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#Beach Vibes Presets

philaphixo · 2 years

Photo

Beach Vibes Lightroom Presets Desktop Mobile Photoshop Actions Instagram Travel Blogger Summer Bluewater Coconut Ocean Tanned Skin Hawaii

Download Link:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1213534560/beach-vibes-lightroom-presets-desktop

12 Beach Vibes Photo Presets pack contains Lightroom Desktop Presets, Lightroom Mobile Presets, ACR Presets, & Preset Photoshop Actions. This Photo Editing Filters Pack adds Bright Blue, Tanned Skin, Ocean, & Beach Vibes to your photos. These Photography Filters are perfect for Beach Photography, Travel Blogger, Sunkissed, Outdoor Summer, Bikini Hawaii Photography, Paradise Portraits, Malibu Vacation, Lagoon Adventure, and Instagram Influencers. This Photoshop Pack enhances the Blue and Orange colors of your photography.

#lightroom presets #preset photoshop #photoshop action #mobile presets #blogger presets #beach vibes presets

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dubljarnasims · 26 days

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Powell Rapids

Part of the 4th generation of my legacy, Powell and Angel live in a plant-filled loft in San Myshuno. Not a lot of CC clothing because sometimes Maxis stuff just fits the vibe. No CC included with the download - please see the list and links below.

Partner(s): Angel Dubljarna

✨ DOWNLOAD HERE (Google Drive)

Clothing/Accessories:

Shoes - DallasGirl | Alegre sandals male

Hair/Makeup/Skin Details:

Clavicle - Sunivaa | Male clavicle

Eyebags - Poyopoyo | Eyebags n4

Eyebags - Tamo | Basic eye bags

Eyebrows - RemusSirion | Eyebrows n40

Eyelashes - Kijiko | 3D lashes version 2 uncurled

Eyelashes - Kijiko | EA eyelash remover

Freckles - RemusSirion | Life’s a beach freckles N3

Hair - The Kunstwollen | Elliath male hair v2

Defaults:

Skin - Luumia | Vanilla skin default

Eyes - Pralinesims | Oasis v2 default

Sliders & Presets:

Body - Obscurus | Male body presets

Head - Northern Siberia Winds | Male head shape presets n1-8

Lips - Miiko | Lip presets 01

Mouth - Magic Bot | Default mouth slider

Nose - Golyhawhaw | Valentino nose preset

Nose - Magic Bot | Default nose slider

🐌 Many thanks to the CC creators! 🐌

@dallasgirl79 @golyhawhaw @kijiko-sims @luumia @magic-bot @miikocc @northernsiberiawinds @obscurus-sims @pralinesims @sunivaa @poyopoyosim @remussirion @tamo-sim @thekunstwollen

#ts4 #the sims 4 #ts4 download #sim download #ts4 legacy #gen 4 #my sims

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lifebyyounews · 11 months

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Art Team Dev Stream Breakdown

The full video can be found here.

If you haven't had the chance to watch the most recent stream, no need to worry. We'll provide a detailed breakdown of the key highlights for you, as there was a ton of new information shared!

The stream started off by discussing the art style. They spoke about wanting an art style that was unspecific and flexible enough to allow players to add whatever they would like to it. Specifically, they mentioned wanting the game to look mature and not cartoony or silly, but they also didn't want things to appear uncanny valley.

The game is geared towards an older generation of people who grew up playing life sims, so the lighting is moody and the building designs look modern. The focus was on creating an art style for storytelling rather than just for cosmetic purposes. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible to have a cartoon-like character. The character creator is detailed and customizable enough that you could easily recreate anime character-esque proportions in the game.

CHARACTER CREATION

In the character creator, you can currently add scars, beauty marks, and tattoos, all with custom placement. All of these can have their placement, size, and rotation changed. Additionally, tattoos can also have their color changed to whatever color you would like. The developers did mention that, at this point, there are only 5 tattoo options, and it appears that scars and beauty marks are also limited. However, they will be adding more options during Early Access.

Another interesting feature is that you can adjust the glossiness and wrinkles on a sliding scale for characters.

When it comes to facial customization, it is extremely detailed. Of course, you have the ability to customize each eye individually, but there's much more you can do. Irises can have two colors, so they won't appear flat. You can choose the pupil color and even the sclera color (the white part of the eye)! These customizations can look different for each eye. Eye shape is also highly customizable. You'll have the ability to customize the inner and outer corners of the eyes, as well as the middle and outer lids. They've also stated that they are working on adding more options for double eyelids and allowing players to adjust eye bulging.

Lips can be customized by the inner, outer, and middle sections of both the top and bottom lip, as well as the corners. So needless to say, no two characters will look alike.

However, if you're not a big fan of tweaking and customizing all of the settings, they do have presets available.

Hair is being polished to provide more detail and allow color tinting. Currently, they have a color wheel, but color tinting will enable you to give characters lowlights, highlights, and depth to their hair. It appears that color tinting will also allow you to give characters an ombre or balayage look, although that could be a separate system in the game.

Eyebrows are also being polished and will receive the same systems, as well as the ability to sync with hair color. A fun feature, though, is that you don't have to stick to traditional colors for any hair. For example, you could have pink eyebrows, a blue beard, and blonde hair if you wanted.

Currently, there aren't many options for hair, and the dev team acknowledges a lack of unique styles. They intentionally avoided having everyone start with a mohawk. However, they will be adding more styles in the future. They will also be identifying any gaps in hairstyles and adding missing options.

THE TOWN

During the livestream, we got a peek at a larger map that hinted at much more than we've seen before. While we've seen a lot of the beach side, players will also be able to cross the bridge to access vineyards and forest areas. The game will not have shell buildings, so the team wanted to be purposeful while building the map. Initially, it might not seem very dense to some players and may give off a small-town vibe. However, this is because every building shown is functional and serves a purpose. The team's goal was to make the town feel lived in. Of course, players will have the freedom to add to or change the town according to their preferences.

LIGHTING

The last topic discussed during the stream was lighting. The game will have dynamic lighting, and all light sources will cast real-time shadows. They even mentioned using this to see dust floating inside your house when sunlight is shining in. Some lights are smart lights, allowing you to change the color, temperature, and have autolights. However, lights for businesses work a little bit differently. When a business is open, their lights will be on, but off when they are closed. That should be helpful to players.

That's everything discussed today! Be sure to follow us on our social media channels for more in-depth breakdowns of anything overlooked or hidden in the stream. Who knows, there might even be a clip that reveals more details about birthdays and the timekeeping system.

#life by you #the sims 4 #video #stream #official #preview #dev stream #breakdown #bts

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my3dartblog · 3 months

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Ready to hit the strip for your dream holiday? Get the party vibe of Miami in your renders with the Miami Strip inspired environment. The set comes with 5 buildings and cafes, restaurants, and bars set up in the front. There are bright neon lights throughout the set to get the lighting of Miami. There are material options to turn the lights on and off. The iconic beach clock inspired clock is also included in the set. 6 camera presets are included. Get Miami in your renders today with the Miami Strip! What's Included and Features XI Miami Strip: (.DUF) Scene Subsets: Zero Props: XI Miami Strip Bin XI Miami Strip Chair XI Miami Strip Dustbin XI Miami Strip Fire hydrant XI Miami Strip Flag XI Miami Strip Lamp post XI Miami Strip Outdoor Cafe Umbrella Closed XI Miami Strip Outdoor Cafe Umbrella XI Miami Strip Outdoor Furniture XI Miami Strip Outdoor Table Set XI Miami Strip Outdoor Umbrella XI Miami Strip Pole XI Miami Strip Restaurant Sign Board XI Miami Strip Tree XI Miami Strip Valet Parking Camera Preset: Materials: XI Miami Strip Day XI Miami Strip Night Textures Include: 186 Texture, Bump, Metallic, Normal, Roughness, Emissive, and Transparency Maps (4096 x 4096) Daz Studio Iray Material Presets (.DUF) Compatible Software: Daz Studio 4.22 Install Types: DazCentral, Daz Connect, DIM, Manual Install Coming soon: https://3d-stuff.net/ #daz3d #dazstudio #3drender #3dart #daz3dstudio #irayrender #3dartwork #blender #blenderrender #blenderart #noaiart #noaiwriting #noai https://3d-stuff.net/

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honeymoontraveltips · 10 months

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5 Essential Greece Honeymoon Tips

The #1 European Island Hotspot for Romance, Adventure and Luxury Pool Suites

Expert tips from Renee Meyer, Owner/Founder of Unforgettable Honeymoons®

Book a Pool Suite in Santorini, You won't regret it. Couples love the over the top, Incredible Views from their private suites in Santorini, Greece. Pictured above a fabulous river pool suite at Canaves Oia Resort in Santorini- one of the top luxury Greece resorts, located on the Oia Peninsula, our favorite village in Santorini.

