The word “affinity” leapt into particular use at the end of 1907. On October 28, the New York Sun published a cocktail recipe by that name (the “original” recipe, below). November 9 brought an unpopular movie with the title The Affinity. November 23 saw a song published called Molly McGinnity, You’re My Affinity. January 28 of the next year was the opening date of The Soul Kiss, and part of Act 1 was the song, My Affinity. At that point it’s possible, if a little rushed, that there could be some connection. Surely the movie was underway before the drink was made – or was the cocktail formulated by someone with inside knowledge of the upcoming silent film?
It’s terribly convoluted, and honestly, there are more examples from within a year or two of that point. It seems that the word had become fashionable.
That’s not the trouble the Affinity drink has today, though.
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We’re not even going to attempt to define yet what beauty is. But we will.
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How have I not included any poetry of Dante Alighieri before? That great poet of beloved Firenze may be most well-known for his Divine Comedy, but wrote many other poems too, some of which are perfect for entertainment in our Garden.
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You may know the name Anaïs Nin as a writer of erotica, but in discussions in this Garden she’s mostly seen in the light of her essays and memoirs. During her strange and fascinating life she made a lot of insightful, brilliant observations about love and sex and living and so many things. A lot of wonderful observations.
Here are some of my favorites.
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MDMA, commonly known by its more popular and more easily-pronounced names, Ecstasy (or “E”) or Molly, has had an odd little history. It’s an odd chemical, so that seems fair.
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If you’ve looked into nootropics at all, you’ve probably heard of kratom. It’s an herb, the leaf of a tree (Mitragyna speciosa) native to Thailand. And like pretty much everything else in the world, it’s been used as an aphrodisiac.
But is it?
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Many thanks to a reader who sent this lovely poem! It reminds me strongly of one that your humble and occasionally poetic host has written, and I’m very happy to have been introduced.
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Stranger, here you will do well to tarry; here our highest good is pleasure.