Art Department Weekly | Issue 109 Vol. 13

A W AD ART DEPARTMENT WEEKLY ISSUE 109 VOL. 13

Favorites

DAD TALK

JOKES, TOYS, BASEBALL, VIDEO GAMES, AND MORE

THINGS WE MUST KEEP

MOM DAY

INDIVIDUAL TIME (AND SHOPPING)

summer IT MUST BE

SOMEWHERE

CIVIC DUTY

COMMUNITY CLEAN UP AFTER THE ELECTION

YOU ARE HERE

WORTH THE WAIT

COVER

SUMMER WAS HERE

7

6

GOOD GAME GONE BAD

CONEHEAD

17

16

MOMMY & ME

HALL OF FAME CHATTER

22

FOREVER YOURS

38 CAN’T LET GO

2

MOMMY & ME

...

25

ELSWHERE ON MY PHONE

...

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FATHER FIGURE

9

IN THE HEIGHTS

18

MASTER CLASS

26

ARTIST WE LOVE

52

IN THE HEIGHTS

5

CHOPPED

FATHER FIGURE

8

10

GARDEN 2.0

...

MAGIC STORE

19

21

ELECTION SEASON

27

28

...

56

ELECTION SEASON

...

5 THINGS

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

13

MAGIC STORE

20

NOT ALWAYS A DEAL

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MINI BOARD

4

TOYS

GROWING TREATS

3

2

TOPPING THE LIST

SUMMER WAS HERE

MINI BOARD

ED LETTER

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IN THIS ISSUE 3 Editor’s Letter 4 Mini Board 6 Summer Was Here

Processing what we expected and what happened

8 Father Figure

Our favorite TV dads, tropes of being a bumbling dad bingo, and dozens of dad jokes

10 Chopped

Cooking shows and the food they inspire

13 Garden 2.0

Flowers are blooming and vegetables are ripening

16 Dad Interests

Luis likes David Cone but not 2K21. Plus, Betty paints The Sandlot and Kal solves a Mandalorian puzzle

18 In The Heights

Luis puts this summer’s big movie musical in perspective.

Plus, Madeline talks toys

20 Magic Store

Meg goes to Harry Potter

22 Mommy & Me

One day a week to have Mom’s full attention (and dine out)

26 Master Class

Lego Masters delights. Plus, Dollar Tree is hit or miss

28 Election Season

Madeline gets involved

38 Forever Yours

What we can’t let go of

50 Elsewhere on My Phone What we were talking about

52 Artist We Love Unknown artists

53 No Cons 20/21

Where are they now?

56 Five Things

We love about school

ART DEPARTMENT WEEKLY LUIS VEGA CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER MADELINE STRUM MANAGING EDITOR CREDITS MADELINE STRUM PHOTOGRAPHY

HOT GARBAGE The last time I put together a summer themed issue, it took almost a year to publish. So, I’ve done worse than decide a June issue will be a summer issue and the deadline will move from July to August to September.

This summer started early and awkwardly. School ended a month ahead of schedule but also after having 12 out of the last 20 days be basically “no school” on my calendar. I limped to the finish line on Issue 108.

The whole world was supposed to be coming back that month, too. Everyone was waxed and vaxxed and ready to be out there. We were going to get out of the house! I took one kid to the library and it wasn’t open for more than picking up items already placed on hold.

Everyone was going to be immune!

Except all those people who still weren’t ready and my three kids under 12...

I could still come up with lists of goals. Then when no one knew what to do with themselves, they could go work on their YouTube channels or coding.

Everyone could make up for having barely moved the previous year by trying to meet all the benchmarks gym teachers look at. Or we could do none of those things. I could accidentally burn my arm and spend the next eight weeks trying to avoid irritating it. (Band-Aids?

Apparently allergic to the adhesive.

Non-adhesive covers? Too sweaty. Leave it open? Pets step on the burn.) And one kid could be offered the chance to prep for specialized high school testing, which sounded good but put him back in virtual school for basically the whole summer break. It was like we never really did come out from under our rock.

The original plan for a June issue was to celebrate dads, grads, gardens, and things that mean “summer” to us. We do have a whole bunch of pages with the things that our ADW dad enjoys. We also have a whole bunch more with all the ways I (Madeline) sidetracked myself as I tried to figure out how to get back out into the real world—like the above picture of a mask buried in sand.

This summer started with me looking for lost books and is ending with me looking for a lost lid. Hopefully everyone else had a more fun and productive time.

Summer 2021 • Art

(really, Madeline)

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MINI BOARD

WHY SO DIFFICULT? The T-Mobile store is right between a Kay Jewelers and an Olive Garden. They are in the middle of people getting engaged. I got married and changed my name.

T-Mobile has never let me officially change my name on my account, though.

That’s how I spent my 14th anniversary. —MV

LIFE IMITATES ART Before Brooklyn Nine-Nine returned for its final season, the 33rd Precinct (just south of Washington Heights) tweeted about the good work of one of their newest officers—PO Peralta. She even looks like she could be the offspring of characters Jake (Andy Samberg) and Amy Peralta (Melissa Fumero).

DANCING ROBOTS The first time the video of Boston Dynamics robots dancing made the rounds in December 2020, I missed it.

Then they danced with BTS in June to celebrate Hyundai acquiring Boston Dynamics, renewing the question of how we went from robots that can barely walk to three different types of dancing robots.

As inverse.com explains, “Instead of using artificial intelligence or even computer vision to sense their surroundings, these bots are simply carrying out carefully programmed and designed dance routines.” From there, improvements can be made to the robots

balance and endurance—improvements to help the robots patrol homeless camps in Honolulu. Spot, the yellow bot in the middle, did not last long in New York, but maybe that’s why he needs a friendly dance video on TikTok. —MV

Drinking increased almost 325% among mothers of young children in 2020, but only 40% for everyone all together

Art Department Weekly is published by Dinosaur Girly Productions, 184 Bay 26th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11214. The entire contents of ADW are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without expressed written consent of the publisher. ADW accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. ADW reserves the right to edit, rewrite, refuse or reuse material, is not responsible for errors or omissions, and may feature same in other mediums for any and all purposes.

