#But luckily sushi having a red band

[disabled-queen-hc-blog]

Hey hun, could you write something for John having an allergy to nuts, like life threatening. He only has to look at a nut and he ends up in A&E

John was smart when it came to his allergy. He avoided baked goods since people just couldn’t help themselves by adding all types of nuts into them. He avoided certain breads. He shied away from cereals. These were all things he’d accidentally ate before and ended up swollen like a balloon, stuck in the hospital for hours. He was an expert in dodging potentially dangerous foods. In western countries.

No one told him the Japanese had a thing for nuts.

Their trip to Japan had been so fun up to that point. The fantastic tea, the polite fans, the skyline. He thought it’d stay that way until they landed back in England.

The third night into their stay, Roger suggested they try sushi. John was particularly squicked out by the whole, eating raw fish concept, but luckily, cooked sushi was a thing. He ordered a rather plain roll (forgive his English palate) with the salmon cooked, thank you very much. Only Roger dared for the authentic sushi experience.

Did you know the Japanese like to cook things in nut oils rather than corn or olive?

John didn’t.

He took the first bite, confused by all the unfamiliar flavors but happy about how they somehow tasted fantastic. He chewed on the seaweed, rice, cucumber and cooked salmon slowly, trying to get a grip on all the textures and flavors.

“This is quite tangy,” he commented, noting how perhaps the seaweed made his mouth tingle. He supposed that was the allure of sushi. The umami everyone was talking about. 

“You haven’t even put soy sauce on it,” Roger said, a little thrown off by the tangy comment, but bit more busy shoving eel sushi into his mouth.

John shrugged, ready to eat another piece. Before he could bring it to his lips, he coughed. 

The coughing brought to his attention the gut dropping sensation currently in his throat. 

It itched.

And so did his mouth. So did his lips. 

He swallowed hard, his throat ever so slightly tighter than it was seconds ago.

Time began to slow and blur for John, his brain coming to that terrifying conclusion. He ate something that had nuts in it. He was in a foreign country. He had no idea if the language barrier would kill him. He no idea if they knew how to treat him. Breathing was becoming difficult. He was itchy. His face began to ache. He had no idea what to do. 

Freddie was first to notice John’s unusually red lips and panicked eyes.

“Darling, are you alright?” he asked, head tilting.

John could barely blurt out, “Nuts,” his tongue already starting to swell.

He needn’t say anymore. Freddie understood perfectly what was happening. His heart lept similar to how he jumped up, hands smacking down on the table. He didn’t care about manners, he needed the translator to look at him.

“John’s ate something with nuts in it. He’s deadly allergic to nuts. We need to go to the hospital immediately,” he spluttered out to their translator, the woman blinking as she registered what was being said. 

Meanwhile, John could feel his face growing puffy, his body filling with adrenaline. He didn’t want to die in Japan. Nothing against the Japanese, he was quite fond of them, but he didn’t want to die!!

A panic set into the people around them, the next few minutes being a blur of yelling and being dragged around. John knew he was in a car at one point, beginning to wheeze. There was some people talking fast in Japanese next to him. Then he was somewhere white. He was gasping for air. White coats, white lights, white walls. There was a painful jab at his thigh then a stinging one to his arm. There were hands all over him, rubbing his limbs, saying how everything would be okay. His chest began to feel light again. 

The daze of adrenaline melted from his brain eventually, leaving him in uncomfortable clarity. He looked at his concerned band mates faces as the surrounded his bed, obviously worried sick. John smiled sheepishly, tugging the hospital blankets up to his chin.

“Sorry,” he whispered, always embarrassed when he had a reaction around them. 

“Oh my god, Deacy, don’t be. None of us had any idea they used peanut oil here,” Brian said, rubbing John’s shoulder.

“Peanut oil?” he asked, still hazy about what had just happened.

“Yeah, you’re cooked salmon. They fried it up in some killer peanut oil,” Roger said, earning him a shove from Freddie.

“It’s nobodies fault. It didn’t even cross my mind to ask. At least you’re fine now. I can’t tell your mum I brought you back in one piece though..” Freddie said, a sad smile on his face.

John laughed, rubbing at his eyes. The allergy medicine always made him so sleepy. “Japan’s kicked my ass and I haven’t even tried their sake yet,” he said, making the others giggle and roll their eyes. 

After some idle chat, they let John sleep, something much deserved after nearly choking on his own inflating tongue. 

He was released the next morning, brand spanking new and ready to finish this press tour. Only this time, he clung to the translator, asking her to read every single ingredient on labels and having her ask the chefs what they used to cook things in. She was fine with that, only getting annoyed when the boys made her triple check everything.

Did you know Baka Gaijin means stupid foreigner in Japanese?

They didn't!

#pray for their translator #john #nut allergy!john #deakysgurl

[chickenscript]

A/N: being friends part 2; leo addition. thinking about offering requests, but i’ve still got those prompts i want to work on. i’m feelin’ a little conflicted in priorities

- oof. what have you done.

- you two are a whirlwind of disaster.

- mostly because he taught you how to skateboard and you’ve made it a mission to master all the tricks he knows and then some. but it is unanimously agreed - minus leo - that no, the lair isn’t a place for someone who just learned how to skateboard. much less you who has hard luck with clumsiness.

- it was great that one time you grinded your board on don’s face by accident (he was passing by at the oh so wrong time). he was more pissed than you’ve ever seen him, but before you could apologize, and after you say he shouldn't have been so concentrated on his tablet, you were guffawing madly with leo at his misfortune. (once you pulled yourself together and went to don’s lab, he had some choice words for you. luckily, you knew a few magic ones)

- you have bad luck like him and often bump into something, trip, ect. doctor mike patches both of you up on a regular basis.

- doc don does when it's something more severe than what can be swatched by band aids (i.e, a gash down the back of your forearm that needed ten stitches. you've never seen mike bawl his eyes out more than when he sat through the process with you- leo was busy being way to nauseous about blood and all that exposed flesh to even be in the lab. and you were just trying to comfort mike, sure it hurt but you’ve broken that same arm when you were younger. the thought doesn’t really soothe mike)

- he’s got his work cut out for him because you both like rough housing. you didn’t usually win in the past, but since you started joining their training sessions (mostly to observe what it is that their mentor and father figure teaches them) and doing your own shoot boxing training on the side, you don’t let him win easy. but, honestly, it’s more like you two are antsy, clumsy dogs swatting at each other in a messy tangle of wrestling limbs.

- you love his one liners. and you mean that. sincerely.

- everyone though you were crazy to like them, but then it started. the punening.

- your uncle had this old joke book full of bad, awful, no good puns, and when you were little and got bored, you would read it. so now, you knew ever speck of puns from it and the new ones you made up or found out about.

- also, it feels really great to encourage your friend to make more one liners since you know the struggle. not everyone has the capability of understanding the taste in A class humor you two shared.

- he helps you make puns too.

- he’s questioned a few of your quirks before, like blanking out while you’re talking about something - the names of certain things just leave you sometimes -, or how competitive you can get. you’ve also got the patience of a god when it comes to letting them have their way with you on certain things. like when april enforces herself onto you when she wants to practice doing makeup - which you don’t wear all that much -, or mikey and his body paint needs that could have you sitting somewhere for an hour or more. he envied you, really.

- he had a pretty short attention span half the time.

- you shrug and just say that there’s stuff they do that you think is cool or weird too.

- the brothers have told you before that it was strange; having a new friend. and they enjoy learning your preferences and other things about you. you just wish leo could learn to understand your concept of personal space sometimes.- he likes to just assert himself near you whenever he can, and you mostly didn’t mind, but there are times when, like don, you need air.

- you can’t say you don’t feel bad when he’s skateboarding or moping around like a despondent fish.

- he just gets nervous about what you think of him as a friend sometimes. he's clingy like that.

- speaking of clingy; surprise hugs like mike.

- but like really, scare the shit out of you surprise.

- he's a master of scares and getting scared as piss makes you peeved off. so, you're proud to say you punched him in the windpipe a couple times when he caught you at the wrong angle or when your spidey senses actually worked.

- ho boy, the scares aren't the only things he does.

- pranks. and once you express how much you'll kick his ass if he tries to prank you again, he lets you join in, and when he's ever in the trickster mood; locals beware.

- the shit you guys pull is enough to put everyone on edge.

- there was one time when you borrowed some stuff from april and put false lashes, way too much eye shadow, ruby red lipstick and a voluminous, curly pink wig on raph after an intense training session almost everyone passed out after.

