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New Ghost Rider This February

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Next year marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic characters in comics—GHOST RIDER! To celebrate this milestone, Johnny Blaze, the original Ghost Rider, will be returning this February in an all-new ongoing series written by Benjamin Percy with art by Cory Smith.

Known for his thrilling work on titles such as WOLVERINE and X-FORCE, Percy will put his own devilish spin on the Ghost Rider mythos, evoking all the frightening elements of Ghost Rider’s most classic stories while driving the Spirit of Vengeance towards a new age. And Cory Smith, known for his brutally beautiful artwork on titles such as CONAN THE BARBARIAN, is eager to bring the scorching action and hellish horror that only Ghost Rider can deliver! Together, this team of creators are hellbound to make this Ghost Rider’s most explosive era yet!

Johnny Blaze has the perfect life: a wife and two kids, a job at an auto repair shop and a small-town community that supports him… But Johnny isn’t doing well. He has nightmares of monsters when he sleeps. And he sees bloody visions when he’s awake. This life is beginning to feel like a prison. And there’s a spirit in him that’s begging to break out!

Here’s what Percy had to say about taking the reins:

“I’m a horror head. I grew up reading Stephen King, watching John Carpenter, and listening to Black Sabbath, and when it came to comics, I always reached first for the dark and weird which means I read a hell of a lot of Ghost Rider. That flaming skull. That spiked leather jacket. That monstrous bike coughing out clouds of sulfurous exhaust. To this day, the sight of the character blazing along a midnight highway makes my heart rev like a four-stroke engine.

“Ghost Rider is arguably the best designed, but inarguably, the most heavy metal character in all of comics. It would be badass to write this series at any point in my life, but launching on the 50th anniversary feels especially (un)holy. Cory Smith is killing it on art, and we’re going to honor the past while burning rubber into a terrifying future packed with mystery, action, and shadow-soaked emotion. Prepare yourself for the ultimate in road horror.”

“I’m incredibly excited to be riding shotgun with Ben Percy as we bring Ghost Rider screaming into his 50th anniversary,” Smith added. “As a comic nerd and a horror nerd, Ghost Rider has always been a favorite of mine so this project is a dream come true. Johnny Blaze, the Spirit of Vengeance is BACK. We’re firing on all cylinders and I can’t wait for everyone to see the hellfire we’re bringing! It’s about to get crazy!”

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

Water Infrastructure Funding Act

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The California Legislative Analysts Office has just produced a report to estimate the financial impact of the “Water Infrastructure Funding Act of 2022,” a proposed ballot initiative that aims to increase the annual supply of water to Californians by five million acre feet. The contents of this report are good news for every Californian. More water. Lower water bills.

The initiative calls for two percent of the state general fund to be set aside to develop new water supplies. Projects eligible for this funding would include the development or expansion of facilities for:

Groundwater cleanup and storage.
Stormwater capture, treatment, and storage.
Water recycling.
Surface reservoirs.
Desalination of seawater or brackish water.
Water conveyance, such as canals or pipes.

Also eligible for funding are water conservation programs to achieve up to 1 million acre-feet of the total objective of 5 million acre-feet of water.

Among the fiscal effects predicted by the Legislative Analyst include increased state spending on water supply projects, and potentially less funding available for other state activities. Notwithstanding the multi-billion budget surplus California’s legislature currently enjoys, this redirecting of spending for water projects is what the initiative proponents intend. The State of California has neglected its water infrastructure for decades. With climate change promising dryer winters and a reduced Sierra snowpack, this is the perfect moment for California to prioritize spending on a resilient water infrastructure.

Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R, Tulare), a supporter of the initiative who has gathered endorsements from a growing bipartisan list of state legislators, had this to say in response to the LAO report: “This is a first of its kind ballot initiative. We set the goal based on our state’s current and future water needs, set ongoing funding for a diverse set of eligible project categories, and placed a sunset for when the goal is reached.” Mathis added, “This is a vote for people to lower their water bills, and for cities and school districts to upgrade their water systems without breaking their local budgets.”

Mathis is correct. As the LAO report notes, “it could result in water customers paying lower water bills than they otherwise would in the absence of the measure.”

One of the proponents, Lisa Ohlund, the retired general manager of the East Orange County Water District, explained the long-term benefits of this initiative, saying “climate change projections have many water districts concerned about their ability to reliably deliver safe water in quantities that will protect people, trees and the economy. This initiative focuses tax dollars on this enormously important problem at a pivotal time. We must take action to prepare for the increasingly harsh storms that will dump large amounts of rain on California, and the extended dry periods where we must look to water recycling and desalination to help fill in the shortfalls. California lead the world in water in the last century; we need to do the same in this one.”

