#burt on the grill: love me a party | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

miasswier · 6 years

Text

miasswier’s ultimate glee ranking: no 61

61: On My Way

Written by: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Directed by: Bradley Buecker

Overall Thoughts: Much like “Heart”, this episode is perfect in its emotion. There isn’t that many funny scenes in this one, unlike “Heart”, but I think that works. This is one of the few topic episodes Glee decided to do that I felt actually pulled it off, or at least for the most part. There’s obviously some aspects that bothered me, but for the most part I do enjoy this episode, even if it always makes me bawl like a baby.

What I Like:

Although there is one aspect about it that frustrates me, for the most part I thought the suicide plot was dealt with well. They showed realistic reactions from everybody, be they positive or negative, and managed to end on a hopeful note.

That scene where Karofsky’s father finds him literally rips my heart out of my chest. The man is in the episode for like two seconds, but he does so much in those two seconds it just blows me away.

Emma calling everyone out at the teacher’s meeting at the end by asking if it wasn’t their job to know, whose job was it?

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I do like that Kurt went to the God Squad meeting in this episode. It didn’t feel as strange to put an atheist character in a Christian space as it did in “Grilled Cheesus”, and I think a big part of that is because this had nothing to do with religion. They were seemingly the only people at the school who cared about what happened, and Kurt needed someone who cared, even if he doesn’t agree with the way that they’re caring.

As much as the things Quinn says frustrate me, I am kind of glad that Glee included them, because that’s life. When these things happen, there are so many people who have no sympathy or compassion. I’m also glad that they had her be in a situation where she was called out on her behaviour by someone who actually knew what Karofsky was going through.

I think “It’s all fun and games, until it’s not” is such a strangely powerful line. Sebastian wasn’t given much to do on this show, and yet somehow he actually got more character development than some of the main characters on that show do. The fact that he then went on to raise money in Karofsky’s name is so big. You can tell that he genuinely felt regret for the way he’d treated Karofsky and everybody else.

I missed Sue and Quinn’s interactions!

All the Hudson-Hummel’s being all freaked out by the horror movie host like oh my god

That gay-ass scene between Quinn and Rachel at the end like damn if that ain’t gay.

Rachel wanting to postpone her wedding because Quinn wasn’t there like again GAY

I do like the scene where they all go around and say the things they want to live to see – especially since we get to see some of them happen within the show!

Again, Rachel’s fathers kill me. My absolute favourite line is “Oh, the blame game! This’ll be fun, bring it Burt!”

Fuck me if I didn’t cry like a goddamn baby when Rachel told Finn that she never wanted to be without him.

That fucking cliffhanger!

What I Don’t Like:

My only frustration with the way the suicide story was dealt with is that it never really touched on the issue of depression. Both Karofsky and Will’s suicide stories came about due to circumstance, and didn’t even consider the deeper ramifications of it. I mean, they even have Puck telling Will “just because you got caught cheating?” which would have been such an easy place to slide in “Yeah, because I was very depressed at this point in my life, and when you’re suffering from depression you never know what can trigger you”. Same with Karofsky – he tells Kurt that he couldn’t even take it for a week when Kurt’s taken it for years. Clearly there is a reason for that. Eventually, in season six, they do end up dealing with depression properly, but it’s just too bad that they didn’t include it in this episode, seeing as suicide is almost always because of depression.

I also don’t appreciate that they basically used Karofsky attempting suicide as a plot device to get Finn and Rachel to get married sooner. At least they give it more attention than they do their topic issues in, say, “Choke” or “Lights Out”, but still. It just sits really wrong with me.

I get that Kurt is Rachel’s best friend or whatever, but he’s also Finn’s brother? I really think he would have been in Finn’s party, not Rachel’s (although I do appreciate that they had Kurt and Blaine in Rachel’s, and not Kurt with the girls and Blaine with the boys)

Why are Rachel’s dads acting like this is the first time they’ve ever heard her sing? Or seen her in a competition? Like, I get that this is the first time the audience has seen them at a competition, but do you really expect me to believe that Hiram and LeRoy Berry have not been at every single one of Rachel’s show choir competitions? Especially considering she sings lead in almost every single one?

Songs:

Cough Syrup: Such a powerful song, and they intercut it really well with Karofsky’s scenes. The only thing that sucks is that because they did this, people who are triggered by the Karofsky scenes can’t watch the video for this.

Stand: I don’t really think this song was necessary to include, but Sebastian sounds good on it anyway.

Glad You Came: I like this one a lot. I love the original and I love the cover.

Fly/I Believe I Can Fly: This is honestly great except for Blaine’s rapping. Boy cannot rap. Sorry not sorry.

What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger): Not the strongest Troubletones number. And seriously, why were all the Troubletones in it? It makes no sense to me. I know I already talked about it in my “Nationals” review, but seriously. WHAT IS THE LOGIC OF THIS.

