Angelina M. Lopez
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Contemporary Romance Author, Hyperromantic
Take a Tour of D.C.'s New Chocolate Factory
I imagine many families with young children will take a tour of this newly opened and locally owned chocolate factory hoping to re-create a portion of the Willy Wonka experience. But the website recommends that only those 10 and over go on this $10/person tour for a reason. Rather than displaying rivers of chocolate and lickable walls, the Harper Macaw tour is all about displaying the intentions of its young owners to save one corner of the planet with cacao beans planted, harvested and transformed into chocolate the right way.
As my family and I drove up to the Harper Macaw chocolate factory off Bladensburg Road NE in D.C.'s Brookland neighborhood, my wise-cracking teen son observed, "There are no tubes full of chocolate coming out of the top. Zero out of ten."
I imagine many families with young children will take a tour of this newly opened and locally owned chocolate factory hoping to re-create a portion of the Willy Wonka experience. But the website recommends that only those 10 and over go on this $10/person tour for a reason. Rather than displaying rivers of chocolate and lickable walls, the Harper Macaw tour is all about displaying the intentions of its young owners to save one corner of the planet with cacao beans planted, harvested and transformed into chocolate the right way.
Head chocolate maker Sarah Hartman and her husband, Colin Hartman, began producing fine chocolate in September and opened the factory to tours in December. They were drawn to D.C. because they liked the manageable size of the area, the fact that they can see the sky, the food scene, and the relative absence of local chocolate.
They source their cacao beans exclusively from three farms in Brazil, Sarah’s home country. Brazil has lost 90 percent of its Atlantic Forest, which provides a necessary canopy for cacao beans, and has slipped from being the third largest producer of cacao beans to sixth. By supporting farmers who are producing cacao in a sustainable way and re-investing a portion of Harper Macaw profits into rainforest restoration, Sarah and Colin see an opportunity to make an impact while producing really good, distinct-tasting chocolate.
Owner Colin Hartman handing out cocoa nib samples as he stands next to the roaster.
“Without good cacao beans, you can’t make good chocolate,” Colin says at the beginning of our 20-person tour of the factory. It’s the same sentiment winemakers use about their grapes, and — like winemakers — Sarah and Colin give “single estate” status to chocolate bars sourced from individual farms in Brazil. The 77 percent Amazon Rainforest bar is from Tomé Açu and the 74 percent Atlantic Forest bar is from Vale do Juliana. The two other bars Harper Macaw is currently producing are the 67 percent Dark Blend and the 52 percent Milk Blend.
Colin leads the tour with chocolate dust on his blazer and an apology for “going into a lot of details on these tours.” No apologies are needed. The hour-long “bean to bar” tour — from seeing the bags of beans fresh off the boat from the Philadelphia harbor (Colin drives there to pick them up), to seeing the equipment used for cleaning, roasting, winnowing, refining, grinding, conching and tempering the chocolate — is a fascinating, in-depth story of how a product is made with love and care.
The tour ends with a chocolate tasting: samples of all four chocolate laid out with crackers and seltzer to cleanse the palate and an entertaining explanation of how to enjoy the chocolate with all five senses. The little ones may not like it, but us big ones certainly did.
Take a Chocolate Factory Tour
Harper Macaw
3160 Bladensburg Rd NE, Washington, DC 20018
Tours of the Harper Macaw chocolate factory occur every Saturday on the hour between 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. People have already discovered this gem, so arrive by the :30 if you want to go on the next hour tour.
Harper Macaw's four fine chocolate bars are currently available in their shop and at a variety of locations around the D.C. area, including the Red Apron shops at Mosaic and Penn Quarter. They plan on releasing more products in May.
Resolving to Find the Fun in 2016
In 2016, I want to focus on being happy again. I believe happiness takes a certain level of mindfulness, and at my age, I know joy doesn't consist of just vacations and mani/pedis. True joy is found in your day-to-day, in taking care of your family, partnership, health, work, friends and home. So, to succeed in this year's theme -- "Find the Fun" -- these are the New Year's resolutions I've made to be responsible for my happiness and to kick the blahs out the door.
2015 kind of sucked for me.
