The Good Wife “Shiny Objects” Recap

Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) is back! This time she is across the table from Alicia (Julianna Marguiles). It is funny to get a look into her mind in this episode as we usually get to see her being eccentric. She is good at her job despite her eccentricities.

Diane (Christine Baranski) inadvertently downloads a virus onto her computer and it locks the entire firm out of their computers. It’s happened to the best of us, right? Alicia wears an Akris suit with a leather jacket and a sold out Armani Collezioni Cowl Neck Satin Blouse. I tried to recreate this look with a Calvin Klein Seamed Leather Jacket ($499) and Drape Neck Shell from The Limited ($59.95):

akris leather

The firm decides to pay the TrojanLock ransom but it doesn’t work, which leaves Diane stuck on the helpline. I bet she didn’t have this in mind when she left Lockhart Gardner. Diane wore an Akris skirt, a cream blouse designed by Daniel Lawson (the show stylist), a Gucci Waist Belt ($453.80) and Dior Asymmetrical Pumps in black suede calfskin. To recreate this look I used this Pinstripe Pencil Skirt ($99.99), Crepe Tie-Neck Blouse ($79), Faux Leather Skinny Belt ($3.90) and these DV by Dolce Vita Ila pumps ($39.99):

daniel lawson

It is so funny to watch Elsbeth thrown off her game by Alicia. First with the dangly earrings, then the weird magazines. Alicia definitely struck a nerve.

Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) has to enlist the help of her FBI sometimes girlfriend to track down the Ransomware scammer. In the meantime, Diane has to grovel at the feet of David Lee to try to get the password they emailed to her old email address. Diane adds the matching Akris jacket to complete her ensemble. I liked this Topshop Double Breasted Heritage Cape ($166) to recreate a similar look:

akris houndstooth

Elsbeth decides that she can avoid Alicia’s distractions long enough to win the case so they head back to court. Alicia wears an Armani Collezioni Houndstooth Plaid Jacket ($1,420). This Calvin Klein Glen Plaid Jacket ($83.40) is similar:

armani houndstooth

I have to make a mention of the scene with Alicia and Finn (Matthew Goode) at the bar. Alicia is such a bad ass, I love that she randomly does shots of tequila on a school night.

Back in court with Elsbeth, Alicia’s distraction tactics aren’t working as well as the first time. Alicia wore a Rena Lange striped blazer –  a repeat from last season. You can try this Calvin Klein Hounds-Tooth Printed Jacket ($103.99) for a similar look:

rena lange

I love how thrown Elsbeth is when Josh Perotti (Kyle MacLachlan) joins the party. Their relationship is too funny! In other news, Kalinda beat the internet scammer at his own game – she is darn good at her job.

Alicia and Peter’s (Chris Noth) exchange about the endorsement was the most honest I’ve seen her. She finally threw the whoring around in his face. I don’t know if these two kids will ever make it work. She was right about one thing, Peter needs her more than she needs him.

I loved seeing Diane so out of her element when she sees the cockroach – her reaction was priceless! She was wearing a Burberry Prorsum Dégradé Knit Dress (sold out). This Ralph Lauren Abstract-Print Faux-Wrap Dress ($149) is a great match:

burberry

In the end, Peter comes through for Alicia and endorses her. He knows where his bread is buttered…It definitely shows how far she has come and things have sort of come full circle. Alicia wore a red Andrew Gn jacket in a nice political red color. I loved this Tahari Peplum Blazer ($90.29) because it comes in at the waist mirroring Alicia’s look:

red blazer

What did you think about this episode?

You can still watch it here if you missed it.

For more The Good Wife recaps, click here.



FashionSpeak

Disclosure: I received a complimentary ticket to FashionSpeak. All opinions expressed are my own.

