#Chris Bay Area Burger

[pico-digital-studios]

Into, Across and Beyond!: Rivals' Madness Song List

DISCLAIMER: This is just the general structure of the concept, and will NOT be becoming a mod under any circumstances.

(Unless mentioned otherwise in the list, Benjamin is the playable character in a stated song. Anything in italics is a song idea original to this concept, and anything different to the originals will be linked.)

Story Mode

Tutorial

2Torial (Sonic the Hedgehog) (from Sonic Legacy/RodentRap)

Lazy Day (Grace vs. Benjamin)

Week 1: Mushroom Kingdom

It's-A Me (Super Horror Mario)

Starman Slaughter (using the old instrumental) (Super Horror Mario, John Dick, Super Horror Peach and Yoshi.exe)

Week 2: Devil's Wasteland

Marble Heights (Flicky vs. Benjamin) (from Blood Moon)

Tombstone (Sonic.exe/Xenophanes vs. Benjamin) (from Blood Moon)

Smoke & Mirrors (Xenophanes vs. Grace) (from RERUN)

Overworld Zone

(All map asset credits go to Askywalker from The Spriters' Resource)

All bold entries are the area's climax boss encounter. For the Sonic side, you only need to beat 3 foes tops in each area to reach the climax boss.

Mario World 1 - Irregularity Isle (Mario Memes and Parodies)

So Cool (Chris Pratt)

Lower Route

Mr. Alopecia (Mark)

Iason Mason (Wega)

Upper Route

Scutterbug (TerminalMontage/Speedrunner Mario) (from FNF: Classified)

Nourishing Blood (Grand Dad)

End Path

MARIO SING AND GAME RYTHM 9 (Somari vs. Pikafriend)

Mario World 2 - Woodland of Lies (Mostly Legacy Creepypastas)

Main Levels

A Former Conclusion

Alone (Beta Luigi)

Terrors in the Woods

Retaliation (IHY Luigi vs. IHY Mario)

I Hate You (IHY Luigi)

Repentance (Music Box Mario/Alice vs. Music Box Luigi) (from SMB: Refunked)

Last Course (Turmoil vs. Galoombafriend)

Victims of Pain

Your Hell ("Luigi" vs. Mario) (Mario World pre-remake)

Victimised (Endgame/Inferno's Victim #1) (from MMNM)

...Again?

Dark Forest (Coronation Day Peach / Forest Demon)

Secret Levels

Move Dem Fingers (Scripulous Fingore) (moving left from the entry point)

Apples of Sin (_____ vs. Peach, Yoshi and Luigi) (Super World post-remake) (moving off the bridge towards "Dark Forest")

Mario World 3 - Content Cosmos (YouTube Plumbers)

Main Songs

Left Route (Marios who are pricks)

Bad Bay (Super Bad Mario)

Day Out (Day Out Mario vs. Boyfriend and Day Out Luigi)

Bloopers (SMG4 Mario) (unlocks "Ssnemodnar Square" upon completion)

Right Route (Marios who are murderous)

Dictator (Secret History Mario)

Rampage (Berserk Mario) (from FNF: Antiverse - VS Mario)

Race Traitors (Racist Mario)

The Last Path

No Hope (Devil Mario)

Secret Songs

Top Secret (Laser Suit Mario) (Mario Mix) (go down from spawn after beating Devil Mario)

Burger (Mario's Restaurant Mario vs. MR Luigi) (clear the Toad House)

Mario World 3.3 - Lovely Levels (optional; Level UP)

Main Songs

Entry Island

Summer-mation (Level UP)

Maze Mayhem (Pac-Man)

Basics (Baldi) (from Baldi's Basics in Funkin')

Arc Welding Island

Mario's Singing Challenge (Level UP Mario)

Friendly Heir (Princess Plum) (Bottom Path)

Vindicta (Mariocraft Magikoopa vs. Benjamin and Wolfie) (Middle Path)

Tumultuary (The Goomba Revolution) (Top Path)

Final Island

Nothing...? (Level UP Luigi / God Mode Luigi)

Planum Descendit (Level DOWN vs. Benjamin, Level UP, Wolfie and Princess Plum)

Secret Songs

Zombified (The Zombies vs. Benjamin, Mario and Toadette) (Move toward the lava pit)

Mario World 3.6 - Ssenmodnar Square (optional; SMG4)

N64 Castle Entrance

Spaghetti Humper (SMG4 Mario Rematch)

Paintings of Plight

Chomp's Out (The Chain Chomp vs. SMG4 and Mario)

Spaghettiria Bite (The FNaF Animatronics vs. Mario)

Fridge Milk (Jeeves vs. Mario, Luigi and Toad)

Trio's Trips (Mario vs. SMG4 vs. Toad) (encapsulates the three main "Trip" videos)

Two Funkin' Friends (X vs. FM)

Splatted Sunset (Meggy vs. Benjamin)

Running (Tari vs. Belle)

Saikosis (Saiko and Kaizo vs. Benjamin)

Arcs of Agony

Rejection Rampage (Waluigi vs. Benjamin, SMG4, Mario and Tari)

Anime Destiny (Meggy (inkling/human) vs. Desti (inkling/angel) vs. Francis)

Genesis of Zero (Zero vs. Benjamin and the SMG4 Gang)

Final Revolution (Niles/Zero vs. Benjamin, SMG0 and Melony)

Mario World 4 - Classified Castle (SM64 CLASSIFIED)

Promotion (Promo Mario / Stanley)

Abandoned (Classified Luigi) (Left Side)

Finished Role (Classified Yoshi) (Right Side)

The End (Costume)

Play Pretend (Promo Luigi vs. Promo Mario vs. Benjamin / Stanley vs. Jim)

Mario World 5 - Ravaged Road (other SM64 content)

Normal Songs

Apparition (The Wario Apparition)

West Path (SimpleFlips ROM Hacking Competition Entries)

Watching (The Toad Circle from "Regular Pasta")

This Way (Eyeless Peach from "Please Come to the Castle")

Loneliness (King Bob-Omb from "The Picture of Bob-Omb Battlefield)

East Path (other foes and legends)

Near-Impact (Rashay from "SM64: Last Impact")

Better Off (M from "sm64.z64") (from FNF Classified)

Thalassophobia (L Is Real Luigi)

EVERY COPY OF SUPER MARIO 64 IS PERSONALISED

Your Copy (Personalised Mario) (from FNF: Classified)

Secret Songs

Revolution (128 Marios) (from Super Funkin' Galaxy)

Mario World 6 - Hellish Heights (Modern-Day Mario Horrors)

Normal Songs

Golden Land (GB)

West Path (Multi-Console Zone)

Blinked (Dais-eye) (from MMNM)

No Party (DJ Hallyboo)

Paranoia (Mr. Virtual)

East Path (NES/SNES Horrors Zone)

Verdant (Ink Bowser vs. Mario and Peach)

Relictus (Sophie (Left Behind) vs. Tankman)

Overdue (Mr. L vs. Pico)

North Path (The Power Star Archives; all from Petrifying Plumbers)

Version Control (Buggy Mario)

Overthrown (Peach_AI vs. Luigi_AI)

Lost Innocence Zone

Power Down (MX vs. Benjamin)

Demise (MX vs. Benjamin and Pico)

Secret Songs

Systemized (X.nes vs. Pico) (move before the transition after Overdue)

Pasta Partners (Mr. L and X.nes vs. Pico) (beat Systemized)

Unbeatable (The Commercial Gang) (beat the game)

Sonic Zone 1 - Dangerous Depths (Sonic CD secrets and official SEGA characters)

Secrets of Sonic CD

Endless (Majin Sonic) (Focus ability from Undying Phoenix is unlocked after this song)

Gotta Go (Batman Sonic)

Kickin' It (MC Sonic)

Alternate Hedgehogs

Waterfall (Ashura vs. Tails)

Chaos (Fleetway Super Sonic)

Phantasm (Fleetway Super Sonic vs. Fleetway Sonic)

Showdown (Terios vs. Benjamin and Sonic)

Schoolhouse (Schoolhouse Sonic) (from Vs. Speed.GIF)

Revival (Extra Life vs. Fleetway Tails)

Peek-a-Boo (Possessed Amy Rose)

Bigger Threats

Barrel'd (The Annoying Barrel vs. Sonic and Tails) (from Vs. Sonic.EXE - Megadrive Mix)

Syndrome (Surge the Tenrec)

Memphis (Mephiles the Dark)

Who will ever feel the sunshine?

Sunshine (Tails Doll)

Soulless (Soulless DX version) (Slasher Tails Doll)

Sonic Zone 2 - Nostalgic Necropolis (Classic EXEs/Sonic Creepypastas)

Retro Pastas Zone

Time Attack (Sonic/Sonic.exe (Ordinary Sonic)) (from RERUN)

Freedom (The SONIC (Chinelin) entities vs. Sonic and Benjamin)

Inside the Walls (Sally Anderson vs. Grace)

Acceptance (Cyber/Genocide City Robotnik)

Last Chance (Zalgo (Sonic2.exe Trilogy) vs. Sonic and Tails)

Bitter Ending (Robotnik vs. Sonic (Sonic 2 Friendship) (This song has two endings depending on the miss count)

Deferment (Blue Pendrive Sonic vs. Skid and Pump) (intended for Legacy)

Retro Killers Zone

God's Will (Bratwurst Sonic.exe)

My New Plaything (Woody.exe / Respiro) (from Toys' Madness Friday)

Nightmare Beginning (Exetior) (from FNF.EXE Trilogy)

God Killer (Exeller (SoH)) (from FNF SoH Round 2)

Phantom Annihilation (Phaton and Talrareth (Shifted Reality))

Retribution (Exruby/Moiraio (The Destiny EXE) vs. Sonic and Benjamin)

EMPTY_ROOM Zone

Subterfuge (2017 X vs. Tails) (from Legacy)

Assurance (2017 X vs. Benjamin)

Sonic Zone 3 - Safety Savestate (Non-Hostile Characters)

A Zone That Is Fun

Milk (Sunky)

Cereal (Sunky and Silly)

Unusual Rivals

Substantial (X-Terion)

Funni (Sonk vs. Skid and Pump)

REROY (Reroy) (from RERUN)

A Raw Jam (Sonic.RAW)

Friendly Beings

Specialities (Roze)

Hedge (Hog)

Warrior (Exester (The Glitch Chaos))

Cutting Room Floor (Unused (Nominal Dingus)) (from Blood Deal)

Make Haste (Hasty)

Sonic Zone 4 - Wacky Whirlwind (New Millennium+ Oddballs and Villains)

Memes and Classics

Personel (Coldsteel)

Too Fest (Sanic) (Executable Entourage version)

Shockwave (XS Sonic) (from Soulless DX: Milk & Cereal DLC)

Sonic Kills You And You Die (Google Maps Sonic.exe) (from RERUN)

Robbery (Rob In) (from Soulless DX: Milk & Cereal DLC)

Silly Parodies

I AM SEGA (Sonic vs. Tails (Sonic Shorts))

Odd Happenings (Oddshow Sonic)

Chilli Dogs (TerminalMontage Sonic / Chillidogs)

Think Fast (The Hues of Metal)

Adaptational Monsters

Twisted (Secret History Tails vs. Benjamin and SH!Sonic) (from RERUN)

Amnesia (Lost Memory Sonic)

Lost Hero (Miles vs. Sonic) (Where Was My Hero...?)

