als for ve of film ship born film foota ct; the organizin mely important making film take part of and “a b g and arc s a life o from a g f e h it’s own of the a e from the 1970 marketp outside o lief that when a rchived s and 19 iving of original lace, am film com f pressure 80s. The azing thin super 8 c es from s gs can h ollection The film Paul Bish majority appen.” like the provid , b u includes t in ow’s ow ed foota addition interview so famo n ge of on another one larg s with bo us m e sort or 30 peop e collec th famou a tells me th embers of the D le n o ti th o s n e S o r. a of video hrab Ha nd not For exam C punk sc at: s shot in bibio ene. Sch the mid-8 ple neider a part of th n has been do “Nobod 0’s by na e social y refuse Schneide and cult ted. These films d to be across m r form h u a ra in s l history terviewe an been wo DC Public of DC a d and w rking ha on the su y new voices tha L ib nd ra e rd t ry h c bject be to ’s Washin ad not b fo een interv ame to create a DC interview gtoniana gether with the ed in ord re. Beyond the ie P D w u iv nk Archiv ed for anyo ision sinc film er to cre at the sa ne intere e, an inv e 2013 ate a kin itself, we also m sted in th aluable d of ora interview e time. For this, e resource p eriod. l history Punk The s, usually we cond C be ucted th of those, early sum apital is due to o we cove tween 2-3 hours . With aro rough red a lot pre m er of this und 100 makin of groun year. An mier in the sprin Making g d !” w d aft h g/ a a featu t is next fo re even wh r the two er 15 years in the “Once en it is a film is an exp co-crea this ensi Schneide relatively tors? r and ‘low bud ve business, my atten project is fully Bishow w ti g platform o ra e n t’ p p to e e n d te tu a Kickstart rned to rprise. counterc I’ll be sh docum er ultural g fund pa ifting crowdfu roup from entary about a yment fo which made it p nding disclose o r radical the US in ssible no any ad “over a and sto ditional to mile of su ring and the 60’s. anticipa in per-8 film nly to te a fe I can’t backing material” w intere fo yet, except transfer Punk his up over but also st to say ing para tory. Pau 34 Terra enabled to emerg I llels with byte l (Bishow ac autobiog e around ) is work the DC raphy, a the proje ommunity of sup s of ing on h “forgeto porters ct. Kickst is fi ir” (instea arter also d of a”m ctional helped W emoir”).” atch this space!

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The DC P unk Arch ive is locate d at Martin Lu ther King Junior Lib rary 901 G St. NW Washing ton, D.C . mlkjrlibra ry@ 202-727-0 dc.gov 321

trunkster THE

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ravelling is stressful. Whether it is a business trip or a family vacation, airport queues, delayed flights, excess baggage charges and lost luggage can really take their toll. And while the Trunkster suitcase can’t guarantee shortening those airport lines or getting your plane to take off on time, it really can make travelling a whole lot easier.

First of all this case has no zipper. Instead it has a patent pending sliding door that can be opened and closed with the minimum of effort. And you can forget those surprise excess baggage fees at the airport. This baby has its own built in digital scales, so you can just lift and weigh in the comfort of your own home. Need to charge your smartphone or tablet? No worries. The Trunkster carry-on has an upgradeable removeable battery and USB charger that allows you to charge your phone up to nine times and can be used independently of the case.

Additionally, using the same technology as Apple’s “Find My Mac” the integrated GPS system means

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All images courtesy of the Trunkster.

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you can track your case from any connected device at the push of a button. No more head scratching as to whether you case is in Paris, France or Paris, Texas!

The designers of this case have really done their homework and produced a case that has really useful features and no gimmicky gadgets. The unique side to side handle allows for great maneuverability and a totally flat surface when packing.

The case looks smart and chic and is constructed from brushed airplane grade aluminum and 100% virgin polycarbonate. It has a cool hidden compartment for your travel essentials such as tickets and passport and comes with a custom Travel Sentry TSA-approved combination lock to keep your case secure.

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You can purchase this amazing luggage direct from Trunkster at www.trunkster.com.

