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The Midnight Walk finds you in a gloomy world where fire is your friend (mostly) but a living lantern is an even greater buddy (always). You are The Burnt One, and you find yourself wandering through a world overtaken by darkness. Given that it’s perpetually night here, fire is an extremely valuable light source (and thankfully there’s some matches lying around to help you with that). Then again, you might not really want to see the things that are skulking around this world more clearly. There are some really creepy claymation monstrosities that are out to get you as you explore the game’s five different stories, and they are more than happy to give you an eyeful of their every unsettling detail as they devour you whole. Now, I am especially susceptible to claymation creatures. A youth spent stumbling across claymation horrors like Large Marge in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure has given me a tremendous weak spot, and this game hits that hard with its creative array of monsters and just how fast they can start to chase you down (thank goodness for frequent hiding places). However, this game also tries to redeem the creepy claymation creature for me with Potboy, our scary, yet endearing and cute companion for most of the journey. Something about his uneasiness to go on this adventure and the slow trust you build with him over the course of the game left me caring a great deal about his safety. Valuing him as a friend in a frightening place that I’m glad I didn’t have to walk alone. The Midnight Walk is frightening in its encounters with its many creative monsters, but it also highlights how important it is to have someone to face your fears with together, even if you were initially scared of that buddy to begin with. The Midnight Walk is available now on the PlayStation Store and Steam. About The Author

On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal ExhibitionsSave this picture!Czech Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka / Apropos Architects Image © boysplayniceWhat can a pavilion’s architecture reveal about its country? At major World Expos, national pavilions are designed to answer this question, transforming into spaces laden with symbolism. Though temporary, these structures are rich in meaning, functioning as architectural expressions of political identity. Their forms and materials encapsulate national ambitions. Expo Osaka 2025, the latest chapter in this ongoing narrative, showcases how nations increasingly use built space to construct global images of themselves—sustainable, technological, culturally distinct, and geopolitically relevant. Save this picture!Over the decades, these pavilions have evolved into meticulously curated narratives where architecture, politics, and culture intersect to shape national identity. At Osaka 2025, this symbolic and diplomatic function becomes even more pronounced. Pavilions communicate not only who a nation is, but who it aspires to be. The environmental agenda, for example, has become a compelling vector of soft power. Japan’s pavilion exemplifies this shift, employing local wood, parametric design, and natural ventilation not just for function, but as metaphors of circularity and harmony with nature.Save this picture!Meanwhile, countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are embracing immersive technologies—augmented reality, responsive facades, and AI—to reframe their narratives. No longer defined solely by oil economies, they seek to position themselves as innovation-driven futurescapes. In this context, national identity is staged like a multisensory installation. Materials, sounds, aromas, lighting, and spatial choreography become tools for storytelling—none of them neutral, all of them charged with intent. Related Article Are World's Fairs a Thing of the Past? The Role that Architecture Played on One of History's Biggest Stages Architecture as a Political StatementPavilions transcend cultural or technological display to become instruments of political messaging. Architectural choices convey nuanced—or at times overt—signals about values, ambitions, and worldviews. Denmark’s Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion, with open ramps and fluid circulation, subtly suggests democratic transparency and inclusion, while Russia’s monumental spiral structure evokes nationalism and technological command. Here, architecture becomes a codified discourse: every curve, void, and surface reads like a political sign.Save this picture!This language continues at Osaka 2025. Israel’s pavilion, inspired by the ecological resilience of deserts, presents a narrative of innovation and perseverance amid adversity—an architectural response to both climate challenges and regional geopolitics. Bahrain’s contribution, by Lina Ghotmeh Architecture, focuses on the adaptability of maritime cultures. South Korea’s high-tech, futuristic pavilion reinforces its position as a rising digital powerhouse.In some instances, however, absence speaks just as loudly. In previous editions, countries like North Korea and Syria have boycotted the Expo as a form of political protest. These silent gestures are part of the same strategic vocabulary, where presence, form, and even withdrawal shape the geopolitical stage set by architecture.Save this picture!Sustainability on DisplayAmid the global climate crisis, national pavilions have also become key arenas for environmental diplomacy. Sustainability—once a peripheral concern—is now central to the architectural narrative of Expos. It’s no longer only about meeting green standards, but about crafting a spatial language that embodies ecological responsibility. This shift also challenges the very notion of ephemerality: where temporariness once defined these structures, reuse, intelligent disassembly, and material reintegration now drive their conception.This ecological turn is particularly evident at Expo Osaka 2025. With the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” the event encourages models of regenerative, cooperative, and resilient living. Sweden’s and Germany’s pavilions are designed for a second life, to be repurposed as schools or community centers. The U.S. pavilion, designed by Trahan Architects, incorporates steel, fabric, and HVAC components repurposed from Tokyo 2020 Olympics structures—materials slated for further reuse across Japan. In this framework, the Expo becomes a laboratory of environmental geopolitics, where sustainability itself is a form of soft power.Save this picture!Technological Spectacle as a National StrategyIn contemporary Universal Exhibitions, technology is no longer displayed as an end in itself but has become a narrative and experiential medium. Immersive installations, sensory interfaces, and AI-driven storytelling transform pavilions into interactive ecosystems, where visitors are both spectators and agents. This shift signals a significant change: it is no longer just about showcasing innovation, but about embedding technology into the dramaturgy of space. Architecture, in this context, ceases to be a static backdrop and merges with experience design, dissolving the boundaries between the built and the digital. Moreover, the way each country orchestrates these elements reveals its ability to envision desirable futures—and to position itself as a protagonist in the global technological transformation.Save this picture!At Expo Osaka 2025, this race for technological affirmation takes clear shape in pavilions such as that of the United Arab Emirates, which offers an interactive journey through environments responsive to human presence, narrative artificial intelligence, and real-time sensors that react to visitors’ actions—demonstrating a sophisticated technical mastery with implications across multiple spheres. In a similar vein, the Uzbekistan Pavilion stands out with an exhibition focused on empowerment, highlighting the country’s openness to innovation and its commitment to preparing for the future.Yet this immersion presents a growing tension: how to balance technological spectacle with architectural integrity. In some cases, architecture risks being overshadowed by its digital overlay, losing spatial coherence. The most compelling pavilions are those that fuse form, function, and innovation into a seamless whole, where technology becomes not an add-on, but an intrinsic architectural language.Save this picture!Intercultural Collaborations: The True LegacyWhile Universal Exhibitions are organized around national representation, they have also emerged as vital platforms for cultural exchange. Increasingly, national pavilions are designed by multicultural teams, resulting in more nuanced, inclusive, and inventive expressions of identity, not as a fixed essence, but as something fluid and co-constructed.Save this picture!At Osaka 2025, this collaborative ethos is exemplified by pavilions such as Switzerland’s, designed by an international team, and Indonesia’s, which brings together local architects and foreign consultants. These collaborations offer more than design efficiency—they signal gestures of quiet diplomacy. In a climate of resurgent nationalism, such exchanges underscore that innovation thrives through openness and dialogue. Each pavilion becomes a space of mutual learning, expanding the very meaning of global belonging.Save this picture!Ultimately, the lasting value of Expos may not lie in reinforcing national brands, but in fostering encounters—shared spaces where ideas, technologies, and cultures converge to respond to urgent global challenges. As architect Manuel Herz, designer of the Swiss Pavilion, puts it: “In a moment of global tension, every possibility for us to physically meet in a shared space and celebrate something that can still be described as a cosmopolitan spirit needs to be valued and utilized.” Amid so many crises, pavilions remind us that architecture is more than shelter or style—it is a vessel for connection, a space for learning, and a rehearsal for futures we must build together.We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the Expo Osaka 2025. Image gallerySee allShow less About this authorCamilla GhisleniAuthor••• Cite: Ghisleni, Camilla. "On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions" [Projetando Pavilhões Nacionais: Poder e Identidade nas Exposições Universais] 30 May 2025. ArchDaily. (Trans. Simões, Diogo) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030539/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