To learn more about the progress of this game changing initiative, visit their website HERE.

Reyanna Maria – Used Two

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19-year-old Melbourne-based Filipino pop/R&B singer and songwriter Reyanna Maria serves up a sizzling new single: “Used 2”.

Get it HERE via Victor Victor Worldwide/Republic Records.

On the track, an airy beat brushes up against her smooth delivery as she warns, “I might throw it back on your man like you used to.” With attitude and swagger, she continues to flex with a flirty promise, “Your man coming home with me, because I know he don’t like the way you do.” The track highlights her dynamic vocals, provocative lyrics, and undeniable energy.

It arrives on the heels of “What’s Ur Sign?” The latter has amassed over 1 million streams to date in addition to reeling in critical acclaim. Billboard named it among the “R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week,” and claimed: “the track is catchy and confident, setting the laid-back singer up for an equally lovable follow-up release.” Bongmines Entertainment attested, “‘What’s Ur Sign?’ contains a relatable narrative, flirtatious lyrics, and an ear-pleasing vocal flow.”

Reyanna exploded with the buzzing single “So Pretty” and its Tyga-assisted Official Remix. Right out of the gate, HIGHSNOBIETY named her among “Creators to Watch Right Now” and raved, “Reyanna Maria is the face of a new league of home-grown artists who are using social media to take the reigns of their careers and cultivating their presence in the music industry on their own terms.” Meanwhile, she also picked up plugs from Forbes, HotNewHipHop, and more.

“So Pretty” initially came to life when Reyanna sang on a duet challenge on TikTok. The spur-of-the-moment sound that was created from the video exploded with over 20 million views and 1 million-plus TikTok videos. On its heels, the original track posted up 45 million-plus streams and counting to date. Videos using “So Pretty” were created by Chrissy Teigen (34M Followers), Bella Poarch (56.4M Followers), Alicia Keys (20.7M Followers), Vanessa Bryant (14.3M Followers) and many more!

Even when clutching the tiny microphone of her wired earbuds and serenading a smartphone camera, Reyanna Maria exudes the kind of charisma and attitude meant for the global spotlight. Within a few months’ time, the 19-year-old Melbourne-based Filipino songstress has already inspired 1 million-plus TikTok videos and racked up over 12 million streams. By the age of fourteen, she started to fill a notebook with lyrics and song ideas. She posted covers online and mimicked idols such as Ariana Grande and Jhené Aiko. As part of an online challenge, she went live on TikTok to sing on a beat. The initial clip of “So Pretty” exploded with nearly 10 million views as they finished the song together in two more successive posts, totaling 22 million views. Victor Victor Worldwide founder Steven Victor signed Reyanna on the spot once he found out about her video. Now, the official release of “So Pretty” [feat. Tyga] formally introduces Reyanna Maria as a fiery force for pop and R&B.

Savage Spider – Man

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Superstar writer Joe Kelly just finished taking Peter Parker on the most action-packed, pulse-pounding, adrenaline-pumping adventure in Spider-Man history in NON-STOP SPIDER-MAN! And he’s only just getting started… Spinning out of NON-STOP SPIDER-MAN this February comes SAVAGE SPIDER-MAN! Written by Kelly and featuring the distinctive and dynamic talents of artist Gerardo Sandoval, this all-new limited series will feature Spider-Man like you’ve never seen him…

Peter Parker finds himself at the middle of the biggest, most wide-ranging adventure he’s ever had and it has turned him into a savage beast! Forget everything you know about Spider-Man. All rules and regulations are out the door and Peter Parker may never be the same!

“You may think you’ve seen a monstrous or vicious Spider-Man before, but never like this,” says Spider-Editor Nick Lowe. “This book is so intense that you’re going to need to put it down between pages to get your breath back.”

“Spider-Man is always a huge challenge to draw, he’s not an easy character for an artist. But at the same time Spider-Man is a huge joy to draw and now we have a Savage Spider-Man who provides an even bigger challenge for an artist,” says Sandoval. “I have the pages that I am working on and I can say that I am doing my best work here for sure. Joe Kelly is the kind of writer that understands an artist needs enough room to create great illustrations and it makes my work easier and more fun. I really hope you enjoy this new book as much as I do!”

