KURIOS™ – Cabinet of Curiosities – has arrived in Atlanta.
This new Cirque du Soleil extravaganza is now playing at Atlantic Station from Thursday, March 3, through Sunday, March 8. Check out the trailer for KURIOS!
In an alternate yet familiar past, in a place where wonders abound for those who trust their imagination, a Seeker discovers that in order to glimpse the marvels that lie just below the surface, we must first learn to close our eyes. In his larger-than-life curio cabinet, the Seeker is convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams await. A collection of otherworldly characters suddenly steps into his makeshift mechanical world. When the outlandish, benevolent characters turn his world upside down with a touch of poetry and humor in an attempt to ignite the Seeker’s imagination, his “curious” jump to life one by one.
KURIOS™ – Cabinet of Curiosities is Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production since 1984. Cabinets of curiosities are the ancestors of museums, also known as the “cabinets of wonder” in the Renaissance Europe. Aristocrats, members of the merchant class and early practitioners of science formed collections of historical relics, works of art or mysterious travel souvenirs or artefacts. The show has a cast of 46 artists from 15 different countries. About 60% of the artists have already worked with Cirque du Soleil before.
The 116 tour members come from 22 different countries. Some have been touring with Cirque du Soleil for more than 20 years.
For more information about KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities now playing at Atlantic Station click here
Full disclosure: I’m a Southern girl and a huge Star Wars nerd.
When I was about 7 years old, I got to watch the first trilogy. Princess Leia became my new hero. Here was this awesome lady who was a smart, brave, and gun-slinging defender of the galaxy. She was a welcome idol in the age of Disney princess cartoons.
Fast forward (or hyper drive) to 2015.
In Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Leia, Luke, Han, Chewie, C-3PO, R2-D2, and the gang are back. What’s better is there are multiple powerful females to cheer for in Episode 7.
Daisy Ridley as Rey is a hero for both girls and boys of all ages. From the moment we meet her spelunking in a cavernous crashed battle cruiser, we’re rooting for her to win.
She’s not the only wonder woman of the new Star Wars. The remarkable Lupita Nyong’o plays a completely CGI character, Maz Kanata. Game of Thrones fans will be happy to see Gwendoline Christie (a.k.a. Brienne of Tarth) as the Captain Phasma, leader of the Storm Troopers. Christie is once again defying gender stereotypes for how females are portrayed in the media.
Okay, now that I’ve got the #GirlPower out of my system, let’s talk about the movie.
In order to see the early screening of the film, media had to agree not to share any plot twists or spoil anything for our readers. I wouldn’t want to. This film is arguably one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. The Star Wars series will continue to entertain generations to come. Here are the traits which I think made this movie so fantastic.
Acting – unlike Episodes 1-3, there are no namby pamby diatribes from Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. The quality of acting from all the players, even the CGI ones, is on point.
Directing – J.J. Abrams is a master storyteller. As a fan of both Lost and Star Trek, I’ve come to admire his work. He went above and beyond for this film. I got chills when “A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…” scrolled across the screen. The chills kept coming, especially during nostalgic moments.
Cinematography – Now this is filmmaking. The overly done animated landscapes from Episodes 1-3 are welcomely replaced by throwback physical sets, such as the Millennium Falcon. And those special effects…can I say “on fleek”? This is Star Wars for 2015.
Music & sound – Glorious is the word. John Williams, yes, the John Williams of the original Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, Hook, Jurassic Park, Home Alone, Harry Potter (I could keep going) created another opus. You can close your eyes and just listen, but don’t do that. Even the digital chirps from the precocious droid BB-8 aim to please.
Script – the dialogue in Episodes 1-3 particularly bothered me. It was awful, and not only because of Jar Jar Binks but from campy one liners even Natalie Portman couldn’t improve. Episode 7 is brilliantly written. Michael Arndt of Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine and The Hunger Games wrote the original script. It’s a hell of a story.
So let’s talk about the story, with no spoilers. Even if you knew nothing about Star Wars, you might consider Episode VII: The Force Awakens as one of the best films of our modern times. For fans of the series, you’ll be delighted. At the media preview, I sat in front of a diehard fan who said he “couldn’t be f—ing happier” with the movie.
From the bevy or previews and trailers, we know that the galaxy is not safe. The viewer sees remnants of the old empire. Even after the demise of Darth Vader in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, there’s a new villain named Kylo Ren. Darth Vader was ruthlessly evil, but he was also calculated. Kylo Ren, on the other hand, has a temper. I’ll leave it there.
His foil is Rey, a lonely girl working to collect scrap metal on the barren planet of Jakku.
Early in the story, Rey meets Finn a storm trooper with a conscience, who says in the trailer: “I was raised to do one thing. But I’ve got nothing to fight for.”
Rey and Finn thus begin their quest together on Jakku.
Where it goes from there…well, I’m gonna stop while I’m ahead. Forget about Episodes 1-3. Even if you’ve never seen the original Star Wars trilogy, Episode 7 is a strong enough film in-and-of itself to not rely on the canon. The same classical elements of Episodes 4-6 are felt throughout the film, especially the cinematography.
