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The Event Extra podcast offers one-on-one interviews with some of the policymakers, practitioners and leaders who spoke at U.S. Institute of Peace events. Each episode highlights their ideas on areas of conflict and how to achieve peace.

Adam Gallagher: Welcome, let me introduce us. Youre Rina Amiri, the U.S. special envoy for Afghan Women, Girls and Human Rights. And I'm Adam Gallagher, managing editor for USIP.org. This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Many expected that when they swept into power, the Taliban would reprise the repressive rule of the 1990s. Despite pledges of moderation and reform from some Taliban factions. One year later, those predictions have turned out to be prescient. They have swiftly reinstated many of their harshest policies pushing women out of public life and brooking dissent. Special Envoy Amiri, many of the hard-won gains made for Afghan women over the last 20 years are eroding before their eyes. Can you talk a little bit about how their lives have changed in the last year, and also what the picture is like for minorities and their rights?

Rina Amiri: Well, first, thank you very much, to you and to the U.S. Institute of Peace for continuing to keep the spotlight on the situation in Afghanistan. The last year has been nothing short of devastating for women, ethnic and religious communities. But I would say that for the population as a whole, I also hear from men, that, you know, that they're in a desperate situation. So it's, you know, it's a context in which is even more devastating, because I think that the population, what I hear over and over again, that, despite the tremendous devastation of war. Think how things have turned out. There is still some element of hope that the promise of a reform Taliban would materialize, and that they would be better than in the 1990s. And the last year, I think, has and many respects have been, the scenario that is far worse than any had had prepared themselves for, you know, for women and girls, I think that the whole world saw that overnight, they were stripped of their fundamental rights. You know, and of course, I want to qualify that. Certainly, the picture was very mixed. And that an urban centers, the women and girls had better opportunities, more advantages than those in the rural parts of the country. But when I talk to women, you know, from throughout the entire country, what I hear is devastation over the situation and that they've lost the right to work, they've lost the right to get their daughters educated, they have lost any sense of hope for the future. And for ethnic and religious communities, what they note is that they live under the shadow of threat. They don't feel safe in their communities, they don't feel safe in their homes. They don't feel safe sending their wives to give birth because of attack, the attacks on, terrible attacks that have taken place against maternity wards. They fear for their children when they send their children to school. That pervasive sense of threat is a shadow that has overtaken with their calculations and the way that they live their lives. And particularly for the Hazara community. You know, I read an assessment that there have been over 15 attacks. And it's not just the Hazara community as a religious community, but as an ethnic community where they are being specifically targeted and where they are, if they feel that they are being left as soft targets. And we hear the same thing from the Hindu and Sikh community, the Sufis, you know, just across the country of those that do not fit within the narrow confines of what the Taliban identifies as people that are aligned with what their view of the world that they are suffering tremendously right now.

Adam Gallagher: And yet over the last year, despite this sort of shadow of threat that looms over Afghan women and minorities, many have protested the Taliban rollback of their rights, including a demonstration over the weekend that was met with Taliban violence. I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about what you see Afghan women and minorities doing to protect in their promote and promote their rights amid this sort of terrifying landscape.

Rina Amiri: I think what the world needs to take away from what we have seen from the Afghan population is that they are not a -- you know, we see that there's a narrative around Afghans as victims, but Afghans, I think are the most resilient people in the world. And the most, you know, some of the most courageous people in the world. And certainly we have seen that demonstrated, and foremost among them, I would have to say, have been Afghan women. They, we have seen over and over again, despite the tremendously harsh crackdowns by the Taliban against not just the women but against their families, that they continue to go out and protest. And they're not just protesting for their rights. They're protesting for the vision that all Afghans aspire towards, which is a peaceful Afghanistan and inclusive one on one which one which is going to be economically viable. You know, I spent a lot of time talking to Afghans both inside and outside the country and online. And they tell me that this is not this is not just a choice for them, you know, that it's not that they're not fearful. But there are some things that are more important than fear. And that is what gives them the courage that they go out. And what they're fighting for is they're fighting for the children, they're fighting for the future of the country. You know, and there are a lot of painful stories that I come across, I come across women who say that, you know, up until, like, a year ago, there were judges, there were parliamentarians, there were doctors, and now they have to go through the indignity of, you know, they put on a burqa, and they go out and they're looking for, they're put in a position of being beggars. And they know that the Taliban are more prepared to provide support for them as beggars than allowing them to be agents of their own future. And as active agents in society where they can contribute to the to the economy of the country. They're also, you know, they're incredibly pragmatic. They're not, they're not looking at this as a black and white situation. Where they find Taliban that are positioned are prepared to engage with them and to create entry points for them to work to get or to do anything constructive. They're willing to work with those Talibs. So I think beyond the, what we, what I take away is that their vision is both defined by pragmatism, as well as principles and tremendous courage. And they want the world to understand that they are not victims, that they need our support. They need us to engage them as agents of their own future, and to look at a very targeted way of how we can support them, whether that's through diplomatic engagement with the Taliban, or otherwise, but that it should not just stop just because the Taliban are being resistant to any type of movement in a positive direction.