- he looked like a whole (infuriated) queen when he woke up and you two couldn't stop laughing for weeks after the incident. you still do whenever it crops up in conversation. ("Heh, hey, remember operation Ms. Pink?" "Snrk- shut up Lee, he's looking over here." "He is? Oh shit.")

- it was the first time you ever saw raph lose his temper, like someone pulled the tick on a grenade, and it was worth it. mostly because it was more funny than scary- all he really when he caught leo was throttled him and make him say uncle.

- thankfully he chased after his brother more than you too and the sight of that, combined with mike squrrieled on raph's back trying to calm him down while trying not to also laugh and make things worse, will be imprinted forever in your memory.

- leo knows a ton of good places to get away to when he wants to stretch his legs.

- you wonder how he found them considering he can't really go topside much, but apparently he and april, and sometimes mike, used to all the time when he was younger and blended in a lot better with just some layers of clothes. his shell is way too obvious nowadays to try to pull the same stunt.

- he knows the best sushi shops, asian markets (shell yeah did you make a pit stop there to get stuff for mike), abandoned warehouses and just gems people otherwise wouldn't know about or glaze over in their normal commute of the city.

- he's got an eye for things, even if he seems a little dull or oblivious sometimes, like his little brother who has also proven his smarts to you.

- leonardo's got wit, like his packed, crappy one liners.

- he's also pretty good at motivational talks when you're down. or at least, making you forget about the issue because you can see how hard he's trying.

- he's a great, caring guy. even when he’s trying in vain to prove he’s right against your opinions.

Bonus:

"Oi pretty boy,"

Leo looks at you, batting his eyes and getting into this languid pose on the couch, "Yes?~"

You can't keep a straight face, hard as you try, and sigh loudly.

"C'mere, I was gonna yell at ya for breaking another one of my mugs that I always remind you not to fuckin' use-"

"But then why do they have quotes that I can synch with?-"

"This one said Cunt. The handle was the C." you had come bearing that very handle and waved it around for emphasis.

Leonardo blinks slow and it seems like a swollen bubble of realization just popped for him.

"...Oh. Well that's not very nice. That's probably why it broke."

"Leo."

This is why you bring the ugly duckling of your mug collection on your next sleepover at the lair. It's the only one that you're one hundred percent sure is bulletproof. But you're still waiting for the day he proves you wrong and you shamble into the kitchen to find it like all the others. (Which Mikey has taken the glass bits of and glued together to make a mug crypt that looks like a professionally made, stained glass window sheet hung up in his room.)

#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt #reader insert #xreader #headcannons #fanfiction #friendship #being pals with leon #tmnt leo #rottmnt headcannons #my writing

[thehifiproject]

1989: a vintage year for classic albums

What was in the water 30 years ago? Today, in 2019, a surprising number of artists and bands are celebrating the 30th anniversary of some of their greatest albums. Sure, 1988 and 1990 have their fair share of significant releases, but 1989 was a stonker of a year. 

Read on to discover our favourite ‘Big Albums’ from 1989.

The decedent 80s drew to a close with landmark releases across all genres. The ‘second summer of love’ had pushed dance music and rave culture into the mainstream, whilst indie guitar upstarts suddenly found themselves playlisted on daytime Radio One. As these contrasting acts rubbed shoulders on TOTP and across NOW compilations, influences began to cross-pollinate, lighting the touch paper for Madchester and beyond.

In the studio, samplers and digital recording kit had become more affordable. Artists could realise ideas without the mortgage-scale budgets of the Fairlight pioneers earlier in the decade (Bush, Gabriel, Horn, Clarke et al).

At home, the CD format was firmly established but still in its infancy compared to its dominance in the late-90s. Cassette tapes sold more than vinyl in 1989, mainly driven by the US market. 1989 was also the year Comet Group bought up all 31 branches of the Laskys hi-fi chain – remember Laskys? You could still buy hi-fi separates in stores like Boots, but the masses mainly wanted neater ‘stack’ or ‘midi’ systems from brands like Aiwa, Kenwood, Technics and Sony.

So, what were we playing on these systems?

If we squint our rose-tinted vision just beyond hits by Jive Bunny, Kylie & Jason and, ugh, Band Aid II, 1989 offers a plethora of genre-defining debut LPs alongside creative peaks from established artists.

Before I ruffle anyone’s feathers, I admit this is a totally subjective piece. I have not been studying sales figures or cross-referencing reviews in Q Magazine, but many ‘89 albums pop up in the ‘Top 10’ lists of Pitchfork, NME or Rolling Stone etc, and they’re frequently referenced as key influences by artists and producers today.

Here’s a selection of my favourites. It’s by no means exhaustive.

Which albums were you cueing up on your Technics linear-tracking deck in 1989, and what type of TDK tape were you recording them onto?

Let us know in the comments.

1. The Cure – Disintegration

Last week the band completed a five-night run of gigs at Sydney Opera House, celebrating 30 years since the release of their landmark Disintegration album. No doubt many of its tracks will also feature when they headline Glastonbury this summer.

I was a big Cure fan as a teenager. I nipped out of school at lunchtime to buy Disintegration on the day it was released. It was a hot, sunny day and I drew the curtains to listen in the dark.

2. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses

Before Spike Island or even Fool’s Gold, 1989 introduced us to this genre-defining eponymous Mancunian debut. Nothing quite chimes and grooves like the Roses’ early output and its unrivalled sing-along nostalgia.

3. De La Soul – Three Feet High & Rising

Rhymes, skits and daisies. This funky and humorous collage of samples from the NY trio has been referred to as “genius”, “a hip-hop masterpiece”. It was reissued by Vinyl Me, Please as a double LP in their Essential series earlier this year.

4. Kate Bush – The Sensual World

How do you follow a career-defining work like Hounds of Love? It seems you turn inwards, re-write the closing passages of Ulysses and employ a Bulgarian male choir. You also deliver one of the most heart-breaking performances committed to tape in This Woman’s Work.

The Sensual World may not reach the heights of its predecessor (it was one of the albums Kate reworked significantly for the Director’s Cut project), but it remains a convincing release from such an enigmatic creative talent. It earned her Brit Award nominations for both Best Album and Best Producer.

5. New Order – Technique

Ibiza, Factory, The Hacienda, ecstasy, even sheep sound effects. The stories behind this album have sold thousands of books for each member of the band. It was their first LP to reach No 1 in the UK and still sounds magnificent today.

6. Tears For Fears – The Seeds Of Love

The band’s third studio album took almost two years and £1million to make. Considering the hugely successful Songs From The Big Chair cost nearer £70,000, this could have led to the end of their record contract and career! Luckily, they had the chutzpah to see it through. Seeds reached No 1 in the UK and achieved platinum status in numerous territories across the globe.

Sadly, the album took its toll on Orzabal and Smith’s relationship. It was the last one they could work on together for over a decade.

Immaculately produced, the album features many established session players (including Phil Collins on drums, who himself released But Seriously… in 1989), but is most noted for introducing the world to the voice of Oleta Adams.

7. Neneh Cherry – Raw Like Sushi

If you came to Raw Like Sushiexpecting nine more tracks like the huge hit Buffalo Stance, you would have been disappointed. The album stood out for its range of styles and depth of influence. When you reflect on Cherry’s debut as an album envision by a ‘musician/artist’, rather than fronted by the ‘rapper/singer’ Buffalo Stancesuggests, it’s no surprise that she is still recording and performing today.

8. Pixies – Doolittle

Back in the late 80s, nothing else sounded quite like The Pixies. With their second full-length, the band perfected their loud-quiet-loud pop blast, offering up a key blueprint for Nirvana’s looming commercial breakthrough Nevermind.

9. Tom Petty – Full Moon Forever

Louder Sound describes Petty’s ’89 release as“a remarkably consistent collection of wonderfully constructed rootsy rock songs. Petty teams up with ELO guru and fellow Travelling Wilbury Jeff Lynne, who does an immaculate production job as well as co-writing the album’s standout tracks, Free Fallin’ and I Won’t Back Down.”

10. Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol 1

In the summer of 1989, the single Back To Life and its accompanying MTV-friendly video took Soul II Soul’s London slant on R&B/Soul around the world. The album goes deeper (Back To Life features only as an acapella) but brings underground club vibes to the mainstream, going triple-platinum in the UK and Top 20 in the US (No 1 in the R&B chart).

“A happy face, a thumping bass for a loving race.”

11. Paul’s Boutique

Sorry! I couldn’t keep this list to just ten albums! The Beasties’ now-beloved second album was considered a flop at the time, but, in the ensuing years, has been embraced as a landmark of sample-based hip-hop.

The Best Of The Rest

It doesn’t stop there. The list of landmark 1989 albums rolls and rolls.

