Month: July 2019

Game of Thrones is gone, but definitely not forgotten. HBO is already filming one of the prequels in Northern Ireland, and of course that means set leaks anew. That’s why we know the likely name of the series, once assumed to be titled The Long Night. It’s alleged real title: Blood Moon.

Watchers on the Wall, a fan site that passionately tracks all things Thrones, reports that this is the logo for the pilot episode of Blood Moon. That means we may never see it again after that blurry image, or it will be omnipresent once the series is off and running. HBO, after all, could send the pilot episode back to be recast, renamed, or whatever before it makes it to air.

The same site has had some other intriguing glimpses at what’s happening with the prequel.

But Blood Moon (or whatever it’s ultimately called) isn’t the only Thrones-related work in progress. With info collected by Vulture, among others, here’s what we know.

1. There Are Up to 5 Shows in Development

As noted by Vulture, HBO stated in 2017 that there were several “spinoffs” in development, ultimately totaling five. In May 2019 George R.R. Martin elaborated in his blog, writing that three “are still moving forward nicely.”

2. Everything is Coming Up Prequels

From Vulture:

George R.R. Martin remains deeply interested in the fictional history of Westeros, and it seems as though all of the television prequels will take place before the events of Thrones. So this is almost certainly the end of the Kingsroad for the show’s characters.

This is unlikely to satisfy all fans, but Maisie Williams has many years to hang around waiting for the Arya Stark spinoff she deserves.

3. There Are Plenty of Stories to Go Around

Author George R.R. Martin gets a lot of grief for not finishing the novel series on which Thrones was based, but the truth is, he’s been pretty prolific, regardless — as Vulture notes, he’s written a series of shorter works, Tales of Dunk and Egg, as well as The World of Ice & Fire, a 2014 history of Westeros. Plenty of rights for the novelist to sign away there, if he hasn’t already done so.

4. Many Questions Will Be Answered

We’re certain to get answers to dangling mysteries from the just-ended series. Screen Rant published predictions as to what will be revealed, and they include learning a lot more about the creepy and mysterious White Walkers and about the rise of the various houses — Targaryens, Starks, and the rest. 

5. George R.R. Martin Doesn’t Like the Word ‘Prequels’

Back when the author was hinting the new show would be called The Long Night (that ended up the title of the episode in the final season of Thrones featuring the Battle of Winterfell and the destruction of the White Walkers), he had something to say about the word prequels in his blog:

Internet reports are notoriously unreliable. We have had five different GAME OF THRONES successor shows in development (I mislike the term “spinoffs”) at HBO, and three of them are still moving forward nicely. The one I am not supposed to call THE LONG NIGHT will be shooting later this year, and two other shows remain in the script stage, but are edging closer. What are they about? I cannot say.

Martin seems to believe “successor shows” is more precise, and it probably is, but it just doesn’t roll off the tongue like “prequels.” 

Of course there will be plenty more to come as the Thrones train barrels forward in the future. We’re sure there will be tons of sex, blood, and probably dragons to go around. 

Meghan Markle’s love for heels seems to know no limits. (Well, Lady Gaga–level heights are probably a limit for her, but you know what we mean.) Even toward the end of her pregnancy, Markle stayed dedicated to her towering stilettos (no kitten heels or block heels for her). But given that the occasion that she made a surprise appearance at over the weekend was a baseball game, she left her usual heels at home and swapped them for a pretty pair of ballet flats.

Markle and Prince Harry stepped out for only their third joint appearance since the birth of baby Archie. The occasion was game one of the London Series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium on Saturday. Markle wore a belted black Stella McCartney minidress, which would’ve come across as a bit formal with heels, but with black flats, it was just casual enough. The flats she went with were Aquazzura Deneuve Bow Pointy Toe Flats. With special details like cut-out sides, a bow at the back of the ankles, and a low gold heel, they were a fine substitute for heels. Keep scrolling to shop her chic baseball game shoes (which can be worn to many non-baseball game locations as well).

