For Almond in the Philippines – Happy Birthday! We’ve been together a long time, and it’s always good to hear from you, to know that you’re still checking in every day. And I’m relieved to learn that you’re safe and sheltering in place…which might not make for a fun birthday but I know you, and I kn…

For Almond in the Philippines – Happy Birthday! We’ve been together a long time, and it’s always good to hear from you, to know that you’re still checking in every day. And I’m relieved to learn that you’re safe and sheltering in place…which might not make for a fun birthday but I know you, and I kn…

The natural French pink clay soap is really working for my son. He said he hasn’t changed anything in his routine except washing his face in the shower and his skin is noticeably clearer. I’m surprised how well it works and am happy with that purchase. I got the probiotic pills. I don’t know if they’re working yet but I take them once a day. Also I got the fabulous $3 powder puffs! The large ones are bigger than I expected, they make foundation application so easy and they had absolutely no smell. Plus they’re great at blending. Here are some more products I’m considering or already own.

A comfy t-shirt dress for casual quarantine elegance

This t-shirt dress by Molerani comes in 30 different prints and colors and in sizes x-small to xxx-large, all under $27. It has over 6,300 ratings and the same Reviewmeta score of 4.2 stars. It’s called “very soft, very comfortable and not clingy,” “very flowy and super comfy,” and “a nice versatile dress at a good price.” One reviewer says it falls right above her knees, although that’s of course dependent on height and another says it’s “long enough that you wouldn’t need to wear leggings.”

A no-spill pet water bowl for less cleanup

I saw this on People Magazine’s site and it looks like a great solution for people with large and messy dogs. This anti-slip splash-free pet water bowl by trusted brand Lumoleaf has 4.3 Reviewmeta stars and over 1,300 ratings. It has a special floating top that dispenses water while your pet drinks. You can easily train your pet by pressing the top to show them how the water comes out. Pet owners say “My dog quickly figured out how the bowl worked,” “[both my dogs] have adapted well to this and my floors are drier,” that their messy dog “has NOT splashed or dribbled EVEN ONCE” and that it’s also good for dogs who drink so fast they make themselves sick. It’s also dishwasher safe and reviewers say it’s easy to clean.

A gentle but effective exfoliating brush to prevent and treat razor bumps

I often getting little bumps under my arms from ingrown hairs after shaving. There are all sorts of exfoliating brushes on Amazon and I looked through so many to find one with legitimate reviews. This exfoliating brush by Dylonic can be used wet or dry to release trapped hairs and prevent ingrown hairs. It has 225 ratings, 4.5 stars and a perfect Reviewmeta score. It can be used by both women and men. People say “This handy little tool is amazing! I use before and after shaving and my skin is so smooth [with] fewer razor bumps,” “It’s much more comfortable than the other exfoliating brushes” and “I’ve been using this for over a month and it really does work to get rid of the dry skin that promotes ingrown hairs.”

Microfiber cloths for gentle makeup removal and exfoliation

I’ve talked about these microfiber cloths before because I really like them for makeup removal. I ordered them a year ago and they’ve really held up, but I do hang them up to dry. You get five cloths in different colors for under $7.50, which makes them a bargain compared to the name brand makeup remover cloths. These have over 2,500 ratings and a 4.2 Reviewmeta score. Women say they’re just as good as the Magic Eraser cloth at half the price for five, that they can remove their makeup with just water, and that it “cuts down on the time it usually takes me [to remove makeup]. I use mine with Simple foaming face wash.

A huge set of colorful tassel earrings for under $16

I’ve wanted to try wearing bolder tassel earrings, but they’re usually pricey at around $15 a pair. You can get 20 pair of different color and style tassel earrings for the price of just one pair. These have almost 200 ratings, 4.3 stars and a perfect Reviewmeta score. Women say they’re light weight and that “I can’t believe how many you get for the low price. There are all vibrant, beautiful, and well made,” and
“They really are very nice and I have had multiple compliments!”