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“I got too much poom for the Gap” -Luis

“I legit thought, She’s coming in here with kittens and I gotta be like, ʻCoooool’” -Luis

REFRESHING TREND At the picnic to close out a year of remote Kindergarten and finally meet her teachers, Betty received a pineapple cup in a gift bag from the assistant. She needed to immediately wash it and fill it with water. Later that weekend Dwayne Johnson posted a picture with his girls drinking from the same pineapple cups. I can’t say Betty used it too many more times. It sits on the counter, though, because it is so fun.

NOT ON TIKTOK The New York Times profiled a TikTok star and confirmed I don’t need to download the app. After Khabane Lame lost his job in a factory in his northern Italian industrial town, he started making videos. His Senegalese father urged him to apply to other jobs, but people like me think it’s hilarious when he makes fun of lifehack videos. Lame never talks. You see someone slice a banana or put on socks in an absurd way—and then he completes the same task in a straightforward manner. Every video ends with him extending his arms like voilà. Other people re-post his videos on other apps. So, I don’t see Lame posting misogynistic content—and I’m okay with that.

—MV

“He shit on my arm!”

-Luis

“Tremendous, you fucks” -Luis

“We don’t have to write everything down” -Luis

“You have salmon in your crotch” -Luis

“The sun is fucked up. I hate this shit.”

-Luis

“God I’m funny”

Summer 2021 • Art

-Luis

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SUMMER

was here

After more than a year of quarantine and a whole school year over video calls, it felt like we should run and play in the sunshine.

Vaccines were everywhere. Restaurants and other businesses were scheduled to re-open in mid-May so that Wall Street and everyone else would come back to work in the city. We didn’t make any crazy plans. We wore masks at the playground. We kept our distance from strangers. But the word “Delta” wouldn’t go away. So we did what we could to beat the heat and not lose our minds.

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PROCESSING Rounding up and sorting out what we saw in the news the first half of the summer

e Oly m pics

Dram a surroundin g th was so brea thtakin g

Shocking

PRIORITIZING MENTAL HEALTH

Not the reactions, but every time one of them took a stand

LV'S WORLD

We all live in it

STAYCATION

May (me) says “stay home,” but the hotdogs make it look nice

OF COURSE THEY DID

Policy

Entertainment

How did 2nd floors not get added sooner?

HELPING PEOPLE BE BETTER

Billionaires funding space travel rather than education? Of course SPACE RACE

Kal thought billionaires were going to physically compete to get there first

Predictable

Sha'Carri Richardson's interview with NBC to explain why she violated the drug policy was enlightening

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FATHER FIGURE The third Sunday in June is our annual opportunity to remember what we love about some men DAD HUMOR “What do you call a factory that makes okay products?

A satisfactory.”

RELATIVE IMAGINATION Before you’re old enough to create your own family, there is plenty of TV to help you wonder what a family could be like, to see how you might want to relate to others and how you might want others to treat you. Now that ADW is family, we relate to characters in a different way. Anyone can be great for 120 minutes in a movie, but TV dads have to do it weekly. Bandit Heeler, the daddy dog on Bluey, is aspirational in the way he can play but also get frustrated. Here are some of our favorite live-action TV dads.

PANDEMIC DAD

Watching Johnny Rose guide his family through the aftermath of losing their fortune and rebuilding their lives on Schitt’s Creek was the perfect way to kick off quarantine. Who wouldn’t want a dad like that?

CHARACTERS NAMED PHIL

One of the first dads we thought of was Phil Dunphy from Modern Family, but then quickly realized our list was so white.

Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince was a great antagonist to a self-absorbed streetsmart teen. Both Phils were in fish out of water storylines, but playing the opposite sides of the coin. Over the years, they showed us there are many ways to handle family drama in a comedy setting.

“What did one wall say to the other? I'll meet you at the corner.”

“I'm afraid for the calendar. Its days are numbered.”

“What do a tick and the Eifel Tower have in common? They're both Paris sites.”

“If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

Pilgrims.”

“I thought the dryer was shrinking my clothes. Turns out it was the refrigerator all along.”

“What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?

Supplies!”

DRAMATIC DADS

Coach Taylor was the first TV dad Luis thought of for this list. “He was not only a father for his family but also a father to the community.” You could also say Tony Soprano was the father of his community, but where you wanted to make Coach Taylor proud, you did not want to disappoint Tony.

CAMPY DADS

“Have you heard about the chocolate record player? It sounds pretty sweet.”

“How does the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it.”

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When a show requires you to work harder to suspend your disbelief, it’s rewarding to see characters who make it all more believable. Both Louis Huang from Fresh Off the Boat and Burt Hummel from Glee were supporting characters, but their depth and timing helped hold up the shows’ appeal.

TROPES OF THE BUMBLING DAD Women are perfectly capable of foolish behavior, but the oafish self-destructive dad trope makes sure we mainly laugh at fathers Physical comedy is the cheap easy laugh, and there will never be a shortage of reasons for a cheap laugh. Heroines of romantic comedies tend to be klutzy to make them more relatable, but television doesn’t have nearly as many heroines as it does dads.

The usual dynamic is female characters are focused on responsibility while males are risk-taking. And the characters who most often pay the price are the dads in comedies.

This is our bingo card of what we’ve been conditioned to see dads do on TV.

Bangs head

Eats too much

“What did the zero say to the eight? That belt looks good on you.”

“I asked my dog what's two minus two. He said nothing.”

“What did Baby Corn say to Mama Corn?

Where's Pop Corn?”

“What's the best thing about Switzerland?

I don't know, but the flag is a big plus.”

“What does a sprinter eat before a race?

Nothing, they fast!”

Curses

“Where do you learn to make a banana split?

Sundae school.”

Drinks

Has a dog

Lacks patience

Proud of tool collection

Can’t emote except about sports

Makes puns

“I got carded at a liquor store, and my Blockbuster card accidentally fell out.

The cashier said never mind.”

“Where do boats go when they're sick?

To the boat doc.”

“I don't trust trees.

They seem kind of shady.”

There to make the mom look better

Grills

Needs to be parented

“How do you get a squirrel to like you?

