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zablife · 7 months

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The Last Supper

Requested by @evita-shelby for my 2K celebration An Evening at Arrow House. Warning: This is a dark fic 💀

A/N: Eva Shelby is an OC belonging to @evita-shelby. She is the new Mrs. Shelby in this fic instead of Y/n. Guest list for this party: Darby Sabini, Alfie Solomons, Michael and Gina Gray, Jack Nelson.

“Are you ready for tonight, my love?” Eva asked, straightening Tommy’s bow tie. She studied his face for any sign of hesitation or anxiety. His family had been cruel in recent weeks, unaccepting of his choice to marry a foreign woman they’d never met. Eva could have cared less what they thought, focused only on her new husband and the unique bond they shared. However, she worried about his fragile mental state, the breakdown which caused him to flee the UK less than a year ago still too fresh to be tested by caustic relatives and duplicitous business associates.

Tommy grasped her hands and kissed the inside of her wrists tenderly. “I’ll be fine as long as I have you. I only need you,” he reminded her. Eva inhaled deeply, a sense of love and devotion overwhelming her. In her whole life there had only been one man who stirred these emotions within her. Sometimes the need to protect him frightened her, the deeds she would be capable of without compunction. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him toward her in a searing kiss.

“I love you, Tommy,” she murmured against his lips.

“I never doubt that, Evie,” he replied, with a squeeze to her hip.

———————

Eva had spared no expense for their dinner party, a footman for every guest, the finest wine and carefully planned menu were all part of her plan to create an unforgettable evening. In an attempt to recreate the meal over which Tommy had proposed in Paris, she even hired a French chef. Not everyone knew how to prepare ortolan and it had to be done correctly as it was to be the pinnacle of the meal.

Satisfied that the cocktail hour had passed without incident, Eva sat listening to the ebb and flow of conversation at the dinner table. She busied herself watching those gathered before her, ensuring their comfort like any good host. When the waiters finally placed the next course before Tommy’s carefully chosen family members and associates, gasps could be heard echoing through the room. Some murmured whispers of confusion and others of mild disgust at the cadaverous little golden bird at the center of their plate.

Michael, who was seated next to Tommy, was the first to voice a complaint. “She couldn’t have served a roast?” he spat.

Tommy smirked at his cousin’s reaction to the dish, a gentle shake of his head indicating that wasn’t how his wife operated. “That’s my Evie. She’s quite unique,” he boasted.

Suddenly Eva’s voice rose above the din. She straightened regally in her chair at the end of the table like a queen holding court as she explained her unusual choice. “It’s ortolan, a most sinful delicacy I thought all of you might enjoy. Would you like to know why they're so delicious?” she asked no one in particular. Her lips curled into a devilish smile that left her companions shifting uncomfortably in their seats as she continued. "They capture these tiny creatures and force them into darkness where they gorge themselves on grain and figs. When they’ve doubled in size, they’re drowned in Armagnac and roasted whole.”

Thoroughly unimpressed, Gina scrunched her nose at the sight of her food before rolling her eyes. “I suppose they eat this vile sort of thing in Mexico?”

Eva’s jaw clenched momentarily, eyes flicking up to meet Gina’s as the candlelight reflecting in her irises seemed to mirror the fire inside her. “I told you, it’s French and very exclusive. Try it,” she insisted through clenched teeth.

“It’s true, it's quite rare. People are lucky to taste it even once,” Tommy explained.

“And how is it that Thomas Shelby is fortunate enough to have tasted this delicacy twice in one lifetime? Isn’t that a bit gluttonous?” Darby Sabini asked, his prominent lisp making his last word sound particularly accusatory.

“You would speak of my husband’s greed at his own dinner table?” Eva asked with raised eyebrow, moments away from telling everyone in the room what she knew of his own cupidity and egotism.

A booming laugh came from further down the table as Alfie Solomons exclaimed, “Fuck me, a bloody parrot on a plate! Well, I'll give it a go. How do we eat this, dove?” he asked, gathering his knife and fork with gusto.

“You pick it up by the head like so and eat it feet first,” Eva demonstrated, wincing slightly at the scalding temperature before delicately placing it back on her dish. “When the bones begin to crack ever so delicately in your mouth, the fat will mix with the delicious flavor of the organs on your tongue. There’s nothing like it,” she assured him.

“That’s monstrous!” Gina cried, staring at her host in horror.

Eva grinned wickedly. “Don’t worry, that’s what the napkin is for. To drape over your head to hide your face from God.”

“Can’t say it’s the worst I’ve ever done,” Jack Nelson chuckled as he grasped his napkin in his right hand, ready to accept the gruesome challenge.

“Exactemente,” Eva said with an encouraging nod of her head. “On my count everyone,” she said, manicured hand reaching for her own napkin as she gave a wink to Tommy. She counted down from five as she watched her hesitant guests fumble slightly, a few nervous glances exchanged as heads disappeared quickly under the linen cloths. A rush of quick inhales permeated the air as everyone rushed the piping hot delicacy to their mouths. Eva’s muffled voice could be heard beneath her own napkin as she finished the count. “Two, one,” she said breathlessly, covering the steps of the waiting footmen behind each guest.

For a brief moment the only sound that could be heard all around her was the abrasive crunching of bones, evidence of the devoured birds and the little sin committed. Just another in a long list for these damned souls, she thought.

“Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you what you are,” Tommy and Eva had been told in Paris when they first consumed the dish. The words echoed in Eva’s mind as she braced for the shots that rang out next, followed by the clatter of china and crystal. Removing her napkin carefully, she surveyed the lifeless bodies of her husband's enemies slumped over the table, blood seeping onto their plates through their makeshift executioner's hoods.

The assassins dressed as footmen folded their aprons as Tommy instructed, "Tell Johnny Dogs to light the fire now."

"And tell the chef to prepare the next course," Eva added before they filed out of the room.

When she was finally alone with her husband, she noted how he too still held the delicate bird in his hand, uneaten.

"Shall we?" he asked, raising his napkin invitingly.

"I don't feel ashamed, do you?" she asked, tossing the linen aside with a smile.

"No," he replied with a decisive shake of his head.

"Then let God watch," she answered, eating her ortolan in one bite.

-----------

Tag List:

@shelbydelrey

@alanadetigy

@severewobblerlightdragon

@lovemissyhoneybee

@theshelbyslimited

@kittycatcait219

@notyour-valentine

@areyenotfondofmelobster

@polishcrazyone

@elenavampire21

@little-diable

@lyarr24

@jomarch-wannabe

@helen06dreamer

@raincoffeeandfandoms

@dearshelby

@cillmequick

@call-sign-shark

@peakyltd

@brummiereader

@runnning-outof-time

@emotionalcadaver

@thegreatdragonfruta

@noforkingclue

@thomashelbyswife

#Peaky Blinders fanfic #Peaky Blinders imagine #Tommy Shelby #Tommy Shelby x OC #Tommy Shelby x Eva Shelby #zablife 2k celebration

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votivecandleholder · 11 months

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The Best Places to Have a Birthday Party for Kindergarteners

New Post has been published on https://happybirthdaydecor.com/venues/the-best-places-to-have-a-birthday-party-for-kindergarteners

The Best Places to Have a Birthday Party for Kindergarteners

Birthdays are special, and kindergarteners deserve a special birthday party experience. It can be daunting to plan a birthday party for your little one. There is so much to think about – food, decorations, and activities – but one of the most important choices you have to make is where to host the party.

Birthday Party For Kindergarteners

Birthday Party for Kindergarteners

If you’re looking for places to host a birthday party that your kindergartener will love, look no further! Here are some great options that will make your child’s special day unforgettable.

Birthday Party Halls For Kids

Outdoor Park

If the weather is nice outside, why not host a birthday party at an outdoor park? This is especially great if your child loves spending time outdoors or has always wanted to try out some new sports. Many parks also offer special amenities such as picnic tables and grills that you can use for snacks and meals to serve at the birthday party of your kindergartener. Just make sure you check the forecast beforehand in case it rains!

Outdoor Party

Some parks even offer pavilions with running water so you don’t have to worry about drinks getting too warm in the sun. Many parks also have playground equipment that the kids will love playing on during the birthday party. Just remember to bring some insect repellent if it’s summer!

Indoor Playground

An indoor playground is always an excellent choice when hosting a party for younger children. Indoor playgrounds usually have all sorts of fun activities and equipment that your child and their friends can explore, such as slides, ball pits, trampolines, obstacle courses, and more.

Indoor Party

Plus, they provide a safe environment with plenty of space so that parents don’t have to worry about running around after their kids all day.

Roller Skating Rink

Roller skating rinks provide endless entertainment for young children. Not only will they get to practice their balance while gliding around the rink on skates; they’ll also get to enjoy some classic games like musical chairs or limbo.

Skating Girls On The Wall

Plus, most roller skating rinks offer private rooms where you can host cake and ice cream afterward to celebrate the birthday party of your kindergartener.

Children’s Museum/Discovery Center

Most cities and towns have a children’s museum or discovery center where kids can explore different exhibits and participate in interactive activities. This is an excellent option if you want your child’s guests to stay entertained throughout the entire duration of the birthday party.

You can also usually get discounts on admission fees for large groups, which means more money saved for other aspects of the party!

Sports Activity Center

If you have an active group of kids who would rather run around than sit still, consider booking space at a sports activity center or trampoline park. Not only will this provide them with plenty of physical activity, but it also ensures that everyone stays safe since all activities are supervised by trained professionals.

Plus, it’s sure to tire even the most rambunctious group out in time for cake and presents!

Birthday Party Ideas

Circus Theme Childrens Birthday Party

Kids Birthday Party Supplies

Diy Party Favor Variety Kit Diy Party Favor

Conclusion

No matter what type of venue you choose for your child’s birthday bash, it’s important to focus on making sure they have a fun time with their friends while staying safe at all times. With just a bit of research into local birthday party places near you, you will be able to find one that fits both your needs and budget perfectly! Whether it’s an indoor play center or an outdoor park – or something else entirely – make sure it meets all safety standards before deciding on a place for your little one’s big day! Happy planning!

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rosethornewrites · 3 years

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Fics I read this week

Some of these may have been read earlier than a week ago, but I tried to keep it contained. Not sure I’ll keep this up, but I’ll try.

Finished:

Rated E:

the origin of change, by kissteethstainred, rated E

Lan Xichen said, “Time for regrowth and mourning is, of course, the most important. But there has also been a—frequent—discussion of marriage.” He paused to drink more tea. He almost seemed apologetic when he added, “Your name has been brought up often.”

“For marriage,” Lan Wangji repeated.

Except with Wei Ying in the picture, nothing goes exactly as planned.

Opportunity, by brooklinegirl, rated E

Lan Zhan is jostled slightly and he turns in his seat to see a harried-looking man squeezing in next to him. There isn't an empty seat there, and the bar is quite crowded. "Sorry," the man says, sounding out of breath. "I know I'm all up in your business, I'll move, I promise, I just—" He blows his breath out. "I'm going to lose this seat next to you, that dude over there has been eyeing it, and it's mine as soon as this guy leaves.”

Rated M:

Oxymoron, by feline_somnambulist, rated M

Jiang Yanli was in the kitchen. She hummed softly along to music being played somewhere else in the house, as she shuffled carefully back and forth from the prep table to the giant vat of soup. The house smelled like pork rib and savory broth. As always, she was beautiful in her element, a goddess of her domain despite the limp and the leg brace.

Her phone rang just as Jiang Cheng entered the kitchen. She saw him and smiled as she made her careful way to the phone on the wall-mounted charging station.

Jiang Cheng put the stack of paperwork down on a counter. He got to the phone first, picked it up. It was Lan Wangji’s number. He rejected the call and put the phone in his pocket.

“A-Cheng? Is everything okay?” Jiang Yanli asked, a frown creasing her brow. “Who was that?”

It Ends With the Beginning, by feline_somnambulist, rated M

They fight. They part. Jiang Cheng is hurt. Wei Wuxian comes to help. Wei Wuxian runs. Jiang Cheng is tired of chasing. They fight.

Until The End, by abCEE, rated M

"When I -- when I tied my ribbon around our wrists, I knew what I was doing and I privately honored it." Wei Wuxian's brows continued to meet as he tried to understand where the conversation was going until realization dawned on him. "Wa -- wait! Lan Zhan, is it what I think it is?!!" "It is usually done at the end of a wedding ceremony --" "What-" "But it could have been acknowledged as an engagement." "Lan Zhan!" He cannot believe what he is hearing now. "But my ancestor revealed herself --" "And we bowed… three times. We bowed, Lan Zhan!"

In which wangxian are married since the Cold Pond Cave incident, knows how proper communication works, and had confessed in the middle of the Sunshot Campaign. Things went spiraling up and down from there.

Rated T:

as it should be, by Sienne, rated T

Post-canon Lan Qiren time travels to before the Cloud Recesses lectures. The Cloud Recesses are quiet and peaceful, something his home hasn't been in years. ...In fact, it is too quiet and peaceful.

Judgment Day, by Grace_Logan, rated T

Cornered Wei Wuxian sees only one way out after cluing in on the Jin's plan.

Welcome To Gusu, by perkynurples, rated T

Deep in the lush forests of Gusu hides an aging resort that hosts dozens of children every summer for an unforgettable couple of weeks. It’s where Lan Wangji grew up alongside Wei Wuxian, and when his childhood friend (for the lack of a better term) surprisingly returns years later in the position of Senior Counsellor, seemingly hell bent on causing the same kind of mischief that got him kicked out of Gusu in the first place, but also taller, broader and tanner than ever before, Lan Wangji knows he’s In Trouble. Or, this fic has it all: longing looks over campfires, found family dynamics, ill-timed skinny dipping, teenagers inappropriately shipping their counsellors, camp weddings...

Therapy is a Performative Act, by cinder1013, rated T

“What does your dad think of your comedy?”

“Oh, he hates it, but it pays the bills and I need it to pay for my goddamn fuckin’ therapy.”

Jiang Cheng stumbles into being a stand-up comic and his favorite topic is dear ol’ dad.

sorry, i love you, by moon_thief, rated T

lan wangji was practically seething as he watched it happen. what kind of person could be so careless, unruly, undisciplined-

and then their eyes met.

oh. oh.

Tremble a Prayer, by cqlorphan, rated T

They kiss, and Lan Wangji regulates himself. There are no tears pricking at his eyes. There is no lump in his throat. His hands are undressing Wei Ying, and then Wei Ying’s hands are on his hands.

“What is it?” Wei Ying says, between kisses.

Even with Wei Ying back, Lan Wangji's sadness overwhelms him at times. He tries, and fails, to keep it from him.

The Quiet Work, by ShipsAreLaunching, rated T

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian get a summons for help from a minor clan in Gusu. When they go to investigate they find a horrible truth, and do what they do best.

Rated G:

Ink Stains Not So Ignored, by Preludian_Staves, rated G

Qiren found something that he still couldn't bring himself to ignore about his youngest nephew's husband.

I’d buy a big house where we both could live, by failed2be_chill, rated G

“Ah, so you want to play with the rabbits and enjoy their soft fur and silly little nose twitches while your poor husband toils in the heat of the day with hammer and nail doing exhausting manual labour. I see how it is. It’s a good job I love you, huh?” Wei Wuxian kisses his husband’s soft cheek.

“Mn, very good.”

---

Or, married WangXian embrace the practical and symbolic joys of home ownership. Domestic bliss.

Family, by Speechless_since_1998, rated G

Jiang Cheng blinked as his brother while he played with the baby he was holding.

He hoped he had misunderstood, but he had proof that it was true right in front of him.

So he did the only sensible thing that came to mind, "Wei Ying, what the fuck ?! '

"A-Cheng, language!" Shijie scolded him with a stern look.

"A-Jie, you can't really accept such a thing!"

"Why not? He is so cute!" she said, making funny faces at the child, totally in love with him.

Was it possible that he was the only one with a bit of mental sanity left?

A Lonely Guqin (No More), by Asphodel_Meadow, rated G

Wei Wuxian is the first person who makes Lan Wangji want to have a duet.

piercing, by escapingaugust, rated G (read the tags)

Stolen Midnights, by hinotoriii, rated G

There are nights where sleep eludes Wei Wuxian. Where the demons of his past are too loud in his mind, reminding him of that which he could never forget, second life or not.

Unfinished:

Not Rated:

Disclosed Regrets, by zLanWuxian, Not Rated

The majority of the cultivation world are pulled into a room that suspiciously resembled the burial mounds. (Their golden cores were sealed too. As to why, nobody knew.)

They are invited to watch Wei Wuxian's life.

What will they do when they find out everything they believed was a lie?

(Or: The characters of Mo Dao Zu Shi watch Mo Dao Zu Shi)

Rated E:

Where You Fell, by Sweet_William, rated E

Years ago, Lan Wangji was a Senior in high school, readying himself for graduation and the coming years studying at the Gusu Lan Institute of Music. Everything in his life made sense, from his role in his family, to a future as a classical musician. The only thing that didn’t fit was the sudden epiphanies he had about himself brought on by his bothersome and flirtatious classmate, Wei Wuxian. When the growing attraction and friendship was cut short by the other boy’s disappearance, he mourned what could have been, but ultimately had to move on. What he didn’t know was that fate would bring them back together again one day, or the reality of how far apart two lives can diverge, how some can find peace and prosperity, while others can fall farther than he ever imagined.

A Narrow Bridge, by FrameofMind and Jo Lasalle (Jo_Lasalle), rated E

Once, Lan Wangji made a choice to step aside. Ten years after Wei Ying’s death, he finds a way back to choose again.

