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eurynome827 · 5 years

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Anniversary: Scenes From A Staycation

A Honey & Salt Story

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x Reader

Word Count: 1474

Warnings: language, vague fluffersmut, a surprising amount of maybe angst?

Summary: It’s been a year.

*This series is fiction - I do not know this man and this is an alternate universe RPF with no basis in fact.*

When you two first met, it was just a fun fact. Your birthdays were exactly two weeks apart.

As you grew closer - even granting each other the coveted title "best friend"- the halfway point became the day you celebrated. He would try to be in town, you would take off, if it was around a weekend it became "Birthday Weekend".

This year Birthday Weekend had an unnatural tension attached to it.

Last year's Birthday Weekend had been ...eventful. Now this wasn't just the latest in a series of times between best friends.

Now, it was an Anniversary.

One Month Before

"Are you sure this is what you want? You don't want to do something more special?"

"Excuse me, pal, last year we spent Birthday Weekend in your apartment. A beach house isn't special enough?"

"Last year's Birthday Weekend DID work out well..."

You could almost hear his raised eyebrows over the phone, just as you were sure he could hear your eyeroll.

Details were set, you swore you'd make all the arrangements if he could guarantee he'd be home on time. Birthday Weekend in a beach house on Fire Island. Staycation.

Then the chatter started.

Your friends. Your parents. Your mutual friends - Evans on the phone, grateful you couldn't punch him over FaceTime. "Think he's got something SPECIAL planned?"

"Can you shut the fuck up for two seconds?" You huffed in reply. "Considering it was my idea to rent the house, and he thought it wasn't 'special' enough, no I don't think so."

"Not special enough, huh?" Evans smirked.

"I hate you."

Friday

You arrived on the first morning ferry, getting the key for the house from the rental office and pulling the wagon with the week's supplies behind you the three blocks down to your ocean view house. It was perfect, with a porch facing the sea and a walk straight down to the beach. After getting everything settled you changed into your bathing suit and had a mimosa on the porch before throwing on your cover-up to walk to the dock for the afternoon ferry's arrival.

When Sebastian arrived on the ferry you were waiting, a rocket fuel in each hand.

"Don't spill the drinks!" You admonished, giggling as he swept you up.

"Happy Birthday Weekend," he whispered in your ear.

He set you down, and you kissed him quickly, not wanting to make a scene on the dock. It had been a year of skating by on the past reputation of "best friends" and it was a miracle you'd stayed under wraps.

"Here you loon," you grinned up at him as you handed him his drink, leading the way down the path. "Happy Birthday Weekend. Welcome to paradise."

Friday Evening

"Accept the fact that the pizza is overpriced. Everything has to be delivered by boat here, it comes at a premium."

"I didn't complain once," he handed you another beer and opened his own, settling on the porch swing and looking over at you warily. "You alright? You're very on edge."

"NOT on edge." You took a long swallow. "We have to get pizza tonight, it's tradition. Tomorrow we can go out or we can cook, whatever you want."

"Probably better to stay in," he answered and the unspoken words were there again. Don't get recognized. Don't get your picture taken alone in the restaurant without the life jacket of your friends surrounding you - have someone tweet it and then Birthday Weekend becomes the publicity stunt heard round the world.

You looked at him, and something about his eyes - the sun low in the sky, the sound of the ocean - and a grateful wave washed over you. "I'm so happy we're here. I missed you."

He pulled you into his lap. "Nowhere else I'd rather be."

You got the pizza and ate on the porch, the sound of the waves in your ears long after the sun has set low enough and the view past the porch rail is a long dark punctuated only by the lighthouse and the pinpricks of bright stars.

Jet lag forced him to bed early, and you cuddle next to him, as always seeking out the heat of his skin against yours and relishing in the promise of what's to come when he wakes up.

Saturday Morning

You're not sure what wakes you - the screaming sea gull on the roof or Sebastian's lips on your inner thigh.

"Finally," you tease, voice husky from sleep and his own chuckle in response warms your heart.

He's already taken you apart twice before he kisses back up your body till he reaches your neck and he holds you tight and rolls you over on top. There's never time needed to be reacquainted. You've memorized each other a million times over but it's still so good, so new, so perfect.

Except for trips to the bathroom and to the kitchen for coffee, you're in the bed until early afternoon.

Saturday Afternoon

After a small breakfast on the porch, you both set up in the sand a stone's throw from the house, away from the beachgoers clustered at the shore. It's not as busy on this stretch of the beach anyway, as the day trippers tend to stay in groups around the lifeguard stations. Here it's just the other renters, and you're not as worried on the few trips down to the water you both take to cool off.

It's quiet, and peaceful, and exactly what you wanted.

Then you go and ruin it all.

Saturday Evening

Mindful of his training, you'd brought chicken and vegetables to cook for Saturday, trying to at least be creative in your seasoning. He'd already strayed enough with the pizza and all the drinking - but it's Birthday Weekend.

He set the table and you poured the wine before you both sat down. Everything was great until he pulled a ring box out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

The words were out before you could stop them.

"I don't want to get married."

He looked at you, expressionless. "Okay."

"Fuck - I can't believe this. Everyone tried to hype me up for this and I thought you would never in a million years do this. You don't want to get married either! You've always said that."

"Babe -" he reached out for you, and you stood up so fast you knocked over your chair.

"Even fucking EVANS told me and I told him to shut the fuck up. I can't believe this."

"Hey!" He raised his voice, and you stopped babbling. "I'm not proposing. Open the box."

You picked it up with shaking hands and opened it.

"It's our birthstone. Oh, honey. It's beautiful."

"I don't care which finger you put it on, but you seem really concerned about that." He looked up at you, biting his lip - and not in a fun way.

"I ruined it." Your face crumpled and you barely registered him pulling you into his lap. "I ruined Birthday Weekend. Everyone got in my head."

He wrapped his arms around you. "Babe. You didn't ruin anything. But we should talk."

Late Saturday Night

Hours after eating, lots more wine, and a very uncharacteristically serious discussion later and the two of you were finally in bed.

It was almost laughable how two people who felt so similar about things could find it so difficult to tell the other person. For a year everything had worked so well. "Maybe we were just due for it," you murmured as his lips trailed across your neck.

"For what?"

"A big serious discussion. Can't have fun all the time."

He raised his head and looked you in the eyes. "Watch me."

You shook him awake, feeling only a little guilty at the lack of sleep. He groaned and pulled you closer but you pushed away with a giggle.

Sunday At Sunrise

"Seb."

"Let's watch the sun rise."

He made an unintelligible noise.

"Come on, babe."

"Okay. Then bed."

You dragged him out to the porch and faced the east. Wrapped in a blanket together in the morning chill, the sun's sudden appearance rising over the Atlantic took your breath away.

"Yeah, that was worth getting out of bed for," he admitted, and started to wrap his arms around you tighter but you turned to face him.

"I love you."

He squeezed your waist. "I know you do."

"No, I mean it. I really love you. I don't care what anyone says, I don't care if the whole world knows, I am who I truly am right now with you. That's all that matters."

His eyes were soft and as blue as the ocean in the new sunlight. "You love me, huh?"

You pulled him as close to you as you could. "You know I do."

#honey and salt #anniversary: scenes from a staycation #sebastian stan #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan fanfiction

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everwitch-magiks · 3 years

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RWRB Fics Roundup

Hey y’all! Once upon a time I had the ambition to post links on here to all the fics and new chapters that I publish on AO3, and I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been an absolute disaster at that over the summer. In my defense I’ve just had so much to write, but that’s not much of a defense seeing as it doesn’t take ages to chuck a link on here. Anyhow. Bottom line is, I’ve severely neglected it, and it’s gotten to a point where I’m just gonna make a post with links to everything I’ve written since June (ish) for you to peruse, so you can see if there’s one that you didn’t catch wind of that catches your eye now. Neat, huh?

So, without further ado, the links! The fics! Let’s go.

Completed works

Love At First Bark General Audiences, AU, tooth-rotting fluff. 3K. “I still don’t know your name, do I?” Henry watches Alex where he’s crouched down in front of David and gently scratching David below his chin. David absolutely loves Alex. Henry can relate. “It’s David,” Henry supplies. “Cool,” Alex says. “And what’s the dog’s name?” Henry blinks at him. “... David?” “What?” Alex exclaims. He looks from David to Henry and then back at David again. “Wow, okay, that is a choice.” Henry wants to sink through the earth and never come back up again.

Shameless Explicit, AU, Henry has a reputation. 14K. Henry has a lot of sex. A lot. He's young and in college and there is no shortage of men to fall in bed with. What better time to explore what he likes and what he fucking loves, as well as to catalogue how to make his many, many partners feel as good as possible? It’s all part of the learning experience. And Henry is a very dedicated student.

Alex has been inescapably aware of Henry ever since that one time they kissed. You don’t just stop being aware of the guy who basically caused your sexuality. So when Henry propositions Alex at a lame frat party, Alex accepts eagerly. Maybe this is exactly what he needs. Maybe, if he can just have Henry once, he’ll have a better chance of finally getting over his embarrassing fixation with Henry. It's worth a try.

When The Time Is Right Part four of my sex club series. Explicit, AU, dom Henry and sub Alex. 16K. “Maybe I could challenge you more,” Henry suggests, his eyes carefully trained on Alex. “And hold you accountable for longer. How does that sound?” “That sounds fucking amazing,” Alex tells him, the words coming out in a rush. “Yes. That. Please.” “Alright, then.” Henry offers him a sly grin. “Alex, love. You just gave me a wonderful idea.” It’s really something, how quickly Alex’s heartbeat picks up. “Oh? Do tell.” Henry’s grin widens. He looks alarmingly pleased with himself. “How would you feel about a staycation?”

When Alex asks Henry for something a little more intense in the bedroom, they end up taking more than just their sex life to the next level.

Out For A Bite Explicit, AU, suspense and supernatural elements. 3K. Henry's eyes fly up, zeroing in on the reflection in the mirror. There, behind him. The man from the bar. He looks different in the fluorescent bathroom lights. Sharper. There’s a look in his eyes that has Henry shivering all over again. It's greedy. Hungry.

He’s staring right at Henry.