In today’s homes, the boundaries between indoors and outdoors are becoming beautifully blurred, and courtyard design plays a key role in that transformation. No longer just decorative pockets of greenery, modern courtyards are fully integrated living spaces that bring natural light, fresh air, and a sense of calm right into the heart of the home. Whether you live in a city apartment or a suburban retreat, a well-designed courtyard can create flow, function, and serenity. It becomes more than an outdoor space, it becomes a natural extension of your daily life. In this guide, we’ll explore practical, creative courtyard design ideas that help you connect your interior with the outdoors. From lush garden rooms to cozy side patios, each idea is crafted to inspire a home that feels open, grounded, and alive. 1. Open-Plan Layouts That Frame the Courtyard Image Source: The Architect Diary An open-plan layout that wraps around a courtyard transforms the entire home experience. By strategically positioning living areas,like the kitchen, living room, or dining space,around an open-air courtyard, the outdoors becomes an organic extension of your indoor life. Floor-to-ceiling windows or sliding doors allow natural light and garden views to flow freely. This setup not only maximizes the courtyard’s visibility but also encourages daily use, blurring the lines between inside and outside. It’s especially effective in warmer climates, where fresh air and sunlight can be enjoyed year-round. This courtyard design creates a social hub and a serene retreat in one integrated space. 2. Use Vertical Space for Planting Image Source: HomesandGardens When square footage is limited, think upward. Using vertical space in your courtyard lets you enjoy lush greenery without compromising walkability or functionality. Wall-mounted planters, trellises, living green walls, and tiered shelves can host herbs, flowers, or trailing vines. This strategy not only maximizes planting room but also adds visual depth and texture. It’s ideal for urban courtyards or narrow side patios, where ground planting space is scarce. Vertical gardening also draws the eye upward, creating a sense of openness and scale. With thoughtful positioning, these green walls can mirror or complement interior design features, further connecting your indoor and outdoor worlds.  3. Water Features to Add Tranquility Image Source: Houzz A water feature, whether a bubbling fountain, koi pond, or minimalist wall cascade,adds peace and movement to your courtyard design. The gentle sound of flowing water soothes the mind and masks urban noise, turning the space into a true sanctuary. Water also reflects light and greenery, adding a dynamic visual layer. Compact courtyards benefit especially from wall-mounted or vertical designs, which save floor space while enhancing ambiance. Water features pair well with lush plants and stone elements for a naturalistic setting. Plus, they bring an added cooling effect in warmer climates. It’s a small feature with big sensory benefits. 4. French-Style Courtyard Image Source: The Spruce A French-style courtyard adds classic romance and timeless charm to your home. These courtyards often feature symmetrical layouts, gravel pathways, wrought iron furniture, climbing vines, and a central focal point like a fountain or statue. Boxwood hedges and potted lavender or citrus trees evoke the ambiance of a Parisian garden café. Ideal for homes with European-inspired architecture, this courtyard design feels elegant yet grounded. French-style courtyards blend effortlessly with interiors that favor neutral palettes, antiques, and organic materials. Even in modern homes, this style offers a sophisticated counterpoint to sleek lines. It’s a refined yet welcoming space that makes every day feel like a getaway. 5. Don’t Overcomplicate Your Space Image Source: HomesandGardens When it comes to courtyard design, simplicity often wins. Trying to incorporate too many features, like oversized furniture, mixed themes, or excessive décor,can make even a spacious courtyard feel cramped or chaotic. Instead, focus on clear, functional zones: a place to sit, a patch of green, perhaps one focal point like a water feature or tree. Neutral tones and natural textures help create a calm, cohesive atmosphere. Minimalism doesn’t mean boring, it means intentional. By keeping the design clean and uncluttered, your courtyard becomes a restful extension of your home, not an overstimulating departure from it. Simplicity creates harmony and usability. 6. Introduce Outdoor Lighting Image Source: HomesandGardens Outdoor lighting is essential for enjoying your courtyard after dark and for enhancing safety, mood, and aesthetics. Use layered lighting: overhead string lights or sconces for ambient glow, path lights for navigation, and accent lights to highlight plants or architectural details. Solar-powered options make installation easy and eco-friendly. Smart lighting systems let you control brightness or color temperature from your phone. Choose fixtures that echo your home’s interior style,modern, rustic, or industrial,for cohesion. Well-designed lighting doesn’t just extend courtyard use into the night,it also turns the space into a visual feature from inside, contributing to a seamless indoor-outdoor design. 7. Use Exaggerated Verticals to Maximize Space Image Source: Living get In courtyards with limited square footage, exaggerating vertical elements can dramatically expand the visual experience. Tall hedges, statement sculptures, narrow water walls, or climbing plants draw the eye upward, giving a sense of height and airiness. This is particularly useful in enclosed or urban settings where lateral space is tight. Pair vertical lines with mirrored surfaces or slim lighting fixtures for added effect. Inside, echo this verticality with tall windows or vertically stacked shelves that overlook the courtyard. These upward design cues establish continuity and give the entire area a modern, architectural flair while making it feel larger and more open. 8. Side Patio Courtyard Image Source: The Spruce A side patio courtyard is a smart solution for homes with narrow or awkwardly shaped outdoor areas. Tucked alongside the house, this type of courtyard can become a cozy, private retreat or a secondary dining and lounge zone. Maximize the space with slim furniture, vertical planting, and clean lines. Use glass doors or large windows to open interior rooms,like a kitchen or hallway,directly onto the courtyard, improving light flow and visibility. Even modest side courtyards can feel spacious when thoughtfully designed. With the right layout and materials, they become stylish outdoor rooms that serve as peaceful escapes or vibrant entertaining spots. 9. Built-In Benches or Daybeds Image Source: BetterHomes&gGardens Built-in benches or daybeds are functional and beautiful additions to any courtyard. These features maximize space and invite relaxation without cluttering the area with bulky furniture. Often integrated into low walls or along garden beds, they offer a clean, minimalist look while providing ample seating. Top them with weather-resistant cushions and fabrics in colors that echo your interior for design harmony. A daybed turns your courtyard into a sunlit lounge, ideal for reading or napping. Built-ins also make cleaning and maintenance easier and can be customized to fit awkward corners. Their permanence gives your courtyard design a polished, intentional finish. 