Unleashed (Nazo)

Strange Twists

Post-Mortem (NES Eggman vs. NES Sonic vs. Vinesauce Joel) (from RERUN UST)

Benjamin's Dilemma (BoomBusterBB Sonic.exe)

Sonic Zone 4.5 - Analog Alpine (Analog Horrors and non-EXE terrors)

Love Crafts Zone

Round-A-Bout (Needlem0use Sarah)

Twin Flames (Speedduo64 Sonics)

Lost Cartridge Zone (@jordangaming101)

Initiation (Goldman)

Ardenti Memorias (Sonath)

Ultima Spe (James/Metal Sonic)

The Grieving Zone

Uh Oh! (Demogri)

Haze (Griatos)

Sonic Zone 5 - Bloody Base (Modern Terrors)

Normal Threats Zone

Melting (Melthog)

Fatality (Fatal Error)

No Peace (Crimtake)

Spreading Assimilation (The Shifter)

Below the Depths (Sink)

2sday (Requital vs. Pico) (from Soulless DX: Goalpost DLC)

Other Threats Zone

Stranger Danger (Stranger vs. Skid and Pump)

Hell Reaper (Outbreak Malware Threat vs. Martha Mearest)

Chromatic (Chromophobiac vs. Senpai)

Intermission (Villains X)

Other non-EXEs Zone

Third Party (Piracy Sonic)

Evergreen (End/Returnal/Green Mountain Sonics)

The False Altar

Blackened Sky (Faker / Black Sun) (Faker/Eclipse)

Deathrun (Eclipse)

Sonic Zone 6 - Harrowing "Home" (SonicPC / Soulless Sonic) (all songs from Lord X Wrath except "Vessel")

The Prelude

Vessel (Lord X vs. Alan)

Castle Exterior

Sagas (Lord X)

Broken (Lord X and Alice)

Torment (Lord X)

Desires v2 (Yokubo, the Guardian of Temptation)

Castle Interior

Gatekeepers (Lord X and the Guardians)

Fate (Lord X and Illusion Grace and Pico)

The Grand Finale

Act I: Goalpost in Sight

Ashes to Ashes (Xenophanes vs. Pico)

Like Old Times (?????.??? and Tails Doll vs. Benjamin) (from FNF.EXE Trilogy)

Multi Rounds (SonicClone, MD-X, GenesiX, Corrupthog and FileName0X vs. Grace)

The "Final" Battle

All-Stars (Ultra M, Omega, LG, W4R, Y0SH, WA7X and TO4 vs. Benjamin, Grace and Pico)

fakebaby/RealAdult (No More Innocence vs. Daniel Dearest)

Act II: A Second Chance

Station Square

Carnage (King_Ruthless vs. Benjamin and Pico)

Vista (Chaotix vs. Benjamin and Pico) (from Illegal Instruction)

Deception (Requital (Rematch) vs. Benjamin and Pico)

Burning (Genesγs vs. Benjamin)

Mystic Ruins

Gamebreaker (DX vs. Pico) (from Breaker Bundle)

Recalcitrant (PDS!Curse vs. Benjamin)

Sinful Prayer (Hyper-Accurate vs. Benjamin and Pico) (from RERUN)

Blind Love (Girl vs. Benjamin)

Eye to Eye (Lookalike vs. Benjamin) (beat Blind Love to access)

Final Egg (you can skip straight here if you wish to)

Farming Viper (Caffrin the Gamer Girl vs. Pico and Benjamin)

YOU NEED TO LEAVE

Her World (Luther vs. Benjamin vs. Sarah)

Act III: Benjamin WILL Pass

A Path to Deicide

Tetrabrachial (SL4SH vs. Fatal Error)

Placation (Requital vs. SL4SH and Fatal Error)

Apochronal (Majin Sonic vs. SL4SH and Fatal Error)

The Crystalline Deicide

Omnipresent (Tails Doll, Soul Tails, Exruby/Moiraio, Soul Knuckles, Xenophanes, Soul Eggman, Lord X and Eclipse vs. Benjamin and Pico)

Endgame (Xenophanes, EYX, Devil Tails Doll, Fearful X and Metal.exe vs. Benjamin and Pico (and Grace))

Deicide (Xenophanes and the souls vs. SL4SH, Fatal Error, Requital and Majin Sonic)

Deal... or No MORE Deals?

Cataclysm (Super Horror Mario, Lumpy Touch Mario and Infection Mario vs. Benjamin)

Lost Wonder (Ultra M/Victim #1/Madeline vs. Benjamin, Grace and Pico)

Act IV: The Final Round

Tua Vera Fata (Xenophanes, IHY Luigi, Scorched and Emperor M vs. Madeline, IHY Mario, Hog and Boyfriend)

Triple Appear V2 (MX, Lord X and Mr. L vs. Benjamin, Grace and Pico)

Final Escape (Xenophanes vs. Benjamin, Madeline and the restored victims)

#sonic exe #sonic the hedgehog #spider verse #sth #sonic #sonic fandom #sth au #sonic au #spider man #friday night funkin #fnf mario's madness #vs sonic.exe #mario mix

[elegidos-para-cristo]

Chris' Bay Area Burger These burgers are the hit of my town. All my friends come over every weekend just for these burgers.

#friends #burger #town #bay area #olive oil #bit

[sfarticles]

These destinations are a delight for epicureans

Check out my latest column

Editor’s note: Chris Bartlett, co-founder and co-host of Worth Tasting, contributed to this column.

With the New Year upon us, now is the time to plan those 2024 vacations. Here’s a destination to consider, especially for epicureans, those who are passionate about food and drink and unique culinary experiences.

Where beach meets city, and Bayshore Boulevard hugs Tampa Bay, the neighborhoods of Hyde Park Village and Soho (South of Howard Avenue) in Florida rise high like glittering sapphires. Two sparkling gems, shimmering with fantastic facets of art, culture, Southern hospitality and of course, culinary delights. It is here that comfortable walking shoes could be considered your greatest, easiest and most desirous method of transportation.

From the jaw-dropping Bayshore Estates to beautifully appointed and architecturally crafted bungalows, being on foot between the sleek Epicurean Hotel and Hyde Park Village is essential, if one cares to bathe in the magical coziness of both the inviting exteriors of the private homes and sublime commercial hub that punctuate the streets with sizzle and style.

It takes less than two minutes of moving about Soho and Hyde Park Village to know something special is in the air. Somehow, in an instant, life feels easier and friendlier here. A calming happiness seems to spill into its atmosphere.

The Epicurean Hotel at 1207 S. Howard Ave., https://bit.ly/4aCUJqA, was developed in collaboration with the legendary Bern’s Steak House across the street. The hotel’s food theme prevails throughout the property. Wooden sides of wine crates adorn the walls and ceiling at the wine-themed check-in desk. Of course, I was mesmerized by the sitting areas with bookshelves filled with vintage cookbooks available for sale, with proceeds going to a culinary scholarship fund.

Hundreds of handwritten recipe cards have been turned into a work of art in one of the dining rooms at Elevage. (Courtesy of Stephen Fries)

Hundreds of handwritten recipe cards have been turned into a work of art in one of the dining rooms. The artwork throughout the property conveys one of four food themes: grow, create, imbibe and indulge. Even the light fixtures aside the room numbers are etched with food- and wine-related items.

When people think of resorts, they think of golf, spa and theme park resorts. Think of the Epicurean as a culinary resort, with the “theme park” being the world-famous Bern’s Steak House, right across the street.

Even a Christmas tree follows the culinary theme at the Epicurean. (Courtesy of Chris Bartlett)

Cooking and wine classes as well as meetings take place in the state-of-the-art tiered Epicurean Theatre. The late Bern Laxer strongly believed that in the business of food and wine, one must be a student for life.

Edge, the hotel’s rooftop bar, is the place to be to enjoy craft cocktails, wine, beer and small plates. It’s the perfect location for sunset views and taking in eclectic works of art.

The stunning Lobby Bar features chef inspired plates plus a cocktail program that showcases well-made classics, while highlighting creative signature offerings. The Elevage Burger is a fresh take on the classic with cheddar, bread and butter pickles topped with comeback sauce.

We are told the menus change seasonally; however one foodie-favorite dish remains on the Lobby Bar menu; the Homage to Bern’s (shaved ribeye, caramelized onion, Alpine cheese on focaccia), a nod to the Epicurean’s legendary neighbor, Bern’s Steak House.

At the Epicurean’s wine shop, sommeliers will help you find the most interesting wines, many not available in most wine shops. (Courtesy of Stephen Fries)

Bern’s Fine Wines & Spirits is right off the lobby. How convenient! Bern’s Steak House has accumulated one of the largest, private collections of wines assembled in the world. Sommeliers will help you find the most interesting wines, many not available in most wine shops.

Across from the hotel’s entrance is Chill Bros. Scoop Shop. “At Epicurean, we’re all about food and fun, so we’re thrilled to partner with Chill Bros., whose dedication to quality mixes so sweetly with ours,” said the Epicurean’s general manager, Shawn Routen.

Throughout my stay I was eyeing the featured flavors, Malty Millionaire (velvety vanilla malt ice cream filled with bite size millionaire’s shortbread squares and thick swirls of salted caramel), and Apple Pie (cinnamon vanilla ice cream, homemade apple butter, Granny Smith apples cooked to perfection with brown sugar, flakey homemade pie crust sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.) Which would be your choice? Perhaps both . . . need sampling!

Evangeline, the on-site full-service spa, offers a recipe for relaxation with a delectable variety of treatments. The epicurean theme extends here with treatments such as “Champagne Tub & Table for Two,” “Crushed Cabernet Body Treatment,” “Hot Whiskey Scour Massage,” “Bern’s Bourbon on the Rocks Foot Treatment” and what I indulged in, the ”Dulce Delight Body Wrap,” which began with a coffee salt exfoliant of Arabica bean extract that energizes, exfoliates and soothes dry skin.

Then, a full- body, dark-chocolate mask was applied before I was wrapped in a cocoon enhancing absorption and detoxification. After showering off, a sweet cream milk body massage completed the “feast” for the body.

Dinner at Elevage SOHO Kitchen & Bar, the hotel’s restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch, is headed up by Executive Chef Jonathan Atanacio. As the restaurant website states, “Whether you want to call them epicureans, foodies or gourmands, we’re crafting dining experiences that speak to lovers of life’s great flavors.” We can attest to those flavors with the dinner savored. The pumpkin soup poured tableside incorporated apple, quince, and sage. The pickled beets, served with arugula, feta cheese and cucumber is drizzled with a delicate, red wine vinaigrette. The creative preparation of the roasted Chilean seabass (figs, sunchoke, turnip, pearl onion, apple brown butter) lives up to the quote above with flavors so well-orchestrated.

The Mediterranean Caesar Salad bursts with flavor and color. The Diver Sea Scallops are accompanied with chestnut risotto, kalettes, leeks and just enough tasso butter to tantalize the palate. To top off this epicurean experience, was the Fall Harvest Cobbler (apple, fig, pear, dates, topped with peanut brittle ice cream) and the Flourless Chocolate Brownie adorned with peanut butter swirl ice cream and peanut brittle chocolate sauce. Wine connoisseurs will appreciate the all-encompassing wine list. It is “approachable to the wallet” Atanacio said. Scotch and whiskies number well over 100.

A previous guest described the lobby of the legendary Bern’s Steakhouse as “Harry Potter meets luxury brothel.” (Courtesy of Chris Bartlett)

Eating dinner at Bern’s Steak House is a dining experience like no other. This is a place where the book does not look like the cover . . .  Upon entering, you are taken back in time. A previous guest described the lobby as “Harry Potter meets luxury brothel.”

Caviar lovers will be impressed with the 16 choices. If you can’t find a cut of beef to your liking, you won’t find it anywhere. If beef isn’t your thing, there is poultry and seafood. Steak entrees include French onion soup au gratin, steak house salad, baked potato, onion rings and vegetable tasting of the evening, quite often from Bern’s farm.

Soup Trio (photo: Chris Bartlett)

I upgraded to the Soup Tasting: a trio of French onion, vichyssoise and lobster bisque. The petit filet mignon, the “turf” of the Surf & Turf was cooked to perfection, a treat for me since I rarely eat beef. I thought, if I was going to enjoy a steak, it had to be here. The “surf” was blackened Day Boat scallops.

My dining partner savored the lump crab cake, chock full of tender crab surrounded by a splash of Green Goddess. An entrée of roasted snapper was accompanied by potato puree, Hen-of-the-Woods (mushrooms), and arugula, topped with white truffle beurre blanc.

Oenophiles will be in paradise with an almost 200-page wine list. Bern’s has 500,000-plus bottles and 6,500 unique labels. Guests can also choose from 150 wines by the glass starting at $10 to a $30,000 bottle. The cellar is one of the most respected and largest collections in the world. After dinner, guests are offered a tour of the massive kitchen and wine cellars. We were given a tour of the meat aging room as well.