Act like a nut.”

“I don't trust stairs.

They're always up to something.”

Sings and dances

Family ATM

Overprotective

“Did you hear the rumor about butter? Well, I'm not going to spread it!”

“Why couldn't the bicycle stand up by itself? It was two tired.”

Clumsy

Forgetful, Maybe Inept

Doesn’t talk

Summer 2021 • Art

“What did one hat say to the other?

Stay here! I'm going on ahead.”

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CHOPPED satisfies a hunger for good TV

Like most residents of New York City, we don’t have a dining room. Most of our meals are eaten in the living room right in front of the TV. It’s a constant challenge trying to find something to watch that the whole family will enjoy but also won’t distract from eating. This summer, our go-to show has been Chopped on the Food Network.

I’ve written before about Chopped and how I think it’s the best produced show on television. Its formula works perfectly.

There is a cliffhanger every commercial break as well as an elimination with every return from break. Not only is it dramatic, the problem solving is inspiring.

I’m an absolute disaster in the kitchen, so seeing professional chefs craft a meal on their feet using secret basket ingredients is a profile in creativity and expertise. A rotating panel of judges offer constructive criticism and encouragement to each contestant. It’s simply perfect dinner time viewing. So much so that Betty asks almost every day, “Are we watching Chopped for dinner?”

Our resident foodie-in-training, Kal, likes Chopped because he says it’s fun seeing the crazy ingredients and themes they try to stump the chefs with. He says, “It also keeps your mind on food instead of distracting you, like a cartoon does.”

Kal really liked the “Deadly Catch” episode because it had all types of dangerous and exotic sea creatures like the Alaskan King Crab and the Water Caltrop, which if it isn’t cooked enough becomes poisonous.

The special “Alton’s Maniacal Baskets” and “Playing with Fire” tournaments became appointment television for the family. Alton Brown’s fans suggested some gross ingredients and then Alton would be critical of how contestants used those ingredients, so it was the better of the two tournaments. After that tournament, Kal looked for his own can of herring but not a fully cooked lamb head. We’ll keep tuning in.

—LV

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I FEEL SEEN Luis wanted to make the slathered pork recipe he’d seen. Then Madeline saw this accurate tweet.

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Egg roll wraps sounded like a good way to use up all the ground chicken Madeline buys. She thought they were a disaster, but Luis was quite taken.

all the work Some ideas are worth A LOT OF PREP Kal and Madeline successfully turned his appetite for soup and interest in lemon curd into tasty lunches and desserts.

Potatoes and chicken broth topped with bacon and cheese

Six egg yolks and plenty of lemon juice is better than pudding

COMBINATION STATION Leftover chicken had a tendency to make appearances in frittatas.

Here Luis drizzled a chipotle sauce on the plate to try to elevate it.

Meanwhile, Kal’s curiosity in canned fish resulted the purchase of green olives stuffed with anchovies and salmon burgers for dinner. The one thing we never wanted to make was Guy Fieri’s Apple Pie Hot Dog monstrosity to honor a TV jingle from the ’70s.

Frittatas are a pandemic staple here

t Other ideas should *no * be cooked up

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Extra bananas became smoothies.

The version with frozen blueberries was more popular. Boom, who hates spinach and other leafy greens, actually ordered and ate a power bowl at Taco Bell.

Eat something good (sometimes by request)

Everyone spent their allowance on different types of chocolate, so it seemed appropriate to using dark chocolate sea salt baking chips for Kal’s birthday cupcakes. (A few had to be normal sugar and sprinkles just in case.) For the third year in a row, Betty insisted she needed a Unikitty cake for her birthday. She doesn’t actually like cake, though.

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Boom poses with a sugar snap pea pod. That crop is doing much better than last year’s. Below, one of the two marigold blossoms I’ve spotted in the overgrowth. It sprouted from seeds last year’s blossom dropped.

GARDEN 2.0

Flowers are blooming and vegetables are ripening... finally So many of the plants I transplanted from indoor pots to the ground outside seemed to die. For sure, two rounds of cucumber sprouts died within three days of transfer a month apart. Meanwhile, I couldn’t tell the difference between seeds I started outdoors and weeds, so I decided to stop weeding for a long time. I downloaded an app to take a picture and confirm one giant plant was simply a weed before rooting it out. Seeing that last year’s marigold did

reseed itself and I didn’t rip them all out makes me happy. Meanwhile, the only way to get my hands on a watering can in early May was to buy one that included poppy seeds. That round of seeds still hasn’t bloomed but there must have been poppies in the wild flower packet I spread because poppies are blooming back there. Compared to last year, the wild flowers are blooming months earlier and the vegetables are taking months longer. It’s wild. —MV

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We didn't see much more th an sparrows at our bird feeder this year but there were so many kittens! '

I’m pretty sure my neighborhood is like the Facebook post below

When nothing was really blooming, I downloaded a few plant identifier apps. One helped me figure out what’s a weed, what might have come from bird seed, and what I actually planted. Top right is probably Forget-me-nots, but that's not on the wild flower seed packet or bird seed list. Searching the scientific names on the seed packet, the bottom four pictures are of flowers most likely from a packet of wildflower seeds.

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Random vines, weeds, and sunflowers fill in all the gaps. Seeds I planted fight for sunlight (far left) while an old rake blooms (center).

This year’s tomato seedlings (maybe 30 of them) all died after I transferred them outdoors, so I bought a bigger plant and only let the basil get near it for as long as I could. Last year my seeds produced three plants but those only yielded two hard green tomatoes I didn’t bother to pick.

This year I left green tomatoes to ripen in the widow.

The cucumbers were a lot easier to pick after I set them up to grow tall, but there were a lot fewer cucumbers.

It took a few months but the new set up seemed to pay off ' Summer 2021 • Art

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GOOD GAME GONE BAD Luis breaks down where 2K went wrong

WHOLE LOT OF SANDLOTS Betty got so into The Sandlot franchise she painted this picture of some original characters playing ball. While I’ve been quoting Sandlot at my kids their whole lives, I had never seen the sequels.

The second one obviously tries to recreate the best moments of the original movie while introducing girls to the team. The third installment includes time travel and out of body experiences.