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italian-american

FILM DIRECTORS

BY ROBERT HENSLEY-KING

FILM

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F

rom ever since I can remember, I wanted to be in the movies. I hope my homage to Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990) is not lost on you. If it is, I highly recommend the film. Scorsese stands in a long tradition of Italian-American filmmakers who have contributed to American cinema. This article looks at the remarkable role played by these artists in their search to understand the USA. In seeking meaning, many of them have fused numerous influences to explore their own place in the world through insightful films. Their contribution to American cinema not only celebrates an enduring transatlantic cultural dialogue, but in fact also reflects a wider and perennial treatment of identities throughout the USA and beyond. Increasingly their films have come to explore the complexities of American society today.

In the early nineteenth century, numerous European-immigrant audiences flocked to early film screenings in the USA. As film evolved from magic lanterns through cinematographs towards narrative cinema, a new visual language evolved to tell stories. The early immigrant audiences encouraged a style of filmmaking that fused their experiences with aspirations and hopes for improved lives and circumstances. Within this emerging and enduring relationship between filmmakers and the audience, Italian-American directors have played an important part.

Scarface (1932) reflects prohibition-era developments during the 1920s, contributing to the nascent genre of Italian-American gangster films. In many ways this continues a trend in early crime films such as The Great Train Robbery (1903) and the Irish-American ‘epic’ Regeneration (1915).

In its treatment of Al Capone’s story, Scarface looks at the beginnings of organized crime in relation to an inversion of the American dream: namely the pursuit of material success through criminal activity. I hasten to point out, however, that Italian-American cinema is not exclusively interested in the Mafia, even though it has at times been very a marketable subject.

Before moving onto another genre it is helpful to point out how the social concerns of the depression era shysters of the 1930s challenged moral ideas concerning crime and motivation. Unlike Capone, shysters were not ruthless criminals. Instead they were constructed to question how far a desperate man could justifiably go to feed his family. Later, during the 1970s, this moral ambiguity remained important to third-generation Italian-American directors such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.

Fans of innovative Hollywood films will be familiar with how cine-literate filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino have drawn on a wealth of film history to inform and shape their films.

Yet, the two approach their art from very different perspectives. While discussions on Scorsese still focus on his role as a film-school auteur, Tarantino is championed as a self-taught master of post-modernist cinema. Between the extremes of Scorsese’s angst–ridden protagonists and Tarantino’s pastiche of “cool” characters we find an interesting spectrum of Italian-American films. Starting with the inception of Italian-American cinema, I will highlight just a few examples of how the zeitgeist of different ages has been channeled to explore the concerns of society and individuals alike.

MYMANIERA.COM | MANIERA DISTRICT | 29

Meanwhile, let’s look at the concerns of a blue-collar second generation character who struggles to escape the confines of his immature friends and his demanding mother in Marty (1955). Although the director Delbert Mann is not an Italian-American, his film certainly deals with Italian-American themes. The eponymous Marty is a butcher whose life has become a routine of pleasing others.

When love eventually strikes, Marty is manipulated back to loneliness until he steps up to assert himself against his demanding mother and his needy friends.

In doing so, he challenges the limiting expectations of class and ethnic identities in an effort to win back the woman he loves. Even though the film has been subsequently criticized as sentimental, its release resonated with audiences to critical acclaim and box office success. Doubtlessly it captured something of the postSecond World War assimilation of second-generation immigrants into American culture.

The third-generation concerns of Scorsese and Coppola reflect different approaches to what it means to be an American with an Italian heritage - especially in their earlier films. While both are interested in the shortcomings of the American dream, they are at their best when exploring it from the perspectives of performing masculinity through the different roles associated with ItalianAmerican gangsters. When set alongside each other, Mean Streets (1973), The Godfather (1972), and The Godfather: Part II (1974) contrast Scorsese’s fringe aspirant gangsters with Coppola’s father and son juxtaposition of Vito’s “honorable” motivation and Michael’s antiheroic decent and subsequent alienation. Scorsese’s epics evolved through Goodfellas to The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) to become less concerned with assimilation than the pursuit of wealth and attempts at buying happiness.