10. Backyard Turned Courtyard Image Source: Living get If your backyard feels underused or too open, consider transforming a portion of it into a courtyard. You can define the space by adding partial walls, fencing, or tall plantings like bamboo or hedges to create a sense of enclosure. Incorporate a central feature such as a tree, water fountain, or fire pit to anchor the space. Add comfortable seating, outdoor rugs, and potted plants to bring warmth and purpose. This approach turns a generic backyard into a functional, intimate zone,perfect for reading, relaxing, or hosting. A backyard courtyard offers structure while preserving openness, giving your outdoor area new life. 11. Bring the Inside Out Image Source: HomesandGardens To achieve true indoor-outdoor harmony, replicate the feel of your interior design in the courtyard. Choose outdoor furnishings that mirror your indoor color palette, materials, and style. For example, use similar wood tones, textiles, and decorative elements like lanterns or throw pillows. Outdoor rugs, weatherproof sofas, and even coffee tables can make your courtyard feel like a living room under the sky. Add art, mirrors, or bookshelves with planters to soften the transition. This strategy helps the courtyard feel like a true continuation of your home rather than a separate zone. It enhances comfort, flow, and everyday livability. 12. Indoor Courtyard Turned Private Garden Image Source: Architectural design An indoor courtyard can become a hidden garden sanctuary with the right design approach. Enclosed or semi-enclosed by glass or open ceilings, these courtyards are perfect for curated greenery, from ferns and moss to small trees or flowering vines. Add gravel paths, benches, or a water feature to create a peaceful retreat visible from multiple rooms. This setup is especially useful in dense urban homes, where privacy is valued. The garden becomes a quiet core for reflection and relaxation, away from the outside world. It not only improves aesthetics but also enhances indoor air quality and emotional wellness. 16. Multipurpose Courtyard Space Image Source: Architectural design Why settle for just one use? Design your courtyard to serve multiple functions,such as a morning coffee nook, a kids’ play zone, or an evening yoga space. Use movable furniture, foldable tables, or modular seating that can be reconfigured as needed. Zone the area with rugs or planters to subtly divide uses without crowding the space. This flexible approach makes the courtyard dynamic and relevant to all members of the household. It’s especially useful in smaller homes where every square meter matters. A multipurpose courtyard adapts with your day, making it not just beautiful, but deeply practical. 17. Courtyard with Kitchen Access Image Source: Decorpad One of the most functional courtyard design ideas is positioning it directly off the kitchen. This setup makes alfresco dining a breeze and encourages more frequent use of the outdoor space. Add a BBQ grill, outdoor sink, or even a full mini kitchen with countertop space. For seamless service, consider installing a pass-through window or fold-up bar. It’s perfect for entertaining or simply enjoying a quiet breakfast outside. This courtyard becomes a social hub and culinary extension, combining practicality with pleasure. With the right setup, your kitchen and courtyard will work in tandem to elevate daily life. 18. Rustic Mediterranean Courtyard Image Source: Houzz Create the warm, welcoming feel of a Mediterranean escape by combining textured walls, clay pots, terracotta tiles, and flowering plants like bougainvillea or rosemary. Wrought-iron furniture, mosaic tables, and rustic wooden beams bring that sun-soaked, timeless atmosphere to life. Use soft, earthy tones, like sand, stone, and rust, to match your interior and make the courtyard feel grounded. This style blends perfectly with both traditional and bohemian interiors. With some soft lighting and olive trees, your courtyard becomes a rustic retreat that feels far away, even when it’s just a step from your living room. 19. Create a Spa-Like Feel With a Bathroom Courtyard Image Source: Living get Transform your daily routine into a wellness ritual by connecting your bathroom to a serene courtyard. A small, private outdoor space just off the bath or shower instantly adds a spa-like vibe. Think smooth stone pathways, tropical plants, soft lighting, and perhaps a water feature to enhance tranquility. Frosted glass doors or large windows maintain privacy while allowing natural light to pour in. Even a compact courtyard can elevate a bathroom into a peaceful retreat that feels worlds away from daily stress. This seamless connection between your indoor sanctuary and outdoor calm fosters relaxation, mindfulness, and luxurious everyday living Wrap Up  Great home design isn’t just about what happens inside four walls, it’s about how your living spaces connect, flow, and breathe together. Whether it’s a peaceful garden retreat, an alfresco dining space, or a flexible zone for work and play, the right courtyard design creates harmony between indoors and out. At Home Designing , we believe the best homes are the ones that reflect how you live, and how you want to feel. These courtyard ideas are just one way to craft spaces that are not only functional, but deeply personal and inspiring.

Summer is here, and you're probably already packing your calendar with vacation escapes, backyard BBQs, and weekend road trips. Of course, the fan-favorite destination for this hot season is the beach, where the breeze is cool and the water is refreshing. But what if we told you that you didn't have to book an Airbnb or waterfront hotel in a beach town the next time you wanted to take a dip in one of nature's pools? Turns out, a beach house may be more in reach than you thought! Zillow recently pulled some data to identify the 20 most affordable seaside cities where you can make your vacation home dreams a reality.While we're not saying these options will get you a beach house on the cheap, the locations typically offer a range of properties with lower price tags that still give you access to the ocean, as well as all the charm that comes with a seaside locale (think Mom and Pop ice cream shops, quaint shopping, and more). Of the top 20, you'll find that Florida dominates the list, with a few other states sprinkled in. Keep reading to see which beach towns have the lowest typical home values, but still all of the sandy perks.For more real estate stories:1Atlantic City, NJFederico ScottoAtlantic City may be best known for its casinos, but the iconic boardwalk along the Atlantic Ocean is a close second. There's plenty to do in this shore town, from visiting the amusement park and eating fresh seafood to spreading out on the sand. Since you're so close to New York City, day trips from either location are extremely easy as well.Typical home value: $215,336Learn More2Daytona Beach, FLFlavio Vallenari//Getty ImagesAny NASCAR fan is familiar with Daytona Beach, but did you know that this Northeastern Florida city is also a festival hub? Every year, the city hosts over 60 different art, music, and other cultural festivals, giving residents and tourists alike opportunities to experience new things. Though you could easily spend every day on the beach, there are plenty of other museums, adventures, and opportunities to try out.Typical home value: $251,750Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below3Deerfield Beach, FLWiniker:Getty ImagesThe small city of Deerfield Beach is ideal if you want to experience South Florida's beaches without the crowds. Located between Boca Raton and Pompano Beach, the town is known for its fishing pier and abundance of outdoor water activities, like paddle-boarding, surfing, and water skiing. Typical home value: Learn More4Myrtle Beach, SCDale Fornoff:Getty ImagesMyrtle Beach is a seaside locale with 60 miles of sandy beach and 14 unique communities meshed together. It provides plenty of classic beach town activities, such as a fun boardwalk and theme park, and is generally a family-friendly location. There are plenty of things to do and places to explore, from the Waccamaw River to 90 different golf courses. Typical home value: $300,720Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5Hallandale Beach, FLTHEPALMER:Getty ImagesSouth of Fort Lauderdale and north of Miami, Hallandale Beach is home to Gulfstream Park Racing and a handful of public beaches. It's a smaller community that offers a classic beach day if you want to escape the crowds. Typical home value: $301,130Learn More6Pinellas Park, FLMatthew Lindahl : 500px:Getty ImagesPart of the St. Petersburg metropolitan area, Pinellas Park has a population of about 53,000 and provides access to a string of beaches along the northwestern coast of Florida. Though small, there is an arts and culture scene in the town that highlights the community's creative DNA. Typical home value: $314,991Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below7West Haven, CTRedtea:Getty ImagesLocated on the Long Island Sound, West Haven is an affordable option not far from New York City. This town has the longest stretch of public beaches in the state, where you can swim, sunbathe, fish, and explore. Typical home value: $326,043Learn More8Galveston, TXWirestock//Getty ImagesWith over 30 miles of beaches, Galveston is the only Texas seaside city on this list. It's located on the balmy Gulf of Mexico, where there are plenty of museums and art galleries you can visit, along with beaches. The area also has a well-known restaurant scene.Typical home value: $333,127Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below9Palm Coast, FLMichael Warren:Getty ImagesParks, museums, beaches—oh, my! Palm Coast is on the Northeast side of Florida and offers plenty of fun. Relax or fish at one of