Peanut Butter Truffle (photo: Chris Bartlett)

And then it was off to the Harry Waugh Dessert Room, one of the most famous and popular aspects of Bern’s. I was in heaven, with more than 50 house-made desserts to choose from with more than 1,000 dessert wines and spirits plus creative, specialty coffee drinks. The dessert room was built as a tribute to Harry Waugh, an internationally known and respected wine connoisseur, director of Chateau Latour and good friend to Laxer. California redwood wine holding tanks were used to create private booths. You have to see it to believe it. I indulged with the banana cheese pie, a banana cream cheese mousse in an almond praline crust with fresh bananas and whipped cream. The recipe, which has not changed, dates to 1956, and was one of Laxer’s favorites. The server didn’t have to talk me into trying the Macadamia Nut Ice Cream. This secret recipe was developed by Laxer. He tested and retested the formula hundreds of times before he was satisfied with the results — a sweet, creamy ice cream with buttered, roasted macadamia nuts. Our other dessert, peanut butter and chocolate, a match made in heaven, shone in the Peanut Butter Truffle (Oreo brownie, crunchy peanut butter, peanut butter mousse, caramel milk chocolate mousse, with a generous scoop of peanut butter fudge swirl ice cream). This dessert extravaganza was the crème de la crème!

Everything about Forbici Modern Italian says welcome, and exudes a European charm, from the casual yet modern space to the fresh approach to the most beloved, Italian classics — think scrumptious, house-made pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and salads. This place has character. And it has super-approachable twists on each of these classics thanks to the vision and understanding of fundamental recipes that Executive Chef Raymond Ortiz applies to the creation of each new dish. In his desire to keep things fresh, Ortiz features six new recipes (a pizza, pasta, protein, salad, sandwich and dessert) monthly both to excite his team and to delight his family of customers. From expertly prepared and served fried calamari to the Cup and Char pizza (dough takes three days to be ready and is cut using special scissors, forbici in Italian), we reveled in one taste sensation after another. Beautifully sauced, steamed mussels — so great we wanted to slurp it. Luscious meatballs that were tender, yet flavor packed. The FGT salad (fried green tomato) left us craving for more, that good, and a creative approach for a salad. The most moist and soft textured Lemon Olive Oil Cake ever swept our taste buds far away to Italy, where dining alfresco is one of life’s richest pleasures. And on that sweet note, we bid Chef Raymond, “ciao” as we made our way onto a day made better from the joy and passion we experienced for food and hospitality at Forbici Modern Italian.

At Forbici, the dough takes 3 days to be ready, and pizza is cut using special scissors, forbici in Italian). (Courtesy of Bartlett)

The most moist and soft textured Lemon Olive Oil Cake topped with seasonal berries and whipped mascarpone topped off lunch at Forbici. (Courtesy of Chris Bartlett)

From The Salty (a must!) for an exquisitely tantalizing donut (think decadence) to Oddfellows Ice Cream (Yes, the flavor combinations are that unusual, but amazing) to Buddy Brew (the coffee roaster has a social mission called “Brew Good, Do Good”).

The Salty, for an exquisitely tantalizing donuts (Courtesy of Stephen Fries)

Hyde Park feels like it has an eternal spring of culinary spots popping up for bites, beverages and specialty treats any time of day. While busily walking both to and from our main meals, we couldn’t help ourselves from stopping by to give at least one thing from each place a try.

Oddfellows Ice Cream, where the flavor combinations are creative and is the perfect treat on a warm day. (Courtesy of Stephen Fries)

The Hyppo, creates an array of super-fresh ice pops using every fruit and flavor imaginable. Not only are they visually bursting with vibrant colors, but your taste buds will thank you for the delectable treat. A culinary-merchandise market stop-by at Fig & Julep (one of the best we’ve ever shopped) proved to be a delight. So worth a visit. They have a remarkable, curated collection of local, regional, and national food products from honey to tea, maple syrup to phenomenal soup blends. Truly something special for any foodie.

Finding ourselves needing something to nosh on between meals, we opted to try a freshly made Caprese Panini at Sweet Sorrento. And while it was exactly what we wanted — tasty and like we’ve had in Italy, it took willpower to forgo the menagerie of homemade Italian desserts that was staring out at us.

Mid-afternoon heat drove us into CineBistro for a showing of the 1980s classic film “Planes, Trains & Automobiles.” The elegant theater, complete with a huge, quintessential lobby bar, and eight cinemas, offers in-seat delivery of everything from their full libations and extensive food menus. This place is classy. A fun, tasty and unique experience.

Needing a break from eating, we found ourselves quickly swept up in all the hubbub going on over at The CandlePour. It’s truly exciting and engaging to experience candle making from the focal point of creating “ones unique essential oil blend” then using it to infuse the scent and final aroma the candle will emit. We cannot express how much fun this was. A do not miss stop.

Interestingly, we found ourselves at Goody Goody (a classic diner and part of Tampa’s culinary history), not once, but three times. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert are all delicious, fresh and plentiful. The flashback theme and servers both give the place a charm and warmth that’s also reminiscent of simpler, happier times, when local, community life meant everything to its people, and gathering at the table fostered good relationships.

With a seemingly endless number of interesting food establishments and diverse restaurants, here are a few that “got away this time” but are high on the list for our next visit. We skipped Bar Taco despite being fans, simply because we’ve enjoyed it before, and in other cities. The Italian Steakhouse, Timpano, was always bustling and had quite the elegant appeal. Since we were already going to Bern’s Steakhouse, it simply was a no-go this time. We were unable to fit in a visit to Haven, the newest member of the Bern’s family, specializing in the concept of crafted, cultured and cellared. From what was mentioned, the menu features fresh, approachable cuisine and a diverse beverage program. The “newish” Meat Market Steakhouse Tampa looks to be very hip and happening with a great crowd, and menu, but we needed one more day in the neighborhood to make it there. The popular On Swann piqued our interest from our first stroll by, with its inviting, minimalist-bistro space. Both the thoughtful lunch and dinner menus would be incredible to eat-our-way-through each subsequent visit.

The sophisticated and delectable looking Ro, with an exquisite, Japanese/Asian menu  featuring sushi, sashimi and Korean BBQ, appears to be where we need to eat on our very next night in the neighborhood.

Stephen Fries, is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 15 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at [email protected] For more information, go to stephenfries.com.

#Epicurean hotel #bern's steakhouse #Hyde Park #culinary travel #Tampa

[rockpaper-scissors]

Chris' Bay Area Burger Recipe In my town, these hamburgers are a hit. Every weekend, all of my friends come over exclusively for these burgers. 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1.5 teaspoons salt, 2 cloves garlic minced, 4 hamburger buns split, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 pound ground beef, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

#olive oil #bit #hit #friends #burgers #burger

[cupnephew99]

The Buzz on Breakfast Sandwiches › Eclectic Chef

The thoughtful White Gables neighborhood through Crescent Homes in Summerville supplies surrounding southerly pleasures consisting of several great Summerville dining establishments. Crescent Homes delivers an widespread checklist of inexpensive properties featuring three-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bath homes, a four-bed, four-bath house, six-foot (5.9 m) or six-foot (1.5 m). This attractive neighborhood featuring brand-new residences along with historic atmosphere is about three miles coming from famous Summerville, South Carolina. Now in its 25th anniversary, we yearned for a way to prolong the past times. With this task we are making an effort to bring past history and brand new take ins to this area.". — Chris Ries, Community Design Hanging in your intestine: It's been a good change since 2012. But that's not how this venture started. Locals of White Gables can relax at their favored restaurants within mins from home. The new function feature brand-new cooking areas, bathrooms, laundry and washing systems; a restaurant-like walk-in refrigerator; new appliances; the meals court of law to be called after a popular black man; and the most recent attribute: the "Avengers" restaurant. As found in this new record, the brand-new home kitchen and laundry are the first bistros in White Gables. Alex’s Restaurant A neighborhood preference since it opened in 1972, Alex’s is a family-style dining establishment. It are going to take place in the little room behind his moms and dads' restaurant in North Bay, as effectively as within a few miles of their residence in the San Fernando Valley. Coming from lunch time and dinner, the restaurant's food selection is composed of club sandwiches, tossed salads, pizza, poultry and fish, tossed salads, and even more. In addition, Alex is offering free of charge food items consisting of seafood and cheese. You’ll enjoy their fresh Buttermilk Pancakes and they are likewise known for breakfast specialties such as Baby Beef Liver, Thick Sliced Fried Bologna Sandwich, Pancakes with Pecans, Flounder, and Hamburger Steak. Their preferred Lunch Specials include Hot Chicken Fried Lunch, a Chicken Chicken Fried Burger/Baked Sandwich, a Chicken Chicken with Peanut Butter and Garlic Burger and a Breakfast Burger along with Bacon, Cheddar Cheese and Tomatoes. Lunch time and dinner things include Baby Beef Liver, Ribeye, Southern Style Steak with onions and gravy, Pork Chops, Fried or Grilled Flounder, home-cooked veggies, and homemade covered and pies. Food has to be prepared in advancement along with a microwave or a microwave assist. If all else stops working, we may consistently decide on up the costs by contacting 1-800-841-2222 or at one-866-939-8333. 78 & Main Street 120 East 5th North Street Summerville, SC 294583 Tel: [phone] Continental Corner Greek Restaurant Yet yet another exciting local area fave, the Continental Corner Greek Restaurant has been serving alright Classical cuisine since 1973 and is understood to patrons as “The Corner”. Located right on the top of midtown North Main Street (the ideal location to eat coming from the inside) at that point the restaurant has a wonderful option of standards and nearby faves.

Appreciate the Mediterranean feel while you revel in the pleasure on their lunch time and dinner food selections. We've acquired a brand new collection of sandwiches at the Kaitouji menu today, but inspect the bagels at the upcoming Kaitouji to be certain to detect the recently baked. Take pleasure in your delicious club sandwiches on the porch deck. The Kaitouji food selection features mixed greens, mixed greens, club sandwiches, edge meals, and breakfast. For lunch time take pleasure in typical appetisers such as Stuffed Grape Vacation, followed through one of the Corner’s delicious Gyros or Salads. We also suggest a Chicken Salad for lunch. ‡Bowl of Rice for morning meal is an off day of the year and it enables our workers to receive a little bonus at the end of the time. ‡Cake and Egg for lunch and treat are excellent to eat at once during the course of the afternoon time for lunch and dessert. There are delicatessens classics as effectively, such as the Dogwood Reuben or Meatless Reuben. The label actually signifies it contains an factor of cheese and is in fact the exact same as Bacon and mayo. You mayn't happen close to making cheese without taking in to account the calories melted. The bacon is as well difficult to get rid of and demands a unique method. As for the cheese, my other half likes a little bit of additional cream cheese. For dinner try the Sliced Lamb Plate, the Plato Plate, or the Aegean Plate. These are the most convenient for me, and are merely all regarding the exact same. I have not attempted one on a specific meal, but there are actually different variants in my preferences, and I've discovered it to be my beloved means to bring everything all together. To complete off, Check it Out is an excellent dish, especially for a easy dinner.

#Handmade Breakfast Sandwich's in Summerville SC #Coffee in Summverville SC #Handmade Donuts in Summerville SC

[soilthumb25]

About IHOP

The gracious White Gables community by Crescent Homes in Summerville provides surrounding southerly pleasures consisting of several fine Summerville dining establishments. Crescent Homes uses an widespread list of economical houses including three-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bath homes, a four-bed, four-bath property, six-foot (5.9 m) or six-foot (1.5 m). The Latest Info Found Here featuring brand-new residences with famous environment is approximately three miles coming from historic Summerville, South Carolina. Now in its 25th anniversary, we yearned for a technique to stretch the past. With this job we are trying to carry record and brand-new experiences to this neighborhood.". — Chris Ries, Community Design Hanging in your gut: It's been a great adjustment since 2012. But that's not how this venture started. Locals of White Gables may relax at their preferred dining establishments within minutes from home. The brand-new function feature brand-new kitchens, shower rooms, laundry and laundry washing devices; a restaurant-like walk-in refrigerator; brand new devices; the food items court to be named after a popular black man; and the latest component: the "Avengers" bistro. As viewed in this brand new record, the new kitchen space and laundry are the first dining establishments in White Gables. Alex’s Restaurant A local area favorite since it opened up in 1972, Alex’s is a family-style bistro. It are going to take spot in the small room responsible for his moms and dads' bistro in North Bay, as properly as within a few kilometers of their home in the San Fernando Valley. Coming from lunch and dinner, the dining establishment's food selection is composed of sandwiches, salads, pizza, chick and fish, mixed greens, and even more. In enhancement, Alex is providing cost-free meals consisting of seafood and cheese. You’ll love their fresh Buttermilk Pancakes and they are additionally understood for morning meal specialties such as Baby Beef Liver, Thick Sliced Fried Bologna Sandwich, Pancakes along with Pecans, Flounder, and Hamburger Steak. Their well-known Lunch Specials include Hot Chicken Fried Lunch, a Chicken Chicken Fried Burger/Baked Sandwich, a Chicken Chicken with Peanut Butter and Garlic Burger and a Breakfast Burger along with Bacon, Cheddar Cheese and Tomatoes.

