If you are a college student that is fortunate enough to have an oven, I just found your new favorite snack. The only thing I ask of you in this post is that you ignore the horrible photography. The concept and deliciousness is there, the pictures are just sub par. This is the most "college" snack I think I made while at Chico State...
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The other day I was going through my Snapchat stories, and I came across the most amazing ten second clips I’ve ever seen… Chrissy Teigen was posting the process she was going through to make teriyaki chicken burgers with toasted coconut buns. HOLY CRAP they looked INSANE! I took to Twitter to ask her for the recipe and while I didn’t get a response, she did “like” my tweet. So I guess you could say that Chrissy and I are friends now (jokes). Since I know that Chrissy published a cookbook titled “Cravings,” I decided to scour the internet to see if those teriyaki chicken burgers happened to be there. Long story short, they aren’t in the in the selection of recipes, but that book now sits on my bookshelf after a quick click through Amazon Prime. (Cravings, Chrissy Teigen) To say the least, I am SO impressed with this book of hers. It is filled to the brim with incredible recipes that I am so excited to try out. She made a book filled with flavor packed recipes made out of ingredients that you would most likely already have on your shelves and not need to go to crazy grocery stores for. That is what I liked most about her book- the recipes aren’t outrageous! I have put sticky notes all over the pages to save what I want to make. The first thing I made from her book… Zucchini Fries! (recipe at bottom) These were so easy to do. I busted them out really quick for a last minute barbeque that we had at our house. The only thing I needed to buy for these was panko… though I am surprised I didn’t have this already. Now that I do, I plan on cooking with it a lot more. If you’ve never cooked before, you could totally make these no problem! Chrissy has a few sauces in her book that she recommended eating them with. Like I said, it was a last minute barbeque, so I didn’t have time to make a sauce. We ended up dunking this fries in either ranch, tabasco-ketchup or barbeque sauce. All of those went great with the fries! I only have a few notes for the next time that I make these… and trust me. There WILL be a next time. I personally found that the flour mixture had way too much left over at the end. Next time I will only use ¾ cup of flour (versus 1.25 cups). I also realized halfway through that I didn’t have enough of the panko/parmesan mix! Next time I will add an extra half cup of panko and parmesan in order to have enough. That being said, Chrissy’s recipe called for two normal sized zucchinis or four small ones. I used three normal sized, but it made a great amount for how many people we had. I am so happy with how this recipe turned out. This makes me beyond excited to try the rest of the recipes in Cravings! XOXO, Marlee Zucchini Fries (courtesy of Cravings by Chrissy Teigen) 1.25 cups flour / .5 teaspoon cayenne pepper / Salt and pepper / 3 eggs / 1 cup panko bread crumbs / .75 cups parmesan / 3 tbsp olive oil / 4 small zucchinis or 2 regular sized Combine the flour, cayenne, salt and pepper in one bowl. Eggs whisked in a separate bowl. Panko, parmesan and olive oil in a third separate bowl, whisk together. Cut the zucchinis into french fry shapes. Roll the fries in the flour, dunk in the eggs, followed by a firm roll in the parmesan and panko mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 425. Serve hot with a sauce of choice. I couldn't even put these on a serving tray before everyone started to help themselves... Comic Con is just around the corner… 13 days left until Preview Night! We are beyond excited for what this year’s convention has in store!
Even though the official schedules haven’t been posted yet, there are a few movies we can count on. Marvel Studios has announced that they will be bringing “Dr. Strange” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” while the DC Universe has promised a large “Suicide Squad” presence during the 5 day convention. (Jared Leto please come!) Many people are looking forward to returning to gorgeous San Diego for the Con, while some are attending for the very first time (what a year to go for the first time)! If you are returning, or if you are going for the first time, there are some things to keep in mind. Here are a few tips to survive the convention: It was a bittersweet day as the Inaugural Coronado Island Film Festival wrapped up. With tons going on, it was hard to choose what to partake in. One opportunity we couldn’t pass up was the sneak preview of “Kung Fu Panda 3” from DreamWorks Animation. The movie was set up by Executive Producer and Director of the Coronado Island Film Festival, Andy Friedenberg, and movie critic Leonard Maltin. One of the most exciting parts about the sneak preview was a special video introduction sent to us by the lead voice of the movie, actor Jack Black! With a quick congratulations on our festival and some kind words about our town, he got us in the mood for some laughs. The movie itself was hilarious, and had a classic “Kung Fu Panda” storyline. It was extremely fun for the whole family, and there was a great turnout of kids that were excited to see the Panda named Po embark on his newest quest to master the art of Chi and defeat the evil Spirit Warrior Kai, voiced by J.K. Simmons. “Kung Fu Panda 3” will be released to theatres nationally on January 29th.