Here’s to Us: While I don’t mind this as a Rachel solo, I do wish it had been another group number. It gets a little tiring having Rachel sing a solo in basically every single competition set. Also, this is a small thing, but it frustrates me that we know by process of elimination that Kurt and Blaine were standing together on a balcony but we didn’t get to see it.

Final Thoughts: This is a highly emotional episode that holds you on the line until the very last second, and it does so expertly. There are obviously things that could have been improved, but what topic episode does every aspect of the topic justice? As a whole, it’s a very strong episode, and if it weren’t for a couple of things I would probably consider it one of the best episodes Glee ever put out.

#ultimate glee ranking

5 notes · View notes

pixiealtaira · 6 years

Text

Feed the Birds

Hummel Holidays 2016 day 8 prompt: Nature/trees

pairing: Kadam of course

Adam thought it a bit odd that when Kurt pulled into the driveway of his folk’s house when he brought Adam home to introduce him and so he was home for Christmas, the first thing Kurt did was exit the car and run to the back to the house…and then run back to the car.

“Yes!” Kurt shouted. “I know what we are doing today!”

“Getting grilled by your Da?” Adam asked.

“No. Decorating the Bird Tree.” Kurt said. “I think we’ll do that even before I let Dad corner you. I hope they have peanut butter around…and didn’t toss out my stash.”

Adam got out to help Kurt remove the luggage and tug it up to the front door, listening with a smile as Kurt chattered on.

“If we get married and move out of the city, we’ll need a Bird Tree in our yard. Unless we have cats. I’d like it to be a pine, but I can be flexible. I wonder if we could do a Bird Tree on the roof. I mean, some people have garden pots of the roof…I bet we could have a bird tree. I wonder if we could grow sunflowers. We should try. We should try to get a potted bird tree for next year.”

Kurt opened the door and shouted he was home. Kurt’s dad barreled into the hall and wrapped Kurt in a hug before passing him off to his step-mother.

Kurt hugged back and then turned to introduce Adam.

“This is Adam. He makes life joyful. I love him.” Kurt said. “Adam…this is my dad and Carole. Don’t let them scare you.”

Burt stuck his hand out for a hand shake, which felt a bit like an arm wrestling match until Kurt cleared his throat.

Carole gave him a hug.

“No time to talk. Is my stash still in the garage?” Kurt said.

“It is.”

“And we have some fresh cranberries, oranges and cherrios.” Carole added.

“Sweet. Be right back. Dad show Adam where to put the bags.” Kurt said. With a small wave he rushed out a back side door.

Adam smiled. “I can’t wait to see what has him so excited. I love it when he gets all eager and bouncy. He just fills a room with joy when like this.”

Kurt’s dad beamed at Adam. “Let me show you to Kurt’s room, son. That way you can be down here and ready to work when Kurt gets in.”

Burt pointed out photos of small Kurt on the wall and told stories of antics he got up to when little that had Adam laughing as he dropped off the bags and followed Burt back to the kitchen, where Kurt was pulling huge jars of peanut butter out of a cupboard and bags cranberries and other dried fruit.

“Sit there…at the kitchen table. Dad, you are in charge of stringing the cranberries, apple chunks, and cheerios. I’ll have the needle ready in just a moment. I’ve got the thin twine in the box. Carole you can make the orange half cups. Adam and I will make the filled pine-cones. Ok…rock,paper, scissors for Christmas Music choice. One. Two. Three.”

Carole won the music option and chose John Denver. Kurt’s dad won the snack options and they had small sandwiches and cocoa.

As Adam learned how to pile on peanut butter onto large pine-cones that had already had twine attached so they could hang (and heard all about natural fibers and items that wouldn’t hurt bird tummies) and them cover them in birdseed and cornmeal full enough to provide a good bird feeder, he also heard all about Kurt and his mother Elizabeth, and Finn and Carole’s nieces and nephews and Kurt’s cousins. He heard the story of Kurt and the poison ivy revenge after a cousin tied him to a tree and left him. (It’s not my fault Wade was too stupid to remember what poison ivy looked like…just ten minutes after we’d been told to avoid it and how to know what to avoid.) He heard of the time Finn tipped the tree over and then tripped over the tree and broke his foot. (He was 13.) Both Burt and Carole asked about his family and traditions and listened intently, like they really cared to know. Kurt just smiled.

They spent the afternoon making items for the Bird Tree, until the sun started to set and Kurt hopped up to make dinner.

Carole placed the finished items in a large box and the non used items back into the container Kurt had brought in from the garage. Adam tried to help, but both just told him to sit.