Adam Gallagher: Yeah, and that's a good segue into my final question. But I also just want to mention that I think that point about pragmatism is so important. And you have to wonder why the Taliban can't sort of reciprocate that pragmatism, understanding that they're hamstrung, hamstringing their own economy by shutting women out of public life in this way. But to go back sort of on what you were closing there, and I'm just wondering if you can expand a bit more on how the United States and the international community can help Afghan women and minorities in this really, really tough situation. And then also, I'm wondering if you can touch a little bit on the U.S.-Afghan consultative mechanism that was launched at USIP in late July.

Rina Amiri: I think that those that understand the situation of why this issue of women's rights and human rights are important, don't approach it just from a moral or normative perspective, but from a strategic perspective, that the role of women -- we have the data, we have the data from just really very compelling evidence from all over the world. But the best way, the most economically effective way, the one that doesn't require a large intervention in the future is one in which we equip women to advance the society. And that's where we're coming from, I think, it informs why, you know, our approach. And the U.S.-Afghan consultative mechanism -- one, that it should be Afghan women and civil society, Afghan voices that are at the forefront of this discussion. They, we will be capable of making much better policies if their voices are in the lead. If they guide our assessment, if they guide our understanding. Our policies are grounded in a solid understanding and a solid engagement strategy with Afghans themselves. We seek to use their voices, to profile their voices to bring them in, in a consistent and systematic way. With the U.S. government officials across the government sitting across from Afghan women leaders, human rights, the human rights community, civil society, as equal actors trying to work together on what the specific challenges and identify solutions to develop a coherent approach to systematically engaging them, rather than having one-off consultations with Afghan women and civil society that, where the impact might be lesser than something that's more systematic.

Adam Gallagher: Thank you so much, Special Envoy Amira, for joining us this week, during this sort of somber anniversary. We really appreciate your time.

Rina Amiri: Thank you very much.

Watch the original event Engaging Afghan Women and Civil Society in U.S. Policymaking.

Read more from the original source:
Event Extra: Taliban Rule Takes Profound Toll on Afghan Women and Minorities - United States Institute of Peace

U.S. Institute of Peace experts discuss the latest foreign policy issues from around the world inOn Peace, abrief weekly collaboration with SiriusXM's POTUS Channel 124.

Julie Mason: Joining me now, Andrew Watkins is a senior expert on Afghanistan for the U.S. Institute of Peace. Here to discuss the one-year anniversary of the fall of Kabul. Andrew, good morning.

Andrew Watkins: Good morning. Thanks for having me.

Julie Mason: What a dire situation there. People are starving. Their economy is in ruins. The setbacks for women. Ugh.

Andrew Watkins: It really is terrible in so many ways. The Taliban are showing the world and the Afghan people that they understand the scope of the problems that they're facing. But they've also revealed, over the last year, just how little that they can do to grapple with the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Julie Mason: What is the situation there? What are the conditions?

Andrew Watkins: The conditions are pretty horrific. And it's only due to the intervention of Western powers like the United States and European allies, that the country hasn't reached a critical mass of starvation everywhere. But the United Nations and other aid organizations say that there are more people going hungry in Afghanistan than anywhere else in the world in Asia and Africa. This is a result of an economy that completely collapsed. When the U.S. left Afghanistan, it wasn't just our military presence, it was all of the aid and the economic assistance that had been turning their whole economy into one giant bubble.

Julie Mason: The Taliban have consolidated, sort of, security in the country. They do have that on lockdown. No major threats to their rule of the country.

Andrew Watkins: It's true. A lot of what we're seeing in the news usually has to do with fighting that's still going on in Afghanistan. There are a lot of people, for maybe obvious reasons, who don't like the Taliban, and they're trying to do something about it. But to put it in perspective, all of this is really small scale. The fact is there are people trying to resist the Taliban. From the left and the right, you have people affiliated with the former government, you have our former Afghan allies, and then all the way on the other side of the spectrum, you have terrorists who are part of the Islamic State network around the world. But the Taliban have consolidated control around the country, and they're going to control it for the foreseeable future.