Setting fire to our insides, by StarsAlignNomore, rated E

Lan Wangji dies after the thirty-third strike. Lan Xichen does not handle it well.

*fleabag voice* This is a fix it.

Rated M:

Live Again, Love Anew, by kkanime5555, rated M

“Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian finally speaks up.

“Mn.” Lan Zhan hums to show he’s listening.

“I think we traveled back in time.”

...

“I’ll go, Lan Zhan. I’ll come to Gusu with you.”

-----

Or,

Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are soulmates and, upon Wei Ying's death, they are sent back to when they first met as kids on the streets of Yiling. From there, they both are taken to Gusu, where they are raised together, gradually learning of their shared feelings and finding out the mystery of who sent them back in time and why, all while planning how to save the world, preferably with all their loved ones left alive.

A Torn Red Ribbon, by shiroakuma, rated M

The night before they marched into the Nightless City, Lan Wangji was invited to join Wei Wuxian in his tent.

Unbeknownst to him at that time, it became their last real conversation.

In which, a resounding victory against the QishanWen Sect is won seemingly at the cost of Wei Wuxian's life. Lan Wangji still spends some time being heavily injured. Lan Xichen tries to pick the pieces left behind by the war. The Jiang Sect is renowned thanks to the revered Wei Wuxian and the cultivation world is plagued by unknown forces while Lan Wangji meets with Wei Wuxian in his dreams.

Sacrifices Made with Blood, by NocturnalFriend, rated M

Lan Wangji knew it was too late, there was too much blood on Wei Ying's hands already. Still, if he asked his brother for help, surely. There was a way to rescue the man who held his heart?

Or: Trust is not easily given and all to easily shattered. Lan Wangji learns this in the worst way, when Lan Xichen gives into the demands of the cultivation world. Although nobody could have predicted the whims of fate, giving them another chance at righting things.

What makes you sing?, by Fictio, rated M

Madam Yu was never known for her matchmaking skills but she was known for her inherent meddling. Though it still came as a surprise, when on one fine Saturday afternoon, she called Wei Ying and set him up for a blind date.

There She Rose, by Aiiiru, rated M

Many years had passed yet whispers and gossips about YiLing Matriarch still stayed alive like unruly weeds refusing to die.

"That damn Wei Wuxian must have cursed this year's harvest with 'unkillable' locusts" "But Wei Wuxian had died right?" "Didn't you know that her body wasn't found?" "I heard some cultivators saying that during the chaos, some people saw her leaving in a sword, flying away with someone else." "That must be the demon with whom she signed a contract, a female challenging three thousand or was it five thousand cultivators by herself? Hah!! She definitely has ties with evil creatures and ghosts." "I heard from my cousin in Yunmeng that YiLing Matriarch was born shameless." "Some say she was a male but took female form to seduce the ghosts of burial mounds and gain power by starting demonic cultivation" "Shhh! Don't talk so loudly! My cousin knew a man who loudly gossiped about Yilling Matriarch only to be cursed to death the next day"

Visitations, by Vir_Abelasan, rated M

"Wei Ying-" Lan Zhan says, stutters, "I'm sorry."

And now Wei Wuxian sees it, the red rimming Lan Zhan's eyes, the rumpled edges of his blazer. There is an old, familiar urge for him to reach over, to hold Lan Zhan's hand and smooth his hair, to tell him that everything will be fine.

"We're all a bit sorry about this, I think," he says instead, and finds that he means it. For Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji and everyone else in that Guanyin temple, the pain must be unbearably fresh, like skin just flayed open. But Wei Wuxian's chest had been cracked open a long time ago, his wounds licked and cauterized and sewn shut over five long years - Ever hurting, but a dull, constant ache, "It's really alright, Lan Zhan."

Five years after being accused of corporate espionage and losing everything, the Guanyin Scandal breaks open and Wei Wuxian finds a familiar face at his door.

Kiss My Wounds, Bless My Scars, by Pegunicent, rated M

When he is sixteen, Lan Wangji makes a choice. He becomes Wei Ying's bride.

Rated T:

the one where Jiang Yanli visits (and she's a fucking goddess), by ShippersList, rated T (part 4 of a series)

Wei Wuxian’s sister was a fucking goddess so it was a travesty she wasn’t being fucked like a goddess deserved.

Luo Qingyang decided to do something about it.

(Also, family feels and some plotting but that's beside the point.)

obscured in the shade of the willow, bathed in the light of the moon, by cloud_wanderer, rated T

Wei Wuxian leaves the Burial Mounds for the first time to attend his martial brother's wedding, and everything changes from there. (a.k.a. a universe in which Nie Huaisang schemes to thwart Jin Guangshan's plans and ends up saving Wei Wuxian and the Wens in the process)

Wei Wuxian meets Xiao Xingchen and helps found a sect in Yiling.

Inchoate, by Marinelifeclub, rated T

“Where would you even go once you left? Wait a few more years before leaving." persuaded Jiang Fengmian,

“Will I live to see that long?” Wei Wuxian whispered under his breath.

Jiang Fengmian felt cold at those words. He always thought his children would be the ones to heal the scars left by their mother on Wei Wuxian, but just the concise way he spoke about them, he knows that wasn’t true. Now his best friend’s son sat in front of him, confessing to not thinking he will live to see himself become a man. Cangse and Changze must be furious in their graves as the sweet smiling son they raised endured pain because of a jealous woman and a cowardly man. Sighing, he did the only thing he could to make things right and accepted the boy’s wishes.

At age 14, Wei Wuxian left Lotus Pier and never looked back.

Wei Wuxian leaves Lotus Pier and while things change something’s are just set in fate.