Henry's throat feels dry. His heart beats madly. He's heard whispers of this place, and more importantly of its patrons. He thinks he knows what this man is.

ever fallen in love (with someone you shouldn’t have fallen in love with) Explicit, AU, Alex and Henry in DIY Punk & mainstream pop punk, respectively. 34K. Teenage music sensation Kensington have taken the world by storm. With their cool leather jackets and wickedly distorted guitars, they're a pop duo that packs a punch. Or at least they sound like one—their lyrics unfortunately lack any semblance of depth. Alex can't fucking stand Kensington. But thankfully, he doesn’t have to. He’s not likely to cross paths with those British pop losers during his final semester of high school in Texas. And even if he did, he'd never let some stupidly attractive blonde take his focus away from the goal that Alex has worked towards for years: winning the Austin Band Slam with his latino punk trio.

But when Henry comes crashing into Alex's life, with his intriguing piano pieces and piercing blue eyes and slow, purposeful kisses that make Alex burn with want, Alex finds that he might need to reevaluate his stance on both pop losers and distractions. Or maybe not. Maybe he’s better off keeping Henry at arm's length, since it's so painfully evident that Henry will never love him back.

Never Tell Me The Odds Teen and Up Audiences, canon verse, an outside perspective on First Prince as well as a story about a certain Star Wars mural. 2K. "Wait!" Alex yells up to the driver. "Stop! Stop the car!" Up close, it's beautiful. Two stories tall. He can’t imagine how somebody was able to put together something like this so fast.

Ash had never imagined that they'd get the chance to actually meet Alex Claremont-Diaz, and much less get the chance to tell Alex about how that very special Star Wars mural came to be. Although of course, Ash never would have met Alex if it hadn’t been for Farida. Farida and her bold courage, and her warm compassion, and her sometimes infuriating (but always endearing) stubbornness.

yrs. faithfully (with nowhere to go) Explicit, canon verse, a lazy morning in bed leads to something more. 3K. When Alex and Henry wake up together the day before their anniversary, they're genuinely planning on getting out of bed and spending the day as productive members or society. Truly, their intentions are honorable. But a trip down memory lane gets them reminiscing about that night exactly one year ago, when Alex had come running through the rain to deliver some choice words about obtuse fucking assholes.

As Alex and Henry start to relive the memory, they quickly realize that they both remember it intimately. So intimately that they might be able to pull off something of a do-over.

Gadgets and Gizmos A-Plenty A companion piece to dearest Hattie’s soulmate fic. Mature, AU, a look into Henry buying sex toys. Yes. That’s the fic. 2K. There’s a bunch of regulars that Amir knows by name (and, unavoidably, by kinks), but most often Playtime gets one-time visitors. Which makes sense, really. A lot of people don’t seem to want to step into the same adult toy shop twice. So Amir is always a little extra curious when there’s a repeat customer, especially one who is this attractive. And, interestingly, one who’s come back so soon.

The tall, classically handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes left Playtime no less than five hours ago after having purchased a medium-sized, fairly standard vibrator well suited for anal play. And now he’s back. Because apparently, he’s found he needed another vibrator.

If Sex Was A Sport We’d Be Winning Mature, AU, a classic Olympics hookup. 3K. It's remarkable, truly, that Alex didn't even want to be here. He only came all the way to Ariake because June was determined to watch a bunch of prissy ponies strut around to music. Still, perhaps the true Olympic experience lies in the wide variety of disciplines. Or, perhaps, it has something to do with chatting up a pretty blond behind the stables and getting him to show you the inside of an Olympic tack room. As Alex quickly takes to Henry’s sweet smiles and easy confidence, he realizes that just a few stolen moments with this man might turn into his most cherished memory from the Tokyo Olympics.

Alex knows better than to get attached, though. He and Henry live an ocean apart. There’s no way this quick fumble in the stable equivalent of a supply closet could ever lead to anything more. Right?

Talk Dirty To Me Explicit, AU, dom Henry and sub Alex. 9K. Henry studies Nora’s expression for a moment. There’s something about her favourable account of this guy she claims not to want to sleep with again that doesn’t add up. "But you're still not interested in taking him on?"

"He wants more than I'm willing to offer," Nora says frankly. Henry’s always liked this about her—how she doesn’t skirt around the hard facts. It's a part of what makes her so good at dominating. "But you know what? For you, he'd be kind of perfect."

Henry has been active in the local BDSM scene for years and there’s no shortage of men who’d love nothing more than to find themselves at his mercy. But Henry is on a break. He’s not looking for a new partner, but he’s also not expecting to become so intrigued by the man that Nora insists he should meet. Alex is a newcomer on the scene who doesn’t yet know exactly what he wants, much less with who. There’s no way that he could turn out to be exactly who Henry needs. Right?

Date night (please toy with me) Explicit, canon verse, a night out leads to some fun with a toy. 4K. This… this is new. They’ve talked about trying this, about what it’d be like to conceal some of their intimacy in plain sight, about what it would feel like to try and reclaim what is most private to them by flaunting it without anyone even knowing, by daring to take risks again. They’ve agreed that they’d still need to be careful, but they’ve also agreed that it would be interesting. That it would be fun.

And apparently, Henry thinks tonight is the night for it. “Do you trust me, love?”

“Yeah.” Alex swallows. He picks up the box, studying it for a moment. “Do you want… what do you want me to do?”

“I want you to go to the bathroom,” Henry says evenly, “You’ll find everything you need in the box. Then I want you to come back and sit down. Can you do that for me?”

“Yeah. Of course.” Alex taps the box, grinning in Henry’s direction. “I expect we’ll be leaving soon?”

Henry smiles slyly. “If you’re good, yes.”

Ongoing works

Hashtag Soulmates Mature, AU, Henry writes fanfiction. 23K and 7 chapters so far. Alex is perfect and handsome, the golden boy, everybody’s secret crush. So there is absolutely no way that he is the reader who screeches in caps lock every time that Henry posts as much as a drabble. There’s no way. Except Alex just closed his browser fast as fucking lightning, but not before Henry had gotten a good glimpse of the page Alex had open: AO3. ‘Don't Stop Me Now’, Henry’s current wip. The one that Henry literally just updated.

Sweet Jesus. Could it really be?

That... is all! It’s been a productive summer. I’m very excited to continue writing Hashtag Soulmates, and also to start working on a few upcoming First Prince fics that I’m planning on writing. Stay tuned for fics! ♡

#First prince #FirstPrince #red white and royal blue #rwrb #alex claremont-diaz #Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor #evie writes #fanfiction

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kurohoely · 3 years

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always (daichi x y/n)

Maybe a second chance doesn't sound so bad

part 1

genre: exes to lovers, slow burn(?) idk how genre works, sfw, daichi!timeskip

wc: 942

a/n: i'm posting this part first because i love to tease haha how long this series will be, who knows? likes and reblogs are appreciated :D enjoy!! :) ushiten if you squint REAAALL hard

this was a request from my beloved moot and irl @oikawaisamood

part one, part two , part three

“And you flashback to when we said forever and always”

Why does this song have to be the one that’s playing right now? You swear you put it on shuffle. Whatever, you let the song finish first before skipping to a more upbeat one. How long has it been? Five, six months? You’re doing pretty okay for someone that got dumped. It could be worse but you’re still here and alive nonetheless. Daichi was history and there’s nothing that both of you could save whatever’s left. You thought you were his ‘forever and always. You held onto his words, from a true man he is but words are still words. But it was words as well that made you guys fall apart.

“Y/n, I’m tired. This is not looking well. I think we should have a break”

“Daichi you might as well just ask me to break up with you instead of having just ‘a break’”

“You know what, maybe we should. We’re over”

You can still feel the burn, the despair that made your whole body weak and wobbly what happened that night. Three days before your anniversary and you had to choose to fight before it. What’s done is done. God, you can’t even remember what the fight was about. Through these six months you replayed that scene randomly over and over again, thinking what you could and should have said to tone down the situation but how can you? Anger got the best for both of you and it ended up at the worst timing ever. Wait, why do you still keep repeating this?

You heard a honk from the car behind you. How long has the light turned green? You stepped on the pedal and started cruising your way home in the night. You took the longer route, going through the concrete jungle of downtown, seeing the lights and skyscrapers glimmering as if they're the stars of the earth as to how the ball of gasses is for the skies. Some stores are still lively and some are starting to close for the day. Work has been driving you crazy but you’re grateful for it. At least it kept you busy from a long post-break-up crying session. It’s not like you didn’t cry, you did across the weekend but tears don't pay the bills. You still need money to live in this God-awful costly city. You didn’t do the dramatic move in movies or novels where they moved out from everything.

You moved on or so you think you did.

“God y/n I swear I don’t know what will happen if you’re not on this team”

You smiled at your boss. Only a few days until you can finally wrap up the project and have your well-deserving staycation at home but first, report. Ugh, why do we gotta do reports? You typed it anyway. Money will and can buy you happiness, even if it’s temporary because forever seems never to work in your favor. Halfway through you decided to take a break. Walking down the lobby to get your favorite pastry from the confectionery shop next block, you saw a too familiar figure, one you could recognize even if someone took away all of your senses. Why, why in all of the days, why the universe loves seeing you in pain, begging on your knees to let it stop. You looked straight ahead, ignoring everyone, strutting your way out from your building.

What you failed to notice while trying so hard to put up that façade was a pair of eyes widened and trailing your frame until it was out of sight. God, how many months has it been since he saw you? The last time he did was when you packed your things away while he just sat there on your - oh no - his couch. He was brought back to reality by the continuous tugging on his hands. I forgot y/n works here…

You walked to the bakery, fast. As fast as your heartbeat drumming to your rib cage, screaming to let itself out. Why was she holding Daichi’s sleeves? All it took was a breakup and a few months for him to get back on his feet and be all lovey-dovey with a girl.

The small bells rang as you pushed the door. You were greeted by the sweet smell of chocolates and freshly baked pastries. This place is magical and the food here? Immaculate. You saw the red-headed owner over the counter, making your way to greet him.

“Hi, Tendou! How’s business going?”

“Y/n-chan! Good good! Wakatoshi is coming soon so I’m taking a half-day off to hang out with him. What can I get for my favorite customer?”

“Ushijima-san has been so busy huh since the season started. I saw a few of his plays and he’s so good! Oh yeah, can I have my regulars?”

