diff --git a/src/components/Filters/FilterButtons.jsx b/src/components/Filters/FilterButtons.jsx
index e3dc66c..e7846e9 100644
--- a/src/components/Filters/FilterButtons.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Filters/FilterButtons.jsx
@@ -1,30 +1,36 @@
 import React from "react";
-import "./../../styles/filters.css";
+import "../../styles/filters.css";
+
+/**
+ * Vertical glossy filter buttons for the main categories.
+ * active: string in { "All", "News", "Friends", "Events", "Market" }
+ * onSelect(code): called with the category code.
+ */
+export default function FilterButtons({ active, onSelect }) {
+  const buttons = [
+    { code: "All",     label: "All",     icon: "fa-solid fa-globe" },
+    { code: "News",    label: "News",    icon: "fa-solid fa-newspaper" },
+    { code: "Friends", label: "Friends", icon: "fa-solid fa-user-group" },
+    { code: "Events",  label: "Events",  icon: "fa-solid fa-calendar-days" },
+    { code: "Market",  label: "Market",  icon: "fa-solid fa-chart-line" },
+  ];
 
-export default function FilterButtons({ onSelect }) {
   return (
-    <div style={{ display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: "0.6rem" }}>
-
-      <button className="sw-filter-btn" onClick={() => onSelect("news")}>
-        <i className="fa-solid fa-newspaper"></i>
-        <div className="sw-filter-label">News</div>
-      </button>
-
-      <button className="sw-filter-btn" onClick={() => onSelect("friends")}>
-        <i className="fa-solid fa-user-group"></i>
-        <div className="sw-filter-label">Friends</div>
-      </button>
-
-      <button className="sw-filter-btn" onClick={() => onSelect("events")}>
-        <i className="fa-solid fa-calendar-days"></i>
-        <div className="sw-filter-label">Events</div>
-      </button>
-
-      <button className="sw-filter-btn" onClick={() => onSelect("market")}>
-        <i className="fa-solid fa-chart-line"></i>
-        <div className="sw-filter-label">Market</div>
-      </button>
-
+    <div className="sw-filter-column">
+      {buttons.map((btn) => (
+        <button
+          key={btn.code}
+          type="button"
+          className={
+            "sw-filter-btn" +
+            (active === btn.code ? " sw-filter-active" : "")
+          }
+          onClick={() => onSelect && onSelect(btn.code)}
+        >
+          <i className={btn.icon} />
+          <div className="sw-filter-label">{btn.label}</div>
+        </button>
+      ))}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/Map/MapView.jsx b/src/components/Map/MapView.jsx
index e5f0ca2..7ac8479 100644
--- a/src/components/Map/MapView.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Map/MapView.jsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import "maplibre-gl/dist/maplibre-gl.css";
 import "../../styles/mapMarkers.css";
 import "../../styles/overlays.css";
 import "../../styles/posts.css";
+import "../../styles/filters.css";
 
 import { createPost } from "../../api/client";
 import {
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import { useUserPosition } from "./useUserPosition";
 import { usePostsEngine } from "./usePostsEngine";
 import PostList from "../Posts/PostList";
 import { useAuth } from "../../auth/AuthContext";
+import FilterButtons from "../Filters/FilterButtons";
 
 export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
   const { authenticated, username, token } = useAuth();
@@ -93,7 +95,7 @@ export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
           handleIncomingPost(msg.post);
         }
       } catch {
-        // ignore
+        // ignore bad messages
       }
     };
     return () => ws && ws.close();
@@ -137,7 +139,7 @@ export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
 
     const authorName = (username || "").trim() || "anon";
 
-    // Crosshair offset fix
+    // Crosshair offset: adjust so big bubble sits correctly above pointer
     let baseLng;
     let baseLat;
 
@@ -150,7 +152,8 @@ export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
       baseLat = center.lat;
     }
 
-    const pixelOffsetY = -20;
+    const pixelOffsetY = -20; // tweak if needed
+
     const screenPoint = map.project([baseLng, baseLat]);
     const correctedPoint = {
       x: screenPoint.x,
@@ -181,6 +184,7 @@ export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
         token
       );
 
+      // Inject directly into the posts engine in addition to WebSocket broadcast
       if (newPost && newPost.id) {
         handleIncomingPost(newPost);
       }
@@ -205,12 +209,18 @@ export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
     }
   };
 
+  // Map right-side category selection from FilterButtons
+  const handleMainFilterSelect = (code) => {
+    if (!FILTER_MAIN_CATEGORIES.includes(code)) return;
+    setMainFilter(code);
+  };
+
   return (
     <div className="map-view">
       <div ref={containerRef} className="map-container" />
       {status && <div className="map-status">{status}</div>}
 
-      {/* TOP: Look / Place */}
+      {/* TOP */}
       <div className="map-overlay map-overlay-top">
         <button className="chip-pill" onClick={handleSearchClick}>
           Look at…
@@ -220,65 +230,50 @@ export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
         </button>
       </div>
 