I dealt with painful "getting old" back and leg issues, my son was immersed in junior/senior year stress (and we all went along for that ride), and my Dad died. There were many blessings, too: a trip to Vegas, a great writing conference, new clients (yay!), and the continued health and contentment of most of my family.
But in 2016, I want to focus on being happy again. I believe happiness takes a certain level of mindfulness, and I want to be mindful of discovering joy, rather than passively suffering through the misery. At my age, I know joy doesn't consist of just vacations and mani/pedis. True joy is found in your day-to-day, in taking care of your family, partnership, health, work, friends and home.
So, to succeed in this year's theme -- "Find the Fun" -- these are the New Year's resolutions I've made to be responsible for my happiness and to kick the blahs out the door. I only succeed when I'm held accountable, which is why I'm posting them here. I'll blog again in February about how I'm doing.
Family resolution
I resolve to create more moments when we can be together as a family.
It's amazing, when your children are teenagers, how easy it is to live with people that you never connect with. We're home together a lot, but the boys are working as hard as I am on "the future," and when we're not working, we're relaxing on devices -- I'm as bad as they are. I'm trying to keep this resolution simple, i.e.. accomplishable: I'm resolving to eat more meals at the table and to plan one event a month that gets us out of the house together. I've already got this month's event on the calendar: We're going to the Harper Macaw chocolate factory tour in northeast D.C. Could there be a better lure? And yes, there will be a blog.
Marriage resolution
I resolve to find one new adult event to explore every month with my husband.
My man's a blast, he's pretty much up for anything with only mild convincing, and we have a lot of fun together. But with the stress of last year, we went out less and less, and when we did go out, it was generally to the same place. We both enjoy life with a few surprises, so in 2016, I'm committed to finding the Kennedy Center performances, bourbon tastings and hiking trails that will offer them.
Health resolution
I resolve to feel better.
Resolutions about weight and health are rife with controversy, and I thought long and hard about how to phrase this one. But the thing is, I don't feel good at the weight I am. I think it's hard on my frame. The end of last year was a "eat-and-drink-my-pain" fiesta and in the four days that I've been eating better, exercising every day, drinking more water and cutting back on alcohol, I already feel better. The proof is in the pudding, even when I can't have any.
Work resolution
I resolve to post to social media every day, skill build two hours a week, blog every week, and make a certain amount every month.
As a busy social media manager who helps my solopreneur and small business clients learn, plan and post their social media, I forget to do my own learning and planning and posting. The prime directive I give to all my clients is to take control of their marketing and messaging. And yet, I can let my messaging passively dribble out, too. However, with a child soon in college and a directive about how much I have to make in 2016 from my financial planner, my business and income is something I can no longer be passive about. Need help with your social media resolutions? That's what I'm here for.
Friends resolution
I resolve to entertain more and be more entertaining.
Oh, my lovely friends. Does it feel like your digits are gathering dust on my phone? Friends and their information, advice, laughter and love inject a huge dose of fun into my life, and I will use the excuse, "I'm sooooo busy," no longer. I've already got a couple of gatherings at our house planned -- look for your invite -- but I'm also going to remind myself that seeing my friends does not have to be a production. Over coffee, with a glass of wine, or during a joint trip to Target is a great time to enjoy my friends.
Home resolution
I resolve to do what our financial planner says.
While being in our 40s doesn't make my husband and I feel any closer to adulthood, we are trying to behave like adults. We finally met with a financial planner at the end of last year, and she has given us our marching orders. It's calming to know we're driving down the road of our financial future with our eyes wide open, rather than squinted shut while hoping everything is going to be okay. It's also nice to know someone is there to help us handle the dips, rises and inevitable potholes.
What are your resolutions for 2016? Do you have any suggestions to help me with mine? Please comment below. I need all the help I can get.
And please check in again in February to see how I'm doing.
Go See Old 97's. My Brother Said So.
My brother, professional choreographer Michael J. Lopez, sent me a photo that Old 97's posted today.
My brother, professional choreographer Michael J. Lopez, sent me a photo that Old 97's posted today.
It's apropos for the blog because:
- The caption for this 20-year-old photo is "Seems like yesterday," a sentiment we all feel when we see pics from two decades ago.