An affordable set of K-Beauty sheet masks

These is a set of 12 sheet masks in varieties like cucumber, aloe and honey for just $10. They have over 2,600 ratings and a Reviewmeta score of 4.3 stars. People rave about how how quality they are for the cost. They’re said to be thick and hydrating and people with sensitive skin say they’re gentle and non-irritating. Reviewers says “These masks smell absolutely divine, and they’re packed with moisture,” “These masks definitely help to fight [breakouts] and reduce redness,” and “my friends have told me that I have a beautiful glow now.”

An anti-microbial silicone scrubber can replace your moldy sponges

I hate nasty sponges and am constantly replacing mine. One of my friends cuts hers into quarters but the sponges seem too small that way. This anti-microbial silicon sponge by Peachy Clean can save money by replacing several dish sponges. It has over 3,000 ratings, 4.2 stars and the same Metareview score. You get 3 for $10 and reviewers say they last about 2 to 3 months. They’re said to have a nice peachy smell and to not “get that stinky/mildew smell” of a typical sponge. They’re also said to “clean dishes better than average, and seem to do a very good job of not building smells (bacteria).” They can’t absorb water like a typical sponge though and aren’t suitable for cleaning spills or countertops.

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Dear Gossips, Interesting career move by Zac Efron. According to The Hollywood Reporter Zac will star in the Disney remake of Three Men and a Baby. The original movie was released in 1987 starring Tom Selleck, Ted Danson, and Steve Guttenberg, three bachelor roommates who suddenly have to look after…

Dear Gossips, Interesting career move by Zac Efron. According to The Hollywood Reporter Zac will star in the Disney remake of Three Men and a Baby. The original movie was released in 1987 starring Tom Selleck, Ted Danson, and Steve Guttenberg, three bachelor roommates who suddenly have to look after…

About one month after Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018, Meghan did a day-trip with Queen Elizabeth in Chester. They had a day of events and Meghan was allowed to travel on the Queen’s private train for the trip. It was big news at the time, and a major signal that the royal family was doing a lot to welcome Meghan into the fold. It’s still interesting to me to examine the timeline of *when* things began to change – it really was immediately following Harry & Meghan’s wildly successful South Pacific tour that fall, where they were greeted with adoring crowds wherever they went. And, I mean, as soon as Meghan got pregnant, it seemed like all of the palace staff went absolutely haywire. But sure, let’s go back to a simpler time, the moment when the Queen showed significant support for Meghan:

The Queen had a level of confidence in Meghan, because as a Palace source shared, “she handles these situations flawlessly because she’s always well prepared and respectful. She’s very clever and good at understanding what’s required.”

Sure enough, Meghan, in an elegant cream cape Givenchy sheath dress from her wedding gown designer, Clare Waight Keller, gave a near-flawless performance on the train trip. (Although she was criticized by the tabloids for not wearing a hat, despite the fact it was not required.)

“The Queen was wonderful, warm, and generous toward the new Duchess,” a source close to Her Majesty said. “She made sure Meghan knew what was going on and made her feel very much at home because it was her first trip.”

Indeed, before the two stepped off the train, the Queen gifted Meghan with a delicate pair of pearl-and-diamond earrings.

Meghan, an avid learner studying all she could on royal protocol, was often seen carrying binders full of research so she didn’t put a foot wrong. She took her new role incredibly seriously. That day was different, though; she was getting a royal master class in training from the Queen herself.

“They had a very warm happy day out and introduction to royal life—because the Queen has so much knowledge to pass on and Meghan is a keen student,” a source close to Meghan shared.

Despite all her careful preparation, Meghan was unsure about how to proceed when she and the Queen had to get into Her Majesty’s Bentley. She politely asked the Queen, “What is your preference?”

“You go first,” the Queen answered.

“Oh, okay,” said Meghan, who tried her hardest to get everything right—which made her father’s public display on national TV in England all the more dispiriting.