I highly recommend the original.

—MV

PIECING IT TOGETHER After school ended and I needed to keep kids occupied, I broke up Boom’s Christmas present. Everyone helped get it started, but then it started to become more and more of Kal’s thing.

I put it on a black board so I could move it out of the way as it was coming together—but then banged the board into a doorway and lost one piece. For what felt like a month, the puzzle was one piece away from being complete. Luckily I did find the piece on a book shelf and glued it all together. Now we have Mandalorian wall art.

—MV

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As much as I hate 5-out and playing against people who use 5-out in NBA 2K, I enjoy the grind and all the benefits of beating those people online. Then the developers made everything worse: they made shooting difficult and stopped rewarding the grind.

I had played NBA 2K almost every year since its release, but never played the “MyTeam” mode until 2K16 became the free game of the month for Playstation Plus. Having the game at the end of the season allowed me to explore modes I’d never tried before. “MyTeam” fuses card collecting and game simulation to make a perfect blend of nostalgic gameplay. If you are a child of the ’80s, you can find a version of Magic Johnson and pair him with LeBron James or any of your current faves. It was an amazing game mode and I was completely hooked.

Over the next four years, I played “MyTeam” more and more until it was my absolute go-to game. It seemed to reach its pinnacle in 2K20. As the world locked down, 2K released phenomenal content in a fun, attainable grind for some of the best cards available: GOAT Kobe, Larry Bird and Steph Curry.

On Sept. 4, 2020, NBA 2K21 debuted. 2K had completely revamped the shooting modes and defensive AI. Using buttons (as in every previous version) was no long the way to shoot. You had to use the right stick in an exaggerated motion to simply shoot the ball. From the launch the game was impossible and not fun to play. 2K patched shooting four times in the first month. They kept noodling, but never seemed to get it right.

Between the poor shooting and nonsensical rotations of defense (controlled by AI) to the mind numbing grind of earning so little xp while having to win upwards of 90 games to advance, the game seems to have been created with an eye towards only the most hard core of 2Kers. The casual gamer was left out in the cold.

Things only got worse when the PS5 launched in November, the dawn of “The City,” a fully immersive Park player gaming mode exclusive to the PS5. 2K basically turned their back on the PS4 users as well as the “MyTeam” users. It was a slap in the face. The developers seemed to care about “MyTeam” in one way: releasing more and more packs available only with real money. New cards were released in smaller quantities multiple times a week, but hidden behind pay walls. It was down right disrespectful. It was almost impossible to create a team no money spent. All in all, 2K21 was a huge step backward for the franchise.

I haven’t pre-ordered 2K22, and have no intention to until I get a first look at gameplay and hear about any improvements made to the AI and content releases in general. This game should be accessible to all players regardless of how much you want to spend. Until 2K reprioritizes gameplay over making money in micro transactions, the game will continue to suffer.

CONE HEAD Growing up in New York meant you had to plant your flag firmly in the camp of either the Yankees or the Mets. My father would often say, “The Mets are the poor man’s team. That’s why I like them. The Yankees are the money team. That’s what I want for my kids.” Even though I was raised Yankees, we still were fed a heavy dose of Mets.

I was not a fan of the ’86 Mets. The team was flashy and hard-partying... things I was taught were not baseball.

That squad wasn’t for me, but they played my all-time least favorite team, the hated Boston Red Sox, in the World Series—and beat them. They became the darlings of New York, but I couldn’t find a single person on that team I liked. That all changed in 1987.

When David Cone was promoted to the big club in Flushing in ’87, he seemed smaller than Doc Gooden and Sid Fernandez, but he had this tenacious bulldog-like mentality. I instantly had a favorite Met. While his rookie season was up and down (5-6 record with a 3.71 ERA), a bona fide star was born his second season. Cone went 20-3 with a 2.22 ERA and an astounding eight complete games. He finished third in the Cy Young voting to the unbelievable season Orel Hershisher had with the

Dodgers (who beat the favored Mets and A’s in the post season).

The June 22, 1992, Sporting News featured Cone on the cover. I happened to have a subscription and received the issue on my way to a Mets game. Our seats were great, down the right field line, right by the Mets’ bullpen. Pitchers commonly sign autographs between innings. As I lowered the issue down, Cone grabbed it and said, “Hey, kid, I haven’t read this one yet. You mind if I read it? I’ll bring it right back when I’m done.”

“Of course,” I answered. Not only did he return my issue with a signed cover, but he also tossed me a signed ball. If I didn’t already love him, I sure did then.

Cone was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays where he cemented his big game bulldog mentality by leading them to a World Series victory. Cone then signed as a free agent with his hometown Kansas City Royals. In 1994, he won his only Cy Young award. He was traded back to Toronto to make another run at the post season, but it wasn’t till the following season that my love affair with Cone was complete.

In 1995, with the Yankees in contention for the post season (for the first time since 1981), they pulled the trigger and traded for Cone. He was an absolute

The one Met Luis liked

beast the rest of the way, going 9-2 and leading the Yankees to a first round match up against the Seattle Mariners.

Even though the team fell short, it was apparent that Cone was the missing ingredient. The team made him a priority that off-season and signed him to a long-term deal. Cone became the ace of the staff and set the tone on the mound for the teams that would go on and win World Series in ’96, ’98, ’99, and 2000.

On June 18, 1999, Cone had the best individual performance of his career. I was supposed to play softball that day, but due to a gnarly forecast, my game was cancelled. The team went bowling instead. The Yankees game was not cancelled and happened to be on in the bowling alley. I spent most of my time at the bar instead of the lane as I realized Cone was working on a masterpiece. He pitched the rare perfect game. It was absolutely magical, easily one of the best pitching performances I’ve ever witnessed.

His career ended in 2003 with a short stint back on the Mets. He won at a high level everywhere he pitched (.606 winning percentage) and has five rings.

He’s definitely a pitcher I think never gets the HOF love he so clearly deserves.

Maybe one day soon, he can take his rightful place in Cooperstown.

