Posts made in January 2020

Jessica Minh Anh
× DHL

 On February 6, 2020, Jessica Minh Anh will transform the DHL Express Gateway at John F. Kennedy airport into the world’s first ever fashion show centered around the globally sustainable supply chain. With an iconic backdrop featuring energy-efficiency fleet of aircraft, helicopter and electric cars, J Winter Fashion Show 2020 will premiere the creative fashion collections from different continents.  The highly-anticipated production follows the international successes of Jessica’s previous Fashion x Sustainability phenomena atop Hoover Dam, at the gemaSOLAR Power Plant, and aboard the Race For Water solar-wind-hydro powered vessel.

“Through this project, I want to bring an innovative mindset to sustainability initiatives,” said Jessica Minh Anh, who recently promoted upcycling in the Maldives. “Since shipping and logistics are such a critical part of the fashion industry, the show will highlight green logistics solutions, which help minimize environmental damages and reduce transport related emissions. It is very important for me to partner with a company who prioritizes the health of our planet, and I have certainly found that confidence in DHL”. 

Similar to Jessica’s history-making catwalks atop the Eiffel Tower, Grand Canyon Skywalk, and One World Trade Center, the visually impressive J Winter Fashion Show 2020 will celebrate diversity, unity, and innovation alongside fashion and sustainability. Japanese powerhouse Yumi Katsura, Peruvian celebrity artist Ani Alvarez Calderon, Vietnamese luxury brand VUNGOC&SON, and New York’s jewelry designer Cristina Sabatini alongside other participating designers focus on advanced tailoring techniques that incorporate sustainable materials and practices. The show will also include other sustainable elements such as SFI beech wood hangers by Arch & Hook and state-of-the-art Glammfire electric heaters.

“We are very excited to join forces with Jessica Minh Anh in this historic project,” said Reiner Wolfs, Vice President and General Manager, Northeast Area, DHL Express U.S. “Her original vision and powerful message of motivating the younger generation to take action for a better future align perfectly with our vision for zero emission logistics.” Other official partners, who also prioritize sustainability, include IWG’s brand Spaces, Sofitel New York, Dermalogica, Warren Tricomi, Veestro, AOFM, scheimpflüg, Cream Ridgewood, Gotham New York, Jiffy Steamer, Radisson JFK Airport, Yukie Natori, and ECHOD. 

TEDx keynote speaker and a representative of the environmentally engaged generation, Jessica Minh Anh’s passion cuts to the heart of the global challenge, making sustainable living a lifestyle choice. She is currently training like an Olympic athlete to prepare for the grand catwalk at New York’s finest Tone House, while also riding her bike to the office every morning. 

Jessica will join DHL Express U.S. top executives for the final run-through and rehearsals on January 31 and February 2, 2020 at JFK airport. A hands-on producer, Jessica will oversee both front and backstage operations, including inside aircraft setup and the process of models descending from the airplane directly onto the runway. 

J Winter Fashion Show 2020 will welcome the most influential business and government leaders, fashion designers, and national and international media. More than a modern fashion statement, Jessica’s winter spectacular with DHL will stimulate a global conversation about sustainability triggered by a unique and visually impressive experience.

Watch trailer HERE.

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Hunger Games: The Exhibition 

In a partnership between The Hunger Games: The Exhibition and Swarovski crystals, fans of the world-renowned, blockbuster film franchise from Lionsgate, The Hunger Games, can now purchase limited-edition jewelry and accessories. These items are exclusively available at The Hunger Games: The Exhibition at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and online at TheHungerGamesExhibition.com.

The jewelry and accessory line is inspired by the illustrative beauty of The Hunger Games characters and includes pins/pendants, necklaces, leather cuffs, bracelets, earrings and other accessories. Adoring fans can fashion themselves in the collection’s brass with rhodium or gold-plated jewelry or add an edgy flare with high-quality leather available on the Mockingjay or Capitol Couture Leather Cuff. The pieces are sure to impress fans whether they are looking for a delicate way to flaunt their rebellion or are ready to make an elegant sparkling statement just as fashionable as a Capitol resident.

