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Angélique, the Road of Hope and The Victory of Angélique by Anne Golon - can't believe I finished this, lol. It's a pity book 14 wasn't published, but book 13 provides a conclusion to many main plotlines, so it's still a decent ending. I will always wonder if another one of my brotps was supposed to reunite in the last book, though :D For all its faults, enjoyed this series tremendously; it's the people helping and supporting each other even in the bleakest circumstances for me
Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater - Regency Faerie Tales part two, even cuter than part one. Seriously, these books are such a delight, I need to read part three ASAP
Spēlēju, dancoju / I Played, I Sang by Rainis - girl help, my Latvian vocabulary does not include that much archaic and/or poetic language, but I did understand enough to see how beautiful it is
Gaywick by Vincent Virga - I read that one liveblogging thread/channel, so I was familiar with the plot, but it was still so interesting to see it all happen. Incredible how a book can cover so many disturbing, truly Gothic themes and still be hopeful and sweet, loved it
Vadriel Vail by Vincent Virga - Gaywick Trilogy book 2, not nearly as good as the first one. Constant timeskips, important events only told in passing, one of the MCs is a boring Gary Stu and the other disgusting. Bearable thanks to the first one's wife and characters from book 1
The Price Guide to the Occult by Leslye Walton - it's not terrible and had some interesting stuff, but still felt sort of... superficial? Most of the characters felt underdeveloped, the story often felt like an outline. I bought it mostly because it was cheap and I'm glad it was.
+ currently reading Children of Paradise (Gaywick Trilogy #3)
watched:
Apteeker Melchior / Melchior the Apothecary (2023) - a murder mystery set in medieval Tallinn. Something bugged me about the dialogue, but I mostly enjoyed the plot and the familiar setting
The Skeleton Key (2005) - Southern Gothic, a grim old house, and Hoodoo magic. Enjoyed the final plot twists and how they recontextualize a lot of stuff earlier in the movie. Was rooting for the heroine but also had to hand it to the antagonists in the end, good for them
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) - so, so charming. Impossible not to hum and move along to the songs. Marilyn Monroe, of course, is a goddess, but Jane Russell tho... gentlemen might prefer blondes but I'm no gentleman
How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) - also charming and funny, though I found it a bit less interesting than the previous one; still good though
Constantine (2005) - I frequently felt like I was missing some context. Either I'm stupid or it's just because I haven't read the comics, but shouldn't a movie adaptation be understandable even for those unfamiliar with the source? Otherwise it was ok and had Rachel Weisz in it
Rebecca (1940) - not nearly as haunting as the novel, but a good film nevertheless. Mostly I just wanted to protect the narrator :( she's so cute
also, a bit unrelated, probably, but I saw two theatre performances last month - one was a live screening of Good by the National Theatre (powerful, amazingly done, probably wouldn't have decided to see it by myself, so thanks to the friend who suggested it) and the other The Three Musketeers neo-classical ballet at the Latvian National Opera and Ballet (really nice, cool stage design, I posted a trailer here)
Night by the moat This is actually not a moat. It is the flooded trench after the former city walls. The wall was built around the medieval Riga City on three sides, with the Daugava River on the fourth. When it was torn down, the river flooded in and made a city channel To the the left/southwest here is the old Riga, Vecrīga, a very nice historical center and neighborhood. There are several old buildings, churches and and cathedrals in the old town. They represent a mix of several styles in a living and developing city over 800 years. The architecture containg great examples of styles from medieval, reneissance, baroque and Art Noveau. Like the National Opera and Ballet center center left in the photo. To the right/east is the newer Centr (sic) part of Riga, but this area is still part of the Historic Centre of Riga. The Vecrīga and Centr is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vecr%C4%ABga #lightstars #river #moat #nationalopera #nightshot #freezing #springbreak #2016CE #citywalk #urbanlandmark #bluenight #lighttrails (at Latvian National Opera) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChieiUnBMkL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Trailer for The Three Musketeers ballet (music by Jan Kučera, choreography by Paul Chalmer) at the Latvian National Opera and Ballet. Saw it yesterday and really enjoyed it.
For weeks, she arranged the events that were performed in this giant opera. The guests stood up and applauded the performers, signifying the fruition of everyone’s hard work. Flower bouquets were given and hugs were shared.