Santorini is the most beautiful island in all of Greece, and a must see island on any Greece honeymoon itinerary. The key is to make sure you book a hotel on the Caldera, not near the beach or inland which is tempting to do as the prices are much lower. The top Village to stay is Oia village, second Imerovigli Village. Oia has some of the best views and the nicest shopping and dining promenade. Hotels in Imerovigli have some of finest sunset views of the Caldera. The main village of Fira is too frenetic for honeymooners and is riddled with too many cruise ship passengers who flood the streets on most days.

Mykonos can be super busy in the summer, especially the month of July when it is a known party place for large groups from the UK, Spain and Germany. Alternatively, we suggest islands such as Paros, and or Naxos which are ideal for couples seeking a more laid back relaxed Greek Island beach vibe. Paros and Naxos are about a 1 hour ferry ride from Santorini, and offer couples beautiful beaches, hiking, small boutique resorts and suites with pools. Pricing is a bit lower than Mykonos in general. Learn more at the tourist board website : Discover Greece- Paros

Off Season and Shoulder Season- the end of April and mid October are off season and far less expensive, however the pools are not heated, and the ocean is too chilly for swimming. This does not mean you cannot enjoy your honeymoon in Greece, there are amazing hikes, villages to explore, wine tasting, and ancient ruins to explore. Mid-May and the first week of October are a bit warmer than off season dates, and can be a little more costly

Book a Rooftop dinner in Athens for your last night of your Greece Honeymoon. It's always best to end your honeymoon on a high note, and there is no shortage of restaurants with Acropolis views that light up the night sky. Before you go check out this Rooftop restaurant guide for Athens.

Unforgettable Honeymoons® travel agency established 1994 specializes in customizing Greece Honeymoons to fit each couples personal preferences, budget and travel style. Couples plan with a Greece honeymoon expert start to finish, every detailed mapped out in advance so they enjoy every moment of their honeymoon time together with Greece Honeymoon Planning, or couples can choose a preset Greece Honeymoon package such as The Best of Greece Honeymoon.

#Greece Honeymons #Greece Honeymoon Planning #Greek Islands #Greece Pool Suites #Greece honeymoon tips #Greece Honeymoon packages #Santorini #Santorini Honeymoons #Paros Greece #Paros Greece Honeymoons #Santorini Tips #Naxos Honeymoons #Mykonos Honeymoons #Top Greece Tips

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unwakeable · 4 years

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before & after! I’m getting really good at editing photos I guess

really missing the beach, can’t wait to go back soon

check out more of my photography here!

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alerionjkeee · 2 years

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Baia dell'Amore Beach 🌴

Thanks to the fact that Tartosa is a beach town, I managed to place this small beach on the coast of the city. there is a rescue tower, a first-aid post, a dance floor and plenty of space for your Sims to sit at tables or rest on sun loungers. enjoy!

I always would love to see your screenshots, so feel free to tag me @alerionjkeee

No CC Lot size: 40x20 Lot type: Beach Located in: Tartosa

Recommended have all packs. Make sure to enable “bb.moveobjects” before placing the lot!

⚪ Download ZIP file - (SFS)

Reshade Preset on screenshots: Retro Vibes TS4 preset for ReShade by Alerion

#ts4 #the sims 4 #ts4 download #ts4 nocc #ts4build #ts4 build #ts4 community lot #tartosa #ts4 tartosa #my wedding stories #ts4 beach #ts4 alerionjkeee #alerionjkeee

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nikatyler · 4 years

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One Fo(u)r All CAS CHALLENGE by @madeofcc

Rules : Create a sim or choose one you like then create 4 alternative versions of this sim. You can’t change the body presets/ face details / eyebrows. But you have to change everything else in order to create four other sims with the same base.

Of course, since I did this with Ross, I wondered what would Caleb look like if I put him through very different styles. Here’s kinda what my thought process was for these:

“Okay, so I have to do a nerdy makeover...nevermind, he looks more like the spoiled rich boy who would bully his poor classmates.”

“How about something...beachy...pirate-y...I don’t have any pirate CC though, do I? Okay, beach vibes it is.”

“Dorian Gray who??”

“EMO RIGHTS! God I wish that was me in like 2004. Sucks that I was a preschooler.”

Yeah...listen. Latin homework always pulls some weird switch in my head and then I’m not okay for the rest of the day, idk what it is 😂 I’m tired. No, to be fair, I really like how these turned out.

#ts4 #sims 4 #breeze nsb legacy extra #btw yesterday i played nsb for a bit and i took some cute pictures #it wasn't supposed to happen but...i'm always up for taking some cute pictures of him and ross #*caleb

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bmaskstore · 3 years

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Beach Vibes - Photo Presets for Lightroom Mobile & Desktop

Best for: girl, colorful, summer,beach, season, ocean, tan, sunshine

#lightroompresets #lightroom #photography #lightroomedits #lfl #photooftheday #like #likeforlikes #lightroommobile #instagram #instagood #vsco #lightroomindonesia #presetslightroom #presets #follow #likes #photoshoot #photographer #fff #presetlightroom #portrait #photoshop #canon #picsart #presetlightroommurah #lightroomtutorials #followforfollowback #love #bhfyp

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philaphixo · 2 years

Photo

Beach Vibes Lightroom Presets Desktop Mobile Photoshop Actions Instagram Travel Blogger Summer Bluewater Coconut Ocean Tanned Skin Hawaii

Download Link:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1213534560/beach-vibes-lightroom-presets-desktop

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fabiooliveiraphotography · 6 years

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I have been very sick this week 😭 and I hate that, not just because of the pain and the restrictions, but because I love LIFE 🔥 but I did bad stuff with my body during my 40 years of living and this’s the result. Let’s make this right from now because I need to explore beyond the places I have reached 💙 Stay safe in this weekend guys, sending all the best vibes to all of you... . Edited with @livefolk Presets & Profiles Made by the legends of @tribephotoco! See my stories for before and after 🙌🏼 . #livefolkpresets #lifeofadventure #tribephotoco #visitnusapenida (at Atuh Beach)

#livefolkpresets #lifeofadventure #tribephotoco #visitnusapenida

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theepitomeofsimplicite · 5 years

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Hi everyone,

I guess it’s never too late to wish you all a wonderful happy new year! Today, I’d love to take a moment to share my reflections on my best of 2018 travel. So, I am considering creating a series of posts in the upcoming weeks (YES! You read this. I am back to the grinds of writing and I am feeling super motivated) about sartorial-self editing and a follow up on continuing living my minimalist life.

The other day, a friend of mine who does not enjoy travel as much as I do recently asked me: ” What value does it bring to spend all your money in traveling so frequently?”