“Right up”

Tendou rang your order and placed everything into a cute paper bag that has his face as the logo. At that time, Ushijima walked in. He greeted both of you, exchanging some small talks and you excused yourself, exited the shop. It was a nice change of air what happened in the shop. But now, work. You entered your office building and scoured the lobby, hoping to bump into the figure. Wait, hoping? You snapped yourself back and stomped your way up to your space. You placed the paper bag down and began to unpack the insides. You noticed a small box filled with macarons that you clearly did not order, alongside a note.

My treat. Looks like you deserve some. -TS

next >

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patheticwithanem · 3 years

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2020 in Retrospect

Hey friend,

I know it’s late, but I HAVE TO DO THIS. I kind of promised myself I’m writing about the year that was. I’m not exactly sure why; maybe it’s to put things in perspective going in to 2021? And today’s my fourth year anniversary with my employer, so I guess it’s perfect timing? (More on that later)

So I was going through my notes (I have this habit of writing down what happens on a daily basis - be it activities, emotions, drama, name it) and one thing’s for sure. 2020 SUCKED. It did. But I’m committing to this no matter what!

First things first: lots of profanities along the way. Well actually, I was about halfway writing the letter when fucking Tumblr decided to refresh and delete what I’ve been writing for about one fucking hour now. So I have to fucking do it all over again. If this is the Lord telling me to stop being sentimental about 2020, fret not my Lord! I’m one stubborn son of a bitch, so I’m carrying on.

Here’s how the rest of the year unfolded. 2020. Let’s go.

JANUARY. Reunions?

January 1. Had a get-together with a few relatives in Malabon. It was fun! I used to be so allergic to family reunions but I guess age creeping in changes you? You value people even more now? This was also the last time we’re able to spend some time with my uncle from Singapore. He brought his family to spend the holidays here. He’s a sweetheart and a great father who’s missed.

January 9. I attended a college dormmate’s wedding. I remember contemplating whether to go or not only to realize I’m actually lucky to be even invited given the fact that I chose to be distant for them for a long while. I also told myself that not showing up is so far from what I’m trying to be. Although I wasn’t there for the whole thing, I’m glad I did come. I was able to bond with my roommates once again whom I treated like brothers ten years ago and that was nice. A not-so-close dormmate even introduced me to his boyfriend and that’s huuuuge. The bride was beautiful too, and I’m glad she’s in the best place right now after all she’s been through. She’s a strong one, that girl.

January 11. Got invited to a birthday pool party of a colleague at work. I have to say I’m actually quite surprised I was invited to this. She’s always had my back though and always kind of looked after me, so I had to go. It was fun but I didn’t get drunk AT ALL.

January 12. AND THIS IS WHERE SHIT STARTED HAPPENING. The Taal Volcano erupted. It was awful especially for everyone living near the area because everything was covered with ash. It was also a day before my brother’s birthday and we thought the ashfall would be worse the next day so we decided to celebrate earlier.

January 19. Went to a fiesta. Did not expect to survive that at all. It was a different kind of neighborhood, but the people were nice.

January 25. Went to a public market with co-workers to buy clothes, eat chicken wings for dinner and then our regular fix of karaoke. Good times.

Anything else? I was able to book a birthday trip to Yogyakarta, which I eventually canceled because of youknowwhat. Tragic.

February. Blindside!

February 7. Blindside’s a bitch. Yes, that’s what I had written on my notes. I legitimately felt blindsided. So story: I have a friend who I found out was pregnant (let’s call her Ms. Preggy, sorry) and me and her bestfriend (let’s call him Work Son because he was my work son in a lot of ways) decided to hold an intervention for her. The four of us including a friend I’m going to call The-Now-Bestie (kind of a spoiler) whom I had a misunderstanding and was not in speaking terms with will be coming to Work Son’s place. Essentially, the goal was to make Ms. Preggy open up about her pregnancy and her issues with the douchebag father; make her feel that she has us and she doesn’t need to be alone in this. I think it went well, in that regard. However, the whole thing was awkward in epic proportions. It’s as if me and The-Now-Bestie didn’t want to acknowledge each other’s existence, and when we didn’t have a choice, we were sarcastic to each other. I also really felt like an outsider among the four that time; like I wasn’t supposed to be there and wasn’t really contributing to anything. It was a really lonely feeling. I decided to distance myself to them after that.

February 13. WINNERS AT WAR PREMIERE! Words can’t even express how excited I was to see some of my heroes again on screen! Parvati with that “phoenix rising from the ashes” confessional? Damn, girl! Still a fucking legend! It was also nostalgic Yul working his godfather magic once again. I’ve always seen him as a top-tier winner and someone I looked up to for what he represented to the Asian community and the history of Survivor. It was also nice seeing Kim, Tyson, Tony, Sophie, Natalie and Sandra. But I must say I kind of missed Todd. He was my favorite winner and was a great storyteller, a great strategist and a great character with an amazing comeback story. He would’ve been perfect for a season with this caliber of players. And as much as I hate Jeff Probst for shoving him down our throats, I wanted to see Cochran play with these winners! Caramoan’s my first season (a late superfan, yes) and he’s the very reason I got so hooked with the show. I used to think it’s a game where people like me never win. So to see someone like Cochran who’s awkward in every sense of the word (and owning it) win Survivor, it is very inspiring. I like speaking in metaphors and it’s funny how much metaphorical Survivor can be to how I see life now. I see Cochran and if he can win in Survivor, I feel like I can win in life, as silly as that sounds. Cochran sucked his first season, but he then went on to play this dominant game his second try while still managing to be the adorkable underdog that he is. I love that story. Man, I get so worked up when I talk about Survivor! I wish I had that same passion with anything else.

February 19. Mom slipped and had to be rushed to the nearest ER. Good thing there were no fractures and she was fine. I guess we can thank the fats for that? LOL

February 21 ‘til 23. WEEKEND STAYCATION! I needed this! Drinking at the hotel taproom with a live band? YES! Indian for lunch and surf-and-turf buffet for dinner? YES YES YES! That lamb chops, MY LORD. Thank you.

February 29. Leap Day. I started journaling again.

March. FUCKING COVID.

March 16. The Start of the Lockdown we all come to love now (punk, sarcasm).

March 17. Politics is so taboo to discuss especially over dinner. But then BAM. I had a major fight with my dad (and by major, I mean MAJOR in a get-out-of-the-house-in-the-middle-of-the-pandemic kind of major). It was basically about a comment he made that’s so misogynistic (towards the Vice President) that I just knew I can’t just let go. It was sooo bad I got all pissed, and when I’m pissed, I can get scary. Maybe it’s the voice or the eyes or both, but the fight got really heated on the verge of getting physical. Which now that I think about it is stupid just because of fucking different political views. Well, I can never get behind the President and they’re huge fans of him and I’ve come to terms with that but it’s just... bleh. I’m not even gonna try to rationalize it because I can’t. It’s just.. disgusting. Oh fucking well.

April. Wander-fucking-lust.

April 1. I started a 30-day Financial Detox which basically meant no unnecessary expenses. No online shopping, no paying for leisure. None. It was April Fools, but I was dead-set on saving! (Spoiler alert: I failed.)

April 6. Meltdown. I just really couldn’t hold it in anymore.

April 11. Dad’s birthday. After not talking for over a month (which is no easy feat in a tiny condominium unit), we acknowledged each other’s presence. By April 15, it’s like nothing happened anymore. He even gave me a home haircut (which for a beginner, is pretty good). On other news, I started watching The Politician on Netflix and t’was the day I started obsessing on Ben Platt and his music.

April 16. A year ago, I was enjoying sidewalk pho and almost making friends at Cu Chi Tunnels and the Saigon Skydeck of the Bitexco Financial Tower in Ho Chi Minh. Damn, covid.

April 18. That crazy border-crossing from Saigon to Phnom Penh a year ago. That was fulfilling. Damn, covid.

April 19. A year ago, I was experiencing sunrise at Angkor Wat. Wander-fucking-lust UGH.

April 30. That Town Hall shoutout from our company’s President because of reaching my quota from last month. That really felt good. As much as I hate to admit it, I like being validated from time to time. It definitely meant a lot especially coming from her who took a chance on me. I was patting my back.

MAY. Endure. Let Go.

May 14. KING TONY WON. Very well-deserved win. A disappointment of a season if you ask me, but props to the king for dominating an all-winners season. Respect for that. Also Natalie and Michele played great games as well and they should be very proud of themselves. I feel like a proud father to these winners HAHAHA!

May 16. Was pleasantly surprised with Dead to Me. That car scene between Jen and Judy on that ninth episode from the second season? Damn. That’s one of the few moments I teared up because of a TV show. That was powerful. All that tension building up and then that sudden release? I really felt that.

May 26. Why do I always feel all this fucking rage inside of me? I try to think of any triggers but I can’t seem to find one that’s actually reasonable. It’s like the isolation getting the best of me. I initially thought quarantine’s going to be a cakewalk for an introvert like myself, but it wasn’t the case. I feel like I’m losing my shit because I was stripped off of the usual things I have access to whenever I feel uneasy and anxious and angry like this. Endure, let go, I know. But it’s so much easier said than done, right?

JUNE. Breathe.

June 12. So the plan to sell the condo and find a new place is real. We went to this great place in Valenzuela and it was a great house and all but I felt weird. Maybe I was having trouble letting go? Maybe it’s just me being averse to change yet again?

June 15. Slept 6am for that How To Get Away With Murder series finale. That speech. VIOLA. Chills all over my body.

June 18. New phone was delivered. That was fast.

June 27. First time visiting the village we moved to. We were checking a different house this time and was already picturing us living there. Still felt weird, but maybe less.

Looking at it now, I realize almost nothing happened in this stretch of months. Pathetic.

JULY. Change (that’s not necessarily good lol)

July 3. The Anti-Terrorism Bill signed. FUCK THE CIRCUS THAT IS THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT.

July 10. Doomsday. The ABS-CBN renewal disapproved. FUCK THE CIRCUS THAT IS THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. Also, that first house we checked was bought this day. First heartbreak.

July 22. Decided to donate to one of my elementary teachers to help finance school supplies for his students in the province. That felt good.