“Swarovski is known for making the best crystals and is one of the most recognized fashion brands throughout the world,” said Zoe Tan, head of business development and general manager, Las Vegas for Victory Hill Exhibitions. “We are proud to offer these luxurious pieces, developed from the love and passion we have for the world of The Hunger Games and the glamour and fashion of the Capitol.”

The collection features uniquely designed accessories including a limited-edition Snow’s Rose Water Bottle, embellished with 7,342 hand-placed Swarovski crystals on a stainless-steel bottle. Fans can also write in style with the uniquely designed Capitol Couture and Mockingjay pens, featuring a crystallized clip with an eye-catching crystal on top engraved with the logo in the center of the barrels. All sparkling with Swarovski’s 12 years of intensive research, and Advanced Crystal standard and innovative, lead-free formula.

“We dove into the world of the Capitol and Panem when developing this luxury jewelry line, and we’re thrilled to offer fans more from the world of The Hunger Games,” said Kirsten Taylor-Hall, vice president, Global Live & Location Based Entertainment. “Victory Hill and Swarovski deliver a unique and beautiful line that embodies the essence of Capitol style.”

The highlights of the limited-edition collection are the Fire Burns Brighter Clutch, made with the iconic colors of the Capitol featuring nearly 6,000 hand-placed crystals, and the edgy Girl on Fire Clutch inspired by the Girl on Fire herself, Katniss Everdeen, adorned with more than 4,000 hand-placed crystals. Both clutches are a limited edition with only 10 production pieces.

“We are thrilled to partner with Victory Hill Exhibitions and Lionsgate in delivering exclusive, beautiful products to create a memorable keepsake for fans of The Hunger Games,” said, Andrea Nondorf, managing director, Swarovski Professional North America. “Through our partnership, we aim to surprise and delight consumers with the beauty, quality and craftsmanship of this collection as well as unite our luxury products with the visionary, world-class experience Victory Hill and Lionsgate has created with The Hunger Games: The Exhibition.”

Located at MGM Grand, The Hunger Games: The Exhibition is a top Las Vegas attraction featuring several inspirational galleries including the Hall of Justice, President Snow’s Office, the Tribute Train, District 13, and one of the largest archery training experiences set within a 60-foot wide interactive training center. The Hunger Games: The Exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors can view and purchase the jewelry and accessory line on display in the merchandise store. Commemorative ticket for entry into the exhibit can be purchased at http://thehungergamesexhibition.com/ or at The Hunger Games: The Exhibition onsite box office.

Cityneon Holdings Limited

With its global reach and international partnerships, Cityneon has the capability to serve its clients anywhere in the world. Cityneon has been listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Stock Exchange since 2005, and was privatized in February 2019 by West Knighton Limited, a company wholly owned by Cityneon’s Executive Chairman & Group Chief Executive Officer Ron Tan together with Hong Kong veteran entrepreneur and investor Johnson Ko Chun Shun. Johnson is a capital markets veteran and has held controlling interests and directorships in many listed companies.  On May 14, 2019, Cityneon welcomed CITIC Capital as a new shareholder who holds 10.61 percent shares in Cityneon. CITIC Capital is part of CITIC Group, one of China’s largest conglomerates, and has more than $25 billion in assets under its management across 100 funds and investment products globally. For more information, please visit www.cityneon.net.


Victory Hill Exhibitions

Victory Hill Exhibitions is a subsidiary of Cityneon Holdings and is an exhibition production company which strives to create interactive exhibits that attract visitors and have educational value. With 25 years of experience and cooperation with pioneers in technology from around the world, Victory Hill creates astounding interactive experiences, and can adapt based on our clients’ needs to satisfy each and every unique need.

Lionsgate

The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a global content leader whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, video games, esports and other new entertainment technologies.  Lionsgate’s content initiatives are backed by a nearly 17,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global sales and distribution infrastructure.  The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and ground-breaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the Company’s worldwide consumer base.