I paused for a brief moment and tried to recollect in my head all the countless unmeasurable benefits I gained from the experience of traveling. I’m thinking of adventures, freedom, and creating sweet memories with my favorite people. Mountains, road trips and singing cheesy songs in the car, big cities, beaches, lakes, wine country, night life, speak Spanish, fall in love… and so much more I mean where shall I begin…

Here are some advantages I can think of when it comes to why I value travelling as often as I can. To start with, there is an excitement and anticipation of planning a trip up front (read more about experientialism vs materialism post here). Looking forward to how we would imagine the journey. It gives room for creativity in deciding what activities to fill our days with.

Next, I learn to live more intentionally by pausing and being in the moment. I pay particular attention to small overlooked pleasures in life. I enjoy very much to be engaged with people in a genuine way by becoming a better active listener for instance when taking in to their stories. I experience more gratefulness. I like that my discovery mode is turned on (try new food, catch new sights, practice a new language sometimes, or embrace new cultures).

All in all, I find travelling to be important to me because it contributes to my self-improvement. All these reasons contribute towards my personal growth; my thoughts are influenced by a broader range of awareness of the world surrounding me, my habits are sometimes mimicking other’s cultural lifestyles, my learning is derived from my interactions with people and taking in their outlook on life, my beliefs are more grounded, and my thoughts are centered around creating a healthier and happier way of living. Let it be minimalism and zero waste lifestyle but these topics are worth detailing in separate posts.

Anza Borrego Desert/Julian, CA

After returning from my regular winter euro trip in the beginning of the year from Dresden and Paris, in February I went on a mini weekend road trip to Anza Borrego Desert. It’s only a two hour drive northeast of San Diego where I live and is located south east from Riverside and south of Palm Springs. The Anza Borrego Desert State Park isn’t too far from the Mount Jacinto Park where I hiked in the summer of 2017 (read here). It’s the largest park in California and has many wilderness areas as well as lots of hiking trails.

I picked the Palm Canyon trail where a minimum of climbing was involved (I love climbing!!!) and I was able to catch a sight at the primitive palm trees which are the tallest in California and are kept very wild and untrimmed. Down the oasis, I could hear from a far distance some buzzing sounds that resonated all around. As I was so curious to find out the origins of these croaks, I rushed down the river by climbing down the hiking trail in an off trail fashion (my adventurous side) to find some very cute tiny frogs under the rocks blending with the surroundings in the most perfect way.

All the climbing efforts were well worth! Then as the night quickly fell down, it’s how I got some very large and deep scars on my left forearm because I ran into a giant cactus on my way back up to the trail. Not very clever but I put the blame on my tomboy side! Later that evening on the way back to San Diego, a pit stop at Julian was required to have a taste of the well-known local apple pies and cider.

Los Angeles, CA

I drove to the city of angels and visited my friend Alexie (from UCLA) in the beginning of March as I needed to renew my passport at the French embassy. This was a two day trip but I really appreciated my time spent with her discussing various topics and you know just being women. Read more here where I talked about trying Tsukemen for the first time at Tsujita and a local’s brunch at Egg slut.

San Diego CRSSD FEST, CA

Processed with VSCO with b1 preset

This electronic, deep house, and techno festival is a traditional yearly thing I attend with my Persian buddies Arash and Massoud. Although I’ve tried to save a decent budget dedicated to music festivals for the year, I always seem to mess this up. But in any case, this is a sort of a mini Coachella and if you are in San Diego during March and September I recommend you guys to check it out because I like that it’s located by the waterfront and our dear Pacific Ocean.

Seoul/Busan, South Korea

In March, I was sent to South Korea for work (second time around and read first impression of the previous strip here). I stayed in Seoul and enjoyed this trip very much particularly as I didn’t end up having to do too much work at the customer site for once. But differently than last time, I decided to gather a team and explore South Korea away from the city center of Seoul. So we took the train to visit Busan.

Busan is a very large port city and is well known for its beaches, mountains, and temples. I enjoyed hanging out at the Haeundae beach with the young crowded locals and shot some fireworks. Later that night, the team composed of the new Dutch girlfriend Anne and another colleague, Robin who is Irish, went on bar hoping and met a friendly group of enthusiastic high energy good vibe young Koreans. We befriended right away with songs like Gangnam style and other classics.

We were then invited to a Karaoke bar and sung our heart out til about 8 am the following day. We actually made a reservation at a hostel nearby but needless to mention how pissed off the receptionist was as we had a very very very late check in that dragged her out of the bed. I know this was messed up but our new Korean friends helped us get to stay in to rest for the remaining duration of 2 hours, which was barely enough sleep but we needed to catch the train back to Seoul and I had to fly back afterwards.

The best part of this trip I think came from the idea that propelled me to go to Busan in the first place. The ultra fresh seafood and sashimi. I watched a documentary online where I saw a man trying to experience the “live” sashimi fish in Busan and choked on it. He became so red and almost died. I thought the idea of trying something so “fresh” would have made a fun challenge so I set my mind to experience it too at the Jagalchi Market, the world famous market for fresh fish and seafood. Robin and I got to try it but I barely survived. Personally though I wouldn’t do it again haha.

Another crazy experience was found at this local BBQ restaurant where I had fresh grilled eel for the first time ever. It goes without saying how painful that was visually and the taste was stringent. Have you ever eaten a whole eel? I’m not speaking of the little piece of eel that is place with a generous amount of Teriyaki sauce on the sushi but the whole fish. It’s so bony and crunchy towards the tail. I also would detail the part where the fish are taken from the aquarium then processed in front of your attentive eyes.

The cook knock the head of the eel using the back of the knife then begins to skin off the fish by removing the spinal column. The sound was draconian. The fish is then cut up into chunks. Later the pieces are laid on the plate ready to be grilled but the heads also come together. The visual still hurts me by just typing these lines but please skip this section if you are too sensitive sorry. As the brains were trying to pump blood through, and while Robin was devouring the body from the grill (personally I couldn’t do it), the mouth of the fish was left wide opened as a reaction to the loss of oxygen. I still remember vividly the horrified faces of the fish. In any case, this experience was quite unique but I’m still glad I got to see how life was like in Busan with the locals.

Saratoga/NYC, NY and Montreal, Canada

After my trip to South Korea, I was supposed to take some time off to stop by Japan to hang out with a friend I met during CRSSD fest but to my disappointment I had to fly straight away to New York for work again. This trip was rather unique because it’s where I met my crush there (blushing). But nothing surprising it’s just a crush and nothing more and you’ll read more about this Dutchie later 😉 Besides, work was very interesting there and the weather was ruthlessly cold with above the knee level of snow. Time working there was passing by so quickly as my best friend Mark (we work together) was also on site for work and we got to hang out a bunch.

In Albany we had Tanpopo Jakarta ramen. If you are curious about ramen, head over to my blog on ramen critic around the globe @ramencraycray. We ate at Vintage House and had interesting fried oyster sandwiches at Albany Ale & Oyster. We also hung out quite a bit in Saratoga Springs where we visited the Historic Congress Park to sip on the spring water. Had drinks at this hispter jazz playing live music at Morrissey’s and dined at the Wine Bar.

During this trip, I took the opportunity to drive to cross the border and visit Montreal. I had to make a pit stop at this gentleman’s house located in the beautiful town of Saratoga Springs. I met this older writer named Paul on the plane (yes for many of you who know me, I meet a bunch of folks on the plane and it’s not hard trust me!). We discuss many topics among writing and blogging as well as feminism and life in Paris compared with New York. We promised to give each other feedback from his book titled “Learning the Learner” while he reads my blog, this one.