Here We Go Again, by Alliandra, rated T

He looked over to where the swordswoman was still fighting, but her focus seemed entirely locked onto that fight so it was unlikely that she could have had anything to do with the energy drain. He was still wracking his brain for something else to do to assist, so this thing didn’t kill them both, but now he was feeling weak, dizzy and currently not far from helpless.

~~~~~~~~~~

It has been several months since the events at the Guanyin temple and Wei Wuxian is wandering around on his own. After he helps a stranger kill a very dangerous beast he uncovers what seems to be a conspiracy aimed at ending his life. He heads back to Cloud Recesses with his new companion in tow, looking to get Lan Wanji's help in working out what is involved.

Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling made a surprising discovery under Koi Tower that may well be linked to the threat against Wei Wuxian's life.

Can they all work together to find out what is going on and put a stop to it, before something disastrous occurs?

Nie Huaisang's Ten Steps to Fix The Fucked Up Reality, by cosmic_zephyr (ProudHaikyuuTrash)

1. Find the time travel array in the Nie library 2. Convince (manipulate) Wei Wuxian to use demonic cultivation to activate the array. 3. Transmigrate to the body of your 15-year-old selves with Wei Wuxian and Survive his wrath. 4. Come up with yet another exaggerated, slightly concerning, plan to save Lotus Pier, Dafan Wens and your brother. 5. Use Empathy to make the Wen siblings side with you in the mess that is soon to come. 6. Kill the main Wen family and make Wen Qing the new leader of Qishan Wen so innocent people are not killed. 7. Annoy the hell out of Lanling Jin just for funsies and also a political statement because Jin Guangshan can suck it. 8 Preferably, just for your own sanity, find a way to kill Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao. 9. Work with Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing to solve the sabre problem of the Nie clan. 10. Live a happy life with your brother alive and the cultivation world not being the huge fucked up mess in your own time-line. P.S. Matchmake the pining pile of disaster and gay aka Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

Aka canon divergence where Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian (and Lan Wangji) travel back in time and save the cultivation world.

Deal, by Rahar_Moonfire, rated T

Nie Huaisang wants revenge for his brother. He also wants his friend Wei Wuxian back. Lan Wangji left the Cultivation World after Wei Wuxian's death and hasn't been heard from since. It's a good thing Nie Huaisang has spies everywhere. He has everything he needs to put his plan into motion: the notes, the instructions, the "willing body," and the patience to pull it all off.

Now he just needs to be sure Wei Wuxian survives long enough to pick up Nie Huaisang's bread crumbs, solve the puzzle, and shatter the Cultivation World again. The only person suitable for that job is Black Jade of Yiling, the husband of the infamous Yiling Patriarch, Lan Wangji.

Rated G:

Hadn't gone as I planned, by hamlets_ghost, rated G (part of a series)

Lan Xichen leaves the Cloud Recesses with Wei Wuxian and Wangji to meet his mother.

He cannot stay.

[continuation of 'Hold on to your heart']

#the untamed #untamed fanfiction #mo dao zu shi #chen qing ling #CQL #mdzs

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angelliev · 4 years

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Lover Boy - JJ Maybank x OC - Part One - Paradise on Earth

Word Count: 2K

Summary: Aria Prescott is new to the Outer Banks and is ready to make some new friends and new beginnings. What she wasn’t expecting was making some unforgettable memories with JJ Maybank.

Warnings: Light smut, some cursing, alcohol/drug use and maybe some typos lol.

A/N: Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this. This is my first time ever writing and publishing a fanfic so, I’m pretty excited and really nervous at the same time. I was inspired by the writers on here to finally put on my big girl pants and give this a shot. I'm really looking forward to see how this turns out. I’m planning on making this a series. Hope you like it! (Not my GIF. Credits to the owner. I don’t own the show or any of the characters) :)

Lover Boy Series Masterlist

“The Outer Banks. Paradise on Earth.” I used to think that was an exaggeration. I’m originally from Chapel Hill, so visiting the OBX was common. Now I’m living in Figure Eight. My parents wanted a change of scenery. So, what’s better than living in Paradise on Earth? To be honest, I really don’t mind. I already have a few friends I’ve known for a while who live here.

For example, would be Charis Donahue. We’ve been best friends since kindergarten. She’s an absolute wild card. Everyone who thinks they know her, thinks that she’s an innocent goody two shoes. Her real friends however, know that’s a load of bull. If you look up the word party animal in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of Charis beside it. She’s the perfect combination of crazy, loyal and fun. That’s what makes her one of my best friends.

My other best friend is Sarah Cameron. The kook princess. Our parents are good friends, so I’ve known her for a while now. Speaking of now, we’re currently having brunch on the balcony of my new house. Charis scans her surroundings, for any adults before pouring a little bit of vodka into our glasses of orange juice before quickly shoving it back into her purse.

“Score.” Sarah praises the rebellious teen who raises her glass. “Cheers to Aria for finally getting her ass out here. Welcome to the Outer Banks love.” We all cheer and sip together, basking in the sun. “So, what are we doing tonight? Cause I’m bored out of my mind.” I confess. The two share a look.

“Well you’re in luck, because tonight we’re having a little get together at my place. My parents are flying to New Jersey for some charity event, so we have the place all to ourselves.” Charis smirks. “Nice, but what do you mean a little get together?” I asked curiously. “It’s just going to be us, Charis’s boyfriend, my boyfriend, and his friends, JJ, Pope and Kiara.” Sarah explains.

I’ve only met Charis’s boyfriend, Diego, once at a baseball game that took place in Chapel Hill. I’ve never met Sarah’s new boyfriend either, but I can tell she really likes him. She’s been talking about him nonstop ever since they started going out. I hung out with Kiara a few times during freshman year, when she and Sarah were friends, but then they had some weird blowout. Thankfully, they’re friends again, because it was kind of awkward talking to both of them when all they wanted to do was claw each other’s eyes out and I had to play the peacemaker.

“Sounds like fun. I can’t wait to finally meet this mystery stud you’re always rambling on about.” “Tonight will be epic.” Charis says. “How so?” Her helicopter of mother, Ingrid, startles the three of us. “We’re having a sleepover tonight.” Charis replies nonchalantly. She’s also a very good liar. “With who’s permission?”

“Dads’ of course.” This seems to annoy her mother. “Is that so Oscar?” Ingrid asked her husband, who was having a conversation with Ward and Claude, my dad. “Oh, come on honey. She’s old enough to host a sleepover with her friends for one night.” Oscar defends Charis, much to her mother’s dismay.

“There better not be any boys, alcohol or drugs at this sleepover.” Charis simply says okay and continues scrolling through pictures on social media before her Ingrid snatches it from her hands. “I’m serious Charis!” The two of them both had scolding eyes. “Okay! It’s just going to be us girls. I promise.” Charis snatches back the phone. Her mother scoffs and rolls her eyes before leaving us to speak with Rose. “God can she be any more annoying?” Charis grumbles under a hushed tone. “Yeah when is she not on your ass?” Sarah asked. “When she’s on my dad’s.” She replies. Both Sarah and I both scrunch our faces in disgust.

Hours later…

As of now, I’m going through my closest attempting to find something to wear. I finally decide on my black and white bikini, denim shorts, a white crochet coverup and sandals. Satisfied with my look, I grab my bag before heading out the door and down the street where I see Sarah parked outside.

“Hello my little splinter bean.” Sarah greets me with her odd nickname as I sit down in the remaining passenger seat. “Guys this is one of my best friends Aria. You already know Kie of course. This is my boyfriend John B.” He fist bumps me. “And this is his best friend JJ.” My breath hitched slightly when I looked at JJ. He’s got to be one of the most handsome guys I have ever seen with his blonde hair, tan skin, baby blue eyes and rather flirtatious smirk. I’m happy with the outfit choice I made, due to his eyes roaming up and down my body.

“Pleasure to meet you beautiful.” I raise an eyebrow at him. “Likewise, lover boy.” I can hear both John B and Sarah snickering up front. It was rather difficult to keep my cool, while being so close to JJ, our legs touching. I began wonder what the rest of his skin felt like. I was rather a little disappointed when the moment ended with us exiting the car and entering the house. We were surprised to see flames over the grill outside on the patio. “What’s good bitches?” Charis waves with a spatula and Diego sits at the bar.

“What the shit?!” The five of us say in union. Not too long after, Pope comes running in with the fire extinguisher in hand, disposing the flames.

“Jesus, what the hell were you numbskulls trying to cook?” Kie asked astonished. “Burgers, but that plan obviously went to shit…”. “Well it’s a good thing we brought beer.” JJ pops one open. “Thank god.” Says Diego.

For the rest of the night we all drank, swam, laughed and more. I genuinely enjoyed hanging out with them tonight. They’re a lot more fun than the kids at my school. I also liked catching JJ and his wandering eye. I think it was around one in the morning when everyone began to fall asleep. Me on the other hand was tossing and turning nonstop. Giving up on sleep I silently sneak out the room and to the pool where I dip my feet, enjoying the peace.

“Feeling a little restless, are we?” I turn to see JJ walking towards me. I let my eyes wander across his shirtless body. It’s a sight I could get used. He catches my gaze and smirks. “Yeah. You too?” He pulls out a blunt before lighting it. He rests it between his lips inhaling, holding the smoke in his lungs and finally releasing the toxic cloud into the warm night air. He sits next to me all close. “You want a hit?” He offers me the blunt. I was unsure at first, since I never smoked before, let alone weed. “First time for everything.” I sigh. “Atta girl.” I was definitely way over my head when I inhaled the burning smoke. I violently coughed, desperate for clean air. This earns a chuckle from him. “That shit burns.” I complain with watery eyes. “Takes some time to get used to. C’mere.”

He takes my face in his rough hands, with his thumb pushing down on my bottom lip. This time instead of exhaling the smoke into the air, it enters my mouth instead. Our lips barely brush against each other, very tempting to close the gap. This would make an interesting first kiss. I bite my lip when he pulls away. Not knowing what to do, I ask, “Wanna go for a swim?” letting my body fall into the water, waiting for him to come join me. He doesn’t disappoint when he jumps in too. I admire how his sun kissed skin gleams from the water and watch the droplets race down his muscular body.

He swims dangerously close to me, until my back hits the wall, trapping me. His hands grip my thighs before spreading them apart, before they find their way around his waist, leaving no space between us. Our lips are almost touching. My heart beats so fast I can practically hear it. I grow impatient and pull him into a kiss. Our lips dancing against each other, our tongues intertwining, and our hips grinding together. Everything is so erotic and passionate, which leaves me craving more.

His skin against mine was electrifying, especially when his hand snuck up my back to undo my top exposing me. He licks his lips and begins to kiss his way down to breast, leaving hickies on the way. I let out a surprised moan when his mouth attaches to my left breast, while his hand plays with the other. It didn’t dawn on me until now that we moved past second base and were most likely going to skip third and straight to home run. After all, the only thing that’s separating us are the two swim bottoms.

Am I seriously about to lose my virginity in my best friend’s pool to a guy I just met? A guy who knows what he’s doing with his skilled mouth and hands. I should pull away before this goes any further, yet I continue to moan and encourage him to continue as his fingers disappear under my bikini bottom. Before he could venture even farther down there, we’re interrupted by surprise visitor.

“What the actual shit Aria?!” My head whips over to the voice, belonging to Jasper. Charis’s older brother. JJ acts quickly by withdrawing his hand, earning a whimper from me, and pulling me flush against his chest attempting to shield me from the poor guy who’s staring up at the sky. “Jasper what are you doing here?!” He gives me a dumbfounded look. “I live here? And I should be asking you the same thing.”

“We were having a little get together.” “Oh there’s a little get together all right.” He said with a judgmental tone, earning a chuckle from JJ, who’s face is nuzzled into my neck. “I take it my parents don’t know you guys invited a bunch of unexpected guests?” I don’t even bother to respond to that. He simply sighs. “Just get dressed and go to bed. Secret is safe with me.” He walks back into the house leaving the two of us alone once again. We both let out a mischievous laugh before our lips connect again.

“We should continue this later babygirl.” He playfully slaps my ass making me squeal. We sneak back into the room as quiet as possible, drying ourselves off before slipping under the covers.

He spoons me, to my surprise, bodies molding together perfectly. One of his hands sneak under and up my shirt cupping my breast, while the other slips under my panties. His long fingers begin to play with my folds and clit making my breath hitch. He finds my sweet spot again before nipping at it. I let out a whimper, the sensations all over my body are too much. “Quiet babygirl. Don’t want to wake up the others.” His hot breath reaches my ear.

I gasp when a finger slips into my folds testing the waters. I bite my lip attempting to remain silent as it thrust in and out of me. He adds another, curling his fingers. I began to wonder if I was having a dirty dream. It felt too good to be real. I then realized that it indeed was real when he started hitting the sweet spot buried deep inside me bringing me close to orgasm.

“Jay, I think I’m close.” He speeds up and uses his free hand to cover my mouth. “Cum for me babygirl. Cum all over my fingers. Imagine it being my cock.” His provocative words were all that I needed to finally release. My juices coat his fingers, which he brings to his mouth licking them clean. I’m seconds away from falling into a deep and satisfied slumber.

“I can’t wait to taste more of you. For now, go to sleep. Dream of me fucking you good babygirl.” And with that I let sleep consume me as I lay next to him, hoping that I would still see him in my dreams.

#jj maybank #jj maybank smut #obx netflix #outer banks #lana del rey

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hoodharlow · 4 years

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“Listen, I really don’t like you, but you have my Moose.”

AN: I stole and tweaked the line from a request I sent @mashlums (“Listen, I really don’t like you, but you have kittens, so I’m going to be over a lot.”). This is part of @sadistmichael Michael Fic Week. This is what I had originally planned, but it came to me. This is part of an upcoming mini series that I have planned.

Warnings: awkward tension, brief mentions of sex

Word Count: almost 2k

Celeste looked at Hunter in shock. She just couldn’t wrap it around her head. She was forced to leave the clinic for a mandatory two week vacation and Harry Styles visited. All because her best friend accidentally stole Calum Hood’s dog.

She looked over the files for the appointments she had. It was going to be a slow day. Mostly vaccines and a physical, which was the first appointment of the day.

She removed her lab coat and draped it over her computer chair. She had to start claiming a stool because families would come in with three or more members, plus their pet, leaving her chairless. She needed the chair. Especially when she was looking at a small animal and didn't want to crouch over them. One of her mentors in vet school explained that crouching over animals made them feel intimidated which was why they tended to feel uncomfortable at vet visits. She reached for her iced matcha latte and took a quick sip, listening to her best friend talk about her 'soul mate.'

She didn't want to be a Debby downer, so she let Hunter go off.

The last time Celeste believed she 'found' her soulmate was a college party her senior year. She thought she met the coolest guy ever. He was nothing like the guys she usually found at those parties. The guy seemed kind, well traveled, open minded and sensible. She had created this whole image of who she thought he was. But boy was she wrong. He turned out to be some lying jerk that was looking for a quick fuck. As they say in Mean Girls, 'he doesn't even go here.' No he belonged to some rock band Hunter’s little sister listened to.

“... It was so unexpected, I don’t even know. It just fucking happened.” Hunter said shyly.

Celeste was only half listening but knew that glint in her eyes, she was really infatuated with the guy. She could tell that the connection Hunter had with the singer was deeper than what she told her.

“I imagine.” Celeste laughed. “Ask him if he has any single friends for your adorable veterinarian friend."

"Obviously."

They chatted up for a bit, joking that Hunter was going to hook her up with Zayn just so they would make them do a mini One Direction reunion concert, until it was time for the clinic to open.

Hunter's family owned a dog sanctuary that also had a pet clinic and dog park across the street. Celeste had fallen in love with helping animals since the first time Hunter's mom helped her mend a bird's wing when their families went camping when they were younger. In high school, she volunteered at the sanctuary and sometimes shadowed Hunter's mom in surgeries. Fast forward to now she's 26 and on her way to make partner.

One of the vet techs knocked at her door. "Dr. Montenegro, your eleven o'clock is here."

"Of course, send them in." Celeste smiled.

"If you wanted me to leave, you should have said it and not faked an appointment." Hunter faked being hurt.

"I'll see you at 'Case del Cafe.'" Celeste rolled her eyes at her.

Hunter walked out, so Celeste quickly read over the file. She smiled to herself when she saw the animal's picture clipped to the files. It was Moose. She remembered like it was just yesterday that she was saying goodbye to her because she had found her forever home. She was nearly a year old then.

Moose was one of the most precious animals she had ever encountered. She was friendly to anyone that approached her.

"Dr. Montenegro, here's the patient." The vet tech said. They held open the door for Moose and her owner.

Celeste nearly dropped her clipboard when she saw who it was.

***

Michael never forgot a face. Especially one that was under him. He saw how her hands tightly gripped the clipboard, knowing she had a strong grip. His back was scratched and sore after spending the night with her.

"Could you please place your pet on the examining table?" Celeste asked after a moment.

Michael nodded and picked up Moose, placing her where Celeste needed her. He watched her slip on some gloves and grab her stethoscope.

"Long time no see, huh." Michael awkwardly said. He hated absolute silence. He would rather make awkward conversation than to be surrounded by complete silence. "Last time I saw you was…”

"When I was asleep in my dorm room back in Davis." She added curtly.

"Right…"Michael licked his lips trying to think of something else to say. "About that night—”

"How did you end up with Moose? The person that adopted her was an Irish woman who ran a doggie mom lifestyle blog." She asked him. She raised Moose, so she was standing and checked her pulse.

"That would be my ex." He chuckled. "We broke up and I kept Moose. I didn't know she came from here until I saw her picture on the 'Fur-Ever Home' wall." Celeste hummed and kept examining Moose.

Michael sat on one of the chairs and thought back to that night.

The band had a show at UC Davis. It was part of the university's concert festival. He had spotted her with a group of girls. One of them held a poster that said 'Let's fucking dance in my bed, Calum Hood.'

Celeste was probably the only person in the quad that was sitting down. He tried getting her attention the entire set list, but no dice. She was literally on a picnic blanket typing away on her laptop. He sent one of the band's security to give her his number. When they handed her the post-it note, she laughed at their face and sent them back.

Later that night, the guys snuck out of their hotel to go to a party some fraternity was hosting. Celeste was also there; it was like destiny was giving him another chance to redeem himself.

"Hi, I'm Michael." He said approaching her.

"Celeste," She said coolly. "Have we met? You look familiar… Wait, are you in Dr. Singh's biological anatomy class?"

"Uh…" He didn't know what to say. He felt relieved that she didn't recognize him in a way. Like he could be himself without being scrutinized through a microscope.

He didn't know how, but he spent the better half of the party listening to her talk about how much she loves animals and her hopes of becoming a veterinarian. He learned that when she wasn't volunteering at the school's vet clinic or working at Asi es la Vida, a clothing boutique where a bunch of rich ladies shopped, she was studying. She joked about how earlier in the evening some dumb band served as good white noise for her to study.

"Do you wanna dance?" She randomly asked him.