Next up, shop the pretty $200 dress Kate Middleton just wore.

Much like barbecue pit masters, seafood boil bosses are a competitive lot–purists who assert they’re the kings of the crawfish, shrimp or blue crab boil. 

They brag that their standing among their ranks can be attributed to their secret seasonings, the timing of when they toss in the ingredients (potatoes, garlic, corn cobs, sausage, among others) or, ultimately, the texture and consistency of the boil once it’s been laid out on backyard fold-up tables and docks to pick, suck, extract, and hammer.

Yet temperature management is what makes it all come down. Enter The Boil Boss, a new contraption–invented by a native of New Orleans (the crawfish boil capital)–which takes the guesswork out of the soaking process, while making shellfish like shrimp more taut, consistent and easier to pick and peel.

A heat-resistant, adjustable hard-plastic ring that snaps (with rotating brackets) around a boil pot, the Boil Boss connects to any standard garden house, acting as a sort of sprinkler system and temperature gauge. 

Faster and more accurate than the old school process–that is, time-held instincts–the Boil Boss showers the outside of the pot with water, dropping the temperature of a boil from about 212 degrees to 150 (the boil stop) in approximately 3 minutes and 30 seconds. 

The rapid decline in temperature helps prevent overcooking the seafood. A speedy reduction in temperature not only halts the cooking process, but shocks the shellfish, forcing it to absorb as much seasoning and juice as possible. 

“Most everyone cooks to time and ignores the most important variable: temperature,” says Boil Boss inventor and founder Robert Lapeyre, a hunter and fisherman who has boiled since his youth.

Some may call it cheating. Who cares, really, during this sweltering high season for seafood, when everyone around the table wants to be fat and happy, not sadly shellfish bereft?

The Boil Boss comes in four colors: purple and gold (a nod to LSU), black and gold (Saints), all black, and red. The pot and burner are not included in the system. The ring adjusts to a wide range of pot diameters. The standard size retails for $59.99; the large, $64.99.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are set to ink massive deals with the beleaguered Brooklyn Nets that could turn turn them into a bonafide NBA contender.

Both superstars will sign what many assume to be nine-figure contracts with the Nets, a team that held an abysmal 21-61 record just three years ago. (The deal won’t be made official until July 6 because of the league’s annual moratorium.)

Their arrival in NYC cements one of the greatest team comebacks that the league has ever seen. And a new report published by Bleacher Report offers a detailed look at how the headline-grabbing development unfolded. 

According to the sports site, Durant was eager to leave the Golden State Warriors because of behind-the-scenes drama and an ongoing battle for team leadership between Durant and Steph Curry. 

Per Bleacher Report:

Durant had grown weary of the perpetual drama in Golden State, even while leading the Warriors to two straight championships. What some found refreshing about the Warriors—their big personalities, their outspokenness on both on- and off-court issues—Durant found distracting. He wanted a team that placed basketball above all else.

And he wanted to escape the draining debate about whether the Warriors were Stephen Curry’s team or his. At times, Durant felt taken for granted as the Warriors worked to reemphasize their pre-Durant “beautiful game” of constant movement—at the expense of Durant’s isolation play.

And according to The Undefeated‘s NBA writer Marc Spears, who cites a source “close to Durant,” four-time NBA scoring champion Durant always felt like he was operating in Curry’s shadow:

“While Durant’s shocking move to join the Warriors in 2016 quickly paid dividends for him — two straight championships and two Finals MVP awards — there was always the sense that the 10-time All-Star felt like a distant second fiddle to Stephen Curry.”

“Perhaps it would have helped the Warriors’ cause if their fans showed more love and appreciation for Durant’s elite achievements.”

Irving, who last played for the Boston Celtics, worked with Durant to ensure they ended up in the same place. Before the moving to the Nets, the pair really considered going to the New York Knicks, continues Bleacher Report.

Initially, Irving and Durant discussed joining forces with the Knicks. Irving, who was raised in New Jersey, liked the idea of playing close to home. Durant, who was launching a media company in New York, liked the potential synergy, as well as the chance to be closer to his family in Maryland.