I never felt more like a fashion blogger than when I was invited to attend the Detroit Garment Group Guild’s FashionSpeak conference as a blogger. Never mind that I’ve worked with retail clients for nearly a decade or that I’ve taught marketing to fashion students for nearly five years. Becoming a blogger has made me more conscious of my style and I’ve become thoroughly invested in the Detroit fashion scene.

fashionspeak logo

FashionSpeak is a one-day conference for Michigan’s fashion entrepreneurs. The line up for this conference was awesome!

fashionspeak

This was the second year for the conference, and the location downtown set the scene for a fun day of fashion.

fashionspeak set up

First up on the conference agenda was Rachel Lutz. Rachel owns The Peacock Room, a darling boutique in Detroit. I was surprised to hear about her eclectic background. She once even worked for the White House! I’ve followed The Peacock Room on Facebook for a while and I love her funny dressing room quotes.

rachel lutz

Next up was Jeanette Puig-Pey and Bridget Sullivan who work on industrial design at LEAR. I thought this was a great message for my students. Here you have someone like Bridget who was working in the fashion industry and then went to work designing at LEAR. I thought it was a great lesson showing the many different aspects of fashion and showing that there are many fashion career options right here in Michigan.

lear

Now, I’ll be honest, I didn’t hear too much of Matthew Burnett’s speech. Mostly because he was conferenced in and I was sitting in the back. I was also ready for lunch which was hosted by Michigan’s own Buddy’s Pizza! It was so delicious!

buddys

buddys food

Malina Joseph Gilchrist, T Magazine’s Senior Market Editor. She makes fashion decisions every day and had some great advice on how to get your product in front of editors.

malina

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for! Tracy Reese was up next. I loved her passion and enthusiasm for fashion! She also focused on the business side of fashion. It’s not enough to be creative or an artist. If your business is going to grow you will eventually have to be a manager and succeed in the business world too.

tracy reese

There was a fun afterparty following Tracy’s presentation and I wish I could have attended. I had to run off to teach my class so I had to skip the afterparty. I was jealous seeing everyone’s pictures meeting Tracy Reese. Maybe next time I can stay for the whole thing.

I had a great time at FashionSpeak and was able to meet some new fashion blogger friends who I look forward to connecting with again in the future.

I can’t wait to see who presents next year! I hope it will be John Varvatos as he recently announced that he was opening a store here in Detroit!

Who would you want to see at the next FashionSpeak?



Scandal “Like Father, Like Daughter” Recap

The first few minutes of this week’s Scandal were intense. But seriously, where was Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) when I was in college? Getting the president’s daughter out of a party without a single YouTube video was nothing short of a miracle. Poor Fitz (Tony Goldwyn). I felt bad for him having to confront his daughter in that way. His reunion with Olivia had to wait while he dealt with Karen (Mary Mouser). Olivia wore a Burberry Cloqué Jacket ($2,195). I couldn’t find a blouson sleeved blazer so I found this Puffed-Shoulder Boyfriend Blazer ($27.80) to recreate the look:

burberry

Abby (Darby Stanchfield) gets upset when she sees Huck (Guillermo Diaz) and Quinn (Katie Lowes) in the White House which is her turf. Cyrus (Jeff Perry) goes on a little tirade and tells her to get over it and suggests that it might not be very fun to be Olivia. I think this was probably his best speech of the series. Abby wears a Dries Van Noten Geometric-Print Silk Blouse ($755). This Diesel Women’s C-Luceen Blouse ($36.85) is similar:

polka dot blouse

Now that there is a sex tape floating around, Olivia and team have to get to work and figure out who Karen slept with and shut down the tape. Olivia wore an Armani Collezioni Single Button Jacket (sold out). I found this 24 Inch Stretch Cotton Jacket ($54) from Express to recreate the look.

armani collezioni

David Rosen (Joshua Malina) is having second thoughts about using the B6-13 files, but when Jake wants them back, he refuses. Jake forces him to give them up anyways after Rowan (Joe Morton) threatens to kill him.

Olivia also breaks the news to Fitz that she didn’t go away by herself, but with Jake. He realizes that he has failed in all areas and tells Olivia to throw money at the problem so the sex tape goes away.

I loved Olivia’s speech to the Morgan family. She owned that problem and we can see here why she is Olivia Pope and so good at her job (going back to Cyrus’ earlier speech to Abby).

An internal investigator also outs Command’s favorite agent to the President and now he starts to put the puzzle together of what really happened to his son. In a surprising move, the President and Rowan get Tom to implicate Jake in the death of the president’s son. I’m not sure if Fitz just wanted to stick it to him for going away with Olivia or was just blinded by jealousy. In the end, they end up arresting Jake and Olivia is left waiting for him not knowing what happened. She wore an M. Patmos Multi-Stitch Open-Front Cardigan (sold out). This Open Layering Cardigan w/Front Pockets from Merona ($16.79) is similar:

cardigan

What did you think about this week’s episode of Scandal? What will happen to Jake?

