In 1987 in Hamburg, Germany, there was the first ever art amusement park. Artists such as Dali, Haring, and Basquiat create art pieces that work of art in the shape of carousels, Ferris wheels, and a fun house. It only lasted one summer outside a park in Hamburg, Germany, but it had over 250.000 patrons visit it.

The idea came from artist Andre Heller. He received an enormous grant from a German magazine, and he went to scout the most influential artists of that time to see if they wanted to participate in this park idea. The park had 30 different pieces from 30 other artists. Heller wanted the art world to come together for this once in the lifetime experience of making art and play come together.

Keith Karing Carousel (1987)

However, Heller wanted to take the park on a European tour, but that idea fell through. Next, he tried to make the park a staple fixture in Vienna, but the city rejected it.

The entrance to Luna Luna Park was created by Sonia Delaunay (1987)

During the fall of 1987, with nowhere to go, Heller broke down the park and put it into storage. In 1990, Heller tried to sell the park due to financial hardship, but there were still a lot of lawsuits from the previous years, and that deal did not go far. For the next 15 years, the attractions and rides have been in a storage space in Texas.

In 2019, Drake and his production company DreamCrew, and other investors decided to buy and start to restore the park to its full glory.

Currently, pieces of the park are in a massive workshop in Los Angles and are being restored. The future of what Luna Luna will be is still unanswered, but I am excited to see what they will do with it!

If you would like more information about the new Luna Luna Park. The following contact information is below:

https://lunaluna.com/about/

Here is a video if you want more of a visual:

Sources:

https://lunaluna.com/

Until next time!!!

As you know one of my main loves in my life are the Muppets. So today I will talk about 5 lesser known Muppets:

Yolanda- Yolanda first’s appearance in the muppet universe was in one of my favorite movies The Muppets Take Manhattan. (the wedding scene makes me cry every time! )

In the movie she takes a job as a waitress at Pete’s Luncheonette and hangs out with Rizzo and his friends throughout the movie. After the movie Yolanda shows up sporadically in other Muppets specials such as The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 years. Yolanda is usually part of Miss Piggy’s close group of friends whenever she needs a girls night or a shoulder to cry on.

Skeeter is Scooter’s twin sister and made her debut on the Muppet Babies(1984). I remember her being bold, very sporty and sometimes she argue with her brother.

Harry the Hipster:

Harry was one of the original Jim Henson muppets and has a fondness for jazz music. Although he made several appearances when Jim Henson first started he wasn’t a regular muppet. Although he did make an appearance in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years (1986). For those interested in seeing the special. There is a youtube video below:

Annie Sue Pig:

She sings and dance in the Muppet Show and see Miss Piggy as one of her idols. Kermit tries to put Annie Sue in less dancing and singing roles and in more dramatic roles. However she backs out and just prefers to show up in dancing or singing parts throughout the Muppet universe.

Taminella Grinderfall:

Not much is known about Taminell. Although she was part of pilot by Jerry Juhl called Tales of the Tinkerdee. She was the star of the pilot but it was never aired however she did appear on Sesame Street to talk about the letter O:

I might do another part of this series. Is there a muppet I have not discussed yet but would like to be featured? Comment below!

Until next time!!!

Source: muppet. wiki and youtube.com

This week’s movie of the day is 1975’s The Stepford Wives. Starring Katherine Ross, Paula Prentiss, and Peter Masteron. This is one of my favorite movies and books. I have discussed the book by Ira Levin in previous blog posts, so if you want to go on a deep dive into my blog. Then I totally suggest going for it!!!

I prefer the 1975 movie version of this book rather than the 2004 version because the later version was more of a comedy. I am more of a horror fan, and the 1975 version delivers that better.

It is also no shock to anyone that Ira Levin is one of my favorite authors. He also wrote two other of my favorite books. One is called Rosemary’s Baby:

And the other book is called The Boys from Brazil:

The movie centers around the Eberhart family. Joanne Eberhart and her family move out of the busy city into a quiet town in Stepford, Connecticut. But when Joanne gets to know the wives of Stepford, she realizes everything is not what it seems.

I came to learn about the movie by chance when I realized that Ira Levin wrote numerous novels. I first read Rosemary’s Baby and enjoyed it so much that I went deep into the author’s list of novels and short stories.

Here are some fun facts about the movie:

Director Byran Forbes also wrote other screenplays, such as “Of Human Bondage” and “Seance on a Wet Afternoon.”

Ira Levin’s original plan was to make a play instead of a book. However, his final decision to create the book was due to an overflow of characters.

Diane Keaton turned down the lead role in the film. Claiming that the script gave her “bad vibes.”

This movie greatly inspired Jordon Peele when creating his film “Get Out.”

Brian DePalma was approached to direct The Stepford Wives but was making another movie called “Obsession.”

Tuesday Weld was initially offered the lead role in this movie but turned it down. Instead, several actresses like Susan Sarandon, Jane Fonda, and Natalie Wood were offered this role.

The acting debut of Dee Wallace:

Have you seen this movie? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Comment below!