About Marvel Entertainment

DMX Estate Given to Family

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DMX‘s ex wife, Tashera Simmons oldest sons , Xavier Simmons, Sean Simmons and Tacoma Simmons have been appointed temporary co-administrators of the estate of Earl “DMX” Simmons pursuant to a decision of the Westchester county Surrogate’s Court today. They will now exclusively manage the affairs of their late father’s estate. The estate has retained entertainment attorney Ron Sweeney of Ron Sweeney and Company to exclusively handle all entertainment related matters. Estate Attorney, Herb Nass is the attorney for the Earl “DMX” Simmons estate and the sons as co-administrators..”

When it comes to DMX, a man blessed with a vicious bark of a voice, there is no such thing as half-stepping. Born Earl Simmons in 1970, the Yonkers-raised MC arrived as the physical embodiment of unbridled energy—a one-man distillation of fellow rugged New York acts like Wu-Tang Clan. With the release of his 1998 debut, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, DMX wrapped himself in musical aggression that enhanced his imposing presence across songs like the minimal, clanging “Get at Me Dog,” and rowdy breakout “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem.” But X scaled back the pugnacity on that same album’s introspective “How’s It Goin’ Down,” which featured angelic vocals from R&B’s Faith Evans and painted a vivid picture of a complex relationship headed down the wrong path.

DMX would revisit that sensitivity on “Slippin’,” a heart-rending track from 1998’s Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood that found him expressing a desire to live a less tumultuous life. As at odds as the rapper’s two sides may seem to be, he’s always thrived most while letting his emotions fly unrestrained. In 2000, he released ...And Then There Was X, where even the anthemic “Party Up” served as a prime example of DMX’s uniquely intense take on hardcore hip-hop. But whether ferocious, amped up, or introspective, the MC has remained grounded by his faith, which, especially in the later years of his career, he approaches with nothing short of absolute devotion.

Following the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., DMX took over as the undisputed reigning king of hardcore rap. He was that rare commodity: a commercial powerhouse with artistic and street credibility to spare. His rapid ascent to stardom was actually almost a decade in the making, which gave him a chance to develop the theatrical image that made him one of rap’s most distinctive personalities during his heyday. Everything about DMX was unremittingly intense, from his muscular, tattooed physique to his gruff, barking delivery, which made a perfect match for his trademark lyrical obsession with dogs. Plus, there was substance behind the style; much of his work was tied together by a fascination with the split between the sacred and the profane. He could move from spiritual anguish one minute to a narrative about the sins of the streets the next, yet keep it all part of the same complex character, sort of like a hip-hop Johnny Cash. The results were compelling enough to make DMX the first artist ever to have his first four albums enter the charts at number one.

Bugatti Ending Chiron Production

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With global demand for the Bugatti Chiron surging in Q3 2021, production of the limited run of 500 has now entered its final phase. Fewer than 40 Chiron models remain available to order, in a Chiron Pur Sport or Super Sport model, rounding off a remarkable era of Bugatti’s history

The Bugatti Chiron quickly established itself as the new benchmark of the hyper sports car market. As the fastest and most powerful production vehicle in the marque’s 112-year history, the Chiron pushed the boundaries of automotive design, technology, engineering and manufacturing.

Four years since the very first of 500 bespoke units left the Atelier in Molsheim, the Chiron now enters its final production phase in Pur Sport and Super Sport form only, with less than 40 build slots left to be allocated. The final units of the Chiron and Chiron Sport are already being handcrafted, or scheduled to be built at Bugatti’s Molsheim Atelier, making way for the final encore of the Chiron era.

Since its highly anticipated reveal at the Geneva International Motorshow in 2016, the global success of Bugatti’s most recent hyper sports car platform has been unprecedented. 18 months after its initial announcement, 300 of the limited 500 series run of the Chiron had been sold. This sales momentum has continued throughout the years and into 2021, despite global challenges such as COVID-19. The United States is Chiron’s strongest market, contributing significantly to a record-breaking quarter in Q3, which welcomed Chiron sales that doubled year-on-year and even tripled in some regions.

With the revival of in-person events such as Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and a range of exclusive customer and media drive events, the Chiron continues to help drive Bugatti’s momentum, attracting universal acclaim, as the model becomes an increasingly rare proposition.

Hendrik Malinowski, Director of Sales and Operations, comments: “Our discerning customer base across the world consists of true Bugatti connoisseurs. They are hard-working, self-made individuals who regard owning one or multiple Bugatti masterpieces as the realization of a dream. They understand the devotion behind the pioneering design and engineering of each Chiron model. Their appreciation for the provenance and performance of our hyper sports cars comes from a genuine passion for the brand.