- They're a freaking awesome alt-country-Americana band coming to play Washington D.C.'s The Hamilton Dec. 30 and 31.
- My brother is much cooler than me and when he highlights something, everyone should pay attention.
When my brother saw this picture of me and the Old 97's lead singer, Rhett Miller (who is also a fantastic solo artist), he called me a "funky mofo." Which is awesome. Go see them play. You might get called a funky mofo, too.
4 Ways to Laze Away the Day at the Georgetown Waterfront
During a recent lazy stay-cation, my husband and I decided to cross the river to the beautiful Georgetown Waterfront to relax the day away.
How thrilling is it that Georgetown has embraced its waterfront? When we moved to nearby Burleith in 2000, the stately neighborhood definitely had its back to the mighty Potomac. But with the arrival of an AMC Loews movie theater in 2002, people began to wander down there for more than an expensive meal at one of the river-facing restaurants. During a recent lazy stay-cation, my husband and I decided to cross the river to our old ‘hood to relax the day away.
Stop 1: The Georgetown Waterfront Park
Nothing could herald the fact that the waterfront has arrived better than this gorgeous 10-acre park. This stretch of green space from the Washington Harbor development to Key Bridge offers incredible views of the river, Key Bridge, Rosslyn, Roosevelt Island and the Kennedy Center. But you can also find the pretty right under foot: the park has a large fountain kids can play in, benches, river steps for lounging and duck feeding, and images etched in granite telling D.C.’s story.
Stop 2: Farmers, Fishers, Bakers
I’ve always loved eating on the waterfront on a beautiful day. Sure, the food was expensive and the restaurants were pretty indistinguishable, but the sun-and-water languidness of it all made it worthwhile. Then along came Farmers Fishers Bakers. This farm-to-table-focused restaurant has a beautiful-yet-quirky design, a playful and bizarre cocktail menu and food that makes you want to order a little bit of everything. Yes, I'd like some Duck Fat Chicken Wings, a Bacon Basil Blue Cheese Mussel Pot, a couple of Beer Braised Beef Field Tacos and an AWESOME Grilled Cauliflower Steak. Too much?
Stop 3: AMC Loews Georgetown theatre
We saw the 2:30 showing of "John Wick". There were four people in the theater with us. Is there anything more decadent than seeing a Keaneau Reeves shoot-em-up in the middle of a weekday?
Stop 4: The Observatory at The Graham
We had every intention of going home after the movie. But did I mention that it was a GORGEOUS day? We walked a block up from the waterfront to M Street, wasted time until 5 p.m., and then took The Graham Georgetown hotel's elevator to The Observatory, Georgetown's only rooftop lounge open to the public. Or at least it was when it opened in 2013. Feel free to correct me. With cocktails in hand, we lazed on turquoise settees, watched airplanes squiggle contrails across the Georgetown skyline and toasted a successful lazy day.
An Evening at Komi
An evening at Komi is everything you expect a four-course, $135-per-person, James-Beard-awarded, impossible-to-get-into restaurant to be. My husband and I went recently to celebrate our anniversary, and the service and the food captured the essence of a “special occasion.” The only thing I wished for was a dance break between the courses (more on that below). You can’t take pictures at Komi, so you’ll just have to read about our experience at this magical restaurant.
Photo courtesy of Renaissance Hotels website
An evening at Komi is everything you expect a four-course, $135-per-person, James-Beard-awarded, impossible-to-get-into restaurant to be. My husband and I went recently to celebrate our anniversary, and the service and the food captured the essence of a “special occasion.” The only thing I wished for was a dance break between the courses (more on that below). You can’t take pictures at Komi, so you’ll just have to read about our experience at this magical restaurant:
The Setting
Eleven-year-old Komi is located in a row house on stretch of 17th Street ripe with bars and restaurants, almost directly between Dupont Circle and Logan Circle. The dining room is simple, low-lit and intimate, which made for a fun contrast with what was going on outside its large front window on the night we were there: The High Heel Drag Race. Inside, we were couples and foursomes (you can’t make reservations for more than four) enjoying candlelit meals; outside decked-out beauties in heels paraded down the street. Komi’s small dining room provides a simple jewel box for a special occasion; it also provides plenty of room to feel urban, youthful and fun.