July 24. folklore’s goooood. This is the Taylor Swift sound that I love. (I had to write that down because that was a 2020 highlight to be honest)

AUGUST. Getting older. Again.

August 2. Donated to another cause: to help a really close friend’s mom (who’s a school principal) on financing their students’ lesson modules (they needed more paper so the donation was going to be used to buy more paper). That felt good.

August 3. Started obsessing on Dear Evan Hansen. I mean come on. HOW COME I ONLY KNEW OF THIS NOW?!?! The story, the acting, the soundtrack... it felt like I asked the Lord for a musical for me and he gave this on a silver platter.

August 9. Lasagna, baked sushi, lechon belly, pansit, cake. Weird combination, I know, but that’s me!

August 11. Discovered the Slowly app. Changed my life since then! I’m not even exaggerating. I guess it has to do with feeling extremely lonely amid the pandemic and getting this platform where you can talk to literally anyone while still keeping your anonymity. And it strips you off of instant gratification you’re so used to because you actually have to wait for your letters to be sent and to arrive. A great exercise for patience if you ask me! And since you have to wait, you make your letters longer and more worthwhile. It’s a platform free of judgment which relies heavily on building actual mental and emotional connections. It’s a gift, truly. NOT EXAGGERATING; YES I’M THAT LONELY.

August 23. The house search continued. This time, the South!

August 24. It was my first time watching a Korean drama and I gotta say I get the hype now. Korea makes great stories and they take their time when telling these stories. The story centering about mental health was definitely what got me to try watching It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, but the show’s so much more than that. That was a great watch.

SEPTEMBER. Finally some light?

September 1. Second year anniversary. I still really miss her.

September 5. My cat’s 5th birthday! Of course we had to celebrate for her with baked macaroni and burnt cheesecake.

September 11. Lost uncle. He gave a good fight.

September 19. SENSE8. It’s a show that doesn’t need any explaining. It’s the BEST. I love this cast SO MUCH. I remember thinking if I ever get a tattoo (which is unlikely), I’ll maybe have the title of that Sense8 series finale inked on me. AMOR VINCIT OMNIA. Love conquers all.

September 27. After a series of unfortunate events, we were led to this house on the same village we keep going back to, and the moment we saw it, we were sold. This is going to be our house. And it happened.

OCTOBER. Surprises?

October 6. Hooked up with someone I probably shouldn’t.

October 12. Booked a trip for next year because I’M HOPEFUL AS FUCK.

October 21. Had the best conversation I had in a long time.

October 22. Hooked up with someone I probably shouldn’t.

October 28. Organized a digital event for work. I’m still on the fence whether I’m proud of it or not. It was my first event, and I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. While I enjoyed all the preparation that came with it, from making that tactical marketing plan to coordinating with the organizers and my team, I felt like it was bland. There were lapses here and there and I know that we all tried the best we could, but maybe I just pictured it a little better in my mind? It wasn’t a flawless event and maybe I wanted it to be flawless. But it was fun. I never would’ve imagined me hosting an event, but I did.

NOVEMBER. Decisions.

November 14. So news came and we’re finally moving. The buyer of the condo got approved and it was only a matter of weeks to settle documents and payment and we’re good to go. I had mixed feelings about it. It took me back to that time we started looking for houses. I wasn’t exactly ready to let go of the place I grew with for the past five years. And I wasn’t also ready to let go of the convenience, and the relationships I only have started building with friends I found along the way. But at that moment I knew I had to be happy because they were happy. My family was happy. I knew I have to be happy.

November 21. Started all the packing. Packing meant decluttering and reminiscing, so letting go of more things which was overwhelming at first, but inevitable.

November 23. I had something checked in the hospital, and something happened and it wasn’t supposed to go that way but it did and it was so fucking bizarre lol

November 28. HAPPY MOVING DAY. It’s that day of the year. Stress was off the charts because of the time constraint and frankly, the lack of preparedness. Good thing a few people helped us with the rest of the packing. It was an impossible task for me and my sister alone so we were glad we got all the help we needed. I did most of the heavy lifting, so I had bruises all over my body for weeks, but after all was said and done, it felt surreal. Felt like everything coming full circle. That first night in the new home? I’ll never forget that. That was special.

December. The end of an era.

December 2. I went back to the condo to stay for a few more days. Get to feel the place one last time. Also lost a huge deal at work to a competitor. I usually really get depressed with these losses, but for some reason I felt indifferent about it. I guess it was my mind telling me I’ve mentally checked out of work already? That maybe it is really time to move on to something that’ll make me care about what I do again? Make me feel again?

December 4. Met someone (who we can call the Professor) I’ve been talking to for a while now. We’ve had some really great conversations leading to this night; talks at 3AM that’s kind of liberating? I was upfront about the moving and that I only have a few days left in the place which is probably why it happened. Professor was also upfront about leaving the country in a few months for an opportunity to work and do research in Japan for five fucking years. It was awkward at first; but we eventually warmed up to each other and spent the night together.

December 5. Things escalated pretty quickly. The Professor gave me a shower (that was weird but I was feeling it and I thought it was sweet and sexy?). We cuddled until we slept and there was breakfast prepared when I woke up. I don’t usually get to experience this kind of stuff so I really appreciated that. I was feeling it. I thought I can get used to this! I left the place and was invited back again so I stayed over for another night. We’ve had a few more interesting conversations. I was not expecting some of the things we discussed especially the talk about long-distance relationships. The Professor asked me what I think about it and I was honest; I’m not against it but it’s not something I’ll take a chance on if I wasn’t sure about it. Mantra’s always been connection first before commitment. I’m not the “take a leap of faith” kind-of guy; I needed to be sure. Or at the very least be really mentally and emotionally connected with the person. I thought that made perfect sense. I still do.

December 6. So it was finally goodbye. Me and my sister went to the nearest church to donate a few clothes and shoes and to attend a mass. Bid farewell to the Professor too and promised each other to keep in touch. I also had an awkward encounter with my sister’s “friend” who she sneaked in the condo for God knows what for. Pretty sure they did the nasty.

December 13. We went to our old house (the one I spent my younger years in) to get a few stuff for the new house. I only really wanted to get my old bicycle because I want to be biking regularly for the next year. I want to take that fitness journey seriously! So I got the bike and I got to spend some time with some childhood friends. Good stuff.

December 15. A teammate resigned at work. The funny thing is he did it after getting that 13th month bonus HAHAHA! I can’t blame him though after learning about the salary he gets when he’s performing three functions in the team. That’s insane. But it really made me wonder: am I still in this for the long haul? Or do I move on too?

December 17. So I had my work desk and wardrobe delivered. Felt so nice buying things for my room!

December 19. We got a new dog! Another French Bulldog. He’s pretty sweet. Someone’s not happy! (MY MOM)

December 22. And then this happened. We were supposed to meet after my dentist appointment (which I only used as an excuse to meet and I thought that was obvious) but the Professor never showed up. I waited for FIVE FREAKIN HOURS. I had like clothes with me because we agreed I sleepover but FUCK. Good thing a friend kept me company, but that was horrible. I thought YOU NEVER DO THAT TO ANYONE. I deserve better.

December 24. We had our house blessed. It was all super spontaneous; we invited a few friends and relatives over and had an intimate gathering. Mom got emotional (AGAIN).

December 27. So Ms. Preggy (from February - oooh that rhymed) had her son baptized. Since she lives a little father from the city, we decided to have a little staycation with some friends there too. The-Now-Bestie and Work Son was there, and we had beer and homecooked food and a slew of great conversations to cap off the year.

Also December 27. I knew I needed to get something off my chest. And I just had to say it.

“You’re so unfair. You shouldn’t have done that. Gave me false hopes. Gave me a “3-day trial period” only to disappear without any warning. Made promises you never intended to keep. You could’ve just told me you’re not interested anymore and I would’ve been fine with that but instead, you ghosted me. For the past few weeks since that weekend, it never seemed like you wanted to get to know me better. Or even just keep the communication going. It’s been one-sided and I wonder: has it always been this way? Maybe I’m remembering things differently. I told you I like you and I meant that. I’m still wrapping around my head why and how it happened to be honest. Maybe it’s that weekend? Maybe it’s the conversations leading up to when we first met? I don’t know. But things changed after that and I should ask you for an explanation but it’s really not the point. The point is I thought we can work something out and you hurt me. You may feel like you’re running out of time because of Japan but it’s no excuse to do that to anyone, really. You seem so sure about what you want so I hope you get whatever that is. Merry Christmas. Thanks for the memories.”

That was intense.

December 28. The Professor responded. “I apologize... I am getting attached... I had to “ponder on its implications to me in the long run”... I decided to slow down... It hurts... “That weekend that we met felt like I knew you before”... I am afraid... “You have no idea how hard it is to leave everything behind every 4-5 fucking years not because I wanted it but because I have to”... I still hope to continue whatever we have... “I will always remember you. Please don’t forget about me.”... YADA YADA YADA.

I know. You know me. I try to empathize as much as possible. But I mean, come on. These are things I already know. It’s not what I needed to hear.

December 31. I needed to say something one last time. There’s already a lot of uncertainties in the world with COVID and life and everything else. I knew I needed answers; I want the binary. I want the black or white for this one. I’m not taking the gray with me next year. So I asked the following questions:

“What do you want from me? Do you want to be friends? Or we stick with occasional catching up on Viber every once in a while (because that’s what it sounds like to me)?”

“What do you want to get from your last two months here? What are you looking for? Just make the most “fun’? Or look for something that will stick?”

“Have you told me anything you really didn’t mean?”

“That one time we talked about long-distance, were you asking me?”

Fast forward to now: I never got the answer I needed. I guess this is one of those rare occasions where no answer is the answer. And after a few weeks of contemplating about it, I am leaving it behind in 2020.

I’m actually at peace with that.

So there you have it. The suck-fest that is 2020. The first month of the new year wasn’t so bad. I feel this great energy. This year’s going to be different. I did tell you that this letter’s perfect timing. That’s because I’ve resigned and I’m moving on. A friend told me a while ago that he’s proud of me for finally taking action. The 2018 version of myself wouldn’t have done what I did and he was happy for me. I wanted a clean slate and I took it. That I was finally taking ownership of my life.