What have we missed in the list below?

10,000 Maniacs, Blind Man’s Zoo

Elvis Costello, Spike

NWA, Straight Outta Compton

Tracy Chapman, Crossroads

Eurythmics, We Too Are One

Simply Red, A New Flame

Ian McCulloch, Candleland

Lenny Kravitz, Let Love Rule

The Beautiful South, Welcome to the Beautiful South

The Jesus and Mary Chain, Automatic

Nirvana, Bleach

The B-52s, Cosmic Thing

Queen, The Miracle

Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Mother’s Milk

Lou Reed, New York

The Cult, Sonic Temple

The The, Mind Bomb

The Wedding Present, Bizarro

Pop Will Eat Itself, This Is the Day…This Is the Hour…This Is This!

Throwing Muses, Hunkpapa

The Wonder Stuff, Hup

Julee Cruise, Floating into the Night

Simple Minds, Street Fighting Years

The Primitives, Pure

Jesus Jones, Liquidizer

Tin Machine, Tin Machine

Kirsty MacColl, Kite

808 State, 90

Kitchens of Distinction, Love is Hell

#1989 #bestalbum #1989albums #musiclist #Audiophile #vinylcollector #vinyl #best albums #musiclover #80s music #topten

[sinsiriuslyemo]

Hello all!!! Sorry that this episode wasn’t posted yesterday, there was a mix up and by the time we realized it, it was almost three in the morning! Stay tuned to @missjennifercole​ for the final episode, and later, the trailer for season 12!! 

EPISODE 18

“Oh my gosh,” Izzy said softly, after she'd calmed down, she'd gotten on the phone with Lila. “Still that sick?” She sighed softly. “Yeah, I miss you too, so much.”

Rafael knocked on the open door and made a motion towards his mouth, silently signaling Izzy that their lunch was on the table. He’d gone down to the sushi restaurant up the block, her favorite, and order a ton of sashimi and rolls her for them.

She nodded, “I gotta go, keep me updated okay?” She smiled softly. “I know, me too, Lila,” she cooed. “Me too.” She hung up and turned to Rafael as she followed him to the table. “So it turns out Roxie has pneumonia, they took her to the hospital this morning to recover.”

He looked back at her, his face falling with concern.

“Pneumonia?” he asked with a frown.

“I guess it's pretty bad,” she said with a nod, “Dama doesn't want me anywhere near her right now so Lila is paying me to come out and house sit while she stays with Roxie in the hospital.”

He thought for a minute-- It was Friday, he could probably catch a red eye flight out with her and fly back on Sunday.

“You wanna fly out with me tonight?” he asked, coming to the table to join her.

“Rafi you don't have to come, it's fine my flight is booked for tonight, I'm gonna stay the week while they monitor her and then I'll be back,” she smiled. “I'm just worried, I've never seen Lila so nervous and upset. She was there for me, I wanna be there for her now.”

“And I wanna be there for Roxie,” he replied softly. “She’s my friend, I’m worried. I can fly back on Sunday, it’s fine.” Rafael pulled out his phone. “Which flight are you on?” he asked.

“The 12:30 flight tonight,” she said softly. “I'm at gate G,” she rubbed his back and smiled at him.

He nodded, checking for empty seats on her flight and luckily finding one.

“Okay, we’ll head to the airport around nine,” he said, setting his phone down after he’d booked his seat and reaching for some sushi rolls. “You’re gonna come back, right?” he asked softly, looking at her as he ate a lobster roll.

“I would never leave without telling you,” she said honestly. “And I like New York. If I was ever gonna move anywhere, it would be back to Vegas. Not London.” She kissed his cheek. “I'm staying with my big brother...and eventually, I'll get to know my big sister too,” she said softly with a hesitant smile. She was trying to stay positive with the entire situation.

He smirked softly at her, nodding his head.

“You will,” he answering “I know today was...hard, but I’m sure that once she gets over the initial shock, she’ll realize that the three of us are all we have,” he added.

“She has a family, she doesn't need me. I don't even think she liked me that much when I was their maid.” She sighed and rubbed a hand over her face.

“That’s not true,” he whispered, shaking his head. “She just needs time,” he added. “Pretty soon she’ll realize that you’ve done nothing wrong...and even if she doesn’t, I’m not going anywhere. Our relationship means so much to me.”

“Really? And what if she wants nothing to do with me? What if she hates me suddenly? What if she insists on never seeing me again?”

“Then that’s her problem,” he replied. “She’s the one that will miss out. But she doesn’t hate you, I think she was just caught off guard.”

“Because I've been lying to her for nearly a year now…” she whispered.

“Iz, don’t beat yourself up,” he whispered, shaking his head. “She’ll come around, I promise you.”

“No she won't,” she whispered back but shrugged, picking up a picture she had taken of her and Lila. She smiled softly at it.

He frowned, looking at her with gentle eyes and reaching for her hand, which he gripped firmly in his.

“You know I’m on your side, right?” he asked. “You're still my sister, and I love you.”

She gave a slow nod, “Yeah,” she whispered with a trembling bottom lip as she tried not to cry again. He moved to being her into a hug, squeezing her tightly to him.

“It’s gonna be okay, I promise.”

She gave a slow nod and went to the other room to begin packing her things. She made it all the way into her room and shut the door before she started to cry.

“The food is amazing her,” Amber smiled warmly at Omar as she sipped her wine and took another bite of her salmon. “How was work?”

“Fine, everything’s falling into place just like we planned. You? How’s The Times treating you?” he asked.

“Boring, it's incredibly boring but no one's shooting at me and that's a nice change,” she giggled and sipped her wine again. “Now that Felicity is clean, I'm gonna try and mend some fences with her…” she said seriously. “I'd like my baby sister in my life. My brothers and my parents will never come around, but Felicity and I stuck together.”

“I think it’ll be good for you guys to reconnect,” he mumbled.

Just then, a woman somewhere in the restaurant began to sing loudly, earning the attention of all the other diners.

You're just too good to be true, I can't take my eyes off you. You'd be like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much.

“Jesus,” Amber mumbled in a hushed voice as she glanced up, moving her gaze back to her food.

At long last love has arrived, And I thank God I'm alive. You're just too good to be true. Can't take my eyes off you.

Omar smirked as a waiter began to sing as well, watching Amber carefully as she too looked for the source of the new acapella singer.

Pardon the way that I stare. There's nothing else to compare. The sight of you leaves me weak, There are no words left to speak.

“What the hell?” Amber whispered, mouth full of green beans as she chewed while watching the two vocalist.

“Looks like a flash mob,” Omar mused.

“In this restaurant?”

But if you feel like I feel, Please let me know that is real. You're just too good to be true, I can't take my eyes off you.

For the chorus, the whole restaurant seemed to chime in, some of them singing the instrumental parts, and the others sang the lyrics that followed.

I love you baby, And if it's quite all right, I need you baby, To warm the lonely nights, I love you baby. Trust in me when I say...

As the crowd sang and moved around them, their waiter brought a slice of cheesecake and set it down in front of Amber. There, wedged into the top of the slice was a simple white gold band with a single diamond in the top.

Oh pretty baby, Don't bring me down I pray. Oh pretty baby, Now that I've found you stay, And let me love you, baby. Let me love you...

Omar got down on one knee beside the table, looking up at Amber expectantly.

“So...Amber Woods, will you marry me?” he asked.

Amber looked around, stunned and not sure what to do for a moment.

She looked down at him and then back to the other people, taking another deep breath. He arched a brow at her, waiting for her to say something. Literally anything at this point would be acceptable.

“Are you kidding me?” he mumbled when she still said nothing.

She shut her eyes for a long moment, blocking out everyone around them as she knelt down too and pressed her forehead against his. She wanted her yes to be a private moment.

“Yes,” she whispered so only he could hear. “Yes, Omar, I'll marry you.”

He smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger, kissing her deeply, and there was another millisecond of silence before the crowd began to sing all together again.

I love you baby, And if it's quite all right, I need you baby, To warm the lonely nights. I love you baby.

Omar chuckled, pulling Amber to stand and hugged her tightly as the flash mob resumed around them. She looked around at the impromptu performers and turned back to him. She didn't like all the attention, but she just pressed her nose to Omar's neck and snuggled in closer to him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked her once the song had ended, and everyone went back to eating or waiting on their tables, as if none of it had just happened.

“I'm not great with attention on me,” she chuckled nervously as she pulled him closer. “And I'm just so happy, I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. “You’re a journalist, isn’t your job to have people pay attention to you?” he asked in a chuckle as they sat down again.

She shook her head. “I'm a paper journalist, no faces no real recognition except for a name.”