He kindly invited me over to his house for breakfast along with a tour at the Spring Street Gallery which was a converted church located in front of his house. I had an immense pleasure in meeting his amazing awe inspiring wife Barbara (@blglaser5150). She is the woman I aspire to become when I get more mature. She has accomplished so much to become financially independent, in raising her Korean adopted daughter and her work in Natural State Park conservation, and now is a philanthropist. I was more than glad to have the chance to meet people like them and to share our stories. I felt so empower to continue my pursuit in advancing technology and to become as independent as she is someday. I also wish to further contribute to society just how she does it.

Ok so, now let’s talk about Montreal shall we? The road was very beautiful on my way there all covered in snow and I can easily glimpse at the mountain ranges during my three hour long drive. I stayed at Le Saint Sulpice hotel that was simply scrumptious located in Old Town. As I stepped out into town, I was clearly experiencing a wardrobe malfunction; I wore my long white Korean coat with a pair of jeans, a jumper, a beanie, scarf, and a pair of leather gloves. Evidently I froze to death within 15 minutes of walk in the blazing -15C.

So I rushed to the nearest neighborhood bar at the pub le Saint-Elisabeth. I met a new friend at the bar named Francois who was kind to show me locals spots around the well-known avenue du Mont Royal and had delicious poutine. The next day, I met up with my cousin who I haven’t seen in about 20 years (long time!!!) to catch up. We walked through the underground pass to go to the mall just like how the Quebecois shop to avoid peaking your nose out into the cold. She offered me some of the best ice wines ever. I feel very grateful!

On my last weekend there, I was meeting up with an old friend and together drove to NYC passing through the Lincoln tunnel. That was a hell of a lot of fun with lots of dancing, some ramen, and a copious amount of drinks and sightseeing. Make sure to read more about this city here.

West Coast Road Trip (Joshua Tree Park, CA/LA, CA/Big Sur, CA/Big Basin Redwood Park, CA/SF, CA/Newport, OR/Seattle, WA/Mt Adams, WA/Corvallis, OR)

In May, our birthday month, my sister (@dithy_f) from Paris and I got into my white Golf and drove along the USA West Coast. One of the best road trips ever yet! Read more here for part 1. Part 2 filled with more stories should be coming around soon so stay tune. In this case, I’ll skip here to the next trip below…

San Elijo Beach, CA

One of the best perks I enjoy about living in San Diego is that the county is so vast in its surface area that driving 30 to 40 minutes along the coast from where I live seems like a travel destination even though it’s technically still San Diego. We were camping there together with this really awesome girl Jenny (@nurse_jenny) (I met at a party and she had all the gut to just ask for my number and befriended instantly) and my friend Stephen (from work) who was set to take a year off to travel the world. I had an amazing weekend there grilling sausages and I even had some fun creating a beach bum beauty tutorial that can be found on my Instagram stories.

Ensenada/Tijuana, Mexico

I love spontaneous impromptu trips like this in the summer. Mexican friend Guerardo invited me over to tag along on his weekend getaway trip to Mexico. Singing along Felices Los 4 and Dura omg! We took the Ruta del vino to visit and wine taste at L.A. Cetto. We brunched at Bodegas del Valle, a secret local spot. We later that night played dominos then poker getting drunk on some tequila Reposado. The next day, we were beach ready to get some tan at Playa Hermosa in Explanadas. Afterwards, we had some of the best margheritas at Bar Andaluz and the best tacos ever are found at the world renown Anthony Bourdain approved Sabina Restaurante. Later, on our way back to the US, we had to stop by Tijuana where we got a roof top drink at Cine Tonala and played games.

Tel Aviv, Israel

During the summer, I traveled to Tel Aviv for the first time to visit my friend Tom. I know many of you already know how I met Tom and how I ended up in Dresden in the winter of 2017 but just for the sake of sharing with everyone. On my way to Amsterdam from Minnesota, I think that was in the summer of 2017 I happen to sit next to this blue eye guy with a quirky smile on this face. I think he started the conversation with an ice breaker question. So tips to you guys, if you are happen to sit next to a stranger on the plane and would like to make new friends, don’t put your headphones on, smile, and ask whether your flight neighbor is heading back home or visiting. This ice breaker question always works for me 🙂 So as we talked and laughed throughout our 8 hour long trip. We exchanged our contact information but before that he managed to convince me to meet again either in Tel Aviv and/or Dresden for the winter holidays.

And in truth eventually, I ended up meeting him in both cities haha. I flew to Dresden in December of 2017 from Paris because (this is a true story haha) my sister was too busy to host me during the weekday and (sadly) she is also a type A woman so she made it clear that I was on my own. Then I simply phoned Tom to check his whereabouts then booked a ticket at the airport from CDG, took the metro to Orly then flew to Dresden straight away. I actually don’t recommend anyone to fly that much in a day (4 back to back flights) but I’m still glad I made it out there. I stayed at Tom’s friend’s Matthias (a German cutie), and we got to visit the beautiful city (old and new neighborhood), did some thrift shopping as I was travelling without proper winter gears (got as scarf and beanie), and even attended an opera. The museums there were very impressive and boy I love the Christmas market to grab some warm German sweet bread, some wurst, and a sip of the delicious gluhwein (even gluhbier).

Well, I’m digressing now sorry so back to Tel Aviv! Tom and I stayed at another of Tom’s friend’s apartment nearby the beach in Yaffa area. Hillel is such a smart and funny guy. He’s very thoughtful too! I recall how before I’d get up in the morning, a warm freshly baked pastry was awaiting for me on the kitchen counter. He was temporarily being a dog daddy to Indie so I lucked out in meeting them because I had so much fun hanging out with these mischief later in the Old City. This vibrant place is full of craft shops and art galleries, and stalls selling antiques and jewelry at the lively Jaffa Flea Market.

There are some Ottoman influences such as the Clock Tower. We walked around and spotted an outdoor venue filled with folks dancing on Arab music after crossing the Wishing Bridge. The area is also popular for its hip wine bars, creative Mediterranean dining and seafood restaurants near Jaffa Port. There is such a wide mix of culture and we got together for drinks at the Shaffa bar with Stefania, her bf and friend. Well, how I met Stefania was also on a plane ride from JFK to Tel Aviv haha. We sat next to each and became friends instantly. And so we just had to meet up in town!

Then Hillel wanted to take us to his favorite secret spot that offers a unique view over the Jaffa port but on the opposite side. Recall when I called Hillel and Indie the little pair of mischief well, to get to that safely guarded spot required illegal climbing over a fence then a wall hmmm the challenge came from having our little four legged Indie with us but we still proceeded with climbing with the adventurous dog friend. It was so worth it as we could catch a glimpse in the quiet night and only hearing the waves crashing on the rocks and just taking in the beautiful sights and being in the moment.

I have a few tips on Tel Aviv for you guys if you are interested, drop a comment below. I personally really enjoy going to the outdoor markets like the Carmel market where Tom and I met up with another of Tom’s friend named Roy. He had bought some delicious cheese and we improvised a French picnic with a bottle of red (of course!) and laid around in the neighborhood park, while dog petting.

I only stayed 4 days in Tel Aviv and wished to road trip to Jerusalem but due to the unbearable heat wave, I’ll postpone this trip to another time. So next on my way to Amsterdam, I had a quick overlay in Rome. Unfortunately I couldn’t hang out with my dear friend Rita but had (yes another) interesting encounter on the plane. An older Italian gentleman who is a professor in Chemistry and avid alternative renewable energy especially in clean gas was my neighbor. He had mistaken me as a model haha. But to his disappointment I had to break it to him that I was just an engineer.