I was elated. My friend usually spoils me with compliments and encouragement and my ever reliable negative self-image tend to disagree with him but for the first time in a very long time, it felt right. I’m not usually excited for New Years, but I guess I am?

I say bring it on, 2021.

Until then,

Patheticwithanem

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themcuhasruinedme · 5 years

Text

Vintage Film Fest (Pt. 1)

[Summary]: You and Steve have been dating for a while and you surprise him with a pair of tickets to a vintage film festival as an anniversary date

[Pairing]: Steve x reader

[Word Count]: 2,874

Tagging: @theashhole @dividedwecantfall @peterman-parker @avengerofyourheart @nataliarxmanxva @metalarmproblems @mcuimxgine @accio-rogers @imagine-assembling-the-avengers @that-sokovian-bastard @hellomissmabel @abovethesmokestacks @peculiar-persephone @bellameys @beccaanne814 @hymnofthevalkyrie @buckys-shield @callamint @redgillan @lancefvcker @thetalesofmooseandsquirrel @iwillbeinmynest @theassetseyeliner @lilasiannerd @aubzylynn @sgtbxckybxrnes @iamwarrenspeace @marvelrevival @httpmcrvel @avengersnthings @feelmyroarrrr @girl-next-door-writes @honey-bee-holly

A/N: Just taking a break from my Tony series cuz I hit a tiny bit of a wall with it... but this little gem decided to appear after I got done watching all of Laurel and Hardy’s shorts and movies (and because I have such a massive love for Old Hollywood films)... I encourage you guys to watch the movies and shorts I mention in this as they are all wonderful and amazing (heads up though: some of them are silent!) and all can be found on YouTube.

It had only been five months since you and Steve became a couple. The team had often wondered how you two had never met before since you both enjoyed pretty much the same things.

You did find it a bit odd that you never did run into him at the theater when it was doing a special showing of an “Old Hollywood” film because Steve and you enjoyed those very much. You also enjoyed listening to the music that he grew up with. There were so many things that you and Steve had in common that it almost seemed like you two were destined to be together.

As the six month anniversary of you two being together was coming up, you were trying to come up with something special for the two of you to do. And after endlessly scrolling through a google search of restaurants nearby, things to do in NYC and a list of “things to do on the weekend and staycations”, something caught your eye: Vintage Film Festival.

Getting a big smile on your face, you clicked on the link and started scrolling through the details. It read:

Join us for an exciting four day event! Our movies will range from old, silent films to early talkies, featuring the most well known acts from that era: Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Come laugh, cry, smile and sing with your fellow “Old Hollywood” fans for an event to remember!

Schedule can be found here and movie times start at 4:00 PM (although we try to avoid changes, the schedule is subject to change)

You looked around the web page to see if you had to pay for it and sure enough, you did. After all, getting to have a four day event to see some of the most memorable black and white films couldn’t be free. But you were happy that it didn’t cost that much. For two tickets to all four days was only $100 a ticket. You bought them immediately and decided you were going to surprise Steve when they showed up.

You then clicked on the link for the schedule to see what was going to be played and your jaw practically hit the floor. You couldn’t believe how many amazing movies and shorts were scheduled to be shown; from Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights to Buster Keaton’s Cops, from Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last! to Laurel and Hardy’s Way Out West. Almost having tears come to your eyes, you quickly dabbed them away and closed your laptop while still having the biggest smile on your face knowing that you’d be spending four days with Steve and the best slapstick comedy movies and shorts to ever grace the planet.

The tickets arrived within a week and a half and you couldn’t be more excited to give them to him, you just had to find the right moment. You came up with a couple ideas. One that included you making a special dinner and hide them under his napkin. Another was still making the dinner and “pretending” to watch a movie together afterwards and at the end it told him about the tickets. Another was the simplest of all: just tell him you had a surprise for him and to cover his eyes and pull out the tickets. You decided to go with your first idea.

A few days later, you made a lovely dinner for the two of you and Steve was a little curious at first because you hardly ever made anything special unless it was for a reason. But he was still happy that you were making dinner and when he took the napkin off the table, he had to do a double-take.

He picked up the tickets and looked at them, slowly studying every word that was on them. He then looked up to see you smiling wide and holding out to him another piece of paper. He took it and started to read it. You watched as his eyes scanned the paper and as they went further, a huge smile appeared on his face.

“The Gold Rush, Safety Last!, Cops, Brats... Seven Chances... Way Out West... City Lights...” he said excitedly. “Hun, this is.. this is just... how did you find this?!”

“Well, since our six month anniversary is coming up I thought it would be nice to do something and when I was doing some searching for things to do, this caught my attention. I knew you’d be excited about it.”

“Yeah! These are like, some of the greatest movies and shorts there are! Especially Buster’s and Charlie’s!”

You smiled at him as you went around the table and sat in his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck and placing your temple against his as you both started at the paper.

“This is gonna be some six month anniversary then,” Steve said, still smiling.

“Mmhmm!” you giggled and placed a kiss on his forehead.

When the event finally arrived, the two of you couldn’t contain your excitement. You both had stayed up late the night before to watch other films and shorts by the actors on the list. Needless to say, there was a lot of laughing going on and you now loved and admired Buster Keaton even more.

After Steve parked the car and helped you out, he offered you his arm. You smiled, linked your arm through and placed your head on his shoulder as you made your way to the entrance of the theater. The man stamped your tickets and ushered you both in.

In the lobby you watched the video screen above the concession stand as Steve went to get popcorn and a few snacks. You watched as it played through clips of some of the movies you were about to see on the big screen and you couldn’t help but chuckle at a few and smile when you saw Buster show up.

Steve came back over with everything and you took a few things out of his hand and linked arms again with him as you two made your way to the screen room. Finding seats somewhere in the middle of the theater, you both plopped yourselves down and settled in for night one of your wonderful four night event.

As you waited for the movies to start, more and more people started showing up. You looked around and couldn’t believe your eyes! The place was starting get packed. It amazed you at just how many people there were that enjoyed these kinds of movies still. A few minutes more and the place had every seat taken. You saw parents with their kids, old couples, young couples and grandparents with their grandkids. It brought a huge smile to your face seeing that everyone was here to make memories with family.

Then the lights dimmed and everyone cheered and clapped, excited to start the first night of movies and shorts. You linked your arm through his and smiled at him when he placed his other hand on yours, giving you a quick kiss on your temple. He then placed his cheek on the top of your head as the film started.

The first film to kick of this four night event was The Gold Rush. You watched as they showed the travelers trudging through the snow and smiled as soon as you saw The Tramp wander on screen. With his cute mustache, that adorable walk and the things he did with that cane, you couldn’t help but just love this character that Charlie came up with.

The audience roared with laughter as The Tramp tried to leave a cabin in a storm but it kept pushing him back inside. And the laughter continued as you all watched The Tramp eat a candle in desperation as there was no food around the cabin. A few quiet somber moments happened before the theater filled with laughter again as The Tramp cooked one of his shoes to eat.

The laughter came and went as the film went on and when the most famous scene happened, which was the “Bread Dance” scene, the audience cheered and clapped when The Tramp had finished it.

A little later, the movie was over and the whole audience went wild with cheers. This was already starting off to be a great night. You looked at Steve, who was dabbing away some tears. He looked back at you with a smile as you gently dabbed away the tear stains on his cheeks.

“From laughing so hard or because of a beautiful ending?” you asked.

“More than likely both,” he chuckled.

There was a five minute break in between as the next one was getting prepared to play. Steve thought it would be a good time to use the restroom and get some more napkins for you two to finish the rest of the popcorn. Both of you had only gotten through half of it and had one box of candy emptied. Steve made it back with a minute to spare.

As soon as you heard the music start when the room went dark again, you tried not to jump out of your chair with excitement. Tugging on Steve’s sleeve, you whispered, “It’s Stan and Ollie!” When the word Brats came across, which was the title of the short, you smiled even bigger. “Oooooo! This is one of my favorites,” you whispered again to Steve.

You loved watching Laurel and Hardy. They were your favorite comedy duo. And did you have such a love for Stan! Not to say that you didn’t love Oliver but good gravy that Stanley. Between his accent, the adorable and often times hilarious, facial expressions (especially his smile), the way he mussed up his hair and his whine in times of trouble, there was nothing you didn’t love about Stan.

The theater was quiet until Stan said, “If you must make a noise, make it quietly.” Everyone burst out laughing. The laughter kept going as Stan and Ollie tried to play a game of checkers and watch their kids (who they also played) but the kids kept causing trouble. And after the boys tell them to go to bed, hilarity still ensues with Stan and Ollie playing a game of pool and the kids still causing trouble.

The audience was still having roars of laughter when the kids started to accidentally overflow the bathtub, which then started to fill up the bathroom. And laughter still rang out when Stan and Ollie sang the kids to sleep. Even more rang out when Ollie opened the bathroom door, having all the water rush out into the room. As the short ended and the lights dimmed on for another five minute break, you went to the restroom and got a refill on your soda.

There were a few minutes to wait before the next short started. You looked over at Steve and smiled at him. He smiled back at you and wrapped his arm around your shoulder. “This is the best thing we’ve ever done. I couldn’t think of a more better way to spend our six month anniversary.”

You nodded in agreement and kissed him. “I sure hope they do this again. We might need to make this an annual thing if they keep it up.”

Steve chuckled. “We just might.”

The theater went dark once more for the next movie to start. And you couldn’t be more happy to see what it was. Harold Lloyd’s most famous film, Safety Last!. Sure it had great funny moments here and there at the beginning and middle but you were most excited about the part where Harold climbed up the side of the building and hung from the face of the clock. And when that scene finally happened, there were so many gasps and oh-no’s coming from the kids in every direction of the theater. And even though you knew that Harold was gonna be ok, you tensed up just a bit and held onto Steve’s arm just a little tighter.

Another five minute break happened after the movie was over. This break seemed to go by rather quickly and the lights soon went dark again and the next short started. You really had to contain your excitement when you saw it was one of your absolute favorite Buster Keaton silent shorts, The High Sign. You admired Buster quite a lot, especially his stunt skills. The man was in a league of his own when it came to the dangerous stunts that were put in his movies all because he did many of them himself, some of which could have killed him. And even though this short didn’t have anything dangerous in it, it still showed off his stunt skills quite a bit.