Julie Mason: And the Taliban hiding al-Zawahiri or giving him safe haven in Kabul, what is your interpretation of the relationship now, between those two groups?

Andrew Watkins: Yeah, I mean, the Taliban themselves have really been caught between a rock and a hard place. It's always been a complicated relationship. You can go back to 2001 and if you look at interviews and cables from the State Department, there were a lot of people in the Taliban who didn't agree with their leader's judgment to keep bin Laden protected. And there are a lot of people in the Taliban for the last 20 years who have kind of resented the relationship with al-Qaida. Because why should they have lost everything and had to suffer through 20 years of war just for the sake of keeping a lot of people from the Arab world safe when their fight is a different fight? But at the end of the day, as a friend who's very close to people in the Taliban told me, if there are some people in the Taliban who don't like that relationship with al-Qaida, there's one thing that everyone in the Taliban likes less. And that's the idea of helping their former enemy, the United States, hunt al-Qaida down.

Julie Mason: Very interesting, because I mean, after all that money, after all those lives lost, after all those U.S. promises, to have withdrawn and then al-Qaida still operating in Afghanistan. Like what exactly was achieved?

Andrew Watkins: Yeah, I mean, that's especially hard to ask when we look at everything else, right? There were a lot of mistakes made and there was, you know, countless corruption, from the money that we spent, to what Afghan politicians did with it, but there were improvements made and we're seeing even those erode, you know, across Afghan society.

Julie Mason: Right? Exactly. Everything we said like, If you just vote. If you just turn out. If you just you know, do this, then you're gonna have all these benefits. And now, people are starving and there's nothing. That's really grim on a Monday morning but tell us about the supreme leader of the Taliban, Andrew.

Andrew Watkins: Yeah, so this is the most interesting thing we've gotten to see over the last year. The Taliban calls their government the Islamic Emirate and the head is a leader called the emir that they say has supreme authority. He acts with the authority, you know, of God himself. The reality is, though, for the last 20 years, to survive in their war against the U.S., the Taliban had to grow very flexible. They've always said in theory that their leader had supreme authority. But in reality, if you wanted to sign up with them to fight against the Americans, they were pretty flexible. They gave you a lot of autonomy to do things in your little corner of Afghanistan the way that you wanted. Since taking over the country last year, the emir has been trying in a lot of different ways to reassert his authority and become that supreme leader that they've always said he is.

Julie Mason: And how does he occupy that job? Like, what are his edicts?

Andrew Watkins: Well, the most interesting thing is that he doesn't occupy that job with the rest of the government that's based in the capital, Kabul. He sits down in the southern city of Kandahar, which now kind of has a mystique in the Taliban because it's where their first emir, and the guy who founded the Taliban, Mullah Mohammed Omar, it's where he sat for over four years. He had this attitude, you know, not that much different than how some Americans might feel about Washington D.C., that the capital, as the hub of politics, was a corrupt and sinful place. And so, he avoided it entirely. So, this guy is styling himself in the same way, there's a lot of mythology that the Taliban tell about themselves.

Julie Mason: Other matters, meanwhile, the Taliban stalling out in critical aspects of government. As we mentioned, [there is] near universal poverty in the country. And it's an interesting policy question, right? Because, Andrew, no country really seems to want to have any sort of diplomatic relationship with the Taliban, but there's still a great deal of sympathy for the people there.

Andrew Watkins: It's true. I mean, looking forward, this is really the United States struggle: how to continue to provide support for the Afghan people and completely work around the government, you know, the political force that's running the country. It's an unprecedented situation. The Taliban can't seem to make up their mind on some of the most important issues to run the country. And where they do seem to have made up their mind, it's making the wrong decisions, like hosting al-Qaida. And so, you've got a United States, and of course, we still have this huge obligation to the Afghan people with everything we invested, but trying to figure out how to remain engaged without it benefiting the Taliban, while they still figure themselves out on their path to becoming a really kind of warped version of government.

Julie Mason: Andrew Watkins is senior expert on Afghanistan at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Andrew, thank you so much for your time this morning.

Andrew Watkins: Thanks for having me.

Julie Mason: Really great to talk to you.

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Andrew Watkins on the One-Year Anniversary of Taliban Takeover - United States Institute of Peace

ExploreThe Great Gatsby of Atlanta: History behind Coca-Cola heirs Briarcliff Mansion

When it comes to making the most out of nature in the home, Miltons Stevie Interiors takes a literal approach.