Swarovski

Swarovski has been the premium brand for fine crystal embellishments since 1895. It is recognized for its innovative excellence and for its collaborations with world-class designers and brands from the fashion, jewelry, accessories, interiors and lighting industries. Available in myriad colors, effects, shapes and sizes, crystals from Swarovski offer designers an unrivaled palette of inspiration born out of a passion for detail and high-precision cutting. These precious ingredients impart a refined glamour to everything they embellish and are produced according to the groundbreaking lead-free* Advanced Crystal standard. The ‘Crystals from Swarovski’ seal, incorporating a sophisticated tracking system with a unique identification number to reinforce authenticity, enables customers to distinguish products embellished with genuine Swarovski crystals. www.swarovski.com/professional

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Conlangio, free web-based application for constructed languages.

There is often a secret ingredient that draws us into powerful performances on our television, captivates us with storytelling in our favorite books and has us hooked on to the latest video game. That secret ingredient is a constructed language and there is a Denver startup focused on creating a platform for language creators around the world and promoting the art, science, and craft of inventing languages.

That company is Conlangio, an innovative language-construction software company with a free web-based constructed language application. This startup – not even a year old and still in its early phases – already has over 400 language creators and over 400 languages created using their software. It has created quite a buzz in this niche community and is planning to expand to content-creation and educational material in the near future.

The founder of Conlangio, Patrick Gaston, is a classically trained linguist, U.S. Army veteran, and software engineer living in Denver, CO.

“Language is my absolute passion. After getting my degree in Linguistics and becoming a software engineer, I really made it a mission to use this unique skill set to create language applications for underrepresented language communities. I started creating my own language in 2016 as a way to deal with some issues transitioning from military to university so this is where I wanted to start my journey,” says Patrick Gaston

One of the most amazing things about this startup is that it was created on nights and weekends as a side project – and still is!

“I’m kind of just riding this wave right now. Conlangio has definitely grown to a point that makes it hard to do part-time but I am loving every minute of it. This whole journey has already been so surreal and if I get to work on Conlangio full-time, it will be amazing,” says Gaston.

In the past year, Conlangio has grown to a diverse team of 4, including 2 military veterans.

Want to know more? So do we!

What is a constructed language? 
Constructed languages, or conlangs for short, are languages that have been created artificially, by an individual or a group, with the intent of being used for communication by a group of speakers, to enhance art, entertainment and more.

You may be more familiar than you think! If you’re one of the millions that tuned into HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones, you’ve heard of Dothraki, which is a fictional language constructed by David J. Peterson – an American language creator. That’s not all. Some other places you can find constructed languages are James Cameron’s Avatar, The 100, and the Lord of the Rings to name a few. That list is only getting bigger.

Why create a language?

People create languages for all kinds of reasons, some of these might include own personal use, video games, films or TV shows.

Stay tuned…
Be sure to keep an eye on this startup, as they may be responsible for your next favorite hit series.

To contact Conlangio or find out more, check out http://conlang.io/

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WEREWOLF BY NIGHT!

This April, you’ll be able to see the work of acclaimed Japanese artist, Takashi Okazaki, on the cover of the brand new series, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT! Known for creating the hit manga series Afro Samurai, which went on to inspire both an anime series and an Emmy-nominated television film, Okazaki now brings his incredible talent to Marvel Comics.
 
Written by Taboo and Ben Jackendoff with art by Scot Eaton, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #1 will introduce an all-new Werewolf by Night, a young man who must deal with a family curse while trying to protect his community from a deadly threat. For this exciting new series, Okazaki captures the new hero’s internal struggle in beautiful detail with a special variant cover to mark his Marvel debut!
 
“I’ve wanted to bring Takashi to Marvel ever since we first met during production of Afro Samurai, and we’re thrilled he’s finally found some time in his schedule,” says Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski. “The way he illustrates characters to kinetically leap out of his art reminds me of so many of Marvel’s masters, and I knew he’d be perfect for covers here, as this Werewolf by Night image perfectly shows!”
 