Laughs started already with the first title card: “Our hero came from Nowhere - he wasn’t going Anywhere and got kicked off Somewhere.” and continued when he jacked someone’s newspaper and opened it over and over, turning it into this humongous paper that practically swallowed him.

Quietness hung in the air as the audience watched him read a “Wanted Ad” for an expert shot at a shooting gallery and sneakily take a cops gun to practice with. Laughter erupted again as he tried to practice but was absolutely terrible at it. It slowly died down but picked right back up when Buster went to the shooting gallery and got scared so bad that it knocked him right off his feet.

It got quiet again, except for a few whispers here and there about the man that owned the shooting gallery. You heard a child behind you say to their parent, “He’s really mean looking. I don't like him.” You smiled softly, knowing that this man was the bad guy.

You heard some of the children gasp when it showed that the very tall man was the leader of a gang of bandits that was going to kill someone that day. But laughter rang out again while Buster made an invention using a stray dog and a bone to make it seem like he was a great shot, which made the very tall man believe that Buster was perfect for taking out the person.

It became quiet once again as the audience watched Buster get asked by the man that was going to be shot that day to be his bodyguard but then also be told by the very tall man afterwards that Buster was gonna be the one to kill the man. But the hilarity and laughter ensued once more when towards the end after tricking the bandits, Buster outwitted them using every secret passage in the man’s house.

The next break in-between movies was a bit longer so if people wanted to walk around for a bit to really stretch their legs after being in their seats for a few hours they could, along with letting moms take care of the little ones that they brought. You and Steve took turns going to the bathroom and getting refills. Both of you stretched a few times to wake up those sleeping muscles and then it was announced that the next movie was going to start in a few minutes to give people time to get back to their seats.

The lights went off one more time for the last movie of the night. Another early talkie short from Laurel and Hardy called They Go Boom started which was another favorite of yours.

Laughing started almost immediately when the audience heard Stan snoring and seeing the shade fly up after Ollie sneezed. It continued after Stan tied the shade down but flew up once again and fell off the window after Ollie sneezed, along with a picture that was hanging above the bed falling off and hitting Ollie on the head. The audience watched as Stan then tried to help Ollie get over his cold but things don’t go right at all as usual.

You heard some of the kids gasp when the landlord threatened to throw the boys out. Laughter rang out once more when Ollie accidentally overfilled the air mattress with gas and it raised the bed all the way up to the ceiling. The laughter was even harder, if that was even possible, when Ollie needed to sneeze which sent Stan into panic mode and the bed exploded also causing a hole in the room above them.

And as the screen faded to black the whole audience broke out into cheers and applause. Everyone started to then file out of the theater and out to their cars. You and Steve slowly walked to your car, your arm linked in his and your head on his shoulder.

“So, did you have fun?” he asked.

“Do you really have to ask?” you answered. “Besides, we have another three nights to go. I think that question would be best served at that point.”

You looked at him with a smile, knowing damn well that he wouldn’t even need to ask again. The two of you already knew that you would have the time of your lives with this. With one night of classics done, it was now onto night number two!

#avengers imagine #marvel imagine #steve rogers #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers x reader

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boholaceweddingdresses · 4 years

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perfect for a rehearsal dinner or second look at the reception homecoming dresses 2019！HQ15

Established in 2017 in New York City, Danielle Frankel designed for Vera Wang and Marchesa before the launch of her debut bridal collection for fall 2018. With a precise vision that focuses on exquisite tailoring, her designs are both handsome and feminine in a range from modern suits to ethereal gowns, and unique separates like coordinating two-piece sets and jumpsuits. Though understated, the pristine details hardly go unnoticed'every piece is fitting for a modern wedding day look, though the separates, suits, shorter dresses, and jumpsuits are just as perfect for a rehearsal dinner or second look at the reception homecoming dresses 2019. I told her, hey, I want sparkly and I want it to show my curves, Trainor told People regarding her initial wedding dress vision. Based on Trainor's feedback, Atkin pulled a dress that she herself had helped create for the bride to try on, but it unfortunately wasn't The One. "I didn't have that moment, like, 'Wow,'" Trainor admitted. "Luckily, I do fittings a lot, so I know what it's supposed to feel like. And then I was like, 'Let's do another thing and just bring a bunch of dresses.'" 100% secret. I wore mittens and eye masks during the fitting sessions so I couldn't see or even feel the fabric. Well, the only part of the dress that I've seen prior to the wedding was a plain white sleeve, if that is even counted best-selling prom dresses. On and off, I did tell her briefly what I don't like, i.e. nothing too lacy, nothing too princessy. Something that is unique, but also pretty elegant. The rest, I just left it to her to create. Malena Bridal Haute Couture first stepped foot in the local bridal scene a year ago when Malena and Sally, driven by their passion and jsweddenladress20107 love for bridal fashion, pursued their dreams of running a bridal boutique that carried the latest trend-setting gowns for local brides under 100 prom dresses. This September marks their one-year foray into the bridal fashion scene and in celebration of their success, Malena Bridal Haute Couture rolls out a beautiful new wedding collection, Allure and Addiction most stunning prom dresses.

Storis is an artisanal jewellery brand dedicated to bringing out the beauty in each individual's story through subtle, intricately woven details and personalised symbols. Each piece of jewellery becomes a joyous and intimate moment you share with your loved ones, encompassing all the things you want to say, and more. Storis believes in using only ethically sourced, 100% natural gems and practices fair trade. Brice: It had to be at the end of the dinner celebration, when the disco lights came on and our friends and family were all on the dance floor dancing the night away. It was fantastic to see everyone really enjoying themselves. After months of planning the wedding, it was great to end our wedding day on such a high. I proposed to her during a staycation at ONE'15 Marina Club on our fourth anniversary. After a nice romantic dinner at Quayside Isle lalamira wedding dresses, I popped the question in our hotel room. She was dumbfounded to see the exact same ring in the box. It was one of the happiest moments in my life when she said 'Yes'! You May Also Like: Get great Girls Party Dresses or white dresses for girls here ... evening dresses for women&sexy evening dresses — Your ... the marriage should be methodical keeping every one of the ... Wedding day is the most important event in the life of every ... marriages will be the volume anyone are going to commit ...

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gochandlers · 5 years

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The Perfect Fall Date Night in Downtown Boise

Fall is a really special time of year here in the Treasure Valley. The leaves are changing colors, the weather is cooling off, yet the chill of winter’s frost hasn’t quite set in yet. It’s the perfect time of the year to grab that special someone and spend an entire afternoon and evening out of the house and exploring downtown Boise. Here are a couple of things to do while you’re down there.

Stroll the Greenbelt and Grab a Bite

The Boise River Greenbelt recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and in those 50 years it has become a Treasure Valley… treasure. It runs through major parts of the city and is the go-to commute path for many locals. It’s also a romantic place to take a stroll during the late afternoon or early evening while the weather is nice. Once you’ve gotten your strolling out of the way, set your course for one of the best downtown Boise restaurants.

If you’re in the mood for high-class dining, head to Chandlers. They serve up a variety of premier dishes, and steak and seafood are their specialties. You can sit and relax in the romantic atmosphere while sipping their expertly crafted cocktails, including the famous Ten Minute Martini™.

See a Show

Although there might be only one downtown Boise restaurant serving up jet-fresh seafood, there are plenty of entertainment options. If you’re in the mood for a movie, you can head to the historic Egyptian Theatre where they frequently show classic films picked by local fans. In early fall, they typically show scary movies, but as November and December roll around the selection becomes a little more festive in time for the holidays.

There is also a bustling live music Boise scene as well, with venues spread out across the city. If the weather is a little cold or you just feel like spending the evening in one place, you’ll be happy to know live entertainment can be had at area restaurants too. Chandlers, for example, features live performances from world-class jazz musicians nightly.

Stay the Night

Even if you live in the Treasure Valley, who wouldn’t love an excuse for a mini staycation? Perhaps you don’t come downtown very often and want to stay out until the wee hours of the morning. Or, maybe you just need a change of scenery from the usual.

Whatever the case, while you’re down in the area, cap off the evening by staying at one of the luxury hotels that call downtown Boise home. If you end up staying late at Chandlers, all you have to do is head up to Hotel 43, which is right above the restaurant.

About Chandlers Chandlers is home to some of the best steaks and seafood Boise has to offer, putting them among the best restaurants in all of Idaho and the country. Their secret is in their commitment to quality ingredients with a focus on crafting a fine dining experience like no other. They first opened in 2007, and since then, have been frequently voted atop many “best of” lists both locally and nationally. From premier cuts of beef to jet-fresh seafood shipped directly from Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, Chandlers has it all. They also feature live jazz nightly with world-class performers sharing their talents with diners. Whether you have guests in town, want a sophisticated date night, or to stop by the martini bar after work for Social Hour, make Chandlers your top destination in the Treasure Valley. Browse the Chandlers menu and make a reservation at Chandlersboise.com

Original Source: https://bit.ly/2ODvnS1

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topfygad · 5 years

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10 things to look forward to in Dubai this August

By Alice Holtham

Live gigs, a Disney movie marathon, a new ladies’ night inside the Burj Khalifa and the first What’s On Lock In is here…

As we head into August we’re looking ahead to some of the best things to do in the city this month. From live performances from S Club 3, Westlife and The 1975 to new bars, new ladies’ nights and of course the first ever What’s On Lock In, we’re bringing you a guide to the best events happening this month.

Here’s 10 things to look forward to in Dubai this August.

August 2: Enjoy a value birthday brunch at a popular party spot

To celebrate their second birthday, Mr Miyagi’s at Media One are offering an array of top deals to keep you partying all day long on Friday August 2. As well as offering 50 per cent off everything on their food and drink menu from 12pm to 9pm, they’ll be running three servings of their Wok and Roll party brunch from 12pm to 3pm, 4pm to 7pm and 8pm to 11pm for a bargain Dhs199 – including bubbles. Of course, you can expect all the usual crowd karaoke, cabaret shows and a live DJ to have you hitting the dancefloor.