Obviously I focus on literally bringing the outdoors in, but its also about layers, texture and an earthy color palette, Meghan Basinger, CEO & Principal Designer, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Swap greys for beige. Bring texture in with rugs, baskets and antiques.

Anywhere you have a door or a window, its just another place to take advantage of incorporating the outdoors into your home, The Design Atelier added. A good pivot door opens up the space to the outdoors more substantially, as will accordion doors, garage doors, and sliding doors.

As the economy continues to struggle amid the pandemic and war in Ukraine, many home owners are looking to tighten their budgets. Luckily, there are plenty of inexpensive ways to spruce up your home.

Fresh flowers always brighten up any room, Amy Morris Interiors said. A tree in a beautiful pot can fill an otherwise empty and neglected corner.

Instead of completely redesigning their homes according to the trend, people can find accents, like solid green pillows and throws, that speak to bringing the outdoors in and make an impact without rethinking their whole space, The Design Atelier added. A plant or branch here and there also does wonders!

If you want to go fully natural and give your wallet a break, Basinger said its a good idea to go foraging.

Take a look at your yard - what can you clip and throw in a vase on your kitchen counter? she added. You dont need to spend a fortune on store-bought florals, often you have something gorgeous right in your own front yard.

Courtesy of Amy Morris Interiors

Credit: Laurey Glenn

Courtesy of Amy Morris Interiors

Credit: Laurey Glenn

Credit: Laurey Glenn

If you are willing to open your wallet, The Design Atelier knows how to get you that wow factor with house guests.

When people think of bringing the outdoors in, many gravitate towards the idea of floral prints and patterns, the company said. I like to think of the materials being used and how the interior will complement and enhance the view outside with a neutral palette or an unexpected architectural element. For example, I like wooden beams or accents that feel natural, rather than polished and pristine. Floor to ceiling windows are also a favorite of mine. It creates a sense of fluidity between the indoors and outdoors.

Amy Morris Interiors suggested keeping things simple for a sophisticated look.

I like to keep things simple and sophisticated even when it comes to bringing flowers and plants indoors, the company said. They bring a certain pop and beautiful aesthetic without being overwhelming or too dramatic.

Basinger, however, said that it also isnt a bad idea to go big.

We absolutely love to play with scale - were talking oversized, Manzanita branches are a favorite with our team - they are total scene stealers in a gorgeous vintage water pot, she said.

See the article here:
How to bring the outdoors in, according to Atlanta's top interior designers - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

DECORATING your home isn't always as easy as it seems.

There are loads of common mistakes that can instantly ruin the overall look of a room and can be pricey to put right.

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Luckily, interior designer Vivien recently revealed seven of the worst mistakes that will make your home look rubbish.

So if you've got any of these in your home, it might be time to redecorate.

Sometimes the flooring in your home is simply out of your control, especially if you're renting.

The pro explained: "If you have mismatched flooring it can make the space look disjointed and uncoordinated."

But if you don't have the budget to make the floors match you can try a large area rug to help make it feel more seamless or even stick on flooring.

The height of your furniture probably isn't something you put much thought into, especially for things like sofas, coffee tables and beds.

But if all of your furniture is the same height "it can look boring and flat," according to the pro.

Try and mix in different heights for a more dynamic space that looks loads more posh.

"If you're not adding any greenery to your space you're missing out big time," Vivien said.

Not only do plants add life and colour to a space but they have loads of hidden benefits as well.

The pro explained: "If you don't have any green in your space it's going to look very one dimensional and it can inadvertently make a space look feel quite sterile."

No one loves a DIY project quite as much as we do, but they only count if you actually finish them.

Taking on too many DIY projects will mean that your home constantly looks messy and unfinished.

"I'm not saying don't DIY, just be mindful about the projects that you take on," the interior designer said.

Impulsively buying dcor for your home might be ok if it's a pillow or a lamp, but when it comes to furniture measuring is key.

Vivien said: "Most times the perception we have in our space is easy off from reality, then you end up with something too big or too small."

It might be easy to get your bed, bedside tables and wardrobe from the same shop, but the truth is matching sets look cheap.

That doesn't mean you have to spend more money on unique pieces, but taking the time to find furniture that's different that still compliments each other will instantly make your home look more expensive and designer.

It's bad news if you've got cool temperature light-bulbs in your home, "this might be the design sin that bothers me the most," the pro said.

"They give off a very harsh light and it can feel clinical and sterile and they're just not pleasant to be around.

"Warm temperature light-bulbs have a warmth to them they give off a softer light that is much more inviting," Vivien explained.

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Im an interior designer there are seven mistakes that make homes look rubbish & Im sick of seeing them... - The US Sun

THERE are some interior trends that might look great in theory, but the truth is in a small room they're just not going to work.

