Colin McAllister & Justin Ryan

Colin Lewis McAllister (born 10 January 1968) and Justin Patrick Ryan (born 11 February 1967) are Scottish interior decorators and television presenters. McAllister and Ryan have incorporated their trademark behaviour, which includes their frequent bickering, fussiness, tantrums, mild innuendo and light-hearted put-downs, as comic relief into most of their programmes.

As well as being co-hosts, McAllister and Ryan have also been in a relationship since April 1985 and are credited as introducing laminate flooring to British households. On 15 February 2008, they had a private civil partnership ceremony in London followed by a Caribbean honeymoon. After leaving 2009's edition of I'm A Celebrity contest on ITV, they announced that they were to renew their vows on their 25th anniversary, 28 April 2010.

Although their main residence is Glasgow, they divide their time between there and London in their own homes in both cities. The two also own a downtown loft in Toronto where they developed a new formats for 2013 North American broadcast. They have filmed 4 × 13 episode series of Colin and Justin's Home Heist for HGTV, which is broadcast in approximately 25 countries.


Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan are Scottish interior decorators and television presenters. McAllister and Ryan have incorporated their trademark behaviour, which includes their frequent bickering. As well as being co-hosts, McAllister and Ryan have also been in a relationship since April 1985. On 15 February 2008, they had a private civil partnership ceremony in London followed by a Caribbean honeymoon. They announced that they were to renew their vows on their 25th anniversary, 28 April 2010.

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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Ryan

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More Real Life Romances at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Real Life Romance

Coco Chanel (August 19, 1883 – January 10, 1971)

Coco Chanel (born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel) opened a millinery shop in 1909, featuring refined hats whose simple design contrasted with the overwrought style of the time and presaged modern high fashion. Beginning in 1914, Chanel designed a line of clothing—usually in black, gray, and beige—that eventually included short skirts and tailored suits. Her style was unmistakable and her name became synonymous with haute couture.

Chanel had many affairs with wealthy men who helped finance her business pursuits. She was bisexual and she shared the love for the young Nicoletta “Niki” Arrivabene (San Polo 01.11.1906 + Rivalta sul Mincio 16.09.1986) Valenti Gonzaga with her own lover, bisexual Italian director Luchino Visconti. In the end Niki married Luchino's brother, Edoardo Visconti di Modrone (Milano, Milano 28.09.1908 + Milano 04.10.1980, married 28.11.1931; sons: Eriprando Visconti di Modrone dei Duchi di Modrone (b. 24.09.1932, married Patrizia Ruspoli), Violante, contessa Visconti di Modrone (b. 12.06.1934, married Pier Maria Pasolini Dall' Onda Carlo Caracciolo, 10º principe di Castagneto, 4º duca di Melito), Vivide Visconti di Modrone (b. 22.01.1938, married Riccardo Parodi de Delfino). Niki's sister, Maddalena Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (1909-1966), known as Madina, married Luigi Visconti, duca di Grazzano Visconti (1905-1967), another brother of Edoardo. She was part of the Italian resistance during WWII. (P: Nicoletta “Niki” Arrivabene)

A woman who was only three years younger than his own mother Carla, she was for Luchino Visconti all at once counselor, passionate lover, second mother, harder, less feminine, but equally strong, energetic, and realistic than his own real mother.

She said: "I 'm in love and at the same time I'm not."

And she falls in love with Visconti cause he was tailored to her character, with his excesses, his generous impulses, his brutal honesty, sometimes coarse, his desire for the absolute, his intolerance.


Genevieve Fath


Coco Chanel opened a millinery shop in 1909, featuring refined hats whose simple design contrasted with the overwrought style of the time and presaged modern high fashion. Beginning in 1914, Chanel designed a line of clothing—usually in black, gray, and beige—that eventually included short skirts and tailored suits. Chanel had many affairs with wealthy men but she was bisexual and she shared the love for the young Niki Arrivabene with her own lover, bisexual Italian director Luchino Visconti.

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Stern, Keith (2009-09-01). Queers in History: The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Historical Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals (Kindle Locations 3352-3357). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

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More Fashion Designers at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Art

It Happened Today: January 10

Aaron Bridgers & Billy Strayhorn: http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3624990.html

Bridgers was introduced to Strayhorn as a perspective "partner" by Mercer Ellington, son of the Duke. A straight black man in 1939 introduced these two "gay" men to one another. Anyway, a year after their meeting, both Strayhorn and Bridgers moved in together. They were describe as being very affectionate toward one another. Even more importantly, those who knew them as a couple were respectful of the two men and their relationship. Considering the time in which both men lived this is impressive in so many ways.

Coco Chanel (August 19, 1883 – January 10, 1971): http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4124490.html

Coco Chanel opened a millinery shop in 1909, featuring refined hats whose simple design contrasted with the overwrought style of the time and presaged modern high fashion. Beginning in 1914, Chanel designed a line of clothing—usually in black, gray, and beige—that eventually included short skirts and tailored suits. Chanel had many affairs with wealthy men but she was bisexual and she shared the love for the young Niki Arrivabene with her own lover, bisexual Italian director Luchino Visconti.

Colin McAllister & Justin Ryan: http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3455054.html

Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan are Scottish interior decorators and television presenters. McAllister and Ryan have incorporated their trademark behaviour, which includes their frequent bickering. As well as being co-hosts, McAllister and Ryan have also been in a relationship since April 1985. On 15 February 2008, they had a private civil partnership ceremony in London followed by a Caribbean honeymoon. They announced that they were to renew their vows on their 25th anniversary, 28 April 2010.