“My dad once told me that he is very certain that had they tested me for something like ADHD or whatever back when I was tiny, I’d have spent my life drugged. I was hyper. I didn’t sleep much; I was always on the go. My mom just laughed the one time it was suggested. Her solution was always just to keep me busy. Instead of napping we watched movies or had story time. We sang and danced and did crafts. We started the bird tree when I was three and a half, after I spent half a day crying because the birds would be cold. Only one year I didn’t do it. I was afraid Finn would tease me and I was already on the outside drastically again. But I was upset all year, so my senior year I got all my stuff together again and made my box and threw myself a Bird Tree Party, even though Blaine said it was stupid. Finn came in, and at first yelled at me for using the peanut butter because now he couldn’t eat. Then he joined me...and all f a sudden Puck was over helping and Sam had come in and Mike had joined us, bringing Rory and Brittany and Tina. They were the only girls to end up over. And the only reason Artie hadn’t was because he was out of town. I think it was one of the first times I actually felt like I was included with all the guys.”

Adam walked over and kissed the top of Kurt’s head. Kurt turned to him and smiled. “I’m making sloppy joes because it is one of dad’s favorites. Would you like French fries or cheesy rice?”

“Fries.” Adam answered. Kurt turned on the oven.

“I ended up being included several more times after that. It was nice. But the Bird Tree Party was my favorite moment.”

“Thank You, love.” Adam told Kurt, spinning him quickly away from the stove and into a hug and kiss.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Kurt said, returning the kiss and turning back to the stove.

Adam chuckled and Kurt smiled.

“It was easy that way, wasn’t it?” Kurt said. “Got everyone talking about things not related to Kurt and Adam relationship or past relationships. I am rather brilliant. Hand me to oregano, the spice rack is on the counter by the coffee pot.”

Adam’s laugh rang through the kitchen and Kurt beamed.

#glee fic #hummelholidays #kadam

12 notes · View notes

hkvoyage · 7 years

Text

Fic: Butterfly Wings - Chapter 41

Story summary A fashion blog started at University launched Blaine Anderson’s fortune and fame. As Vogue’s new editor-in-chief, he is struggling to find an original angle for an upcoming issue. Kurt Hummel has recently arrived in New York City after finishing high school, and is having no luck building a musical theater career, so he decides to explore another passion of his: fashion. He applies for an internship at Vogue, and Isabelle sees in him the perfect fresh face to liven up the magazine, and convinces him to try out as a model. Kurt meets Blaine, and in spite of their 10-year age difference, sparks fly. Can they overcome misunderstandings and sabotage to find their happily-ever-after? Klaine model AU. Rating for this chapter: General (overall story is mature) Word count for this chapter: 4,262 Can also be read on A03 / FF Masterpost is here. The fantastic artwork produced by Cassie at @cc-graphics can be here. Thank you to the amazing @lilyvandersteen for the beta work and support. ***** Your wings already exist. All you have to do is fly. - AnonAugust Kurt wakes up to the smell of coffee brewing in the nearby kitchen. While Blaine is an early riser, he much prefers to sleep in. He stretches his arms over his head, then rolls to the side and hugs Blaine’s pillow. Last night’s sex was amazing, with Blaine worshiping every part of his body. It was sinfully slow and luxurious, and made him feel so loved. Kurt mentally goes over his plans for this evening’s surprise for Blaine. He hopes that tonight goes exactly how he wants it to go. He’s taking a chance, but Blaine is totally worth it. Kurt has thought of the grand romantic gestures that Blaine loves to do, but Kurt feels a little uncomfortable doing them himself. Blaine has always enjoyed the little things and moments in their relationship. Hopefully, this will be an extra one to put in the bank of memories to cherish.