Milda formally greeted those who came. Some came from Scandinavia, Western Europe and from across the globe. In those weeks of planning, she hoped the guests would enjoy the performances. Since she is rich in many talents, it’s natural that her people would be the same. She put her faith in her people, after all. She was proud of those who performed, and the very people who worked hard to flourish Latvian arts.
She decided to stay behind, planning to close the National Opera by herself. Milda didn’t mind the guests leaving first--it’s to make sure they go back to their hotels, no? Soon, they all left one by one, greeting Milda goodbye. The audience and stage are now both empty. Coming here brought back a lot of memories. She walked up to the stage, facing the empty seats before her. This was the same stage where she performed her first ballet performance as a newly-independent nation. Many performances would follow suit.
But there’s one particular instrument that would bring many memories from far back. She walked up to the pristine white piano left on stage. Ah, yes...a local piano teacher wanted to showcase his skills here. She stared at the piano, realizing she hasn’t played on one for years. When was the last time she did? 10 years ago, was it? Or 20? She can’t remember...and it doesn’t matter. She wastes no time sitting down, her fingertips on the keys.
She reminisced the first time she played the piano. It was when she studied in St. Petersburg. This was during the Russian Empire days, when she went by the name Marta Jonāne. Those days were filled with inspiration, as well as uncertainty. When she was heading to meet her private teachers, she heard a beautiful piece from a window. From that day, she would stop by to watch the pianist play with their precise fingers. Since then, she picked up piano lessons, just as her people were receiving education in St. Petersburg.
Milda played a lot of pieces, but her favorite one was Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. After all this time, she remembers how it’s played. She began playing on the keys, producing the piece by heart. Since she was left alone in the empty opera, Milda has all the time to savor the night here.
Request: A scenario of RM and s/o on vacation in Latvia! Please.
Genre: Fluff.
The clock tower was as imposing as the buildings around Town Hall Square, Latvia had all the charm you had expected from eastern Europe. Namjoon and you liked to go on trips together, to visit new and unexpected places, you wanted to visit Europe but this time you didn’t want to go to the most popular cities, not that there was something wrong with Paris, but you also wanted to know the often unseen lands of eastern Europe, and upon investigating those countries Latvia was the one that caught your interest the most.
Latvia was a country, as many european countries, that was rich in history, but it wasn’t only that but the appealing of the picturesque outdoors scenarios what made you buy your tickets.
Namjoon went to you after he was done taking at least a dozen pictures of the clock tower and you in front of it, you had been in the town square for a while now, it seemed like every time you walked by there was something new to see, little details that compelled you to take more photos.
-You want to head for the museum or you want to eat first?- he asked looking around. The plan was to continue exploring the old side of Riga by foot, you wanted to get to know everything but… your stomach was already rumbling. -I guess I have my answer- he said with a smirk that made you laugh.
-I’m starving, you should be hungry too-
He leaned down still with the smirk in his lips. -I’m always hungry for you if you ask-
You rolled your eyes and laughed, this was so typical of him, always twisting everything to try to make you flustered.
-Since you are so hungry let’s go then- you kept laughing. -What about we take the chance to go to Jauniela? We can visit the street and eat once we are there?-
-Won’t you pass out by then?-
You took his arm and started walking. -Let’s go, it seems like you are the one dying- he laughed as it was probably true and you were on your way to Jauniela.
As most of the streets in Latvia, Jauniela was a cobble stone street that made perfect contrast with the colorful buildings that went down to the reach of your eyes, there were a splash of pinks,reds, greens and yellows. Also there were little balconies in must of the buildings filled with flowers, all in all you were loving the street view so far, the pictures didn’t make justice.
Namjoon and you walked for a while trying to decide in which of the many restaurants you wanted to eat at, all of them looked so cozy and at the end you chose one with traditional Latvian food since you wanted to have the full experience.
Recommended by the owners you ordered Speck and smoked fish with potatoes for the main course, that way you could share and taste different things at once. The Speck was a fatty dish but really tasty while the fish had an incredible flavor, it really showed the special touch of the smock in it, for drinks you ordered Kvaas the traditional beverage of the country.
-My manager would kill me in spot if he saw me eating this- Namjoon laughed.