Dennis Cooper (born January 10, 1953): http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/1409932.html

Dennis Cooper is a novelist, poet, critic, editor and artist. "The Sluts is the apotheosis of a story he's been reworking for years: the elusive central character - a generic boy - appears in variation incarnations (Safe, Try) taken to dizzying heights. However, Cooper remains in control of the narrative and, while The Sluts comes close to unraveling, it never succumbs to collapse. " --Tomas Mournian. "You’re rooting for these people, you feel their heartache and lonliness." --Blair Mastbaum

Gluck & Edith Shackleton Heald: http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4124357.html

The famous English painter Peter Gluck was born as Hannah Glukstein to a wealthy and close-knit Jewish family. In 1944 Gluck moved to Chantry House in Steyning, Sussex, living with lover Edith Shackleton Heald until her death. One of Gluck's bestknown paintings, Medallion, is a dual portrait of Gluck and Gluck's lover Nesta Obermer, inspired by a night when they attended a production of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Gluck also had a romantic relationship with the British floral designer Constance Spry.

Gay Romance Challenge: January 2014

Here is the Bestsellers List on Amazon I'm referring to for the challenge:

Bestsellers in Gay Fiction

And here is the actual situation (in bold the books I read with link to the review and marked as New the books entering the Challenge this month):

1) Ethan (Alluring Indulgence) by Nicole Edwards
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1939786177/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
2) The Backup Boyfriend by River Jaymes
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GZYZYVK/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
3) Pretty Poison by Kari Gregg
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1494386631/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
4) Fish and Ghosts by Rhys Ford
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1627984178/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
5) Assassin Found (Lost Shifter) by Stephani Hecht
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HRB1FX6/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
6) Pinned by Maris Black
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HJTZJCE/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
7) Justice For Skylar (The 12 Olympians) by Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1494464756/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
8) Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1416971718/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:
9) His Roommate's Pleasure by Lana McGregor
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CC68G7Y/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review: http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3871495.html
10) The Only One Who Knows by Cat Grant & L.A. Witt
Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EVQZHEI/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Review:

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The Bobby Michaels Award for Best Gay Erotic Romance: Stars and Stripes by Abigail Roux

I do not have the patience, or time, to read the whole series, so basically, I’m jumping up and down, according to the mood ;-) This time I went back to book 6, again about Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett, and with a “family” flavor that made it different; oh, don’t get me wrong, there was adventures, this is after all a mystery/thriller series, but it was all regarding family troubles, small like the bartering between Ty’s parents, or big like the trespasses crime in Zane’s parents’ ranch in Texas.

Ty and Zane are not a consolidated couple; they are living together, they are talking of permanent commitment, and at one point, they are even considering their own family: if that will consist of furry or human babies, well, that is still to be decided, but at least they are at that point in life when future is not something far from you.

I really enjoyed both family environments, so much that my only regret is that the part devoted to Ty’s family is not so extended like the one for Zane’s. Ty’s grandfather is a wonderful character, but also the parents, a little crazy like Ty, but all the same devoted to their beloved ones.

I was so enjoying the romance, that I almost “missed” the development of the thriller, so much that, when it unleashes and arrives to the apex, I was almost caught by surprise, scrambling to put the piece together, cause I totally missed all the references to arrive to the culprit before it was written in black and white. To me, that was perfect, cause I’m more a romance reader, but I have the feeling that also who enjoys thrillers will like this book, considering the slightly complex mystery.

Paperback: 292 pages
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (August 13, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193755158X
ISBN-13: 978-1937551582
Amazon: Stars & Stripes: Cut & Run, #6
Amazon Kindle: Stars & Stripes: Cut & Run, #6

Series: Cut & Run
1) Cut & Run: elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1617855.html
2) Sticks & Stones
3) Fish & Chips
4) Divide & Conquer
5) Armed & Dangerous
5.5) Dine & Dash
6) Stars & Stripes



More Reviews by Author at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Reviews

The Convertible Life by Sean Meyrick Hanley

It’s a huge achievement if you can laugh while reading a tragedy; Hanley’s debut novel has humor, clever and never crass, but at the same time is one of the most unthinkable drama you can find; Thompson and Timothy (aka Rod Hard), identical twins, sharing a mind like all twins, criss-crossing lives, needing to find a way to break their link to be able to save each other life, or maybe once you broke it, it’s the end?

After a few chapters I realized I wasn’t reading an evolution of a story, a development of lives, I was actually approaching an implosion, the vital need for Thom to deconstruct his life from the very beginning, to understand how he is at this point, and maybe being able to really starting living, cause there is like a block in him, something dragging him behind, something anchoring him to the bottom, while redemption is above, far from. But at the same time, I was feeling a deep compassion for Timothy, he was dragging Thom behind, but he was at the same time screaming for his own life, for his own chance to live the same existence of Thom. While Thom should have that chance and not Timothy? Weren’t they, after all, like one person?

Like many tragedy, there isn’t really a final chapter giving closure, if not, maybe, that Thom and Timothy will have a chance to peace and happiness; but that is probably another story.

Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: Red Baron Press (October 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615750257
ISBN-13: 978-0615750255
Amazon: The Convertible Life
Amazon Kindle: The Convertible Life

More Reviews by Author at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Reviews