"I'm not the best." He replied honestly.

"Dude, it's not like we're dancing bachata or quebradita." She laughed. She reached for his hand and guided him to the makeshift dance floor of the fraternity's living room. She turned around and placed his hands on her waist before wrapping her arms around him and smiling sweetly at him. "Just follow my lead."

'Aullando' filled the room. Celeste pushed herself closer to Michael's waist, guiding him. She swayed her hips to the beat of the music.

The way her hips moved against him left Michael with thoughts of what she's capable of doing in a more private place with fewer clothes.

Their eyes met once the song ended. Michael slowly leaned down to meet her lips, but Celeste was impatient. She pulled him into an urgent kiss. One that left them wanting more of each other.

Neither knew how they ended back in Celeste's dorm so fast. It didn't matter. What did matter was their need to be naked and savoring each other’s bodies. That was how their night ended after three rounds of passion, urgency, and unexpected feelings.

Michael woke the following morning cramped in a small bed. He looked around, unsure of his surroundings. He saw her face, nearly covered in his hoodie, and it all came back to him. The mini concert, the frat party, and her on all fours chanting his name.

He found his phone on the charger and checked the time. 8:34. He cursed and began getting dressed. The band needed to check out from their hotel rooms at 9:30. They were flying out to Portland for a show. As he left the room his feet caught a hoodie large enough to be his size. He took it as a memento of an unforgettable night with an unforgettable girl.

"Alright, all set." Celeste's voice brought him back. He blinked a few times, gathering his thoughts.

"Thank you." Michael said. He picked up Moose and set her on the floor. "I'm going to need a feces sample just to check for anything we don't want in her stomach. Front desk will explain all that." She walked over to the computer and began clicking and filling out forms.

"Listen… about that night. I apologize for leaving so abruptly and not saying goodbye." Michael said, sincerely. He actually had written a note for her but with the rushing, he never left it. He only realized he had when Luke pointed it out.

"Doesn't matter anymore. The past is in the past." She shrugged. She locked the computer and stood from her chair. "I have another appointment in a bit, and one of the techs has to clean the room. So…"

"Oh, right. Well, thank you."

Michael watched her bend down and give Moose a few belly rubs. Celeste scratched behind Moose's ears and kissed the top of her head. It reminded him of Calum when he would go over to his house to work on music, only to play and cuddle with Moose.

"Dr. Montenegro, the 11:45 called to reschedule…"

Michael took it as his cue to leave. The receptionist at the front desk explained everything from why they needed a feces sample to how to get a good sample for testing.

He stalled a bit hoping Celeste would come out, but nothing. He turned to Moose. "Let's go to the park. Maybe Uncle Cal and Duke wanna join us."

***

Celeste had extra time to kill before meeting Hunter at 'Casa del Cafe.' She let her feet guide her to the dog park where she sat under a tree and listened to an audio book.

At some point she shut her eyes and got lost in the story until she felt a wet nose on her arm followed by squeaks from a toy. She opened her eyes and nearly cried when she saw Moose holding the squeaky monkey she gave her.

"Moose, leave the la— oh, it's you." Michael said. He sounded surprised. Mostly because of the hoodie she was wearing.

Celeste took the toy from Moose and threw it up in the air like she used to. Moose caught it and bolted. Michael watched her run around the perimeter of the fenced area. Then she came back and gave Celeste the toy to throw again.

"Love, no." Michael interjected when she placed the toy in Celeste's hand once more.

"It's fine. She's good company." She smiled at him.

"That she is."

After that Michael and Celeste found some sort of balance where they felt comfortable with talking with each other. At some point Hunter had texted Celeste to reschedule, and Calum texted Michael about some emergency with Tony, one of his friends, so he couldn't make it.

Michael took the opportunity and offered Celeste lunch at the dog friendly coffee shop.

“Listen, I really don’t like you, but you have my Moose, so I guess I can tolerate you for another hour if it means I get to spend time with her."

Taglist: @rebelwith0utacause @sexgodashton @myloverboyash @spicycal @5-secondsofcolor @another-lonely-heart @findingliam-o @idontneedanyone @calumscalm @cherryxwildflower

#michael 2020 #michael clifford one shot #michael clifford fan fic #michael clifford imagine #michael clifford fan fiction #michael clifford imagines #mihcael clifford series

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cosmcther · 4 years

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Plastered around the walls of the Smash Mansions are fliers aplenty. Upon each and every single one of them, pictures show the richness of four season-appropriate retreats. Why, they all seem perfect for...

Summer Vacation! It’s that time again, and for this trip to the tropics, we’ve got a group event that’s more than sure to make your chest swell with a love for the ever-approaching summer sun! Don’t sit at home for this one, it’s time to hang up those boxing gloves for a week’s worth of fun and set sail to our four luxurious locations!

Isle Delfino - Venture to the Piantas’ homestead for a taste of island life you’ll never tire of! A natural wonderland spruced up with modern amenities specifically for your touring pleasure! Beaches, five-star hotels, an amusement park, and food your off-island tastebuds will be begging for!

Beach Bowl Galaxy - Wonder why the locals call this galaxy Penguin Paradise? Journey past the stars and see for yourself! This section of space has an entire planet dedicated to having fun in the cooling waters that fill the grassy islands, each decorated with penguins and palm trees aplenty. Another planet holds cosmos-renowned waterfalls heralded for the level of transcending tranquility you’ll feel by its crystal-clear waters.

Seaside Kingdom - Bubblaine, the relaxing resort by the carbonated sea... What more is there to say? Well, how about the kingdom’s unforgettable landmark that’s worth the price of admission alone? The Glass Tower and Glass Palace! While you pay your fifteenth visit, give or take, make an attempt to pry your eyes from its majesty to try the carbonated sea’s blend. Take a sip of Bubblaine’s famous Bubble Water and you’ll consider buying a condo right then and there!

Yoshi’s Island - We’ve all seen those adorable dinos, but who knew their home was so amazing?! On Yoshi’s Island, the locals wouldn’t settle for a simple tropical island and nothing more, so activities made for a year-round bout of fun are accessible for all to enjoy! Mountain climbing, snowboarding, skiing, go-karting, golfing, dolphin-riding, and peaceful villages where friendly Yoshi faces are more than happy to welcome you in with open arms.

As for the mode of transportation, we’ve decided to depart from the standard method of a plane and reach out for a little bit of assistance. Travel from location to location will be upon...

The Daisy Cruiser! With facilities such as a spa section, swimming pool, a dining room with cuisine to keep you plenty-fed during the trip, and plenty of comfortable lodging with internet and television access, it’s a vacation on your way to vacation!

If we’ve done well enough to intrigue you, would you be so kind as to Like and or Reblog this Post? Spread the word so that your fellow Smashers can hear it, too! Further details will be written under the cut, and we hope you enjoy the event!

I can’t describe how excited I am to do another summer event with you guys. It makes me so happy to know that last time was so well-received, I was asked to do another one this year! Now I’ll cut the selling talk, you’ve already read the top half of the post. There are just a few rules and details that I’d like to give.

From the top, the situation. The Smash Mansion is hosting its annual summertime trip. This year is special for its four fitting locations. The trip itself will be funded, but it is advised that your muse bring some of their own money to buy things like extra food, souvenirs, etc. Lodging will always be provided on the Daisy Cruiser, but if you desire to sleep in areas outside of the Cruiser’s cabins, such as the Delfino hotels or the Bubblaine Cabanas for example, that is allowed, as well. It will be your muse’s own money paying for the room, though!

The trip will be lasting eight days, from June 22nd to June 29th. We will be at each of the four locations for two days, both that location and the Daisy Cruiser being available for those two days. After that, the Daisy Cruiser will set sail once more and you will arrive at the new location. Of course, if you want to continue a thread even after the event has moved on or even completed, you are absolutely allowed to. All I ask is to not write for a location we have yet to arrive at. Again, finishing what has already been started is completely allowed!

And, like before, there is a Sideblog that I implore you folks to follow! It’ll give brief posts detailing the current location of the trip and list some recommended activities if you’re strapped for scenarios to write about.

The only requirement for this event is that you be in the Smash Bros. RPC or have a Super Smash Bros. verse. After all, this event is for the Smash Bros. RPC. You do not need to be mutuals with Cosmcther to take part, this is for everyone in the Smash RPC! But please respect other blogs’ rules if they are mutuals only.

Lastly, try to tag anything relating to this event with the tag #ssbsummer. It makes it easier to keep track of everything, and? I just love seeing what you guys are up to on these events and a dedicated tag makes that easier, too.

Also, some quick shoutouts. Thanks to the Smash Mansion discord server for helping me brainstorm some ideas, and props to @capjump for making the four banners for the event's locations, and a themed playlist!

Now that should be everything! Thanks for reading, and I hope we all have a great time!

#(EVENT.) ''The Tetralogy of Summer!''#ssbsummer #((IM EXCITED YALL...))#((IT'S REALLY LOOKING GOOD; I'VE GOT EVERYTHING PREPPED FOR SOME GOOD TIMES))#((you know the deal; please reblog the post so the word spreads around! the more the merrier for events like this!))#((and try to remember the ssbsummer tag! i seriously do love looking at everyone's posts for the event))

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let-me-love-you-loki · 4 years

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The Christmas that Wasn’t-Ch. 1

A/N: Cooked up with @mox-made-me-do-it. She is the amazing co-author of this story. It is told in alternating perspectives from the girls (and possibly the boys).

Chapter 1: Leigh

I looked out the window at the crystal blue water miles below. The sun was glittering on the waves as the plane circled toward the airport.

“Thank you for choosing United Airlines,” said an overly friendly voice over the intercom. “The attendants will be around shortly to prepare the cabin for landing. Please remain seated and with your seatbelt fastened. We hope you enjoy your visit to Tahiti, where it is a sunny and beautiful 85 degrees.”

She repeated the message again in several languages, one of which I was sure was French. I drowned out the sound of the voice and turned to my travel companion—my best friend in the whole world Allie Mason. We’d known each other so long that we’d lost count. But life had taken us our separate ways. She’d been pulled to Los Angeles. I’d ended up in North Carolina. Even though we’d spoken at least every other day, we hadn’t had a chance to see one another in almost a year.

Of course, she hadn’t changed one bit. Well, her blonde hair had gotten a little lighter and a little longer in the California sun. But other than that, she was still the girl I’d met at orientation freshman year of college. The same hazel eyes. The same sense of humor. The same sense of trouble.

“Leigh, I can’t believe we’re actually doing this!” she squealed, leaning over into my seat. “We haven’t had a girl’s trip in years. After those jerks, we definitely deserve it. Time to soak up some sunshine, make some Vitamin-D, and see if we can’t find some trouble to get into… or onto.”

I rolled my eyes and grinned. She was right—she almost always was. The last few years of our lives had been wrapped up in relationships that sucked the life out of us. She’d finally broken up with her long-time boyfriend, Jon, who was wonderful at first but then turned out to be a top tier asshole. So much so that he cheated on her a week before their wedding. Without missing a beat, she kicked him to the curb, canceled the wedding, and decided that the two of us would go on her honeymoon instead.

I’d just walked away from Izzy Phillips, the girl who’d won my heart in college and who’d then proceeded to break it into pieces by the time she was done with me. It was kind of over when I caught her with my cousin in our bed.

“God, you have no idea,” I whined as the plane finally sat down with a jarring bump. “I’m so done with real life that I’m calling for the check.”

Allie laughed as we grabbed our carry-on bags and stumbled out of the plane into the bright sunshine of paradise. The air was thick with the scent of salt and sand and heat. We hurried across the tarmac to the tiny airport terminal and let the tide carry us toward baggage claim. We stood side-by-side and watched the conveyor belt go round and round, searching for our suitcases.

I leaned against her side, trying very hard not to burst into a fit of giggles. The flight from LA had been filled with movies and mimosas in first class. I could still taste the orange juice and champagne on my tongue as I watched people move up to the baggage claim line.

“Look there,” I whispered, a little too loud and slightly drowned out with giggles, as I pointed to a pair of guys standing a little bit away from us. “Looks like we didn’t leave all the snacks on the plane.”

Allie followed my gaze and returned a giggle of her own. “I’d climb that one like a tree,” she whispered theatrically, pointing at one of the two guys. He was six foot easy, broad shouldered, stacked, and had golden blond hair that was knotted at the back of his head.

“Climb away, sweetheart,” I giggled, hooking my arm with hers and gesturing to his companion. He was just as tall and chiseled with two-toned curls and a jaw line that made my stomach turn over. “Curls over there… oh, the things I would do…”

“Fill out those jeans, don’t they? From the back at least.”

I giggled behind my hand as our luggage came into view. With a wink to her, I dashed forward, squeezing in between the pair and the person standing next to them to wrestle our bags from the conveyor.

Mr. Tree stepped forward and reached out, lifting both suitcases from the claim with ease. He plopped them down in front of me with a grin that made cornflower blue eyes twinkle. He had a strawberry blond beard and a gorgeous smile. I squeaked out thanks and dragged the bags back to where Allie waited.

“Definitely from the front, too,” I said, pushing her bag toward her. “Blue eyes. And a beard. Absolutely your type, Al.”

We walked into the terminal still giggling. A helpful woman at the information desk let us know that the next ferry to our Bora Bora resort wasn’t leaving for another 45 minutes. I took Allie by the hand and lead her toward the cluster of restaurants in the concourse. There was a sports bar like the ones back home, and I practically shoved her toward it.

“We’ve got time to kill. Cheese fries!” I exclaimed, following a host to a bar side table. “With everything!”

Allie grinned and picked up the drink menu. Still giggling, I put my hand over it. “Shh,” I said, even though she wasn’t talking. “Time to put the alcohol away.”

Just as the waitress came over, Allie glanced over my shoulder and went a strange mixture of pink and pale. For a moment, I thought that asshole Jon had shown up somehow. Then I saw my dearest bestie grin. “Tree and Curls just walked in.”

I raised my brows and turned just enough to see them out of the corner of my eye. They were two tables away, talking and laughing. I grinned and bumped Allie with my elbow. “Should we send them some drinks?”

She rolled her eyes and ordered a water and soda. I followed suit. We sat there chatting, waiting patiently for our mega loaded cheese fries. Our drinks arrived, along with a huge, sizzling skillet with a chocolate chip cookie topped with melting vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, and cherries.

“Ummm.” Allie and I looked at one another. She tapped the waitress on the wrist before she could walk away. “Ma’am, we didn’t order this.”

The waitress smiled and looked over my shoulder before leaning in conspiratorially. “The gentlemen over there sent it.”

Allie and I looked at one another, grinning, giggling, and blushing as if we were back in our early days of college. I reached for a spoon just as Allie brightened with a thought.

“I suppose it’s only fair… after all they did buy it…” She smiled and shrugged.

With a grin, I scooped a bit of the ice cream and cookie onto the spoon and turned toward them. “This is a little too much dessert for the two of us, fellas. Give us a hand?”

Tree glanced quickly at his companion and smirked. “Since you asked so nicely. Care to join us?”

We slipped off our stools and tried to look cool as we dragged our suitcases over. The waitress appeared as if she’d know what was happening, bringing the dessert over to the new table, depositing it with two additional spoons, and returning a moment later with our abandoned drinks. Tree stood up and held out a chair for Allie then one for me. He stepped around the table and slipped into the booth next to Curls.

I’d gotten a decent look at Tree when he’d helped with my luggage. Now, I had a chance to see Curls up close. His curls were a mix of dark brown and blond, almost as if he’d started dyeing it and changed his mind halfway through. His beard was something between dark gold and faint brown. He was broad shouldered, wonderfully muscled beneath his white t-shirt. But the thing that got me was the way that his smile made his dark blue eyes go crinkly at the corners.

He picked up a spoon and tapped it against the side of the skillet. “I’m Kenny, by the way. Kenny Omega.”

“That is an unforgettable name,” I said with a half-smile. “Much more interesting than my own. Leigh Keene.”

“Not unforgettable at all,” he returned, scooping some of the cookie and ice cream and taking a bite. “Jesus Christ, Hangman, we should have gotten another one of these for ourselves.”

I watched Allie tilt her head and look over at Tree. “Hangman?”

Tree looked a little sheepish. “Nickname.” He held his hand out over the table. Jesus, it was a big hand. “Adam Page.”

I shook his hand and grinned over at Allie, surprised that she was almost silent. “This is Allie Mason. She’s usually much more talkative. But she’s in shock at the moment. You see, a fortune teller told her once to beware the man who bought her an ice cream cookie.”

Adam’s baby blue eyes went wide. “Really. Well, Kenny’s paying so beware him.”

Kenny bounced his head side to side in agreement, trying to swallow his food. He pointed his spoon at me. “You haven’t been warned about gentlemen buying you treats, have you?”

“Me? Oh, no. Well… gentlemen, yes. But I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

The table was silent for a split second. Allie trod on my foot beneath the table. Then, Adam let out a deep laugh, hiding his mouth behind his fist. “I like her.”

I shrugged. “Nice of you, Adam. But Allie here needs protecting from Kenny.” I leaned into my friend, trying to get her to talk. “What was it, exactly, that the fortune teller told you? Wasn’t it something about beware the cookie purchaser but not…” I looked up at Adam beneath my lashes, making a guess, “cowboys? Didn’t she say cowboys were lucky?”

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greekcookingmadeeasy · 3 years

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Greek Zakynthos Lenten Biscotti with Wine and Oil

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Greek Zakynthos Lenten and Vegan Biscotti/Paximadia with Wine and Oil – Zakynthina Paximadia me krasi kai ladi BY: Greek Cooking Made Easy https://www.youtube.com/greekcookingmadeeasy

Check my YouTube Video: HERE

Κοιτάξτε επίσης την συνταγή μου σε YouTube βίντεο, το λίνκ είναι: ΕΔΩ

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Makes about 35-40 small biscotti Have you ever tried Zakynthian Biscotti aka Paximadia? They are unique, small treats produced traditionally in this beautiful Ionian island. They have an unforgettable fragrance of cinnamon and other spices that fills the house and are connected with the Great Lent. They are hard cookies or better a cross between cookies and biscotti and are best when dunk in your Greek coffee or tea! The ingredients used in these biscotti, are products that have always been produced and can be found in abundance in this beautiful island e.g. Wine, Olive oil, black currants. The people of Zakynthos love their biscotti and make them all year round and not only during Lent, with a variety of spices and many variations. Let’s find out how to make them easily! Suitable for vegans and fasting.

INGREDIENTS: 400-420 gr. / 0.89 - 0.92 lb / about 3.2 cups All-purpose Flour 3/4 cup / 180 ml Olive Oil 170 gr. / 6 oz / ¾ cup White, Crystal Sugar 5/8 cup / 150 ml White Wine at room temp. 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon 1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg 1/4 tsp. ground Clove 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda 1 tsp. Baking Powder 1/2 tsp. Dry Yeast 1/3 cup / 50 gr. / 1.8 oz black Currants 2/3 cup / 50 gr. / 1.8 oz Almonds with skin, finely chopped Optional: 1 tsp. Ground Aniseed 25-30 gr. / 1 oz Sesame seeds (for garnishing)

METHOD: A. Prepare the cookie dough: 1. Using an electric mixer, beat the oil with the sugar at medium speed for 1'. 2. Pour the wine in the mix. 3. Next add all the spices (plus aniseed if using). 4. Add also the baking soda and dry yeast in the mix. 5. Lower the mixer’s speed.