the beaches, then head over to Washington Oaks Gardens State Park for some biking amid the lush gardens before ending your day at the Florida Agricultural Museum. Did we mention that there's also plenty of delicious seafood to be had?Typical home value: $351,404Learn More10Largo, FLalex grichenko:Getty ImagesSouth of Clearwater, Largo offers access to beaches and two larger metropolitan areas, perfect for the homeowner who wants to be near the action but not caught up in it. There are multiple parks to visit in the town, and art lovers will appreciate all the shows and performances. Typical home value: $353,576Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below11Pompano Beach, FLLagunaticPhoto:Getty ImagesPompano Beach is a hidden gem on the Gold Coast, neighboring Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood. The city offers miles of beach with temperate waters from the Gulf Stream, as well as plenty of things to do, like snorkeling, shopping, festivals, and golfing. Typical home value: $356,795Learn More12Delray Beach, FLThomas Green:Getty ImagesFor a mix of water activities and a thriving art scene, consider Delray Beach. The arts district is part of what makes this South Florida city so special, and the municipal beach is just the cherry on top. It can definitely get busy on a nice day.Typical home value: $359,963Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below13Clearwater, FLJohn Murphy Photography:Getty ImagesIf Clearwater's three miles of white sand beaches aren't enough to entice you, maybe the plethora of activities and events will. Clearwater is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area, and it has plenty to offer, from the nightly festival at Pier 60 to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Typical home value: $362,300Learn More14Bradenton, FLDawn Damico:Getty ImagesExplore your love of the beach and historical sites in Bradenton along the Manatee River. For a small city, there's plenty to do, including the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, the riverwalk, the Manatee Village Historical Park, and multiple beaches.Typical home value: $370,091Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below15St. Petersburg, FLJohn Coletti:Getty ImagesOne of the largest cities on this list in terms of population, St. Petersburg is known as the "Sunshine City" and is home to great shops, top-ranked beaches, and a thriving arts district. For those who want both beach and city life, this should be a top contender on your list. You can find multiple museums, like the Dali Museum and a living museum of botanicals and tropical plants at the Sunken Gardens.Typical home value: $372,035Learn More16Ormond Beach, FLArt Wager:Getty ImagesGet that small-town feel in Ormond Beach, which is at the northern end of the Daytona Beach area. It's a quieter refuge, though it's not lacking in culture. There are multiple state parks located in this town, along with museums and cultural centers that are good to visit when you're not taking a dip in the Atlantic. Typical home value: $379,800Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below17Oakland Park, FLShobeir Ansari:Getty ImagesOakland Park is just north of Fort Lauderdale and has excellent access to the metropolitan area's beaches. Think of this town of around 44,000 people as any other small American town, just with closer access to the Atlantic Ocean. Typical home value: $381,610Learn More18Riviera Beach, FLCrystal Bolin Photography:Getty ImagesRiviera Beach is just off the coast of Singer Island, and it's a wonderful location for those who love to bask in the sun and take in all types of water activities. There are multiple parks to explore and plenty of opportunities to see and learn about the marine life that lives in Florida.Typical home value: $397,829Learn MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below19West Palm Beach, FLMasao Taira:Getty ImagesThis bustling city might not be the most affordable destination on this list, but it offers a lot for its elevated prices. From exciting nightlife and exceptional culinary options to an exciting art scene, West Palm Beach is a vibrant destination with plenty of beach access. Typical home value: $403,731Learn More20Navarre, FLArt Wager:Getty ImagesThis small city in Western Florida, on the Gulf Coast, just an hour and a half from Mobile, Alabama, boasts white sand beaches, clear blue water, and proximity to Santa Rosa Island. It's a tranquil destination with opportunities to learn about marine life at the multiple refuges and conservation centers.Typical home value: $415,063Learn More

Last month, Donald Trump pushed the boundaries of government and financial ethics by announcing a contest: whoever bought and held the highest amount of the $TRUMP meme coin for an entire month would win an invite to a private dinner with the President. That dinner took place on Thursday at the Trump National Golf Course in Virginia, with attendees reportedly dropping nearly $394 million on $TRUMP in order to win the privilege. According to an analysis by The Guardian of the winners’ wallets, over half of them lost money participating in this contest. But that’s only if you’re analyzing the wallets visible on the contest site’s leaderboard. The real money was being made elsewhere.“Bet you 10 percent of dinner participants are doing this”I interviewed an enthusiastic crypto trader who figured out how to win the contest without losing any money: buy enough $TRUMP to get onto the leaderboard — and then in a separate wallet on a separate exchange, buy $TRUMP perpetual futures that would be profitable if (or as he saw it, when) the value of $TRUMP dropped. Yes, he did The Big Short, except with Donald Trump’s meme coin. “Bet you 10 percent of dinner participants are doing this,” he told me before the contest ended. “Everyone knows $TRUMP price will fall inevitably as more supply comes online in the future and gets dumped on retail.” When I spoke to him again after the dinner, he told me that “the majority of people I spoke with, particularly the crypto traders and folks who are very close to the crypto ecosystem, are like, ‘Yeah, I dumped this. I already sold the coin.’” “A lot of people put on the same hedge trade as I did, because they didn’t wanna take risk on the coin,” he added.I can’t reveal his name, his position on the leaderboard, how much he spent, or the dates of specific trades he made. I can say that he did this for shits and giggles. But as he told me, when there’s such a clear and obvious set of financial incentives behind the $TRUMP dinner contest, it’s worth making the gamble.Did it pay off? “Um, I basically was flat,” he said. “I originally wanted to make some money, but I think the shorting I did — it was okay?” He did, however, get a free dinner out of it. The following interview has been edited for clarity.Let’s just start from the beginning. What made you want to enter this? I think meme coins have a lot of staying power because humans just want things to gamble on. What was fascinating when the Trump token launched in January right before the inauguration, was that it effectively was like a black hole that sucked money away from all these other tokens in the ecosystem. That’s why the Trump token ran up to some preposterous number immediately after it was dropped. When I saw this competition launch, it was clear that there was going to be a tremendous amount of grift in this space, and the presidential family was only interested in self-enrichment and all that. 
It was clear that there was going to be a tremendous amount of grift in this spaceBut putting that aside, I’ve just been interested in the Trump token and I think I’ve just been structurally bearish, because the Trump token has a bunch of supply that’s currently controlled by, effectively, the Trump family and the associates. It’s only a matter of time before the supply unlocks. When that supply unlocks, in the crypto community, people call this dumping: they’ll just dump it onto retail and that’s how they get their exit liquidity. So that’s one way the Trump family can make money. The other way is obviously whenever there’s trades that happen, the trading fees also accrue to the family. I know that the Trump token is going to go down. If you put a gun into my head and ask, what will the price be two years from now? It’s going to be much lower than where it is today. When this contest launched, I was like, okay, this is clearly a way for the affiliates and the Trump family to find a way to drive up the price temporarily. And having been in this space for a while, it’s clear that these events only drive the price up for a period of time and then people lose interest. Unless you feed them something else, it’s going to drop. Everyone expects the token to dumpThey launched the contest right around when the first tranche of Trump tokens were going to unlock, which was supposed to be 90 days after the launch of the token back in January. And so this whole contest was kind of timed at an apt moment where it’s like, okay, supply’s going to unlock. Everyone expects the token to dump. But then, on Twitter, they agreed to delay the unlock for another 90 days. But once the unlock happens and they start dumping, that’s when the price is going to drop a lot. 