It turns out, making box rooms look bigger is just as much about what you don't put in there as what you do.

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The interior pro Nic Shacklock from Online-Bedrooms revealed that having carpet in small rooms will instantly make the space look smaller.

Nic said: It can be hard to know what to do with a small room and decorating it incorrectly can often lead to the room feeling much smaller than it is and can make it feel like a bit of wasted space.

Opening up a small room is all about tricking the eye and creating the illusion that the room is bigger than it actually is."

According to the pros, dark carpets in particular, like popular grey shades, are a big no-no.

If you must have carpet, try and go for one that's a lighter shade, or even better, go for a different style of flooring altogether to help brighten up the space.

Light wood flooring is always a good choice and will instantly brighten the space.

You can always add a light coloured rug if you can't part ways with your love of carpet altogether.

It's not just your carpet that's making your small rooms like even smaller though, the wrong furniture can make it feel claustrophic.

Furniture with legs will instantly open up the area.

This is simply because being able to see the floor create the illusion of more space.

Similarly, thick and heavy curtains can make a room feel closed off.

Letting in natural light is vital for small rooms, so opt for light and flowing curtains or ditch them altogether and stick to just blinds.

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Continued here:
Im an interior designer and you should NEVER have carpet in small rooms in your home what to do ins... - The US Sun

At the junction of augmented technology and French savoir-faire, DS 4 truly embodies two words: Refinement Engineered. Long established as a premium car marque in France, DS Automobiles, newly arrived in Ireland, embodies the spirit of avant-garde, innovation and excellence.

And as an emblem of a new generation of efficiency, DS Automobiles latest creation was imagined with plug-in hybrid E-TENSE technology. Making the DS 4 the perfect choice for those in search of personal expression, individualism and flawless aesthetics.

We ask Eilish Rickard, interior designer and founder of Eilish Rickard Interiors, to try out the DS 4 and let us know what made a lasting impression.

My favourite feature of the DS 4 is, not surprisingly, an interior detail. The supple leather on the interior of the doors combined with the concealed handles and subtle, sleek hardware make them such a joy to use every time you get in and out of the car.

I use my car as my second office as Im often on the road for more than half of the day between site visits, client meetings and sourcing trips. The easy-to-use Apple CarPlay, navigation, music and projected dashboard in the DS 4 make the driving experience seamless, comfortable and reliable while I take calls and go to and from appointments.

I also use the car to ferry the kids to and from activities. For this, the large boot is really practical as well as the adaptive features of the car like the Matrix LED vision system and the Active Scan Suspension. These features scan the terrain ahead so I never have to worry about the ever-changing Irish weather and terrain as Im multitasking with the kids and taking work calls as they come in.

My own personal aesthetic in three words? Classic yet contemporary.

There is something so effortlessly chic about French design and style; I really admire French female style icons like Carla Bruni and Jane Birkin for their strong feminine looks that are so timeless.

My favourite French find is an elegant historic hotel, Le Vieux Castillon, in the mediaeval town of Castillon-du-Gard in Provence which we visited for a long weekend. It was picturesque, with stone facades and swaying cypress trees full of character and history.

My dream road trip would be to drive through the French countryside, Provence or Bordeaux, getting lost in little villages, stopping at flea markets, maybe stumbling upon an antique shop or two, just being inspired by the stillness and quaintness of these little towns that are so unaware of their beauty.

For driving I like to wear loose clothes in natural fabrics to adapt to various temperatures between the car and places youll be getting out; I love linen for shirts and cotton for trousers which crumple less.

To keep the kids happy on long drives we usually give everyone a chance to choose their own favourite songs on Spotify, we play a lot of I Spy and, of course, eat lots of treats!

I listen to everything in the car. As I am on the road a lot I will alternate between radio, podcast and audiobooks. There is nothing like getting lost in a good book on Audible when stuck in never-ending traffic. My morning commute to work is always the radio for the news and then its music all the way to keep the energy up!

My car rules? Dont get into my car unless youre handing me a coffee! No rules really as I would be the first to break them.

I might be something of a master boot packer. For my interior design business, we always have a lot to pack into the car. Were often flattening the back seats to fill the car with furniture and accessories for shoots. We use giant, clear zip-up bags so we dont lose or damage items in smaller bags/boxes and it means there are fewer trips to load and unload the car. Since the bags are clear I can see whats in each bag immediately.

Guilty secret in the glovebox? Snacks! I have to keep the sugar levels up while on the road.

