diff --git a/src/components/EntryGrid.astro b/src/components/EntryGrid.astro
index 8b86ee5..2be736c 100644
--- a/src/components/EntryGrid.astro
+++ b/src/components/EntryGrid.astro
@@ -80,10 +80,12 @@ function visualFor(entry: Entry): Visual | undefined {
     border: 2px solid var(--rule);
     background: var(--bg);
     color: inherit;
-    transition: box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease;
+    transition: box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease,
+                translate 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
   }
   .tile:hover {
     text-decoration: none;
+    translate: 0 -2px;
     border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 50%, var(--rule));
     box-shadow: 0 0 20px -4px color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 30%, transparent);
   }
@@ -94,7 +96,9 @@ function visualFor(entry: Entry): Visual | undefined {
     width: 100%;
     height: auto;
     background: var(--rule);
+    transition: transform 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
   }
+  .tile:hover .media { transform: scale(1.03); }
 
   .text {
     padding: 0.85rem 1rem 1rem;
diff --git a/src/components/FindCard.astro b/src/components/FindCard.astro
index 9c4ee0f..3f48d2d 100644
--- a/src/components/FindCard.astro
+++ b/src/components/FindCard.astro
@@ -186,10 +186,18 @@ function host(url: string) {
     border: 1px solid var(--rule);
     background: var(--bg);
     overflow: hidden;
-    transition: transform 0.18s ease, box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease;
+    /* The hover lift uses `translate` (not `transform`) so it composes with the
+       inline transform the masonry uses to position tiles instead of losing to it.
+       The card is itself a masonry tile, so this list must stay the same union of
+       properties as .masonry > .masonry-tile (Masonry.astro) — the two rules tie
+       on specificity and either may win the cascade. */
+    transition: translate 0.25s ease, box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease,
+                transform 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1),
+                width 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1),
+                opacity 0.42s ease;
   }
   .find-card:hover {
-    transform: translateY(-2px);
+    translate: 0 -2px;
     border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 40%, var(--rule));
     box-shadow: 0 8px 24px -10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18);
   }
@@ -201,7 +209,9 @@ function host(url: string) {
     height: auto;
     background: var(--card-fill);
     border-bottom: 1px solid var(--rule);
+    transition: transform 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
   }
+  .find-card:hover .media { transform: scale(1.03); }
 
   .content {
     padding: 0.95rem 1.05rem 1rem;
diff --git a/src/components/Masonry.astro b/src/components/Masonry.astro
index f5b8628..f4a3cd7 100644
--- a/src/components/Masonry.astro
+++ b/src/components/Masonry.astro
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ const dataBatch = batch != null ? String(batch) : undefined;
   const sources = document.querySelectorAll<HTMLDivElement>('.masonry-source');
   const prefersReducedMotion = window.matchMedia('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches;
 
+  // Per-tile reveal stagger (ms) and its cap, so big batches don't drag on.
+  const STAGGER_STEP = 36;
+  const STAGGER_CAP = 300;
+
   // 1rem in px (html font-size = 18px here) — the grid gap, kept robust to changes.
   function rootRem(): number {
     return parseFloat(getComputedStyle(document.documentElement).fontSize) || 16;
@@ -154,6 +158,7 @@ const dataBatch = batch != null ? String(batch) : undefined;
       if (!animate) {
         for (const t of placed) {
           const p = newPos.get(t)!;
+          t.style.transitionDelay = '';
           t.style.transform = `translate(${p.x}px, ${p.y}px)`;
           t.style.opacity = '1';
         }
@@ -179,10 +184,19 @@ const dataBatch = batch != null ? String(batch) : undefined;
       }
       void masonry.offsetWidth; // reflow so the inverted start is committed
 