Tarantino captured the spirit of post-modernity to present a gluttonous feast of film pastiche in his quirky treatment of greed. Through an audacious pushing of boundaries (at so many levels), he strove to reflect worlds in which his outsider protagonists endeavored to transcend their circumstances to become “cool” as “outsiders.” While some of his innovations have caused offense, his inclusion of female antiheroes in crime films has had a lasting effect on today’s quality TV programs. Film commentators such as Paul Schrader have harshly criticized Tarantino as being obsessive in presenting controversial ideas and terms in “inverted commas.” Yet Tarantino has nonetheless reflected the mood of a struggling, transitional post-Cold War world to identify some of the concerns of his time.

Unlike Henry Hill, I still retain my childhood obsession (with film). I hope I haven’t lost you along the way. This article isn’t a definitive look at ItalianAmerican cinema. This is simply a skip through some interesting moments when art and cultural changes have intercepted. Just as cappuccino, carbonara and caprese have become staples of everyday American life, Italian-American influences continue to revolutionize screen culture. m

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The passion of the Italian or the Italian-American population is endless for food and lore and everything about it. – Mario Batali

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COVER STORY

HERE: Fight or Flight

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t

CORNELIUS

ROBERT

Meet the new

he name Robert Cornelius has long been associated with a 19th century American photographer from Philadelphia. The first ever ‘selfie’ captured in 1839 has been attributed to him. He took the image by

quickly removing the lens cap from the camera and then running into frame for a minute before returning to the camera and covering up the lens.

So when I first discovered the amazing digital artwork of the 21st century Robert Cornelius I assumed it was a pseudonym or ‘nom de plume’ used for professional purposes. And apparently I am not alone in this assumption: “ It seems as though about once a month I have someone send me a link to an article they found about the 19th century photographer who is believed to have taken the first “selfie,” whom also happens to be Robert Cornelius. People are always so excited and saying, ‘ARE YOU REINCARNATED?!!? DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS GUY?!?!’...I’m actually in the process of collaborating with a woman who has a genealogy blog, she is doing research to see if I am in fact related to the acclaimed selfie pioneer. It would be pretty amazing if I was!

This ‘latest’ Robert Cornelius is a 26 year old master of Photoshop, producing a varied range of stunning digital imagery. He was raised “in the middle-of-nowhere Ohio”. His parents owned and operated a pizza restaurant there and he tells me that he has always been ‘an artsy creative type’. He spent most of his time at the family restaurant honing his drawing skills on the backs of waitress pads. His family moved to

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ABOVE: The Unobtainable Kiss HERE: Tree of Life RIGHT: Spring Will Come Again

34 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

New York when he was ten years old and in the same year “my parents got me a tiny digital movie-making kit for Christmas, complete with digital camera and editing software that essentially shaped the rest of my life thus far.” While at high school he was introduced to Photoshop and it opened a whole new world of creativity: “ I just couldn’t get enough of it. I’d go home and watch hours of Youtube videos and tutorials to learn more about this magical program. I was always fairly good at drawing but suddenly I could come up with something in my head and create it exactly as I had pictured it.”

After High School he attended Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida studying filmmaking and ended up receiving the Course Director’s Award for Photography at graduation. The intention was to move out to California and dive head first into the movie-making scene. However his hobby of photography and Photoshopping slowly took over and he now works full time at Simone Associates commercial photography studio in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.(www.simoneassociates.com) “Now I get to spend all day long Photoshopping and/or shooting photos and then I get a paycheck for it…weird, right? It still doesn’t seem real; I’m very lucky to have ended up where I did.”

When he first started photoshopping Cornelius used royalty free images available online, but fairly soon realised that not only was there a dearth of good quality images out there but that actually he could take better photographs himself. Moreover using other people’s images left him feeling dissatisfied with the finished result: “Even though I had altered the images so much that you probably would never recognize the stock photo I started from, it just didn’t feel like totally mine. I wanted to create work that was completely my own.”

And that is exactly what he is doing now, and he relishes having the control over every aspect of his art work. He even models for many of the shots himself!