“Still people gotta pay attention to you to get your scoop,” he replied. “But I know what you mean. Sorry...I thought you’d like it.” He shrugged softly. “At the very least, I figured you’d think it was hilarious.”

“I loved it, I loved that you put so much thought into it,” she whispered. “I love you, Omar.” She looked down at her ring and smiled up at him. “I can't wait to be your wife.”

He grinned back at her, and winked before they finished up their meal.

Nevada had gotten up to go to the vending machine across the hall, looking over his shoulder at you every few seconds to see if you were still sleeping. Coming back into your room with a bag of Cheetos, he sat in his chair again as a nurse came in to check on you.

“She doing okay?” he asked, looking over at her.

“She's doing much better,” the nurse said with a gentle smile. “I think that you may be able to go home soon.”

The babies wailed in their bassinets and the nurse smiled, picking NJ up and setting him in the crib with Fiona. The babies curled against each other's warmth, quieting down. “Twins often just need to be together to calm down,” she said with a warm smile.

“Thanks for the tip,” he said softly, nodding his head and looking her over briefly.

“I can't believe you're a father,” she giggled light heartedly. He smirked a little bit at her, turning slightly in his chair as he tilted his head.

“Why’s that, mami?” he asked softly. “Is it the leather jacket? Not many fathers wear leather?”

“No no, you're just so young and handsome. I dunno, you look like you should be in cologne ads on a motorcycle, not holding babies,” she blushed and looked him over. “Damn, all the hottest ones are always taken.”

His smirk grew and he licked his lips.

“I have a motorcycle,” he mused.

“That's so hot,” she giggled and checked over the babies while she was talking to him, letting him get a very good view of her ass, though he hardly payed attention.

“You ever ride on one?” he inquired, eating another cheeto as he peered into the small bag.

“I've ridden a lot of things but never a motorcycle,” she stepped over to him, taking a cheeto out of the bag and popping it into her mouth as she looked down at him.

“Why’d you steal one of my cheetos?” he asked in a playful tone, smirking up at her and sitting up a little to lean towards her.

“Oops,” she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. He smirked softly, sucking the cheese residue off of his thumb while his eyes stared into hers.

“That wasn’t very nice,” he mused, standing up to look down at her.

“Whatcha gonna do about it?” she whispered and took another cheeto, crunching it playfully in his face. “Yum,” she mumbled and licked her lips.

He smirked again, arching a brow and tilting his head.

“I think somebody needs a spanking,” he replied playfully, holding the bag closer to his chest.

“You wanna do the honors?” she purred.

“Oh mami, I don’t think you could handle me,” he answered, shaking his head.

“You wanna bet?” she purred. “I could rock your world.”

“Hm,” he hummed, looking her over again and smirking.

She trailed her fingers up and down his chest, and he arched a brow, looking down to where her fingers made contact. “Best sex of your life.”

“The last sex of his life,” you said as you tried to sit up. “Where's Amber? Puta, when she gets here I'm gonna have you fired so fast,” you snapped angrily at her.

“She doesn’t mean that,” Nevada said softly to the nurse. “Give me a minute with my wife,” he added, stepping away from her and moving towards you. “Morning sunshine. Como te siente?”

You stare at him with an irritated look. “Don't sunshine me. If you had been eating cheetos off her naked body it would have been less sexual.”

“What are you talking about? I was just talking to her,” he replied, furrowing his brows. “ I can’t control what she says,” he added.

“Do you honestly not get why I'm upset about what I just heard?” You sighed. “You can't handle me Mami,” you say in your best Nevada impression.

“What’s so bad about that?” he answered, shrugging one shoulder. “I didn’t do anything.”

You sighed, “Nevermind, just nevermind.”

You closed your eyes. He'd said already that he didn't want to constantly have to prove his love to you, which would be understandable if he wasn't flirting with every woman that flirted with him. You felt fat, unattractive, no makeup and now you have another scar on top of the bullet scar. Your insecurities had climbed to an all time high and here he was, flirting with a nurse. You couldn't take it right now, it made you feel so small, so unimportant to him.

#nevada ramirez #rafael barba #trouble in the heights #law and order svu #cuba v dr

[stray-puppiie]

Tag game !!

tagged by @to-a-merrier-world Thanks for the tag :)

1- Name/Nicknames? Name: Call me Sasha Nicknames: sish, sishu

2- Height? 5′ 2″

3- Hogwarts House? Slytherin suprisingly

4- Last Thing Googled? an actor from glee because it turns out she’s in the show Supergirl

5- A fictional character I’d like as a sibling? Oh man just give me all of the voltron paladins please. Or maybe one of the siblings from fire emblem fates like Camilla or Xander, they’re pretty cool

6- How many blankets do I sleep with? 1 or 2 depending on how cold it is

7- Favorite artist/band? At the moment I cannot pick just one....but The 1975 and Jon Bellion are among my favorites

8- How many blogs do I follow?  I think around 300....

9- What do I usually post about? Oh it’s mostly voltron and yuri on ice with some positivity and some random things

10- Do you get asks regularly? nope, they always make me happy though

11- What’s your Aesthetic? It varies but soft things, stars, dogs, blue and holding hands

a - age: smol

b - biggest fear: ahhhhhh i just don’t wanna lose all my friends and be alone

c - current time: 1:08 pm

d - drink you last had: milk

e - every day starts with: me, laying in bed wondering when my motivation will return from war

f - favorite song: it always changes but right now it’s The Good in Me by Jon Bellion

g - ghosts, are they real?: I mean I don’t see why they wouldn’t

h - hometown: somewhere 

i - in love with: dogs 

j - jealous of: talented people

k - killed someone: through laughter, not literally

l - last time you cried: i think yesterday....i don’t remember why

m - middle name: something that starts with an E

n - number of siblings: 2

o - one wish: for all members of the LGBT+ community to have a good life and not have to deal with all this shit from other people

p - person you last called/texted: my ridiculous group chat who are stealing each other’s chicken nuggets

q - questions you’re most asked: “why did you cut your hair?” “how do you like your new school?”

r - reasons to smile: dogs, pretty humans, good friends, my soft boy hunk

s - song last sang: knowing me it was probably the Steven Universe theme 

t - time you woke up: too late for my parents’ liking

u - underwear color: red?

v - vacation destinations: I don’t like vacations believe it or not....but Japan or Hawaii would be cool

w - worst habit: does lack of motivation count?

x - x-rays you’ve had: none, luckily

y - your favorite food: sushi

z - zodiac sign: leo

I tag too many people so imma just tag @hirikosaunders and @myuura

#tag game #thanks fren !! #squid speaks

[alexhughey]

Well, Day 5 (Wednesday) is upon us!

*By this point, I was already getting sad that she would be leaving in just three short days, but man were we making the best of the week together! For breakfast, I made scrambled eggs and we had toast/jelly! We got dressed for the day ahead and made our way out. Boy was it a snowy day. Most college students on spring break went to the beach or somewhere tropical, and Allie came to the Tono Tundra!

*Our first stop for the day was Tono Furusato Village. Here, I made a reservation for us to do a tie-dye bandana project! They warmly greeted us before heading out into the village with the owner, who led dos to the craft center. There is not much English available at this tourist stop, so it was nice to have a guide. He dropped us off at the craft center and introduced us to the teacher. She had everything laid out for us and gave a demonstration on how to do it. The process was definitely different than American tie-dying!

*We used marbles and rubber bands to design the bandana. Then, she dipped it into a boiling yellow pot of water. Next step, rinse it in a cold water bucket. Ring it out. Take off rubber bands and marbles. Rinse it again. While cleaning up, she heated up a couple of irons and we ironed them dry. The entire process barely even took an hour but it was a lot of fun! We were able to take them out the door with us, which was nice! After the craft finished, we finished walking around the village, taking tons of fun snowy pictures! We were frozen solid and hungry after we finished there!

*But before lunch, I wanted to show her Fukusenji Temple. It is one of my favorite tourist things in Tono. It was closed for the winter, but its a guided path up a mountain. There was no one there to stop us...sooooo... I decided we should still walk the path! I told Allie that worst case scenario, we tell the guard or whoever catches us that opps, we are foreigners. Cannot read the Japanese signs! :P Luckily, no one caught us and she got to see everything. I also slipped here on ice and my butt was black and blue for over a week. Painful. haha There was so much snow but ice underneath, making everything super slippery!