Until next time!

Sources: Internet Movie Database, Youtube

The image above is painter Bruno Amdio (1911-1981) (who also uses the pen name of Giovanni Bragolin). Amadio made a series of paintings in the 1950s called “Crying Boys.” These paintings were trendy in the UK, and numerous of these paintings were made into prints and sold all over the world.

A UK tabloid newspaper in 1985 called The Sun ran a piece claiming that a couple named May and Ron Hall had a terrible housefire that ended up destroying everything in their home but the print they had of one of Amdio’s Crying Boys. The story also quoted a firefighter who fought 15 fires throughout his career. Those fires destroyed everything in people’s residents, and the only thing that was not destroyed was those paintings that had them.

That story from The Sun ceased Amdio’s popularity in his Crying Boys series. Future reports are populated about those who own the paintings. They shared similarities in house fires. One story had a pair of sisters experiencing horrible luck after they bought the image. Both had house fires, and one claimed to see the picture sway back and forth in the fire. Another woman tried to burn her copy of the painting and had no luck destroying it. The end result was a series of misfortunes that happened to her.

The Sun also ran an article to readers about sending their prints or paintings of the Crying Boy. About 2,500 paintings and prints were mailed to the sun and they ended up having a bonfire destroying more copies of the prints of the paintings:

Why are the Crying Boy series by Bruno Amdio considered haunted or cursed? No one really knows the answer to this. Although there are a lot of theories surrounding this question. Such as one of the little boys’ parents put a curse on these paintings. Another is a child who died in a house fire and had his spirit contained in one of the paintings. The more talked about theory is a crying boy mistakenly set fire to Amdio’s art studio, and anywhere the little boy went somehow, a fire would shortly follow wherever he would go.

In September or October 2010, a BBC show called Punt PI, a comedy and radio series. It is about the host, Steve Punt, discussing Britain’s greatest mysteries. In series 3, he talks about the Crying Boy series of paintings. Punt decided to dissect the legendary curse and found some of the people who experienced those house fires. Punt also bought the image and put it on fire to see what would happen. Here is a video below of the experience:

Punt concluded that the varnish used in the pictures could be a possible reason for the painting’s last power after a house fire. Which was a fire-retardent kind of vanish.

What are your thoughts on this series of paintings? Could they really be cursed? Comment your thoughts below!!!

Until next time!

Sources: Youtube. atlas Obscura, the sun

Spring is near, and so is the end of my classes. So I have a bit of a break until my following two types and would like to finish some reading. I often read for enjoyment, but life happens, and my pile of to-read books gets more prominent daily. So here are five books that I am planning to read this spring:

But have you Read the Book? by Kristen Lopez. Lopez discusses 52 books that were adapted for film. The movies ranged from Clueless to One’s Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I am interested in reading why she picked these and how well the book was adapted for the screen.

The Link to buy is here: https://www.runningpress.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book/9780762480975/#

American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood, and the Cyanide Poisonings that Shook the World. This book was selected as part of my True Crime book club. I am an avid reader of this genre and was excited to be part of this book club. This is our first book club selection, which is a strong one! I started the audiobook version of this and planned to finish it by the end of March.

The Link to buy is here: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/gregg-olsen/american-mother/9781538724859/

The Ghost Club by Kate Winkler Dawson Did you know that Arthur Conan Doyle and William Bulter Yeats would meet monthly in London to discuss ghosts? They formed a club called The Ghost club, founded by Harry Prince, a well-known ghost hunter.

The Link to buy is here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714301/the-ghost-club-by-kate-winkler-dawson/

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan: A man from a tiny town in mid-1980s Ireland comes to terms with a challenging situation on Christmas that affects and rocks the small town he lives in. This book has Peyton Place town vibes, and I am here for it!!

The Link to buy Is here: https://www.politics-prose.com/book/9780802158741

“Don’t Fall off The Mountain” by Shirley Maclaine: I was aware that actress Shirley Maclaine was a writer, but I was not aware of the number of books she has written over 50 years. So I decided, why not start reading her books in the spring? She is an exciting writer and is very immersed in knowledge about other forms of life.

The Link to buy is here: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Fall-Mountain-Shirley-MacLaine/dp/0393331342

What books are on your to-read list for the upcoming new season? Comment below!!!

Today is one of my favorite directors’ birthday: David Cronenberg. This evening I will be sharing some fun facts about The Brood (1979):

The Brood stars Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, and Art Hindle. This is the first movie I have seen by David Cronenberg. I remember getting a Netflix-recommended view because I had just turned in Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain (1973). Not sure how the two movies correlate but I took a chance and got it mailed out to me. I was not sure what to expect but the twist at the end and the fact that I had to watch it a couple of times to grasp the heaviness of this film.

David Cronenberg was inspired to write this movie because he was going through a divorce, and child-custody conflict with his wife at the time.

This is the first movie with an Howard Shore soundtrack.

During the production of the movie in Canada Oliver Reed was arrested for public nudity. He made a bet with the production crew that he could walk naked in the cold from bar to bar.