So this contest was interesting. I was like, okay, well, I feel like I can put on a trade here where I’m not taking on any real risk and I think it’ll be cool to meet random people at this dinner and see who else is interested. It seems like there are a lot of folks from out of the country who are flying in to attend the dinner, and a lot of crypto whales. There’s one that I follow, he’s mentioned in his Telegram that he’s one of the big holders. He’s talked these last few days about how he’s preparing for this dinner. So talk me through how you generated the funds to buy the Trump coin. Did you use your own personal funds?I use my personal funds. All the crypto trading I do is with my personal funds. Some of the trading I do is on Coinbase through a centralized exchange. And the rest of the trading I do is on chain through self-custody wallets. When this opportunity came up, the only way you can actually be in a position to be in the top 220 is if you own $TRUMP tokens in a self-custody wallet. Some of the exchanges, including Coinbase, allow you to buy the $TRUMP token, but that would not count towards this contest. What I did was I moved stablecoins like USDC to my Solana wallet, and then I used a decentralized exchange to buy the $TRUMP token. The way the contest works is you have to register your wallet before you are counted towards the ranking system. And unfortunately, I did that like a couple days late, so I had to size up a little bit more to ensure that I could catch up to the people who had registered a couple days prior. But that’s a nuance. So explain the process of shorting $TRUMP coin on a secondary market. Like how does one do that? I am a dumb person who only understands shorting markets through watching The Big Short. Basically when you short, you’re hoping that the price goes down, right? And the mechanism of shorting here is slightly different than shorting stocks, but we don’t need to go into the specifics here. The way to short [crypto] is, you can do it in two ways. One is through a centralized exchange that offers, effectively, shorting services. And what I mean here by shorting services is, there is a “perpetual future” that is offered at these exchanges. When I talk about exchanges that offer this, it’s mostly going to be like Binance or Bybits and some of the bigger exchanges outside of the US. Coinbase is very far behind when it comes to offering derivative products that goes above and beyond just buying the token. I couldn’t do it through Coinbase, and I can’t short through an exchange like Binance, because there’s a lot of restrictions around who can actually use Binance. I’m in the US and Binance has very strict VPN rules. I can’t just open a Binance account and short. The only real way for me was to short on a decentralized exchangeSo the only real way for me was to short on a decentralized exchange, which has actually become really popular in the last year or so. It’s like the same concept as shorting on Binance, but you can do it on chain. I use a service called Hyper Liquid, which is a very popular decentralized exchange. And on this exchange, they offer derivative products that basically track the movement of different tokens. And so they offer, effectively, $TRUMP perpetual futures, and you can effectively initiate a short position through that. I’m happy to go into the details if you want, but that’s like the high level. Yeah, yes, please please tell me these details. So that is basically how to set up the short position. Conceptually, there’s a few things to keep in mind. First thing is: because I’m shorting in a separate wallet that’s completely detached from $TRUMP, 
I have to put up additional capital in another wallet to do this. It’s not like I can just use my $TRUMP tokens as collateral and use the same pool of money to short. And the way shorting works and the way perpetual futures work in general is you put up a certain margin. So let’s keep it simple: say I put up $100k in margin and I choose to short the $TRUMP token. Now, if $TRUMP goes up in price, then I’m hurting, because I’m betting on the token falling. If the $TRUMP token doubles in price, well, then I will have lost a hundred thousand dollars in which case, my margin gets wiped out and this [futures] contract will have to be closed because I’ve lost all my money. If the token goes down in price, that’s when I profit — as long as I close out the position in the green. So you basically are juggling two wallets. One is the wallet in which you’re holding all this $TRUMP coin. 
The other one is like, how would you describe it? Is that the money that you’re generating in order to pay for participating in the contest? The most important wallet here is the Solana wallet with the $TRUMP tokens, because that’s what’s being used by the contest organizers to determine who makes the top 220. But as I mentioned earlier, I am structurally bearish on the $TRUMP token and I wouldn’t want to go for dinner and like, see my money go down when the $TRUMP token goes down in price. I decided I wanted to basically put on a hedge, where, using the other wallet and the short position, I’m basically agnostic to any sort of price movement. That’s the reason why I set up the other wallet. I could have taken on the price risk, but that’s pretty risky, because typically what happens with these events is that as we get close to the end of the contest date, people start dumping the $TRUMP tokens. The value of the $TRUMP token will have gone down — let’s say it went down to 90,000 — it would be offset by the short wallet, which would be like 110,000. And then they add up to 200,000, which is how much I hypothetically put in from the start. 
Did you make money off of this?Um, I basically was flat. I originally wanted to make some money, but I think the shorting I did — it was okay? I basically just broke even on this entire tradeLet me take a step back.
So initially I shorted the same amount as the token. But then as the time went on, as we got close to the contest end date, I decided to increase the size of the short position, because I thought that based on the thesis I had, people are going to start selling because there’s nothing to look forward to. And so I increased that size. But it just so happened that towards the end of the contest was also when the crypto markets started ripping after May 8th. So net-net, I think I basically just broke even on this entire trade.Define the crypto markets “ripping.”May 8th was basically the Thursday right before that weekend when the US representatives were going to meet the Chinese representatives in Switzerland [for tariff negotiations]. That day was also when the UK deal announcement was made. And so the market basically took that as a bullish sign, and then that got parlayed into the positive euphoria of the US-China negotiations. Everything started going up. Okay. So every market just started getting bullish. 
Yeah, all the tokens ran up a lot. If you look at the token price, $TRUMP coin on May 7th was roughly 11 bucks, and then on May 9th it was like 14 bucks. Over time that token has come down in price. But yeah, it ran up 40 percent in the span of like two days.What was the strategy going into the end game? 
Because it sounds like it was super volatile around the end and that’s why you needed to increase your short position. I thought that towards the end, I could opportunistically make some profits by shorting more than I owned, if that makes sense.[The previous week, the contest organizers announced a new incentive for winners to not sell the coin before the dinner: a rare “TRUMP DIAMOND HANDS” NFT.]What is the point of encouraging people to go diamond hands by offering this NFT? So I think this goes back to the incentives of Trump’s affiliates, right? They have a lot of supply that they own. Last I looked, they own eighty percent of the supply. But all of that, as with many other [crypto] projects, gets locked up and only gets released over time, so that you don’t have all this supply pressure on day one. Because then no one wants to buy the token. The whole point of the NFT and this subsequent rewards program that they’ve talked about, but haven’t given the details for, is to incentivize people to hold the token longer. The longer people hold the token, then the price arguably would not fall as much. 
The only way to keep the price high is if you introduce all these little games to keep retail engagedThe eventual setup, I’m sure, whether that’s in three months or in a year or two, is that the affiliates will then have their supply unlock, and they will want to sell. They obviously want to sell at a higher price. And the only way to keep the price high is if you introduce all these little games to keep retail engaged and interested in holding tokens. How do you get the NFT now? Do you have to rebuy all the coin?Yeah, my understanding based on that tweet they sent is, they basically look at your wallet holdings on the day of the dinner and compare that to your wallet holdings on the last day of the contest. And so if those match or if you own more, then they’ll give you an NFT. I was kind of dumb. What I should have done was, right before the 1:30PM cut off, I should have sold like, 90 percent of my tokens. In this way, on the dinner day, I would only have to buy 10 percent of what I bought previously, and I think I would qualify for this NFT. 
Wow. Have people done that? Well, the NFT hasn’t been dropped yet.