*30 minutes later, we finished the trail and were starving! We headed into town for sushi! There is a place in Tono where the owner does $5 or $10 sushi bowls and its delicious. Allie and I both ordered the $5 bowl! Halfway through the meal, two men walked in and spoke english. They are from Pakistan and were very nice, but creepy. One man lived in Tono and owned a bar and the other man lives in Tokyo! They bought our lunch and tried to get us to go to his bar, but we kindly declined.. haha Free lunch though! Yay!

*Our next stop was Tono Tourism Association. This was another good chance for Allie to find souvenirs. She bought a couple items and it was nice to chat with the workers that I know who speak a little english! Brief stop, moving on to the next place!

*Next was Denshoen Park- another popular tourist destination in Tono. Here, I had reservations for us to paint or color some traditional wooden wish pallets. We both chose to color the Kappa. Both turned our super cute! The owners even took pictures of them to use on their website. After the craft, we walked around the village and I did some more history explaining about the different legends associating with Denshoen. This was a fairly quick stop for us since the village is small and the craft didn't take long! 

*Next, we went to Kazenooka which is another souvineer shop as well as a sweet shop! I wanted Allie to try the black sesame ice cream, mean pan, and red bean paste fish! So, we had a dessert stop! All 3 she enjoyed and was a nice rest for us.

*The last two things on our to-do list this day was calligraphy lessons at my apartment with Haruka and Mami. And dinner! After we returned to my apartment, they were there waiting for us! They set out all their supplies and were generous in helping us learn some traditional kanji. We got to write our names, Year of the Rooster, and Dream! All 3 were so challenging and they had to really help us. We bought them little thank you gifts and took them out to dinner for ramen afterwards. It was also good practice for them since they don't get the chance to use english very often. They are also Juniors at Tono High School! It was such a fun evening and we had a bunch of calligraphy papers in a folder they got for us as memories!!

Day 6 coming up!

#Japan #ameica #bestfriend #tourist #Tourism #calligraphy #tono

[dvbermingham]

Chapter 9: Jazu

It was about three in the morning when we got to Tonic. I knew it was on the west side, over by 10th ave, so we drove around for a while until we spotted a few greasy looking inebriates who were walking with a little extra swing in their step, not looking for any trouble, no girls around to impress, too tired from dancing wildly through the night. This was the mid-nineties, mind you, so this kind of thing was just about to get very irritating to a lot of people.

They showed us the way — an old warehouse with no line, no bouncer, no velvet rope, just a light bulb glowing green above a door. Inside, there was a small man inside a small wooden encasement, old and chestnut brown. He looked like a fortune teller at a carnival, and took our money and told us to have fun.

Inside, smoke clouds plumed and collided like volcanic eruptions, formed a haze that swam between and through the purple and green lights. It was a wild atmosphere. The music was spastic, incredible. The kind of music Takuto listened to whenever he had the chance. The drummer led the band, calling out expletives each time one of his bandmates made his ears orgasm. It was a thrill to watch. I was glad to not have to talk anymore.

We walked up to the bar, the man there wearing a leather apron and a bow-tie, knives and strainers and jiggers attached to his apron like weapons and ammo. Matsusaka introduced himself and ordered two scotches neat. The bartender twiddled his mustache to greet us and introduced himself. Whit Bissell is what I heard, and that’s what I chose to believe. He served up the scotches and put out a plate of raw cabbage with a dipping sauce. The scotch burned its way down and we ordered another. Matsuzaka did the talking, while I watched the room. Pure human writhing, sweaty and beautiful. There were people of all ethnicities, all ages, even young boys and girls, dressed up in oversized suits and wing-tip shoes, drinking from rocks glasses and throwing them down, skidding off and slicking the dance floor to give the whole human carousel a slippery twist. No one seemed to care about anything. I finished my scotch and asked for another. For the first time that night I was feeling good.

Then I suddenly felt even better. Across the room I met the eyes of a beautiful creature, a mature woman with hips bursting from her tan high-waisted pants, a ruffled green shirt that looked softer than five-star hotel sheets. Her hair was as red as hot brick, cascading over itself like lava, the kind of hair her parents were baffled at having created, the kind of hair never seen before in the family, like the genes were biding their time, waiting to bestow it when the right person came along. Our gaze was quickly broken. She was dancing with everyone and no one all at once and for forever, her body airborne, her feet never once touching the ground. I wanted to breathe her in, smell every inch of her, let her aroma bewilder my brain. Then there was a tap on my shoulder. “Lou! What the fuck are you looking at?” Matzu handed me my third scotch. “Pay attention, alright? This place is dangerous.”

Dangerous it was indeed. Dangerous for the heart, dangerous for the soul, dangerous for what a woman like that could do to the only body I had. But Matzu was right. I forced my head in different directions, scanning the room for threats. There were quite a few people I would classify as goons or thugs or just generic intimidating security types. Nothing that seemed out of the ordinary, a fair number of Japanese men and women though, the security definitely sushi. What did a place like this have to worry about? What did it hold? Who did it attract?

The hot jazz explosion on stage came to denouement with the drummer executing a long solo that in my sloshy mind turned him into a cartoon octopus. The crowd roared, the band screamed, the cymbals clattered and the kick drums shook and the musicians started backing up as though their leader was about to self-immolate. Two people in the middle of the dance floor fainted, several more threw their drinks in the air, liquid courage showering the room. It felt like New Years Eve.

The drummer fell off his chair in a show of exhaustion, then bounced back up as soon as the clapping turned to a chant, all smiles. He straightened everything, held up his hand to quiet the audience, a call of a new mood. The frenzy came to a hush — soon all you could hear was heavy breathing, giggles, suggestive whispers. The trumpeter started up something slow and blue. The dance floor paired off, the bass showing them the way, slowly. Then the shhhhh of a brush on the ride, more slowly now, dragging the band a half-step back. I scanned the dance floor with hopes to see her again — she was pulling her hair back in an effort to cool off, revealing a thick neck I wanted to explore with the tip of my nose.

She watched as I walked toward her, the sea of dancers separating, my tribe cheering me on. My momentum carried me too far, and I found myself unable to stop my body from crashing into hers. Luckily, a woman of such magnitude had no problem side-stepping my oafish clumsiness, catching me by the arm, spinning me around, and leading the way. We danced for what felt like an eternity. Neither of us spoke, our bodies turning and turning over on each other, the bar and the other dancers having long faded away, leaving only the rhythms and us.

Of course that moment passed, gone forever, a moment I will never get back but am grateful to have had at all. The music kicked into another gear, and I realized I had been away from my post, had left my mark. I severed, but before I could, she pulled me back by my forearm and asked me my name. I said Lou, Lou Mastiff, and she said hers was Vicky Felix. I told her I had to go, that I was working, and I saw no concern on her face, no sense of loss, no pining. I, however, pined. I pined immediately for the dance that just ended. But there she went, away to dance alone again, never losing an inch of that smile, as though knowing something she was sure I would soon know as well.

Matsuzaka watched me the whole way back to the bar. “Sorry I just had to get that out of my system,” I said.

He shook his head. “No worries Lou. It was fun watching. You’re a good dancer.”

“I am?”

“I wish I could dance like that.”

“I could teach you.”

“Unfortunately I’m a little focused on not getting shanked in the alley, so maybe we can push off the dance lessons a few weeks, hm?”

“Right I’m s—“

“While you were over there over there with Miss Hipswivels I’ve been here talking to my new friend Mr. Bissell. He tells me there was quite a scene here a couple weeks ago involving our friend Takuto. Turns out Takuto had a bit of a drug problem. Got him into some trouble with the local dealers I guess.”

“Drugs?”

"The devil’s sushi rice. Colombian short-grain. Brought out his aggressive side. I guess that was enough for Senju to give the okay for him to get taken out. No sense in jeopardizing the whole city of New York for one junkie, right?”

“I never realized,” I said.

“That’s what my new friend Whit here seems to think. And if that’s the case, then we, my friend, are in the clear. Raise a glass. You too Mr. Bissell. A toast to our dearly departed friend Boss Takuto. And to new beginnings. And to New York!”

“To sushi!”

“Here here.”

We drank. Matzu ordered another round and we turned our attention back to the band, which was putting forth glorious noise feasted on by the pack of insatiable hyenas on the dance floor. I tried to pick out Vicky Felix, but she was no where to be found. I told them I’d be right back and went to go look. As I moved through the frenzy I got the feeling again, the same one that I got in the alley outside Takuto’s apartment, that same feeling that came too late, after he had already been cut up and left for dead. I glanced to the perimeter of the room and the guards had shifted, and multiplied. Some were in among the dancers, others were moving in groups of two and three. I turned to the bar. Neither Whit nor Matzu were there, just a couple of jazz freaks trying to get a round of drinks. That’s when I felt a hand on my shoulder, a pistol in my side. Turn around sir, I heard him say. And don’t make a scene.