6. Fold gradually the flour, spoon by spoon, in the dough. 7. Just before finishing with the flour, add the currants and chopped almonds, while continuing to beat. 8. Fold the rest of the flour, if needed. However, if dough becomes hard, stop the mixer. I used exactly 3.2 cups flour (a couple spoonful are left unused!) 9. Check the dough by kneading it with your fingers. Dough should be hard but not crumbly and it shouldn’t stick to your fingers. If it’s crumbly, add a bit of oil. If it’s sticky, add the rest of flour. 10. Start the mixer again briefly, and finish the dough preparation by adding the baking powder. 11. Then stop the mixer. 12. Let the dough rest for 15’.

B. Prepare for baking: 13. Spray or brush a rectangle Pyrex dish of 22x30 cm / 8.7x12 in with oil. 14. Spread the dough evenly all around the tray with your palm or spoon (like you would with a cake). 15. If needed, wet your palm with a bit of water, to help flatten the surface of the dough.

16. Now, with a sharp knife, scar the dough diagonally to create diamond shaped cookies. The knife should really cut through, cutting till the bottom! 17. Optionally, you can now sprinkle sesame seeds on top. 18. The tray with yummy cookies is ready to be baked!

C. Baking instructions: 19. Bake the cookie tray in a preheated oven Fan @180℃/350℉ for 35′-40′ (depends on the oven). 20. After about 40′, cookies should be golden brown all around and quite firm to the touch. 21. When ready, let tray with cookies stand on a rack to cool down and dry completely.

D. Serving suggestion: 22. To serve them to guests, place them in a nice, round, festive platter and decorate them all around, creating a large “flower” shape. Spread a handmade knitted tablecloth on your living room coffee table and place the platter with the exquisite biscotti on it and get ready for your guests.

23. These biscotti are perfect as a snack or light breakfast. And their main purpose is of course to dip them into your Greek coffee or tea. 24. Here I serve them with Sage Tea.

Check my Sage Tea Recipe HERE

25. The whole house smells absolutely delightful!! Rich scents and amazing flavours!

26. Ready to be served!

27. Word of warning: once you start eating them, you can never have enough! Enjoy them!

If you are looking for Lenten Cookies (crispy but not as hard as these biscotti), check my recipe HERE

E. Storing Info: Store the cookies in a cookie jar to keep them crispy and crunchy for several days. They can be preserved for a month, if you can stay away from them for that long 😋. F. Greece Travel Tip: Saint Dionysios of Zakynthos (1547 - 17 December 1622) is a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He lived and worked in Zakynthos island from the middle of the 16th century until the beginning of the 17th, while he was also the bishop of Aegina. Today he is one of the most popular modern saints and is the patron saint of the city of Zakynthos, where there is a church dedicated to him which hosts his shrine.

This is one of the three incorruptible relics in the Ionian: Saint Spyridon, Saint Gerasimos and Saint Dionysios. There are many miracles attributed to Saint Dionysios and the story of his slippers called "pasoumakia" in Greek, is unique. When I was little, it was told to me by my beloved Great Grandmother Kalliopi.

What the people of Zakynthos believe and is a well-known story throughout Greece to-date, is that the Saint wanders and visits every year the large Religious feasts and the feasts of Saints Gerasimos in Cephalonia and St. Spyridon in Corfu. So every year the monks change the gold embroidered pasoumakia of the saint, because they find them worn out by his long walks. In fact, they even find sand and seaweed 😮!

Visit the beautiful island to try their wonderful biscotti and visit the church!!

Check my YouTube Video: HERE

Ζακυνθινά Παξιμάδια με Κρασί και Λάδι BY: Greek Cooking Made Easy   https://www.youtube.com/greekcookingmadeeasy Κάνει περίπου 35-40 μικρά παξιμάδια Έχετε δοκιμάσει ποτέ Ζακυνθινά παξιμάδια / μπισκότα? Είναι μοναδικές, μικρές λιχουδιές που παράγονται παραδοσιακά σε αυτό το όμορφο νησί του Ιονίου. Έχουν ένα αξέχαστο άρωμα κανέλας και άλλων μπαχαρικών που γεμίζουν το σπίτι και συνδέονται με τη Μεγάλη Σαρακοστή. Είναι σκληρά μπισκότα ή καλύτερα ένας συνδυασμός ανάμεσα σε μπισκότα και παξιμάδια και είναι καλύτερα όταν τα βουτάτε στον Ελληνικό καφέ ή το τσάι σας! Τα συστατικά που χρησιμοποιούνται σε αυτά τα παξιμάδια, είναι προϊόντα που παράγονται και μπορούν να βρεθούν σε αφθονία σε αυτό το όμορφο νησί π.χ. Κρασί, ελαιόλαδο, μαύρες σταφίδες. Οι κάτοικοι της Ζακύνθου λατρεύουν τα παξιμάδια τους και τα φτιάχνουν όλο το χρόνο και όχι μόνο κατά τη διάρκεια της Σαρακοστής, με ποικιλία μπαχαρικών και σε πολλές παραλλαγές. Ας μάθουμε πώς να τα φτιάχνουμε εύκολα! Κατάλληλα για Βίγκαν και νηστεία.

ΥΛΙΚΑ: 400-420 γρ. / 0,89 - 0,92 lb / περίπου 3,2 φλιτζάνια Αλεύρι για όλες τις χρήσεις 3/4 φλ. / 180 ml Ελαιόλαδο 170 γρ. / 6 oz / ¾ φλ. Λευκή, Κρυσταλλική Ζάχαρη 5/8 φλ. / 150 ml λευκό Κρασί σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου 1 κ.γ. Κανέλα σκόνη 1/4 κ.γ. Αλεσμένο μοσχοκάρυδο 1/4 κ.γ. γαρύφαλλο σκόνη 1/2 κ.γ. Μαγειρική σόδα 1 κ.γ. Μπέικιν πάουντερ 1/2 κ.γ. Ξερή μαγιά 1/3 φλ. / 50 γρ. / 1,8 oz Σταφίδες μαύρες 2/3 φλ. / 50 γρ. / 1,8 oz Αμύγδαλα με φλούδα, ψιλοκομμένα Προαιρετικά: 1 κ.γ. Γλυκάνισο 25-30 γρ. / 1 oz Σουσάμι (για γαρνίρισμα)

ΜΕΘΟΔΟΣ: Α. Ετοιμάστε τη ζύμη των μπισκότων: 1. Χρησιμοποιώντας ένα ηλεκτρικό μίξερ, χτυπήστε το λάδι με τη ζάχαρη σε μέτρια ταχύτητα για 1'. 2. Ρίξτε το κρασί στο μείγμα. 3. Στη συνέχεια προσθέστε όλα τα μπαχαρικά (συν το γλυκάνισο εάν χρησιμοποιείτε). 4. Προσθέστε επίσης τη μαγειρική σόδα και την ξερή μαγιά στο μείγμα.

5. Μειώστε την ταχύτητα του μίξερ. 6. Προσθέστε σταδιακά το αλεύρι, κουταλιά κουταλιά, μέσα στη ζύμη. 7. Λίγο πριν τελειώσετε με το αλεύρι, προσθέστε τις σταφίδες και τα ψιλοκομμένα αμύγδαλα, ενώ συνεχίζετε να χτυπάτε. 8. Προσθέστε το υπόλοιπο αλεύρι, εάν χρειάζεται. Όμως εάν η ζύμη είναι σκληρή, σταματήστε το μίξερ. Χρησιμοποίησα ακριβώς 3,2 φλιτζάνια αλεύρι (δύο κουταλιές έμειναν αχρησιμοποίητες!) 9. Ελέγξτε τη ζύμη ζυμώνοντας με τα δάχτυλά σας. Η ζύμη πρέπει να είναι σκληρή αλλά να μη θρυμματίζεται και δεν πρέπει να κολλάει στα δάχτυλά σας. Εάν θρυμματίζεται, προσθέστε λίγο λάδι. Εάν κολλάει, προσθέστε το υπόλοιπο αλεύρι. 10. Ξεκινήστε κατόπιν ξανά το μίξερ για λίγο και ολοκληρώστε την ετοιμασία της ζύμης προσθέτοντας το μπέικιν. 11. Στη συνέχεια σταματήστε το μίξερ. 12. Αφήστε τη ζύμη να ξεκουραστεί για 15’.

Β. Ετοιμασία για ψήσιμο: 13. Ψεκάστε ή βουρτσίστε ένα στενόμακρο ταψί Pyrex 22x30 cm / 8,7x12 in με λάδι. 14. Απλώστε τη ζύμη ομοιόμορφα σε όλο το ταψί με την παλάμη ή το κουτάλι σας (όπως θα κάνατε με ένα κέικ). 15. Εάν χρειαστεί, βρέξτε την παλάμη σας με λίγο νερό, για να ισιώσετε την επιφάνεια της ζύμης.

16. Τώρα, με ένα κοφτερό μαχαίρι, χαράξτε τη ζύμη διαγώνια για να δημιουργήσετε μπισκότα σε σχήμα διαμαντιού. Το μαχαίρι πρέπει πραγματικά να κόψει μέχρι κάτω! 17. Προαιρετικά, μπορείτε τώρα να πασπαλίσετε σουσάμι από πάνω. 18. Το ταψί με τα πεντανόστιμα μπισκότα είναι έτοιμο να ψηθεί!

Γ. Οδηγίες ψησίματος: 19. Ψήστε τα μπισκότα σε προθερμασμένο φούρνο στο ζεστό αέρα @ 180 ℃ / 350 ℉ για 35'-40' (εξαρτάται από το φούρνο). 20. Μετά από περίπου 40', τα μπισκότα πρέπει να είναι χρυσά και να είναι σκληρά στην υφή. 21. Μόλις είναι έτοιμα, αφήστε το ταψί με τα μπισκότα στο πάγκο για να κρυώσουν και να στεγνώσουν εντελώς.

Δ. Πρόταση σερβιρίσματος: 22. Για να τα σερβίρετε σε επισκέπτες, τοποθετήστε τα σε μια ωραία, στρογγυλή, γιορτινή πιατέλα και διακοσμήστε τα τριγύρω, δημιουργώντας ένα μεγάλο σχήμα σαν «λουλούδι». Απλώστε ένα χειροποίητο πλεκτό τραπεζομάντιλο στο τραπεζάκι του σαλονιού σας και τοποθετήστε την πιατέλα με τα φανταστικά παξιμάδια πάνω του και ετοιμαστείτε τα για τους καλεσμένους σας.

23. Αυτά τα παξιμάδια είναι τέλεια σαν σνακ ή ελαφρύ πρωινό. Και ο κύριος σκοπός τους είναι φυσικά να τα βουτήξετε στον καφέ ή το τσάι σας. 24. Εδώ τα σερβίρω με Φασκόμηλο.

Κοιτάξτε τη συνταγή μου για Φασκόμηλο ΕΔΩ

25. Όλο το σπίτι μυρίζει υπέροχα!! Πλούσια αρώματα και εκπληκτικές γεύσεις!

26. Έτοιμα να σερβιριστούν!

27. Προειδοποίηση: μόλις αρχίσετε να τα τρώτε, δεν θα σας είναι ποτέ αρκετά! Απολαύστε τα!

Αν ψάχνετε για νηστίσιμα Κουλουράκια, τραγανά αλλά όχι σκληρά όσο αυτά τα παξιμάδια, κοιτάξτε τη συνταγή μου ΕΔΩ

E. Πληροφορίες φύλαξης: Φυλάξτε τα παξιμάδια σε ένα βάζο ή κουτί μπισκότων για να τα διατηρήσετε τραγανά για αρκετές ημέρες. Μπορούν να διατηρηθούν για ένα μήνα, εάν μπορείτε να μείνετε μακριά τους για τόσο μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα 😋. Ζ. Τουριστικός οδηγός Ελλάδας: Ο Άγιος Διονύσιος Ζακύνθου (1547 - 17 Δεκεμβρίου 1622) είναι άγιος της ανατολικής Ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας. Έζησε και έδρασε στη Ζάκυνθο από τα μέσα του 16ου αιώνα ως και τις αρχές του 17ου, ενώ διετέλεσε και επίσκοπος Αιγίνης. Σήμερα αποτελεί ένα από τους λαοφιλέστερους σύγχρονους αγίους και είναι πολιούχος της πόλης της Ζακύνθου, όπου και υπάρχει η εκκλησία αφιερωμένη σε εκείνον που φιλοξενεί το σκήνωμα του.

Είναι ένα από τα τρία άφθορα λείψανα στο Ιόνιο: του Άγιου Σπυρίδωνα, του Άγιου Γεράσιμου και του Αγίου Διονυσίου.

Υπάρχουν πολλά θαύματα που έχουν αποδοθεί στον Άγιο Διονύσιο και η ιστορία για τα πασουμάκια του είναι μοναδική. Όταν ήμουν μικρή μου την διηγείτο η αγαπημένη μου Προγιαγιά Καλλιόπη. Αυτό που πιστεύουν οι Ζακυνθικοί και είναι γνωστή ιστορία σε όλη την Ελλάδα είναι ότι ο Άγιος περιφέρεται και επισκέπτεται κάθε χρόνο τις μεγάλες γιορτές και τις γιορτές των Αγίων Γερασίμου στη Κεφαλλονιά και Σπυρίδωνος στην Κέρκυρα. Κάθε χρόνο λοιπόν οι μοναχοί αλλάζουν τα χρυσοκέντητα πασουμάκια του αγίου, διότι τα βρίσκουν φθαρμένα από την πορεία του. Μάλιστα, μέσα στα παπούτσια του βρίσκουν ακόμα και άμμο και φύκια 😮!

Επισκεφθείτε το όμορφο νησί για να δοκιμάσετε τα παξιμάδια τους και να επισκεφθείτε την εκκλησία!!

Κοιτάξτε επίσης την συνταγή μου σε YouTube βίντεο, το λίνκ είναι: ΕΔΩ

#breakfast #snacks #desserts #pastry #fruit #vegetarian #vegan #diet #fasting #lactose #region #ionian #biscotti #cookies #lentsweets #rusks #zante #zakynthos #παξιμάδια #eastersweets

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brynandchristopher · 4 years

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The (temporary) end of an era

Well, it’s certainly been a while since we last wrote. We apologize for the delay, we’ve been busy transitioning from New Zealand life to Australia in the last month or so, and then from Australia back to our homes in the last few days, and just haven’t gotten around to writing. But now we’re back! First and foremost, Chris and I are safe, happy, and healthy. It is a crazy time that we are living in right now, but so far we have remained physically unaffected by coronavirus and are keeping our fingers crossed that it remains that way. We are in good health and taking all of the necessary precautions to stay safe in this time of chaos and uncertainty.

In our last post, we had just bid Madeline farewell and were beginning the process of selling our van, Sweetie, in Christchurch. We gave ourselves ~2 weeks before departing to sell the van in hopes that would give us enough time to meet with prospective buyers and try to make some of our money back before taking off for Australia. In New Zealand, there is a bit of a boom and bust cycle in regards to van prices due to the major influx of backpackers at the beginning of the summer and mass exodus at the end of summer. Additionally, most backpackers take a similar route to the one we took - flying into Auckland, exploring the north island, heading down south, flying out of Christchurch - resulting in a huge supply of backpacker vans in Christchurch and not very much demand. We were aware of this cycle going into our trip and knew we wouldn’t get a full return on what we spent, but we were hopeful we could get at least half of our money back to put towards our next van in Australia. Our first few van showings were slightly disheartening. We received significant interest via buy/sell facebook pages and other websites where we posted ads, but when we met in person for test drives and viewings everyone seemed very nit-picky about small things that hadn’t mattered much to us. We soon realized that backpackers looking at vans at the end of the summer could afford to be selective because of how many vans were available to them at a low cost. We didn’t let them get us down though, and after 4 or 5 days of showings we met an Israeli couple around our age that was interested in buying Sweetie. Chris negotiated with them (definitely not my forté, Chris is the master haggler between the two of us) and we were able to get a little more than half of what we had spent. We spent a day driving around with them for a test drive, mechanical inspection, and eventually a transfer of ownership, and by that evening it was time for us to part with our beloved Sweetie. She was a real trooper and everything we could have asked for for our very first car, we felt lucky to have had no car problems for the whole 3 months (which cannot be said for many secondhand backpacker campervans). We were sad to see her go but happy to be leaving her in good hands for her next adventure :)

It was a relief to sell the van in the first few days of our arrival to Christchurch, but we soon realized we had a lot of time on our hands for the next 10 days without a vehicle to go anywhere beyond the city. We stayed in a hostel in central Christchurch for 3 nights and spent a few days exploring the sights of the city. We walked through the botanical gardens, visited the local museum, explored the shops, and hung out around the hostel. One day we went to a climbing gym and spent a few hours bouldering, a hobby that both Chris and I had missed since our travels began. Once our time in the hostel was up, Chris’ dad, John, helped us out with some points so we could stay at the Double Tree Inn for 2 nights. After living in a minivan for 3 months and then staying in a crowded hostel for a few nights, the Double Tree felt luxurious and plush. We were very grateful to be staying in a nice place for a few days and have a bit of a break from the backpacker lifestyle - thanks Wan :)

For the remainder of our time in Christchurch, we booked a cheap AirBnb on the outskirts of the city. We were beginning to get a bit restless - while Christchurch is nice enough, New Zealand isn’t exactly famous for it’s beautiful cities and we felt like we had explored most of what it had to offer. I spent most of our days there starting to look online for vans and jobs in Australia, and Chris played a lot of Pokémon ;) I had applied to a few live-in nanny jobs in Queensland, where we were hoping to post up for a few months to save up some money, and I heard back from the one Chris and I were most excited about. The family of 5 lived on 7 acres in a sleepy beach town called Kinka Beach about 7 hours north of Brisbane, and it seemed like we would be a good fit for what they were looking for. After a few emails back and forth, the mother, Olivia, and I spoke on the phone for a while to sort out the details and get to know each other a bit. Originally Olivia and her husband, Darren, weren’t looking to have a couple, but when we told them of Chris’ handyman/DIY construction experience, they figured they could use his help on some projects around their property in addition to my help with their 3 kids. We agreed on an arrival date in early April and planned to stay in touch until then. Before we knew it, our last night in New Zealand was upon us and we decided to celebrate by going out to dinner at a Chinese vegetarian restaurant a few blocks away from our AirBnb. We ordered a few different dishes, which were fantastic, and recounted all of the unforgettable memories we made in the beautiful country of New Zealand. It was a sad goodbye but we were looking forward to our next adventure in Australia.

At this point, the Coronavirus panic was beginning to ramp up. We were only experiencing it secondhand, as it hadn’t become a problem at all in New Zealand yet, so it didn't really feel real until we got to the airport. There were increased screening and security measures when we arrived to Australia, questions about where we’d travelled recently and separate lines for people who had been to China, Italy, Iran, or Dubai. This, of course, was only the tip of the iceberg and our nervousness about the situation began to increase. My parents were supposed to be visiting about a week after we arrived to Sydney and we weren’t sure what would happen in that time. Fortunately, we had a safe and isolated place to stay in Sydney for the week - my Dad’s childhood friend, Rob, lives in a beautiful downtown apartment in the heart of Sydney and was gracious enough to host us. For the first few days we got to know Rob over dinners and wine and he gave us advice for places to check out around the city. We walked through the beautiful botanic gardens, along the harbor to see the Sydney Opera House, and spent a day soaking up the sun at Bondi Beach. We were primarily in Sydney to start our hunt for a new van, so we met up with a few different sellers that we’d been in contact with to test drive and scope out our options. Because we would be living in this van for a longer period of time, we were hoping to upgrade on a few things that Sweetie didn’t have - a bit more space in the back, a high roof, and an indoor kitchen. We liked 1 or 2 of the ones we viewed in the first few days, but nothing was really checking all of the boxes that we were hoping for.

Three or four days into our time in Sydney, it became very apparent how seriously the world was reacting to Coronavirus. Everyone was being sent home from work, businesses were closing, and fewer and fewer people were out on the street each day. Before we knew it, travel restrictions and bans were being put in place by many countries, Australia being one of them. With very heavy hearts, my parents had to cancel their trip to come and visit us for 2+ weeks. We were all pretty heartbroken about the situation, all of us had been looking forward to the trip for months. I was craving a taste of comfort and home that I knew would come from spending time with my parents, and I knew how excited they were to take a much deserved break from work and go on a big adventure across the world. I soon found out that my sister, Maggie, was also going to surprise me and come along with them (I had suspicions all along (; ), which only made it harder. It was a major disappointment on both ends, but it was out of our hands.

Feeling a bit deflated and sad, we continued our search for the right van. When we came across a van that was everything we were looking for but a little bit out of our price range, we figured we might as well take a look at it and see if we could negotiate our way down. We met with the owner of the van, a Spanish guy named Edgar, who was trying to get out of the country as soon as possible because his visa was about to expire. The van was perfect, we fell in love with it immediately. It had a solar panel on top that powered a refrigerator, water pump for running water, power outlets, and cabin lights, had a whole indoor kitchen set up, and had a semi-high roof. It was in great mechanical condition and had very low kilometers compared to the majority of the vans we had looked at. We spent a day or two going back and forth with Edgar about the price and eventually we came to an agreement- we were now the proud owners of a 1999 fully outfitted Toyota Hiace Campervan! We named him Rollo, a viking name that we felt was well-suited for our van.

A day or two later, Chris and I went through a few hours of panic about coronavirus and whether or not we needed to make the difficult decision to end our trip and go home. It was poor timing to go through this decision making process, as we had just invested the majority of our money into a new home on wheels, but it was an option we knew we had to seriously consider before carrying on with our travel plans. We went through many different hypothetical scenarios, weighed all of the pros and cons, talked it out with friends and family, and eventually came to the decision that we would wait it out in Australia for now. The situation worldwide was changing every day and the uncertainty was scary - our first instinct is to be around our family in a time like this - but we knew we had a safe place to hunker down for a few months with our nannying family in Kinka Beach. With new border closures and travel restrictions being put into place, we decided we would leave Sydney and head straight for Kinka Beach without making many stops in between. Before we left, Rob recommended a hike close by in Royal National Park to the beautiful Figure Eight Pools. These series of pools were formed along a rock shelf of the coastline from centuries of pounding waves and receding tides. When the tide is low enough, you can walk out on the shelf and take a dip in the crystal clear waters of the Figure Eight Pools - take a look at our pictures and you’ll understand the name. We had never seen anything like them before, it was a really cool adventure. After swimming in the pools we spent a few hours on the beach before making our way back to Sydney. We had our last dinner with Rob and he was nice enough to send us off with a basket full of van-life essentials - we were beyond grateful for his hospitality and generosity over the course of the week and hoped to visit if we’re back in Sydney again :)

Chris and I hit the road and began our 3-day drive up the east coast of Australia. On our first day, we stopped in to visit with my great-Aunt, Nancy, who lives in Newcastle a few hours north of Sydney. I had never met Nancy, only heard about her secondhand from my Grandad and the rest of my Dad’s family, so I was very excited to finally get to meet her. Chris and I spent an hour or so with Nancy, chatting over tea and walking through her magnificent backyard garden. It was wonderful to meet her and exchange stories of our travels, I hope to stay in touch in the future. After saying our goodbyes, we continued our drive north. We felt a bit melancholy as we passed exit after exit for all of the places we were supposed to be staying at with my parents, but we were doing our best to stay positive. We knew how lucky we were to have found a beautiful new van and to have a safe place to go to in a time of crisis. We stayed overnight in free rest-stop campsites along the way and made it to Kinka Beach after 3 long days in the van.