Lunch time and dinner things include Baby Beef Liver, Ribeye, Southern Style Steak with onions and sauce, Pork Chops, Fried or Grilled Flounder, home-cooked veggies, and homemade pie and pies. Food items has to be prepared in advancement along with a microwave or a microwave support. If all else neglects, we can easily regularly decide on up the costs by getting in touch with 1-800-841-2222 or at one-866-939-8333. 78 & Main Street 120 East 5th North Street Summerville, SC 294583 Tel: [phone] Continental Corner Greek Restaurant However an additional exciting regional favorite, the Continental Corner Greek Restaurant has been serving alright Greek cuisine since 1973 and is known to customers as “The Corner”. Located straight on the best of midtown North Main Street (the ideal area to consume coming from the within) at that point the dining establishment has a terrific variety of standards and neighborhood preferences. Take pleasure in the Mediterranean atmosphere while you savor the delights on their lunch and supper menus. We've got a new collection of sandwiches at the Kaitouji food selection today, but inspect the bagels at the following Kaitouji to be certain to identify the freshly baked. Delight in your mouth watering club sandwiches on the porch deck. The Kaitouji food selection consists of tossed salads, salads, sandwiches, edge foods, and morning meal. For lunch appreciate typical starters such as Stuffed Grape Leave of absence, followed by one of the Corner’s delicious Gyros or Salads. We additionally suggest a Chicken Salad for lunch time. ‡Bowl of Rice for morning meal is an off time of the year and it allows our workers to obtain a little additional at the end of the day. ‡Cake and Egg for lunch and treat are excellent to consume at once throughout the mid-day time for lunch time and pudding. There are deli standards as properly, such as the Dogwood Reuben or Meatless Reuben. The name actually indicates it has an aspect of cheese and is in fact the same as Bacon and mayonnaise. You can easilyn't happen close to developing cheese without taking into profile the fats shed. The bacon is too difficult to get rid of and requires a unique procedure. As for the cheese, my better half likes a little bit of even more lotion cheese. For supper make an effort the Sliced Lamb Plate, the Plato Plate, or the Aegean Plate. These are the most convenient for me, and are merely all regarding the same. I have not tried one on a certain recipe, but there are actually several variations in my faves, and I've found it to be my favored means to deliver everything together. To complete off, the Sliced Lamb Plate is an perfect dish, specifically for a fast dinner.

#Handmade Breakfast Sandwich's in Summerville SC #Coffee in Summverville SC #Handmade Donuts in Summerville SC

[scarfo-and-company]

"These burgers are the hit of my town. All my friends come over every weekend just for these burgers."

#Chris Bay Area Burger #Chris #Bay #Area #Burger

[jennifermosley]

"These burgers are the hit of my town. All my friends come over every weekend just for these burgers."

#Chris Bay Area Burger #Chris #Bay #Area #Burger

[mynameisgoddess]

"These burgers are the hit of my town. All my friends come over every weekend just for these burgers."

#Chris Bay Area Burger #Chris #Bay #Area #Burger

[ashley-branch]

"These burgers are the hit of my town. All my friends come over every weekend just for these burgers."

#Chris Bay Area Burger #Chris #Bay #Area #Burger

[bikeforlife]

Bike Tour Blog

I honestly can’t believe I made it from the Pacific to Atlantic.   This morning I woke up in my own bed for the first time since early February.  Oh my god it felt so good.  If a mattress maker wanted a testimonial, today would definitely be the day to get one from me.   After 45 days straight of being on a bike it feels really good to be home. 

On the first week we made from San Diego to Tucson Arizona.  This section had some significant climbs through places like Alpine CA  and  Pine Valley CA and lots of desert riding in eastern tip of California and the state of Arizona.  We camped in San Dunes CA where ATV’s are very popular and in places like desert view towers that had insane views of the Ko-Pah mountains.   We also slept in a town park in small town in Arizona called Welton.  I did snap my chain in Pine Valley but Tone was right there to help out.  It was also the first time I rode my bike on the interstate and the first time I ever had rode a bike 10 miles straight downhill from the Ko Pah Mountains to Ocatillo California. 

The next few week would take us through New Mexico and the beginning of Texas.  The highlight of this section was the climb through the Gila National Forest on our way to Emory Pass.  This section had absolutely breathtaking views and an abundance of nature.  We climbed to over 8200 feet of elevation at the peak and went through awesome towns like Silver City NM and Hillsboro, NM.  A couple days later we crossed the border into Texas at El Paso. This mammoth state would be approximately 1/3rd of the total miles we would cover.  Many parts of the Us but especially Texas  had recently experience significant weather event with snow, freezing conditions, and a failure of the local power grid.  Fortunately we got to the state about a week after the weather had passed.   

In Eastern Texas a significant portion of our miles would be on US highway 90.  This would feature some awesome small towns like Marathon and Sierra Blanca Texas. The route also had remote areas  of riding where there wouldn’t even be a gas station for 80+ miles.  I found myself having more to think and unwind than at any part of my adult life.   It was also during this stretch that we stayed at some great state parks.  Seminole Canyon State Park and Lost Maples State Park in particular stood out to me.    There is something magical about looking at the stars on a clear night without light pollution.  

Eventually we went through Austin, Texas and I got to reconnect with my friends Jason and Max. After so much time pedaling through remote areas it feels really good to see friends and be in a city.   Austin as a city has grown so much since I was there last.  I ate great food during our off day and found an amazing bike mechanic that help me resolve a derailleur issue that had been lingering since San Diego.  

We would hit a few more state parks on the eastern half of Texas and eventually crossed into Louisiana.  After being in a very dry part of Texas the swamps of Louisiana offered a very different riding experience.  For the most part the terrain was flat and the roads were in good condition.  This part of the tour was special to me because of the amazing friends we made.  During one week we stayed with Mandy in Deritter, LA and Perry in Jackson, LA.  These amazing people took us into their homes and did everything they could to be helpful and make us feel at home.  We were able to take a day off in New Orleans which was awesome.  My friend Chris and his friend Bobby came down from from Jackson Miss and we all got a chance to hang.   It was great to see Chris again after almost a decade of not seeing him.  Hopefully I’ll make it to Mississippi at some point 

The final stretch would have us riding through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.   During this time we met even more incredible hosts.   Kellie/Mason in Bay Saint Louis and Dave/Stacy in Bagdad, Fl were both incredibly kind and generous.  Thank you for everything.  The ride took us through places like Dalphin Island, Alabama.  I never knew there were islands in Alabama . They are absolutely gorgeous.  

We stayed in a couple more awesome state parks in this stretch.   In Bainbridge Georgia we stayed in the east bank campground operated by the army core of engineers.  They gave us a site right by the water and it was a pretty magical experience.  The final section of the tour featured a massive uptick in the number of bugs in these parks.   I found that during camping were almost always under attack from mosquitoes or being visited by either argentine ants, caterpillars , or bees.  Bug spray can help but sometimes you just have to cover every single bit of skin on your body. 

During the final day push to the ocean Tone and I split up.  The original route that we were using had us going through Jacksonville to Saint Augustine Florida. He wanted to stick to the route while  I made a decision to go directly to Jacksonville which was more direct to the Atlantic Ocean.  For me the final day was filled with a range of emotions and thoughts.  Admittedly even 10 years later I still have some anxiety of my past medical condition.  As i’m riding i’m feeling a huge sense of accomplishment and simultaneous release of anxiety/stress. To be able to survive a full coast to coast tour of the United States on a bike is the kind of proof that the only limitations are the ones I place on myself.  I think about my life with Riana over the past 10 years and how fortunate we’ve been to be able to experience living in larger cities, traveling abroad, and getting to start our own business.  

I think about how grateful I am to Tony for doing this tour with me.  I’ve known him for 15 years and he’s always pushed me to do things outside my comfort zone.  From helping me get first passport stamp, to hosting great events, to now riding through the US on a bike.  Particularly on this tour he went above and beyond.  He help me with mechanical issues which i’m not particularly good at, he lead our route navigation almost every day, he found places for us to stay, and helped lead us through all kinds of unique day to day challenges.  

My tour came to a strange end.  I was on my way to stay at my friends Stephanie’s house in jacksonville when I stopped at a convenience store.  When I came out my bike and all of my gear was stolen.  This included my passport, clothes, tent, sleeping bag, paneers, bike tools, food, journal, and more.  I tried my best to look through the neighborhood and called the police but no luck in recovering any of it.  As unfortunate as this situation is, I'm grateful it happened on the final day of the tour just a couple of miles from my friends house.  I won’t let that person take away my memories and diminish the experience.   They are worth infinitely more than the material value of the bike and my belongings.  

As i’ve had a couple of days to relax before going back to work  i’ve been reflecting on the experience more.  I absolutely would recommend doing something like this to anyone I know for a few reasons.   It’s a great way to decompress.  You have time to actively think and it helps your focus significantly.  The riding is tough but manageable.  I only rode my bike on a couple training rides beforehand.  I was also asked a ton of questions from people about my experience. So I wanted to answer them one by one below.  

What did you eat?  

Being a vegan on a bike tour has its challenges.  I ate a lot of clif bars, peanut butter banana burritos, trail mix, , Fritos chips, subway Veggie Delights without cheese and Impossible burgers from Burger Kings.   Honestly a lot of days on tour it was challenging to find vegan friendly dishes.  Thankfully our hosts made some really nice home cooked vegan meals and every large city we visited had great vegan options.  

Where did you sleep?  

It was a mix of hotels, backyards , rv parks, state parks, town parks , and then random wild camping.   On nights where it was too cold to camp we opted for hotel most of the time.  

What gear did you have?    This was my packing list before the bike was stolen. 

Tools Bag

Park tool Allen key Hand pump Kevlar spoke Back up derailleur  Baby wipes Chain scrubber Degreaser Spare tube x2 3 tire lever adjustable wrench Poncho Hand warmer Head lamp

Food Bag Varies but generally 3 portable camp meals  Clif bars 

Back paneer 1

Extra water plastic jug - Nalgene Sleeping bag (40 degrees) Sleeping bag liner. (10-15 degree etc) Micro fiber Towel Waterproof socks Large winter gloves Small gloves Zip ties

Back paneer 2 Short tech shirts (red and green) Socks (long wool, short cotton Medium wool Blue t shirt

-Toiletries bag

Deodorant dr Bonner liquid and bar soap, bug spray toothbrush toothpaste back up Masks Hand sanitizer

Electronics bag Solar charger Headphone and charger Cell charger Extra water container - 3 liter emergency

Duffle Sleeping pad Wind pants Under armour Long sleeve shirts (grey , black , blue yellow winter Jacket

What was the hardest part?    I suspect every single rider will have a different answer to this .  For me there were two things that probably equally as challenging.  First and foremost there are large portions where people are not wearing masks.  It was very demoralizing to be in situations constantly where people have made a conscious decision to disregard the health of others.  Since the services were so spread out I found myself having to get food from places that have anti mask propaganda on their front door.  

Secondly this tour really taught me that I am more comfortable in cities and around people.  It was charming to spend  days riding our bikes through  farm country in remote roads but eventually it began to wear on me and I found myself crave cities.  Also in cities the percentage of people wearing masks shot up significantly.  

What was your favorite small town?  

I really enjoyed Silver City New Mexico.   It was a quirky mountain with good architecture and really nice people.  There was also a very helpful bike shop, great co-op,  nice motel, and the town was filled with cool art.    

What was the weather like?  

For the most part we had good weather.   I would say were typically 50-60’s during the day on the first half but colder at night.   We were able to avoid some of the extreme weather that hit Texas but still found ourselves that was a little too cold to camp in.    Most of the biggest issue that would we would face would be consistent headwinds.  After a first week full of tailwinds the rest of the tour would almost always deal us 10-25 mph headwinds.   

How many issues did you have with your bike?  

There are always some day to day issues but the most common were flat tires ( I think i had 5 throughout the trip), My front derailleur was a consistent issue.   The fenders on the bike were kind of a pain.   However for an old 80’s bike with an older drive train it held up pretty well.   I would recommend to anyone thinking about touring to consider customizing their bike to their own needs as opposed to buying a brand new touring bike.   There will always be maintenance.    

 How did your body hold up?   