The Atmosphere
Komi’s announcement on its website – “No pictures, please” – had me concerned that a certain level of pretension would accompany our meal. I was 100 percent wrong. The wait staff was warm, funny and friendly. Even their “uniform” was approachable – the women wore 50s-style shirtdresses and the men wear sharp suits and colorful ties. Nothing could have tested the pretension factor better than my friend who wandered in looking for me: He’d participated in the High Heel Drag Race and was in full regalia, wearing a wig, spooky contacts, a dress and heels. And then he whipped out a camera. What did a passing waiter do when he saw us grinning into the phone for a selfie? Offer to take our picture for us.
The Food
When I made reservations, the hostess asked if we had any food allergies or preferences. Komi is a no-menu restaurant, and I knew their contemporary Greek-inspired offerings were sometimes exotic, so I specified that my husband was not a fan of raw fish or meats. At our table, a waitress asked for more specifics about his likes and dislikes and then discussed substitutes. Although the hubby was a little self-conscious, she asked questions with kindness and a complete lack of judgment. I really respected their willingness to make sure us both of us enjoyed our meals.
The meal began with three one-bite plates served one at a time: a brioche topped with roe; a tiny, delicate scallop; and fried, crispy sweet breads. Next we were served two pastas. The main was pork served with bread and sides. I think we had two desserts. I’m sorry I don’t have more details -- I couldn’t take pictures, we had no menu, and, most importantly, I was actually spending the evening enjoying my husband’s company. I am NOT a trained food critic, so I won’t even attempt to go into the intricacies of the food we were served. What I can tell you is this:
- Each bite caused us to stop, savor and think. Not one plate was boring or even just plain good.
- The presentations of the food were beautiful but not overwrought. The simplicity of the plating, décor and staff shines the light on the food.
- Each serving was small. We were still stuffed by the end of the night. Come to Komi starving.
The Wine
Because it was a special occasion (and because my parents had provided a gift certificate for the meal as a birthday present – thanks Mom and Clay!!), we decided to splurge and get the $70-per-person wine pairing to go with our meal. And while the meal without the wine pairing would have been wonderful, the variety and uniqueness of the wines we were introduced to put it over the top.
Our sommelier was the best sommelier I have ever encountered. With every new wine he brought, he painted a picture. Rather than focusing on “notes of this, that and the other” (I can find my own notes, thank you), he told a story: an interesting tale about the French grower, a bit of history about a Countess, what makes the grapes of Lebanon unique. We had wine from France, Germany, Spain, Lebanon, a sour beer from I can’t remember where, a cider from Vermont. Some were great on their own, but all were perfect with the food they were paired with.
The wine pairing and the storytelling truly transformed the meal into an experience. We were shocked when, near the end of our meal, we realized three hours had passed. I mentioned to my husband that all the night was missing was an activity. What if they took a break after the first course, had a live band play beginning-of-the-night music you could dance to, a little Donny Hathaway or young Stevie Wonder? Then another break after the main course, slow music to help you digest progressing into a stuff a little harder, maybe a little James Brown? And then at the end of the night, the band breaks out into a full-on Prince-Aretha-Marvin "Let's Get It On" dance party?
I'm sorry. Dinner at Komi makes me wax rhapsodic. I've had some wonderful meals, but it's rare that a meal turns into such a transportive event.
Komi
1509 17th Street NW (between P & Q Streets)Washington DC 20036
Open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner; Call (202) 332-9200 for reservations.
In-Between Tip: The only difficult part of the Komi experience is getting the chance to step through the door. You have to call to make reservations, the reservation line is only open from 12-4 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, and you can only call a month in advance. I was on hold for at least 30 minutes each time I called. I called at noon on the dot in an attempt to get a Saturday reservation a month away -- forget about it. Folks wiser than me had already filled the spots by the time they answered my call. So how did we get in? We chose the path of least resistance and went on a Tuesday.
Halloween Fun for Adults in the DMV
I’ve put together a list of a few ways that my husband and I can have some adult Halloween fun that won’t leave us haunted with hangovers the next day.
Ghosts of Halloween past
Halloween seems to be dead at my house.