-      // Play — release transitions and move to the real layout.
+      // Play — release transitions and move to the real layout. Revealed tiles
+      // cascade with a small per-tile delay so a batch ripples in instead of
+      // blinking on all at once; everything else moves immediately.
       masonry.classList.remove('is-measuring');
+      let revealIdx = 0;
       for (const t of placed) {
         const p = newPos.get(t)!;
+        if (opts.reveal?.has(t)) {
+          t.style.transitionDelay = Math.min(revealIdx * STAGGER_STEP, STAGGER_CAP) + 'ms';
+          revealIdx += 1;
+        } else {
+          t.style.transitionDelay = '';
+        }
         t.style.width = cardW + 'px';
         t.style.transform = `translate(${p.x}px, ${p.y}px)`;
         t.style.opacity = '1';
@@ -190,10 +204,12 @@ const dataBatch = batch != null ? String(batch) : undefined;
     }
 
     // Run an animated layout and hold off live retracks until the glide settles.
+    // Reveal staggering stretches the glide, so the settle window stretches too.
     function animatedLayout(reveal?: Set<HTMLElement>) {
-      flipUntil = performance.now() + 560;
+      const stagger = reveal ? Math.min(reveal.size * STAGGER_STEP, STAGGER_CAP) : 0;
+      flipUntil = performance.now() + 560 + stagger;
       window.clearTimeout(settleTimer);
-      settleTimer = window.setTimeout(() => layout({}), 600);
+      settleTimer = window.setTimeout(() => layout({}), 600 + stagger);
       layout({ flip: true, reveal });
     }
 
@@ -234,7 +250,8 @@ const dataBatch = batch != null ? String(batch) : undefined;
       else layout({});
     }
 
-    addBatch(Math.min(initialN, stash.length), false);
+    // The first batch reveals too — a gentle staggered rise on page load.
+    addBatch(Math.min(initialN, stash.length), true);
 
     if (progressive && stash.length > 0) {
       loadMore.addEventListener('click', () => {
@@ -292,9 +309,15 @@ const dataBatch = batch != null ? String(batch) : undefined;
     top: 0;
     left: 0;
     margin: 0;
+    /* Same union of properties as .find-card (FindCard.astro) — a find card is
+       itself a masonry tile and the two transition shorthands tie on specificity,
+       so they must agree for both the glide and the hover lift to survive. */
     transition: transform 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1),
                 width 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1),
-                opacity 0.42s ease;
+                opacity 0.42s ease,
+                translate 0.25s ease,
+                box-shadow 0.18s ease,
+                border-color 0.18s ease;
     will-change: transform, width;
   }
   /* During measurement/inversion we position with transitions off. */
@@ -319,10 +342,15 @@ const dataBatch = batch != null ? String(batch) : undefined;
     border: 1px solid var(--rule);
     border-radius: 999px;
     cursor: pointer;
-    transition: color 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease;
+    transition: color 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease, translate 0.15s ease, transform 0.15s ease;
   }
   .masonry-load-more:hover {
     color: var(--accent);
     border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 50%, var(--rule));
+    translate: 0 -1px;
+  }
+  .masonry-load-more:active {
+    translate: 0 0;
+    transform: scale(0.96);
   }
 </style>
diff --git a/src/layouts/BaseLayout.astro b/src/layouts/BaseLayout.astro
index 2c03fea..c817c04 100644
--- a/src/layouts/BaseLayout.astro
+++ b/src/layouts/BaseLayout.astro
@@ -212,9 +212,35 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
       @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
         body { transition: none; }
       }
-      a { color: var(--accent); text-decoration: none; }
+      a { color: var(--accent); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.15s ease; }
       a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
 