I always keep make-up essentials in my car. I use the rearview mirror to see what Im doing when fixing my make-up before a meeting. I will also always have gum, wet wipes and perfume in case any meetings run over and I have to freshen up before the next appointment.

My favourite thing about driving is freedom. The freedom to go and see my clients wherever they are or attend to any projects needs and really be there and be present on-site, theres no substitute for it. Email and phone just cant communicate the same things when it comes to design and construction, you need to see and feel a space and show your clients samples, fabrics, and materials in the actual lighting and space they will be going in.

Introducing the DS 4 where French luxury expertise and augmented technology meet. Its all in the design details and innovative tech.Visit dsautomobiles.ie for more information. Prices start from 36,300.

Original post:
Road to Perfection: Interior Designer Eilish Rickard tries out the new DS 4 - image.ie

IF YOU hate redecorating your home, you're not alone.

Although the idea of it might be fun and the end result is always nice, the actual process of stripping wallpaper, moving furniture and hanging picture frames is exhausting.

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But if you always want to your home to look chic and stylish there's one thing you can do - pick a timeless style the first time you decorate.

This comes after a viewer asked interior designer Phoenix Grey to shares some tips, they said: "Can you do some styles that are timeless?

"[I'm] remodelling my home but don't want it to be dated after a couple of years."

According to the pro there are four interior styles that will stand the test of time.

Although the pro admitted this isn't his personal style, the timeless look will age well and goes above trends.

He said: "It gets bonus points on it's beautiful detailing and the retaining structure to it's architectural roots.

"It honestly has the most beautiful character to it."

You can spot this style from the feminine features like curving lines luxurious feeling.

Phoenix explained: "Mid-century modern has to be on this list because it was significantly recognised in the 50's.

"It defined so many characteristics of design styles we see today."

If you're a fan of a more masculine feeling space, love muted tones and wood and graphic shapes, this might be the style for you.

Although elements of this style are constantly coming in and out of fashion, they'll always look timeless and posh in any home.

"I may get some hate on this one, but contemporary style is more timeless than it's not," the pro said.

The "clean and understated" is easy to adapt if you do ever want to change small elements in your home.

"The style itself draws to many influences from all the other design styles, creating a timeless look."

This style is known for its natural elements and ruggedness.

It usually incorporates wood, stone, and even leaves for an un-polished finish that still looks cohesive.

Phoenix said: "It's practical yet natural and an earthy organic pallet will always be timeless regardless of what style and design you use."

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Read more here:
Im an interior designer & there are four styles that will NEVER go out of fashion perfect if you hate re... - The US Sun

A Las Vegas wedding did seem a little too simple for one of the most famous couples in the world. In exciting news, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck will reportedly celebrate their marriage with their kids, family members and close friends near Savannah, Georgia this weekend, according to multiple outlets.

Lopez, 53, and Affleck, 50, have apparently planned out a days-long celebration, with a ceremony for around 100 people taking place on Saturday at Bens private estate in Riceboro. There will be a rehearsal dinner Friday and a barbecue picnic on Sunday, according to Page Six. The pairs children J.Los 14-year-old twins Emme and Max with ex-husband Marc Anthony, and Afflecks kids with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, Violet Anne, 16, Seraphina Rose, 13, and Samuel Garner, 10 will be in attendance alongside Bennifers parents and siblings, including Afflecks brother Casey Affleck. Friends like Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel, Leah Remini and Drea de Matteo will reportedly also be there.

Lopez is expected to wear a custom couture Ralph Lauren dress, and Vogue magazine will document her bridal weekend. Interior designer and event guru Colin Cowie is planning the lavish celebration while life coach and podcaster Jay Shetty will officiate, reports Entertainment Tonight.

Afflecks 87-acre home Georgia, which he bought in 2003, has plenty of space for entertaining. According to Homes & Gardens, the mansion is 6,000 square feet and features classic furnishings and pinewood flooring. Two other structures, the Summer Cottage and Oyster House, are also included on the Hampton Island estate.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have a storied history.

Lopez and Affleck have a storied history together. The pair first dated in the early aughts and got engaged in 2002 but called off their wedding in 2003, in part due to excessive media attention. They officially ended their relationship in 2004 and went on to marry Anthony and Garner, respectively, before eventually finding their way back to each other in 2021 following Lopezs split from former fianc Alex Rodriguez.

Affleck proposed to Lopez in April 2021 with a green diamond engagement ring and they got married in Vegas at the Little White Wedding chapel on July 16, 2022.

We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient, Lopez wrote on her newsletter, On the J.Lo. When love is real, the only thing that matters in marriage is one another and the promise we make to love, care, understand, be patient, loving and good to one another. We had that. And so much more. Best night of our lives.

