GIA CARANGI: Remembering a beautiful woman and her life

Back in the late years of last century, I read a biography about the life the "first supermodel," Gia Carangi ("Thing of Beauty" by Stephen Fried).  It has haunted me every since.  She was so beautiful.  Her life was short and ended tragically.  She was one of the first famous women who died of AIDS as a result of her heroine addiction.

 I fell in love with her when I discovered her and read the biography.  I have seen it said that when Cindy Crawford started she was referred to as 'Baby Gia' on Twitter ('When I first started modeling I was referred to as "Baby Gia" after Gia Carangi. What do you think?', Cindy Crawford's Twitter account)

Cindy's amazing success continues to this day.  But Gia led a life of the 70's/80's.  She died tragically in 1983 of AIDS at the young age of 26.

I was a couple of years younger than her and I lived through the AIDS crisis (I'm still alive today since becoming HIV+ in the early to mid 80's.)  The older I get (I'm now 55) I am saddened, with exception of a few people who have died, future generations have no understanding of people that lived amazing lives before us.  No doubt when I was young I was the same way.

I won't ever forget Gia Carangi for her amazing beauty and her short life.  Her star burned so bright.















https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/01/29/gia-carangi-fashion_n_4686597.html

The SEATTLE SPACE NEEDLE completes a $100 million renovation

My paternal side of the family lived in Seattle and Washington.  I lived in Texas.  But I grew up as a young lad, teenager, young adult visiting Seattle and my favorite Aunt.  She was Aunt LaVaughn by name but she was truly the most wonderful larger than life character.  She was my very own Auntie Mame.

Every visit, we would go up to the rotating restaurant at the top of Seattle Space Needle.  It was magical.  In my adult life I been to Seattle many times.  It feels like a second home considering I've been there so many times and had so many important people there throughout my life.

The last time I was there was five years ago.  We went to the restaurant for lunch.  It was lovely. (Except as the room revolved pieces of gum left by children over the years would reveal themselves.)  It was disgusting.  But they served as much as a landmark as the beautiful 360 degree Seattle cityscape that was hundreds of feet below.   It was a very memorable dining experience then, when I was 50 as it had been decades when I was there as a young boy.

The last time I was there the renovation were announced.

Architectural Digest reports that the project is completed (1).  It looks as though they truly have made it a more modern and enticing experience.

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/seattle-space-needle-renovation?mbid=nl_05192018PM_Weekly&CNDID=35772209&spMailingID=13539731&spUserID=MTMzMTM1NjI1MDA3S0&spJobID=1401682475&spReportId=MTQwMTY4MjQ3NQS2

(1) Kristine Hansen, Architectural Digest, May 2018, "Seattle’s Iconic Space Needle Prepares to Unveil a $100 Million Renovation"