[From Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan, and the Making of a Modern Royal Family]

What’s that, Protocol Police? Are you saying it was just the courtiers and the nasty, racist press trying to make it sound like everything Meghan did in front of the Queen was somehow “breaking protocol”? Even to this day, there are royal commentators claiming that Meghan should have been tossed out of the royal family for failing to wear a hat or holding her purse in the wrong hand or walking in front of the Queen when the Queen clearly told her to go first. HOW DARE SHE! Also, I find it hilarious that FF made that little dig about how the Queen had, at the time, never done these kinds of events with Kate.

Still, this excerpt makes me so sad. Meghan really tried, you know? She approached this like a job, she prepared, she had binders full of information, she did everything she could to be prepared. And they still smeared her and attacked her and bullied her out of the country.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid.

As we’ve known since the Neri Oxman Debacle of 2018, Brad Pitt sure likes to leak damaging and/or passive-aggressive sh-t about Angelina Jolie. His preferred outlets are definitely People Magazine, Us Weekly and Page Six. So, big shock, when we heard that Angelina and her lawyers want the “private judge” in Angelina and Brad’s divorce thrown off the case, I figured that Brad and his wacky team of crisis managers would soon tell us how everything is Angelina’s fault. Even though Angelina wants the judge off the case for good reason – the judge has had repeated business dealings with Brad’s lawyers. The judge should have recused himself in good faith at the mere whiff of impropriety, but here we are. Now “a source close to the case” tells Page Six that – obvs – it’s all Angelina’s fault!

Angelina Jolie has asked to remove the private judge overseeing her protracted divorce and child-custody battle with Brad Pitt. The actress argues that Judge John W. Ouderkirk should be disqualified from their divorce case, filed in 2016. Lawyers for Jolie filed a motion in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that the judge was not forthcoming enough about other cases he presided over that involved Pitt’s attorney, Anne C. Kiley. The papers state that during the Jolie-Pitt proceedings, Ouderkirk has allegedly “failed to disclose the cases that demonstrated the current, ongoing, repeat-customer relationship between the judge and [Pitt’s] counsel.”

However, a source close to the case said this was a delay tactic by Jolie, because she believed things weren’t going in her favor. The source said the main issue is custody of their kids and her request for more child support.

The source said, “Jolie is basically trying to fire the private judge overseeing their divorce case. She has every right to do this, but if she thought she was in a good place in this legal proceeding, she wouldn’t need to do it. This is a classic case of someone expecting a bad decision trying to delay the process by asking for a new referee.” Judge Ouderkirk could not be reached, and lawyers for Jolie and Pitt didn’t get back to us.

The source added that Jolie’s move is unusual: While Pitt’s team has sought to keep the same judge, ensuring personal details divulged in the case are kept private, Jolie is now involving a public court and is delaying anything getting resolved. “This is about how much time Brad gets with the kids, how does sharing time with the kids work … This divorce has been going on for four years, for goodness’ sake.”

[From Page Six]

“If she thought she was in a good place in this legal proceeding…” I mean, clearly Angelina and her lawyers believe that they’re NOT “in a good place” because the judge is biased in favor of his business partner Anne C. Kiley and Kiley’s client Brad Pitt, and the judge has been granting motions on behalf of Kiley. I can only imagine how uncomfortable and wrong that feels. So Brad running to Page Six to gloat about how he’s in a great position because the private judge is biased against Angelina Jolie… is the exact reason why the judge needs to be kicked off the case.

Also: I don’t even believe Brad and Angelina are still endlessly bickering over custody. I think there’s a reason why BRAD has stalled so long and it’s because of his financials.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

There’s a fascinating section in Finding Freedom where the “falling out” between Prince Harry and Prince William is analyzed through the issue of funding from Prince Charles. Before the Sussexes briefly had their own office in Buckingham Palace, they were clearly unhappy with sharing the same office with the Cambridges at Kensington Palace. No surprise there, since Harry was convinced (rightly) that William’s people were throwing him under the bus. The separation of the Sussexes and the Cambridges’ offices was seen as a necessity to give the brothers some breathing room, although Harry and Meghan’s desire to have a completely independent office was vetoed, and they were given space at Buckingham Palace. Prince Charles was (and is) still largely funding both of his sons AND their work, even if one brother’s work is practically nonexistent.

