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By Maria Morava
Relationships Reporter
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A granddaughter's recent TikTok video has captivated the internet, revealing her grandmother's apartment to be a dazzling "shrine" to herself.
In the clip, Aly Trachtman captured scenes from her grandmother's apartment, complete with countless large self-portraits adorning the walls. Trachtman, 32, spoke to Newsweek about the video and the self-assured woman behind the immaculately decorated apartment.
"My grandma's apartment is a shrine dedicated to herself," Trachtman captioned the video of her in the apartment. "Can't make this up."
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Trachtman offered a deeper look into the extraordinary woman behind the portraits, her grandmother, JoAnne, affectionately known as "Princess."
"My grandma...is a wild woman unlike anyone else," she said. "She's a Gemini who has always been born to shine." Her grandmother's larger-than-life persona extends beyond her art. "Instead of saying 'cheese' in photos, she makes everyone say 'money.' Ever since I was a baby, her saying has been, 'You can never be too rich or beautiful.'"
JoAnne's vibrant character isn't limited to her home. She has a sharp sense of humor, and, according to Trachtman, is always "shocking" her peers at the senior center with her "bad girl antics." Even at her age, she has a lively outlook on romance. "She's looking for a boyfriend, but she doesn't think old men have the looks or stamina to keep up with her," Trachtman added.
The presence of the self-portraits is a long-standing tradition that has been present most of Trachtman's life.
"I've noticed these portraits since I was a child," she said. "They have always covered the walls of her various homes...I think there used to be even more, but they might be in storage."
For Trachtman, the portraits are less a surprise and more a cherished part of her grandmother's identity. She describes her grandmother as an "absolute icon and inspiration," pointing to other elements of her self-celebration. "She has diamond necklaces that say 'Princess.' She tells everyone to call her that, or else they're getting fired. Fired from what exactly, I'm unsure."
Ultimately, Trachtman said she views her grandmother's self-adoration as a powerful statement that she is constantly learning from. And, after the love her grandmother has got on TikTok, she is inspired to post more content about her online.
"She loves herself fully and unapologetically, and it's amazing," Trachtman concluded. "She is a star walking amongst us and I can't wait to post more TikToks of her. She's so funny, so crazy, and she's really one of one. Her jokes scare a lot of people, not going to lie...but she just says she isn't from this planet and hasn't learned our ways yet. Icon behavior."
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