I don’t know the specifics. There are definitely people who sold before the end of the deadline, and that’s clear from even looking at that leaderboard page, right? There’s one column with current holdings and a bunch were zeroed out, but they are still in the top 220 because it’s a time-weighted calculation.Why did they do time-weighted calculations rather than like, just a cumulative amount of money you held at the end? I think this goes back to solving not only how much do you hold, but how long do you hold it for, and rewarding people differently. So if you held $60 over the entire stretch of the contest, you should be rewarded more than someone who held like $200 for one day on the last day. I think the time-weighted calculation effectively is trying to normalize for that. They also gave me a call the same day, which I thought was spam for a secondHow have the organizers been in their interactions with you for the contest and for the dinner and everything?They emailed me the day of, as soon as the
contest ended, saying that I had made it into the top 220. And they also gave me a call the same day, which I thought was spam for a second. But when the voicemail thing came up, I’m like, oh, this is actually a real thing. So I picked up the phone and then they just confirmed that I got the email and that I would have to do a KYC [Know Your Customer check, part of anti-money laundering regulatory compliance for banks, crypto exchanges, and other entities] in order to qualify for the dinner. Please give us your data, references, whatever. 
Yeah, nothing that sophisticated. They outsourced it to another party and I just provided my name, my nationality, where I live. No social security number or anything like that. Plus my birthday. and I think they just ran like an external check to make sure that I wasn’t a criminal or anything like that. I feel like it was pretty light vettingHow thoroughly do you think they’re been vetting you, how professional has the process been? I feel like it was pretty light vetting. I talked to someone about, let’s say, getting into the White House and it’s a lot more strict in terms of, you have to show your passport and all that. And here, you don’t really have to do that. You just have to show your ID at the door. At least that’s what they said. And as long as your ID matches the information you gave, you’re fine. So I don’t think the security is that strict, per se, but it’s good enough, I guess. Have you participated in any contests like this or heard of anything similar? No, I have not.That’s wild. This is rather innovative if one thinks about it in a “divorced from most governmental ethics” manner. Did you read about how it’s possible that Trump just doesn’t show up to this?I did see something that basically said, yeah, based on the terms and conditions, the president does not have to be there, I think. Honestly, I think a lot of people aren’t really there to see Trump. I could be totally wrong, but I get the sense from, let’s say, like looking at the crypto whales’ Telegram, that [they’re] more interested in just meeting other crypto folks so that [they] can network. If Justin Sun is there, that’s pretty good, right? Like being able to talk to him and maybe, you know, get his contact information and all that. RelatedThe many escapes of Justin SunI think for me and probably other people, we’re more interested in seeing if there’s any other interesting news that comes out of this dinner. I will have my wallet ready, and if some great news gets dropped at the dinner, that could potentially positively influence the $TRUMP token price or any other token price, I will buy it on the spot and try to profit. This is something that other attendees are thinking about doing too?I can’t say with certainty, but based on that one Telegram guy, it seemed like it was implied. Like, if they announced a rewards program for a Trump thing – say, the NFT will be used for this, and then the rewards will give you some really impressive thing in three months, that could probably move the price. Then I would take on a short-term trade literally at the dinner table. That’s why after the $TRUMP token dropped right before inauguration, I finally decided to download Truth SocialThat’s a first mover advantage right there.In crypto, half of it is just being a first mover advantage. That’s why after the $TRUMP token dropped right before inauguration, I finally decided to download Truth Social. I only follow Trump. He’s the only guy I follow and I have notifications on, which actually served me well. Was it April 9th when he sent out that tweet saying that tariffs are now delayed for 90 days? That was first out on Truth Social and I saw that immediately, and I’m like, oh, time to trade my equities, because I will be first to the news. So he’s dropped some nuggets for sure on his account. So the dinner itself is a good money making opportunity?Possibly. It’s hard to say, but in the event that it does, there is some information that gets dropped, that could be actionable.Is there anything you’re particularly proud of about the process of executing this short?I don’t know if there’s anything I’d really brag about or be like, super proud of.
I think this hedge trade, for someone who’s pretty involved in crypto, would be fairly obvious. Net-net, I think I broke even because I did basically go a bit big around my short towards the end of the contest. So that made up for some of the fees I had to pay and whatnot. I’m pretty happy.
I feel like I didn’t take on any risk and I’m able to go to this dinner. That’s probably a win in my books. One thing is, if I had real capital, I would have tried to make the top 25. That requires a lot of money, which I don’t have. I don’t really care about seeing Trump at all. I care more about seeing who else is there, of the top 25I think it’s like a couple million.I think you’d have to have 200,000 tokens, so yeah, roughly like two, three million USD. 
And if you want to not take on the risk of the token price moving, you’d want to take a short position of roughly the same size. It would be like a four or five million dollar capital outlay to make it happen. But the benefit of being in the top 25 is you get to meet Trump, and also get to be in a more intimate networking session, which I would actually enjoy being at. I don’t really care about seeing Trump at all. I care more about seeing who else is there, of the top 25. What was the minimum size of the wallet that made 220, do you know? It’s hard to say because what someone could have done is they could have bought a lot initially, and then halfway through they sold most of them, because they were pretty confident that they would make the top 220, because it’s time weighted. [Calculating out loud omitted.] I guess only fifty thousand [if you held the total amount from day one through the end].Honestly, that’s not a lot. It’s not. 
Realistically that number is probably higher. The thing is, this is not like a $50,000 disbursement where you’re never seeing that money again. After the dinner, you could choose to sell your token. Now, maybe the price will have moved from when you first bought it to when you sold it, but the actual loss, or potentially profit, is not obvious.Oh, that makes this some really interesting campaign finance implications. I guess the one thing I’ll say is, the Trump team probably won’t sell for a couple months at very least. And so whatever happens between now and then theoretically doesn’t really impact the team, right? Because if they had not launched this dinner contest and they did nothing, and then right before the unlock happens, they launch another campaign or they do something weird like this, then that will immediately pump up the price because crypto is so reflexive. And they can then sell into the strength of the price movement, theoretically. But here, I think what they want to do is actually show that this $TRUMP token has utility, and that it’s actually useful rather than just being a meme coin. And this is one way of making the $TRUMP token worth holding, because it’s not just a meme. If you buy it, you can go to dinner, you can earn points. You can get an NFT. It’s basically the playbook that a lot of folks will potentially run if they’re launching a meme coin with utility value. Oh, utility value is definitely a good way of saying it. Yeah, utility value in the sense that yeah, you can go to dinner, you can get an NFT, you can earn points that will get you something in the future. But yeah, this is a little bit different from memes like Pepe or Doge or Shiba Inu. Those have zero utility values. They’re literally just a meme. You can’t go to a dinner if you own a lot of it. It’s just a meme. The morning after the dinner:How are you? How was your crazy night out?It was good. And yeah, there was a sponsor who wanted to do an afterparty afterwards. They basically rented out the rooftop bar on top of the Marriott. I stayed out until 1 AM. But it was good. The actual event was quite interesting. The protests outside the dinner obviously were just kind of off-putting. I was like, damn, should I really walk into this thing?Activists staged an “America Is Not For Sale” protest while President Trump hosted the winners of his meme coin contest at the Trump National golf club. Getty ImagesI’ve actually never been to the Trump National. How is it as a venue? It’s on the Potomac River. When you are in the club you can see the really nice golf course and then the river is right there. The room was long and the podium was right up in the front and the tables were almost set up in a way where there were many rows of tables, but not that many columns, if it makes sense.I didn’t recognize this until maybe like, after an hour in, but people started taking seats because they wanted to be closer to the podium. And eventually, I’m like, damn, I gotta get a seat. But all that didn’t end up mattering because when Trump walked in, basically like a celebrity, everyone rushed up to the front and pulled out their phones and started recording. Who did you meet that was interesting or fun?Justin Sun was there, it was just that everyone wanted to talk to him. I guess the only thing I could do was just say hi to him. There were a bunch of international folks. A few folks were from Poland, who came all the way here from Portugal, where they now live. There was a lot of Asian people there. I met some folks from South Korea. Some guys from France, Italy. There was this hedge fund manager from Croatia who came just to check this out. Some guy from Sweden.There were also some market-making firms, like really big in crypto, like Wintermute. And then another guy who works at Kronos Research. The organizers also brought some folks, like the founder of the Moonshot app. I guess Moonshot had partnered with folks with the $TRUMP launch back in January. He said he didn’t buy any tokens because none of the employees are allowed to trade [the meme coins on their own platform, because it would be a conflict of interest], and so he was just invited by the organizers.[According to Crunchbase, Moonshot, an app that enables users to purchase meme coins, was acquired by Jupiter, a Solana trading platform. No named individuals appear to be publicly associated with either enterprise, although Jupiter’s founder is apparently someone going by the name “Meow.” The guest interviewed by The Verge did not recognize Meow from photos. – Ed.]There were a bunch of folks in the crypto ecosystem, now that I think about it, who actually had effectively insider knowledge that Trump was gonna launch a coin. They didn’t know exactly what that was gonna be, but they knew it was coming and it was gonna be a real coin.