“Takashi Okazaki is a master whose style and sense of design have a lot of fans at Marvel,” Editor Jake Thomas added. “We were so honored to have WEREWOLF BY NIGHT be his first work with Marvel, but it is sure to only be the beginning. His character work and evocation of mood is unparalleled, so it was a real thrill to have him help premiere our new Werewolf By Night. And what an incredible job he did!”
 
See Okazaki’s cover below and howl along with the new Werewolf by Night when it hits store in April! For more information about the series, visit marvel.com.

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Isaac Dunbar – isaac’s insects

Trailblazing new artist Isaac Dunbar releases new track “isaac’s insects” along with the music video via RCA Records. The video is directed by Brendan Vaughn and the song is written and produced by Isaac – watch HERE. Isaac is elated to announce his forthcoming EP is set to be released this spring. In support of his EP, Isaac will be hitting the road this April on his isaac’s insects tour which is his first headlining tour with stops in major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and more. Tickets will be on sale at 10am local time this Friday, January 24th. See tour dates below and to purchase tickets please visit HERE.

Check out Isaac’s interview in Billboard where he chats about his inspiration behind “isacc’s insects,” his upcoming EP and hitting the road this April.

E! News included Isaac in their Next-Gen of Pop article calling him an artist you need to know as well as Idolator’s 40 Artists To Watch In 2020. Late last year Isaac released his tracks “onion boy” and “body,” which led TIME magazine to call his voice “lovely” and stated that he has “a keen ear — and intuition — for turning pop into relatable confessions.” 

About Isaac Dunbar

The 16-year-old budding artist supported girl in red on her North American and European run of show dates last fall and released his highly anticipated EP balloons don’t float here last summer. It garnered the attention of notable tastemakers like Zane LoweThe FADEROnes To Watch, and Hillydilly, which stated: “it’s only a matter of time until he gets worldwide recognition.” Hailing from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Isaac’s EP melds complex sounds and atmospheric, beat-driven production to create melodic and introspective tracks. The unique brand of distorted ballads combined with lush, multilayered dream-pop harmonies and malleable, heady synth drops creates a genre-bending EP. Isaac is looking forward to releasing his new EP under RCA Records this April and hit the road on his first headlining tour this spring. 

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SportsGrid Extends NBA Fantasy Agreement

SportsGrid, the nation’s first and only 24-hour sports, fantasy and wagering video network, has extended its agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to continue providing NBA fantasy content across NBA.com, SportsGrid Network and the SportsGrid syndication publisher platform.
SportsGrid will continue to produce daily short and long-form fantasy video content for the following NBA programs and features: NBA Tip Drill, NBA Recap, NBA Primetime Picks, Weekly Season Long, NBA Weekly 6, and the NBA Fantasy Hour. The programming content will focus on serving the NBA’s gaming audience with the data, information and insightful analysis throughout the regular season and playoffs.

“The NBA is one of the world’s most popular sports leagues focused on the fan experience. We are excited to extend our agreement to create engaging and relevant programming for the millions of NBA fans,” said Lou Maione, Co-Founder & President of SportsGrid.

About SportsGrid Inc.

SportsGrid is the first 24-hour network streaming exclusive live original programming providing extensive fantasy sports and wagering coverage of all the major sports and events. The network’s 18 hours of live programming is available for streaming on the Pluto TV, Xumo, STIRR and combines insightful expert commentary with real-time delivery of news, data, statistics and betting intelligence.

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4XFAR FESTIVAL

Land Rover has presented 4xFAR, a weekend festival featuring live performances from some of the music industry’s most celebrated artists, along with culinary and adventure experiences for people with a passion for exploring the unknown. 
 
The festival featured two-days of music from Grammy award-winning producers and today’s biggest artists, including globally-recognised headline Anderson. Paak & The Free Nationals and Mark Ronson & Q-Tip. 

Also taking to the stage over the weekend were urban beatsmith Kaytranada, Sofi Tukker, Young The Giant, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Chappaqua Wrestling, LP Giobbi, Mahalia, Maya Jane Coles and Tijuana Panthers. 