For the most part I wasn’t in a lot of pain on this tour.   Everyone’s body is different.  I found that if I got a majority of my miles during the morning I would do much better.   However on days where we were riding until close to sun down i found myself in a lot of pain near the end of the day.   Most commonly knees, butt, lower back, quads.   Occasionally my hands would be numb on long riding days.   

How long did it take?  

45 days coast to coast.   During that period we took 3 full days off and had a number of short days (30-40 miles).    I’m told that this was a very quick trip as many folks take between 60-70 days to complete this route.  

What would you recommend to someone doing this?  

There are a million things but i’ll try to summarize here.  

If you’re touring with other people try to have honest conversations in advance about things like how many miles you want to shoot for a day.   How early in the morning do you want to start pedaling.   Where you are you comfortable staying.  What kind of timeline you’re under with work?    What food you’re comfortable sharing.   If you’re comfortable deviating off the route to save miles/time.       Ultimately the more you and your riding partners discuss this in advance the less confusion you’ll have day to day.  

With your work I would communicate to co-workers honestly how involved you want to be while away.   Some have traditional jobs that allow them to totally leave work and decompress.  In my case as an entrepreneur I found myself involved on almost daily basis with work.   For me that was comfortable but for others it might take away from their experience.   

I would also make sure that you have a good instinct for eating food even when you’re not hungry.  I had to learn this throughout the tour as my food options were limited with a vegan diet.  

I would recommend that you try to do some level of training in advance.  On my first bike tour I did almost no training and I was in pain almost right away.  On this one I did some cross training and some scheduled rides.  It made all of the difference in the world as far as my day pain levels.   

Would you do it again? 

I don’t personally know if I would do a tour of this length again.   While I enjoyed the experience and the bucket list aspect of it I found myself going through the motions on a lot of days.    I think I would enjoy much more doing a tour of a 7-14 days.   Possibly if I’m ever retired I may feel differently but the looming pressure of my career was a bit hard to get through mentally.   

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Pluralistic, your daily link-dose: 28 Feb 2020

Today's links

Clearview AI's customer database leaks: Sic semper grifter.

The Internet of Anal Things: Recreating Stelarc's "Amplified Body" with an IoT butt-plug.

Oakland's vintage Space Burger/Giant Burger building needs a home! Adopt a googie today.

Fan-made reproduction of the Tower of Terror: Even has a deepfaked Serling.

Drawing the Simpsons with pure CSS: Impractical, but so impressive.

Let's Encrypt issues its billionth cert: 89% of the web is now encrypted.

AI Dungeon Master: A work in progress, for sure.

How to lie with (coronavirus) maps: Lies, damned lies, and epidemiological data-visualizations.

This day in history: 2019, 2015

Colophon: Recent publications, current writing projects, upcoming appearances, current reading

Clearview AI's customer database leaks (permalink)

Clearview is the grifty facial recognition startup that created a database by scraping social media and now offers cops secretive deals on its semi-magic, never-peer-reviewed technology. The company became notorious in January after the NYT did a deep dive into its secretive deals and its weird, Trump-adjascent ex-male-model founder.

(the Times piece was superbly researched but terribly credulous about Clearview's marketing claims)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/technology/clearview-privacy-facial-recognition.html

Yesterday, Clearview warned its customers that it had been hacked and lost its customer database. Today, that customer database was published.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/clearview-ai-fbi-ice-global-law-enforcement

It seems that the NYT weren't the only ones to take Clearview's marketing claims at face value. Its client list includes the DoJ, ICE, Macy's, Walmart, and the NBA. All in all the dump includes more than 2,200 users, including "law enforcement agencies, companies, and individuals around the world."

Included: state AGs, university rent-a-cops, and clients in Saudi Arabia.

"BuzzFeed News authenticated the logs, which list about 2,900 institutions and include details such as the number of log-ins, the number of searches, and the date of the last search."

What does Clearview, a sercurity company, say about this ghastly security breach? "Unfortunately, data breaches are part of life in the 21st century."

Big shrug energy.

"Government agents should not be running our faces against a shadily assembled database of billions of our photos in secret and with no safeguards against abuse," ACLU attorney Nathan Freed Wessler, said to BuzzFeed News.

It is amazing that this needs to be said.

"More than 50 educational institutions across 24 states named in the log. Among them are two high schools."

They are:

Central Montco Technical High School in Pennsylvania

Somerset Berkley Regional High School in Massachusetts

The log also has an entry for Interpol.

The Internet of Anal Things (permalink)

In 1994, the notorious/celebrated electronic artist Stelarc did a performance called "Amplified Body" in which he "controlled robots, cameras and other instruments by tensing and releasing his muscles"

https://web.archive.org/web/20120712181429/https://v2.nl/events/amplified-body

Now, artist/critic Dani Ploeger has revisited Amplified Body with his own performance, which is very similar to Stelarc's, except all the peripherals are controlled by Ploeger tensing and releasing his anal sphincters around a smart butt-plug.

https://www.daniploeger.org/amplified-body

He calls it "B-hind" and it's a ha-ha-only-serious. The buttplug is "an anal electrode with EMG sensor for domestic treatment of faecal incontinence," and the accompanying text is a kind of art-speak parody of IoT biz-speak.

https://we-make-money-not-art.com/b-hind-celebrating-the-internet-of-anal-things

"B-hind offers a unique IoT solution to fully integrate your sphincter muscle in everyday living. The revolutionary anal electrode-powered interface system replaces conventional hand/voice-based interaction, enabling advanced digital control rooted in your body's interior. Celebrating the abject and the grotesque, ‍B‒hind facilitates simple, plug-and-play access to a holistic body experience in the age of networked society."

B-hind was produced in collaboration with V2_, the Lab for the Unstable Media in Rotterdam, and In4Art.

Oakland's vintage Space Burger/Giant Burger building needs a home! (permalink)

Giant Burger was once an East Bay institution, known for its burgers and its gorgeous googie architecture.

https://localwiki.org/oakland/Giant_Burger

One of the very last Giant Burger buildings is now under threat. Though the Telegraph Ave location was rescued in 2015 and converted to a "Space Burger," it's now seeking a new home because it is in the path of the Eastline project.

https://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2015/02/24/space-burger-launches-in-uptown-oakland/

The Oakland Heritage Alliance is hoping someone will rescue and move the building: " Do you have an idea for a new location for this mid-century icon? Please contact [email protected] if you know of an appropriate lot, project, or site, preferably downtown."

(Image CC BY-SA, Our Oakland)

Fan-made reproduction of the Tower of Terror (permalink)

Orangele set out to re-create the Walt Disney World Twilight Zone Tower of Terror elevator loading zone in the entry area to their home theater. He's not only done an impressive re-make of the set, but he's also augmented it with FANTASTIC gimmicks.

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/the-tower-of-terror-theater.365747/

It's not merely that's he's created a rain, thunder and lightning effect outside the patio doors…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QMzN0v4mJQ

Nor has he merely created props like this gimmicked side table that flips over at the press of a button.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY7gQLMnbeA

He's also created HIS OWN ROD SERLING DEEPFAKE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=MIsjYJwOXSU

I kinda seriously love that he left Rod's cigarette in. The Disney version looks…uncanny.

Not shown: "exploding fuse box with simulated smoke and fire, motorized lighted elevator dial, motorized/lighted pressure gauge, video monitor playing Tower of Terror ride sequence seen through the elevator door wrap, motorized "elevator door'"

He notes, "I was once married, but now as a single person, I can do whatever I want, haha. NEVER getting married again."

Drawing the Simpsons with pure CSS (permalink)

Implementing animated Simpsons illustrations in CSS isn't the most practical web-coding demo I've seen, but it's among the most impressive. Bravo, Chris Pattle!

(not shown: the eyes animate and blink!)

https://pattle.github.io/simpsons-in-css/

#bart .head .hair1 { top: 22px; left: 0px; width: 6px; height: 7px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-22deg) skew(-7deg, 51deg); -ms-transform: rotate(-22deg) skew(-7deg, 51deg); transform: rotate(-22deg) skew(-7deg, 51deg); }

I especially love the quick-reference buttons to see the raw CSS. It reminds me of nothing so much as the incredibly complex Logo programs I used to write on my Apple ][+ in the 1980s, drawing very complicated, vector-based sprites and glyphs.

https://github.com/pattle/simpsons-in-css/blob/master/css/bart.css

Most interesting is the way that this modular approach to graphics allows for this kind of simple, in-browser transformation.

Let's Encrypt issues its billionth cert (permalink)

When the AT&T whistleblower Mark Klein walked into EFF's offices in 2005 to reveal that his employers had ordered him to help the NSA spy on the entire internet, it was a bombshell.

https://www.eff.org/tags/mark-klein

The Snowden papers revealed the scope of the surveillance in fine and alarming detail. According to his memoir, Snowden was motivated to blow the whistle when he witnessed then-NSA Director James Clapper lie to Senator Ron Wyden about the Klein matter.

Since that day in 2005, privacy advocates have been fretting about just how EASY it was to spy on the whole internet. So much of that was down to the fact that the net wasn't encrypted by default.

This was especially keen for @EFF. After all, we made our bones by suing the NSA in the 90s and winning the right for civilians to access working cryptography (we did it by establishing that "Code is speech" for the purposes of the First Amendment).

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/04/remembering-case-established-code-speech

Crypto had been legal since 1992, but by Klein's 2005 disclosures, it was still a rarity. 8 years later — at the Snowden moment — the web was STILL mostly plaintext. How could we encrypt the web to save it from mass surveillance?

So in 2014, we joined forces with Mozilla, the University of Michigan and Akamai to create Let's Encrypt, a project to give anyone and everyone free TLS certificates, the key component needed to encrypt the requests your web-server exchanges with your readers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Encrypt

Encrypting the web was an uphill climb: by 2017, Let's Encrypt had issued 100m certificates, tipping the web over so that the majority of traffic (58%) was encrypted. Today, Let's Encrypt has issued ONE BILLION certs, and 81% of pageloads use HTTPS (in the USA, it's 91%)! This is astonishing, bordering on miraculous. If this had been the situation back in 2005, there would have been no NSA mass surveillance.

Even more astonishing: there are only 11 full-timers on the Let's Encrypt team, plus a few outside contractors and part-timers. A group of people who could fit in a minibus managed to encrypt virtually the entire internet.

https://letsencrypt.org/2020/02/27/one-billion-certs.html

There are lots of reasons to factor technology (and technologists) in any plan for social change, but this illustrates one of the primary tactical considerations. "Architecture is Politics" (as Mitch Kapor said when he co-founded EFF), and the architectural choices that small groups of skilled people make can reach all the way around the world.

This kind of breathtaking power is what inspires so many people to become technologists: the force-multiplier effect of networked code can imbue your work with global salience (for good or ill). It's why we should be so glad of the burgeoning tech and ethics movement, from Tech Won't Build It to the Googler Uprising. And it's especially why we should be excited about the proliferation of open syllabi for teaching tech and ethics.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jWIrA8jHz5fYAW4h9CkUD8gKS5V98PDJDymRf8d9vKI/edit#gid=0

It's also the reason I'm so humbled and thrilled when I hear from technologists that their path into the field started with my novel Little Brother, whose message isn't "Tech is terrible," but, "This will all be so great, if we don't screw it up."

https://craphound.com/littlebrother

(and I should probably mention here that the third Little Brother book, Attack Surface, comes out in October and explicitly wrestles with the question of ethics, agency, and allyship in tech).

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250757531

AI Dungeon Master (permalink)

Since 2018, Lara martin has been using machine learning to augment the job of the Dungeon Master, with the goal of someday building a fully autonomous, robotic DM.

https://laramartin.net/

AI Dungeon Master is a blend of ML techniques and "old-fashioned rule-based features" to create a centaur DM that augments a human DM's imagination with the power of ML, natural language processing, and related techniques.

She's co-author of a new paper about the effort, "Story Realization: Expanding Plot Events into Sentences" which "describes a way algorithms to use "events," consisting of a subject, verb, object, and other elements, to make a coherent narrative."

https://aaai.org/Papers/AAAI/2020GB/AAAI-AmmanabroluP.6647.pdf

The system uses training data (plots from Doctor Who, Futurama, and X-Files) to expand text-snippets into plotlines that continue the action. It's a bit of a dancing bear, though, an impressive achievement that's not quite ready for primetime ("We're nowhere close to this being a reality yet").

https://www.wired.com/story/forget-chess-real-challenge-teaching-ai-play-dandd/

This may bring to mind AI Dungeon, the viral GPT-2-generated dungeon crawler from December.

https://aidungeon.io/

As Will Knight writes, "Playing AI Dungeon often feels more like a maddening improv session than a text adventure."