We talked for a long while about renewable energy and the new tech trends. Once we landed in Fuimicino, he kindly offer to continue our conversations over at the lounge. I personally love to converse with passionate folks. Side note by the way, a handful of people either border patrol agents or people I bumped into during my flights tend to believe I’m some model. Can it be because of my leather jacket, my casual effortless airport style or is it? Regardless, I’m utterly flattered but (shrugging) would love to know why…

Amsterdam/Eindhoven/Heusden, The Netherlands

I arrived in Amsterdam to meet up with Silvana (@saisonlune) the birthday girl. She’s taken me to the north of Amsterdam so we took the ferry where we can sight the beautiful A’dam Toren from Centraal Station. We had a snack at FC Hyena where it has movie theater and great food. The décor is industrial but with lots of quirky colors. Afterwards, we headed next door to the Hotel de Goudfazant. This place used to be a car garage so don’t be surprised if you are dining next to cars inside the space.

The following day, I also got to meet Jessica from Daarboven and stroll around Amsterdam. We had a pit stopped at my fav Scandinavian shop Filippa K where I got a couple of essential garments (a nice cropped wool jacket and a pair of simple blue denim, read here).

We sipped on some fancy drinks at the Hoxtel lounge, grabbed ramen at Fou Fow Ramen then devour some explosive chocolate at the Michelin starred Duchess .

In Eindhoven, I always enjoy staying at my bestie Joffrey. I also took some time to say hi to Adri from Chanel. She created a new look for me and left with many goodies she gathered for me. In the afternoon, Jo organized a mini road trip to Heusden for a getaway. Walking around there was very relaxing to see the lashing green surrounding and the famous windmills. In the village we grabbed some red and some bread (I love Dutch breads). Later in the evening Jo and I met up with Yohann (our betstie) to grab an apero at his house.

Then we all met up with the other guys for Lepeltje Lepeltje, a food fest in Eindhoven with live music and yummy ice creams. Later than night we all hung out at our regular Irish pub Oshea’s where a few more people are set to come by. One person was the German cutie I was seeing on the date during lunch time at one of my fav brunch spot called Krok Madame. The other person was my Dutch crush and well needless to mention how melodramatic this all resulted and of course I’ve never intended anything as such to take place.

Chinon/Vendée Road Trip, France

It’s still summer and I was on my way to Paris now to get with my sister then we picked up my mom to go onto our yearly road trip. We stopped by the wine country region as always. I’ve notice my friends recently called me “Wine Privileged” and I am beginning to be more grateful from my upbringing and the fact that my parents’ house is located in one of the most amazing wine country region of France. And so we are in Chinon and visiting the Cave Monplaisirs.

The lady owner was formidable in presenting the wine selection with exquisite details of the terrain, the grapes provenance and mixes. This is how I get wine educated by going on a variety of wine tasting and having great conversations. She also kindly offered us an extra bottle (we had to keep it quiet on the gift haha) simply because she enjoyed sharing a great conversation too! We set up our picnic by the Loire river with great sight, a fresh summer breeze, and amazing wine paring (Les Picasses from 2016).

My sister and I rented a beautiful beach house in the Vendée region with a big pool by Saint-Jean-de-Mont beach. We had a lovely time with my mom swimming , BBQ, and just chilling in town. We did a bit of sightseeing but the best experience was going to the oysters’ market casually located in various parts of the roads there called le Délit. I believe to have found the best tasting oysters in my entire life! I stoke a conversation with the bar owner sharing with him my USA stories and then he pointed out that an LA designer was painting the walls of the place. Have a look as it’s pretty quirky. Another good time (yes it’s again about food) was going to Noirmoutier to bunch at Michelin starred or recommended restaurants like L’ilot Bleu. Next stop was a flower park (my mom is a lotus enthusiast) called the Parc Floral de la court d’Aron where we spent a day there having a little French picnic.

Paris, France

This city is always crazy and has the most fun parties. I hung out with the Parisian crew (a bunch of finance folks who prize on expensive champagne bottles. Yeah I know it’s just another life style) and caught up with Taler (@nomadicfille). We had ramen again but this time at Hokkaido.

The following day we went to the street food fest in Place République. Then, we headed towards the roof top at the Art et Métiers hotel. Needless to mention, there was a gorgeous view over the city of Light and the flashing Eiffel Tower but what caught my attention was this cutie sitting right next to me from another group of Parisians. We had a great conversation but I must be so naïve in too many ways, I didn’t realize he was a catch haha. But it’s all good we are friends on Instagram, does that count?

Los Angeles, CA

In September after getting back to San Diego, the following weekend I got on the road towards Vegas, the sin city. But I thought I’d stop by and say hi to my friend Alexie (if you don’t remember her, I had a post on LA here). We caught up over dinner, girls talk then the following day brunched at our favorite place in Abbott Kinney called Gjelina. A bit of window shopping but then it was time for me to get back on the road already.

Vegas/Valley of Fire Road trip, NV

Hanging out with Jo and catching up with his dad I haven’t seen in a couple of years was fun. In short, Fermont experience, losing money gambling, getting fancy drinks at the casino, and hiking in the heat of the Valley of Fire where we almost passed out. I recommend everyone who is passing by Vegas to go check out this out of the ordinary red-bricked landscape. It’s truly breath taking how arid the climate is but how the rock formations come together is pretty amazing.

Big Bear, CA

This road tripping to camping with Arash was in late September so it was indeed freezing cold. We were out of Vodka to keep us warm so in the process I lost my toes overnight for about 8 hours then recovered. The Castle Rock trail hike by Big Bear Lake was pretty intensive in climbing but the view we could catch on top was all worth it with a breathtaking forest views, rock structures, and a distant lake.

Lake Tahoe, CA

Next road trip was made during the thanksgiving holidays. It was very adventurous on the long drive there from San Diego to Lake Tahoe especially in the freezing night. Just had to pick up Massoud along the way in Orange County. As we approached the mountain ranges, we found out too tardily that the snow chains were undersized so we decided to simply deflate the tires in order to create more traction. (3 engineers getting together that’s how things go often!).

London, England

I haven’t been back since a couple of years ago so I was glad to stop by London in December and catching up with my dear Jackie (@passyjacqueline). What I retained the most from being there was experiencing Tinder dating together haha. I recall vividly on one of the bus rides in London City where Jackie and I were eye on out phones swiping left and occasionally right on the app then suddenly we heard 3 older gentlemen exclaiming right behind us “But you keep on swiping left!” hahaha I’ll omit the Brit accent but I couldn’t help than to crack up. It’s an observation that it seems everyone young and old men and women everywhere across the globe is searching for love though this dating tool.

I really enjoyed the low key local hangout (will do a map later if you are interested for I have some tips!) and art exhibits. We went to Blain Southern and checked out the “Between the lines” of Chiharu Shiota and the drawings of Jonas Burget. Indeed, I’d rather avoid doing tourist traps cos I just wanted to create memories being with my dear friend in the most humbling way. Some of the cool places I went to are Tonkotsu ramen, Oslo Hackney bar and club, Blighty Tottenham for brunch, Pop Brixton for the hispter hang out and drinks food hall style, Ace hotel in Shoreditch for a fancy drink at the lounge. For a nice walk I went to Borough market (my fav) and had tapas at Tapas Brindisa. Roof tops I went to Sushi Samba which offers a great view of the Gherkin. Lastly, Jaaguarshoes Collective is a local hang out for casual drinks.

Amsterdam/Eindhoven/The Hague, The Netherlands

Going to Holland is always about catching up with everyone. I also flew from London to Amsterdam as cheap as 37 euro that’s why I love travelling within Europe because of the ease of transport. I’m typically staying at Joffrey’s house in Eindhoven. We always cozy up on his velvet couch in the late evening watching our fav old French show Kaamelott. In the evening I had dinner with my old friend Alain who is half Dutch and half French. We checked out the new hot spot called Kazerne which had a lovely exhibit.

This time I was in Amsterdam meeting up with Jessica. We always have planned for me to go visit the museum where she works at but every time I’m arriving by train so late in the afternoon that I keep missing out. Bummer! However, we grabbed a local Thai food where there was probably 5 tables. It was so tiny but the food was good. We then intended to go for a quick shop to Filippa K (one of my fav shops) but it had already closed by 7 pm.