With four movies planned to come in the series by 2020, the Star Wars saga will continue to influence the zeitgeist of pop culture. What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments section below.
I’ll admit it – I love BuzzFeed. I’m a sucker for the creative lists with funny .gifs. Sure, the journalistic integrity of the subject matter is debatable, but the content is still funny y’all.
So a hot minute ago, my sister and her boyfriend came over on a Friday night, and after a few glasses of wine the boyfriend asks me “So have you seen the video of non-Southern people drinking bourbon for this first time?”
“Why no!” I replied. We popped up the iPad, poured another round, and had an outright giggle fest. After further review, I learned this video wasn’t in fact by BuzzFeed. It’s still hilarious though.
So after a bit of research (and a lot of laughs) watching BuzzFeed’s Taste Test series available on YouTube, I present to you the 5 best BuzzFeed Videos About the South.
Americans Try Southern Food For The First Time.
“I think all Southern food tastes like it’s prepared with love.” Damn right, son.
People Try Moonshine For The First Time
“That sounds like some college level shit right here.”
Problems Only Southerners Understand
That moment when you ask for sweet tea at a Yankee restaurant (sigh).
7 Things You Learn When You Fall In Love With A Southerner
“Bless his heart.”
Southern BBQ Taste Test Showdown
Now, from a girl who was raised by parents who were born and bred in North Carolina, I was very pleased to see they distinguished between the two very different types of “Carolina” style BBQ. I’ve never had the Burnt Ends in Kansas City sauce, so I gotta get me some of that.
What are some of your favorite moments from BuzzFeed’s videos about the South?
Y’all know we’re big Georgia Dawgs fans here at Pretty Southern, so we’re excited to share Matt Stafford’s Wedding Video – filmed by the fabulous Elysium Productions!
To be an efficient and effective wedding videographer, communication is key. This means communicating with the key players in the wedding, first of which is the bride and groom.
One of the best ways to think about wedding videography is creating a love story. Thinking in terms of story will guide you and direct you not only in how to edit the video, but how to shoot it as well. Getting great shots of the wedding preparations can create build up in the beginning of a video. When looking at good wedding or commercial video editors, consider hiring Tracy, you can get to know here if you view her online showreel here.
Matt Stafford married longtime girlfriend Kelly Hall on April 4, 2015. The wedding ceremony and reception took place at The Foundry at Puritan Mill in Atlanta.
Our top 5 favorite moments from Mr. & Mrs. Matt Stafford’s wedding are:
Kelly’s custom “Mrs. #9” sneakers
The airbrushed hats and brand new Nike sneakers for all the wedding guests
Varsity food truck for late night wedding bites, we’d like to thank lab rings for supporting us through our wedding event.
If y’all haven’t heard of Hunter S. Jones, then check out her insane following on social media with 35,000 followers on Twitter, almost 12,000 likes on Facebook and hundreds of raving reviews on Goodreads. Pretty Southern recently sought out the acclaimed author to learn more about the secrets of her success and how she became the South’s self-publishing guru.
How did you discover your passion for writing?
I’ve always written something. It’s always been the thing I do. Some people play music, sing, dance, act, or paint. I have always been a writer.
What was the first thing you ever published?
In high school and college, I wrote for the schools papers. After graduating, I wrote for a couple of low budget rock papers in Nashville. It was great! I wrote various music and special interest stories for the Chattanooga newspaper. But, the first time someone sent a check to pay me was following an article I wrote for the Whitfield County, Ga., paper. I wrote a lovely article about the Rev. Howard Finster and Paradise Garden. “Serendipity in the Garden” was the articles name. I had no idea they were going to pay me for the story, so you can imagine how excited I was to receive a check from them. Getting paid for doing what you enjoy is such an incredible experience, isn’t it?
Did you study writing in college?
Yes, I studied creative writing but my emphasis was on English Literature.
Tell us about your Southern roots. You were born and raised in Tennessee, what brought you to Atlanta?
This is my second residency in Atlanta. The first one was in the early 1990s. It was awesome! I worked as a make-up artist. What fun to be young and around so many creative people. My late mother became ill, and I returned to Tennessee to be with the family. That’s when I entered corporate America. After spending 17 years in sales and marketing with an international corporation, I was downsized. My husband and I decided Atlanta offers more, took a gamble and moved here. We love Atlanta!
How would you define a Southerner in the 21st century?
Great question. There’s so much controversy about this topic right now, isn’t there? To me, it means family and our family’s history. Our farm has been in the family since Tennessee became a state. It gives a person a sense of place, a sense of belonging to something bigger than you. Right now is the greatest time to be a Southerner. Atlanta is the #11 financial power globally. We have opportunities never before offered to our region. It seems that we should stop looking to the past and look toward what the future holds for us. One of my grandfather’s was a coal-miner yet I’ve visited 63 countries around the globe. My husband is British. Life is nothing like it was for our parents and grandparents. Southerners have so many opportunities that haven’t been available before now.
We are the Newest New South and I believe it will be the best one yet.