I was sandwiched between two Japanese men with long hair and black suits. They moved me through the crowd with ease. The trumpeter and I made eye contact and he blew a little harder. I tried to swivel my head one last time to see if Ms. Felix was anywhere near by and got a nice clock in the spine for it. Keep moving, buddy, he said, jamming the pistol deeper into my kidney.

I was relieved to find no aquatic themes in the back room of the club. There were no decorations at all, just exposed pipes, uneven floors, ceiling rot, peeled paint. The metal chair bolted to the floor had little metal jags on the corners which tore my clothes as my body absorbed the alternating slaps and punches and the occasional stomp. The slaps actually hurt more than the punches. With this mass my body can absorb any number of direct blows, but something about the tautness of my skin, maybe due to being overworked trying to retain all the blubbery bits inside of me, it’s a little more sensitive than most other parts of my body. This guy, the slapper, seemed a well-practiced skin-stinger. Still, years of taking beatings gave me the ability to dissociate from the pain and the torture of it all so I just kind of coast through and deal with the physical trauma later. As for the psychological trauma, well, I just hope I die before I ever have to deal with that.  

“I’ll tell you whatever you want,” I said, trying to gauge what level of back-rooming we were dealing with here. But they hadn’t asked me anything, didn’t seem to care. Like a classically trained boxer I sat there absorbing everything those henchmen could give me. Then I hit them with some basic trivia, current events or pop culture from decades ago, general knowledge type stuff. This was a tactic I learned years ago from one of my early mentors Don “Loopie” Loper, back in my days as a caddie. When I was starting out, the best way to get into the hired goon industry was through your local caddy program. Loopie told me that when he was getting worked over by a couple of tough guys you wanted to tire out without getting yourself too messed up, just quiz them a little. Nothing too hard. Give them questions they feel like they probably know or used to know once upon a time. It distracts them, makes them feel inadequate, but it won’t enrage them. It’s a subtle defanging that creates self-doubt. Punches will land a little softer after that.

As the one part of my mind took care of the beating-end of business, the other part, the one hiding deep in the brain-bunker, began trying to remember those last few moments between when I walked away from Matzu and when I turned to find him gone. Had I seen anything suspicious? What did Whit Bissell’s face say to me when I slugged back that fourth scotch? Did he smile? Did he glance to the corners of the room?

A while went by — who knows how long. At some point I glanced at my new friends through what I assumed were my swollen eyelids and saw them panting, a little sweaty on the brow, a little hunched over, and I decided it was about time. I stood up, grabbed them both by their wrists and squeezed. Right there I heard two separate snaps. I held on, squeezed some more. That was another trick Loopie taught me. The old adage “break the wrist, walk away” was for amateurs. Professionals snap the wrist and hold on, they squeeze, grind up those little bird bones into dust. Make the pain so intense and long lasting that your enemies collapse that their whole bodies quake and they wet themselves. Then let go.

Out front the band was packing up. A few people still lingered, flirting with the musicians, sucking back the remaining ice in their highball glasses.  Security had vanished. I let my nose guide me to the smell of fresh city air.

Night was over. The sun was making its way over the horizon, giving the sky a nice peachy preview of the day to come. It was going to be a warm one. High humidity, hazy sky. I tried to catch my breath enough to get walking, seeing as I didn’t want to hang around the club much longer.  That’s when I heard a voice. A woman’s voice. A voice that made my buttocks tingle. I looked over to what appeared to be a small cluster of bikers wearing cut off shirts, long hair, standing around their motorcycles.

“The big bad Mastiff got away,” she said. Now I knew my eyes were swollen, as I saw her figure walk towards me, I was unable to make out a single feature. Instead I smelled a glorious sweet aroma, hers and only hers. “Looks like they did a number on you.”

“I’d say you should see the other guys, but honestly, it’s just two grown man who’ve pissed their pants.”

“You got a ride?”

“I’ll just hail a cab.”

“Nonsense. I’ll take you home.”

We rode without helmets down the empty New York streets, too early for traffic, maybe it was a Sunday.  I felt the air whisk away the dried blood crusts off the corners of my mouth. Vicky took local streets, coasting through red lights, swerving across four lanes and back again, taking her time. I saw the sun cast double in the river as we crossed the bridge headed to Brooklyn. The air smelled different above the streets, closing in on a new borough. I became overwhelmed with emotion, thinking of how I lost Matzu, how I left the tuna, how I might be 0-8, or is it 0-7, I couldn’t remember. The sight of Brooklyn made me wonder how much of the world was really out there for me to explore, and what exactly was holding me back.

We pulled up to a big building on Atlantic ave, across the street from some Lebanese grocers. It was an old concrete thing with the words Ex-Lax carved into stone above the entryway. She said it was the old factory, or one of them, she didn’t know. When we got inside she told me to flop down on the couch while she runs a bath. There was nothing I wanted more than a nice flop, and she knew it. She could tell that’s what I needed, knowing me only a couple hours. I knew I had found someone special.

[localfreshies]

New Post has been published on Local Freshies | Be a local wherever you go

New Post has been published on https://localfreshies.com/sierra-at-tahoe-resort-travel-guide/

Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort Travel Guide

What makes a ski resort great? Is it the lift network? Deep snow? Terrain? No matter how you stack it up, Sierra-at-Tahoe should be on your must ski/snowboard list when visiting the south shore of Lake Tahoe. We might be a bit biased, but there’s a reason we call this resort our “happy place” & go to spot to hit on a powder day.

Sierra-at-Tahoe – A Truly Hidden Gem

Why we love Sierra-at-Tahoe… instead of shutting down they delayed their closing day so that all of us could enjoy blower powder

Kirkwood is known the world over for its steep n’ deep while Squaw Valley is legendary for those wanting to get after it. Everything about Sierra-at-Tahoe… is secretive. A true “Locals” spot. It wasn’t until a friend gave us a personal guided tour of the resort did I realize what this place had to offer. From a terrain perspective, almost 1,500 of the 2,000 acres are hidden in the trees. From the eyes of a foodie, the “stashes” of what they serve are just as concealed. In our Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort travel guide, we’ll reveal a bit of the tasty treats you’ll find and introduce you to what kind of terrain it has to offer. Of course, we’re not going to share all the secret stashes. If you want those tasty tidbits, you’ll have to make friends with a Local & perhaps buy them a barley pop.

Why Some Locals Call It “The Ranch”

Grandview lift offering grand views of Pyramid & Ralston Peaks in the distance

When you’re riding up the Grandview chair, you’ll sometimes hear this place being called “The Ranch”. Why, you ask? Well, back in 1946 when brothers Ray and Floyd Barrett started the resort, they named it the “Sierra Ski Ranch”. Similar to Chicagoan’s calling it Sears Tower versus Willis, there’s many a Local that still go with this moniker.

Sierra Ski Ranch Moves To Its Present Day Location

After the resort was sold to long-time local Vern Sprock in 1953, it was during his tenure in the 1960s that the California Transportation department started to worry about avalanche danger. The ski ranch, where it originally was situated, was on the south side of the American river about a mile farther down the highway from where Sierra-at-Tahoe sits today. In its original location, the terrain was more avalanche prone. So, in 1968, they picked up the resort & moved it to the north side of the American River, up to a higher elevation. This was all spurred by a relocation of Highway 50. For a closer look into the history of the resort and its trail names, be sure to check out our post Legacy: The Origins of Trail Names – Sierra-at-Tahoe

Terrain

Zack Phelan from Snowlife showing us just how good the snow is

While most “serious” skiers & snowboarders overlook this resort, you shouldn’t. Boasting an annual snowfall of 480 inches and 2,000 vertical feet of fall-line skiing laid out over 2,000 acres, it’s one of the larger resorts in Lake Tahoe. And if you’re a tree skier, due to the loggers of days-gone-by saving the old-growth red fir trees and chopping down all the other species, you’ll have a vast playground to play. As a Local once told us, “It feels like they strategically placed the trees a perfect distance apart.”

Experts

Where Sierra-at-Tahoe lacks in huge open faces like Kirkwood or Squaw Valley, it’s replaced with what we like to call “Kootenay pillows”. Sierra-at-Tahoe’s terrain can be considered “Boulder-tastic” to say the least. With an absence of dirt & abundance of rock, once the snow is deep, these rocks become pillows to blast over. Trails under Grandview like Dynamite & Preacher’s Passion cascade down nearly 1,300 vertical feet. Your legs will be begging for mercy. And for those that can’t live without bowl terrain, head over to Gates 1-5 in Huckleberry Canyon. This lift accessed backcountry zone is filled with cliff bands, steep slopes and an assortment of playful terrain fit for any serious shredder. For those feeling a bit timid but still curious, there are guided tours available for this area.