For the first hour or two [after the announcement], people were wondering if Trump’s account got hacked. I just thought that was interesting, that it was effectively prewired to a lot of folks. Ah, so like: if those people knew, then they had that first mover advantage for that full hour – that it was a legitimate coin?Yeah, the public didn’t know whether it was an intentional drop or if some hackers hacked the Twitter account. I ended up meeting one of the top winners, and he was telling me how he hedged his tradeDid you find any really diehard MAGA people there?I’m sure that there were a couple of folks.
I just never got a chance to speak with someone who’s like, super pro-Trump. I’d say the majority of people I spoke with, particularly the crypto traders and folks who are very close to the crypto ecosystem are like, yeah, I dumped this. I already sold the coin. A lot of people put on the same hedge trade as I did, because they didn’t wanna take risk on the coin. I ended up meeting one of the top winners, and he was telling me how he hedged his trade. So effectively, he was taking on no price risk. Now the only thing is when you short these tokens, there’s a funding cost, but because he had such a big position the funding was actually pretty significant. 
So he said he paid, I don’t know, like $50,000 in funding costs, but to him it was still worth it, especially since he got a watch that’s supposedly worth $100,000 if you’re in the top four. Wait, they gave out watches?
Yeah. When Justin went up and gave the speech, after that, he got the watch.Honestly $50,000 to meet the president and get a watch that’s twice that amount, is a pretty good deal. Yeah. I had no idea yet that there’s a TrumpWatches.com. I think the host referenced this — like, if you want a watch, just go on the website. I was like, this is real? And then I actually went on the website and it turned out it is. Swiss-made chrono movement – oh my God, there are so many watches. Do you see that one on the very front page? They gave out two of those as prizes for raffle winners. Oh, that’s only $500, man.Yeah, I know, right?Lame. I guess you can’t yet buy the $100,000 watch on this website. They were specially designed and they only were able to have two ready for the event, and the other two will get shipped to the winners. 
[The website currently lists the “Crypto President Tourbillon Watch” for pre-order, claiming that “only 10” have been made. – Ed.]A commemorative hat.Did people post photos or selfies, or was there a sense of discretion?There were obviously crypto traders who didn’t wanna give their real names, and some folks who were trying to be camera shy and avoid the limelight, but I feel like for the most part, people were taking selfies and they were just having a good time. And there were photographers walking around taking photos of everyone. And then at the end, this was after Trump and after all the gifts were given out, the host was like, everyone put on your hat that you got — it’s in my bag,
it’s a Trump meme dinner hat — let’s all put it on and take a photo and then hashtag “trumpmemedinner” or whatever.[The White House is refusing to release the guest list with names of attendees. The New York Times has since said that it has acquired a copy of that list.Although photos of the gifted hats have circulated on social media, no related hashtag seems to have taken off. – Ed.] Oh, okay, so they actually encouraged you to put it on the Internet. 
I guess the host took the photo and it was like a selfie or something. The other funny moment was during the Trump speech. For the most part, it was just him talking about his campaign, and about how he beat Biden, and blah, blah, blah, how we were in a terrible place with crypto before he got elected and now we’re in a great place. That sounds exactly like a thing Trump would say. That was pretty accurate. At one point, the microphone made a cracking sound and then he was like, whoops, my ear. and he made a joke referencing the assassination attempt. A poster promoting the afterparty.How did you figure out about the afterparty? Was it the official afterparty? 
A lot of folks were saying there was gonna be some afterparty exclusive to VIPs, like the top 25 holders. There were a few folks who were trying to get into this party, but then it turns out it was actually not that exclusive. This MemeCore group, the number two holder, they rented out space at the rooftop of this Marriott and effectively invited everyone. So when you were leaving the venue, they had a couple buses that would come every 10 minutes and they were like, yeah, feel free to take this bus and we’ll take you to the after-party. A lot of people ended up going. 
[On TikTok, an attendee wearing a giant mask of what appears to be the MemeCore mascot, was accused of covering his face “to hide their identities” at “Trump’s crypto bribery event.” – Ed.] How was the afterparty? Was it well funded? They had an open bar, free drinks. It was fine, nothing like that noteworthy.