Created to celebrate the new 2020 Land Rover Defender coming to the USA, 4xFAR was created for people with a passion for exploring the unknown and exploring new adventures. The festival allowed visitors the first opportunity to experience the highly anticipated new 2020 Land Rover Defender on a purpose-built off-road course, alongside the full range of current Land Rover vehicles.

The ticket-only event took place at Empire Grand Oasis in the Coachella Valley in Southern California.

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Dubai Marathon

Ethiopian duo Soloman Deksisa and Worknesh Degefa will spearhead a strong elite field featuring major city marathon winners and athletes with more than 35 international victories between them when the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is staged on Friday (January 24).
 
Deksisa and Degefa boast the best Personal Bests in the men and women’s fields respectively and will be among the big favourites when the elite side of the IAAF Gold Label event race gets underway at 6am.
 
For Deksisa – who set his PB of 2:04:40 when finishing third in Amsterdam in 2018 – it’s a debut appearance on the flat and fast roads of Dubai and the 25-year-old will be looking to add to the back-to-back city marathon wins he enjoyed in Hamburg and Mumbai in 2018.
 
Another Dubai debutant is Kenya’s Eric Kiptanui whose personal best of 58:42 makes him the fastest half marathon runner ever entered into the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon and the 29-year-old can maintain Dubai’s reputation as being a perfect course for debutants.
 
It was only a year ago when Ethiopia’s Getaneh Molla won the race on his debut in a course record time of 2:03:34 – and Kiptanui has the explosive potential to continue this tradition and possibly end Ethiopia’s eight-year dominance of the men’s race.
 
But while Deksisa and Kiptanui are Dubai “new boys”, for Worknesh Degefa it’s a welcome return to one of her favourite hunting grounds. The diminutive 29-year-old holds the distinction of being the fastest Ethiopian female marathon runner of all time thanks to a stunning personal best of 2:17:41 – the fifth fastest marathon time ever run by a woman – set in Dubai just twelve months ago.
 
As well as that personal best when finishing second last year, Degefa won in Dubai in 2017 and finished 4th in 2018. A superb victory at the Boston Marathon back in April 2019 shows she remains a serious world talent and will start as a hot favourite this weekend.
 
As always, however, she will have her challengers, most notably former Boston Marathon winner Bizunesh Deba (2:19:59) and the up-and-coming Bedatu Hirpa, who won the 2017 Athens Marathon at the age of just 18.
 
Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon has again brought together a field of elites with marathon victories to their names in cities such as Rome, Athens, Milan, Shanghai and Lisbon.
 
“We are pleased to be the title sponsor of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon for the 16th consecutive year,” said Rola Abu Manneh, CEO for Standard Chartered Bank, UAE. “This flagship event, now in its 21st year, has become one of the region’s most anticipated social and sporting platforms bringing together thousands of people from all over the world. For the few hours of the marathon, all participants are united on one single path – to the finish line.

“As well as the elite runners, the event will also attract athletes and participants who want to challenge themselves; some who want to be fitter and healthier; some who want to raise money for charity; and some who just want a fun day out with their friends and family. And just like every year, we will have over 600 people from Standard Chartered who will be volunteering or running at the event.”
 
While the elite fields will take to the roads at 6am on Friday with the masses off an hour later at 7am, the honour of getting the day’s action underway falls to a stellar international field of wheelchair athletes.
Among those starting a battle royale at 5.55am will be the defending champions Marcel Hug and Sandra Graf of Switzerland
 
“Last year we witnessed two new course records and some fantastic Marathon times,” said Event Director Peter Connerton. “This week, the course is the same for the 21st running of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon so we are looking forward to yet another high-quality race from a talented group of elite athletes.
 
“Our thanks go out to our sponsors as well as the Dubai Sports Council and all the Government bodies who come together to provide the framework for this event. Without their assistance and invaluable support, a race of this scale on the streets of the city would not be possible.”
 