If you missed it, you can still purchase it on iTunes.

For more Scandal recaps click here.



Friday Favorites: Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta passed away on Monday and I thought I would pay tribute to him in today’s Friday Favorites post. First I wanted to share my favorite Oscar de la Renta looks and then I want to share my favorite attainable pieces that you can get today.

oscar de la renta

Here are five of my favorite Oscar de la Renta looks:

Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2000 Emmy Awards (Michael Caulfield / AP)

Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2000 Emmy Awards (Michael Caulfield / AP)

Carrie's Oscar de la Renta dress in Sex and the City in 2004.

Carrie’s Oscar de la Renta dress in Sex and the City in 2004.

Jennifer Lawrence at the 2011 SAG Awards

Jennifer Lawrence at the 2011 SAG Awards

Amal Alamuddin during fitting for her Oscar de la Renta wedding dress Photo: Annie Leibovitz for Vogue

Amal Alamuddin during fitting for her Oscar de la Renta wedding dress Photo: Annie Leibovitz for Vogue

Instagram/doublenrich AT LONG LAST: The first lady finally wore an Oscar de la Renta dress earlier this month, after avoiding his looks for seven years.

Instagram/doublenrich
Michelle Obama finally wore an Oscar de la Renta dress just two weeks before his death after avoiding him for seven years.

oscar de la renta2

Here are the five Oscar de la Renta pieces currently on my list:

1. Oscar de la Renta Pink Label Winter Roses Pajama Set ($78)

oscar pajamas

2. Oscar de la Renta NM + Target Floral Canvas Tote Bag

This bag was part of a Neiman Marcus and Target capsule collection in 2013. You can still find a number of bags on eBay for around $30.

NMV1FTR_mk

3. Multicolor Stone Drop Earrings ($157.50)

I am in love with these earrings!

LCY1S7L_mx

4. SPRING MUGUET CANDLE ($75)

Perfect for gifting, this candle has a bouquet of orange blossom, French verbena and lilac with a touch of lily of the valley and violet.

candle

5. Oscar de la Renta scent and gift tote

I am planning to head to the store this weekend and sample Oscar’s various scents to find my favorite. Macy’s is currently giving away a beautiful Oscar tote with any fragrance purchase.

oscar tote

What are your favorite Oscar de la Renta pieces? How will you honor this legendary designer?

I am excited that Five on Friday with A Liz AdventuresThe Good Life BlogHello Happiness and Carolina Charm is back. While it was gone I joined a few other link ups and I am loving meeting everyone!

5 on Friday Logo - Final

If you would like to join the Oh Hey Friday Linkup with The Farmer’s Wife and September Farm just click the button below for more details.

I am also participating in the Friday Favorites Linkup with A Little Bit of Everything Blog, Grace and Love Blog and Momfessionals. You can click the button below for more information and to join the linkup.

Momfessionals

For more Friday Favorites posts, click here.


Revenge “Ashes” Recap

Jack (Nick Wechsler) saves the day and rescues Emily (Emily VanCamp) from the fire. I wasn’t that excited about the fashion this week, but there was a lot of drama packed into this episode!

Victoria (Madeline Stowe) emerges from the abyss and tries to find a way to get some money. On her journey, she runs into Daniel (Josh Bowman) who tells her off and then Louise (Elena Satine) from Clairmont hunts her down for a very odd reunion. Louise wears a sexy green dress that looks like it could be Gucci. I found a few alternatives to recreate the look. The first is Tart’s infinity stretch-modal convertible dress ($114.40) and the second is this Amanda Uprichard Malibu Dress ($86.99):

green dress

Jack decides to confront Emily about what really caused the fire and is desperate to find out why Charlotte (Christa B. Allen) is involved. Emily still wants to defend Charlotte, but Jack wants to turn her in. Emily wore a Vince blouse ($98) that you can find here or here and Arte Designs Green Amethyst Earrings ($85). This Vince Camuto Center Pleat Sleeveless Blouse ($69) is similar:

vince blouse

Victoria finds Charlotte and reveals that David (James Tupper) is alive and brings her to meet him. They have a touching reunion until Victoria starts twisting it into part of her Emily revenge scheme. Emily pays them a visit, but Victoria greets her with a shotgun. She is terrified that Emily will see that David is alive. Emily knows that Victoria is up to something, but she can’t put her finger on it yet.