After “Kung Fu Panda 3” we hurried over to the CoSA Theatre to catch the Film Festival’s audience favorite shorts in the “Families” category. The line up of the short films included “Billy the Kid”, “Bror (Brother)”, “The Gift”, “Green Thumb”, “I’ve Just Had a Dream”, and “Unspoken”. Each one of these amazing shorts had its own incredible idea to bring to the table. They ranged from comedy to foreign to dramatic and each one was phenomenal, which made it easy to see why these were crowned the Coronado Island favorites. While all of them stood out there were two that truly astonished the audience. The first was “I’ve Just Had A Dream” by Javi Navarro. This short focused on the power of perspective and how it can drastically change a story depending on which lens it is seen through. This is shown beautifully by depicting one story but having each character describe what is going on via voice over. The result of this creative story telling method is eye opening and forces you to think beyond yourself. We were shocked even more to see it because it did not appear to be in the program, which made it a delightful surprise. The second short that stood above the rest was “Unspoken” by George Zaver. This was incredible because of the minimalist dialogue. The almost non existent speech within the film really lives up to its title. The fact that it was able to communicate a powerful message simply using subtle body language and creative storytelling is truly a testament to the actors as well as the incredible director. The use of uncomfortability as one of the main story telling devices was genius. While watching the film you started out kind of uncomfortable and it grew with the story arch to build into an uncomfortable frenzy that synced up perfectly with the climax of the film. This synchronization gave the message of the film an incredible amount of emotional power that really worked in the films favor. In summary, all of the shorts in this category were sensational and these two put them above and beyond. One of the most difficult parts of the weekend was choosing what to attend, and what to miss. Because there were so many movies to see, some overlapped in screening times, and decisions had to be made. We had a tough time deciding between the Meet the Producers Panel, and the feature film “Coming through the Rye.” Ultimately we chose to go to the Producers Panel, and we were so sad to have missed the feature film. Lucky for us, “Coming through the Rye” was the Film Festival’s audience favorite feature film! Because it won this title, the festival screened it again today at the Vintage Village Theatre. We were so thrilled to see it, because we had heard only rave reviews. Those reviews rang true, and we can see why it was the audience favorite. Based loosely on a true story about a boy who believes he is destined to play the role of Holden Caulfield on stage, this movie was heartwarming, exciting and wonderfully enjoyable. To wrap up the Festival, we attended a screening of the film “45 Years” at the Vintage Village Theatre. It was introduced by Executive Producer and Director of the Coronado Island Film Festival, Andy Friedenberg, and movie critic Leonard Maltin. The movie is about a couple who are about to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary, and the days leading up to their party. We don’t want to give too much away of the plot line, so really, that is all we should say. The movie stars Charlotte Rampling, who just last Thursday received an Academy Award Nomination for Actress in a Leading Role for her part in this film. It is also worth mentioning that “45 Years” just won multiple awards at the London Critic’s Choice Awards. One of the most incredible parts of the festival was its attendees. Every person, whether they had been to a film festival before or not, was over the top excited about every event. The social aspects were phenomenal. While waiting in lines to see the different films, people were chatting about what they have seen, what they haven’t, what they are planning on, what they loved or hated… the list goes on. It was great meeting people in lines that have the same passion for films that we do- something you might not get to talk about on a daily basis. We came to a consensus that this festival ran so smoothly for its first time, and that it was such a great experience, that we all cannot wait for next year’s Festival Weekend. Overall, we had a wonderful time at the festival these past four days. Neither of us have ever been to a film festival before, and boy has this set the bar high for any future festivals we attend. Once again, we are ecstatic for next year’s festival on January 13th through the 16th. Somehow we know it will be even bigger and better than this year, which is already hard to top! Thanks to everyone that