“It’s an overcast day – there’s a 60% chance of rain,” Blaine says as he enters the bedroom with two mugs of coffee. He gives Kurt a kiss before climbing back into bed. “How about we explore the little towns nearby. I think everyone will be going to outlet mall and arcades in Lake George on day like this.” “That’s fine by me. I’ve planned a special dinner for tonight, so we have to be back by midafternoon so I can get it ready,” Kurt replies. They head to nearby Chestertown and browse in the small shops before going to the Main Street Ice-cream Parlor for a light lunch of soup and half a sandwich. They giggle at the food on display as they pay for the meal, and Blaine can’t resist buying Adirondack Moose Poo (chocolate covered raisins). They stop at the Crossroads Country Store on the way back, and buy soft ice-cream cones at the next-door kiosk. “Why don’t you head down to the lake, Blaine. Maybe take the boat out? Or do something that will get you out of here for a couple of hours.” “I didn’t think you’d want to get rid of me so quickly,” Blaine pouts. “I’ve got plans for tonight and I need to get ready. When you come back, take a shower downstairs.” “I think I’ll go for a long run and then a swim in the lake. I’ll see you later,” Blaine says as he heads to the bedroom to get changed. Once Blaine has left the log cabin, Kurt pulls out from the freezer the lobster bisque and peach pie that Amy made for him last week. He peels the potatoes and cuts them into fine slices before placing them in the casserole dish. Kurt whips up a salad with ingredients they have bought from the local farmer’s market. Kurt consults his tablet and makes the marinade and sauce for the main course. When all is under control in the kitchen, he pulls out two bags from the spare bedroom’s closet and sets things up. When Kurt is satisfied with the result, he rummages around in the bedroom’s chest of drawers and pulls out smart casual clothes for Blaine to wear. He places these in the downstairs shower room and makes sure Blaine has everything he needs for when he gets back. Kurt heads back upstairs and takes a long, hot shower. He gets dressed in his preselected outfit - shorts, button-up casual shirt and scarf. He spends even more time than usual on his hair. When he heads to the main room, Kurt can hear Blaine’s footsteps down below. Once Kurt hears the shower on, he turns on the heat in the oven and heads toward the main area to wait for Blaine. ***** Blaine slowly climbs up the stairs, wondering what’s in store for the evening. The only light in the room are an endless number of candles, covering most surfaces. However, what captures Blaine’s attention are the tabletop picture frames now on display. Blaine walks around the room slowly, examining each frame. Most display photos of Kurt and himself – at the Brooklyn Flea Market, at the Tony Awards Ceremony, at the Vogue staff party, chatting at the Hamilton photo shoot, at the baseball game with Burt, and in the hammock on Governors Island. Blaine giggles when he sees the selfie Kurt took when they were in the bubble bath in LA. Blaine’s eyes tear up thinking of all the good times they have had together. He can’t wait to for more memories and photos. Blaine sees two additional frames that contain something that aren’t photos, so he moves over and picks the first one up. It contains their bucket list, handwritten in beautiful calligraphy. The last frame contains a water color picture of two butterflies. “Did you paint this, Kurt?” “Yeah, I did. I’ll tell you about it later. The first course is ready.” Blaine moves to the table and notices it has candles as well. Always the gentleman, Blaine pulls out Kurt’s chair for him to sit down. Blaine loves the lobster bisque, and he can tell that this was made by Amy, but he’s not going to let on to Kurt that he knows. Jazz music is softly playing in the background, and they chat about what they’ll do during their last couple of days in the Adirondack mountains. “It’s going to take a little time for the next course, Blaine. Have a seat on the couch and relax.” Kurt takes a platter that contains two New York strip steaks that have been soaked in his special marinade and heads off to the balcony. After a couple of minutes, Blaine can hear Kurt cursing, so he goes outside to see what’s happening. There is Kurt, bent over the BBQ, trying to figure out how the gas cylinder turns on. When Kurt looks up, his cheeks are tinged pink. “You and my dad make this look so easy. I can’t figure out how to turn on the gas grill.” Blaine chuckles and swiftly moves toward the grill. He turns the tap on the top of the gas cylinder, opens the grill hood, and then presses the igniter button. Soon flames can be seen underneath the cooking grate, and Blaine closes the hood whilst it’s heating up. “Why don’t I cook the steaks, while you get everything else ready?” Blaine offers. “I wanted to do everything by myself, to make it a special night for you.” “We’re a team. It’s always a special night when we work together.” “That cheesy line just earned you the title of chief BBQ griller. I’ll head back into the kitchen.” Blaine hums to himself as he cooks the steaks, stringing musical notes into a new tune. He feels so inspired to compose new music when he’s with Kurt like this. When the steaks are ready, he cuts them into strips and returns to inside, and places the platter onto the table. “Mmm. Gratin potatoes. They’re my favorite,” Blaine exclaims, licking his lips. They eat the steaks with the béarnaise sauce Kurt prepared earlier, and the conversation is light and easy. When they’ve finished, Kurt takes their plates to the kitchen. Blaine quickly follows and helps him stack the dishwasher and tidy things up. “I’m stuffed. I thought we could wait a while for dessert,” Kurt suggests. “Good idea. I couldn’t eat another thing right now. Why don’t we head to the balcony and watch the last of