“With the Chiron Pur Sport and Super Sport, we are offering customers the culmination of years of continual development of the Chiron platform. This spectrum of performance, whether it be hitting the apex on-track, or cruising on Autobahns in total luxury, takes the Chiron to an entirely new level. Now with so few build slots remaining, the purity of the W16 recipe is being honored in style.”

Hitting the ground running

Throughout its lifetime, the Chiron has collected a multitude of accolades for its design and performance capabilities, solidifying its position in automotive history as one of the all-time greats. With a peak power output of 1,500 PS-a record for a series-production vehicle-1,600 newton meters and a host of surplus technological innovations, the Chiron redefined the pinnacle of automotive engineering in the 2010s. Sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.4 seconds, 200 km/h is reached in 6.1 seconds, with the 300 km/h mark achieved in 13.1 seconds.

The Chiron wasted no time in securing its first production car record in 2017, setting a new 0-400-0 km/h world record in a mere 41.96 seconds – the fastest time ever reached and officially measured at the time. Continuing a run of unrelenting success, just two years later, the Chiron reached speeds once thought to be unreachable by a road car. A near production prototype derivative of the hyper sports car surpassed the magic 300 mph limit with a speed of 304.773 mph (490.484 km/h)-a world record that stunned the automotive world and secured the Chiron’s status as an unquestionable automotive legend.

Building on a winning formula

Joining the Chiron family in 2020, the Chiron Pur Sport built upon the exceptional Chiron foundation to offer customers a truly uncompromising hyper sports car that is optimized for dynamic agility and downforce. With an entirely new aerodynamic, transmission and weight configuration, the Chiron Pur Sport effortlessly delivers the pin-sharp handling of a thoroughbred, hitting apexes in its stride. A 50-kilogram weight reduction and firmer suspension, combined with a 1.90 meter rear wing and close-ratio transmission mean the Chiron Pur Sport radiates connection and feel between driver and road surface.

2021 saw the unveiling of Bugatti’s latest masterpiece–the Chiron Super Sport–which alongside the Pur Sport will make up the final 40 units of Bugatti’s 500-strong Chiron production run. As the quintessence of luxury and speed, the Chiron Super Sport has been designed to embrace supreme longitudinal speed without compromising luxury and comfort.

As such, the Chiron Super Sport is regarded as the ultimate Grand Tourisme, capable of crossing continents in a heartbeat. Defined by its longtail design, the Super Sport achieves extreme levels of aerodynamic efficiency, enabling the hyper sports car to reach speeds of up to 440 km/h. With an upgraded version of the renowned Bugatti 8.0-liter W16 engine, the Super Sport outputs 1,600PS – increasing power by 100PS over the base Chiron.

Ed Sheeran × First Listen

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Ed Sheeran is counting down to the release of his new album = with a very special Apple Music “First Listen” global live-stream celebration next week, Thursday, October 28 at 8:30pm BST / 12:30pm PST / 3:30pm EST only on Apple Music HERE.

During the event, Ed Sheeran will join Apple Music’s Zane Lowe live to play new songs from ‘=,’ to chat about the new album, and to answer questions from fans.

After four years in the making, Ed Sheeran is back with “=,” the fourth installment of his symbol album series following his full length debut “+”, breakthrough “x”, and record setting “÷.” “=” is preceded by hit singles “Bad Habits” and “Shivers.” Fans can Pre-add “=” now on Apple Music.

First Listen

First Listen is a series of free Apple Music hosted virtual launch parties, harkening back to the album listening parties of yore but now with almost unlimited ways for artists to connect with and treat their biggest fans to something special before releasing new music to the world. Acting as a live event extension of some of Apple Music’s most popular and influential playlists, these virtual listening parties could include everything from unreleased tracks, to special surprise guests and more. Previous events featured some of the world’s biggest artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Shawn Mendes, BLACKPINK, Bruce Springsteen, Keith Urban, Rauw Alejandro, Karol G, Moneybagg Yo, Migos, Dan + Shay, Belly, J Balvin and many more.

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is an English singer/songwriter; one of the most successful artists of all time with 150 million records sold. He’s known for his relatable lyrics, smooth, sultry vocals and his ginger hair. He’s most known for songs such as Grammy-winning “Shape of You,” “Thinking of You,” and “Perfect.” He’s also the founder of Gingerbread Man Records. His next album, “=” is set to be released on October 29, 2021.