made it possible, from the entries to the producers/directors, to the board and the volunteers- you all did an amazing job! It was yet another early morning at the Inaugural Coronado Island Film Festival. We were privileged to see Tim Johnson, the director of DreamWorks Animation’s “Home,” again this morning. When he arrived, he came up to say hello and he leaned over to us and said “what a better way to start your morning than at the movies?” Tim was at the Vintage Village theatre this morning to introduce his movie “Home,” with producer Suzanne Buirgy. Though there was a small turnout, this movie had a huge heart. “Home” is a movie about an alien named Oh (voiced by Jim Parsons), who arrives to Planet Earth with his fellow aliens, whom are called the Boov. The Boov ran away from their enemies, and came to Planet Earth for a “friendly takeover” where they relocated all of the humans to Australia. The outsider Boov named Oh meets Tip (voiced by Rihanna), a human who avoided the Boov’s relocation strategy and got separated from her mom. The story takes us on an outrageously fun adventure of Oh and Tip, as they search for Tip’s mom and try to correct a mistake that Oh made, which put the entire planet in danger. Included in the incredibly talented cast is Steve Martin, who voices Captain Smeck, leader of the Boov, and Matt Jones, who voiced the Boov named Kyle. We were so pleasantly surprised at the comedy, love and heart that this movie gave to its viewers. The 3D technology they used was outstanding- none of us got a headache, and we were in awe of how real it seemed! The story was heartwarming and it sent a lovely message that you will have to see to understand for yourself. Overall, we absolutely loved this movie, and cannot wait to show our friends and family its brilliance! As we must remember from the words of the amazing people on the Animation Panel yesterday, animated movies are not made for kids, they are made for a general audience of any age. After the screening, we took a break at Leroy’s for lunch, where we got an amazing deal as a part of restaurant week. We headed over to Coronado High School to get a feel of the Hospitality Tent. It really was an amazing place to relax and have a small snack. The tent had baked goods from San Diego local company Bliss & Baker. The small treats were fantastic including the simple but addictingly sweet rice krispies treats. While eating the delicious goodies we got a chance to talk to the author of the great book 101 Movies to See Before You Grow Up, Suzette Valle. You can purchase Suzette’s book on Amazon. Mrs. Valle gave some amazing advice about how to write and how to gain traction with our audience. She so generously signed the book that we purchased and we are looking forward to checking some movies off of her list. From the Hospitality Tent we moved to the CoSA Theatre to see the premiere of the locally made film “Daydream Hotel.” The film received a great turnout, with the lines going down the block. The Coronado School of the Arts Theatre was packed as everyone excitedly got to their seats. The movie starred local CoSA students Emma Kidd, Patrick Clark, Ben Shapiro, Rachel Taylor and future CoSA student Zoe Hunt. Each actor did a great job bringing life to their characters. It was especially exciting to be able to see friends we went to school with on the CoSA screen, and to see the technical theatre kids running the booth. Filmed at the Hotel Del Coronado, the shots provided by the drones, thanks to the Navy’s clearance, were so gorgeous. It was such an amazing sight to see the whole community come together to support local upcoming talent. Also, to be a part of the Inaugural Coronado Island Film Festival is such an exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to see what doors this movie opens for the local actors who we are lucky to call our friends. While today was relatively mellow, the overall atmosphere of the film festival was still alive. Tomorrow is the last day and we can't wait to see what it brings! A premiere of DreamWorks Animation “Kung Fu Panda 3,” a showing of “Some Like It Hot” on the beach in front of the Hotel Del, and more are in store for the Festival goers! The afternoon of Day 2 of the Inaugural Coronado Island Film Festival was extraordinary. The Animation panel, held at Lowes Coronado Bay Hotel, was small, but grand at the same time. The Disney Pixar film “Inside Out,” which was recently nominated for an Academy Award in the best Animated Feature category, was presented by Producer Jonas Rivera. DreamWorks Animation brought their recent feature film, “Home,” presented by director Tim Johnson, and producer Suzanne Buirgy. The panel itself was moderated by film critic and Honorary Jury President of the Coronado Island Film Festival’s Inaugural year, Leonard Maltin.