Intermediates

Bee-line straight over to the West Bowl area. Nearly all the trails that trickle down to this lift are blue square. Powderhorn & Pyramid are a great option for anyone looking for a leisurely run. Wide with plenty of space to negotiate steeper sections, you won’t feel hemmed in. If you’re feeling a bit more confident, try Horsetail if it’s groomed. It has the same fall line but a bit narrower.

Beginners

As the classic song “On Broadway” states, “They say there’s always magic in the air on Broadway.” And that rings true at Sierra-at-Tahoe for people starting on the slopes. Right at the day lodge, the Broadway slope is served by its own quad chair. And once you’re ready to test your limits, head over to the Grandview chair & try out the easy cruisin’ run of Sugar n’ Spice. As you descend the trail & a snowbank appears to the left, stay to the middle or right of the run. Hot shots like to bomb this section and shoot out of the trees between this run & upper Snowshoe.

Best Places To Eat & Drink At Sierra-at-Tahoe

Pour over coffee at a ski resort?

Java Junction – For Early Risers That Want 1st Chair

While Sierra at Tahoe is only 12 miles from South Lake Tahoe, it is a challenging drive since you have to get over Echo Summit especially if there’s active chain controls. Luckily, for those that leave town early, you can enjoy a fresh cup of high-quality pour over coffee inside the main lodge at Java Junction. The employee favorite in the morning is the dirty Chai. The key to it its popularity is the David Rio tiger spice which is way better than the syrup.

Solstice Eatery – Where To Find The Best Food

Of course, you can head back down to South Lake Tahoe and grab a bite to eat at places like Coldwater Brewery or Blue Angel Café. But, there are some tasty, hidden treats you should consider at the resort if you’re looking to fuel up. Inside the unassuming igloo shaped building is the “Solstice Eatery” featuring some of the best food you’ll find on the slopes anywhere!

Poke Bowl, Banh Mi & Salmon

The Poke Bowl is as good as it looks

Our personal favorite after a long morning of shredding pow is the Poke Bowl. It’s like sushi in a bowl, but even better. The seared tuna, fresh veggies and sticky rice combine for a fresh meal that will leave you full & happy. For those looking for an awesome sandwich, try their Banh Mi with tri-trip. It’s tender, juicy & spicy. Perfection! Feelin’ a bit more extravagant? Grab the salmon noodle dish. A bed of home-made gnocchi style noodles, stir fried veggies and baked salmon covered in a miso paste are something you’d find at a high-end restaurant. It’s so good that you might come up just for lunch and skip the skiing.

Feed The Whole Subaru  

For those heading back to Sacramento or the Bay Area, Sierra-at-Tahoe features a cool concept that we’ve never seen anywhere else. Understanding their market, they provide a takeaway meal so that you can have an amazing hot dinner once you get home without being forced to cook. It also comes with a high-quality bottle of local Zinfandel that’s “Snowmmelier” approved.

The People’s Bartender @ Corkscrew Bar

The Chip Shot – adult version of a “Hot Cocoa”

In addition to the killer food inside this igloo, there’s the Corkscrew Bar featuring what they call the “People’s Bartender” – Tony Dove. After 15 years of surfing in Costa Rica, he came back to “catch the winter wave”. As soon as he saw this bar, he was sold & has been here since the beginning. Like any good bartender, Tony serves up cool one-of-a kind drinks like the Chip Shot and the Olympic Colada. The Chip Shot, originally from the Edgewood Golf Club, is like a hot toddy meets hot chocolate meets coffee. A great option for those cold snowy days. The Olympic Colada, on the other hand, is a perfect spring-skiing drink. The 3-layered (red, white & blue) Piña Colada with rum was created to celebrate Sierra’s Olympians in the 2018 winter Olympics.

Bloody Mary As A Meal

If you love Bloody Mary’s and want to make it a meal, head over to the Sierra Pub in the main lodge. This tasty Bloody Mary concoction comes in a BIG glass with a REAL chicken sandwich stacked on top. It might be the most creative idea ever… a full sandwich and a drink?!? The ultimate for any Bloody Mary lover.

As the old adage goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, the same thing is true for Sierra-at-Tahoe. On the surface, it may look like a normal resort. But it’s the secret stashes that make this place our favorite! So, the next time it snows… you know where we’ll be. Sierra-at-Tahoe, here we come!

[vacationsoup]

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/why-panama-city-beach-should-be-your-next-vacation-spot/

Why Panama City Beach should be your next vacation spot!

Check out this article from Birmingham, AL Magazine  by Tara Massouleh

  BIRMINGHAM MAGAZINE

Why Panama City Beach should be your next vacation spot

Updated May 14, 12:27 PM; Posted May 14, 11:19 AM

  By Tara [email protected]

On the secluded shores of Shell Island, the calm emerald waters of St. Andrew Bay sparkle under the bright morning sun. The water is clear as crystal–a purple sea urchin is visible three feet below the surface. A quick survey around the area reveals a pair of starfish nearby. Under the sand, live sand dollars make their home.

The quiet lapping of the water against wooden pier legs is punctuated with the occasional distant shriek from children playing a couple hundred yards away. At least three families have met up on Shell Island for a few hours of peaceful fun in the sun. Their smattering of sunscreen bottles, Capri Suns, cold beers, towels, and beach umbrellas provide everything necessary for the perfect beach day. On the island, there are no restrooms, shady pavilions, concession stands, or trashcans–and that’s all by design. The pristine and undeveloped seven-mile barrier island is nestled between St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, meaning you get the best of both worlds–calm bay waters and salty ocean surf–just by crossing the half-mile width of the island.

So where is this mysterious, uninhabited fantasy island? No, it’s not in the Caribbean. Or on the Hawaiian Islands. Shell Island is part of Panama City Beach, just a short pontoon-boat ride from the mainland.

PCB itself is only 4.5 hours from Birmingham. Years ago, the gorgeous beaches of Panama City were known as spring break central to college students across the nation; but today, Panama City Beach is singing a much different tune and going back to its roots as a family-friendly vacation destination with activities and amenities to suit all ages and interests. As part of their efforts to keep the beach both safe and fun, the city announced a law in April of 2015 banning alcohol on the beach for the duration of spring break. Since then, the city has stood behind their decision, and today, no alcohol is allowed on the beach during the month of March (when most colleges have spring break).

“Panama City Beach has been a destination for families since the beginning of time, and the spring time is no different,” says Catie Feeney, public relations manager for Visit Panama City Beach. “We want to send the message that Panama City Beach is a premier destination for families to come visit year-round.”

The city’s new motto, “Real.FUN.Beach,” simplifies what Panama City Beach offers to its visitors of all ages.

GO AND DO

With 27 miles of beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, Panama City Beach is characterized by three main components: sun (an average of 320 days of sun each year), sugar-white sand, and crystal-clear water. And with a year-round average temperature of 74 degrees, Panama City Beach gives new meaning to the phrase “sunny and 75.”

Learn More

The beachfront town was incorporated in 1977. In the early 2000s, the area experienced a major real estate boom, which replaced older homes and motels with high-rise condos and larger homes. In November of 2006, CNN Money named Panama City Beach the No. 1 real estate market in America, a title it held for the next five years. However, even with the boom in real estate, Panama City Beach still has areas that aren’t dominated by high rises. If you prefer a more private beach escape, PCB offers many single-family homes and smaller condo units in addition to larger complexes that offer convenient amenities like large pools, gyms, and complimentary chair and umbrella rentals. And with 100 public beach access points, there are plenty of options for those who prefer to camp, RV, or just come down for the day.

For adventure lovers, activities like parasling, jetskiing, paddle boarding, and banana boat riding are offered right on the shore in many places on the beach, meaning the entire family can hit the beach together, while the thrill-seekers of the bunch get their fix of water sports.

Two state parks, St. Andrews and Camp Helen, bookend PCB and have proven to be some of the most diverse and stunning areas in the entire city. St. Andrews is a popular spot to join a diving excursion in the area Skin Diver Magazine calls the “Wreck Diving Capital of the South.” In addition to incredible wreck sites, Panama City Beach offers an abundance of wildlife, including sea turtles, goliath grouper, and one of the highest concentrations of bottlenose dolphins in the world. Two fishing piers, a jetty, and a boat ramp make St. Andrews a popular fishing destination, as well. On the other end of PCB, Camp Helen State Park is a true ecological wonder that’s bordered by water on three sides. An excellent trail system takes visitors through five distinct ecosystems: mesic flatwoods, scrub oak, basin swamp, depression marsh, and marine unconsolidated substrate.