But that plan quickly lost steam as the Knicks lost their way. New York won just 17 games with a haphazard roster and a collection of underachieving young prospects. The Nets, meanwhile, were exceeding all expectations, eventually winning 42 games and capturing the sixth seed in the East.

Simply put, the Nets had the superior roster, the more proven front office, the better infrastructure to support two superstars. Irving and Durant both recognized it by midseason, according to knowledgeable sources.

Durant and Irving didn’t pick the Nets just because of a “superior roster”—there is significantly less pressure there than at the highly-scrutinized Knicks. 

And neither Irving nor Durant were eager to wear the “savior” mantle that’s thrust upon every star player, coach or executive who lands at Madison Square Garden, from Stephon Marbury, Larry Brown and Isiah Thomas to Carmelo Anthony, Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh.

It’s different in Brooklyn, where the Nets generally operate below the radar, with less scrutiny and more measured expectations. The stars were impressed by Marks, a San Antonio Spurs disciple who favors a low-key, no-nonsense, egoless management style.

Long story short: It’s a great time to be a Nets fan. Here’s hoping Durant’s Achilles injury heals well enough that he continue to be a dominant player. And even if his NBA comeback doesn’t pan out, Durant can always keep making high-end headphones. 

We certainly appreciate Kate Middleton’s love of Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham dresses, but the downer comes when we see the quadruple-digit prices and realize much of her wardrobe is firmly out of reach for us. Therefore, when she makes a casual appearance in a much more affordable dress, you can bet we take notice immediately and scramble to buy it before it inevitably sells out.

This time around, the Duchess of Cambridge chose Sandro’s Printed Flowing Midi Dress, which is currently on sale for $199. In true royal fashion, Middleton is making the dress sell at lightning speed, so you might want to act quickly. Not only does the dress boast a reasonable price tag, but Sandro is also a cult Paris-based brand that all the best-dressed French girls always wear. So to recap, it’s on sale, still available, and will give you a dose of French-girl flair. What’s not to love? Scroll down to see how she styled it with Castañer wedges, and shop her look. 

Next up, Pippa Middleton wore the cute sneakers only British girls know about. 

If someone just told you there was a country that hosted a marathon featuring hydrating stations stocked with wine and cheese, you’d guess France, right?

Right. It could be anywhere, of course, but yeah, France hosts the Marathon du Médoc each summer and it’s all about enjoying good wine and cheese along with running an epic race.

It happens in Bordeaux, which probably makes the wine part self-explanatory, given that region is so closely identified by name with some of the finest wine in the world.

The Marathon du Médoc is about “wine, sports, fun and health,” and as the Guardian reported in 2014, it “seems to actively encourage anything that’s normally discouraged in running.” And honestly, doesn’t that sound like the best kind of marathon?

The 26.2 mile route winds through vineyards, and runners are required to wear costumes. Along the way they are also encouraged to sample more than 20 different wines and load up on calories found in unconventional fuel like oysters, cheese, steak, and ice cream.

It sounds like an idyllic marathon no matter what. This is the southwestern corner of France, where the scenery and the weather are often ideal, and runners have six hours and thirty minutes to finish, which sounds like plenty of time for the average marathoner — depending, that is, on how much they sample along the way. 

The thing about using wine and rich food like French cheeses and ice cream to keep yourself moving is it actually makes a ton of sense, silly as it may sound — Ultramarathon (30 miles or more) runners frequently do crazy stuff like consume entire pizzas on the run. Slamming oysters, brie and a full cup of Bordeaux while running a simple marathon through Bordeaux actually sounds healthy by comparison. 

In long-distance running, calorie-counting goes out the door. 

If you’re feeling like an active trip to France come September and want to do the Marathon du Médoc, it’s too late for 2019 — almost. While registration is indeed closed, there is a waiting list.

Otherwise you will have to wait till 2020. In the meantime, you can still tank up on all the wine and cheese you like, because who really needs an excuse for that?