The panel discussed numerous topics but what really drew in our attention were a few stand out moments of the discussion. The first moment that was truly a distinct experience was the fact that both movies brought exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of their movies. “Inside Out” brought with them footage of the animation process and the voice acting performances. We saw images of storyboards, along with pictures of the Pixar employees and other animators that helped shape the film at Pixar Studios in Northern California. We got to see the characters of the film like we had never seen them before. From first footage to 2D drawings, getting an inside look really give you a new appreciation for the animation process. You got to see how truly encompassing animation is as an art. It requires every type of medium to get the fully formed version of the product. This is what makes animation so special and what makes the process take as long as 5 to 7 years to finish. One of the other standout moments from the panel was the video footage that director Tim Johnson brought us. If you have seen the movie “Home,” you will recognize a pivotal scene from the movie that is the alien Oh, voiced by Jim Parsons, dancing for the first time. In this finalized animated scene, we see Oh uncontrollably dancing to the music. At the panel, we learned that the animation team brought in dancer Beau Casper Smart, who, as we were told, danced for upwards of three hours in front of the animators. They called Beau in to improvise dance moves to some audio that included the song and dialogue of the characters that would later be used in the movie. Beau’s body movements were used to create fluidity and relatability in the alien Oh, as he dances in the car for the first time in his life. Seeing the animated scene after watching the footage of Beau dancing truly makes you appreciate what animators do, and how keen they are to detail- some of the dance moves were identical to Beau’s! The most incredible part of the panel was the passion of these producers and director. The sheer belief in their ideas, the drive they have to continue working on their ‘babies’ until they are finished and released to the general audience- yes, the animators aren’t making these movies for kids, they are making them for everyone- is unbelievable. To be able to bring an idea to life in the most vulnerable way that is drawing and creating, is a magnificent thing that we, as movie-goers are able to enjoy to the fullest. These creators pour their heart and souls into their work, for years on end, until they are able to share it with the general public- something that must be terrifying and extremely rewarding at the same time. This panel most definitely stole the show, and is going to be hard to beat. After the panel ended, we joined the Festival’s jurors in the downstairs area of Lowes Hotel. There, we were able to mingle with Jonas Rivera, Lisa Bruce, Leonard Maltin and the wonderful people that made this festival possible. Overall, day two of the Inaugural Coronado Film Festival was a MASSIVE success, one that we will remember for years and years. The intimacy of these panels is something you never get to experience, and how lucky are we to be able to have these people come present their works of art to us? With that being said, day three is only a few hours away, and we are beyond enthused to get a chance to see “Home” tomorrow morning, along with some other lovely films being shown throughout the day. We hope to see you all at the movies tomorrow! Below we have provided an overview of the magnificent panels we attended today. Pictures are located at the end of the post. Today we started our morning early as we waited for the first panel: Meet the Critics. Sponsored by local author of “The Indenture,” Denver McGarey, the City of Coronado’s Boathouse and Club Room was filled with an eager audience and some delicious breakfast snacks. The audience was granted the opportunity to hear some prestigious movie critics discuss their jobs and experiences in the industry. The panel consisted of Leonard Maltin, Joe Morgenstern, Anders Wright, Josh Board, and Diana Saenger. Each of these panelists work with a different audience, from print in the Union Tribune right across the bay, the Wall Street Journal, to the television Show Entertainment Tonight and more. The panelists were all amazingly sociable and answered the questions moderated by Leonard Maltin, along with a Q&A session that included the audience. The panel started out with each critic describing what it is they look for in the films they review. A majority of the critics mentioned that dialogue was one of the most important things they absorb in a film- that it can either make or break their experience. Leonard Maltin specifically looks to be absorbed by the movie’s originality, and wishes it to be “formulaic but well done.” Joe Morgenstern mentioned that he has two specific things he focuses on when reviewing a movie: 1) an entertaining way to get into what he is writing- in other words, how can he draw people in. 2) Something that jumps out and allows him to do justice to whatever it is he is writing. Joe recounted some instances of interacting with his audience as the contacted him, resulting in his description of the “poisonous climate of the