+      /* Cross-document view transitions — a soft cross-fade between pages in
+         browsers that support it; everyone else just navigates. */
+      @view-transition { navigation: auto; }
+
+      ::selection { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 24%, var(--bg)); }
+
+      :focus-visible { outline: 2px solid var(--accent); outline-offset: 3px; }
+
+      html { scroll-behavior: smooth; }
+
+      /* Media fade-in: the script at the foot of <body> tags not-yet-loaded
+         images/videos with .fx-fade and flips .fx-in when each finishes, so
+         media eases in instead of popping. Cached media never gets the class
+         (no flash on repeat views); without JS nothing is ever hidden. */
+      .fx-fade { opacity: 0; }
+      .fx-fade.fx-in { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.55s ease; }
+
+      @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+        html { scroll-behavior: auto; }
+        @view-transition { navigation: none; }
+        *, *::before, *::after {
+          transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
+          animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
+        }
+      }
+
       /* Masthead */
       .masthead {
         margin-bottom: 2rem;
@@ -420,7 +446,16 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
         font-weight: 600;
         font-size: 0.95rem;
       }
-      .external a:hover { text-decoration: none; opacity: 0.9; }
+      .external a {
+        transition: opacity 0.18s ease, translate 0.18s ease, box-shadow 0.18s ease;
+      }
+      .external a:hover {
+        text-decoration: none;
+        opacity: 0.92;
+        translate: 0 -1px;
+        box-shadow: 0 6px 16px -8px color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 70%, transparent);
+      }
+      .external a:active { translate: 0 0; }
       .external .aff-badge {
         display: inline-block;
         margin-left: 0.6rem;
@@ -519,6 +554,27 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
         .colophon dt:first-child { margin-top: 0; }
       }
     </style>
+    <script>
+      // Fade media in on load instead of popping — see .fx-fade in the global
+      // styles. Only media still in flight is tagged, so cached images render
+      // instantly with no flash.
+      if (!window.matchMedia('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches) {
+        for (const img of document.querySelectorAll('img')) {
+          if (img.complete) continue;
+          const reveal = () => img.classList.add('fx-in');
+          img.classList.add('fx-fade');
+          img.addEventListener('load', reveal, { once: true });
+          img.addEventListener('error', reveal, { once: true });
+        }
+        for (const video of document.querySelectorAll('video')) {
+          if (video.readyState >= 2) continue;
+          const reveal = () => video.classList.add('fx-in');
+          video.classList.add('fx-fade');
+          video.addEventListener('loadeddata', reveal, { once: true });
+          video.addEventListener('error', reveal, { once: true });
+        }
+      }
+    </script>
     {import.meta.env.DEV && <EditConfirm />}
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/src/pages/index.astro b/src/pages/index.astro
index 7cf7427..1135857 100644
--- a/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -184,10 +184,12 @@ const itemList = buildItemList(
       background: var(--bg);
       color: inherit;
       margin-bottom: 2.5rem;
-      transition: box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease;
+      transition: box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease,
+                  translate 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
     }
     .hero:hover {
       text-decoration: none;
+      translate: 0 -2px;
       border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 50%, var(--rule));
       box-shadow: 0 0 32px -4px color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 35%, transparent);
     }
@@ -200,7 +202,9 @@ const itemList = buildItemList(
       max-height: 62vh;
       object-fit: cover;
       background: var(--rule);
+      transition: transform 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
     }
+    .hero:hover .hero-media { transform: scale(1.015); }
     .hero-text {
       padding: 1.6rem 1.75rem 1.75rem;
       display: flex;
@@ -235,10 +239,12 @@ const itemList = buildItemList(
       border: 2px solid var(--rule);
       background: var(--bg);
       color: inherit;
-      transition: box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease;
+      transition: box-shadow 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease,
+                  translate 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
     }
     .tile:hover {
       text-decoration: none;
+      translate: 0 -2px;
       border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 50%, var(--rule));
       box-shadow: 0 0 20px -4px color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 30%, transparent);
     }
@@ -249,7 +255,9 @@ const itemList = buildItemList(
       width: 100%;
       height: auto;
       background: var(--rule);
+      transition: transform 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
     }
+    .tile:hover .media { transform: scale(1.03); }
 
     .text {
       padding: 0.85rem 1rem 1rem;