Mr Miyagi’s, Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, 12pm to late, Friday August 2, brunch priced at Dhs199. Tel: (04) 420 7489 mrmiyagisdubai.com

August 2: Throw it back with a live performance

S Club 3 – made up of three members of the original S Club 7 – will take to the stage for the post-brunch party at the Dubai Marina party spot The Hideout on Friday August 2. Doors open at 4pm, and as well as offering free entry to all guests, there’s a brilliant drinks deal on offer. From 4pm to 8pm, guests can enjoy four hours of unlimited house drinks for Dhs200. S Club 3 members Bradley, Jo and Tina were three parts of the original group, who rose to fame with their catchy pop hits in the late 90s. When they take to the stage next month, fans can expect to her the trio perform their most popular songs including Never Had A Dream Come True, Reach and Don’t Stop Movin’.

The Hideout Dubai, 1st Floor, Marina Byblos Hotel, Dubai Marina, 4pm to 8pm, Friday August 2, Dhs200. (058) 534 6000. thehideoutdubai.com

Around August 10: Head away for an Eid getaway

Eid Al Adha is likely to begin on Saturday August 10, and those who typically work Sunday to Thursday are set to enjoy a five-day weekend over Eid from Friday August 9. So, with an extra long weekend on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to book a last-minute getaway – and take advantage of some top deals too. Top of our travel lust-list is Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, who are offering a five-day program of exciting Eid activities, as well as some top discounts for travellers. From August 1 to 31, when you book a four night getaway at the luxury Robinson-crusoe inspired property, you’ll only pay for three nights, or book a seven night holiday and you’ll only pay for five nights. There are also added benefits such as a complimentary 50 minute spa treatment and sunset dolphin cruise on the four-night package, and 50 per cent off seaplane transfers when you book the seven night package. Use the code TSFME219 when booking.

soneva.com/soneva-fushi

August 14: See The 1975 live

Indie pop rockers The 1975 will grace the stage at Dubai’s new Coca-Cola Arena on Wednesday August 14, with tickets on sale now, priced from Dhs200 and available from the1975dxb.com. The band, consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew “Matty” Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer George Daniel, will come to Dubai as part of their world tour, which commenced earlier this year. When they take to the stage in Dubai, fans can expect to hear some of their best-loved hits including Chocolate, Love Me and Give Yourself A Try.

The 1975, Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk, Dubai, Wednesday August 14, from Dhs200. the1975dxb.com

August 15: Get wet & wild at an emoji-themed waterpark party

Dust off that unicorn pool float – Aquaventure Waterpark’s evening pool party is back on Thursday August 15 at Atlantis The Palm. Atlantis’ famous waterpark is set to come alive at night next month with two DJ zones, energetic fire and laser shows, huge emoji inflatables and over Dhs50,000 in prizes up for grabs. The pool party will run from 8pm to 12am and early bird tickets are currently available online with 40 percent off, so you can get yours for Dhs149 if you book soon.

Aquaventure Emoji Party, Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, 8pm to 12am, Thursday August 15, early bird Dhs149. Tel: (04) 426 1169. atlantisthepalm.com

August 15 to 30: Rewatch all your favourite Disney movies

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This summer, Dubai Opera is showing a line-up of Disney’s greatest hits from August 15 to August 30. Across the two weeks, Dubai Opera will show no less than 48 films, celebrating animated and live action titles from all decades. This mega movie marathon will show four different films each day, at 9.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 8pm. The incredible movie list includes classics such as The Little Mermaid, Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Bedknobs And Broomsticks, The Aristocats, Honey I Shrunk the Kids and many more.

Disney movie marathon at Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, 9.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 8pm, August 15 to 30, from Dhs60 adults, Dhs40 children. dubaiopera.com.

August date TBC: Party at a brand new bar

Antika Bar will be opening its doors in DIFC in August and taking the spot of much-loved Sass Café, which closed in May 2018. Found on level one of Al Fattan Currency House, the new bar is expected to have a completely new look compared to the previous tenants. Inspired by the hidden theatres of 1950’s Lebanon, Antika Bar will have comfortable plush seating, with quirky antique decorations and a stage in the centre of the restaurant. There will be a big focus on live entertainment, as well as a weekly schedule of exciting events, including two weekly brunches and a ladies’ night.

Antika Bar, Al Fattan Currency House, DIFC, Dubai, opening August 2019. Facebook.com/Antikabardubai

From August 20: Enjoy a seven hour ladies’ night for Dhs200

Fancy taking your Dubai ladies’ night up a notch? A brand new ladies’ night is launching on Tuesday August 20 at Atmosphere in the Burj Khalifa. Taking Dubai’s party scene 122 levels up, the new night is brought to you by Secret Parties, and there’s seven hours of unlimited drinks up for grabs for the girls, with packages starting from Dhs200. The new Secret Parties event will run from 9pm to 12am, and included in the Dhs200 price for ladies is free flowing sparkling wine and a selection of bites. Or, upgrade to the Dhs300 package and you’ll also get bespoke cocktails and house drinks included. From 12am, all guests are then invited to head down to Armani Prive, where there’s unlimited drinks for ladies until 4am.

Secret Ladies Night, Atmosphere Lounge, 122nd floor, Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, 9pm onwards, Tuesdays from August 20, from Dhs200 for ladies and Dhs500 for gents. Tel: (04) 888 3828. secret-parties.com

August 23 and 24: Enjoy a mega staycation at the first ever What’s On Lock In

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You’re invited to the first ever What’s On Lock In: an epic, weekend-long summer party taking place from Friday August 23 to Saturday August 24. And because we want you to enjoy Dubai in the best possible way – pool parties, brunch extravaganzas, epic staycations and summer libations – we’re taking over the uber-cool Studio One Hotel at an unbeatable price.For Dhs699 for two, Tickets include early check in, a one-night stay at Studio One Hotel, TEPfactor fun, limited hair and nail services and massages, VitaDrip®infusions by The Elixir Clinic, all-inclusive Friday lunch at The Maine Street Eatery or Larte, five drinks at The Irish Village, five drinks at BOHO, yoga activities, breakfast at Larte, lunch at Mr Miyagi’s or El Chapo’s Tacos, all day pool access, oh, and late check out.

What’s On Lock In, Studio One Hotel, from 10am Friday August 23 to 5pm Saturday August 24, Dhs699 per room per couple. For more details, visit WhatsOn.ae/Lock-In or book your tickets here.

August 29: Sing along as Westlife take to the stage

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Irish boyband Westlife will take to the stage at the Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk on Thursday August 29 as part of their 20th Anniversary tour. Westlife first broke into the harts with their debut single, Swear It Again, and went on to have a string of hits including What Makes A Man, World of Our Own and Flying Without Wings.

Westlife at Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk, Dubai, Thursday August 29, from Dhs250. livenation.me

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from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2KfHErT via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

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tsgnorthwestarkansas · 5 years

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We love that when you shop local at Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry, most likely you’ll begin your experience being greeted by Ben Blakeman and his canine companion Mulligan.

Up Close & Personal with Ben Blakeman of Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry Ben Blakeman, of Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry in Rogers, is a second generation fine jeweler who grew up in Fayetteville and Rogers while his father, Don Blakeman, grew a small jewelry shop (opened with just $5,000) into one of the region’s most trusted fine jewelers with a team of 10 employees that also just happens to be the official jeweler of the Razorbacks and has come to be known as the place “Where Arkansas Gets Engaged.”

We recently had the chance to speak with Ben, between his trips visiting with diamond cutters and working closely with loyal customers in the shop, and learn all about how he decided to follow in the family business and what he loves most about serving the Northwest Arkansas area he calls home. Here’s a snippet of our conversation. . .

What is the story of the moment you first realized your love for jewelry?

It is the family business, so I’ve been surrounded by it ever since I was a toddler. But I distinctly remember when I was in high school, my first job was working at a T-shirt kiosk in the mall. Even then, I would walk by the jewelry store in the mall on my break, just checking it out. I had that interest in the jewelry business I couldn’t shake. After a few years working at the T-shirt kiosk, I started selling David Yurman for my dad at Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry. I’ll never forget my first customer there. She still shops with us today. It was so cool how much it meant to her to have her very first piece of David Yurman Jewelry.

Is there a higher purpose you serve through your passion and business?

I realized really early on working with my dad at the store that whether it’s a birthday, graduation, or anniversary, no matter what the milestone, we had the opportunity to interact with customers at a celebratory moment. That’s pretty unique in the retail world, if you think of what we buy on a day-to-day basis, there’s generally not that level of excitement around your purchases. There’s also not that level of engagement, confidence and trust that you have with your jeweler in other areas of retail. I really love the interactions with customers at these milestone moments, and the friendships and connections the business has made over the years.

Above and below: The freshly remodeled Rolex corner at Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry store is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, trying on an ample array of watches and meeting with Ben or one of his team of watch experts to select the perfect investment timepiece.

When did you decide to go into business for yourself? Why?

I officially joined the family business nine years ago. Growing up, we talked about me becoming a part of the Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry team when I was ready, but when I graduated from The University of Arkansas I took a great job working with Anheuser Busch. I was just about to enroll in their sales program when my dad approached me to ask me to join him instead. I had seen from that short period of time in the corporate world that there were some aspects of the work that didn’t align with my hopes and dreams, or the example my dad had set. I could see how truly caring, transparent, honest and kind my dad always was with his customers and the whole Blakeman’s team, and that was an example I wanted to carry on.

My parents’ main goal starting this business was to have a nice place for everyone to come and work and provide not only for their own family but also to provide for their team members’ families. That was a huge message that I took from their work from a very early age, and it’s something I keep at the heart of what I do today. It all came together at that point when my dad and I talked, when I had the decision to either be a salesman for Anheuser Busch or come home and join the team with my dad. Obviously, you know what I chose.

Ben loves to share his extensive knowledge of diamonds with clients while helping them to find the “perfect” ring.

What is your earliest success story in the business?

My first big diamond sale was actually to my best friend! Even though we were best friends, he made me earn it. I had to sell him on what he was buying and the value he was getting, and that was a big lesson for me. The pressure was really high because I knew him, I knew the woman he was proposing to, and I really wanted to make sure he got the best value and that she loved the ring.

What is a little known fact about you?

My wife, Molly, makes fun of me all the time because I’m not handy at all. When I replace a lightbulb we celebrate but still, if I wasn’t working in the jewelry business my dream is to work on a farm. My wife doesn’t think that I’d be able to handle it so my goal is to prove it to her by buying a cow to take care of, to show her I’m cut out for the farm life. Maybe by retirement she’ll be convinced.