Geppi Collection Opens at LOC

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A new exhibition at the Library of Congress explores how comic books have permeated popular entertainment and influenced U.S. culture, highlighting selections from the Stephen A. Geppi Collection that was generously donated to the national library in 2018.

“Geppi Gems” is now open in the Library’s Graphic Arts Gallery through mid-March 2022. A second rotation with different items is planned for spring 2022. The exhibition now features 33 items from the collection of more than 3,000 cartoons, comic books and related items in the Geppi Collection.

The wide range of rare comics on view span genres including Walt Disney’s iconic characters, westerns, superheroes, science fiction, horror, sports, music and entertainment.

“Popeye, Superman, Wonder Woman, Black Panther — some cartoon characters have become both instantly and internationally recognizable, but they didn’t get their start on television or in the movies, but rather on the pages of newspapers and comic books,” said Sara Duke, curator of popular and applied graphic arts, who wrote about the exhibition on the Library’s Picture This blog.

The exhibition explores the role of early newspapers in the development of comic books and characters. As a nod to the collection’s founder, the exhibition also represents the major themes of the former Geppi Entertainment Museum in Baltimore, which operated between 2006 and 2018.

“It’s so gratifying to see more of the Geppi Gems collection made available to the public in this exhibition,” Geppi said. “This and future displays will continue to expose new fans to the rich artistic history of pop culture started here in the United States. I’m more excited than ever and want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to my dear friend and Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, for her vision, as well as the curators and conservators who have worked so hard to make this possible.”

Over the years, Geppi has amassed one of the largest individual collections of vintage comic books and pop culture artifacts in the world.

Highlights of the exhibition include:

Popeye in an early syndicated newspaper comic strip from 1931 when the character’s popularity was exploding.
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck during their rise in popularity as animated characters. Walt Disney understood the role of marketing his characters so that they would be instantly recognizable.
Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp and Steve McQueen as characters from America’s Wild West translated from Western novels to radio, comics, film and television.
Superman’s history with Action Comics and the birth of the comic book superhero from DC Comics, along with examples from the history of Batman and Robin and Wonder Woman.
Black Panther’s self-titled debut from Marvel Comics in 1977 and the story of Captain America in The Avengers before he became one of the most popular comic book characters today.
Science fiction’s history in comics with examples of dramatic visual expression, including Weird Science and Science and Invention.
Terrifying creatures of horror that were brought to visual life through comics in magazines like Creepy.
Sports as represented through comic books and cartoon art, including Babe Ruth Sports.
Pop culture represented in posters, magazines and collectibles promoting musicians through graphic art, including Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, The Jackson 5 and more.

Free timed entry tickets are available for visitors to the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 4

p.m. To plan a visit and reserve tickets, go to loc.gov/visit. Tickets will be released on a rolling 30-day basis. For online versions of the Library’s exhibitions, visit loc.gov/exhibits.

Geppi is the founder, owner, chairman and CEO of Geppi Family Enterprises, a Baltimore-based network of pop culture companies including Diamond Comic Distributors, Diamond UK, Gemstone Publishing, E. Gerber, Baltimore Magazine, Diamond International Galleries, Diamond Select Toys, Alliance Game Distributor, Diamond Book Distributors, Hake’s Auctions, Art Asylum, Gentle Giant, Sapphire Studios and the recently acquired Collectible Grading Authority.

About the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

Emporium Arcade Bar Offers Event Venues

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Emporium Arcade Bar, the lively venue known for its classic arcade games, colorful artistic ambiance and renowned drink menu, also provides six dynamic private event venues in several large metropolitan areas across the country. With three locations in Chicago (Wicker Park, Logan Square and Fulton Market), as well as two in the Bay Area (San Francisco and Oakland) and one in Las Vegas (inside the new mind-bending experiential art and entertainment complex AREA15), Emporium Arcade Bar offers everything from free table reservations for small casual gatherings to full venue buyouts for larger holiday company events.

“Emporium Arcade Bar offers a completely hassle-free experience for small and large groups,” said Danny Marks, co-founder, Emporium Arcade Bar. “We offer corporate packages for groups who want to pre-plan the entire holiday party experience, as well as free and easy table reservations for smaller groups looking to host a laid-back gathering in a fun-filled atmosphere.”