“I really enjoy brainstorming, dreaming up new concepts and fleshing them out. I love shaping the light in the studio, getting it to look exactly how I want it to, while trying different poses,

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HERE (top & bottom): Man Was Made For Joy and Woe Before & After RIGHT: The River Ran Scarlet 36 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

angles, and positions. Obviously though, I always especially look forward to getting into Photoshop and really letting my creative gears start to churn.”

The creative process can progress in a number of different ways.

Sometimes Cornelius has a definite idea of the final image he is trying to achieve and a firm plan of action as to how that will be accomplished. On other occasions however he prefers to shoot a bunch of different images and take inspiration from those. And sometimes he starts out with a solid idea for a shoot but once he starts editing he ends up going in a totally new and different direction. By retaining the utmost flexibility in his approach Cornelius manages to maximise his creativity.

Cornelius explains how a ‘raw’ image is transformed into a piece of Digital Art. “First I take the photo of my subject jumping into the air - in the case of this image I modeled for it myself. I like to use very harsh directional lighting; usually just one flash raised high up to the ceiling and pointed straight down. Once I get my image into Photoshop, using a set of smoke brushes I start to mask away parts of the body that I want to have already disappeared. For this image I was planning to have my entire bottom half already be smoke, so I had to mask away more of my body than usual. Then I select colors directly from the image and start building up smoke coming off of various parts of the body using the smoke brushes. They actually work a bit more like stamps, and take some warping and finessing to get them how I want them. After I’m happy with the placement and movement of the smoke I start to mess around with the overall color and contrast. I make several layers of shading on top; essentially I’m dodging and burning but far more meticulously.

To finish it off I layer up several images of dust particles and work them in overtop.”

You can see a speed edit of an image being created on the Robert Cornelius Photography website http://www. robertcorneliusphotography.com/blog/oh-hey-2015-lets-be-friends Cornelius loves to get together with other like-minded creatives to collaborate on new projects and has several of those lined up for 2015. He is also working on further images in his “Dust to Dust” series, with several images already in the planning stage and two of m them already shot.

To discover more about Robert Cornelius and keep up to date with his work please go to www.robertcorneliusphotography.com Or check out his Flickr page www.flickr.com/photos/robertcorneliusphotography/16321108281 More of his images can also be found on the MANIERA DISTRICT website http://mymaniera.com All images courtesy of Robert Cornelius.

MYMANIERA.COM | MANIERA DISTRICT | 37

joggin’

HEALTH & BEAUTY

JUGGERNAUT

BY MAKEDAJOHN

38 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

I

s it me or is every other person you pass on the street jogging? As Spring beckons in warmer and longer days maybe it is time to wave the tedious treadmill goodbye and usher in the outdoor jogging experience. Although treadmill jogging has some benefits, including the ability to run at a constant surrounded by other sweaty gym folk, it can become ridiculously tedious and those gym fees can be expensive. Most people are guilty of signing up to a gym with every intention to go every day, but Spring is a long way off from those New Year resolutions and often those good intentions fall by the wayside, and you are stuck paying for a membership you never use.

Break the cycle and before you sign up to the fab new gym round the block why not try jogging round the block instead. By jogging outdoors you reap the benefits of the panoramic scenery, getting to know your own neighbourhood better, and the entertainment factor of seeing people just being people. And all for free!

Whether you’re a complete novice or the bees knees at jogging here’s a guide to help you workout effectively;

EQUIPMENT All you really need is a good pair of running shoes. Thanks to ever evolving technology and an increased understanding of individual requirements even the most flat footed brethren can have that Cinderella tailored running shoe.

The shoe needs to take into account what type of surface you’re running on and what type of foot you have. Running on concrete will cause additional strain to the knees and shins, but don’t let this be a deterrent as there are shoes that specifically help to diffuse some of the shock. Nevertheless running on grass is, if possible, advisable (bone and joint wise) or if you have access to a local running track take advantage of that and use it.

Fans of treadmills cite those built-in bits that help you monitor heart rate, calories, distance and any other appropriate ‘measureables’, but in the 21st century we have ‘Apps’ for that. Download to your smartphone and you will have all the gadgets required to monitor one’s health during your jogs.