Knight proposes that "AI DM" might be the next big symbolic challenge for machine learning, the 2020s equivalent to "AI Go player" or "AI chess master."

How to lie with (coronavirus) maps (permalink)

The media around the coronavirus outbreak is like a masterclass in the classic "How to Lie With Maps."

https://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo27400568.html

Self-described "cartonerd" Kenneth Field's prescriptions for mapmakers wanting to illustrate the spread of coronavirus is a superb read about data visualization, responsibility, and clarity.

https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/product/mapping/mapping-coronavirus-responsibly/

Both of these images are representing the same data. Look at the map and you might get the impression that coronavirus infections are at high levels across all of China's provinces. Look at the bar-chart and you'll see that it's almost entire Hubei.

Here's a proposed way to represent the same data on a map without misleading people.

Another point that jumped out: stop coloring maps in red!

"We're mapping a human health tragedy that may get way worse before it subsides. Do we really want the map to be screaming bright red? Red can connotate death, still statistically extremely rare for coronavirus."

This day in history (permalink)

#5yrsago Ad-hoc museums of a failing utopia: photos of Soviet shop-windows https://boingboing.net/2015/02/28/ad-hoc-museums-of-a-failing-ut.html

#5yrsago First-hand reports of torture from Homan Square, Chicago PD's "black site" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/27/chicago-abusive-confinment-homan-square

#1yrago EFF's roadmap for a 21st Century antitrust doctrine https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/02/antitrust-enforcement-needs-evolve-21st-century

#1yrago Yet another study shows that the most effective "anti-piracy" strategy is good products at a fair price https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3kg7pv/studies-keep-showing-that-the-best-way-to-stop-piracy-is-to-offer-cheaper-better-alternatives

#1yrago London's awful estate agents are cratering, warning of a "prolonged downturn" in the housing market https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47389160

#1yrago Bad security design made it easy to spy on video from Ring doorbells and insert fake video into their feeds https://web.archive.org/web/20190411195308/https://dojo.bullguard.com/dojo-by-bullguard/blog/ring/

#1yrago Amazon killed Seattle's homelessness-relief tax by threatening not to move into a massive new building, then they canceled the move anyway https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/huge-downtown-seattle-office-space-that-amazon-had-leased-is-reportedly-put-on-market/

#1yrago The "Reputation Management" industry continues to depend on forged legal documents https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20190216/15544941616/pissed-consumer-exposes-new-york-luxury-car-dealers-use-bogus-notarized-letters-to-remove-critical-reviews.shtml

Colophon (permalink)

Today's top sources: Allegra of Oakland Heritage Alliance, Waxy (https://waxy.org/), We Make Money Not Art (https://we-make-money-not-art.com/), Sam Posten (https://twitter.com/Navesink), Slashdot (https://slashdot.org), Kottke (https://kottke.org) and Four Short Links (https://www.oreilly.com/feed/four-short-links).

Hugo nominators! My story "Unauthorized Bread" is eligible in the Novella category and you can read it free on Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-near-future-tale-of-refugees-and-sinister-iot-appliances/

Upcoming appearances:

Canada Reads Kelowna: March 5, 6PM, Kelowna Library, 1380 Ellis Street, with CBC's Sarah Penton https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/cbc-radio-presents-in-conversation-with-cory-doctorow-tickets-96154415445

Currently writing: I just finished a short story, "The Canadian Miracle," for MIT Tech Review. It's a story set in the world of my next novel, "The Lost Cause," a post-GND novel about truth and reconciliation. I'm getting geared up to start work on the novel now, though the timing is going to depend on another pending commission (I've been solicited by an NGO) to write a short story set in the world's prehistory.

Currently reading: Just started Lauren Beukes's forthcoming Afterland: it's Y the Last Man plus plus, and two chapters in, it's amazeballs. Last week, I finished Andrea Bernstein's "American Oligarchs" this week; it's a magnificent history of the Kushner and Trump families, showing how they cheated, stole and lied their way into power. I'm getting really into Anna Weiner's memoir about tech, "Uncanny Valley." I just loaded Matt Stoller's "Goliath" onto my underwater MP3 player and I'm listening to it as I swim laps.

Latest podcast: Gopher: When Adversarial Interoperability Burrowed Under the Gatekeepers' Fortresses: https://craphound.com/podcast/2020/02/24/gopher-when-adversarial-interoperability-burrowed-under-the-gatekeepers-fortresses/

Upcoming books: "Poesy the Monster Slayer" (Jul 2020), a picture book about monsters, bedtime, gender, and kicking ass. Pre-order here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_medium=socialpost&utm_term=na-poesycorypreorder&utm_content=na-preorder-buynow&utm_campaign=9781626723627

(we're having a launch for it in Burbank on July 11 at Dark Delicacies and you can get me AND Poesy to sign it and Dark Del will ship it to the monster kids in your life in time for the release date).

"Attack Surface": The third Little Brother book, Oct 20, 2020.

"Little Brother/Homeland": A reissue omnibus edition with a very special, s00per s33kr1t intro.

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Building the “material foundation” for Sun Myung Moon

Chris Edwards had been recruited at Boonville in the California Bay Area a few months earlier, in the spring of 1975. This was to be his first day fundraising solo.

“We soon piled into the van and headed for another town on the outskirts of the Bay Area after a few more minutes of desperate sleep. It was 6:15 a.m. and we were all terribly tired. I felt drugged. I was exhausted, my hands infected in a dozen places where rose thorns had pierced my fingers. For the past six days I had survived on burger rolls and chocolate milk, cookies and doughnut donations. Suddenly I couldn’t stand it anymore. The exhaustion, the suffering, were unbearable. My feet were covered with red sores from running. My shirt clung to me, glued to my skin from layers of dried sweat. I dropped off to sleep, dreaming of vast baskets of flowers. “Get up, child! Get up! It’s exercise time!”

I began a desperate prayer … to Heavenly Father, begging for forgiveness, thanking him for rescuing me from Satan’s world:

“Heavenly Father, I pray for guidance in this dark hour. Help me to understand why I came this way, what is Your true nature. Give me the knowledge of the Divine Principle, help me to gain this understanding for all phases of my activity in this earthly life. I depend upon You and this Family of Yours. Especially inform and inspire me on these, my first days of flower-selling alone. In our Master’s name I pray. Amen.” …

“Okay, everybody. No spacing out. Get centered and get back into the van. We have to clean up this town the Heavenly way today. Okay. You’ve got five minutes to think and pray for your goals. We’ll pick up our flowers at the train station, then we’ll do it!”

“Do it!” we shouted, now tucked away in the back of the van. Keith poured the chocolate milk, our breakfast, as the group slumped into more silent prayer.

“Who’s got goals?” Carl cried. “Any volunteers?”

“Me! Me!” we replied like first-graders with big answers. Carl called on Keith:

“My goal for the day is to get to know Heavenly Father’s heart better. I’ll chant, pray, and run, and I’ll work to leave everybody with a smile, no matter how negative they are toward me. … Finally, and most important to Heavenly Father, I’m setting my material goal for today at a hundred fifty dollars!”

Everybody patter-clapped, screamed, and shouted. Carl and Keith slammed their hands against the thin metal roof with a crashing sound as the group slapped Keith on the back and shouted, “I’m in-spired!” and “Great—just great!”

Recharged by this mass vitality, I couldn’t wait for my turn.

“Okay, Chris, let’s hear your goals.”

“Well, first I’ll chant, pray, and run. I’ll pray to Heavenly Father before each sale, and I’ll chant especially for spirit world to work through me today. I’ll address the spirit of each buyer directly, chanting to him, ‘Buy these flowers for the Messiah’. This should summon all his ancestors to work through him to make his spirit man buy these roses for Father, Master of the spirit world. As I sell each flower, I will consider it a precious blessing from the Messiah. I promise to use Heavenly Deception to encourage people to buy these blessings no matter how my fallen mind bothers me. I’ll pray to Heavenly Father to repent for my small-mindedness in not deceiving people for Heaven’s good. I will turn Satan against himself!”

The crowd cheered as the van careened around a curve, sending heavenly children flying in a welter of arms and legs. I continued, “Last of all, my material goal for my first solo day is seventy-five dollars.”

The crowd clapped, but I sensed a definite air of disappointment and disapproval. Carl said firmly:

“That’s all great, but I think your material goal is small-minded. You underestimate the power of Heavenly Father, Chris. Shoot for the stars and work like mad, and Heavenly Father will help you succeed. Remember what Father tells us. If you dedicate yourself absolutely, if you think nothing of yourself or your selfish desire, if you forget everything you ever learned and concentrate on God, then not only will Heavenly Father help you. Father’s spirit will be there to bless you and help you work in spirit world. Pay heed to Father. Only he understands the truth. Okay. Get your flowers together, and bring plenty of string and paper to tie and wrap the bunches. At the count of three, out you go. One, two, three!”

Two brothers ripped open the side doors of the van, and a third brother pitched me out. Stunned, standing on the sidewalk, I watched the van fly by. Keith stuck his head out the side window and shouted, “Father be with you!”

“Father be with you,” I murmured. I pricked my finger on a thorn as I shuffled the two large bunches wrapped in newspapers under my arms. Red, white, yellow roses, American beauties, miniatures, babies. All imbued with the magical blessing of our Master, all specially sprinkled with Holy Salt, the same salt blessed by Reverend Moon at his own wedding—the Marriage of the Lamb, when the True Father and the True Mother of the Universe were married in 1960 to fulfill biblical prophecy.

I walked down the street and into a small alleyway, carefully placed my flowers on the ground, and said a special prayer. Then I gathered my flowers together, arranging them so that the most beautiful blooms stood out clearly and the dead ones were carefully hidden, as I had been taught. Pulling myself erect, I straightened my skinny tie and raked through my hair with my fingers.

I ran past the Burger Kings, used-car lots, hardware stores, and the local A&P. I chanted away as I crossed the street, hurrying toward my destination, an industrial park. “Big Boy Metal Works.” Below the sign posted a warning: “Positively No Soliciting!” That meant I’d have to play smart. “Become a Heavenly Guerrilla. We’re carrying our war to the streets,” as Keith had told me so many times. He described these places as “kick-outs.” You had to use your Heavenly Determination to get past the managers and guards. You had to sell as much as possible before the police caught you. There was big money to be made in the factories, according to Family veterans.

Could I do it? If I only had faith…

…

Keith was reading about how we must give up everything to become members of the Family. Listening to him, I realized that everything Reverend Moon decreed was being smoothly accomplished, unbeknownst to countless millions of Americans. He was laying the “material foundation,” gathering up millions of dollars, quietly buying real estate and corporations, lobbying for his various front groups in Washington while converting thousands of young people, young people who were completely dedicated to correcting the world’s ills. Either this was wonderful or it was madness—divine, frightening madness.

I remembered how people in the Family joked about how crazy everybody would think they were if they only knew what Family members actually thought and did with their lives. Think of the words the group used: No More Concepts, You Think Too Much, Your Mind Is Fallen, Heavenly Thinking, The Heavenly Way, Follow Center, and the other slogans that saturated my brain!

I remembered what one Family member once told me about Reverend Moon’s theme several years ago.

“We must become crazy for God.” Yes, that’s what he’d said.

Crazy for God. Father said so, so we must become crazy for God. Crazy. God. God-Crazy. And we are, I thought. We are. And soon the Victory will be won. We—are—becoming—crazy for God. We are becoming—Crazy for God. We are becoming Crazy for God. Yes—that’s it. And no one will understand us—until they become crazy for God, too—

The van whipped around the corner, right rear wheels flying over the sidewalk and down, scattering heavenly children and bundles of paper bags filled with dollar bills neatly banded in hundred-dollar stacks. Soon we were traveling down a long stretch of California highway, facing a glorious sunset which shot red flames across the azure sky. Somebody shouted, “Lookit the sunset!”

“That’s Heavenly Father’s way of thanking us for all the good we’ve done today for Him,” Keith exclaimed. “Thank you, Heavenly Father.”

“Thank you, Heavenly Father,” we echoed.”