internet.” We learned that most of the critics try to avoid movie trailers in order to go into a movie with a clean slate and no preconceived notions of the film. They even go so far as to cover their ears, close their eyes, and hum in order to avoid any sort of trailer spoiling their experience later on. When asked what the influence of a critic is to The Academy Awards, each of the critics agreed that they have little to no influence whatsoever. The panelists explained that one of the most rewarding things they can do as a critic is call interest to films that can’t afford the publicity that a larger scaled studio can. For example Disney and the Marvel Franchise can afford much more publicity than the Academy Award Nominated film “Room” that was produced by a much smaller studio on a significantly lower budget. So, when the critics rave about a smaller film, audiences will be more drawn to go to a film they hadn’t thought they might want to see in the first place. One of the most important crumbs from the food-for-thought that the panelists gave us came from Diana Saenger. She told us all to find a critic that mirrors your taste in films, and stick with them. I think this was an extremely important take-away from the panel. The panelists discussed how in reality, they are human beings that have families and a job, not someone just ripping your favorite movie to shreds. So, that being said, we are now on a mission to find a critic that matches our taste in films, all in hopes that it’ll help guide our cinema experience while also making our own opinions along the way. And with that advice being dropped at the last second, we wrapped the Meet the Critics panel with an ear shattering round of applause. After the critics came the fantastic producers of the film that enlightened us on what a producer actually does. This panel consisted of Lisa Bruce, the moderator of the panel, Suzanne Buirgy, Jim Whitaker, and Tani Cohen. The job of the producer was so much more than we expected it to be. Usually when you think of movie producers, financial matters come to mind. However, they cleared up any questions that people had up front. Suzanne Buirgy summarized it well by saying that their job is, “having a great story and turn it into an outstanding movie that arrives on time and on budget.” So, while the producer is dealing with the finances of the film they are also juggling the cast’s morale, providing the director with the resources they need, casting, and helping keep the production on time. The producers are basically the managers or executives of the production that help keep everything running smoothly while also being the part time ‘therapist’ on set. Suzanne Buirgy, producer at DreamWorks Animation, described one character trait that all producers either have or gain over time: resilience. She explained that her life gift from being a producer was learning how to pick up and keep on going. Jim, the producer of Disney’s “The Finest Hours” shared his story about “getting on the dance floor” - moving up from intern to producer. When asked how a producer manages a healthy lifestyle, family inclusion and their needy jobs, Lisa Bruce (“The Theory of Everything”) shared a story of a friend that throws a going away party, even though they are staying in the same town. But, in a more serious tone, she explained that she dedicates her life to the film, and then takes a lengthy break between a wrap and beginning a new project. All of the panelists agreed and commented on how exhausting the process is and just how long it takes to go through the filmmaking process. From finding a story or developing an idea, to creating a screenplay that gets made into a script, then hiring a director and a brilliant cast, and so on, the work seems endless. Jim Whitaker, explained this best with his example of the movie “Friday Night Lights.” The process that it took to get a script to present was a huge section of time used which was then followed by the struggle of getting a studio to produce a movie where the football team actually (spoiler!) loses. Overall, Whitaker said that the film process took about 15 years to complete. Touching back on the resilience that Buirgy mentioned, Whitaker said that he stuck with the film because while sometimes you make a movie for financial gain and sometimes for critical acclaim, and at other times you make a movie because you feel like the world will be changed because of it. Both panels were incredibly informative and entertaining. Getting the chance to listen to people was such a great opportunity and it gave us a behind the scenes insight to the passionate world of the filmmaking and film critiquing process. It was a very successful morning and afternoon at the second day of the Coronado Island Film Festival. After waiting for two hours in the rain, we were given the extraordinary opportunity to be the first audience to view the upcoming Disney film, “The Finest Hours.” The red carpet was laid out, the VIPs were seated, and in we were able to walk. There were hardly any seats left in the theater, so the front row called our names… But boy did they turn out to be the best seats in the house! The San Diego Sector of the Coast Guard presented the colors and the entire house sang the National Anthem directly in front of us… less than a foot away in reality.