Runners looking to take part in the Marathon, the 10km Road Race (8.15am) or the 4km Fun Run (11am) can register online until Thursday (Jan 23) either at dubaimarathon.org or at Run Number collection at Jumeirah Beach Hotel Conference Centre. UAE Nationals in particular are encouraged to take part in the event thanks to the ‘#My City_My Race’ campaign, launched by Dubai Holding.
 
Khalid Al Malik, Managing Director of Dubai Holding said: “We introduced the UAE National Winners Category for the Dubai Marathon as part of our ongoing commitment to community wellness and fostering Emirati pride. We are delighted to see that the number of Emirati participants has grown by 325% with more than ever before set to take part in the 2020 edition of the city’s signature fitness event.  I am also pleased to say that more Emirati women are participating in the Marathon. Last year, we saw almost 200 Emirati women running across the different race categories, which is 21% more than in 2018.“
 
He added: “This year, with our ‘#MyCity_MyRace’ campaign, we have put even more emphasis behind actively encouraging UAE Nationals of all fitness levels to take part in the 10km, 42km and Wheel Chair categories with early figures showing that 30% more will participate versus last year. We look forward to seeing record numbers of Emirati’s on the start line on Friday and hope that one day, the winner of the full marathon will be a UAE National.”
 
In addition to Standard Chartered as title sponsor, the Dubai Marathon is supported by the Dubai Sports Council, adidas, Dubai Holding, Masafi, Channel 4 Radio Network, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police and the RTA. Live TV streaming of the race will be available at http://bit.ly/DubaiMarathon2020.

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Mental Illness Battle

In The Apple and the Shady Tree, a memoir by Lisa Novick Goldberg, she explores her family’s generational battle with mental illness, which was worsened by her father’s role as the money man for the Genovese crime family. Here’s what Goldberg learned from her traumatic childhood in the shadow of the Mafia.

I have suffered from crippling anxiety and bouts of depression since childhood. The genetic component of these diseases was exacerbated by a series of unhealthy familial behaviors known as codependency. Years in therapy gave definition to the behaviors between my parents and me that had served up a bitter cocktail of fear, shame, guilt, anger and helplessness.

Based on my experiences, there are red flags indicative of any relationship mired in codependency, including:

  • A preoccupation and dedication to another person’s wants and needs at the expense of your own.
  • An inability to establish appropriate boundaries in the roles that each supports in the relationship.
  • An enablement of unhealthy behaviors in all parties involved. 
  • An unwillingness or impotence to stop the actions that limit and destroy each of the participants’ chances for a healthier life.

Codependency has nothing to do with love, though it often hides behind a mask of concern, selflessness, loyalty, obligation or commitment. These excuses have little to do with the interactions that characterize a co-dependent relationship. The “co” part of this destructive connection means that both sides are responsible for maintaining a strangling hold. Both sides get some sort of payoff for their exhaustive efforts, so breaking free from the “dance of codependency can be challenging.

My relationship with my parents was a study in codependency. My mother struggled with  severe depression and anxiety that was mostly left untreated. My father, though he lived at home with us, was largely absent from the family’s daily activities and he compensated for this by playing the “good parent” to my mother’s “bad parent.” My sister and I suffered greatly as pawns in their battles.

Early in my childhood, my parents’ often reckless behavior forced me to assume the position of adult in the family. My mother’s drastic and unexpected mood swings resulted in her spending an unhealthy amount of her life in the perceived protection of her bed, in her darkened bedroom, with the drone of the television as her only companion. She tried her best to be the idealized 1960s suburban mom, but she clearly struggled with the role. I became obsessed, in varying degrees throughout my life, with the impossible task of wanting to make my mother whole and to alleviate her suffering. Until just years ago, prior to therapy, we might talk on the phone as much as 10 times a day, with frequent disturbing conversations that rendered me too anxious to function. Our seemingly tight, supportive mother-daughter relationship was anything but: We enabled each other; I was clinging to the illusion of motherly love and she was struggling to maintain control of me. Both of us were operating under the cover of familial love.