Olivia and Darren, the parents, greeted us and we spent an hour or so getting to know each other and taking a look around their property. They own a coral selling business where they harvest small amounts of coral from the Great Barrier Reef and then propagate it in tanks on land to sell to aquarium owners, pet stores, etc. Their property had an old aquarium on it that they were going to convert into a coral-growing space because it already had the tanks and requirements needed for their business. The aquarium was accompanied by a giant concrete whale that you could go inside - it was as big as a house and definitely a trademark of the Kinka Beach area. It was a funky property but we liked it, and we got along well with Olivia and Darren. Because we had been in Sydney and traveling around, they asked us to keep our distance and self-isolate in our van on their property for the first week that we were there, which we of course were fine with. We spent the week going to the beach, stocking up on food essentials, and relaxing in the van. As much as we tried to keep our distance, the older two of the children were very curious about the two new van-dwellers on their property. They would sneak away from their parents to come and say hello, and took a liking to us right away. Our new names were ‘Nanny Chris’ and ‘Nanny Bryn’, it was very cute :) The week of isolation passed and Chris and I moved in to the family’s house. The family also had a separate unit on their property on the second floor of the aquarium that Chris and I were planning on moving into but it had some damage from a cyclone a few years back. Fixing up the separate unit was going to be Chris’ project for the few months that we were there, and he dove right in once we got settled. For the first few days I was with Olivia and the three kids - Henderson or ‘Hendo’ (4), Israel (2), and Kingsley (12 weeks) - playing in their blow up pool, jumping on the trampoline, reading books, and watching movies. The kids were adorable and (mostly) well-behaved, and Olivia and I got along great. I spent my birthday with the kids, and Chris and I snuck away during their nap to have a pizza beach picnic where he gave me a guitar!! I had expressed the desire to start learning throughout our travels and he remembered, it was a very sweet and thoughtful gift <3 The family surprised me with birthday cake and songs later that night and made my birthday feel special, even if it was under somewhat different circumstances than usual.

A day or two into the job, the same anxieties that Chris and I were having in Sydney began to creep back up on us. Coronavirus continued to ramp up, and our fears of being far from home grew with it. We worried about being stuck in Australia if they cancelled all outgoing flights and not being able to return to the US if family or friends got sick, or what would happen if we needed to be hospitalized abroad. Mostly we just felt scared, anxious, and homesick being in an unfamiliar place during a time of such panic and crisis, and it was seriously impacting our ability to enjoy our time there. The family had also asked that Chris didn’t get a job in the community, as they had young children and a baby, and wanted to limit potential exposure to the virus. This would mean we wouldn’t be making very much money, and we knew we needed to resupply our funds if we wanted to continue to travel. At the same time, we were scared by the prospect of traveling if we did decide to go home, which would mean exposing ourselves to airplanes and airports. It was risky and we didn’t want to bring the sickness home to anyone or put others at risk. After a few wrenching days of going back and forth about it and talking it through with Olivia and Darren, Chris and I made the difficult decision to sell the van and go home. It was a heartbreaking goodbye - the kids had begun to get attached to us, and us to them - but after lots of hugs we bid farewell and headed south towards Brisbane to sell Rollo. We stayed at a campground and arranged a few meetings with interested buyers, and after a day we made a quick sale to a Dutch backpacker couple. The next morning we were on a flight to Sydney, where we spent the night, and then carried on to San Francisco the following day. After the 13+ hour flight to California, Chris and I parted ways - I flew home to Boston and Chris to Salt Lake City. It feels strange and sad to be apart after spending literally every hour of the day together for 5+ months straight, but fortunately (and unfortunately, I suppose) we have quite a bit of experience with long-distance. We know it’s not forever and we are staying positive and looking forward to spending time with our families after being away for so long. Both of us are currently self-quarantining in our homes - I’m up in the creative room in my house for the next two weeks and Chris is confined to the basement at his house. We’re both feeling very lucky that our houses are set up in a way that allows us to be physically separate from our families while still being able to visit from across the yard or between rooms. We know not everyone being affected by coronavirus is afforded that same luxury, so we are counting our blessings and keeping ourselves busy for the next 14 days.

Unfortunately this will likely be our last blog post for a while. But don’t worry!! Our travels will continue once we’ve saved up a little more money, and we will be sure to post here when that time comes :) We are relieved and happy to be home and are looking forward to better and brighter days. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have kept up with our travels in the past 5 months, it has been filled with more joy, wonder, and adventure than we could have ever imagined. We feel so lucky to have people in our lives that we can share those experiences with, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Stay home, stay safe, and stay healthy!!

With love,

Bryn and Christopher

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itsachels · 4 years

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Italy; pt. 2

Venice, Florence, & Rome

I have to open my heart up a bit before I post. Midway through writing this, I got hit with the most overwhelming feeling of “Who on earth wants to read all of this?” That’s part of the struggle with writing. I know travel stories are usually a lot more fun for the traveler to tell than it is for the audience to listen to. That’s why it’s so fun for me to write this, because I don’t do much “story telling” after trips for fear of boring people. I can see it on their faces and it’s a little hurtful but that’s okay. I’ve been in their place enough times to not take it personally. So anyways, this is my first opportunity to tell about Italy from front to back. To be frank, no one has to read this. A big part of keeping confidence with this blog is reminding myself that this is all for me, not to please an “audience”. But it’s hard, you know? I always want some kind of approval, even if it’s never spoken…it hurts more than it should, to think someone might read my stuff and think it’s “stupid” or “pointless”. It’s all very dear to my heart so I just want others to appreciate it the way I do. If you do choose to read this…thank you! You are so appreciated, and I hope it inspires you!

Venezia

It has been so hard getting around to typing this story out. My baby is at such a clingy stage right now, which makes it hard to sit down and do this. Normally during his naps, I get housework done, but today I’m just going to ignore the mountain of dirty dishes so I can finally write. If you haven’t read Part 1, you can find it here.

On our last day in the Puglia region of Italy, we meant to go to Alberobello, but there was major confusion with the buses. Sometimes transportation was tricky, since it was all so unfamiliar. At home, if I want to go somewhere, I just jump in my car. I don’t have to worry about reading bus schedules, let alone reading them in a different language. So that left us stranded in Bari with nothing to do. We eventually ended up on a bench outside of McDonald’s, playing Sudoku and listening to music.

When it was finally time to hop on the train to Venice, we had a 7-hour train ride ahead of us. We didn’t get to there until 10 pm, so finding our air b&b was tricky. We eventually found it down a creepy dark alley (my mom’s heart rate probably just quickened). It was a studio apartment with barely any room to walk, incredibly low ceilings, and a broken shower. But it had windows that opened up to the canal and that was honestly all I wanted. We paid $88 a night which is dirt cheap to stay on the canal in Venice. It’s senseless to splurge on hotel rooms, in my opinion, when you’re only sleeping there. The more you spend, the more pressure you feel to stay and get your money’s worth rather than going out to explore the city.

We had one of our few “American” breakfasts the next morning. I say that because breakfast in Italy usually means a pastry with a cappuccino or juice. It’s hard to find places that’ll serve you much more than that. It was delicious, and this cute little café is where I had my first real Italian espresso experience. And you can bet it was my last.

We found our way to St. Mark’s square and basilica and I couldn’t stare at that church long enough! The exterior was amazing. We opted out of Doges Palace because it was expensive. I think its important to be able to let yourself miss out on things…just because it’s on most people’s itinerary, doesn’t mean it has to be on yours. Save the time and money for things you just can’t leave without experiencing. We spent our extra time that day sitting on the edge of a canal, watching gondolas pass by and soaking in the sunshine.

We stumbled into the Galleria dell’ Accademia. It wasn’t originally part of our itinerary (we barely had one to begin with), but we saw a sign saying Leonardo DaVinci’s art was on display, including “Vitruvian Man”. Alex was so excited to see it, which made me enjoy it even more.

One regret I have is not noting the names of some restaurants we liked. Like, I still daydream about the paninis and peach bellini we had that day. Anyways, around that area we saw the Bridge of Sighs. In case you don’t know the backstory, it was the bridge prisoners were led across on the way towards their execution. The little gated windows gifted them with one last view of Venice.

After some souvenir shopping on the Rialto bridge, we napped back at the room. Not to be dramatic, but I almost couldn’t walk anymore. That was followed up with dinner at a cute little restaurant that reminded me of the Lady & the Tramp’s spaghetti & meatballs scene. We pigeon-watched in a small plaza afterwards, listening to the water flow down the canal and talking until sundown. It was pretty romantic, if I do say so myself. If I had to describe Venice in one word, it’d be that: romantic.

Thus, ended our one day there. I wish we had more time. We ate cereal and yogurt in our room the next morning, dropped the key in the box, and rode the vaporetto back to the train station. By afternoon, we would be in Alex’s #1 bucket list city: Florence.

Firenze

When I look back on Florence I mainly think of gelato, drizzling rain, ceilings covered in intricate and vivid paintings, and of course the Renaissance architecture (I’m looking at you, Maria del Fiore).

Our hotel (Hotel Lorena) in Florence was so sweet. It was basically a hole in the wall; we almost didn’t see the entrance when we were walking past. It was owned by the nicest man with the strongest Italian accent I’ve ever heard. His mother was his assistant🥺, and she while she showed me to our room she asked about my pregnancy and said a baby boy is one of the greatest gifts I will ever receive. I wish I could tell her how right she was!

Okay. I have to talk about the Medici Chapelle Ristorante. I will never forget that meal, in all my days. The best part was the cocoli…fried dough drizzled in honey…a Tuscan beignet. That one in a lifetime meal was followed by gelato, on the steps of the Medici chapel, before turning in for the night.

The next day was big because we were setting out for the Duomo. It was only a couple of blocks away from Hotel Lorena; we had a view of it from our bedroom window. It rained a good bit but we still had fun seeing the incredible exterior of the church and the inside, which was also beautiful. We were blessed to be able to attend mass there. Did you know that in 1601, lightning struck the copper sphere on top of the cathedral, and it smashed into the ground? You can not appreciate how far that ball fell until you’re standing in the building’s shadow. There’s a marble circle marking the spot where it landed.

The bell tower had an unforgettable view of the city and goes higher than the church’s dome, which is what people normally choose as their viewpoint. The stairway was so narrow, there were times I seriously wasn’t sure the crowd could get through. At least all the work was well worth the view.I am not ashamed of what we spent as Ditti Artigeniale the next morning because we were desperate for one of those “American” breakfasts I was talking about. It gave us plenty of energy for exploring Pitti Palace and all of its beautiful painted ceilings. Why don’t we decorate like that anymore???? In the backyard were the Boboli gardens, which were by far one of the prettiest sights I saw on our trip. A garden on a hill, in full bloom, with the Tuscan countryside for a backdrop? Yes, please.

No, we didn’t see the statue of David. Remember our conversation about where to put your money? We didn’t want to put it there. I just really didn’t want to spend $50 to see a statue I wasn’t very excited about. We settled for a free viewing of its replica, which happened to be near the Fountain of Neptune. If you stare at any chunk of concrete in Florence, let this fountain be it. It was breathtaking. I feel like this whole paragraph could be very offensive to an art connoisseur. Sorry!!! I’m sure David is very handsome and I am not comparing the fountain to a chunk of concrete.

Florence was a lot like Polignano a mare in the fact that we spent so much time walking around, stumbling into churches and shops and just trying to figure out where to eat next. We had a very slow pace on this trip and didn’t hesitate to stop by our hotel for a nap when we felt a yawn coming on. A nap in Italy is better than a nap at home! Our days were really simple and easy. No pressure, no running to “fit it all in”. It was unhurried strolling, easy conversation, and letting the day unravel however it wanted to.

Rome

A harsh contrast from that last paragraph: Rome was intense. My legs were bruised from all the walking. One evening I tried to wipe off what I though was bluish dirt (?) on my thighs, and when it wouldn’t give, I realized they were bruises! Not from bumping into anything but just from the stress of carrying a baby all over the city. And our b&b was just weird. People didn’t seem to understand “modesty” when walking out of the bathroom, our host was kind of a stick in the mud, and it was down a sketchy/dirty street. I know it sounds like I’m complaining, but I’m not. It was so cheap and steps away from the metro. It was also above a corner shop that sold delicious cappuccinos and pastries for only 2 euros, so that supplied our breakfast every day. We didn’t mind all the little annoyances and it just made for more memories. Believe me, Rome was beyond worth it.

We started with a free walking tour guided by a local college student. He did amazing; these tours are a good way to get your feet wet in a new city. It gives you a feel for the layout and your guide can share little things that you wouldn’t know otherwise. For example, in the Piazza del Popolo, we had sat under a big statue playing i-spy. We just thought it was a nice place to people-watch. As it turns out, we were sitting in the shadow of a 4000+ year old Egyptian obelisk. We never would’ve known! Our guide also took us to the Pantheon; Alex was so cute with how excited he was.

Before the tour, when we saw the Spanish steps (so beautiful in person), we went to the church at the very top. If you paid a euro or two, you could light a prayer candle. We lit one for Noah. It’s really special to me that he was on that trip with us, even though he was obviously still in the womb. Because we want to continue traveling as a family, it felt like the beginning of something exciting.

That was just day one…the rest of our Rome adventure included the Colosseum and surrounding areas, lots of people-watching in different piazzas, an interesting night in the Trastevere neighborhood, a fun little trip to the countryside to tour the Catacombs, and aaaall the glory of the Vatican. Rome deserves a longer piece, but I feel like I’ve exhausted myself sharing what I have so far. I’ll save it for a rainy day. Even then, though, I simply cannot tell all about Rome without writing a whole book. I wish I could share every funny story and mishap and surprise. You just have to see it for yourself.

And that is my story of Italy. If you’re debating a trip, go. It’s a gem you get to carry in your heart for a lifetime after. I hope reading this inspires some ideas!

#italy #rome #florence #venice #polignano #a mare #travel #adventure #cappuccino #pastries #story

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btsybrkr · 4 years

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Please Come Dine With Me

In today’s world of Netflix originals, glossy reality series and big budget drama, it’s easy to forget about TV’s old reliables. You know, the programmes with nothing to say, but so much to give. They’re the television equivalent of an ex that you can’t help but miss, despite having brought absolutely nothing to each other’s lives. The absolute king of this brand of TV can only be Come Dine With Me, the dinner party contest that began broadcasting in 1892 and has been playing simultaneously, on all 26 branches of Channel 4, at every hour of every day ever since. Seriously, flick through the channels, I can almost guarantee it’s on right now.

Come Dine With Me, now in its 37th series (I’m actually not making that bit up), must unironically be one of the best things to ever air in this country. During a casual viewing, it seems that nothing much happens, but a quick Google search unearths an absolute goldmine of unforgettable moments. Some have already been cemented into pop culture history, destined to be repeated on ‘100 Greatest...’ clip shows until the sun swallows the Earth whole - like the man who decided to sample a sauce he was making by nonchalantly shoving the whole whisk into his mouth, or sore loser Peter Marsh’s ‘you won, Jane’ speech, which is, in my opinion, a hundred times more brutal than anything Ricky Gervais could or would ever come out with whilst presenting an awards ceremony. Others are unfortunately never spoken about, but remain a vivid memory in the consciousness of the lucky viewers who caught them, such as the moment a particularly eccentric contestant, known only as DJ Dom, drafted in indie musician Badly Drawn Boy to help him cook for his ‘Madchester’ themed dinner party, before telling the viewers “All done, just got to go and change me kecks!” and coming back downstairs in the exact same outfit, right down to the bucket hat. Or the iconic Preston week from series 7, in which we were introduced to so-posh-it-hurts Valerie Holliday, whose pronunciation of the word ‘pheasant’ (or fezzaaaunt, as she might say) is superglued to the insides of my brain, where it will stay for the rest of my days. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m sure we’ve all, at some point, had the ‘who would be invited to your dream dinner party?’ conversation with our friends or family, but what we should really be asking each other is “who would be on your dream episode of Come Dine With Me?”. If you think about it, they’re two very different questions, with very different answers. Of course, I’d love the chance to sit and speak with Tom Hanks, Mac Demarco and Phoebe Waller-Bridge over a glass of wine and a really good burger, but do I think it would make entertaining TV? Well, yeah, probably. But not on Come Dine With Me. That’s a horse of a very different colour.

Anyway, here’s what my dream episode of Come Dine With Me might look like. Narrated in your brain by Dave Lamb, probably.

Today, we’re in Blackpool, where our first contestant, 23-year-old chronic timewaster Betsy (that’s me!), is gearing up to host the opening night of the week, and we’re sure it’s going to be an absolute belter. Let’s see what her fellow dinner party guests make of the menu.

“A cheeseboard? As a starter? What’s that about?”, asks living soundbite and reality TV icon, Gemma Collins. She’s unimpressed with the menu, largely on the basis that it pales in comparison to the sort of luxury she’s used to, such as the gourmet camel penis she could have been tucking into on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! In 2014, had she not packed it in after three days. Actually, I think the celebrity version of Come Dine With Me might be the only reality programme that Gemma Collins is yet to appear in. Maybe we should be writing to the powers-that-be at Channel 4 and getting them to sort that out, since I’ll surely be making a strong case for her appearance here. Anyway, who’s next?

Our third contestant is equally disappointed with the offerings. “I don’t fuck with stilton”, states the self-proclaimed second coming of Jesus, Kanye West. Yes, he’s an odd choice for a daytime cookery/popularity contest, especially since I’m almost 100% sure he doesn’t cook for himself under any circumstances, and is probably only popular among people who’ve never had to try and sit through an actual conversation with him, but who cares? Kanye does what Kanye wants. And if Kanye wants to appear on Come Dine With Me, then that’s his business, and he’ll shit in the Yeezys of anybody who disagrees. Or pay someone else to do it for him, obviously. Anyway, onto contestant number four, who can surely only be disappointing after that… can’t they?