We always want to know how our TSG members live local. What are some of your favorite ways to live locally here in NWA?

Molly and I live in Rogers with our rescue terrier mix Mulligan. She works in PR and communications at Walmart, so we spend a lot of time in Bentonville. She absolutely loves the Bentonville Farmers Market, which is where I actually proposed to her. Being a jeweler, I really had to work hard to keep an element of surprise in that moment so I spent a long time asking very nonchalantly what she thought of rings I was looking at for “work.”

We got married at 21C Museum Hotel Bentonville, and recently had a staycation there. It’s a really special place to us. We had our first date at Table Mesa, and we also love to go to Las Palmas Downtown Mexican Restaurant and our under-the-radar go-to spot is La Petite Bistro. Of course, we’re gearing up for the fall where we’ll be cheering on the Razorbacks every weekend! (We’re the official jeweler of the Arkansas Razorbacks after all!)

That’s so fun! Do you do work with other organizations within the community?

We’ve partnered for years and years donating hundreds of pieces of jewelry to be auctioned off for different charitable organizations in the region, but we work mainly with Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House and Mercy Hospital. We just donated a really amazing trip that includes a behind-the-scenes diamond cutting experience in New York for Mercy and another experience to take guests to a diamond mine in Canada to see how they source through the rough, to benefit Arkansas Children’s. I’m really excited about those experiences and all the money they raised for the hospitals, too.

The exterior of Rogers-based Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry store exudes major curb appeal. The shop’s interior was recently remodeled by interior designer Melissa Haynes of MH Design in Fayetteville.

Stop by Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry (3202 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR) to visit Ben and his dad, Don, who still comes into the store three days a week, and discover what’s new, what are some of their favorite finds and jewelry designs or to chat about how you plan to celebrate your next milestone with something shiny and gorgeous to wear.

#livelovelocal #scouted #tsgnwarkansas #thescoutguide #jewelry #jeweler #nwarkansas #shoplocal

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spongicx · 7 years

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Sonic Boom: Sticks and Amy’s Excellent Stay Cation Review Summary

Sticks and Amy's Excellent Staycation was another fun episode. I'd say it was funnier than last week's episode. With the guys out of town, Amy and Sticks realize they need to make sure the town is safe, so they don't have to worry about protecting the village. They set up a Sonic decoy, to distract Eggman. There are a bunch of funny antics between Eggman confronting the decoy, mistaking it for the real Sonic. It's also funny how Amy mentioned how she didn't just make the doll for this occasion, she kept it around for... other purposes, lol. Amy and Sticks decide to have some girl bonding but their different taste in habits are getting in the way of them having fun together. Sticks likes to throw mud, while Amy likes to knit. Amy comes up with an idea to please both sides. She takes Sticks to get a mud bath at a spa, while Amy relaxes. Sticks actually enjoys the mud bath, and both girls are having fun. Meanwhile, Sonic calls Amy, and asks how they're doing, Belinda over hears, and tries telling Charlie that Sonic and the guys are out of town, and they can take over the village. Charlie is too busy excavating, which causes Belinda to take matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, Eggman manages to destroy the Sonic decoy, and snaps when he realizes it was a fake. He starts attacking the village, and Amy and Sticks come out of the spa and reveal they were the ones who made the decoy. That just makes Eggman angrier, and he attacks Amy and Sticks, but they manage to fight him off, using some spa supplies. The village cheers for Amy and Sticks's heroics, but then Belinda shows up in Charlie's mech suit. Angered by her husband's neglect, she attacks the villagers, and makes a bunch of funny references about the actual viewer's complaints about some of the villagers, like how they're snarky, annoying, or look like copies of each other. (I got a good laugh out of that, especially when she disliked Lady Goat for her appearance, ironic, since Belinda is basically a recolor of that character.) Belinda decides to try taking the village herself, and attacks Amy and Sticks. The scene from last week's episode where Sonic calls Amy about him and the guys being in jail suddenly kicks in. Amy and Sticks realize their weapons aren't good enough for fighting back Charlie's Mech Suit. Amy then decides to fight differently, and finds some mud on the ground. She takes inspiration from Sticks, and starts throwing the mud at Belinda, causing Belinda to get grossed out. Sticks takes inspiration from Amy, and knits up a long scarf to trip Belinda over with. The girls then team up and take Belinda out. Belinda then storms home in defeat, and is about to take her frustration out on Charlie, but Charlie surprises Belinda with an anniversary gift. He was digging up at the excavation site to find her an evil mech armor, that allows her to fly and shoot missiles. Belinda is swept away by Charlie's gift, and the two suit up, and plot to do more evil together. I thought this was a very funny episode, full of hilarious fourth wall breaks, references, and a fun connection to last week's episode. It was also a pretty decent episode for Amy and Sticks.

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treesntigers-blog · 4 years

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While it is tempting to start planning future travel plans rather than just dwelling over the unsuccessful travel resolutions, it’s important to keep a few things in mind! It’s been said that it’s not where you travel but how you travel that’s important, and it’s more important now than ever in the current environment. After months of backlash against tourists and over tourism, the current situation has given us an unprecedented chance for improvement. Local holidays are back on the agenda! And that’s awesome news, because some of us were starting to go a tad stir crazy. So, we know many of us are keen to get away. But how does travel work in the post-lockdown world? Can we still have amazing holidays that are healthy, safe and responsible? However good you are at travelling, there are always ways to be a better traveler.

(1) Research before you go

Ensure that you’re well researched about your destination well in advance to find out about their cuisine, food, culture, etc so that you’re not in for a shock when you reach. Understanding the customs and laws of the city you are visiting can make the experience safer and ultimately more enjoyable. It’s also a good idea to check out your planned destination’s tourism, council and social media sites as well to make sure they’re welcoming visitors. Most destinations are but it’s good to double check.

(2) Travel off season

Over the past few years, lots of destinations have seen incredible overcrowding during the peak season. So, instead of travelling to places in peak periods, travel off-season when these places are often more relaxed and the local infrastructure is not overstretched. This helps you travel without any worries so that you can simply relax and rejuvenate.

(3) Travel to lesser visited places

If you are really craving to travel, explore a new and less visited place. This is one way to travel responsibly while also ensuring that you are safe and hence allowing you to travel at ease.

(4) Go local and engage more

Spend some time in local parks and gardens and interact with locals for a better travel experience. You’ll get the chance to meet lots of new people who would be more than willing to give you tips on what to do, see, or eat locally. Additionally, try to stay in apartment rentals, holiday houses and villa rentals, so you can give back more to the communities you’re spending time in.

(5) Learn things and experience more

When you get to spend more time at a place, you will have the chance to learn and experience lots of amazing things. Whether it’s a local street food tour, a cooking class, or even learning diving or dance, there is nothing like learning a new skill that your destination is known for. You will gain a unique insight into the local life while getting the most unique souvenir there is. Sure, there might be a few bumps along the way as we all get used to the new ways of doing things. But if we keep our plans flexible and go with the flow, we’re still going to have amazing, once-in-a-lifetime holidays. The precious memories we make ourselves, even close to home and without breaking the bank.

(6) Travel Slow

One of the easiest ways to be a better traveller is to travel slow. What it means is to be more aware of your surroundings when you travel, to spend more time at each place, and to soak in the local culture and community. By doing this, you will get to burrow underneath the skin of a place, and enjoy a deeper experience.

(7) Look for more meaningful experiences with family and friends

We have all endured several months in lockdown, often separated from children and grandchildren and missing out on birthdays, anniversaries, and even new arrivals. It is now time to gather the family together somewhere beautiful, and properly enjoy time together chatting over wonderful lunches outside, fuelled by obscene quantities of Whispering Angel, and dinners that linger long into the night.

(8) Consider staying at resorts with limited rooms/villas

Hotels with villas are perfect for those looking for seclusion while having access to the facilities and benefits of staying in a top hotel. We recommend Trees & Tigers! Situated in Rajasthan, Trees & Tigers is a luxury boutique resort surrounded by unbound nature, spectacular wildlife, and picturesque Aravalli Mountains. It is well rounded in terms of indoor & outdoor activities, multicuisine restaurants, modern rooms, and more. The resort prides itself by not confining its guests to hotel rooms but rather have personal cottages, each combined with its personal courtyard and private machaan to absorb nature to its fullest.

(9) Make it count with a trip of a lifetime

As travel has been grounded in lockdown, many of us are dreaming of that first trip away – to re-connect with loved ones, have a much needed break, celebrate a missed milestone birthday or anniversary, or finally take that honeymoon that had to be postponed.

(10) Book into a luxurious villa in splendid isolation

For me, luxury private villas are always a great choice for a holiday. They offer privacy, flexibility, home comforts, and bags of space, all aspects that take on even greater significance when planning your first post-lockdown escape.

(11) Choose a hotel with robust wellbeing measures

At a time when health and safety greatly influences decisions on whether to travel and where to stay, holidaymakers will have more peace of mind by opting for hotels with robust measures in place. Certification of these measures by an independent third party will also help give guests confidence that they have made the right choice. Choosing a holiday today is much more than outstanding service and an incredible beach, pool and dining scene, it’s feeling comfortable that the place you choose to stay takes your wellbeing as seriously as you do

(12) Try to travel closer to home

Once the lock-down is relaxed in your home country, you could start thinking about staycations that are within driving distance. If you forgo public transport and drive yourself to your destination, you will come into contact with fewer people and will feel safer as you ease yourself back into travelling. Once routes reopen between countries, you could start planning short breaks to countries close to home, focusing on destinations where you could get home quickly if you needed to.

Responsible travel is about being more ethical and sustainable in the decisions you make. Responsible travel, greener travel, sustainable travel, and ethical travel aren’t just travel trends, they’re key to ensuring that we leave the places we visit better than we left them, and not worse off. It’s also about how we behave when we travel, and the importance of being culturally sensitive (for example follow local customs, respect local religions, dress modestly, and show regard for the people and community). So, keep yourself aware of what you’re doing, what you choose to do or not to do could have a much greater impact than you imagine. If you are ready to divert from your weekend routine, tag along your friends, family or beloved, and head out of the town for a much-needed vacay or, just-like-that.

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