Jack visits Emily and reminds her of their former friendship. This is the only time you see a touch of the real Emily/Amanda. Emily wore her Vince Thermal Zip Front Hoodie ($395) again. This Paperwhite Open Knit Cardigan Sweater ($39.95) is similar:

vince thermal 2

Jack decides that he is not going to reconstruct the stowaway and spend more time with his family. It was at that moment I thought maybe he could reach Emily.

Victoria reaches out to Margaux (Karine Vanasse) who gives her a “loan” which will help get her back on her feet.

David pays Emily a visit in the middle of the night to presumably kill her, but Nolan (Gabriel Mann) interrupts him before he can make a big mistake.

What did you think of the this week’s episode? When is Emily going to figure out that her father is alive?!

If you missed it, you can purchase it on iTunes.

For more Revenge recaps, click here.



Posh Picks: Jenna Kator South Haven

Disclosure: I received my own Jenna Kator South Haven Wristlet for the purposes of this review. All opinions are 100% mine.

I mentioned back in May that new blog series were coming and this is my next reveal! One of my friends, Melissa Malesky, has a fabulous local boutique called Posh. Melissa and I went to college together and were both in sororities, her husband is in my husband’s fraternity and she has the cutest little family. We both studied communications and who would have thought she would end up owning and operating her own boutique!

Melissa has taken Posh online, so now everyone can shop there! In honor of Posh’s website launch Melissa and I put our heads together and wanted to start a new series we are calling Posh Picks.

Posh Picks

Every month, I am going to go shopping at Posh and pick out something fabulous to share with you. Then Melissa will offer a special discount for Detroit Duchess readers on the item. Sounds easy, right?

My first Posh Pick is an item from the Jenna Kator collection. If you aren’t familiar with Jenna, she is a local Michigan designer who started her own handbag line in 2008. Her goal was to allow women to be fashionable at affordable price points. All of her handbags have fun Michigan names and are made from animal friendly vegan leather. PETA has even named the Jenna Kator Collection as an approved vegan company.

south haven

I chose the South Haven Wristlet because I had a ton of fun outdoor events coming up like tailgating, apple orchard visits and beer festivals where I didn’t want to lug around a big bag. I have also found myself bringing this wristlet to my yoga class every night as its perfect to grab and go.

south haven 1

This wristlet is named after a harbor town off the coast of Lake Michigan. It is known as a one-of-a-kind beachtown with endless stretches of white sand beaches.

south haven 2

I chose the plum color because it is hot for fall, but the South Haven comes in rust, black, olive, plum, rustic tan, and dark aqua.

south haven 3

You can normally purchase the South Haven for $26, but Detroit Duchess readers are getting 10% off until November 3! You can purchase the South Haven here and at check out you can use the code: Duchess10.

sale code

I would love to hear what you think about this new series and what items you would like to see me showcase next.



The Good Wife “Oppo Research” Recap

This episode begins with Alicia (Julianna Marguilles) getting ready for guests, specifically Eli (Alan Cumming) and her new campaign manager, Johnny Elfman (Steven Pasquale). They are sitting down to talk about oppo research, specifically all of the dirty little secrets in Alicia’s closet. She wore a Jason Wu Tie Bar Blouse ($995). This Ann Taylor Legacy Blouse ($119) is similar:

jason wu

These scenes are hilarious, especially with Grace’s (Mackenzie Vega) choir group in the background. Diane (Christine Baranski) and Cary (Matt Czuchry) call her with more Lemond Bishop drama. Diane’s dress in this scene is incredible. It is a white dress with a lace applique. I found this Ali Ro White And Black Stretch Cotton Lace Detail Dress ($168.99) to recreate her look:

ali ro

Next, Eli reveals that Zack got an abortion with his girlfriend last year, which was a horrible way to tell her. They also reveal pretty awful things about her mother and brother. There were a lot of bombs dropped in this episode! Alicia takes it all in stride, but first she has to fire Lemond Bishop (Mike Colter) as a client. He doesn’t take it very well. Alicia wears an Escada Checkerboard Jacquard Jacket ($1295). This Isaac Mizrahi Live! Jacquard Floral Knit Blazer ($62.48) is similar:

escada2

In order to run for State’s Attorney, a few things need to be fixed. First, Peter (Chris Noth) has to fire his sexy young intern, second, Alicia has to confront her family members and in the case of her mother blackmail a woman and thirdly, dispute her new alcohol problem. Never a dull moment…