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IN THE HEIGHTS

LUIS PUTS THIS SUMMER’S BIG MOVIE MUSICAL IN PERSPECTIVE I’M A PROUD PUERTO RICAN, BORN TO A LARGE FAMILY (ONE of five children (two brothers and two sisters)) and raised on the South Side of Williamsburg in the ’80s (brilliantly documented by the Los Sures documentary in 1984). Gangs and drugs were a way of life, but camaraderie and a joy of life were just as prevalent. “Hola, como está?” (Hi there, how are you?) was often met with “Tu sabe, aquí en la lucha” (You know, here in the struggle) which would almost always be followed by “Tu tiene que tener paciencia y fe” (You have to have patience and faith). It was the call and response of eternal optimism.

I grew up in a giant apartment building—42 apartments in the complex I lived in. The sounds of Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, and Oscar D’Leon were always loudly playing in the hallways. The smells of pollo guisado, pernil, arroz con gandules and more would waft through the open doors in the hallways. (Doors were kept open because rare was the apartment that owned an air conditioner.) Clotheslines hung from the back of everyone’s windows over the courtyard. The fresh smell of everyone’s clean clothes a welcome delight. Walking through the streets you were always met with the sounds of dominoes rattling as the older men played games for money through a haze of smoke.

The local piragua peddler was always one of the most popular people in the neighborhood. It was a sensory feast.

All of these sights and sounds were perfectly captured on screen in In the Heights, the wonderful movie adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda Broadway musical. The movie crackles with an energy of authenticity. Everything felt so real. These were the streets I knew, grew up in, and loved. It felt like home.

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More than just the sights and sounds, the attitudes of the Hispanic elders rang so true. The way the movie is built around dreams (sueñitos) and how the elders will put their lives on hold to support their children or for those they care about is another element that felt like it was ripped right out of the inner city streets. Growing up, I would constantly hear stories about first generation Latinos and their journey into the country. Why they were here, what they were doing now, and what their plans were. So many times it was because they had a dream for their children and wanted a better life.

The story of Nina, the intelligent Puerto Rican who carried the hopes and dreams of her family and neighborhood as she left Washington Heights and traveled across the country to go to college hit extremely close to home. The financial burdens placed on her family, the self doubt, the pull to be back home... all spoke to me. When Nina breaks into “Breathe,” it felt like she was singing about my life. When Nina sings “I was the one who made it out!” and “I know that I’m letting you down,” the words are ripped right from my upbringing.

Growing up I showed great aptitude in math and art. I always thought I would be the one to raise my family from poverty with my art. In fact it became a bit of a family joke to have me point to my hand and say “I’m gonna save the family with this.” It was all fun until it started to become a reality. The small family joke became something that was repeated to friends and neighbors and to our own neighborhood Abuelita, Dona Sara. As I got accepted to school out West, my little family joke was becoming all too real. My family and I sacrificed so much to

TOY STORY A Hasbro employee talks

ensure I could go to college. When my father fell ill and eventually passed, I quickly came back East, finished school, and entered the workforce. The most shocking part of coming back home was hearing from Dona Sara “how it broke my mother’s heart when I went out West.”

While I thought I was trying to fulfill a self-inflicted prophecy I didn’t realize I might have been doing the opposite. To say I had conflicting emotions about the whole scenario would be an absolute understatement. I found myself codeswitching as I lived in the loud Hispanic haven of the South Side but I worked on lily-white Wall Street. While I felt like I was paying back my family for all they sacrificed, I wasn’t being true to myself. It wasn’t the dream. I remember telling my mother how unhappy I was, and she said then don’t do it anymore... Find something that makes you happy. That wouldn’t happen for me until later when I entered publishing and felt like I was in a (slightly) more inclusive environment.

I digress though, In The Heights captures the plight of the inner city Latino better than any movie since West Side

Story (also a brilliant musical). The movie perfectly captures the tonality and authenticity of Miranda’s play. Portraying the sights and sounds of summer in the inner city is never easy, but John Chu brought such energy to the story by using the actual streets and location of Washington Heights. I never got to see the stage version of the show, but this colorful, real, and joyfully exuberant movie is hands down my favorite of the summer. The best part of In The Heights was after watching the movie with my wife, we were able to share it with our children. Even though they are half Puerto Rican, they are generally not immersed in Latin culture. We sold it as a movie based on a musical from the creator of Hamilton, which was the hit of early pandemic for us here at Casa Vega. We instantly became obsessed with the brilliant lyrics, the choreography—literally every aspect. This summer they loved a different Miranda story. One that hit a little closer to home and introduced them to sights, sounds, beats and terminology that are more authentic to my life. An absolute win for the entire family.

The other day I FaceTimed Luis from the toy aisle at a Target on Long Island. An employee was in the aisle, so I tried to be cool. I started out showing what wrestlers were there (like the WWE set above that features two guys who no loner work for WWE), but when I moved on to say there were no Star Wars (similar to the picture below), the employee jumped in. His job is to go to Targets and Walmarts to count how many toys are on the shelves. So he knows there are no G.I. Joes anywhere at all. He said he couldn’t get a Classified or a Star Wars Black Series if he wanted. I’ve heard so many stories about cargo ships backed up in California and New Jersey, that was my first thought. But he blamed theft. He walked me through the section, talking about how many small Play-Doh and HotWheels packages disappear and how kids rip the heads off toys still in boxes as a stunt for TikTok. When he scanned a Shopkins code at one empty endcap, he said they were supposed to have arrived two weeks earlier. But they’ve hired him an assistant for the holidays.