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News Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Exits Early Access, Out Now on Consoles and PC Questline's open-world action RPG is finally complete, but it looks to release patches and modding tools in the coming weeks. Posted By Rashid Sayed | On 24th, May. 2025 After over two years in Steam Early Access, Version 1.0 of Questline’s Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is now available on PC. It also marks the open-world role-playing game’s release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Check out the release trailer below. Based on Arthurian legend, the story unfolds on Avalon, an island that King Arthur and his followers retreated to but is overwhelmed by the Red Death. A strange phenomenon known as the Wyrdness is also spreading, mutating and twisting everything it touches. The player starts in an asylum and escapes, seeking to survive and maybe unravel Avalon’s mysteries. Check out our review for Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon – we gave it a seven out of ten on PS5 due to technical issues. Questline will release “quite a lot” of patches in the coming weeks to address bugs. However, it’s also looking to share the first modding tools in “about a month,” with more to follow later. A build for Steam Deck with improved performance is also in the works, and the developer is also interested in additional content, though it’s still TBD. Tagged With: Elden Ring: Nightreign Publisher:Bandai Namco Developer:FromSoftware Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PCView More Borderlands 4 Publisher:2K Developer:Gearbox Entertainment Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PCView More Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Publisher:Sony Developer:Kojima Productions Platforms:PS5View More Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out! Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Exits Early Access, Out Now on Consoles and PC Questline's open-world action RPG is finally complete, but it looks to release patches and modding tools in th... Starfield PS5 Announcement Coming This Year, Could Launch Shortly After – Rumor The 2023 sci-fi role-playing game was allegedly slated to launch for Sony's console alongside Shattered Space,... Gears of War: Reloaded Beta Listing Appears on SteamDB The beta could be used to test multiplayer and may be announced in the coming weeks. The full game launches on... Splitgate 2 Open Beta is Now Live The portal-focused free-to-play shooter offers nine maps, three modes, a map creator, the beta battle pass, an... 2K is Getting Ready for a BioShock-Related Announcement “Fairly Soon” – Rumour There are no details about whether this announcement will have to do with the upcoming BioShock 4, or if it is... Death Stranding 2: On the Beach QR Code Displays Mysterious Prepper Shelter Video Out of nowhere, Kojima Productions teases something before the sequel's worldwide launch on June 26th for Play... View More

You might not know it based on my scathing recaps of The Last of Us’ second season, but I love this series. I love the moral conundrums it presents, the violent grief it depicts, and the games’ excellent writing that poignantly brings all of those complicated emotions to the surface. What I don’t like is listening to pretty much any of the creative team talk about the series, especially when it comes to weighing in on decade-long discourse around its complex storylines. Even when I agree with series director Neil Druckmann’s interpretation of something, we’d all rather he just let bad readings fester in the corners of the internet than tell us exactly what something means. Nevertheless, he continues to do so in interviews.Suggested ReadingThe Week In Games: Pokémon With Guns And More New Releases Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingThe Week In Games: Pokémon With Guns And More New Releases Share SubtitlesOffEnglishIn a discussion with the Sacred Symbols podcast (thanks, IGN), Druckmann talked about the end of The Last of Us Part I, which was adapted for television in the HBO show’s first season. In this climactic moment, Joel—a smuggler turned surrogate father to Ellie, the young girl immune to a fungal infection that has leveled the series’ post-apocalyptic world—massacres members of a revolutionary group called the Fireflies who sought to use Ellie’s immunity to create a vaccine. They could potentially have saved millions of lives and helped society rebuild again after decades of ruin. But after months of traveling across the United States to reach the group’s base in Salt Lake City, Joel wasn’t willing to lose Ellie for something as small as the possibility of a world-saving vaccine. After the player fights their way through the facility and escapes with Ellie, Joel lies to her about what happened, and they live happily ever after(?) in Jackson, Wyoming…until the sequel, at least.It’s a nuanced situation, and ever since The Last of Us launched in 2013, fans have debated the ethics of pretty much every character in this finale. However, one part of the discussion that has persisted is the question of whether or not the Fireflies would have been able to successfully create a cure or vaccine in the first place. This is the post-apocalypse. They’ve got one surgeon here who claims to be able to do the job, and even if they managed to concoct a vaccine, how would they distribute it? All of that is an interesting logistical discussion, but some fans have taken that talking point a step further and tried to claim the potential success of the plan was ever part of Joel’s motivations. It’s very obvious that the man cares about Ellie’s life above all else, and didn’t stop to weigh up the vagueries of vaccine efficacy in a zombie apocalypse I’ve always read these attempts to explain away Joel’s guilt as cope, and the idea that he had a firm confidence that the Fireflies’ attempts would fail as an effort to wash away the reality of Joel’s actions.Yet now, Druckmann has confirmed that it was always the intention for the group’s medical team to be able to create the cure, essentially nuking that talking point. Am I upset that we can now put this obviously desperate theory to bed? No. Do I wish Druckmann would stop giving definitive answers to a story that has thrived in ambiguity and interpretation? Absolutely.“Our intent was yes, they could [make a cure],” Druckmann said. “Now, is our science a little shaky that now people are now questioning it? Sure. Our science is a little shaky and people are now questioning it. I can’t say anything. I can say our intent was that they would have made a cure. That makes the most interesting philosophical question for what Joel does.”Sure, it’s the most interesting interpretation because it actually interrogates everything you know about Joel based on how he presents. Giving him an out is just refusing to engage with the text. Do you want to debate if the Fireflies were equipped to save the world with a vaccine? That’s an entirely separate discussion from Joel’s motivations. But even so, we don’t need every detail spelt out. Maybe it’s because Druckmann is being constantly interviewed about this series after two games, more remasters than I care to count, and two seasons of television, but the more we talk to this dude (and HBO series showrunner Craig Mazin) and ask him to tell us what it all meant, the less interesting the story can be. I don’t want to know if Druckmann thinks Joel was right. I don’t need the author to tell me what I’m supposed to feel. It’s a major reason why the show bothers me so much, because it loves to tell you what lessons you’re supposed to learn, rather than giving you a second to consider what you feel about it.I wish we lived in a world where The Last of Us’ marketing got to be as bold as the games. Just let it speak for itself..

The second decade of the 21st century has given us a treasure trove of bonkers ideologies and obsessive subcultures. From Marc Andreessen's fanatic Techno-Optimists to the violent rationalist sect of the Zizians, would-be cultists are spoiled for choice in 2025.Now, it seems there's a new one on the scene: the self-described "pro-mortalists."The philosopher Thaddeus Metz, at the University of Pretoria, describes pro-mortalism as the "view that it is often prudent for individuals to kill themselves and often right for them to kill others, even without their consent."On its own, pro-mortalism isn't really viewed as a developed ideology. Rather, it's an idea stemming from a fringe philosophy known as "negative utilitarianism," the principle that we should limit human suffering while maximizing pleasure.That sounds lovely on paper. But in practice, critics of negative utilitarianism like Metz highlight its tendency to lead to anti-natalism — the extremist view that it's wrong to bring new life into the world — and pro-mortalism.The two ideas seem to be used interchangeably by forum philosophers and YouTube theorists, though anti-natalism once had a decent following on Reddit, whose discussions centered around the ethics of bringing children into the world without their consent.Among its pro-mortalism's acolytes was Guy Edward Bartkus, the 25-year-old man who recently carried out a terrorist attack on a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California.Late last Saturday, Bartkus detonated a car bomb outside of the American Reproductive Centers building, an in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic — a medical practice that helps people get pregnant using various biotech tricks, basically — east of Los Angeles.Bartkus died while attempting to record and upload the attack, while four others were injured, according to NBC. The clinic's embryos were undamaged, and IVF treatment is reportedly continuing this week.Though his footage didn't make it to the web, authorities found writings as well as a pro-mortalism website that are shedding light on Bartkus' radical anti-life beliefs. "Welcome! Here, you can download the recorded stream of my suicide and bombing of an IVF clinic!" the website greets.In a section labeled "possible FAQs," Bartkus makes his case for pro-mortalism, addressing the audience he seemed to anticipate would flock to his site after the attack."Understand your death is already a guarantee, and you can thank your parents for that one," Bartkus wrote. "All a pro-mortalist is saying is let's make it happen sooner rather than later (and preferably peaceful rather than some disease or accident), to prevent your future suffering, and, more importantly, the suffering your existence will cause to all the other sentient beings."Bartkus is notably cautious to distance himself from nihilism — an older and better-established school of thought — calling pro-mortalism the "polar opposite" of that "nonsense."Instead, he claims the suicide of a fellow negative utilitarian friend sent him over the edge.Meanwhile, questions have been raised online regarding an alleged FBI presence in the town of Twentynine Palms where the suicide bomber lived, in the days leading up to the explosion.When a KESQ 3 reporter asked if the FBI could confirm the presence of federal agents in Twentynine Palms prior to the bombing, a spokesman said he "cannot," before abruptly ending the twenty-minute press conference.Local police Chief Andy Mills also revealed that Bartkus was "chatting with people in online groups, in online forums, as well as posting stuff on YouTube where he was experimenting with different types of explosive materials," but added that he was "very confident" Barkus acted alone.More on crime: Crypto Tycoon's Daughter Narrowly Escapes Kidnappers in ParisShare This Article