Next, we just continued strolling around what I find to be the romantic Amsterdam with the light exhibits on the canals. We grabbed some drinks at the Hoxton lounge (one of my fav places to go chill in Amsterdam), and then she insisted on grabbing another drink at a club I’ve never been to, which was ChinChin. There was a karaoke bar, restaurant, and club all in one place. I like catching the train back with her and just keep on conversing about life, our careers, blogging, shopping, personal style, and recently about our love life, dating, and relationships. Needless to mention how glad I am to have getting to know her.

The following day I caught an early train ride from Eindhoven to The Hague to grab brunch with the crew made of Kimberley, Silvana, and finally got to meet Sebastian. We chatted and laughed about everything at the local brunch names Bartine. It was good to see them all. Then afterwards, I had the honor to stroll around the Hague with Sebastian as my personal tour guide. He was showing me the old government buildings, describing the architectural styles, and the history behind them.

And it was already time to head back to Eindhoven to meet up for dinner with other friends. So the lovely Anne showed up with Joffrey. Unfortunately, my friend from work Sander (a Belge guy) and his wife couldn’t stay late into the evening as they have a little toddler to attend to so I only got to see them very briefly. The next day which was Saturday, Jo and I packed our bags, got into the car and set our GPS direction towards Paris to meet up with my sister for a late brunch.

Paris, France

Ahhh Paris is always my fav place in the world! Always crazy and fun at the same time with my lovely sis Britney and the Parisian crew. You probably may have noticed but I also avidly avoid tourristy areas there. I always prefer our local hang outs or discover new hot spots that most tourists are unaware of. We hung out in the newly trend food hall style La Félicita, had a bite and a few drinks then danced our night away.

We also celebrated New Year’s eve in our own terms. No rules nor tips to follow. We simply created our own way of having a great time. No overpriced club tickets bought online, no house party on our agenda. Remember that the best plan is no plan after all. We just walked up towards the Champs-Elysee then grabbed food and drinks at the Beer Station.

The area had been blocked off for the fire work show around the arc de Triomphe but we were located right at the edge of the landmark. Stayed warm, had food and cheering on red wine then champagne, watching the fireworks all in safety and warmth instead of mingling with the crowds on the Champs-Elysee avenue where it was counted that over 150,000 people attended the event. We took the party further towards Pigalle area at the Carmen club where we met the cutie barman Romeo who had a generous amount of dating advice to give away haha.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get much free time at hand to see the group of Paris girls (sorry! Next time for sure!) but got to do a quicky apero at Taler’s house. I got to meet her boyfriend, her cousin from the US, and her other friends. My sister later showed up too!

Tours, France

This was a truly special trip into the wine country of Loire Valley. Typically every time I visit my parents’ house in the Center of France, we’d stop by the neighboring area to go wine tasting and coming back home with boxes of a variety of wines. We are also very intimate with the wine makers of the region so it’s always a pleasure to say hi. But this time, I’d convinced my sister and our friend Aja to come along with me to visit the Tours region and meet up with Antoine at the Domaine de Cray.

It was a lovely wine tour into the sparkling white wine production, the famous Cremant de Loire, where he was showing us the art of riddling wine a la méthode Champenoise. He was showing up the assembly line with some level of automation for the first fermentation to take place where the natural sugar from the grapes are converted into alcohol and letting the carbon dioxide escape from the bottle and makes the base wine or the cuvée. It’s not usually very tasty as it is very acidic. Antoine showed us where these cuvée were stored in those large chambers and even had a sip of it together with the tuxedo cat who serves as great company. I recommend anyone to stop by this winery!

If you made it to read this line, well thanks for reading my stories. Let me know if you enjoy these narratives as much as I do or rather want tips for travel but either way don’t hesitate to drop a comment and I’ll look forward to your inputs.

Best of 2018 Travel Hi everyone, I guess it's never too late to wish you all a wonderful happy new year!

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what-else-is-there · 5 years

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This past year was one of the hardest of my life, so listening to music was a bit of a double edged sword in 2018. Its ability to find emotions I was struggling with and bring them to the front of my mental and physical consciousness was amplified, however this was balanced out by its healing properties also being extra potent. All in all, music continues to be my favorite thing. It makes the good times better, the hard times easier to handle and more productive, and no matter what is going wrong with my life, I can always count on it to be worth experiencing.

Some common themes that defined music in 2018 include some desperately essential political protest and empowerment (Parquet Courts, Janelle Monáe, Lupe Fiasco), flawlessly executed pop (Allie X, Christine And The Queens, Ariana Grande), unique, next level production (Low, Superorganism), mind bending psychedelic jamming (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Circles Around The Sun, Wooden Shjips, Desert Mountain Tribe), smooth and restorative chillout vibes (The New Mastersounds, Nightmares On Wax, Jungle), powerful and poignant mourning songs (Amen Dunes, serpentwithfeet), dancefloor bangers (Santigold, The Presets) and plenty of solid songwriting (Spiritualized, Lord Huron, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Caroline Rose, Acid Dad, Soccer Mommy).

Of course, the album format is continuing its slow descent into irrelevancy so my real focus will be on my Top 100 Songs playlist. Stay tuned as I roll it out over the course of the next few weeks. However, for those who still enjoy consuming music in album format, here are my Top 100 Albums Of 2018 lovingly and excruciatingly curated into one glorious, subjective ranking.

~ What Else Is There's Top 100 Albums Of 2018 ~

1. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake! 2. Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer 3. Allie X - Super Sunset 4. Low - Double Negative 5. Amen Dunes - Freedom 6. Lupe Fiasco - Drogas Wave 7. The New Mastersounds - Renewable Energy 8. Spiritualized - And Nothing Hurt 9. Lord Huron - Vide Noir 10. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Something Else 11. Superorganism - Superorganism 12. Nightmares On Wax - Shape The Future 13. Christine And The Queens - Chris 14. Caroline Rose - Loner 15. serpentwithfeet - Soil 16. Amber Mark - Conexão 17. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Wrong Creatures 18. Neko Case - Hell-On 19. Tropical Fuck Storm - A Laughing Death In Meatspace 20. Circles Around The Sun - Let It Wander 21. Wooden Shjips - V. 22. Acid Dad - Acid Dad 23. Soccer Mommy - Clean 24. GUM - The Underdog 25. Desert Mountain Tribe - Om Pavat Mystery 26. Shakey Graves - Can't Wake Up 27. The Family Crest - The War: Act I 28. Santigold - I Don't Want: The Gold Fire Sessions 29. Aurora - Infections Of A Different Kind (Step I) 30. K.I.D. - Tired All The Time 31. Chelsea Jade - Personal Best 32. Ty Segall & Freedom Band - Freedom's Goblin 33. Your Smith - Bad Habit 34. Miya Folick - Premonitions 35. Jungle - For Ever 36. Ariana Grande - Sweetener 37. The Presets - Hi Viz 38. Let's Eat Grandma - I'm All Ears 39. Metric - Art Of Doubt 40. Kurt Vile - Bottle It In 41. of Montreal - White Is Relic / Irrealis Mood 42. Beach House - 7 43. The Decemberists - I'll Be Your Girl 44. Fischerspooner - SIR 45. Django Django - Marble Skies 46. Film School - Bright To Death 47. Kero Kero Bonito - Tine 'n' Place 48. Robyn - Honey 49. Orbital - Monsters Exist 50. Tune-Yards - I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life 51. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour 52. St. Lucia - Hyperion 53. Lorn - Remnant 54. Dave Matthews Band - Come Tomorrow 55. Computer Magic - Danz 56. MGMT - Little Dark Age 57. Mitski - Be The Cowboy 58. Kikagaku Moyo - Masana Temples 59. Gorillaz - The Now Now 60. U.S. Girls - In A Poem Unlimited 61. Moaning - Moaning 62. Czarface & MF Doom - Czarface Meets Metal Face 63. Speedy Ortiz - Twerp Verse 64. Khraungbin - Con Todo El Mundo 65. Sister Sparrow And The Dirty Birds - Gold 66. The Knocks - New York Narcotic 67. Louis Cole - Time 68. Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel 69. The Go! Team - Semicircle 70. Tash Sultana - Flow State 71. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships 72. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs 73. Matthew Dear - Bunny 74. Simian Mobile Disco - Murmurations 75. The Field - Infinite Moment 76. Hookworms - Microshift 77. Oh Sees - Smote Reverser 78. Sunflower Bean - Twentytwo In Blue 79. The Breeders - All Nerve 80. Ron Gallo - Stardust Birthday Party 81. Above & Beyond - Common Ground 82. Poppy - Am I A Girl? 83. DJ Koze - Knock Knock 84. Chloe x Halle - The Kids Are Alright 85. Peter Bjorn And John - Darker Days 86. Punch Brothers - All Ashore 87. Blues Traveler - Hurry Up & Hang Around 88. The Devil Makes Three - Chains Are Broken 89. Django Django - Winter's Beach 90. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Merrie Land 91. Boygenius - Boygenius 92. Stephan Malkmus And The Jicks - Sparkle Hard 93. King Tuff - The Other 94. Jim James - Uniform Distortion 95. Tom Misch - Geography 96. Preoccupations - New Material 97. Kunzite - Birds Don't Fly 98. The Voidz - Virtue 99. Snow Patrol - Wildness 100. Monsieur Periné - Encanto Tropical