—MV

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MAGIC STORE Meg tells us why the new shop is worth the wait The Harry Potter Store recently opened near the Flatiron building this summer, and I was lucky enough to go in after an almost 4-hour wait. The store opens and puts a QR code outside every morning at 7 a.m. and they leave it there for a few hours until their virtual queue is full. It’s very hard to get into the queue, but, if you’re lucky enough to get in, the experience in the store is breathtaking. It’s two floors of all the Wizarding World merchandise you can think of. Outside the store, you can find the elder wand with the Wizarding World flag. When you walk in, you are greeted by Fawkes, Dumbledore’s iconic Phoenix along with exclusive Harry Potter and the Cursed Child merchandise that you can only get in the store. Further in, you come up on wands from all of the main characters, such as Hermione, Ron, Harry, Voldemort, Newt, Porpentina, Sirius, and Bellatrix. You can even get a wand and personalize it with your name downstairs on the second level. There’s an interactive section in the wands where you can learn about it along with duelling between Harry and Voldemort’s wands. On the way down to the second floor, you can see the Phoenix statue from Dumbledore’s office which also rotates. Throughout the store, you can find iconic objects and characters such as the golden snitch and Nagini emerging from the ceiling. There are key QR codes which you can scan to reveal a hidden spell, and, at the end of your visit, when you go to checkout, you tell the cashier the spell it reveals to get a free pin. Overall, the store is very immersive and gorgeous to visit. I definitely recommend going if you ever get the chance.

Fans are greeted in large ways from the basilisk in the cellar to the Griffin guarding the Atrium of Awe.

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Every day holds new magic

References from every corner of every book fill the store, including the secret entrance to the Ministry of Magic and a pixie unleashed in Defense Against Dark Arts. Look for your favorite character’s wands, brooms, and more.

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MOMMY & ME WHAT STARTED AS AN IDEA TO BE SURE THAT I WAS MAKING time to hang out with my kids quickly became their weekly chance to go out to eat and spend their allowance. If Kal had to be in class four days a week, I didn’t think that meant Betty should never go to the beach. Mom Day could be my chance to help them with their coding and video production goals.

For the first Mom Day, I took Boom to the Flat Iron Lego store to look for special parts and Container Store for better ways to organize toys. The next day was Kal’s Mom Day. We went to look for embroidery thread and other crafty things. Then the days quickly became about asking to go to a Lego Store or Dollar Tree. To be sure I didn’t have to do that three times a week, Kal was directed to go hunting for new foods at places like Trader Joe’s. Sitting in beach traffic without actually going to the beach was slightly ridiculous, so I tried to avoid the malls as much as I could. But the whole atmosphere of walking from store to store in person to touch things and eat in a food court seemed to be the re-opening experience they needed.

—MV

REVERSE ORDER Betty wanted IHOP after playing on the beach, so we learned the Yelp waitlist.

We came out of hibernation to go shop

DINE IN Taco Bell was the first place we sat indoors to eat.

They had the naked chicken chalupa on Kal’s first Mom Day. Boom asked for McDonald’s on his next Mom Day. Then Betty wanted IHOP. Each restaurant seemed to handle the re-opening differently.

Mom Days were pretty much the only time we dined out.

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Trying new things Going to stores to look at toys was basically going back to pre-pandemic life for these kids, but having your mom suggest you ask the employees about the pieces you’re looking for was new. I also talked two of them into going on the Wonder Wheel. Probably the most extraordinary thing was throwing out their bedtime to stay up late toasting marshmallows.

Boom visits the Flat Iron Lego store

Planning a parade sounded like planning a super spreader event

Betty visits the Flat Iron Lego store

Boom shops at Rockefeller Center Maybe one day we’ll edit all these videos down to be the YouTube channel of Boom’s dreams.

PUBLIC ART At Rockefeller Center, Oracle is part of Sanford Biggers’ Chimera series, exploring historical depictions of the body and their subsequent myths, narratives, perceptions, and power. In Fort Green, Kal and I saw a dog that looked like a fancy version of Judge, but the picture ended up as only that guy’s thigh.

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NOT A FAN In mid June, Boom played with water guns, but mostly he just wanted to sit and watch his siblings play. In July, he wrapped himself up extra to get out of the sun. Meanwhile, Kal buried himself to get out of the sun.

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Cover Girl

Betty modeled a sweater I bought in maybe 2013 but everyone refused to wear until that day

WHAT’S 6 X 3? Betty and Boom found a series of videos animating a comedy sketch about a kid who can’t multiply 6 x 3. Seeing the back of this multiplication deck made Madeline laugh, hearing, “What’s 6 + 6? Now add six more!”

ALWAYS SCHOOL Kal spent most of his summer in test prep.

They sent a care package that included Kleenex and ear plugs, which seemed like a great idea to Madeline who hated standardized tests. She gave Kal Eats, Shoots & Leaves in case it would help him, too, but it only encourage him laugh at grammatical errors. Not enough to get into her hate of the name 80’s TEA, though.

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MASTER CLASS

@QueenElsaArrendelle

Written three episodes into the new season We are most definitely a Lego household. We have ton of unopened sets yearning to be built. Boom is constantly setting the bar here for what can be done with bricks. So we were extremely happy about the return of Lego Masters. Season 1 was tremendous fun; I was really looking forward to what would be new in Season 2.

Through the first few episodes, the challenges have focused on speed, largesse, and strength of story. Host Will Arnett along with Brick Masters Amy and Jamie guide the contestants through the challenges, creating some drama, keeping them on task, and offering advice. Lego Masters quickly became appointment television and one of my favorite competition series to watch.

Kal summarized the show like this: Lego Masters features fun, creative challenges. Master builders attempt to try and win the Golden Brick to save you from being voted off. We’ve only seen three episodes so it’s hard to say it’s better than the first year. I like the contestants more this season. I really liked last year when they would stop the challenge midway through and throw a different challenge in the mix. In the latest episode they had to build a 4-foot tall tower and put in on the Brickter Scale

@Aggravating_Fox7859

These are some Lego Masters stills to show how builds had to look good exploding (the frog) and be able to move (the dragon float). Then there are Reddit contributions (#10 and #15). One week Madeline tried to sort all our bricks.

to shake it and see how stable it was. That was so cool. I would love to grow up and be a contestant on Lego Masters with Boom as my partner, of course, because he’s really imaginative and great at building small-scale things. My contribution would be building the larger scale things as well as incorporating technical motion elements.

To update, the challenges and builds were really intense this season. The most talented people who will probably win the whole thing have embraced being the villains this season.

Actually yelling at the TV that the Douche Brothers (as Madeline calls them) need to go home has been a fun dimension to viewing this season. You should stream it if you missed it live. —LV

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Sorting by size and color

Boom’s build

Hit or miss oys with cheap t

A collection of what we’ve seen at Dollar Tree and other 99-cent stores this summer.