After introductions given by Coronado Island Film Festival Executive Director/Producer Andy Friedenberg, prestigious film critic Leonard Maltin and a gracious hello from “The Finest Hours” producer James Whitaker and director Craig Gillespie, the film began. Disney’s “The Finest Hours” took the audience on a journey like no other. Lead by actor Chris Pine, this is the story of a courageous Coast Guard crew that went on a deadly rescue mission to retrieve 33 men aboard the split-in-half oil rig, the Pendleton. Without giving too much of the movie away, the audience was captivated for the entirety of the film. Towards the beginning of the movie, as noted by producer James Whitaker, the audience was coughing. James described this as the audience’s way of masking their emotion, which shows how engaging the movie is. The film did an amazing job combining the romantic love story and the action packed suspense. As an audience, we were immediately sucked into the relationship between Bernie Webber (played by Chris Pine) and Miriam (played by Holliday Grainger). The instantaneous chemistry between them in the film really establishes the connection in a very limited amount of time. The time was limited because the movie moves very quickly into the main focus of the film which is the daring rescue. The entire journey of Bernie Webber and his crew is captivating until the end. This is due to the immersive visual effects and the intense performances given by all the actors. Seeing it in Real D 3D really helps with the visuals but in all honesty, the film could stand on its own. Seeing that water is known as the holy grail for visual effects artists, this movie really was able to capture it. Every scene out at sea was so visually stunning that it almost seemed like they had to be filming during an actual storm. The visual effects for the film really played a huge part in making this story, to say the least. The second reason for the movie’s success was simply the great acting performances given by the cast. There was a sense of reality to it that separated it from other action/suspense films. It was all about almost downplaying what was happening instead of throwing in over the top emphasis on what was going on. It was simply a story of the Coast Guard doing the job they were called to do and that made it much more enjoyable to watch. Holliday Grainger played the amazing and powerful female character Miriam. Miriam challenged the status quo throughout the film and showed just how powerful the women married to the service men truly are. Again it was acted in such a way that didn’t seem like it was trying to push any agenda but rather it was a strong woman who was just being herself and it came across beautifully. Overall, it is most definitely a must-see film when it is released to theatres nationwide on January 29th. It has almost the amount of suspense of Gravity mixed with a relaxing but emotional love story. Two thumbs up for sure. The Q & A portion after the film made waiting in the rain completely worth it. James and Craig were the most personable people, answering the intriguing questions prompted by Mr. Maltin. They explained the process of the special effects, and how the set was made entirely of 80,000+ pounds of steel. They even told us that the movie was finished just last week, aka three weeks before its nationwide release. After the movie and Q & A, the first screening’s audience was given the opportunity to go across the street for a crowded reception at Coronado Private Bank. At the reception was a delectable selection of appetizers including Vietnamese spring rolls, lamb meatballs and an insanely scrumptious chocolate bread pudding all provided by Chef Drew catering company. With loads of wine and a crowd of great people, the night should be and is considered a wonderful success! Overall, Disney really helped kick off the Inaugural Coronado Island Film Festival, which has already announced that it will return in 2017, in the most exciting way possible. What better way to start than with an incredible film brought to us by Walt Disney Pictures? With the way this evening’s festivities went, we can’t wait for what is in store tomorrow. Check in with us tomorrow evening as we relay our experience at the Meet the Critics, Meet the Producers and Animation panels, along with a few other films that we will be seeing tomorrow evening. Thanks for tuning in! Just like you, I have become addicted to the 30 second recipe videos that are posted on Facebook Pages such as Buzzfeed Food and Tasty. Well, I finally decided to try one, and cooked for my roommates. Courtesy of Buzzfeed, I tried the Pizza Roll-Ups, and man were they delicious! These are so simple to make, and are definitely a hit in the college-kid crowd. Who doesn’t love pizza? (If you don’t, this is where you are politely asked to exit). An exciting twist on the classic Italian delicacy, this is an easy 3 to 4 ingredient snack. Start with the ingredients: croissant rolls, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese sticks, and, if you prefer, pepperoni. It only gets easier from here. As shown in the video, you start the creating process by unrolling your croissants out fully onto a tray. Add a spoonful of sauce, a couple pepperoni slices, half of a cheese stick, and roll them right up! These were an amazing snack that I served with a bowl of warm pizza sauce to use as a dip! They were gone in just a few minutes! You can even make a bunch of these for leftover snacks to have on hand during a busy school week. Below are some pictures of other fun food items I have made! Enjoy! In just a little over a week, the Inaugural Coronado Island Film Festival will kick off! With 85 films being shown, four incredible panel discussions and some exciting parties, this Film Festival is going to be one for the books.
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