Of course not!! Contestant number four is TV’s shouty queen-of-clean Kim Woodburn, who is really excited to get her teeth into some red hot beef. Not the food kind, either. The kind of beef she dished out to Philip Schofield, while he was asking her questions about the beef she dished out in her fondly-remembered ‘chicken-livered bunch’ rant from Celebrity Big Brother. She’ll be glad to know I’m not serving any chicken livers at my dinner party, I’m sure. Not that she’ll be particularly enamoured with my cooking skills overall.

“It all looks terribly common, darling”, she says, as she holds the menu in one Marigold-wearing hand, and a glass of an expensive gin in the other. Suit yourself, then, Kim.

Contestant number five hasn’t bothered to read the menu yet, but that’s because he’s been busy begging the Channel 4 producers on set for another series of Deal Or No Deal now that his hefty I’m A Celebrity paycheck is all but gone. Yes, it’s Noel Edmonds, TV’s favourite bearded arsehole. After Alan Sugar, of course, but I’ve already written a bit about him on here, so there’d be no point in putting him in this one as well. You know, someone I knew a few years back once told me that Noel Edmonds did a guest lecture at his university, in which he offered some lucky students the chance to spend their summer doing a couple of months unpaid work experience on his radio show. Imagine that! Spending day-in-day-out with Noel Edmonds, without even a penny in compensation. I know they say ‘life’s not fair’, but that really would be pushing it.

Anyway, that’s everyone, and as I anxiously pour boiling water into five chicken and mushroom Pot Noodles, my all-star dinner guests begin to arrive. First at the doorstep is Kim, who I greet with open arms.

“Wonderful to meet you, luvvie”, she says. The worried glance she gives the camera afterwards tells me otherwise. Perhaps she’s unimpressed by my unshiny door handle. That’s not a euphemism.

Gemma and Noel arrive soon afterwards, both carrying bottles of champagne that I couldn’t possibly ever afford myself. They’re not to share, of course, they were bought in anticipation that the wine I’m providing wouldn’t be up to standard, which it is, because I’m serving all my courses with a glass of Summer Berries Echo Falls. It’s £5.99 a bottle and gets you absolutely Bankered.

We mingle in the living room, eagerly anticipating the arrival of my final guest. Just as Gemma, Kim and Noel begin bonding over the trials of being paid many thousands of pounds to sit around and simply exist for the viewing pleasures of mere mortals like myself, Kanye West teleports himself into the room, in a futuristic flash of lightning and to the tune of his 2010 hit Power, blowing a massive hole into the entire left side of my house in the process. It’s true what he says, you know - the man really is a genius.

We take our seats at the dinner table, as soon as the rest of my guests are done with the obligatory search through my knicker drawer (cue a comeback for Kim’s famous How Clean Is Your House? catchphrase, “Oh, you dirty devil!”) that happens on every edition of Come Dine With Me. You know, despite everything else on the programme, that’s the one bit of it that I’ve never really understood. Every single one of the show’s 1,647 episodes includes a bizarre sequence in which the contestants go running around the host’s home, rifling through their personal belongings and mocking them for the cameras. I’m sure the point of it is supposed to be to give the guests a chance to ‘get to know’ the host, but then I’d have thought that spending five nights eating and chatting with them would be a fairly effective way of doing that. Besides, can you imagine catching your guests doing that in real life? I wouldn’t be sitting them down for a meal and rating them for a chance to win £1,000, I’d be throwing them out, maybe even calling the police, depending on what exactly they were doing with the belongings in question. Not that I have time to think about that right now, I’ve got a cheeseboard to prepare!

First topic of conversation is, of course, TV, and as we tuck into our Ritz biscuits and Tesco Value mature cheddar, Noel gives us his opinion.

“My main issue with television these days is that I’m just not on it enough.” A valid viewpoint. We take a moment to collectively long for the days of Noel’s HQ, a drunken nightmare that was somehow harnessed and broadcast to the masses by Sky1, way back in 2008. Noel’s HQ has been mostly lost to time, except for the presence of a video on YouTube entitled ‘Noel Edmonds speaks with passion’, which is well worth a watch if, like me, you enjoy four minute long videos of TV presenters struggling to stifle their own belief that they might just be The Best Person Ever. There’s a great bit in it where he angrily declares to his delighted audience, “I don’t get paid a penny for doing this show”. Noel, I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you for your sacrifice.

Speaking of The Best Person Ever, Kanye is noticeably quiet. But then, Kanye isn’t here to share his views. Kanye isn’t particularly here to do anything. Kanye is simply here to observe - to greet his subjects, and work out what makes them tick. Kanye can sense our excitement to be sat in his presence, and Kanye enjoys this. It feeds Kanye. Far more than my meager dinner offerings ever could.

I press Gemma for her own opinions on TV, as someone who is literally always on it. Gemma Collins gets where Domestos can’t. It may sound like I’m being flippant, but in all honesty, I love Gemma Collins. I’m not even sure why, I just know I do. She’s famous for the sake of being famous, and she’s bloody good at it. She’s also quite possibly the most quotable public figure since Shakespeare himself. Maybe even more than Shakespeare. Think about it. What inspires you more? “To be or not to be?”, like anyone knows what that actually means, or “Nah, fuck this, I’m out of here. Get that fire exit door. Am off.”, a poetic sentiment, which conveys an emotion we’ve surely all felt at some point in our lives? I know who gets my vote.

Kim misunderstands the question “what do you think of television today?” as “how clean do you think my television is?”, and responds by pulling out a five pack of dusters and a can of Mr Sheen, and getting to work on the flatscreen in the corner of my living room. Oh well, at least all that cleaning will make her hungry in time for the main course. Speaking of which, maybe it’s time I got on with that.

Despite their disappointment with the starters, the main course - Super Noodle sandwiches, with a generous side-helping of curly fries - appears to delight all my guests, except Kim, who mutters under her breath that it all seems very tacky. I won’t let it get me down. It’s my heartfelt belief that anything can be a sandwich filling if you’re brave enough, and my other three guests agree with me. Kanye lets out a satisfied ‘hm’. Excellent.

We sit down to dessert, and another glass of Echo Falls. The wine is going down surprisingly well, especially with Kim, who has started subtly rolling her eyes at the conversation between myself and Gemma Collins, who are bonding over how much we love Gemma Collins. Kim purses her lips. Her Spidey-senses are tingling. There’s conflict afoot.

I quiz Noel about an article that I saw in 2015 and have never forgotten. It was featured on The Independent, and was headlined ‘Noel Edmonds says that ‘death doesn’t exist’ and that ‘Electrosmog’ is more deadly than Ebola’. I know that this sounds like something I just came up with, but I regret to tell you that is absolutely something he said. In real life. I’ll give you a minute to take that in.

Noel Edmonds reaffirms this view to me, speaking with the same unnerving passion he did in the YouTube clip I mentioned earlier. I nod politely. I begin to wonder if everyone’s had a little too much Echo Falls, and if I can really handle another four nights with these people. It’s at this moment that, for the first time all night, His Almighty Westness speaks.

“I really feel what you’re saying right now”, he tells Noel. We wait together for the next part of the statement, but it never comes. Kanye West outstretches his arm to Noel Edmonds. They shake hands. None of us can quite believe it. And for a moment, Noel and Kanye are right. It does feel as though death doesn’t exist. Nothing exists outside of this dinner party. Everything that matters is happening around my dining table at this very second.

The silence is broken by Kim Woodburn tutting into a wine glass.

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake,” she drawls, rolling her eyes, “What a load of nonsensical tosh.”

“Excuse me?”, asks Noel, still hand-in-hand with Kanye West, an alliance he is clearly eager to keep going for as long as possible, on the off chance that he fancies funding another series of Noel’s House Party, “I don’t see you bringing anything to the table here, Kim.”

She widens her eyes, taking another generous gulp of Echo Falls - and I know exactly what she’s about to bring to the table. A big old fight.

Gemma Collins throws in her two cents.

“I think we should all calm down a little bit, d’ya know what I mean? I’m having a lovely meal at a fan’s house, I can’t be arsed with an argument.” Wise words, as always, Gemma. Wise words.

It all kicks off.

“You can be quiet, you talentless, orange foghorn!”, sneers Kim, “You’ve contributed nothing to the conversation this evening, other than talking about yourself.”

Gemma’s eyes seem to cloud over with anger, as her complexion quickly transitions from Dulux shade Tangerine Twist to Cranberry Crunch. She knocks the rest of her wine back. Everything goes quiet again for a moment, as Noel, Kanye and I watch the two TV divas stare at each other. It’s like a scene from an old Western, but with diamonds and veneers.

With a violent roar, she launches herself across the table, grabbing Kim by her fake ponytail. I jump up to hold her back, as Kanye leaps from his seat to hold Kim from Gemma. There’s a mad blur of acrylic nails and tufts of bleach blonde hair flying between them, some of it landing into the banoffee pie I had worked so hard on. Noel stands back, arms folded, watching the action in dismay. If you could see the whole picture, it might resemble a renaissance painting, the sort that could be hung in a gallery anywhere in the world and analysed for it’s artistic importance. ‘Nous aimons le boeuf’, it might be called. French for ‘we love the beef’. Doesn’t really matter it means, though, to be fair, as long as it sounds clever and artsy.

Noel shakes his head.

“What the hell am I doing here?”, he asks, frustrated, “I’m a huge TV star.”

Security eventually intervene, somewhat reluctantly, given the fact this is the most action they’ve seen on a shoot for Come Dine With Me, possibly ever. Producers watch back the footage of the fight on an iPad, sat on my sofa, attempting to mask their delight at what they’d caught on camera.

Kanye eventually stands up, soberly taking in the scene in front of him. Is this how Jay-Z felt as he left the elavator?, he wonders.

“I’m gonna take off”, he informs everyone, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room in the aftermath. But before he can teleport out of the room again, possibly blowing a hole in the other side of my house, the producer speaks up.

“Same time tomorrow? It’s Gemma’s night.”

Four more nights of this… four more nights, all for the chance to win £1,000… is it worth it?

Of course it is. It was a blast. Same time tomorrow, indeed.

To see some highlights from the iconic Preston week of Come Dine With Me, click here. To see Noel Edmonds speak with passion, click here. To follow me on twitter, click here, or here for instagram :)

#come dine with me #celebrity big brother #big brother #gemma collins #i’m a celebrity #comedy #tv review #reality tv #blogger #ukblogger #comedy writing

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mrelzbttherese · 4 years

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TIP LIFE

My First 5 Months in T.I.P

Hi I'm Ma. Elizabeth Therese N. Doronela, 16 years old from Antipolo City. Taking Up HUMSS (Humanities and Social Science) in T.I.P. I take up HUMSS strand because I want to be a lawyer someday. I decided to study at T.I.P because of the good feedbacks. My school is far from my home but it's alright because I really want a high quality education to get that "Atty." before my name.

JUNE

First day of school. I arrived at school at exactly 12:35 P. M. I know that I am kinda late but its fine because our Teacher was not already in the room. As I enter the room its a bit awkward because we are all total strangers, I do not know anyone and nobody

knows me. Finally after several minutes our General Mathematics teacher Mr. Jehrist John Uy came inside our classroom and greeted us. He first discuss his house rules and the grading system in Genmath after that we introduce our self. Name - Age - Address - Something Unique About Yourself, that is what we need to tell when we introduce our self. That moment I get to know my classmates a little bit and I was shy telling what's unique about me because I have nothing to tell. My first impression to our Genmath teacher and adviser is that he is cool and a great teacher. Sir Jehrist amazes me because aside from being funny, he is also a good and smart Teacher.

My First Month in T.I.P was great, of course as I expected I will be having more adjustments because of the new people, new environment and new system here but I am more thinking about the good side.

As I walk upon the hallway I just can't stop my self from over thinking and worrying how my Senior Highschool life would be. I am now stepping out of my comfort zone and

I am stepping in to the next chapter of my life. I just can't imagine how was my life in T.I.P wherein I don't have any clue if I will be having a good friends or teachers, to be honest among all the schools that I was thinking about T.I.P is the least school that I was expecting that I will go to. I have so many thoughts about how will my life in T.I.P goes. Days passed, I get to know some of my classmates. I make friends with them talk to them and open some topics or story to some of them. I had a good time with some of my classmates for the first week of the school year and I'm looking forward to be in touched also with my other classmates. So far, so good. I get to know many things on my first weeks in T.I.P. "what?! really", "myghash", "seriously?" these words are the words that always came out from my mouth because some of my teachers amazes us with some facts and trivias. I am admitting it, my first month in my school was a bit hard because of so many adjustments but it was really fun meeting new people and learning something from them.

My favorite place here in T.I.P is the Chapel. This is the most beautiful place in the school for me because this place always brighten my day. I cant say that I always go there everyday but as much as I can I always go there whatever I am going through. Happy? Sad? Excited? Frustrated? Nervous?, chapel was always my go to place in school. Now I will share some story about my unforgettable experience in the chapel. So there's a guy who is praying in the chapel and after a minute he ask me "ate is life fair or unfair?" and I was shock because I was to exit the chapel, the guy look so sad and frustrated I think he is a college student. The next thing is I answered him, honestly It took a seconds before I answered him because I was really shocked of what he ask. "I think yes kuya because some of us is happy and some are not" I answered him, and he just nod his head. I have no idea why that guy ask me that, but I really saw the sadness in his face, that time I really want to spoke up to him and say "kuya you can get up to this, God is good". but I don't have enough time so I just go out of the chapel and start thinking and realizing what that guy is going through. I don't know what he is sad or whatever but I just wish that he can go through that situation.

JULY

This month I focused more on my studies. Nutrition Month is the main event for July, Its fun because a Doctor have some talk about healty living and taught the students about proper diet. The Month of July is full of school works and performance tasks, it makes the whole class more and more. Reportings, Role Play, Written works, Hang Outs, Milktea dates and Home Works that is what my Month goes.

I have this new discovery about T.I.P and that is the garden along with T.I.P anniversary hall. The garden is so beautiful especially at night, Its fun to watch the trees that are dancing and waving. This month makes me realize that I really need to work hard because before I go to my classroom for my first subject I saw a big board that has all the names of Dean's Listers in T.I.P QC and it makes me inspired every time I walk there and saw their names.

Aside from our classroom and lobby in building 9 , one of the place in T.I.P that I often go to is the Canteen. It's kinda noisy, messy and crowded but it is the best place to make "chika" and rant with your friend. I think the canteen has a big part on knowing my close friends because we always go there and share food and stories together. I always eat waffle and maccaroni. I will tell story about my favorite encounter at the canteen. So its our free time and me and my classmate go down to buy some food in canteen, I am craving for donuts that time and exactly I have 17 pesos in my pocket so I buy the cake butternut in happy house donut and then I pay for the donut and suddenly the seller said that the cake butternut donut is 18 pesos and my money is 17 pesos only and I left my wallet in the classroom that time and I was like worried because my room is in 4th floor and I don't know what to do, a seconds ago there's a girl who gives me a 1 peso and I was so thankful because of her. She just save me, I really appreciated it because she doesn't know me but she efforted to give me 1 peso. I said thank you for several times because I was just so happy that she helped me even if she didn't know me well. That time I realize that kindness is truely every where.

AUGUST

August is what they called a ghost month because of many suspensions and holidays

but it also a good month because it is the celebration of Buwan ng Wika. The activities are so exciting. Festival Dance, "Sabayang Pagbigkas", "Tagisan sa Pag-Awit", "Batuhang Bola", "Karerang Sako", "Patintero" and many more indigenous games are the activities in Buwan ng Wika. It's so fun because we are able to meet new people aside from our classmates because we're shuffled with Grade 12 students. "Pintados-Kadyaan" is our group name. I joined the Sabayang Pagbigkas together with my other classmates and Grade 12 students. We train and train until we memorized the piece and the the choreography, becaus of many suspensions we are able to make practice and we also rehearse the whole performance every after class. Days passed and the presentation is coming. August 29, 2019 is the day that we are going to perform it. We are all nervous and excited at the same time, after a half an hour we are all done performing our piece, we feel relieve because we really worked hard for it. We are

all confident that we can get the award.

One day after and It is the awarding day and the host announces that we are 2nd placer, we are all happy because our hard work pays off, not the first place but sill grateful. The thing that I really wanna treasure this month is the friendship that we build while practicing for the Sabayang Pagbigkas, I may not always see them or be with all of them but the friendship will be always be there.

SEPTEMBER

September is the start of the ber months, it's kinda exciting. September is also the month where marks start of 2nd grading. New grading, new life and a chance to bounce back. I admit it i do not put my full effort on the first grading cause I felt that I am having a hard time to cope with the system of T.I.P in terms of academics. I said that I will make "bawi" for the second grading. This month is very stressful one because of too many school works. This is also the month where I always go home late because me and my classmates used to hang out every after class. Here's my fun story, one afternoon I am walking in the hallway because I'm going to the comfort room then I was singing the song "Imahe" and a group of college students saw and hear me singing and they all sing with me and I laughed so hard they are all funny. We are all laughing like we know each other.

I putted more effort on learning and getting a high scores in tests this month. Oral Communication is one of my favorite subject not only the subject but also the teacher which is Ms. Aivy, she is such a good teacher she's my favorite teacher. I am always looking forward to see and have discussion with her. I learned a lot from Ms. Aivy academically and she also from her life experiences. I remember this line from Ms. Aivy "You will learn If you are willing to" and I think that is beautiful. Nothing is more beautiful than a Teacher who believes in his/her students. She is one of the kindest person I know, she is a very inspiring woman. Ms. Aivy is one of the best people I know in T.I.P.

October

October is the month of intramurals, the theme is The Hunger Games (Rise of the Districts) and my section which is 11HUMSSB2 are in the District 4 Fishing. Of course before the Main event which is the sports, The advisers make a try out for all the fishing team members. Volleyball, Basketball, Badminton and many more and I try out for the sport which is Volleyball and I passed the tryout, I was playing volleyball since 2013 so I have a much skills to play. There's also Street Dance Competition, Battle of the Bands and Mobile Legends.

All the students were so excited because of too much activties we are going to do in the latter part of the month. Before the intramurals we train and make some meeting with the whole fishing team and its so fun meeting other people once again. We are all from different sections and strands but we are united as one, as Team Fishing.