the sunset?” Blaine replies. “I’ll meet you there in a minute.” Blaine refills their glasses and sits out on the deck, enjoying the cool gentle breeze that is coming off the lake. “I have a present for you,” Kurt says when he walks onto the balcony. Kurt moves a chair so that he is sitting directly in front of Blaine. Blaine lights up when he hears those magic words, and Kurt deposits a small box wrapped in paper decorated with hand-painted butterflies in his lap. He carefully unwraps the present, being careful not to rip the paper. Inside, there’s a box that is the perfect size to hold a ring. Blaine’s heart starts to race - could it be? When he opens the box, he sees a small blob of molten silver with a gem stone half sticking out. “This is my promise ring to you. I came up with a beautiful design, I found the perfect piece of amber that matches the color of your eyes, I spent hours creating the setting, and then when I was soldering the amber onto a ring band, I used too much heat, and the whole thing melted into the blob that you see.” “It’s the thought that counts, Kurt,” Blaine reassures. “I’m glad you said that, Blaine. At the time, I was beside myself when the promise ring became a huge disaster. When I was in the subway on the way to Tiffany’s to buy a proper ring, I had this blob in my hand and was rolling it around in my palm and it became deliciously warm. When I got out of the subway, I went to the nearby park to think. The more than I thought about it, the more I realized that this ring symbolizes my promise to you. The blob is smooth in most places, like our relationship is most of the time. But it’s a little sharp where the amber peeks out. There will always be bumpy times in the future, and I promise you that I will make the time to really listen to you and work things out. The blob heats up if you give it attention. I promise to love you and do both big and little things to keep you feeling warm inside. If we’re going to make it in the long haul, we’ll need to be brave enough to take chances and experience new things. This blob is a reminder that things don’t always work out, but I promise you that I will always be there to catch you if you fall. I promise to do silly simple things with you and keep our bucket list fresh and interesting. You’re my best friend, and I love spending time with you. Lastly, I promise that I love you and that I’m committed to the same long-term vision as you – marriage, family, and doing what matters to us. We’ll go at the pace that feels right for both of us, but we’ll get there in the end.” Blaine cups Kurt’s face in his hands and leans in to give him a kiss. Blaine pours every ounce of his love into the kiss. Blaine didn’t believe it was possible, but now he loves Kurt even more. “I’m going to lose it right now – that was so beautiful. I need one of your hugs.” Kurt stands up and holds out his arms. Blaine quickly rushes into them. With Kurt’s warm body against his, Kurt’s strong arms wrapped around him, Blaine feels like he can do anything. Eventually, Blaine pulls away from Kurt and they head back inside. Blaine looks at Kurt’s watercolor painting of the two butterflies in the frame. “I love this painting, Kurt. I’m going to keep it on the night table on my side of our bed. God, I love thinking that it’s our bed in our place.” “Go have a seat and I’ll make some coffee. There’s a story about the painting.” Kurt heads to the kitchen and brews the coffee while slicing two pieces of peach pie. There’s still one part of his plan that he needs to execute. He returns to the main room and sits down on the couch, barely touching his slice of peach pie. “When I was in Lima in May, on the first warm day, I headed out to the backyard in the afternoon to sketch fashion designs, and I spotted two butterflies. I couldn’t stop watching them. They would flutter close together and then fly away from each other, but never too far apart. Sometimes one would soar high, and at other times, one would dip a little low, but they would always come back to each other. Sometimes they would land on a flower and stay still for a minute, then they would flutter their wings and fly again. It seemed like a dance that they knew so well.” Blaine places his empty dessert plate on the nearby table. “I get what you’re trying to tell me. That I should take the risk with my songwriting. That I should focus on what makes me happy. I want to be like you and really go for it – go for my dreams. But what if I’m not good enough? What if it doesn’t work out? Music is a tough business to get into.” “I know you, and this is a side of you I don’t get to see very often… You’re scared. But, sweetie, I believe in you. You have a musical gift, and it wouldn’t be right to let you hide that away.” “But what if I fail?” Blaine asks in a small voice. “Then you’ll pick yourself up and try again. I can’t predict what will happen in the future, but remember my promise to you earlier. I can’t stop you from failing, but I can promise to make it safe if you do.” “I love how you get me, Kurt. I love how you’re there to support me.” “You don’t know how much you’ve changed my life since the first day I met you, Blaine. You’ve given me courage to try new things. I’m so glad that I found someone who I know will always be 100% behind me, whether I soar or drop to the ground. Blaine… Now it’s your turn to fly.” ***** After they spend time waking up in the most delicious way, they put on their swimming trunks and gather up beach supplies. They cross the small street at the front and fifty yards ahead is the lake. The private lakefront has a picnic table and a small dock with a motorboat. “Let’s take a spin on the boat,” Blaine suggests as he rushes over the deck. “Are you thinking fishing or waterskiing?” Kurt asks, handing over the motor key. “Neither. I want to feel the rush of air on my face one last time before we leave tomorrow.” They climb into the boat and Blaine starts up the engine. They circle the lake a few times and take in its natural beauty. “This is the life,” Blaine sighs when they stop in the center of the lake, spotting the families swimming along the shore and a few fishing boats at the lake’s western end. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to sail, but I never got around to it.” “It’s not too late, Blaine. I’m putting it on our bucket list. Maybe on our next vacation, we can go someplace where we can take sailing lessons together.” “You’d do it with me?” Blaine asks. “Sure, why not? I’ve never thought of sailing before, but I can totally get behind an activity that shows off your naked chest.” “It’s all about the naked chest, isn’t it? Maybe I’ll wear a Speedo while I’m at it,” Blaine jokes. “Don’t say things like that unless you mean them, mister,” Kurt growls as his eyes darken. “It’s more about the smile, you know. You have this special smile when you’re really happy,” “I don’t want to go back to New York City tomorrow,” Blaine says wistfully. “It’s a concrete jungle full of busy self-important people, noisy streets and dirt. I’ve really enjoyed the nature and being close to the water this week.” “If you pursue music, there’s nothing to say that we have to live in New York City.” “We’ll have to be in New York City for at least four more years until you graduate FIT.” “FIT does have a two-year program in jewelry design. I’ve looked into it and with my high school AP credits, the courses in Paris, and working at Bellerose Boutique… If I take a full load during the summer, I could graduate with an associate degree by December next year.” “Kurt, you told me that when you were growing up in Lima, your dream was always to live in New York City. I can’t take that away from you. Besides, what would Tiffany’s do without Kurt Hummel as their lead designer?” Blaine says as he nudges Kurt. “Dreams change, or at least they evolve. The reason I wanted to move to New York City was to live in a place that was accepting of me. But there’s lots of places in this world that are accepting of gay couples. And for the record, I don’t want to be Tiffany’s lead designer. That would be a job with long hours, stress, and high-profile events. Just think of it, Blaine. We would have PAs coordinating our schedules to fit in a date night every once in a while. Our children would be taken care of by a nanny and Bentley would drive them to and from an exclusive private school each day. When they’d get home, they would be greeted by Amy, and a tutor would arrive to help them with their homework. There wouldn’t even be time for regular Friday night dinners! On vacations, we would go to openings of new Monarch Houses, all smartly dressed for photo opportunities.” Kurt wrinkles his nose. “Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t like that vision of the future.” “Neither do I,” Blaine agrees. “So maybe we should talk about how we envision our lives in ten years’ time.” “You’re right, Kurt. I can see that if we stay in New York City, our lives could get out of control and we wouldn’t focus on the things that are important to us. With so many changes in our dreams, can we call it a ‘work in progress’ and figure out where it would be best for us to live and raise a family the way we want to?” “I like the ‘work in progress’ idea, Blaine. We don’t have to figure out everything in a week. I think we both have a lot of things to think about and discuss for our future.” ***** Blaine is awake at 6 a.m. and quietly climbs out of bed to use the bathroom. He closes the bedroom door to let Kurt sleep in before their drive back to New York City. He heads to the kitchen and brews a pot of coffee, and slices a slither of leftover peach pie. Hopefully, Kurt won’t notice. Once Blaine has poured himself a mug of coffee, he heads to the balcony to watch the sunrise over the lake. This vacation has been more than Blaine could ever dream of. He’s had so much fun with Kurt at Schroon Lake, whether it’s been boating, swimming or exploring the area. And the sex has been freaking fantastic as well. However, the times Blaine liked best was when they spoke honestly with each other…about their future. Blaine knows that Kurt is right – something big has to change in his life. Kurt’s version of the future without making any changes in their lifestyle is quite frankly frightening. Blaine already resents the events he attends with Isabelle – they cut into his personal time, which he would rather spend with Kurt. And while he enjoys being Vogue’s editor-in-chief, it’s starting to get samey. He needs a new challenge and new dreams. He’s been offered the unique opportunity to write songs for Marley Rose’s debut album with SONY Records. He recently received the first royalty check for ‘Butterfly Wings’ and the sales are still steady. He’s got money saved up in case something happens, and maybe he should use it to take a chance. Blaine mulls over the interview he gave for Vogue’s June issue. He was very clear about what mattered to him – music, staying healthy, helping others, challenges, and dreams. But the most important item was love – love for a man and love for his family. Even though Kurt is ten years younger than him, Blaine feels that Kurt is the wiser one in their relationship. Kurt was brave enough this week to lay everything on the table. The commitment to live together and share a long-term future. To accept new challenges in pursuing jewelry design. To be willing to leave New York City if that’s what it takes to make their version of family life come true. When Blaine feels a gentle hand on his shoulder, he looks up and sees an adorable Kurt with messy sleep hair. This is the man that he wants to spend his life with. This is the man he wants to have a future with. Blaine puts down his coffee mug and says, “I’m ready to fly.” ***** Two months later “I feel great, Dad. It feels