When once we would have been frantically checking off lists for our annual Halloween party and scouring eBay for authentic additions to our costumes and dragging our kids’ costumes through the mud – they’re always some form of zombie or monster; they always need mud – this year, nary a pumpkin has graced our front stoop. No candy has been bought. My youngest is still deciding whether he will go trick-or-treating.
I know I should let it all go gracefully, but part of me is stomping my foot. I like Halloween. I like the dark and the costumes and the witchy atmosphere that accompanies the evening. I’m not seeking the wild, hoopla Halloween parties we used to throw, and I’m not going to drag my teenagers to pumpkin patches.
But I am hunting for way to put a little creep in the season. So I’ve put together a list of a few ways that my husband and I can have some adult Halloween fun that won’t leave us haunted with hangovers the next day:
- Carve pumpkins at my favorite coffee shop/wine bar in Arlington, Northside Social (10/27, 7pm).
- Dress up in spooky historical costumes and tour the historic burial grounds of Congressional Cemetary in D.C. during Ghosts and Goblets (10/25, 8pm-12am).
- Shop and sip Halloween-inspired cocktails during the Mosaic District’s Bootique in Merrifield (10/30, 6-9pm).
- Relive those wild and crazy days with a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the University Mall Theatre in Fairfax (every Saturday), or a live interpretation from Spotlighters Theatre in Baltimore (until Nov. 8, various times).
- Enjoy a wine and Halloween candy pairing, tarot card readings and wine hosts in costume at Fabbioli Cellars (10/26).
- Play glow-in-the-dark lawn games, check out the Naked Mole-Rat and try local food trucks at the National Zoo’s Night of the Living Zoo (10/30, 6:30pm-10pm).
- Go tree-climbing and ziplining, which is terrifying enough in the daylight, in the dark at Harpers Ferry Adventure Center’s Harpers Scary (10/24, 10/25, 11/1) and the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring's Halloween Night-Crawlers Climb (10/24-10/26).
(You’ll notice I’ve skipped all events on the actual holiday, Friday, Oct. 31. Many of us need to keep our eyes on our kids; the rest of us would rather stay out of the crush of too many people trying too hard to have fun on a Friday Halloween.)
I'd love to see photos of your favorite Halloween costumes!
Go to my Facebook page, check out my past pics and post your own.
Happy Halloween!
Little Dancer at the Kennedy Center
Little Dancer, a musical about the young and strong-willed ballerina Edgar Degas immortalized in his famous sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, opens this weekend at the Kennedy Center and tops my list of "I hope to I get to it," before the show ends Nov. 30.
Little Dancer, a musical about the young and strong-willed ballerina Edgar Degas immortalized in his famous sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, opens this weekend at the Kennedy Center and tops my list of "I hope to I get to it," before the show ends Nov. 30. Ballet doesn't usually lure me, but the fact that this is a musical about this beautiful statue, about a place and time that wasn't easy on a young girl, certainly does. If nothing else, I'm making a goal to see the statue, which is on display at the National Gallery of Art until Jan. 11.
The Immersive Experience of the American Indian Museum
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall expresses its intention in every inch. From the soaring limestone tiers of the building’s face to the award-winning native American food in the cafeteria to the artwork on the elevators, its desire to tell the story of the original Americans and immerse museum goers in that story is revealed.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall expresses its intention in every inch. From the soaring limestone tiers of the building’s face to the award-winning native American food in the cafeteria to the artwork on the elevators, its desire to tell the story of the original Americans and immerse museum goers in that story is revealed.
Visitors’ immersive experience at the museum begins on the fourth floor at the Lelawi Theater, where a 13-minute film about native life is reflected on three surfaces: a woven screen in the middle of the room, a large rock beneath the screen and the dome over the viewers’ heads. When one moment shows a magnificent canyon on the screen, the dome overhead shows a hawk circling a blue sky and the rock beneath the screen shows the hawk's shadow on the rocks. The designers have succeeded at creating a unique introduction to the museum.
At times, my visits to the American Indian museum have felt like visits to an art gallery. I could enjoy the beauty of the artifacts, but felt I couldn't fully appreciate what I was seeing without more information.