What were your favorite albums of the year? Did we share any picks? What was I missing? You can also use the link below to browse my list on RateYourMusic, which is a little easier than the block of text above. Let me know, I'm always looking to hear music that others are enjoying. And I'll see y'all in the coming days as I roll out 2018: The Playlist.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/whatelseisthere/all-things-2018/

#What Else Is There's Top 100 Albums Of 2018

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my3dartblog · 4 months

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Mini Scenes Surf Shack is your ultimate Summer Vibe. But we know you always forget something going to the beach, don't fear the surf shack has all you need for a day out in the sun. What's Included and Features Mini Scenes Surf Shack: (.DUF) Props: Ball Beach Sign Body Board Clipboard Flippers Life Ring Palm Tree Sand Bucket Sand Sandwich Board Shack Star Fish Sunscreen Surf Sign Surfboard Small Surfboard Stack Surfboard Swim Ring Towels Umbrella Textures Include: 62 Textures for Diffuse, Bump, Opacity Maps (2048 x 2048 to 4096 x 4096) Daz Studio Iray Material Presets (.DUF) Compatible Software: Daz Studio 4.22 Install Types: DazCentral, Daz Connect, DIM, Manual Install Coming soon: https://3d-stuff.net/ #daz3d #dazstudio #3drender #3dart #daz3dstudio #irayrender #3dartwork #blender #blenderrender #blenderart #noaiart #noaiwriting #noai https://3d-stuff.net/

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upalldown · 2 years

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Beach House - Once Twice Melody

Eighth studio album from the Baltimore dream pop duo Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally

9/13

Beach House’s Once Twice Melody begins “out in the summer sun,” dawning strings and downy acoustic guitars sketching a scene of pastoral bliss, and ends, 17 songs later, reaching “into the darkness,” where “the universe collects us.” It is a fittingly epic span for a pair of Baltimore stargazers who have never been shy about courting infinity. Between those two ephemeral points, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally luxuriate in the interplay of shadow and light, the scent of night-blooming flowers, the rhapsody of sensation itself. The first album that they have produced on their own, it hews to Beach House’s trademark dream-pop reverie—eight albums in, it is clearer than ever that they have no interest in breaking character or changing up the scenery—while billowing outward in every direction. The operative term is more, the operative mode superlative: bigger but also gauzier; more sumptuous, more diaphanous, more dazzling. You don’t listen to Once Twice Melody, you dissolve into it.

From the current vantage point, Beach House’s entire career looks like one long, gradual process of transformation, a slowly winding path leading up to this point. Over the years, they have made subtle tweaks to the languid slowcore template they fashioned on their self-titled 2006 debut. The organ-heavy Depression Cherry wrapped itself in velvety drones that bristled with dissonance; 7 was darker and more muscular, tinged with a syrupy hit of shoegaze. They have never abandoned the attributes that make them inimitably Beach House; compare Once Twice Melody with a record like Devotion or Teen Dream, and it’s clearly the same band, yet profound changes have taken place.

Their evolution brings to mind the Ship of Theseus, a classic philosopher’s paradox. Imagine a vessel that, over the course of many years, has had all of its parts replaced: mast, rigging, sails, hull, all the way down to the very last nail. After a century’s worth of repairs, not a single original piece of the boat remains. It looks identical, but can it truly be said to be the same ship? Beach House, in contrast, have steadily upgraded their materials, replacing oak with titanium and sailcloth with Kevlar. They have swapped clean-toned electric guitar for surging shoegaze fuzz, traded the thrift-store keyboards and rickety home-organ rhythm presets for hi-def synthesizers and powerhouse live drumming, while Legrand’s ambiguously imagistic lyrics have become more grandiose and diffuse. The essence of their sound has remained the same, yet the contours have changed: They have transformed themselves from a weathered wooden boat into a gleaming, streamlined spaceship; from a twentysomething’s dogeared Moleskine into something as vast and ineffable as the metaverse—a rush of pure vibes, ephemeral and enveloping.

With 18 tracks and 84 minutes of running time, Beach House have plenty of room to try out different things, but Once Twice Melody invariably sounds phenomenal. There are feathery acoustic guitars and rosy vocoders, watery analog synths and chord changes that explode like fireworks against the night sky, and all of it has been mixed to emphasize its nuanced contrasts and swollen dimensions. In their soaring choruses and sumptuous arrays of synths, guitars, and percussion, they have taken on the proportions of spectacular, stadium-sized alt pop. (Guest drummer James Barone’s controlled wallop goes a long way toward establishing the record’s blockbuster footprint.) Where once they sounded indebted to bands like Mazzy Star or My Bloody Valentine, here they’re chasing a shiny brass ring bearing the fingerprints of Air, M83, even Tame Impala.

Their supersized instincts often serve them well. Driven by chugging electric guitars and a hint of the Cocteau Twins’ chiming leads, “Superstar” is a feast of texture set to heartstring-tugging chord changes. The stately “New Romance” boasts one of the sugariest hooks of the band’s catalog, with an irresistible (and meme-ready) chorus to match: “Last night I’m messing up/Now I feel like dressing up/ILYSFM.” The spangled “Over and Over” is slow and radiant, a Moroder-influenced power ballad whose celestial choirs boast megachurch wattage.

Along the way, they pull out some surprising references. Extending Legrand’s wistfully looped vocals over a driving 4/4 beat, “Only You Know” approximates the muted ecstasy of the Field’s 2007 melodic techno classic “Over the Ice.” The instrumental breakdown of the closing “Modern Love Stories” recalls the strummy acoustic grandeur of David Bowie’s “Five Years.” “Another Go Around,” lilting and luminous, could be mistaken for an Elliott Smith cover. There’s a rising set of chords in “The Bells” that’s a dead ringer for a passage from Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” These echoes may be unconscious but they hardly seem accidental: The lyrics are peppered with phrases that sound like half-remembered bits of hallowed songs—“all the parties”; “a lust for life”; “there’s a light going out tonight”—and in the lullaby-like penultimate song, “Many Nights,” Legrand sings of “many nights/By your side/Listening high/To Suicide.” In part, Once Twice Melody is an album about shaping a life around listening, about the simple pleasures of losing yourself in music.