Days passed and the Intramurals 2019 is held. October 21. 2019 Early in the morning I woke up at 5 A.M. because the players needs to come to school at early as 6:00 A.M. The Opening Ceremony of the Intrams 2k19 was blast there's the presentation of the escorts and muses of each districts and also the performance of drum and lyre by the Quirino Elementary School students. After an hour all the sports are starting. 12:00 the Volleyball game started and we are all excited to play. The first game is Fishing vs. Textile (Women's Volleyball). The game was started and Its so fun, the game is exciting because of the strength of each team. Our first game was a win and we are all happy and were looking forward in the next game. After the game I ate at the food bazaar and take some rest. The event in the afternoon is the battle of the bands and it was lit, it was so fun hearing the talents of those singers.

The second day of the Intramurals is also a big day for us because it is our semi finals for Volleyball. Our opponent is the Team Lumber. The game started at 12:00 P. M

the summary of the game is in the first set the Lumber won and in the second set the Team Fishing won and at the tie breaker which is up to 15 only the Lumber won. We might not get the final spot but we are happy because we are in the third place. I'm kinda sad because of that but at the same time I feel relieve because I can rest after the game. The third and last day of Intramurals was a blast because of the performance of Street Dancers, they are really good dancers and after that the final games for Volleyball and Basketball and also the awarding. Finally the Intramurals 2019 was done, too much fun and too much memories that I will treasure forever. The friendship and team we've made will be forever in my heart.

I learned a lot. Sportmanship, Friendship, Hardwork is the really essence of that Event. It's not the sports and games that I really had fun but the people who I met and all the learnings.

Hardwork Beats Talent When Talent Fails To Work Hard.

In summary my first five months in T.I.P is like a rollercoaster ride. There is ups and downs but I am still grateful because I know that God has a plan. Looking forward for the next 5 months in T.I.P. I learned a lot and that's what matters.

It is fun being a certified TIPIAN, I am proud that I am a student of Technological Institute of the Philippines.

#TIPISHEART

#TIPLife

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tomlinshawexchange · 5 years

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Week One Round Up!

It’s been a brilliant first week of the Tomlinshaw Fic Exchange 2018. Here are the week one fics in one convenient list.

First for Friday : i’ve a feeling it’s time to try (love it if we made it)

AU in which Nick is suddenly spending his Saturday mornings at a yoga studio and Louis’ eyes are quite unforgettable. Nick is utterly and completely screwed, because he doesn’t remember things about people he just met, just takes them back to his place for a night of fun or sucks them off in dodgy club loos. He gets infatuated, then bored once the excitement of having someone new runs out. The fact that this seems to be something completely new and different is doing his head in.

Saturday Booklyn 99 Shenanigans : the average foot speed of a corgi is ten miles per hour

Louis blinks. “You do realize this is an awful idea.” Nick is very aware of that, actually. (In which Nick and Louis kiss each other, and degrees of professionalism vary.)

Sunday Heart in a Box : Empty Nights

Nick Grimshaw is struggling to adapt to his new job as host of Drive – he’s embarrassed about being ‘demoted’ and, instead of confronting his feelings, he’s attempting to drink and party his woes away and is one drunken mistake away from being fired. Louis Tomlinson is still grieving his mother’s untimely death and is obsessed with writing the 'perfect’ album in her honour, working all day and night, forgetting to eat and sleep and rarely leaving the house.

When Nick gets a phone call from Harry Styles asking him to go to the house of a 'friend of a friend of a friend’ to retrieve a mysterious biscuit tin he left there, Nick finds himself ringing the doorbell of Louis Tomlinson, the up-and-coming popstar he last met when he accidentally threw up all over him mid-radio interview. Louis shuts the door in Nick’s face so Nick decides his only course of action is to break in and steal the tin…

And so begins a complicated, messy and not-always-law-abiding journey of two men who might think they hate each other but are actually meant to be. If they could only pull their heads out of their arses, they’d work that out. And maybe they’d even find out what’s inside Harry’s mysterious biscuit tin …

The best thing about a Monday ever : happiness hits like a train on a track

“This is where daddy lives, Penny. This is where I am when I’m not with you.” He picks her up and puts her on his hip. “It’s not the biggest.” Or, the one where single father Louis is set up on multiple dates and none of them seem to take.

Trope for Tuesday Hurt Comfort Version : Will you love me when my phone turns off?

Louis thinks that there’s a part of him that knew this was going to happen. That the reaction wasn’t going to be great. That people would find everything they could wrong with it. Maybe that’s why he didn’t want to show Nick. Or why he told Nick not to stay home with him today for this incredibly momentous occasion. Maybe that’s why he didn’t schedule any interviews or listening parties today.

In hindsight, Louis totally knew. Doesn’t make it hurt less, though.

OR: Louis is sad and Nick takes care of him

Trope for Tuesday Bookshop AU version : dead set on a getaway

“Nick,” Gemma says, smiling like the cat that’s got the cream, “I’d like you to meet your new trainee, Louis.” “Hello,” Louis says, holding his hand out to shake, and raising one eyebrow when Nick takes a bit too long to react. “Hiya,” Nick says, when his brain starts working again. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Mid-week five times better : Come and Get Your Love

Five times Louis and Arlo went to Nick and Lizzie’s house, or vice versa, plus one time it was the same house.

Theatre Thursday : Loving someone.

@TommoLou: ‘pity he keeps being given such roles because he doesn’t even have to play’ at least i’m not shitting what everyone likes just to get famous you fucking loser @heavytheaterlover: just made me even more famous darling ____ or a theater au where nick’s the most pretentious scenic designer stuck in his existential crisis and louis is an actor who’s made some poor life choices and now doesn’t know what to do

Friday fun and water hazards : oh, i just want you to come with me

In which Louis has a new flat, a new neighbour, a dog and water sprinklers that just won’t stop. Also in which boys can’t communicate, everything goes wrong and we all wish dogs could talk to tell their owners to stop acting like a bunch of fools.

😍 Massive love and awestruck love heart eyes to all our brilliant authors - and - to everyone reading and kudos-ing and commenting and sharing along. ✨📚💕

#Tomlinshaw Fic Exchange 2018 #Tomlinshaw Fic #Tomlinshaw Fic Exchange #Louis x Nick #Tomlinshaw #Week One Round Up #thank you everyone for your words #and for your support

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myfoodsocial-blog · 5 years

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The Best Restaurants in London for a Special Occasion

Are you celebrating a birthday, a promotion or a recent engagement? Whatever the occasion you are celebrating, these restaurants are here to do it right for you and will make this event an unforgettable experience in London:

Aqua Shard – for breathtaking views

Enjoy some innovative British cuisine, while taking in the spectacular views of London’s skyline on the 31st floor of “The Shard,” one of the most iconic buildings in London. The restaurant spans into two wings, in the middle a stunning atrium bar with three-story-high windows, serving an extensive selection of classic and contemporary cocktails. Aqua shard is one of London's most excellent skyline restaurants and is highly recommended for anyone that hasn’t yet seen the river Thames or the Tower Bridge from above. Especially spectacular at sunset of course.

MNKY HSE – for party people

You are not a fan of the stiff, white-linen-tablecloths type of restaurants, but are instead looking for a place with a great party atmosphere? Then you will feel right at home at MNKY HSE in Mayfair.

The contemporary Latin American restaurant is overseen by head chef Pablo Peñalosa Nájera (ex-Four Seasons Bogotà), who has created a menu of experimental sharing plates, spicing up the classic ceviche and guacamole, which shall be accompanied with one of the many choices of mezcals, piscos, and tequilas.

The restaurant & bar’s values are to “eat, drink, and play,”.It manages to create this very vibrant, glitzy, trendy, and club-like atmosphere with live music, DJ’s and upbeat staff. Even fashion week closing parties were hosted here – that’s how trendy it is. This is where you get to dance the night away!

http://mnky-hse.com/

Bustronome – for the discoverer

This is for the ones that would like to combine their fine dining experience with a double-decker bus discovery tour around the city. While food is prepared on the lower floor, passengers enjoy a panoramic view of the city’s landmarks on the upper deck. Thanks to the glass roof you get to enjoy stunning 360-degree views of the city. In-between courses you may listen to fascinating facts and figures about London’s landmarks with the provided audio pins. One might expect the dining experience to be a bit shaky, but don’t worry, the ride is very smooth, and for extra security of your cutlery they made it magnetic - so do they offer a wine holder for your exquisite wine, so it won’t spill. The buses are also available for private hire and entirely customizable for such.

https://www.bustronome.com/en/london/

Aquavit – for the Michelin star experience

Aquavit is a Michelin-star, all-day dining, contemporary Nordic restaurant, nestled in the heart of London’s St. James’s market. You’ll encounter a carefully crafted, Nordic-inspired menu with plenty of seafood and wild game, served in a sophisticated, yet relaxed environment. Ingredients used are all fresh and locally sourced. If you want to try one of the Swedish classics, have a go at the Swedish meatballs with lingonberries and pickled cucumbers, or try the Smörgåsbord featuring various types of herring, Gravlax, and pickles. A reasonably priced restaurant, for the level of sophistication.

http://www.aquavitrestaurants.com/

Simpson’s in the Strand- for the best of British

A medium-rare, high-quality, British beef that is delicately cut in front of you on the white tablecloth trolley, horseradish sauce spooned on to the plate… that is the type of experience that you get at the great heritage restaurant Simpson’s in the Strand. An old favorite of Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens, where you find the British classics (with a twist), prepared with utmost dedication and care, and served in a top-notch, old-school fashion. You might want to start your evening with some fancy oysters and continue with the signature roast beef, which Simpson’s has long been known to be the best at preparing.

https://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/

#best restaurants in london

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flyswhumpcenter · 5 years

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Bad Things Happen Bingo! The event where you send me I give myself self-indulgent requests according to this marvelous card!

Jesus, I sure am sappy for someone who is known for his angst stuff. I couldn’t find anything dark to tell about the common cold though, so have a fluffy, if not downright cheesy sickfic about a rarepair of mine!

(also if someone from the elusive Gonta/Kirumi server passes by: hi, I want in)

A Spider Web on the Heart

Summary: It's not because she's the Ultimate Maid that Kirumi knows exactly how relationships or feelings work, as proven by an urge in overprotectiveness.

Fandom: Danganronpa V3 (Non-Despair AU) Ships: Gonta/Kirumi (what even is the official name for that)

Wordcount: 1.8K words

Event hosted by @badthingshappenbingo

AO3 version available here.

Kirumi had always had a sharp eye for tiny details which could betray someone’s condition through the simplest things. Having been raised as the ultimate maid, the perfect servant for royalty and bourgeoisie alike, she was no stranger to having to take care of the sick and wounded inside prestigious manors and battlefields where the grass had turned red. Nothing would stop her from her assigned missions: protect the people she served, no matter the cost to her or to the rest of the world.

The Earth never stopped, for Kirumi. Never was her glaze not looking around, careful to her surroundings, studying every bit of the people around her and around her masters. No hitman nor robber could pass through her unless they attempted something on her life. An iron defence to the enemy, a warm force for her masters and allies. She served good, she served what she thought was right, she had no question to ask herself about the morality or consequences of her actions as long as she was doing what she was told and what she knew she had to do.

Well, that was how she used to see herself as: a multi-functional weapon, ranging from a vacuum cleaner to the sharpest of knives slitting an enemy’s throat. However, even since she had joined Hope’s Peak Academy as the Ultimate Maid, her perspective on the world and the people around her had joined. There no longer were masters: her last family had freed her so she could continue her studies as normally as possible after she had become their maid during her middle school years. Without a person to obey, she felt lost for the first time in her life, until her classmates approached her and befriended her.

They were of a colourful diversity: from the piano prodigy and class representative Kaede to the shy but always polite Shuichi, not to forget the loud and unforgettable “Luminary of the Stars” Kaito or his almost-girlfriend Maki, everyone was memorable and mostly friendly to her (even Ryoma, once she had brought up the fact he had cat hair on his clothes, and that brought on a sweet conversation on cats). However, she had her views (or so that was what she thought the other girls her age said about that kind of feelings) on someone in particular for the first time of her life.

She didn’t remember the first conversation she had had with Gonta. It was probably about bugs or gentleman-related affairs, knowing him. Most likely the second, considering that was their very first common interest: he wanted to learn how to be a gentleman, she wanted to share with someone her knowledge of grand families without seeming like she was trying to paint herself as one of them or even as prestigious as her former employers. They simply ended up benefiting from each other intellectually, at first.

After a couple weeks, she found herself talking with him more and more, about various topics. If something she thought could interest him came to her mind, she’d tell him, and the conversation would then continue from there. It was that way that she had discovered some of his hidden centres of interest like botany and that she told someone for the first time or so about her own likings lurking in the shadows such as collecting stamps and looking into learning other languages than Japanese and English (she wasn’t half-bad at Russian and French, due to having worked for nobility before).

In definition, they were close, very close. Most of her time in school was spent with him or near him, they’d always have a little thing to tell each other, a little thing to be excited about before or between classes. She had simply not realized it very early on and probably that he didn’t either: they were too entangled into their own feelings and wanting to spend time with the other to realize what had apparently become obvious to everyone around them.

Maybe that was why everyone thought she was excessive when she saw her closest friend fall sick.

To be frank with them, it was just a small cold. It’d just show up in their conversations, Gonta would sniff out, apologize and lightly blow his nose like she had taught him. It was spring, sure, but he didn’t have hay fever. She still, at first, tried not to think much of it: sometimes people just sneezed, and it was all fine. A previous employer’s daughter had told her that years ago and, since then, she hadn’t forgotten like everything she had ever been told by the persons she had worked for and under.

Like the overly polite man he was, he’d always apologize for every single symptom that’d slip into their discussions, to the point that Kirumi had to one day act upon it and do something to protect him from the mean forces of nature’s worst aspects. It was always about small things, small beginning, but it’d usually get far worse than that; so she’d prevent it.

As a gentleman, he didn’t dare tell her no when she forcefully took his hand and brought him to his room. “You’re sick, you’re supposed to rest,” was an explanation enough, right? She felt like she was perhaps a bit too forceful and obstinate, but remembering the face of the gravely sick would have almost made her stop dead in her tracks. She simply… didn’t want this to happen to him, never, ever, as long as she could do something about it. She wasn’t the Ultimate Maid for nothing, she hadn’t served all these people to see her closest companion fall ill.

“Ki… Kirumi, please, can… Can I know why I need to stay here?” he asked her right as she closed the door between them.

“It is for your own good, I am afraid. The sick must rest before their conditions inevitably worsen from exposure to other pathogens.”

She sighed in a rare moment of vulnerability.

“I simply do not want to see this happen to you.”

Gonta seemed moved, rather than upset or frustrated like an outdoor-loving person like him would have given her the feeling to be prone to doing.

“Ah… I see! Would you make that easier on you if I stayed here until I (he coughed in his elbow instead of the cotton handkerchief she had given him for his birthday, the one she had insisted on him to use, something he had until then systematically refused to do despite her insistence…) am full recovered? Even if it’s something so small, I mean…”

So he had listened to her suggestions? Ah… She felt flustered now.

“It is for you, not for me, but if it can get you to rest… Then it’s fine. Very much so, in fact.”

She looked away, face heating up, hiding her profile shot behind the back of her hand as if that was going to help with anything. She needed to pull herself together…

“Okay then! (He sneezed again. The loud noise would have otherwise perhaps made her skin crawl from the bacteria that must have sent flying across the room, but she didn’t mind). Let’s do that…”

Kirumi didn’t know where to stand or what to say, now. She had managed to accomplish her goals and make her orders a success, sure, but her heart was about to explode against her ribcage, her legs felt floppy for lack of a better term and her hands were trembling, palms getting damped against the fabric of her trusty gloves.

“I’m… going to make you some tea, it’ll make your throat and nose feel easier. I’ll… be right back,” she slipped almost in a whisper as she left the room, a spare of the key in her pocket (to be fair, Gonta did allow her to use it).

She made her way out of the room and onto the kitchen, just as she had said, even if the beating of her heart didn’t stop there. Making the water boil, she thought of all the little things she needed to take care of: not have the water too hot. Fruit tea, not black tea, to make it easier to swallow and more effective. Perhaps a touch of honey? Ah, she must have had one of his jars on her, she had only allowed herself to use the honey from his beehives ever since he had introduced her to his yellow-and-black friends…

(She was a firm believer that this honey was better than anything HPA could provide them with anyway. It had passion, devotion and love put into it, the perfect side ingredients to any good product. She knew that: she had applied this for years.)

Once the water was done heating up and that the cup had been poured (she made sure to leave the water there in case someone wanted to drink their own cup of tea: as far as she knew, Ryoma, Shuichi and Kaede all often enjoyed sipping on some, it felt only natural to not throw it away if someone else could have needed it), the maid waited. Waited for what, she wasn’t exactly sure: the water to cool down or her heart to slow down? She couldn’t present herself to him like that, not when she was this flustered and untranquil with herself.

Even with this in mind, a question raised in her head: would Gonta really care about that? He cared about his own appearance as a gentleman, of course, but he had never judged anyone based on appearance. He had made sure not to, in fact, as he deemed it unworthy of a gentleman like he strived to be. It was more for herself, she thought. People want to look their best in front of the person who matters the most to them, right?

Oh God, there was something starting to sound very weird and wrong with her. Maybe she was coming down with something too.

Before her mind trapped itself in its own streams, Kirumi pulled herself together, picked up her tray after making sure the water wasn’t too hot (it was a bit warm to her taste, but it’d probably get better as she went to his room). Despite the raging beating taking place in her chest, she still knocked with one hand and excused herself before entering (for a moment, she wondered if she shouldn’t have asked permission or waited for him to give it to her before doing so, but the deed was done).

Once she set foot into the bedroom, she was downright surprised to see that he was already asleep, having had the time to change back into some more comfortable clothes it seemed. Afraid to disturb the serenity suddenly possessing the room, a slight smile on her face as she saw him sleep so peacefully, she put the tray on the nightstand, topping it with the saucer, and left like a ghost.

The perfect maid knew how to make herself visible or invisible upon command or depending on the situation, but this time was different. Back against the wall of the room, she was still confused, but her feelings would have to wait.

If she had no master to serve, she still had partners to help.

#bad things happen bingo #danganronpa #ndrv3 #gonrumi #common cold #sickfic #hurt comfort #gonta gokuhara #kirumi tojo #otp: coccinellida #fluff #soft #au: non despair #bthb 1

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