Prince Charles, who funds many of his own public, charitable and private activities through the revenues of his private estate, the Duchy of Cornwall, “controlled the purse strings,” which also caused some of the issues between William and Harry. The brothers sometimes had to vie for additional funds for projects from their father, who also helped cover expenses related to Camilla and some of those for his sons (including Kate and Meghan’s wardrobes). “They actually genuinely have to debate who gets what amount of money from their father to fund their projects,” an aide said. “Add in the fact that there is an inherent hierarchy and that is really tricky.”

“While Charles may be a father to Harry, he’s also their boss, and that makes their relationship complex for a number of reasons,” a source added. “Charles is extremely focused on his public image, and there have been times Harry has felt that has taken precedence over everything else.”

Harry wasn’t the only one who had a complicated relationship with the Prince of Wales. “The boys can be hot and cold with their father,” disclosed a source, who gave the example of planning the photo session for Charles’s seventieth birthday, which they called “an absolute nightmare.”

“Neither William nor Harry made much of an effort to make themselves available,” the source said.

A second aide, who had been involved in meetings on the brothers’ futures, explained, “Where you are born in this family dictates your position of power, and because of that, Harry has always come second to his brother, especially when it comes to funding. There were times in the past that Harry wanted to take on bigger projects and do more work, but he couldn’t get the money to support it. William was always the priority. A lot of their quarrels have been over budgets. That’s what happens when you are in business with your family.”

[From Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan, and the Making of a Modern Royal Family]

Before Meghan came around, it was always said that both Harry and William had a tricky relationship with their father, not so much because of money, but because of Charles’ focus on “his public image” even if that means throwing his sons under the bus as well. Meghan was said to have smoothed things over between Harry and Charles, and then William got jealous and suddenly he wanted to be close to Charles too. It was a smart move on Charles’ part to play his two sons against each other, although clearly, Charles unleashed something he couldn’t control. And at least we now know that from the jump, Harry and Meghan’s good ideas and work plans were vetted and vetoed by Charles, because William’s lazy ways took precedence.

FF goes on to say that despite Charles giving William a structural and monetary advantage, “Harry and Meghan were already propelling the monarchy to new heights around the world. The Sussexes had made the monarchy more relatable to those who had never before felt a connection,” and behind-the-scenes, courtiers were debating about whether the Sussexes should be brought further “into the fold” so they wouldn’t eclipse the monarchy itself.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid.

Once again, we have a buffet of stupidity from Donald Trump. Take your pick about what outrages and infuriates you today. Let’s start with something I actually think is a good idea from Monsieur Bigly: accepting the Republican nomination at Gettysburg.

We have narrowed the Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech, to be delivered on the final night of the Convention (Thursday), to two locations – The Great Battlefield of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the White House, Washington, D.C. We will announce the decision soon!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020

Civil War history buffs know that Gettysburg was where the war turned around. Gettysburg was the hinge – while the Union still suffered losses, fortune turned in their favor and that was where the Union turned the war around. It would hold great symbolic power for Donald Trump, the leader of the Nu Confederacy of Dunces, to accept the nomination in a place where the Confederacy began to die. I hope he does it.

Meanwhile, Trump tried to do a press conference in the White House press room but he was ushered out by Secret Service rather quickly – there had been some kind of shooting near the WH. I wonder if they put Trump in the baby bunker again?? But before the Secret Service hustled the Bunker Baby out of the room, this happened:

Trump says the Spanish Flu in 1917 “probably” ended the Second World War.