______________________________________

extract from: Crazy for God – The nightmare of cult life by ex-Moon disciple Christopher Edwards

Full story HERE

______________________________________

Sun Myung Moon visits Hearst Street, Berkeley, Jan 1, 1976

Boonville’s Japanese origins

Moonwebs by Josh Freed

Life Among the Moonies by Deanna Durham

Mitchell was lucky – he got away from the Unification Church

#Christopher Edwards #Crazy for God #Boonville #FFWPU #Mose Durst #Onni Durst #Unification Church #Sun Myung Moon

[jaymariottisantamonica-blog]

The Lightning Rod of Sports Journalism Explains What on Earth He's Doing In San Francisco

In the lobby of the Twitter building, which is near the Uber building and the Dolby building and a residential tower where $5,500 a month will get you 969 square feet and a parking spot, I visit a gourmet market that makes Saison look like Burger King. I examine a $75 bottle of 2007 Fiorita Brunello, check out a $67 jug of French lavender shampoo, consider a $130 slab of Jamon Iberico Pata Negra ("pure acorn fed Iberian pigs") and settle for a $6 ice cream cone. Then I stroll outside, absorb the glory of a blue-skies-and-71 afternoon, head across Ninth Street ... and have to weave and shake like Steph Curry to avoid a fresh puddle of bubbly urine.

That shower, truth be told, is among many reasons San Francisco is the best place to write in our thrive-or-die republic. It was left by a shouting homeless man whose pants are undone, one of thousands whose blighted survivalism is juxtaposed against the backdrop of the city's new rich. For a writer, this social clash is literary gold. I said as much to my new editor-in-chief at the Examiner — "You should have someone just walking up and down Market Street every day" — and, for a moment, I thought I should be the man for that beat. Who wouldn't want a daily pass to view kid tech wizards getting off trains and striding past the encampments, addicts, and other sad stories? Or, in SoMa and the Mission, watching the homeless hassle the techies as they board, rock-band-style, Silicon Valley shuttle buses to Google and Yahoo and Apple and Facebook?

But I am not here to cover gentrification and other ongoing dramas in the most complex and compelling of American cities. I am here to explore a sports scene that, in a different context, is no less fertile for creative material. After a career intermission that had more to do with catching my breath — roughly 7,000 columns and 1,700 ESPN TV appearances, hundreds of radio shows, 14 Olympic Games, 24 Super Bowls, travel to five continents — than a recklessly reported legal case, I find no greater reward than resuming my commentary in the Bay Area, where the striking beauty and exhilarating mystique are accompanied by what we in the Jay Mariotti Sports Columnist media call great shit.

Last time I had the potential for this much fun, Snoop Dogg was staring me down before an "Around The Horn" taping, saying, "Who do you think you is?"

San Francisco has been the place for flower children, poets, gold-rushers, tech dreamers, drifters, politicos, and reinventists. Now, I dare say, this is the place for sportswriters. In Chicago, a previous stop of 17 years, I often bemoaned lousy owners and bad teams who were in bed with corrupt media, including two baseball franchises that have won one World Series over a collective 203 seasons. Here, the immaculate Giants have won three in five years, a near-impossible run in the sport's subsidy-driven parity era, while giving giddy fans a delightful roster of characters ranging from a Mad Bum to a Buster to a Freak to a scooter-driving hipster to a bitterly departed Panda.

Here, the Warriors play the most exciting basketball on the planet, led by the incomparable Curry, whose swag and splash on the court are matched by his decorum and charity work off it (as His Barackness quickly figured out and glommed onto). Here, the formerly regal 49ers are in a chaotic and cursed freefall, thanks to a front office that (1) allowed internal politics and professional resentment to subvert Jim Harbaugh's ultra-successful reign; (2) chose a curious successor in tongue-tied, unproven Jim Tomsula; (3) absorbed a mass exodus of high-character leaders; and (4) watched helplessly as Chris Borland, my early leader for Sportsman of the Year, prioritized his long-term wellness over his prowess as a 24-year-old linebacker.

Here, the A's remain the quirky darlings whose winning defies reason and whose brilliant, Hollywood-famed GM, Billy Beane, finally may have outmaneuvered himself into a pretzel after trying to win it all last season. Here, the Raiders are at a low point in on-field cred as they threaten to move yet again, which, ideally, would hasten a gutting of the Coliseum — weep, you costumed loons — and lead to a new baseball-only park that restores the beautiful hillside views of yesteryear. Here, you have David Shaw, the coach the 49ers should have hired, mixing football prominence with Stanford's cooler-than-Harvard academic boom. Here, you have a maddening hockey franchise owned by someone who may or may not exist.

#Mariotti #Jay Mariotti

[pinkwerewolfcrown]

Mohegan Sun Pocono Online Casino App

Owned by the Mohegan tribe of Indians, Mohegan Sun Pocono sits just off of I-81 in Wilkes-Barre in northeast PA, west of the Pocono Mountains.

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A bit late to the game applying for Pennsylvania interactive gambling licenses, Mohegan Sun Pocono now has online sports betting and online casino products through the popular UK brand Unibet.

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Mohegan Sun Pocono online gambling overview

Mohegan Sun Pocono applied for all three PA online gambling licenses in Pennsylvania. However, the casino failed to act before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s (PGCB) deadline to receive a package discount of all three license types for $10 million.

As a result, Mohegan Sun shelled out $4 million each for three licenses that give them the ability to offer online slot play, online table games, and online poker. However, the property got a $4 million rebate when it decided to withdraw its online poker application.

Mohegan Sun’s online Unibet Casino and Sportsbook officially launched in Pennsylvania Nov. 15, 2019.

The Unibet retail sportsbook opened at Mohegan Pocono in late September, 2019. Mohegan followed that with another retail Unibet book at their off-track betting (OTB) facility The Downs in Lehigh Valley in early March, which proved unfortunate timing with all PA gaming shutting down temporarily for coronavirus precautions in mid-March.

Mohegan Sun Pocono resort overview

Today the sprawling property known as Mohegan Sun Pocono occupies 400 acres and 82,000 square feet of gaming space. The only possible problem for a gambler at this place is deciding which game to play. The seemingly impossible choice includes more than 2,300 slot machines, more than 90 table games, and an 18-table poker room, plus live and simulcast horse racing.

Guests wishing to stay overnight or longer don’t have to bother leaving the facility to look for accommodations since there is a 268 room, four-star hotel right on the property. In addition, steps away from the gaming action, visitors can take their pick of numerous dining and beverage outlets as well as enjoy such amenities as shopping, swimming, a spa and fitness center, and varied live entertainment.

Mohegan Sun Pocono is easily accessible by car from Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. Complimentary parking is provided for 5,000 vehicles.

Alternatively, there are daily arrivals and departures by bus serving multiple markets. The facility is also less than 10 miles from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre International Airport.

Accommodations

The accommodations for guests wishing to stay at the four-star hotel on the property range from standard rooms to spacious suites. All rooms and suites come with the following amenities:

Plush bedding

Smart TV with bill review and check out accessibility

iPad mini for in-room dining ordering

Working desk area

One or two lounge chairs

The suites also include a coffee maker. All hotel guests also have access to the indoor heated swimming pol, business center, spa, and fitness center.

The standard rooms are fairly small, 328 square feet for a room with one king-size bed or 354 square feet for two queen-size beds. Guests who prefer and don’t mind spending more for larger accommodations can choose a King Suite (484 square feet) or a King or Queen Bay Suite (824 square feet) with a separate bedroom. The Bay Suites also offer an extra sofa bed and 1 ½ bathrooms.

Rates vary depending on the season, day of the week, and demand. Weekday room prices start at about $139 and run over $200/night on Friday and Saturday, except for the winter when prices are substantially less and weekday rooms are usually only $96/night and weekend rooms are about $150.

Hotel packages and alternative options

The following special packages are also available:

Preferred Suites offer

Book a suite for two or more nights and receive 15 percent off.

American Express complimentary room offer

Book a four-night stay at Mohegan Sun Pocono using your American Express card and receive the fourth night free.

Another option is to book accommodations at a nearby hotel. Among the possibilities are these partner hotels:

Woodlands Inn

Holiday Inn Wilkes-Barre East Mountain

Fairfield Inn & Suites

Keep in mind, too, that based on your play, you may also qualify for a discounted or complimentary room at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Dining and entertainment

Regardless of whether you visit Mohegan Sun Pocono just for the day or evening or for overnight or longer, finding a suitable place to eat is never a problem. The numerous food and beverage outlets throughout the property offer everything from a quick snack to an elaborate gourmet meal. The full service dining options include the following:

Bar Louie

Winner of Restaurant Hospitality’s “Concept of Tomorrow,” award, this casual restaurant and bar is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. The menu offers a variety of sandwiches, burgers, and other reasonably priced bar food items. There is live entertainment Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

Bargain seekers can take advantage of a special weekday $8 lunch menu offering both an entrée and a beverage for $8, or for $5 more, get an appetizer too. On Tuesday from 4 p.m. till closing, it is Dollar Burger Night.

Johnny Rockets

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This branch of the popular national chain is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Mohegan Sun Pocono

Pacer’s Clubhouse Restaurant

This restaurant overlooking the harness racing track, features a TV at every table. It is open for dinner on live racing nights.

Rustic Kitchen Bistro and Bar

Rustic Kitchen has an Italian-Mediterranean menu. Guests have a choice of intimate dining in a private corner or grabbing a quick pizza in the Bar Café. The kitchen is open from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday and from 11:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.

Rustic Kitchen is also the setting for a live cooking show called “In the Kitchen” Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. The price is $60-$70, and reservations are required and paid for in advance by calling 1-570-824-6600. Guests are asked to arrive by 6:30 p.m.

Ruth Chris Steakhouse

This popular steakhouse chain is open daily for lunch and dinner with live music Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

Timber Buffet

This 300-seat buffet with displays of tribal history and culture is open daily. Hours of operation, meals, and prices are as follows:

Monday-Wednesday, Friday 11.am.-3 p.m: Lunch $15.99

Thursday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Lunch $15.99

Thursday 4-8 p.m: Dinner $19.99

Sunday 3-8 p.m.: Dinner $19.99

Friday 4-9 p.m.: Dinner $24.99

Sat. 3-9 p.m.: Special Menu

Saturday-Sunday 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Brunch $19.99

Special reduced pricing is available for children age 10 and under.

Ben & Jerry’s

Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Betty & Joe’s

This place is open all day until 11 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 24/7 the rest of the week. Betty & Joe’s s offers coffee and tea (many varieties) and homemade baked goods.

Elixir

This eatery, conveniently located near the hotel lobby, is open Sunday-Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to midnight and Friday and Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.. Starbucks coffee is available anytime. Grab and go breakfast items are offered in the morning, while the limited lunch and dinner menu offers items like sandwiches, salads, chicken fingers, and pizza.

Pearl Sushi Bar

Pearl offers unique martinis and sushi in an intimate, contemporary setting. Drinks are half-priced during Happy Hour, 5-7 p.m.

Wetzel’s Pretzels

This place is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and till 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Winner’s Circle

This eatery, open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday, is the perfect place to take a break from watching the races to grab a burger, hot dog, pizza, chicken fingers, or wings. Each day of the week, there is a different special, such as a slice of pizza for $1 on Sunday and a certain entrée item with fries on other days for $5 or $6.

Wolfgang Puck Express

Orders are placed at the counter and food is delivered to one’s table in a few minutes. Breakfast is served daily 8:30-10:30 a.m. The all-day menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, gourmet pizza, and pasta. Happy Hour is between 6 and 8 p.m. daily, when patrons receive $1 off on all drinks.

Wok 8

This restaurant, open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and till midnight Friday and Saturday, features inexpensive Asian-inspired stir-fry dishes.

There is also no shortage of live entertainment at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Local bands perform every weekend at Bar Louie and at another bar called Breakers. Thursday night is Karaoke Night. The designated Happy Hours are 5-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7-9 p.m. Saturday. All drinks are half price. Sports fans can watch their favorite teams on TV, while poker players will love another added feature at Breakers, the opportunity to play online poker. Breakers stays open till midnight Sunday-Thursday and till 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Additional entertainment options consist of the following:

Big-name performers

Performers such as Tracy Morgan, Montgomery Gentry, The Fray, and KC & the Sunshine Band can be seen at the Keystone Grand Ballroom. In addition, the 8,300 seat Mohegan Sun Arena hosts the home games of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (of the American Hockey League) along with some of the biggest acts in music.

Party on the Patio

Live entertainment and drink specials on the patio Thursday evenings during the summer.

Signature events

Through the Mohegan Sun’s special Signings and Sightings program, guests have the rare opportunity to meet some of their favorite authors, musicians, and reality TV stars.

Casino security

Who can play in the casino?