Emporium’s unusually flexible array of options make it ideal for company parties centered around the upcoming holiday season. For larger events, each Emporium location can accommodate the following number of patrons:

Wicker Park: up to 350 guests

Logan Square: up to 500 guests

Fulton Market: up to 200 guests

San Francisco: up to 900 guests

Oakland: up to 200 guests

Las Vegas: up to 600 guests

Meanwhile, Emporium allows for ample branding opportunities on customizable LED monitors located throughout each venue. Ideal for playing videos or presentations, its Chicago locations also feature oversized projection screens ranging from 10 to 20 feet and its San Francisco location also features a 50-foot movie theater-sized screen as well as two 15-foot screens. For events requiring advanced audio-visual elements, Emporium offers an in-house team to set up any necessary presentation or AV equipment. In addition, Emporium has a comprehensive list of talented local DJs throughout its three regions who can set the right vibe for any holiday function.

Drink and game token packages can be booked for parties of any size and full catering packages are also available at all locations. For more information or to inquire about booking a private group, visit Emporium’s group bookings pages for Chicago, San Francisco, Oakland and Las Vegas.

For ongoing hours of operation, click HERE.

About Emporium Arcade Bar

Emporium Arcade Bar is the quintessentially cool place to hang out and have a good time. Originally launched in Chicago in 2012, Emporium now has six locations: three in Chicago (Wicker Park, Fulton Market and Logan Square), two in the Bay Area (San Francisco and Oakland) and one in Las Vegas (AREA15). Emporium Arcade Bar offers unparalleled destinations for all types of games, including classic arcade favorites, pool tables, pinball, foosball and many more. Its passionately curated bar purveys the choicest craft beer selections, an innovative cocktail program and expansive liquor list. In addition, Emporium Arcade Bar showcases vibrant work by local artists and an ongoing, robust calendar of live shows, DJs and game tournaments.

Angama Mara’s Map Room

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Angama Mara, the award-winning luxury safari lodge perched on a cliffside overlooking Kenya’s Maasai Mara, has created a new Map Room to give guests a deeper understanding of the Mara, Kenya and East Africa. Comprising more than 60 maps, books, photography and artifacts, the Map Room is somewhere quiet for guests to spend time between game drives, while gaining a sense of place within the region.

“At Angama, we believe stories shared with our guests are what they remember long after they have left Africa. Being one of the earliest forms of human communication, maps tell stories. And we have so many more to share with our guests with the addition of our handsome new Map Room,” says Angama CEO Nicky Fitzgerald.

As guests enter, they will notice the room’s centerpiece: a distressed steel map installation of the Mara Triangle, designed by South African sculptor Simon Bannister. Guests, especially younger ones, can have fun placing steel animal cut-outs on the interactive map, showing where each was sighted while out on safari.

Some of the maps were illustrated exclusively for Angama, while others were sourced from the Royal Geographic Society in London, as well as various museums and libraries, with one dating back to 1608. The icons hanging on the East Africa photographic wall celebrate four of Angama’s favorite wildlife legends: Scarface of the Maasai Mara; the great tuskers Tim and Ahmed; and Gertie, the famous long-horned rhino from Amboseli.

The Map Room is also home to a collection of natural history books, Maasai artifacts and animal skulls. Baskets filled with map-themed puzzles and games, and a Maasai dress-up box ensures younger guests are entertained while their parents explore the space.

Set at the heart of the lodge, the Map Room neighbors the Photographic Studio, Swimming Pool, Safari Shop, Beading Studio and Fitness Room. This spacious room is also perfect for a special dinner occasion from fireside meals for eight or more, to a grand gathering of up to 30 guests. Equipped with a drop-down screen and Wi-Fi, the Map Room can also be set up for movie screenings, as well as presentations for up to 60 guests.

About Angama Mara

Angama Mara is a remarkable owner-run safari lodge located high above Kenya’s Maasai Mara, considered by many to be the loveliest game reserve on the continent and home to Africa’s most dramatic landscapes and wildlife encounters. Here guests will find two intimate camps of just fifteen glass-fronted tented-suites each, a private airfield and access to the Mara a mere 10-minute drive from the lodge, along with a famously warm Kenyan welcome. Situated on the very site where many of the iconic scenes from Out of Africa were filmed, tailor-made days on safari are as action-packed or as gentle as guests choose them to be: hot air ballooning, garden-to-table lunches in the Shamba, walking safaris, hosted photographic safaris, interactions with the fascinating Maasai culture or simply doing nothing at all. The lodge is perfectly complemented by the new Angama Safari Camp, an exclusive-use, light footprint tented camp set deep in the Maasai Mara moving amidst its abundant wildlife.