The Spanish Flu was in 1918 and WWII ended in 1945. It’s “probably” a good thing the Secret Service cut that press conference short. pic.twitter.com/sHQj2Uqov6

— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) August 10, 2020

I remember during the George W. Bush administration, how consistently frustrated I was that the Bush people lacked historical context for nearly everything they did. But now we’re living in this timeline and I just… can’t. The Spanish Flu did not end the second World War. World War II didn’t start until 1939.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

You know how excited I get about Diego Luna in general, but now he has a series on Amazon called Pan Y Circo (Bread and Circuses) which centers around food, the dinner table and vibrant conversation, which just happen to be my favorite things combined in one glorious show! The series, most of which was filmed prior to the pandemic, sees Diego and many influential folks come together to discuss politically charged topics. Diego said he was inspired to do the series because political topics are no longer discussed but become divisive stalemates. Diego’s hope is that people will rediscover the art of discussion and that breaking bread together will facilitate this. And it seems to have worked for Diego at least. He told NPR that he learned how far removed he’d been from the real issues.

On understanding his privilege: It was very interesting because I sat down at that table thinking I was one person and I ended up realizing I wasn’t. … I was fooling myself. And it confronted me with my ignorance and the very little that I do. And it was really interesting, the process, because that happened not just to me, but to the whole team of Bread and Circus.

I sat down at that table saying, I’m not a racist, I’m definitely not a racist. And after half of the dinner, I was like, holy s***, how much have I benefited through my whole life from the system, and how little I have done to fight it!

But it was very interesting to have that reflection, because then the dinner ends, and we come out from the control room. The team comes out, and we sit down and we start talking and we have a mezcal, and we discuss what just happened. And you can realize how these tables ended up transforming all of us somehow.

On the pandemic: We were in post-production. We finished the shooting of the six episodes that Amazon agreed on doing with us. So I sat down and edited it for quite a long time with the team. And we were almost done, and thinking on how to put it out there, when the pandemic happened.

For me, the pandemic happened in a very specific way, very different from most of the people in Mexico. I was in London, and I was about to start working there and I was sent back home. Then I came here [to Mexico]. There [were] no cases, and it was like a different reality, you know, a parallel world where things were still the same for a few weeks.

And then my kids got sick; they were [among] the first cases in Mexico. We were talking about putting the show out, and I was experiencing that and they were sick and I wasn’t. So I couldn’t be close to them without having to protect myself as if I was working at NASA.

So I said, what if we do a show about this moment? And that way we can put all these topics in the table because we’re starting from the point of: If we don’t think about this now, if we don’t do anything about gender violence, about migration, about the climate emergency, if we don’t react now, then what’s the point of all this craziness we’re living? … It was like, oh, my God, I have everything, and at the same time, [if] I can’t hug my kids, then I have nothing.

[From NPR]

The trailer for Pan y Circo is here. It’s in Spanish, which I don’t speak. The concept reminds me of Sarah Silverman’s intention behind I Love You, America in that it’s promoting listening to the “other side” even if you don’t agree. I didn’t love Sarah’s show, but I appreciate what she attempted. I’ve long held the belief that the death of honest debate and discussion has been stifling the USA, so this show sounds right up my alley (even removing the I heart Diego factor). I also identify with Diego’s wake-up call about his own privilege. I’ve been on a self-discovery about my own white privilege for a few years now. I’ve been extremely lucky that I have some patient friends who’ve taken the time with me, which I recognize is a privilege too. A short time into my journey, I felt like I’d become so enlightened, I was out there flexing how woke I was. A few years and several eye-opening discoveries into the process, I’m struck by how much I have yet to recognize and how much I’ve benefited. Fortunately I’m at the point, like Diego, that I know enough to listen. Going off the trailer, which I watched without subtitles, it looks like Diego has assembled people with different experiences to really dive deep into his topics. (And Gael García Bernal appears at least once, which always makes me happy.)

The story about Diego’s kids contacting COVID was scary. Even if it was a milder case that didn’t require hospitalization, Diego no longer lives with their mother, so he was likely isolated from them. Could you imagine having to look at your sick kid through a window as they suffer? I assume they have fully recovered. It will be interesting to see how this manifests in the post-pandemic episodes of the show.

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Photo credit: Diego Luna’s Instagram