-      {/* LEFT: time filters – NOW / TODAY / RECENT / PAST */}
-      <div className="map-overlay game-filter-column game-filter-column-left">
+      {/* LEFT (time filters) */}
+      <div className="map-overlay map-overlay-left">
         {[
           ["NOW", "Now"],
           ["TODAY", "Today"],
-          ["RECENT", "Recent"],
+          ["RECENT", "Recently"],
           ["PAST", "Past"],
         ].map(([code, label]) => (
-          <div className="game-filter-item" key={code}>
-            <button
-              className={
-                "game-filter-circle" +
-                (timeFilter === code ? " game-filter-circle-active" : "")
-              }
-              onClick={() => setTimeFilter(code)}
-            >
-              <span>{label[0]}</span>
-            </button>
-            <span className="game-filter-label">{label}</span>
-          </div>
-        ))}
-      </div>
-
-      {/* RIGHT: main categories – ALL / NEWS / FRIENDS / EVENTS / MARKET */}
-      <div className="map-overlay game-filter-column game-filter-column-right">
-        {FILTER_MAIN_CATEGORIES.map((cat) => {
-          const label = cat;
-          return (
-            <div className="game-filter-item" key={cat}>
-              <button
-                className={
-                  "game-filter-circle" +
-                  (mainFilter === cat ? " game-filter-circle-active" : "")
-                }
-                onClick={() => setMainFilter(cat)}
-              >
-                <span>{label[0]}</span>
-              </button>
-              <span className="game-filter-label">{label}</span>
-            </div>
-          );
-        })}
-      </div>
-
-      {/* BOTTOM: subcategories */}
-      <div className="map-overlay map-overlay-bottom">
-        {bottomCategories.map((c) => (
           <button
-            key={c}
+            key={code}
             className={
-              subFilter === c ? "chip-egg chip-egg-active" : "chip-egg"
+              timeFilter === code ? "chip-round chip-selected" : "chip-round"
             }
-            onClick={() => setSubFilter(c)}
+            onClick={() => setTimeFilter(code)}
           >
-            {c}
+            {label}
           </button>
         ))}
       </div>
 
+      {/* RIGHT (main categories with glossy icons) */}
+      <div className="map-overlay map-overlay-right">
+        <FilterButtons active={mainFilter} onSelect={handleMainFilterSelect} />
+      </div>
+
+      {/* BOTTOM (subcategories glossy pills) */}
+      <div className="map-overlay map-overlay-bottom">
+        <div className="sw-bottom-bar">
+          {bottomCategories.map((c) => (
+            <button
+              key={c}
+              type="button"
+              className={
+                "sw-bottom-btn" +
+                (subFilter === c ? " sw-bottom-btn-active" : "")
+              }
+              onClick={() => setSubFilter(c)}
+            >
+              {c}
+            </button>
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
       {/* MY SPOT */}
       <div className="map-overlay map-overlay-myloc">
         <button
@@ -290,7 +285,7 @@ export default function MapView({ theme = "dark" }) {
         </button>
       </div>
 
-      {/* CROSSHAIR */}
+      {/* CROSSHAIR when creating a post */}
       {isCreating && (
         <div className="map-overlay map-crosshair">
           <div className="crosshair-aim" />
diff --git a/src/styles/filters.css b/src/styles/filters.css
index 9a43e26..97f5382 100644
--- a/src/styles/filters.css
+++ b/src/styles/filters.css
@@ -1,37 +1,80 @@
+/* ===== SocioWire glossy filter buttons ===== */
+
+/* Vertical circular category buttons (right side) */
+.sw-filter-column {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.6rem;
+}
+
 .sw-filter-btn {
-  width: 72px;
-  height: 72px;
+  width: 70px;
+  height: 70px;
   border-radius: 50%;
-  background: radial-gradient(circle at 30% 30%, #38bdf8, #1d4ed8, #0b1020);
-  border: 2px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.25);
-  box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.6);
+  background: radial-gradient(circle at 30% 30%, #38bdf8, #1d4ed8, #020617);
+  border: 2px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.2);
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.7);
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: center;
-  color: #fff;
+  color: #e5f0ff;
   cursor: pointer;
-  transition: transform .15s, box-shadow .15s;
-}
-
-.sw-filter-btn:hover {
-  transform: translateY(-3px);
-  box-shadow: 0 6px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.75);
+  transition: transform .15s ease, box-shadow .15s ease, border-color .15s ease;
 }
 
 .sw-filter-btn i {
-  font-size: 26px;
-  margin-bottom: 4px;
+  font-size: 24px;
+  margin-bottom: 2px;
 }
 
 .sw-filter-label {
   font-size: 0.7rem;
-  margin-top: 4px;
-  text-align: center;
-  color: #dbeafe;
+  line-height: 1;
+  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.9);
+}
+
+.sw-filter-btn:hover {
+  transform: translateY(-3px);
+  box-shadow: 0 7px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.8);
 }
 
 .sw-filter-active {
   border-color: #38bdf8;
-  box-shadow: 0 0 16px #38bdf8;
+  box-shadow: 0 0 18px rgba(56,189,248,0.9);
+}
+
+/* ===== Bottom sub-category glossy pills ===== */
+
+.sw-bottom-bar {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 0.4rem;
+  padding: 0.2rem 0.6rem;
+  background: radial-gradient(circle at 0% 0%, rgba(15,23,42,0.96), rgba(15,23,42,0.85));
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.75);
+}
+
+.sw-bottom-btn {
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  padding: 0.25rem 0.75rem;
+  font-size: 0.75rem;
+  border: 1px solid rgba(148,163,184,0.6);
+  background: rgba(15,23,42,0.9);
+  color: #e5e7eb;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  transition: background .12s ease, transform .12s ease, box-shadow .12s ease;
+}
+
+.sw-bottom-btn:hover {
+  transform: translateY(-2px);
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.7);
+}
+
+.sw-bottom-btn-active {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #38bdf8, #1d4ed8);
+  border-color: #93c5fd;
+  color: #0b1120;
+  font-weight: 600;
 }