right,” Blaine says into his phone. “Are you sure you and Kurt don’t want to come to Ohio this weekend? Get away from New York City?” “No, we’ll be okay. Kurt and I are still planning to come to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Has Burt accepted your invitation yet?” “Burt and I have got it all planned. Burt is picking you two up from the Dayton airport. Cooper arrives half an hour later and then everyone’s coming here. Burt will stay for Thanksgiving and we’ll all go to Lima the next day, after Kurt has done his Black Friday shopping, of course. On Saturday, we’ll head to the Monarch House in Lima for the opening.” Blaine looks up and sees Unique with her make-up bag. “I gotta go, Dad. I’ll call you over the weekend.” When the phone call ends, someone unexpected enters the room. “Blaine, I’m really proud of what you’re about to do. Good luck,” Unique says. Blaine is in a small room outside the ballroom at the Carlyle Hotel, waiting to for someone to tell him that everything’s ready. “I didn’t expect to see you today, Unique.” “Did you think I would send you out there without Unique’s special brand of magic?” she retorts. “Well… Can you help me with my hair? Kurt is pretty good at it but I’m sure you can make it look even better.” Unique fusses over his hair, muttering about how she’ll have to spend time with Kurt to perfect his efforts with enhancing Blaine’s curls. She takes out make-up powder and starts brushing it on Blaine’s face… sniffling. “Don’t you dare cry, Unique. If I see one tear, I’m going to lose it.” “Unique doesn’t get over-emotional about her fantastic boss and close friend. The powder must have landed in my eyes.” Blaine pulls up his arm and gives her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. Blaine goes through his speech in his head, making sure he remembers all the points he wants to cover. Blaine looks up and smiles when he sees Kurt walk into the room. Kurt is wearing the exact same suit that he wore for the Tony Award Ceremony – the black Dsquared2 jacquard camouflage blazer that Blaine loves so much. “Nervous?” Kurt asks. “Not at all. I feel surprisingly calm. I know this is right for me – right for us.” “I’m going to head into the ballroom then. I’ll meet you after the press conference.” Kurt pulls Blaine into a searing passionate kiss before leaving the room. After a few minutes, Blaine hears the call that everything’s ready. He takes a deep breath and looks into the mirror. Blaine is wearing the exact same Armani suit that he wore when he met Kurt eighteen months ago. I’m ready too. Blaine walks onto the small stage set up and finds his place on the podium. There are board members sitting on both sides, as well as Anna Wintour and Isabelle Wright. It takes a few minutes for Blaine’s eyes to adjust to the bright lights and the flashing cameras. When he feels ready, Blaine starts to speak. “Thank you for coming today. Earlier this week, I tendered my resignation as Vogue’s editor-in-chief to the Board of Directors. I’ve enjoyed working at Vogue, and the challenges and opportunities it has given me. However, I have new goals, new dreams, and new opportunities I wish to pursue. These are not related to the fashion industry, but are more personal in nature. My resignation will be effective at the end of this month, but I’ll be working at Vogue on a part-time basis for the next twelve months. This will give me sufficient time to hand over the Vogue reigns to Isabelle Wright.” As Blaine continues on about Isabelle’s achievements, press kits available and the like, he glances around to seek out Kurt in the audience and finds him in the last row. They’ve spent the last two months talking about their plans. The penthouse has been put up for sale and they’ll rent a more modest apartment until Kurt graduates FIT. In the meantime, Blaine will work part-time at Vogue in order to keep some income flowing in. They’ll regularly reassess their plans as Kurt decides what to do in jewelry design and Marley Rose’s debut album is released. At the end of his speech, Blaine’s eyes lock with Kurt’s – they are full of love, warmth, hope, and promises. When Kurt jumps up to be the first to applaud him, Blaine notices the butterfly brooch attached to his lapel. Blaine thinks that he’s like a butterfly - growing and changing and finding his true colors in life. Author notes Although there’s still the epilogue to go, I want to take a moment to thank @lilyvandersteen from the bottom of my heart for being my beta. Without her, this story would simply not be. Some authors just need a beta to correct typos and grammar, but I needed SO much more. It’s really hard to draft a 200k+ word story before posting the first chapter, particularly for a novice writer like me. She contributed fantastic ideas as I was plotting the story. She read the draft chapters as I was writing, giving me her feedback with flaws in the story’s logic and characters’ behaviors, and cheering me on when it was going well. She helped me figure out the best way to solve problems when the plot didn’t work as I expected. She then reread every single chapter after I polished them up and corrected my grammatical flaws. She did a second beta review for certain chapters that I fine-tuned based upon your feedback. You cannot begin to imagine the amount of time she has spent on this story. On top of all this, she has a full-time job, young children and writes her own Klaine fic. Her time management skills are impressive. Most importantly, she was my personal cheerleader when I thought I couldn’t do it. Writing a multi-chapter creative story was a personal goal for me, and I could never have done it without her help. Along the way, I made a friend who I admire so very much. I don’t think that I’ve ever had a friend who has supported me quite like she has. She’s simply amazing. I thank you Lilyvanadersteen <3 <3 <3. Next up: the Epilogue.