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board PGCB, rather than the individual casinos and racetracks, has the authority to set the minimum age for gambling in the State of Pennsylvania, which is 21 for casino gambling and 18 for gambling on horse races. Accordingly, at Mohegan Sun Pocono, no one under age 21 is allowed on the casino floor. Minors, accompanied by an adult, are permitted in the racetrack area, but only those age 18 and older are legally allowed to wager.

Security and fairness

All of the 12 currently operating legal brick and mortar casinos in the State of Pennsylvania, including Mohegan Sun Pocono, are subject to the rules and regulations of the PGCB. Mohegan Sun Pocono, like its competitors, is closely monitored to ensure that it acts responsibly in all aspects of its operation and continues to meet this agency’s strict standards for security and fairness.

Casino games

Mohegan Sun Pocono is a full-service casino in every sense of the word. Whether your preferences run to slots, video poker, traditional casino table games, or poker, this is a place where you will have no trouble finding games to your liking. This popular gambling mecca is also a racino, so whenever you feel like taking a break from the slots or tables, additional action and excitement await you with live and simulcast racing.

Slots

If you are a slot player, you will be right in your element at Mohegan Sun Pocono. If you have any problem at all, it will be in deciding what to play first out of more than 2,300 slot machines in denominations ranging from one cent to $100, incorporating the latest cutting edge technology.

This casino offers everything from familiar favorites to the latest variations of these popular games to some of the newest slot machines on the market. All of the Mohegan Sun slot machines use coinless ticket-in and ticket-out technology.

Some of the featured games include:

Monopoly

Hot Shot Progressives

Dragon Spin

Hot Hot 8 Bier Haus

Hot Shot Twin Fire

Playboy Club

88 Fortunes

Grand Dragon

Panda King

Britney Spears

If only the slots paid better

Some slot players complain about the smell of smoke. But judging by the infrequency of such complaints on review sites for this casino compared to other Pennsylvania casinos, Mohegan Sun may be doing a better job keeping the smell of smoke out of the nonsmoking areas of the casino. That is not to say that there is not still room for improvement.

That being said, Mohegan Sun slot players complain vociferously about the machines being too tight. It really doesn’t matter which casino one chooses, though. Slot players are uniformly saying that the slot payouts fall far short of their expectations all across Pennsylvania.

It is not their imagination or a temporary run of bad luck that leads players to say it is tough for a slot player to win in Pennsylvania. It really is tougher than in many other states because the average return to the player (RTP) is only 88-90 percent.

According to the regulations of the PGCB, a Pennsylvania casino would be in compliance with a slot payout of only 85 percent. The average payouts (for all slot machines combined) are better than the minimum at all of the Pennsylvania casinos, but not a whole lot better.

You might improve your chances somewhat by avoiding penny slot machines and playing a higher denomination machine with a better RTP. Also, keep your sessions short. If you are winning, make sure you leave a winner before you give the machine a chance to take back all of your winnings and more. If you are losing, set a limit on your losses and settle for coming back another time when maybe your luck will be better.

Video poker

Video poker players can also choose from many popular varieties. In addition, as an example of the growing trend to offer gaming and non-gaming amenities in the same setting, the Sunburst Bar in the center of the casino offers 33 multi-game video poker machines.

Table games

Mohegan Sun Pocono is home to more than 90 table games, so expect to find not only all of the most frequently played games and different variations of them, but other games that are brand new to you. Your many options include the following:

Blackjack

Roulette

Mini-baccarat

Mississippi stud

Pai gow

Pai gow tiles

Let It Ride

Three card poker

Spanish 21

Big Six

As with slots and video poker, table games players can choose from a wide range of bet sizes. Whatever game you select, be sure to familiarize yourself with the rules and correct playing strategy beforehand.

It is best to avoid American roulette. The combination of both a single and double zero on the wheel raises the house edge to 5.26 percent. You are better off playing single zero only European roulette with a house edge Current sidebar:of 2.70 percent.

Blackjack

Some additional comments are worth noting about blackjack due to its great popularity. For starters, this is a casino that appears to be making an effort to accommodate as many people as possible who want to play this game. Special handicap-accessible blackjack tables are available. Furthermore, low stakes players will be pleased to know that $5 blackjack tables are now being offered 24/7.

Blackjack is a game in which the likelihood of winning depends not just on luck, but on a combination of both luck and the player’s skill. Knowing and applying the correct basic strategy can go a long way towards keeping the house edge on this game to a minimum.

That said, depending on where the game is being played, and sometimes even at different tables in the same casino, the rules can vary considerably, and these rule differences can also make a particular game either easier or harder to beat. Pennsylvania players are fortunate because the rules for blackjack in Pennsylvania casinos, as set by the PGCB, are among the most liberal in the country. Regardless of whether you play at Mohegan Sun Pocono or any other Pennsylvania casino, the blackjack game you will be offered will have these basic rules:

Blackjack pays 3:2

Dealer stands on soft 17

Doubling down permitted on any two cards

Doubling down after splits

Splits up to three hands (except aces)

Late surrender

This game, when played according to correct basic strategy, has a house edge of only about .40 percent. However, different casinos may add one or more optional proposition bets with a higher house edge. Mohegan Sun Pocono offers a bet at their blackjack tables called Blazing 7s, featuring a progressive jackpot.

Blazing 7s Blackjack

Regardless of the amount of the original bet, a bet on Blazing 7s is always for $5. In order to win this bet, at least one of the first three cards dealt to you must be a seven. However, the more sevens you have in your hand, the more you win. Two sevens pay more than one and three, even more than two. The highest payouts occur when the three sevens are colored or suited. If your hand is comprised of three sevens that are all the same color, but different suits, you win 10 percent of the jackpot. However, if the three sevens are suited (three identical cards), you win the entire jackpot.

If you take a third card and go over 21, you bust and lose your regular bet, but the outcome of your Blazing 7s bet is not affected. Therefore, if either or both of your first two cards is a seven, the correct strategy for Blazing 7s is never to stand on your two card total, even if the play is contrary to basic strategy. Always hit or double. With a pair of sevens, hit or split, hoping that your third card will also be a seven. The Blazing 7 payouts are as follows:

Three suited sevens earn 100 percent of jackpot

Three colored sevens 10 percent of jackpot

Any three sevens pays 200 for 1

Two sevens pays 25 for 1

One seven pays 2 for 1

Fusion hybrid games

Mohegan Sun Pocono also offers this alternative way of playing. A single player terminal connects the player at the same time with up to four live table games. There are four colored tabs on the touchscreen, letting you switch back and forth.

A player can wager on up to four games at a time with just the touch of a finger. Having more chances to win adds to the excitement.

Poker

Mohegan Sun Pocono has a separate 18-table poker room, which unlike the rest of the casino, is completely nonsmoking. Amenities include several flat screen TVs and a bar. The cash games include the same varieties that are usually found in today’s poker rooms: Limit and no-limit Texas hold ‘em, Omaha and Omaha hi-lo, and stud. There are a variety of stakes to choose from as well.

Adding to the action and excitement, there are frequently scheduled multi-table and Sit-N-Go tournaments, and a high hand jackpot is paid out three times a day as well. The qualifying time periods for the jackpot are 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 4 p.m.-10 p.m., and 10 p.m.-10 a.m. The player with the best hand during each time period wins the jackpot.

There are two regularly scheduled no-limit hold ‘em tournaments daily, in either a traditional or bounty format, with the first starting at 11 a.m. or noon and the second starting at 7 p.m. The buy-in ranges from $30 to $230.

Sit-N-Go tournaments (SNGs) also run daily, subject to table availability and interest. Buy-ins range from $60 to $250.

From October through December, during the Sunday, Monday, and Thursday night NFL games, the poker room offers a special Pro Football Splash Pot promotion. Every time a team scores a field goal, touchdown, or safety, a lucky table is selected to have $50, $100, or $150, respectively splashed into the pot. If the Philadelphia Eagles or Pittsburgh Steelers are playing, the amount splashed into the pot is doubled.

Racing

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono offers evening live harness racing from mid-March through November. During the month of March, Tuesdays and Saturdays are the only racing days. However, from April through November, live racing takes place most Sundays and Mondays as well as on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Moreover, there is also dailywagering on simulcast races at other tracks. Parking and admission are both free.

Momentum Rewards program

Players who do not already have a Momentum card should pick one up the next time they are in the casino. Membership is completely free and allows you to be rewarded for all of your play, not only at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut as well. Just for signing up, you receive $10 in free slot play, and if you sign up for exclusive email offers, you receive an additional $10.

Every time you play using your card, you earn both Momentum Dollars and Status Points. Momentum Dollars can be used to spend on the amenities of your choice at the Mohegan Sun Pocono or, if you prefer, at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut or the newest casino partner of Mohegan Sun, Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.

Each Momentum dollar is equivalent to $1 in spending money. You can use your Momentum Dollars towards amenities like hotel stays, dining, shopping, spa services, and entertainment. They can also online shopping at the online Momentum store.

Your status level in the casino’s five-tiered program is based on Status Points. Each higher level opens the door to additional rewards and privileges.

How to accrue points

Status Point qualifying periods are the six-month periods January-June and July-December. In order to advance to a higher level and then maintain that level, the player needs to earn the specified minimum number of Status Points. The five status levels in the Mohegan Sun Momentum Rewards program are:

Core (starting level)

Ignite (50 or more Status Points)

Leap ( 100 or more Status Points)

Ascend (400 or more Status Points)

Soar (1,200 or more Status Points)

Choice Credits are complimentary credits players at the three top levels earn each month. These credits can be used towards things like:

Hotel stays

VIP Lounge access

Buffet

Entertainment

Converted into Momentum Dollars

Unlike Momentum Dollars, Choice Credits cannot be rolled over and must be used the same month they are issued. Additionally, they can only be used at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Personal Achievement Awards are based on Status Point earnings per trip. Players earn extra Choice Credits if they hit their specified individual Status Point goal.

Benefits for each tier

Additional benefits for players at the Ignite level and higher include:

Complimentary beverage service while playing table games

Complimentary scooter rental

VIP Lounge access with one guest Sunday-Thursday for 10 Momentum Dollars or Choice Credits

Like the Ignite level players, those at the Leap level receive the same Sunday-Thursday VIP Lounge access, but for only five Momentum Dollars or Choice Credits. Additional perks include shopping discounts and complimentary tickets (based on play and availability) for Wise Crackers Comedy Club.

Players at the Ascend level and higher have access to:

A casino host

Reserved parking

Priority lines for check-in, the casino cashier cage, and the buffet

Bigger shopping discounts

Complimentary round of golf at a partner country club

Complimentary access to the VIP Lounge with one guest daily

Ten percent discount at selected eateries

Cash advance fees waived

Free tickets to certain sporting events

Invitations to Party on the Patio and private events based on play

Soar is the highest status level a player can achieve at Mohegan Sun. Qualifying players get:

Their own Player Development Executive

Complimentary hotel rooms

Complimentary tickets and concessions at the Mohegan Sun Arena

Ten percent off on all spa services

Additional shopping discounts

Two rounds of complimentary golf each month

Two tickets to the cooking show at Rustic Kitchen

Summary

Out of all the casinos in Pennsylvania, Mohegan Sun Pocono is one of the standouts. It should be clear from this review that Mohegan Sun is the complete package, not only offering a large and diverse selection of games appealing to different types of gamblers, but also many other things that can add to a visitor’s enjoyment. Mohegan Sun Pocono is one of the few Pennsylvania gambling facilities that offer a casino, racetrack, and first-rate hotel with varied non-gambling amenities.

Many comments on sites like TripAdvisorand Yelp give both the hotel and the casino a five-star rating, describing the place as a “beautiful hotel,” with spacious rooms, “very helpful staff,” easy to get to, and with a nice casino, good entertainment, and plenty of food options. Additionally, visitors find the facility to be very clean and not overly crowded on weekdays. They find that having a racetrack adjoining the casino adds to the fun.

Of course, like any other casino, Mohegan Sun isn’t perfect. One complaint that comes up repeatedly is that the slots are too tight. Players say that it is nearly impossible to win on the slots. Slot players also don’t like having to pay for drinks, and the consensus of slot and table game players alike is that the beverage service could be faster. Another complaint of many players is that they feel the casino is being too tight with comps.

Despite the noted areas where there is clearly need for improvement, the overall consensus is that Mohegan Sun Pocono is a fun place to visit, gamble, enjoy good food, and be entertained and that it is worth the trip.

Mohegan Sun Pocono 1280 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 1-888 WIN IN PA 1-570-831-2100