This weekend sounds like it might just top that day, Mr. and Mrs. Affleck.

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Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck Will Reportedly Exchange Vows This Weekend In Georgia - Scary Mommy

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Esther Ableidinger, Julie Wiesen, and Katie Wolf pose in the center of the Community Labyrinth, located west of the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena. Currently a walkable template, it will be completed by May 2023.

By DARBY HINKLEY

News Lifestyles Editor

ALPENA Passersby along the Maritime Heritage Trail in Alpena have likely noticed some commotion in the lot behind the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center.

A large, round cement slab there now contains a labyrinth painted on in purple, thanks to donations from local businesses.

The labyrinth is currently just a template, but by next spring, if fundraising is accomplished, it will be a completed stone masterpiece, according to the three women behind the idea.

We started this, and it was just three people getting together who wanted to do a project, said Esther Ableidinger, one of the three women who coordinated the project. This idea originated years ago from Jewel Lancaster.

Lancaster works at Alpena Community College. She had brought up the idea of a labyrinth on campus, but it never came to fruition at that time.

Julie remembered all these years, Ableidinger said of Julie Wiesen, another of the tenacious trio that started this project. The third is Katie Wolf, liaison to the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Julie said, Well, what about a labyrinth? And we thought, What? And, look at this. Were making it happen, Ableidinger said.

Wiesen said they wanted to provide something that the community could access for free.

Go big, or go home, is what we said, Wiesen added. She said the conversations with Lancaster, a counselor at ACC, occurred about 18 years ago.

The 11-circuit round labyrinth is modeled after the 13th Century Chartres Labyrinth in France.

The Community Labyrinth in Alpena is 46 feet across. It takes about 900 steps to complete the walking meditation course.

You can come at it from any denomination, Ableidinger said. But there is some sacred geometry in there.

Its a way to clear your mind by engaging your body in a simple task.

If youre having a bad day, you can walk around it a couple of times to clear your head, she added. Maybe youre thinking of something thats troubling you, and the path keeps you contained. It focuses the mind, it relieves the mind and body of stress and outside influences, and, as you follow the path, its almost like youre being hugged, and you dont have to think of anything else.

There is one way in and one way out. Of course, there are no walls, so its not a maze you can get lost in.

In a labyrinth, you go in to find yourself, Ableidinger said. In a maze, you go in to get lost.

She noted some benefits of the labyrinth.

It focuses your mind, creates calm, relieves anxiety, she said. Its shown to be so beneficial for mental health.

The conversation started between COVID, and not really too far away from January 6, Wolf added. Just, all this feeling of unease. We were thinking How can we give back? How can we do something thats positive for the community?'

She said they wanted to do something in which people could come and feel at peace, and at ease with themselves.

Hospitals often adopt them for surgeons to focus, but also for patients, and practitioners to come and clear their mind, Wolf said of labyrinths. Since the 13th Century, people have drawn on these as a way to seek inner peace.

Other northern Michigan labyrinths are located in Petoskey and Traverse City. There are many more across Michigan and the U.S.

In-kind supporters include Alpena Marc, LLC, Lafarge, Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and local volunteers, including the Thursday Night Wine Ladies, who helped paint the template. Jeff Gray, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary superintendent, and Jeff Konczak, owner of Alpena Marc, LLC, were instrumental in getting the project going, Wolf said.

We have to do some fundraising, Wolf said.

The total cost for the project will be about $130,000.

Each stone is going to be individually cut, she explained. So, its a lot of craftsmanship.

Nathan Wiles is the designer. Wiles is the founder of Innate Creations, an educating labyrinth building and design company. Wiles utilizes skill and experience from his former career as an interior designer and project manager to help create his labyrinth builds and workshops.

We did check to see if we could get the stone locally, but it is a very precision process, so local vendors dont do that kind of work, Wolf added. The thing about that stone, is it is permanent. Itll last forever.

To donate, send checks to Community Labyrinth c/o Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 500 W. Fletcher St., Alpena, MI 49707, or online at http://www.cfnem.org under the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Riverfront Park and Trail Fund and note Community Labyrinth.

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A place to find peace; walk the new labyrinth - Alpena News

She may only have had $100 in her pocket when she moved to Austin right after high school, but in her heart, Veronica Ortuo knew her creative spirit would guide her to success. Ortuo tried a bit of everythingfrom touring as a musician in her early 20s to studying fashion design in college. There was no denying her artistic ambitions.