And again most of these are completely free! Some of the best ones we at MANIERA DISTRICT have found are: RUNKEEPER- GPS Track Run Walk: An ingenious little App that has pre-built in workouts but that also allows you to tailor your own with ‘Audio Coaching’.

There are various skill levels from the beginner mode “Couch to 5K” all the way to those training for marathons. This App allows you to keep record of your goals, achievements, calories count and heart rate.

NIKE+ RUNNING: Includes similar features to the RunKeeper App. You are able to monitor pretty much anything that can be monitored. Also this App allows you to link up with your friends to engage in a little friendly competition in the “Nike+ Challenge” where you compete for the number one spot on the leaderboard. This is especially useful for those who lack motivation, as nobody ever wants to be the loser.

Both Apps currently have 10 million downloads and an average rating of 4.4/5.

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GOALS Before you take to the streets it is important to know what exactly it is you want to do. Are you aiming to lose weight? Achieve a certain goal distance? Whatever your aim is you need to set yourself realistic and achievable goals. You are not going to be able to outrun Usain Bolt on your first attempt. Knowing what your own body is capable of is the most important factor when you embark on a jogging regime. If you regularly exercise your body is going to be able to handle more than someone who doesn’t exercise. Being aware of your own capabilities will be the difference between you sticking to your routine or giving up after the first week. Health advisors say it is best to start off small and build up your stamina and mileage gradually.

Also, do not fall into the running myth, that to become a better jogger one must jog every day. Jogging every day in fact can cause more harm than good. It can wear away cartilage which in turn can lead to joint problems such as arthritis and joint pain. Make sure you pencil in rest days and allow your muscles time to recuperate which will enable you ‘in the long run’ (pun intended!) to go harder in each workout. .

For expert joggers and runners alike why not try spicing up your routine by trying a little interval training. This involves a series of low to high intensity training which allows more calories to be burnt in a shorter period in comparison to lengthy and intense cardio workouts. Interval training helps induce fat loss as the high intensity intervals are metabolismboosters. Why not try ‘Walk-Back Sprinting’, whereby you sprint for a short distance (a couple hundred yards) and then walk back to your starting point and then sprint again and repeat this routine over. This method helps to boost speed and allows runners to finish in style by adding a boost at the end of races. m

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A BREATH OF

fresh air

BY JULIETTE LORD

FASHION

42 | MANIERA DISTRICT | MYMANIERA.COM

h

ere at MANIERA DISTRICT we like to bring you news of up and coming talent.

In this issue we focus on Chinese born Min Wu, an emerging fashion designer who has had a great deal of success in her short career. She graduated from the London College of Fashion with a Masters degree in womenswear in 2013. In September of the same year she gained a place in Fashion Scout’s internationally recognized graduate showcase and subsequently presented her Autumn/Winter 2014 and Spring/ Summer 2015 collections at the prestigious London Fashion week.

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t

he images featured here form part of the SS 2015

‘Attach/Detach’ collection which incorporates a layered look using contrasting and complementary fabric textures. The use of light transparent fabrics creates a fresh almost ethereal look to her designs with an interesting use of cool but bright pastel shades.

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w

u explains the concept behind the collection: “...the realness of

“one” will be different if a part has been “detached” then “reattached”. If a piece of cloth is cut in half and then reattached to its original form, has a new object been created or is it still the same piece before the cut was made? Is it the same as before or has a new piece formed?

Taking in to consideration the above, Wu continues to explore the original beauty that is born from the deliberate combination of functional materials, with particular emphasis on technology and the reflection of this in the world today.

With advanced technology surrounding us, humans are able to experience and see things from all over the world without being present.”

m

Min Wu’s designs can be purchased from: Dressing For Fun, China +(028)87609477 http://dress-for-fun.taobao.com Brand New China, China +(086)400 008 1651 http://www.brandnewchina.cn For more information on Min Wu and more of this collection check out her website: www.5minwu.com

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All images courtesy of Min Wu.

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SPRING 2015 VOL. 1 ISSUE 2

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Our luxury Washington, DC Hotel embraces style and grace. The Fairfax at Embassy Row, Washington, D.C. is perfectly situated in Dupont Circle, one of Washington's most vibrant neighborhoods.