That feeling has changed with the new exhibit, “Nation to Nation.” The exhibit is about the treaties established over the centuries between various tribes and the European settlers then U.S. government. With two films narrated by Robert Redford and many historical artifacts and documents that tell individual stories, the exhibit shows the respectful establishment of the treaty pact, the disembowlment of that pact by the American government, and the renewed independence treaties gave to the Native Americans in the 70s. It’s a powerful, emotional display of the way treaties have succeeded and failed.
Since you're already at the National Museum of the American Indian, you will have the privilege of eating the best food on the mall. The privilege does not come cheap. Lunch for an individual can easily be over $20 at the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, so reserve the experience for people who will savor the opportunity to eat foods from five different native American regions: Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains. You will find foods here that you cannot find in the rest of Washington, D.C.: Indian fry bread covered in buffalo chili, canela spiced cupcakes, buffalo and duck burgers. The cafe with its view of a fountain waterfall is a vegetarian's dream. I had a cold root vegetable salad in a mustard vinaigrette that was one of the best things I've ever eaten.
A Tour of the National Museum of the American Indian
Cursing Ben's Chili Bowl in Virginia
My taste buds were thrilled and my waistline was terrified when I discovered that there would be a branch of the famous D.C. diner opening in Arlington, on my side of the Potomac. How would I resist the thick, spicy half-smokes smothered in Ben's chili when I no longer had close-to-impossible parking or a two-train Metro ride separating me from them? When I visited the restaurant at 1725 Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon a few weeks ago, it was even worse than I feared.
Oh…damn you Ben’s Chili Bowl. You’re evil is what you are. My taste buds were thrilled and my waistline was terrified when I discovered that there would be a branch of the famous D.C. diner opening in Arlington, on my side of the Potomac. How would I resist the thick, spicy half-smokes smothered in Ben's chili when I no longer had close-to-impossible parking or a two-train Metro ride separating me from them?
When I visited the restaurant at 1725 Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon a few weeks ago, it was even worse than I feared:
- The store is bright and clean and welcoming, a spruced up version of its U Street forefather.
- They take credit cards. No more squinting at the ancient ATM machine at the original, cash-only Ben's OR forgoing the chili cheese fries because I don't have enough cash.
- The Arlington branch has lots of indoor and outdoor seating and you can sit wherever you'd like, unlike the bizarre hierarchy of seating that will get you charmingly yelled at if you sit at the wrong place at the original spot.
- No one yells at you in Arlington.
- The parking lot of the Colonial Village Shopping Center with its many popular restaurants can get a little crowded during prime dining hours, but there is a lot of accessible on-street parking nearby.
Worst of all, I discovered that the one-of-a-kind half smokes and the spicy, condiment-like chili were just as delectable on this side of the river. The shakes were just as spoon-standing thick and the chili-cheese fries were just as deliciously gluttonous. What have you done to me, Ben's Chili Bowl? My waistline may never forgive you.
He Won!!!
Last month, I asked for your help to raise votes and assist my son in winning a video contest. The contest, put together by the Intellectual Property Owners Educational Foundation, asked young filmmakers to create short films about getting a patent. Well, thanks to your help, he won!
Last month, I asked for your help to raise votes and assist my son in winning a video contest. The contest, put together by the Intellectual Property Owners Educational Foundation, asked young filmmakers to create short films about getting a patent. Well, thanks to your help, he won! My son, Simon Lundquist, was one of two winner in his age group with Natalie DiMundo from Santa Monica, Calif.
On Tuesday, Dec. 9, these two young winners, along with two winners in the 16-18 age group, will each receive a $5,000 award at a recognition dinner at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in D.C. Simon is most nervous about getting a tux and giving a speech.
With his winnings, he plans on updating his video equipment and putting a bulk of the proceeds aside for college. His young eyes are already set on the great (expensive!) film schools of NYU, UCLA or USC. So we, the parents, are hoping he enters many more money-making film contests!!
We are very proud of him. Kind of in awe. And very grateful for the it-takes-a-village support of family, friends, neighbors and wonderful strangers.
All of the 2014 IP Video Contest Winners
Angelina M. Lopez,
contemporary romance Author
Writing ferocious love stories
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