My co-dependent relationship with my father was less obvious, but equally stifling. As I describe in my book, his role as the money man for the Genovese crime family involved long hours away from our home; a requirement that didn’t seem to bother him. As a child I could never get enough time with him, an issue of which I made him well-aware, but to no avail. 

During adolescence, I became obsessed with the fear of losing my parents to an untimely death. As my father’s job was mostly street-centered, I could not picture him in an office and my mind filled the void with visions of him out in the evil streets of New York City. There was nothing about my father that even hinted at vulnerability, but to me, he was out in the big, bad world with no one to protect him. I begged him to help ease my anxiety by phoning me everyday at the same time so that I would know he was alive and well. He insisted that this was neither possible nor reasonable (it was the pre-cellphone era, though I’m not sure that it would have mattered). 

In adulthood, my interactions with my father took on a more complex codependency. To compensate for his parental inadequacies, he tried to buy my love with cars, apartments, an expensive education, trips—material hole-fillers. If I couldn’t get his attention, I could at least get something.

I was smart enough to parlay my advantages into a better life for myself. My dad had strong opinions on how I should live my life and my fears and insecurities were a weak match against his strong personality. I willingly fed right into his need to control. It was far easier to have my father make important life decisions for me rather than to accept the responsibility of taking my own risks. You didn’t have to be a therapist to see the “co” in this codependent relationship.

We were “dancing” fast and furiously until, in my late 20s, I wound up in front of a grand jury investigation of the Mafia’s involvement in lucrative city development projects. Nothing was ever the same after that. My anxiety and depression escalated and our intermesh became even more intensified. I was desperate to break the cycle but didn’t know how. In the past, therapy and medicine had been administered on a crisis management basis, but not as a long-term solution. 

Unfortunately, it took the death of my father to help release me from the suffocating relationships with both my parents. I was determined to seek the help that I needed to change. In my 50s, unable to thrive with the behaviors that had fueled my codependency, I began psychoanalysis. I am 61 years old and continue the hard work of exploring the roots of toxic relationships and how to spot and run from their trappings. The lessons learned have gone a long way to foster and enrich my interactions with my elderly mother, my husband, my daughter and even my friends. 

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Santa Monica Mid Century


This Santa Monica Mid Century was designed originally by Fredrick Monhoff in 1949. It was a 3 bedroom 1 bath home, a total of 1200 square feet. It has since received several additions including a green roof now in construction.
 
In 2013, homeowners Elaine and David contacted Abeer Sweis wanting to expand square footage to meet the needs of their growing family, and to make updates. Sweis designed a new wing that provides two additional bedrooms, two bathrooms and a den, using leftover space for a laundry room and pantry. Sweis also expanded the dining area and renovated the main living space with the exception of the original brick fireplace.

There were four specific elements driving the design: indoor/outdoor living, utilizing natural light, having an open floor plan with continuity of space and views, and the use of modern materials that fit seamlessly into the midcentury architecture.

Indoor-outdoor flow both to the patio and the den on the other side was created with the use of folding doors and large windows, and by carrying the tile from the interior living space out to the patio and spa area. The hall, typically simply a circulation space, became one of their favorite rooms in the house. It ties together the spaces in the new addition and accentuates the intersection of the angles existing and new.

The clients lived in the home during this phase of construction.

The north wing of the home is undergoing renovation now in construction. An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) will replace the existing one-car garage and guest room. The challenge was to add more square footage without sacrificing the outdoor living space. Although built with contemporary innovations, the green roof design of the accessory structure compliments the original home.

“Abeer, Jeff and their team did an amazing job expanding and renovating our mid-century modern architectural home. The design process was a true partnership-Abeer listened to our needs and incorporated our preferences, while executing an incredible design vision for our home. We enjoyed the process very much. Jeff did an exceptional job leading the construction process. Every detail was addressed and the end product is truly amazing. Every aspect of our new home meets our needs, both in terms of form and function. We highly recommend [them] and would hire them again without reservation.” – David + Elaine