EAT AND DRINK

With so much to do in Panama City Beach, it’s easy to work up quite the appetite. Luckily, the city offers an array of dining options that range from funky dive bars and quirky breakfast spots to fine dining.

For breakfast, it’ll serve you well to follow the crowds to Thomas Donut & Snack Shop, established in 1971. Join the long line outside the humble shop and wait your turn to choose from a selection of upwards of 30 different donut varieties. The cinnamon sugar buttermilk cake and red velvet go quick, so if you want your pick of the plot, go early. The shop opens at 6 a.m. Other notable items: homemade kolaches, as well as burgers and sandwiches for lunch and dinner.

For another trusted breakfast spot, try Andy’s Flour Power, voted the Best Cafe and Bakery on Panama City Beach. The cheery breakfast/brunch/lunch spot serves up morning classics like omelets, biscuits and gravy, and a massive breakfast burrito. But one item not to miss is the Flour Power French Toast made with thick, country French bread dipped in cinnamon and brown sugar batter. The result is a light and airy toast that is sweet without being overly sugary. If you have the chance to meet owner John Certo (also known as Andy), you’re in for a real treat. The third-generation New York-raised chef is a fast-talker who will have you laughing from the minute you say hello.

For lunch, try out beachfront hotspot Schooners–just don’t be alarmed when beachgoers saddle up to a table with bare sandy feet and are still dripping from a dip in the Gulf. Also known as the “Last Local Beach Club,” Schooners is open from 11 a.m. until the wee hours of the night, with live bands playing often. For lunch or an afternoon snack, their Smoked Tuna Dip and a frozen Pina Colada should do the trick. For a similar laidback lunch experience, a $6 pitcher and the oyster sampler at Dusty’s Oyster Bar also is a good call.

For fine dining, ask any local and they’ll tell you Firefly is the place to go. Don’t let the restaurant’s unassuming location (in a strip mall next to a bowling alley) fool you. The food and service could stand up to any. The restaurant specializes in seafood, steak, and sushi, but be sure to get a bowl of the deliciously-rich She Crab Soup to start.

One of the most exciting things about Panama City Beach that even with its long history as a popular tourist destination, each year it continues to evolve, grow, and offer even more for its visitors. One way the city has done this recently is with specialty festivals giving visitors even more options for things to do off the beach.

UNwineD recently celebrated its second year as Panama City Beach’s premier food and wine event. Each year, eventgoers are treated to a Grand Tasting featuring rows upon rows of booths with craft beer, wine, and spirits from around the world, as well as booths featuring culinary creations from some of Northwest Florida’s best chefs.

Feeney says the festival started as a way to promote the changing dynamics of Panama City Beach’s spring visitor market, but it quickly has become one of the city’s most popular events, selling out the Grand Tasting both years.

“Inviting young professionals, and even later winter residents, to an elegant food and wine festival was the perfect way to diversify our event schedule, as well as provide an event that our visitors may not be able to experience in another destination,” Feeney says. “The weather and setting in the springtime set for a perfect backdrop to this event, and our partnership with Southern Living truly elevated the exposure of the destination.”

During this year’s festival, held March 23-24, the Southern Living-hosted Biscuit & Jam Kickoff Party provided a classy start to the weekend with craft cocktails, elevated Southern coastal hors d’oeuvres from Firefly, and beautiful lounging spaces in true garden party form. The weekend closed out with a concert at Aaron Bessant Park featuring none other than Birmingham boys, St. Paul & the Broken Bones.

More musical talent came to Panama City Beach at the end of April with the first annual Sand Jam music festival. Similar to Gulf Shores’ Hangout festival, Sand Jam features three days of musical acts right on the sugar white sand beaches. This year’s headliners included Incubus, Sublime, and Fitz and the Tantrums. The new festival is just one of Panama City Beach’s latest additions and the tip of the iceberg of reasons to move PCB to the top of your beach bucket list. For first timers and loyal visitors alike, there’s always something new to explore in Panama City Beach–you just have to know where to go.

For more information, visit visitpanamacitybeach.com.

#PanamaCityBeachFLUSA #VacationInPanamaCityBeachFLUSA #VacationSoup

[sailor-kaiju]

Who needs asks? GET TO KNOW ME.

I’m just filling it out like we use to do BACK IN THE OLD DAYS...

1. Full Name: Terra Lowansa Necessary. 

2. Zodiac Sign  Cancer, but like...a few hours from being a Leo. 

3. 3 Fears: Aliens, submarines, and crushing loneliness (which luckily I do not deal with rn. But it scares me).

4. 3 Things I love: My loved ones, my pets, dandelions

5. How tall am I: 5′5″

6. Favorite Quote “Go, then. There are other worlds than these.” Is up there. But man idk off the top of my head.

7. Eye Color: they shift around this sorta blue-green-gray color.

8. Meaning behind URL: “I thought this was awesome in 9th grade and now I’m stuck with it forever.”

9. Tattoos and piercings I have/want: 

Have: that quote from #6 and key on my foot, the Pleiades (subaru) on my knee (I tattooed that one on myself!), Sailor Moon bows on the back of my thighs, an artmadillo and the quote “The point of living is to live” from Stand on the horizon by Franz Ferdinand on my right inner wrist, anbu symbol on my left neck, and Axel’s chakram on my right shoulder. I love nerd tattoos. I also have a dermal under my left eye, two holes in each lobe, and an industrial.

I want a UFO tattoo, a tattoo of california poppies and joshua trees, a memorial tattoo for a dear friend, some matching tattoos with some people....I want a lot.

10. How long does it take me to get ready in the morning: Depends on the morning. Anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours.

11. Can I sing/play an instrument: I use to play cello.

12. Favorite season: Fall.

13. Favorite band/artist: Franz Ferdinand and The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

14. Favorite song: The Lighting Strikes by Snow Patrol, Parallel Universe by RHCP 

15. My birthday: July 22nd 

16. Where do I live: Denver

17. What age do people think I am: ????? Not 30. Most people seem to think I’m younger.

18. What I look for in a guy: Eye Candy.

19. What I hate most about myself: Bite me.

20. What I love most about myself:  I do stuff.

21. What am I currently listening to: Bill Nye Saves the World.

22. Have you ever like someone and not told them: Yeah but I try not to anymore.  

23. My pets: I have 5 cats, and 1 doggo.  They’re all wonderful and stupid nuggets.

24. Any scars:Nothing dramatic, mainly cat scratches and little burns.

25. My nickname: Te. 

26. What I wanted to be when I was younger: A marine biologist which is hilarious since the deep ocean makes me pee myself now. 

27. Favorite Holiday: Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeen.

28. Where in the world have I been: I have been in most of the continental US except the North Middle and the North East. Bu the only place out of the US is the Bahamas once. 

29. Lock screen and home screen: Candy colored UFO pastel art, and my baby cat Kamui being  derp.

30. What does my room look like: A hot mess. With lots of art up because our house is too small to store it so I look super into myself since my thesis was all self portrait. I have a wall of paintings of myself. In sexy undies.

31. Favorite Food: Sushi.

32. Hair color: Right now, red brown underneath, and bight grass green on top.

33. YouTubers I watch: Dark5, Vsauce, Strange Mysteries, Buzzfeed, In a nutshell...

34. Other social media: I am on IG (penguinfaery and atomicpixies), twitter (atomic-pixies), FB (same), Plurk, and probably some more.

35. My favorite sport: Yuri on Ice.

36. Relationship Status : Happily married for like 4 years (and like 17 together)

37. Night owl or early bird : Closer to night owl but not really either.

38. Other than tumblr, what do I do in my free time: Make art, watch youtube, read, go out and hang out with people and pretend to be a real human being.

39. Hidden talent: I am an encyclopedia of weird shit. Legit.

40. Do I have any siblings: Nope. I almost had two Russian step bros but nope.

41. My favorite accents: South African? Maybe? IDK this isn’t something I spend a lot of time on. 

42. Favorite tv show: Right now, Brooklyn 99 (As in show airing on TV currently)

43. Have I ever been drunk/high:  I cannot get drunk. I have given up.

44. Can I drive: Yes, I do it for a living p much.

45. My dream date: Something involving the beach probably. IDK.  

46. Can I speak another language: I use to be almost fluent in German.  It’s faded a lot now tho.

47. Favorite season: 5

48. Do I believe in love at first sight: No but I believe you can have an intense connection with someone at first site.

49. Something I can’t live without: My family. 

50. Ever been in love: yes.

#get to know me #meme