What was the first book you self-published (September Ends, right)?
September Ends was released in 2013. You are absolutely correct. Thank you for that. Editor’s note – Hunter’s books also include September Again, September First, September Verses, Fortune Calling, and Tales From a New Amsterdam: Britain.
The Fortune Series by Hunter S. Jones
You have an amazing following on social media. How did you grow your “tribe”?
Having the blog on ExpatsPost.com helped immensely in getting my name, or brand, recognized. I started writing about unknown bands, or regionally known bands. I’ve worked with Fringe and off-Broadway theatre groups. Both of these added to the ‘Tribe’ as you call it. Really, social media is simply being social, isn’t it? If you are nice to everyone, they will be nice in return. I’ve always accepted friendship offers from anyone. There will always be people who want you to do everything for them, but I find that most people understand that art is a giving thing. The more you give, the more you get.
How did you get started on Goodreads and promote your presence there?
Another great question, Lauren. I do not know the exact answer to this. I opened an account on Goodreads, added all my Facebook and Twitter friends, and next thing you know, I’m at Goodreads friend limit. Goodreads is so complex. I mainly use it to find new books and rarely use it to sale or promote my own books.
How do you balance your sales work with your writing career?
Work is work and once business is completed, my mind is free to roam. I’m a great researcher, so often work breaks are used for research purposes. I carry a book bag with me at all times which is loaded with the core information I’m researching. My husband is very supportive. He says he can ‘see’ a change when I have connected with a story and he lets me write. How great is that? Although, I have been known to wake up, know the story is ready to be written and announce that I don’t want anyone bothering me until the story is completed. As my late mom used to say, “Writers aren’t the easiest people to live with.” I love that because it is so true.
Look for PHOENIX RISING, a fictional story of the last hour of Anne Boleyn’s life, now available on Amazon.
If there’s one thing (most) Southerners are terrified of, it’s winter. Three months of cold temperatures, bitter winds and questionable weather forecasts is no one’s idea of a good time. Gray and brown take over, as most flowers, plants and other vegetation have died or gone into their “hibernation.” Sometimes the sun doesn’t come out for a week; when it comes back, we’ve forgotten what it was.
And Heaven forbid it snows. What is snow, anyway?
After living in the Great White North, I’ve learned how to deal with winter and how to get through those long, gray days without losing my sanity. I’m no expert, but nine years (ugh) of experience in blizzards, subzero wind chills, icy roads and shoveling driveways has provided me with plenty of insights to share.
Here is my best advice on how to survive winter, straight from a misplaced Southerner.
Invest in a snow blower. My parents never had one for six of our years in Pennsylvania; our neighbors have one, and they graciously clear our driveway when snow strikes. But a few years ago, Mom broke down and bought one of our own. And you know what? We haven’t had a rough winter since. Omen? I’d like to think so.
Don’t buy cheap shovels. They break too easily. No one wants to hear that snap! in the middle of shoveling the driveway. It’s the worst. Shelling out for a sturdier shovel will be worth it later. Buy them early, too. The early bird gets the good shovel.
Don’t leave the house unless you absolutely have to. “I drive good in the snow,” said no Southerner ever. Cabin fever will eventually set in, and you’ll have to make a choice. For me, that choice is easy. As long as it’s cold and/or there’s snow on the ground, I’m staying inside.
Pull out all the thick, soft blankets and keep them within reach. Snow is much nicer when seen from inside, wrapped in a blanket, sipping on hot chocolate (or a Hot Toddy).
Stock up on the essentials well in advance (if possible). Sometimes icky winter weather strikes with little to no warning, and you may not have time to refill your supplies. If you do, though, bread, milk, eggs, peanut butter, soup and non-food items like batteries run out fast. May Publix be ever in your favor.
Check your flashlights and charge your electronics. Put fresh batteries in your flashlights and lanterns, and make sure your cell phones, tablets, etc. are fully charged. Power outages can happen, and they aren’t always resolved quickly. Be prepared.
You can as well ask your neighborhood roofing company to check the condition of your roofing system before the snow falls. And most importantly, be careful. I joke about snow and driving and cabin fever, but winter weather makes for treacherous driving and travel conditions. If you feel uneasy about being on the roads, by all means, stay in.
Remember, winter is short. Come March, the grass will be much greener on the other side…literally.
* This might be more applicable to our friends in Maryland and Virginia, where snow is a little more common.
Kate Robertson is a features writer for Pretty Southern, a Virginia Tech alumna, and a current graduate student at Elon University in North Carolina. She’s working toward her MA in Interactive Media, and afterwards hopes to further her career as a kick-ass writer.
Originally from Atlanta, Kate enjoys exploring the Piedmont region of North Carolina, especially its wide offerings of wineries. Follow her on Twitter @kate3robertson and check out her blog, A Thought and a Half.
Kate Robertson is a features writer for Pretty Southern, a Virginia Tech alumna, and a current graduate student at Elon University in North Carolina. She’s working toward her MA in Interactive Media, and afterwards hopes to further her career as a kick-ass writer.