NOT ALWAYS A DEAL But Dollar Tree became a hit anyway When Boom and I popped into a Dollar Tree, we had no idea that they might have his favorite thing: Transformers Botbots. Old series that hadn’t sold at other locations were on the shelf in one of our locations. When Betty was obsessed with Cookie Swirl C on YouTube a couple years ago, we heard about Dollar Tree all the time, but finding our own discounted premium toys made it a destination.

When we couldn’t find Botbots in the store, the rest of the selection was still entertaining. A mega pack of Dough was a hit with Betty, but Make-It Bricks seemed too cheap. Considering I bought 20 cones that look exactly like the 2-pack Sports Disc for maybe $12, the Dollar Tree cones seemed terrible.

The plush My Little Pony knock-offs (or My Little Voldemort as I like to say because they have no noses) were a lot less scary than what we found at a mall knock-off of Five Below (upper left). I mean, they were a knock-off of Five Below...

—MV

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ELECTION SEASON Madeline worked as a poll worker again in June, then helped one of the candidates clean up the neighborhood. As he picked up discarded election materials, he wondered what happens to everything his competition didn’t tear down. So Madeline went looking.

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City Council District 47 had four candidates on the ballot in June. Madeline followed Steven Patzer around July 11 as he cleaned up three different sites in the district even though it was already official he’d lost the race. While one volunteer was excited to find a dollar and a lucky 8, Patzer was eager for a good picture of hypodermic needles to post.

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Before After

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Back again in no time The two pictures on this page were taken Thursday, four days after a crew of volunteers picked up all the garbage on this beach. The way the storm drains are designed, garbage from the streets is being dumped constantly into the creek.

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After cleaning up part of the beach around Coney Island Creek, Patzer showed Madeline where all the storm drains send run off and garbage—right to the creek. Four days later Madeline followed a trail of masks to see how they end up buried in the sand.

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Wish there wasn't so much garbage here!

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Opportunities everywhere While preventing beaches from regularly being covered in garbage sounded like a winding trip through bureaucracy, Madeline had plenty of other chances to interact with government outlets during the summer.

The 311 app is great for reporting cave-ins and a blocked driveway, but trying to figure out what permit goes with all the tags that appeared one day is a deeper dive into the city website.

These campaign posters are believable but not real.

A health fair promoted by the state assembly member

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FOREVER YOURS

BY MADELINE STRUM PHOTOGRAPHY

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Meg’s old Justin Bieber T-shirt dress became Betty’s new favorite

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HUGE GROWTH Betty posed in basically the same spot in March

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Betty isn’t really into hand-me-down dresses— even if it was worn by her sister to her parents’ wedding—but she is into big hats and hand me down shoes. Unfortunately the zipper broke on this silver pair, so they are garbage now.

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SLOW TO TOSS Boxes, technology, and obviously worn out clothing all hang on Last year I saw a “I don’t know who needs to hear this” meme saying it’s okay to throw out your iPhone box. We have at least two.

Even though multiple parts of these point-and-shoot cameras are broken, what if my kids want their own cameras and phones aren’t available?

Betty’s feet were poking out of her bunny slippers by the time they went in the garbage.

Betty poses with her hand me down bedroom collection, including the bed frame and throw pillows.

Leggings were the only thing Betty wore for years. They became shorts and shredded and still she wore them...

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Favorite pairs of glasses and even their busted cases kept for the sentimental value.

Madeline didn’t carry her Powerpuff Girls wallet for 20 years, but it looks like she did.

While it seemed a little sad Betty wouldn’t be able to wear the maroon apron dress her grandma sewed or the sailor dress for this story, Madeline didn’t want to travel with dust mites on her quick trip home.

Even when feet are obviously too big for favorite shoes, they are favorites. Wearing holes and rubbing away all the decorations can’t stop them from being favorites.

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Boom wanted his hair to still be a couple inches at the shortest, so we had to wait another month before cutting it to donate ponytails to Children with Hair Loss.

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The bandolier strap flaked off on the front, but I told him maybe we could turn it into a pillow.

The Chewbacca hoodie was worn every day for more than a year—even when temperatures were in the ’90s

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Madeline had to turn Boom into Winter Soldier while he still had long hair

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ELSEWHERE

ON MY PHONE

SILVER LINING Streaky deciding to camp out in the bag was the highlight of dealing with T-Mobile.

Scrolling social media and taking new pictures is basically all I do. Here’s more of what we were talking about around here...

ABOVE Betty went to a classmate’s birthday party at the end of August where the boys and girls broke off on their own into separate play groups. Except for Betty. She played hard in both groups.

LEFT Madeline went to Chicago in July to visit her family and happened to arrive the same day her dad was helping ship vaccines to Guatemala. As she was looking for the story on a local news site, the story aired on NBC. She’s pretty sure that’s her dad in the still for WGN.

RIGHT Sunflowers wrapped in newsprint was so rustic and cool until Madeline realized it’s tissue paper. Someone took the time to make a fake newspaper. What are the stories that aren’t going to trigger the recipient?

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MADE ME LAUGH The parody account for Skeletor, the villain from He-Man, cracks me up, so I was excited to see there might also be a hilarious account for Snape from Harry Potter. Searching Twitter didn’t bring me the same results as the listical, but it’s too funny to not share.

If Snape really did have an account like this, I would follow.

—MV

I DROP SCIENCE Spotting Wu-Tang at this press conference was the best part.

WHERE’S WALDO This guy was the third person I saw in red and white stripes that day.

Then he asked me for money.

PRESIDENT FOR ALL The comments on my neighborhood Facebook group seem to imply the president should not have posed with children dressed in pro-Trump gear. Even if they were voters, I’d be offended if he didn’t pose with them.

—MV EXPERT TROLL Before moving to this brick wall, @NYTMike talked to another show in front of a blank white wall like a complete hostage video. Apparently the phrase “another brick in the wall” was used during this segment.

His Zoom call tactics are legendary.