At the end of the episode, we find out that Lemond Bishop started a PAC for Alicia and is using his drug money to fund it…I don’t see that being a problem, do you? Note the sarcasm…It should be an interesting few weeks waiting to see how this will end.

What did you think about this episode?

You can still watch it here if you missed it.

For more The Good Wife recaps, click here.



Scandal “Inside the Bubble” Recap

This week’s episode of Scandal kicks off with a breaking news story of the “Killer Cliff Bride.” It’s interesting how this story gets woven throughout the whole episode. The White House staff first watches the story, including Abby (Darby Stanchfield) who wears an L.K. Bennett Lander Fitted Seamed Dress (sold out). I loved this Studio Tahari-Levine Co. Pleated Sheath Dress ($79.99) as a great alternative look:

lk bennett

Mellie (Bellamy Young) takes a personal interest in the story – she can relate. She wore a Theory Trincy Cardigan in Evian Space ($345). This H&M Wool Blend Cardigan ($34.95) is similar:

theory

Olivia (Kerry Washington) is trying to build a new relationship with her father and starts by dropping by his house. She wears her Armani Collezioni Roll-Neck Boucle Coat (sold out) and carries her marble Prada Saffiano Cuir Tote (sold out). To get this look for less, try this BB Dakota Dillane Coat ($85) and the Michael Kors Jet Set Travel Saffiano Leather Tote ($268):

armani prada

Pope & Associates takes on a new case for an old law school friend, Catherine Winslow (Sonya Walger). Her stepdaughter goes missing and Olivia is on the case. She looks softer in an Armani blouse and a Donna Karan Collection Drape Front Cashmere Cozy (sold out). This is a great opportunity to look to The Limited’s Scandal Collection with this Ruffle Front Blouse ($49.95) and Shawl Collar Lounge Cardigan ($59.95):

donna karan

As with most clients, they don’t always tell the whole truth. Huck (Guillermo Diaz) finds a sex tape featuring Catherine and her step-daughter’s boyfriend. Huck wakes Olivia up in the middle of the night so we get a good look at her La Perla pajamas (Top $420, Pants $310). These Victoria’s Secret Afterhours Satin Pajamas ($69.50) are similar:

la perla2

Things get nuclear when the step-daughter is murdered and Olivia thinks that Catherine did it. Abby comes to see her and find out what’s going on, but Olivia won’t tell her anything. Olivia wears a Giorgio Armani Zipped Knit Jacket ($1990.07). This Tahari Quilted Zip Front Jacket ($90.29) is a great look for less:

tahari

Mellie has gone overboard with the killer cliff bride story and has assembled her own meeting with the top experts in Washington, much to Abby’s chagrin. Nobody will listen to her objections about how Mellie may have gotten a little carried away. Abby wears a Sportmax Chantal fitted dress ($690.41). I liked this Land’s End Women’s Sleeveless Pattern Woven Wear To Work Sheath Dress ($99) for a similar look for less:

sportmax

A few highlights from this episode included, Jake (Scott Foley) and Olivia’s awkward dinner with Command, Abby coming into her own and finally making Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) learn her name, Cyrus (Jeff Perry) comprimising his integrity to get some action, Quinn (Katie Lowes) finally calling out OPA for not caring about what happens to her, and Catherine getting arrested for killing her stepdaughter.

What did you think about this week’s episode of Scandal?

If you missed it, you can still watch it online here.

For more Scandal recaps click here.



Fashion in Detroit Recap

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to Fashion in Detroit. All opinions expressed are my own.

I recently attended Fashion in Detroit and had a blast! I feel like the Detroit fashion scene is staging a comeback and I am so excited to be experiencing it as a blogger.