You giggled too, glad that he didn’t restrain himself just because the usual ridiculous diet he followed. -This is good-
You didn’t stop there as you also ate dessert, it was a bread soup, at first you thought it was a little weird, especially as a dessert, but in these kind of trips you had to be open to try different things that maybe wasn’t what you would expect. The taste of the sweet bread, dry fruits and whipped cream was marvelous and you actually enjoyed it.
Now with your bellies full you could continue exploring the city.
Riga was a beautiful city, the more you saw of the old town, the more you wanted to continue exploring. You went to the castles, as there were many in the zone, you were loving it, feeling like you really had traveled in time to see these amazing architecture pieces. Even Namjoon was feeling the castles, keeping his intention to make you flustered because of your love for them.
-Would you want to get married in a castle Y/N?-
You looked at him feeling a little tingly. -You mean right now?- of course you’d love to marry Namjoon anywhere but marry in a castle would be amazing, you hadn’t thought about marrying yet so his question caught you off guard.
-Yes- he answered and you opened your eyes widely. -No, wait!- he rushed to say. -I didn’t mean it like that, but I mean if you want to, getting marrying in castle holds a lot of meaning Y/N because it is a historical place, if you think it through a lot of things have happened between these walls, theres a special energy in that Y/N, it would be awesome as it would give a marriage a lot to talk about, not that I’m saying we should get married now, or in a castle if you don’t want, but if you want, I mean, it could be awesome-
You just stared at him babbling in a nervous mess, you didn’t even know what was he saying, you were too giddy thinking about marrying him and him talking about it this openly, in the middle of your vacations.
You giggled, standing in your tip toes to kiss him. -I would love to-
He smiled, returning the kiss.
One of your must stops was the Latvian Opera House, eastern Europe had a distinct style for ballets and operas so you really wanted to go and see it for yourself.
It was getting getting closer to the hour that you were close to finally see it, so you were checking you had all your essentials before going to get a cab, you were putting your lipstick shade in your little bag when you saw your boyfriend touching his pockets nervously to then jump around his things, going through his bag and wallet almost dropping all its contents on the mattress.
You just stared at him, gathering all your patience and love for that precious human being. You sighed and cleared your throat. -You lost them, didn’t you?-
Namjoon turned to you with a panicking face. -I swore I put them in my pockets but now I… I can’t find them-
You went to him and helped him search in the mess he had in his bag, but the tickets were gone and most probably you weren’t going to find them anytime soon.
Namjoon looked at you with a strained face, you sighed but tried to stay positive regardless.
-I’m so sorry Y/N, I should have given them to you as soon as I bought them, I was so dumb, I’m useless with these things I swear-
You caressed his hand, you were a little disappointed that you weren’t going to the ballet, but you really hated Namjoon beating himself up for this. -It’s ok Joonie, I should have taken them away from you- he gave you a hopeless smile and you giggled a little. -Besides, it’s not like its our last day in Latvia, we can go another day, and I will keep the tickets this time-
He smiled a bit more after that. -You are amazing Y/N, a saint-
You stayed sitting in bed for a while thinking what to do now, night would be falling soon and you were running out of ideas, but then Namjoon brighten up and told you he knew how to make up for this.
He didn’t tell you were he was taking you but when you arrived you recognized the place as you had wanted to visit it.
-I think we could take a walk around here and take some pictures, everyone says the sunsets are beautiful here, it’s not the ballet but…-
You smiled at him. -It’s perfect-
Namjoon had taken you to Kemeri Bog Boardwalk, it was in a national park a little bit retired from the city, so you could see the nature fully. The sky views were amazing and as you started to walk you realized everything around was.
It was literally a walk on a board through the bog, Namjoon and you soon started to make jokes about falling down in the muddy ground and sinking, your bets were on you and actually you were a bit worried he would actually fall down. So you were walking tightly holding onto each other, but of course taking a lot of pictures of the sun and of nature, and in Namjoon’s case of you as well.
You took one of him, catching him with closed eyes as the last rays of the sun of Latvia fell on his cheeks. You were glad you had taken this trip, to come here with him and experience so many things, and knowing that there was always something to be done when you embraced the unexpected, if there was something that Latvia had done for you was to bring you closer.