Ortuo then started repurposing vintage garments and selling them on a 3rd party online marketplace. She enjoyed it so much, she created her own online store and then opened her own boutique in Austin, Las Cruxes, where she could sell her creations and offer a space where others could come and express themselves through their own art.

Her family, immigrants from Mexico, supported her pursuits in any way they could. Her father even built shelves for her first store since there was no money for a renovation. I got my survivors mentality from my family, Ortuo said. That was instilled in all of us. We had to learn the worth of a dollar and work hard for what we had.

The connection she had to her local art community was strong, but Ortuo was given the opportunity to expand her creativity and do some interior design for a store owner in Detroit who liked what she had done with Las Cruxes. It was a difficult decision, but after her first interior design side gig, Ortuo closed the physical location of Las Cruxes. With the reliability of her wireless network and the support of her community, Ortuo kept Las Cruxes alive and thriving as a a digital creative services platform and started her new venture, Casa Veronica.

I felt like it was my opportunity to focus on one thing for a while, Ortuo, 36, said. I decided it was time to move on. I felt like 10 years was a good run. That chapter in my life ended very organically.

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When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Ortuo was forced to pump the brakes a bit on Casa Vernica but didnt want to lose momentum. So, she began taking ceramics courses to add to her creative repertoire. She knew incorporating e-commerce on the website of her new enterprise would drive traffic. Plus, she could show off some of her ceramic work, which matched her interior design aesthetic.

With no money coming in, I had to figure out what I was going to do, Ortuo said. When I started taking ceramics classes, I knew I was going to be very serious about it. Two years later, I feel very fortunate that what started as a side gig became something I love.

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Here are five tips and tricks Ortuo has offered to help other creatives master the Sideconomics and get a better handle of their business plan and finances. She hopes her advice can give everyone a way to move forward in their career while also celebrating their culture.

1. Have Confidence in Your TalentHockey legend Wayne Gretzky said it best: You miss 100% of the shots you dont take. When Ortuo started thinking about opening Las Cruxes, she didnt have any capital. She wasnt even sure how she would pay a storage facility $150 to store her merchandise. I was 25 years old and was wondering how I was going to pay my rent, she said. I couldnt even get a small business loan.I was scared, but I decided to do it. A lot of it was trial by error. She added: I depended on my family and friends for support at the beginning and am happy they were there for me.

2. Network, Market, & ConnectTheres no way Ortuo could do what she does with Casa Vernica, and do so on the go across the city of Austin, without her cell phone and a reliable wireless network like Cricket Wireless, especially because of how much she is able to use her social media platforms to reach out to potential customers. Instagram and Facebook are such amazing and free tools, she said. Its great just for exposure and to connect to other like-minded people. Ortuo also uses a mobile accounting app on her phone to keep her business organized for tax purposes. Then, theres the mobile payment apps, which allow her to sell her artwork when she decides to have a pop-up show somewhere.

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3. Save and Build CreditAlthough Ortuos credit wasnt where it needed to be to start a business, she was able to get a small loan from a friend who believed in her vision. She encourages young entrepreneurs to save as much money as they can and to set a goal. Set the amount you need and then open your store, she said. If I could go back, I wouldve saved more money and built my credit, so I could get at least a $20,000 loan. That wouldve helped me drastically.

4. Hire a Grant WriterThere is a lot of money out there to help small business ownersif you know where to look. Ortuo said hiring a grant writer could lay the groundwork to expand a business. Grant writing is an extensive process, Ortuo said. You need to be very detail oriented. In her experience, Ortuo said there are grants available at our fingertips, especially for POCs and business owners in marginalized communities. People should take advantage of those grants, she said.

5. Set Your Pricing CorrectlyOrtuo admits that although determining pricing wholesale vs. retail cost can be intimidating, business owners can make it easy on themselves if they stick to a customized pricing system that works for them. For example, if it takes her seven hours to make a ceramic lamp, Ortuo pays herself $35 an hour ($245) and adds the cost of supplies and a lampshade. The wholesale cost equals $325. From there, she multiplies that amount by two to come up with her retail price of $650. Prices will be lower once I decide to make molds for my pieces, as that will speed up production, she explained. But as of now, this business model works best for me and keeps my demand steady and not over-saturated.

Sideconomics is a Remezcla initiative presented by Cricket Wireless that offers valuable insight and advice from successful Latine entrepreneurs who transformed their side jobs into sustainable main gigs. Crickets reliable network connects customers to their passion projects and support systems to help the Latine creator community thrive.

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Interior Designer & Artist Vernica Ortuo Has Found a Way to Turn Her Side Hustle into a Creative Business - Remezcla