I arrived at the event just in time for the Somerset Collection runway show, which had awesome clothing from Kate Spade, LK Bennett, Anne Fontaine, Eileen Fisher, Intermix, Max Mara, St. John, Halston Heritage, and Neiman Marcus. Unfortunately, I wasn’t located in a place where I could get runway pictures, the white stage was making all the photos too bright, so I have to use the talented Scott Legato’s photos which you can get here. Here are some of my favorites from the first collection:

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456263158 456263818 456263842 456263860 456263870 456263912 456263920 456264916

Next up we had the House Ikhonic, Galore Groupe, Fotoula Lambros, 4 Men, Cheryl Zemke, Bricker Tunis Furs, Lyudviga Couture, Kevin Christiana for Adam Levine Collection, Trybe, Peter Soronen, Dodge by Joe Faris, and Joe Faris Detroit.

I had no idea how much I would love Peter Soronen. I wasn’t very familiar with Soronen prior to this, but you may have seen some of his glamorous evening wear on the first lady, Michelle Obama. He is known for his corset style dresses, which are gorgeous!

peter soronen

I also got to spend some time catching up with Shannon Lazovski from Glamorous Moms:

shannon

When I got home, I was able to check out the gift bag, which was great!

gift bag

Which looks were your favorites?

For more information on Fashion in Detroit, you can visit their website here.



Revenge “Disclosure” Recap

Victoria (Madeline Stowe) and David Clarke (James Tupper) had a touching reunion, that is until he strangled her and transported her to an unknown location. So far, David remains a mystery.

Emily (Emily VanCamp) is in her element again, erasing an trace of Victoria’s stay at the mental institution and convincing Nolan (Gabriel Mann) to help track her down. She wears a Stella McCartney Long Blazer (sold out), the Isaac Silk Tank Top by Theory ($235), Arte Designs Infinity Labradorite Earrings ($68), Ippolita Quartz-Station Necklace ($795) and the Manolo Blahnik BB Patent Nude Pump ($595):

theory

To recreate this look I found this Mural Slouchy Boyfriend Blazer ($74), Soft Chiffon Tank from Forever 21 ($7.80), Kate Spade Opening Night Station Necklace ($128) and this Steve Madden Insaniti Half d’Orsay Pump ($99.95):

steve madden

After Nolan’s tip to Margaux (Karine Vanasse), she and Daniel (Josh Bowman) have been scheming to get Gideon (Daniel Zovatto) away from Charlotte (Christa B. Allen). Margaux wore a Rag & Bone Franklin Cutout-Yoke Crepe Top ($96) with a green skirt. This T. Tahari Lila Blouse ($37.80) is similar:

rag and bone

They may not need to worry after Charlotte discovers that Gideon is just using her and laughing at her behind her back. She wore a Haute Hippie Ruffle Front Crossover Dress ($386). This Felicity & Coco Ruffled Faux Wrap Maxi Dress ($46.80) is similar:

haute hippie2

This was the last straw for Charlotte, who decides she is going to jump off a building until Jack’s (Nick Wechsler) new partner saves her. You get a good glimpse of her Gianvito Rossi Suede Lace Up Sandals ($1,100). These Aldo Cezarine pumps ($79.98) are similar:

gianvito rossi

Jack takes Charlotte to Emily’s house so she can finally reveal her true identity. Charlotte’s cardigan is the Layla Pointelle Wrap from BCBGMaxAzria ($93.80). This Textured Stripe Open Knit Cocoon Duster Cardigan from Charlotte Russe ($25.99) is similar:

maxazria

This doesn’t seem to make a difference to Charlotte – it just angers her further. Emily wore a Vince Thermal Zip Front Hoodie ($395). This Paperwhite Open Knit Cardigan Sweater ($39.95) is similar:

vince thermal

She decides to kill Emily by hitting her in the head with a fire extinguisher and setting the stowaway on fire. Be careful what you wish for Emily…

Margaux and Daniel successfully remove Gideon from the business which I didn’t feel too bad about because he was a drug addict and a jerk.

What did you think of the this week’s episode? Will Emily make it out alive?

If you missed it, you can still watch it here.

For more Revenge recaps, click here.



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