It is also a record about nameless yearning. The album is shot through with dozens of references to the skies and the stars, to light itself: “A flicker in the sky reflects the dying light”; “Sunshine in her lap/Centuries of light”; “Out of nothing comes the moonglow.” “The stars were there/In our eyes,” Legrand sings in “Superstar.” In “Pink Funeral,” she returns to the theme: “The painted stars they fill our eyes.” And on “Runaway,” someone’s hair is “melting into silver stars.” Though individual songs may be about love or memory or desire, the cumulative effect of all this brilliance feels like a leap into the sublime. As she sings in the closing “Modern Love Stories,” “A dark mouth surrounds us, into the stardust.”

There is no shortage of arresting imagery reflected in the glare of these slow-motion glitter bombs: swans on a starry lake, or headlights running up a wall, or, from the excellent “Sunset,” “spider silk and sweet nonsense,” which sounds almost like a metaphor for Legrand’s own lyrical impulses. But in a few places, she falls back on frustrating cliché. Certain stock phrases feel like placeholders for more interesting lines that never found their way to her notebook. Secondhand images betray their borrowed provenance: “Red sunglasses and a lollipop/See her dressed in the polka dot” sounds like Lolita via Lana Del Rey, a threadbare narrative hand-me-down. And in the otherwise gorgeous, country-kissed “The Bells,” Legrand’s couplets feel like well-worn tropes cut-and-pasted into her rhyme scheme: “Something somebody told me, think the plane is going down/You can’t take it with you, so let me buy you the next round.” It’s hard to shake the feeling that you’ve heard this story before. Legrand’s best lyrics, historically, have been vivid, cryptic, full of mystery, like folktales poorly translated from forgotten dialects. Where they were vague, they were provocatively so. But here, Legrand sometimes seems like she’s chasing moonbeams, hoping they will land on the object or feeling she’s trying to name.

Still, Beach House lyrics aren’t meant to be parsed on the page; they are as much about the sound of Legrand’s voice as the meaning of the words. Like everything else here, she, too, simply sounds incredible. Having abandoned all traces of the husky contralto that defined the group’s earlier records, she is all breath, and the softness of her tone suits the album’s gossamer materials: From the Stereolab-like la la la of the opening “Once Twice Melody,” she’s the embodiment of spider silk and sweet nonsense, a presence as ethereal as her songs.

Occasionally, amid Once Twice Melody’s overflowing cornucopia of feeling, I find myself wishing for something else: something weirder, more erratic, less narrowly focused on that insistent eyes-closed vibe. In their all-encompassing pursuit of mood, Beach House occasionally have trouble moving past the mood board, and they sacrifice risk on the altar of ambition. Shooting for the moon is a time-tested strategy. But what about digging into the muck? That’s what Low—a band whose essence is as unchanging as Beach House’s—have done with their last two albums, and the result was a pair of records that were not just enthralling but also genuinely surprising. For Beach House to turn the rapture up to 11 may be unexpected, but the sounds themselves are, by and large, familiar.

Yet as a slow drip of pure serotonin, Once Twice Melody delivers. It can be tempting to wonder if the album is too long, but the more time I have spent with it, the harder it has been to decide which tracks I might cut. They all—the ballads, the anthems, the lullabies, the synth-pop throwbacks—serve a purpose in fleshing out the enormity of Beach House’s spellbinding universe. The sprawl, the surfeit, is the point. You need plenty of room to summon a mood as widescreen as this. It’s a long way from the summer sun to the dark embrace of the universe, and on Once Twice Melody, Beach House are determined to cover the entire distance.

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https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/beach-house-once-twice-melody/

#beach house #once twice melody

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influencertoolkits · 3 years

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THE BEST INSTAGRAM STORY FILTERS IN 2021 https://ift.tt/3smwBkD

Instagram Story Filters List for 2021

If you’re wondering what Instagram Story filters everyone uses, keep scrolling.

I’m going to share the list of all the most popular Insta Story filters right now.

Most of those are boho, retro, vintage Insta Story filters, and face filters.

Ready?

Let’s go:

Instagram Story Filter #1. Vintage Pink

By @influencertoolkit

This is one of the most popular Insta Story filters. It’s a beautifully clean, crisp, and retro Insta Story filter, with a little retro pink to create a vintage effect.

Instagram Story Filter #2. Coconut Beach

By @influencertoolkit

Inspired by the bestselling preset pack of coconut beach, this filter brings your holiday photos to life with a bright, teal and tan filter.

Instagram Story Filter #3. VHS Glitch Frame

By @influencertoolkit

This filter is a vintage Insta Story filter that has VHS vibes and polaroid marks on the screen. It doesn’t have any moving dust on the screen. It has grain on the screen. So it makes your Insta Story look like an old photo or video. The timer also plays along with the time when you're recording.

Instagram Story Filter #4. Day + Time Frame

By @influencertoolkit

This one incorporates a dynamic day and time overlay plus an aesthetic frame. This is a popular filter for those going about their day and using on the go for easy story content.

Instagram Story Filter #5. Minimal Day + Date

By @influencertoolkit

This filter has 3 options plus a slider for intensity of the filter. It also has a really minimal day and date at the top right corner to provide an elegant natural story. It also means you can get lots of different photo vibes from this one instagram story filter

Instagram Story Filter #6. No Filter

By @influencertoolkit

This filter is a little bright and warm for that no filter filter look. It just makes the scene look better without retouching. It is natural and perfect for selfies.

Instagram Story Filter #7. Travel Blogger

By @influencertoolkit

This is an awesome filter for summer too. Perfect for beach, ocean, and sunny places. Or if you simply want a fun, colorful Insta Story effect. It is bright and vibrant.

Instagram Story Filter #8. Cool Tan

By @influencertoolkit

Cool Tan, is white and tan, this is one of the most popular Instagram story filters available and is bright, white and crisp. It isn't a warm filter at all which is good if you have a white aesthetic. It is quite minimalist and pretty and perfect for vacation pics too as well as selfies.

Instagram Story Filter #9. Sunset Sparkle

By @influencertoolkit

This is a very colorful Insta Story filter.

If it is summer where you are, or you are on holiday, and you want your Insta Stories to POP, this is the filter. It also has a beautiful glitter effect (perfect for jewelry, makeup and fashion Stories).

Instagram Story Filter #10. Vintage Grain

By @influencertoolkit

This one looks like an old film. It has a lot of dust flying on the screen. It makes your screen very tanned / pink. It is a very vintage effect.

Instagram Story Filter #11. Bright and Airy

By @influencertoolkit

This is what it says on the tin! Bright and Airy. This is quite a warm filter, but is super bright and is great for food, product and fashion photography.

Instagram Story Filter #12. Caribbean Preset

By @influencertoolkit

This is a maldives, caribbean preset filter. Inspired by the Caribbean preset by influencertoolkits.

Instagram Story Filter #13. Lavender Mood

By @influencertoolkit

This is a unique story filter, it is a lavender tones that turns purples brighter and lighter. It is super dreamy and perfect for cottage core aesthetics (also see vintage pink)

How to get more Insta Story filters?

Here’s how to search for more Insta Story filters:

Open a filter

Press on the filter’s name at the bottom of the screen

Select “Browse Effects”

Even more Instagram Story filters

There are a ton more filters inside of @influencertoolkit instagram but if you want complete control then definitely shop the lightroom presets for mobile. This means you can use them in feed!

Click here to shop our lightroom presets!

That’s it!

Have fun editing your Insta Stories!

I’ll keep adding new Insta Story filters to the list.

Until next time, see you on Instagram ?

#IFTTT #InfluencerToolkits

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