The production of the film started on November 14, 1978.

Roger Ebert called this movie “a bore.”

First film of Cindy Hinds who played Candice Hinds.

Do you have a favorite movie of David Cronenberg? Comment below!

Until next time!

Source: internet movie database

I’m in my second semester of school and I am already halfway done. To say it’s been a new experience in learning is an understatement. But I am learning so much that I don’t mind less sleep and motivation to do little else. I will continue to write a blog or two weekly depending on if I find a subject that interests me. I have started a true crime audio book club and am excited to start on that journey. Right now I am looking forward to sleep and perhaps watching a movie or two this week. Does anyone have any recommendations?

There was a dark brown color that artists commonly used called Mummy brown. It was popular in the 16th and 17th centuries and was made from a mixture of myrrh, incense, and the remains of Egyptian and Gunache (from the Canary Islands) mummies and mummified cats. Painted these centuries preferred this brown because of its significant usage of shadows, flesh tones, and shading. Unfortunately, there was such a high demand for mummy brown that Egyptian and Gunache mummies would run out and use recently dead bodies of slaves and criminals.

The fascination with this color began to die around the 19th century when artists started to learn what this color was made from. Then by the 20th century, the production of this color almost became non-existent due to the low supply of mummies.

This painting by Martin Drolling called “Interior of the Kitchen” (1815) is one of many examples of the color mummy brown being used.

Fast forward to this century, the color mummy brown is still being used. However, it is made from various ingredients like quartz., and hematite and not from actual bodies.

Have you heard of any other colors made with weird ingredients? If so comment below!

Until next time!!!

Resources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ground-mummies-were-once-ingredient-paint-180950350/

Hello readers of the blog!

For the past 8 years of having this blog. I wanted to create a cultural space where I share my feelings, and things that interested me and also interviewing others. However the interview portion recently have taken a bit of a toll for me. I am currently going to law school and between working 40 hours a week, school, and doing my own writing. The interview portion of my blog has lately been becoming a chore rather than an enjoyment. The demands from that section have ranged from constant emails or messages asking for constant edits to being extremely unhappy with not having a quick turnaround releasing the interview right when it is submitted to me.

Instead of getting rid of that portion of the blog. I decided to take a step back which includes a submission process. I will have up to two interviews posted on my blog per month.

If you are interested in wanting to be interviewed for the blog. You must email me at cnajera1@gmail.com

Write a short synopsis of who you are and why you want to be interviewed.

If you are chosen there will be a 50 dollar fee ( accept apple pay and PayPal only! )

And I’ll email you the questions along with any other information you will need.

Please feel free to comment below with any other questions regarding this change to my blog.

Thank you all for your support!!!

Regards,

Clarissa

Recently, when I was looking at my social media, I kept seeing a weird trending article on my feed. Earlier this month a woman in Germany was arrested and charged with murder. She concocted this weird plan. She had faked her own death by finding her doppelganger and killing her.

What is a doppelganger? The actual word means “double walker” in German. It is someone who is not related to you but has striking physical characteristics. Basically, there could be someone walking this planet that has a striking resemblance to you. However, they are not you. They could have the same kind of nose or hair color or height. You could confused that person and call them by your name that is how similar they could be. I always wondered who my doppelganger could be. How much they look like me and what do they do for a living.

However, after learning about this experience I lessen my curiosity in wondering…..

Picture from Fox News (2023).

The woman who was arrested for murder named Sharaban K. is a 23-year-old living in Germany as a beautician. She made contact with her “doppelganger” through a social media outlet. Khadidja Q. who was a beauty blogger on Instagram was under the impression that Sharaban wanted to meet up with her in regards to receiving a cosmetics kit.

It was speculated (so far the details are not concrete since this is still an ongoing investigation) that Sharaban and her boyfriend went to go pick up Khadidja in the southern part of Germany. Somewhere between the car ride to their next destination, they stabbed Khadidja to death and then put her body in the back seat, They then drove to the city of Ingolstadt and abandoned the car with her in it. Sharaban parents were under the impression that she was meeting her ex-husband in Ingolstadt and when she did not turn up where she said she was going to be. They started searching for her in that city and found the abandoned car and what they thought to be Sharaban.

The parents had identified the body as Sharaben before the autopsy was performed however the autopsy confirmed that it was Khadidja.

Picture from The Cut (2023)

When the police got involved they found out that Sharaban had tried to contact various women who shared similar physical features through social media under fake names trying to get them to meet with her.

Sharaban and her boyfriend were held on remand last August 2022 and after a half year investigation they were finally arrested this February when arrest warrants were issued for the both of them in late January 2023. If they both are find guilty of this crime they will both be serving life sentences.

Picture from the Insider.

Learning stuff like this really breaks my heart. I hope that Khadidja’s family received justice for this horrible crime.

Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/30/doppelganger-murder-ingolstadt-german-prosecutors-allege-woman-killed-lookalike-to-fake-death

https://www.thecut.com/2023/02/doppelganger-murder-germany.html