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ARTISTS WE LOVE: UNKNOWN When you want to show appreciation for the work but don’t know who should get the credit Luis can usually quickly name a comic artist for that issue’s letter, but U was a surprisingly a tall order. Madeline searched the creator lists for major publishers and then searched lists of fine artists. None of the common names, like Unger, Upton, or Utley, showed up. She decided “Unknown” had to be our favorite artist. Unknown writes, paints, and makes memes.

In 2019, the University of Cambridge curated an exhibition that would challenge people to view the work without the distraction of who made it. Jim Ede collected work by famous artists, unknown artists, and found objects. Very deliberately, nothing was labeled.

Every piece was supposed to be utterly compelling without the pressure to like it based on name recognition.

Different societies perceive art differently, so cultural objects that were not considered art in Africa or Asia are recontextualized by Western museums. The works are associated with the era in which they are created. Historians developed names for artworks from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, creating a number of Anonymous Masters.

Some modern artists work to remain anonymous. Graffiti is illegal, so it’s best not to be known but fans also want the mystery. Banksy’s style is recognizable. Recognizing who actually produced the work would detract from the art.

Meanwhile Surrealist masters became so famous they could sign readymade pieces and have it be art. After Madeline began researching this story, she started to see more Instagram accounts apologizing for not knowing whose art they were using to make memes. Unknown deserves respect.

Lascaux Caves, France, c. 17,000-15,000 BC

Graffiti removal street art, Banksy c. 2008 It’s easy to find the names of the woman and cat in the meme, but not the person who mashed them up

Emperor Constantine oil on canvas, signed “V. G.” c. 1901.

Virgin and Child in a Landscape

by Master of the Embroidered Foliage c. 1500.

Square jade Yuanming seal stolen from the Summer Palace, Anonymous c. 1764 Fountain, Marcel Duchamp c. 1917 (replica 1964)

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Madeline continues to go through all the cards she’s picked up at past conventions KATE ODGEN has

moved away from the links lists on this card I picked up years ago, but she’s been actively posting on Instagram as @katie_buglet.

Remember Game of Thrones?

WESTEROS JEWELRY creator Meghann is still on Etsy with bracelets to celebrate your love for Marvel characters. As she says in her about section, “I use a mix of vintage a new materials to create one of kind pieces inspired by the TV Show and books. Looking for something based on a theme or character in particular? I can make it!”

I have no idea where I picked up this ARTEMIS FOWL button. My first guess

was it was five years old, but apparently the movie came to Disney+ last summer and I just didn’t notice. Kal says he loved the movie and is now getting started on the book series. Fowl is a 12-year-old genius (and criminal?) caught up in a magical battle after his father’s disappearance. We’ll let you know what he thinks of the books.

I’m pretty sure a cosplay photographer gave me this MINERALBLU card at my first NYCC. While cosplay is still the first thing you see on minerblu.com, the site is a daily publication for “all things nerd related” with a team of editors and contributors. Hit them up to fill that hole a lack of conventions has created.

KATIE COOK A-B-C3-PO and more Star Wars children’s books. Search your feelings or learn all the creatures big and small. Read Nothing Special every Tuesday on Webtoons. com or check out Gronk on Amazon. Five Star Wars books now.

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“I’m sword of cool” and other T-shirts on seibei.com make me happy I didn’t lose DAVID SEIBEI’s card. Magnets, bags, and buttons are also available.

Check out the clearance section where you can order a $2 Mystery Tee.

Inspiration and pick-me-ups come in a multitude of forms from PAPERSALT. If you are looking for pop culture gifts, they have you covered from Bob Ross to Trolls with wall decals, lunchbox notes, books, and more. For celebrations and milestones, check out papersalt.com.

The card for KEVIN FALLOON calls him a designer, but @mdbxstudios on Instagram showcases his skills as a paper engineer. Video game and comic characters are redesigned as mesmerizing cut shapes.

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In 2017, Luis was wondering why no restaurants serve turkey burgers when Kal and I discovered ACTION BURGER at Book Con. They have turkey burgers, pretzel buns, tater tots, wings, and a lot of other tasty-looking food. The site boasts 50,000+ free retro video games (as well as board and card games) to play while you wait to eat. I’m happy to see they have survived not only being a restaurant in New York but also a pandemic.

This is the back of the card for NEN CHANG , who advertised low brow concept art on the card but “neon fantasy pop erotica with a death wish” currently on retromortis.com. Through brilliant colors and twisting bodies, Chang invites viewers to explore what it means to suffer and then continue functioning. While she has worked for major titles, the site seems to be full of personal paintings.

JOCELYN POTTER’s social media seems to be full of announcements for which conventions she is traveling to as long as they are still happening (JoeFest yes, London Comic Con no). Catch up on Trophy Girls and visit conventions vicariously through jocelynpotter.com.

I believe I met Tim from TKM SCULPTING when I was following around a cosplayer for whom he was planning to create statues.

He might have already done DC Bombshells at that point, but tkmiller.com now has sculpts of Grogu, Stan Lee, and more. It’s an amazing portfolio.

JASON LABOY doesn’t seem to have missed a beat with so many recent posts of cosplayers, graduates, and newborns.

There’s a lot of work to be done as a staff and for-hire photographer, and @jasonlaboyphotography is doing some of it all.

Handmade costumes and props abound on LAW ASUNCION’s social media feeds. Check out the behind the scenes of new work with other costumers and Paladins of Cosplay @outlaw2lk.

This card is a pretty good advertisement of the foil accent prints available on SEAN ANDERSON’s skyscraper48. storenvy.com. Invincible, Chun Li, Bishop, and more digital pop art make me miss walking through convention

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FIVE THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT SCHOOL BEING BACK IN SESSION

LUNCH Someone else is figuring out what they’re going to eat.

PEOPLE Talk to other kids, get annoyed with other adults.

SCHEDULE The teacher can tell you

what you should be doing right now.

TIME Absence makes the

heart grow fonder, right?

MOTIVATION Kids really can do more than just watch TV and eat snacks. School automatically means more than TV and snacks.

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(Above) Kal couldn’t handle taking pictures in the sun, so he wanted a do-over. But he still couldn’t open his eyes. Boom jumps for joy (far left). The elementary pair pose for their dad next to a different school.