#my fic: Butterfly Wings #klaine fanfiction #klaine fan fic #HKVoyage writes

21 notes · View notes

naschkater-com · 4 years

Text

Es ist soweit, die Grillsaison hat begonnen! Doch zum Grillen gehört mehr als nur Würstchen und Schweinebauch! Es gibt auch süße Spezialitäten, die man als Nachtisch auf dem Grill zubereiten kann. Insbesondere natürlich Marshmallows, die man am Stöckchen am offenen Feuer röstet und zusammen mit Keks und Schokolade zu einem “Smores” weiterentwickeln kann. Wenn das warme Marshmallow schmilzt und Fäden zieht – dann ist es am leckersten! Aber nicht die Zunge verbrennen!

Auch Schokoladenfondue zum Dippen von Obst kann man auf dem Grill zubereiten. Smores gibt es übrigens auch als Müsliriegel von Corny und für den Toaster.

Smores & Co: Süßigkeiten zum Rösten auf dem Grill

Rocky Mountain-Imitat: BBQ Marshmallows zum Rösten.

Rocky Mountain-Imitat: Big Rock Barbecue Marshmallows

Klassische Marshmallows bei Aldi in der Grill-Edition

Chamallows zum Grillen.

Nawarra Schoko BBQ Marshmallow-Set bestehend aus Marshmallow, Sticks zum Aufspießen und Fondue-Schokolade zum Eintunken.

Hier ist der Holzstab schon dabei, an dem man die Marshmallows aufspießen und dann über Lagerfeuer, Grill oder Toaster rösten kann.

Die US-amerikanischen S’mores (von “some more”) aus Keks, Schokolade und Marshmallow gibt es von “mo me” als Set mit Spekulatius (Gesehen auf der ISM 2018).

Super Idee von Corny: die Smores, die man aus den USA vom Grillen über dem Lagerfeuer kennt, als Müsliriegel rauszubringen. Eigentlich geht es so: Marshmallow am Stock rösten, dann zwischen Keks und Schokolade essen – das sind S’mores! Hier beim Müsliriegel ist es einfacher: auspacken, in den Mund schieben, genießen, fertig!

Die kanadische Hamburgerkette “Harvey’s” hat eine Chocolate Marshmallow Pie im Angebot.

Kellogg’s pop-tarts Frosted S’mores 8er 416G

Snacks mit der Geschmacksrichtung Barbecue, Grillen oder ähnlich

Richtig groß wird die Auswahl, wenn man zum Grillen oder danach die passenden Snacks reichen möchte: Es gibt zahlreiche Kartoffelchips der Sorte “BBQ“, “Barbecue“, “Roasted Onions” und so weiter. Besonders ausgefallen die Varianten mit Fleisch im Seasoning wie “Ridge Cut Barbecue Beef brisket” von Kettle oder das “Flame Grilled Steak” von Walkers Max und Doritos. Ebenfalls exquisit klingend die BBQ-Chips von Burts mit “Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey”.

Aber auch Snacks aus echtem Fleisch sowie aus Insekten kommen gern mit der typischen Rauchnote als BBQ-Geschmack daher, etwa die “Party Bugs” in der Geschmacksrichtung “Mexican BBQ” oder Insektensnack “Eat Grub” mit “Smoky BBQ.

Die Grillido-Würstchen tragen den Grill zwar im Namen, sind aber als Snack fix und fertig zu verzehren, ohne Grillnotwendigkeit. Ich habe sie auf der ISM probiert und fand sie lecker. Mobile Fleischsnacks – gerade aus getrocknetem Fleisch – sind ja ohnehin kräftig im kommen.

Mackie’s of Scotland flamegrilled aberdeen angus Potato Crisps gently cooked to perfection 150 Gramm

Kettle Ridge Cut Barbecue Beef Brisket 135 Gramm

Burts Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey Potata Chips BBQ

Walkers Chips mit den Sorten “BBQ Pulled Pork” und “Spicy Sriracha” (scharfe thailändische Soße) aus der Reihe “Trending Tastes”

Walkers Max Ridged Geschmack “Flame grilled Steak”

Doritos Flame Grilled Steak Christmas Edition 150 Gramm

Neuentdeckung einer lieben Freundin aus Florida: Pringles Wavy Roasted Jalapeno und Seet+Tangy BBQ

Pringles Wavy Applewood Smoked Cheddar aus den USA: Aha, man schmeckt also das Holz des Apfelbaums, das beim Räuchern des Käses verwendet wurde?!?! Schon frech, aber witzig. Übrigens enthalten die Wavys – die Pringles mit dem Wellenschnitt – noch weniger Inhalt als die “normalen” Pringles in den USA: Nur 137 Gramm.

Pringles mit Bourbon Barbecue Chicken

Pringles BBQ

Diese gewellten Chips von Crunchips (Lorenz) haben einen originellen Geschmack: Chili und Grillkäse. Wenn jetzt die Bezeichnung noch ein wenig schöpferischer wäre, und das Verpackungsdesign etwas kreativer… aber man ist ja dankbar für jede Entwicklung.

Golden Wonder Bacon Grills Gitter Chips

Snackday Deep Rift Grilled Steak Style 150 Gramm Chips

XOX Corn Snack BBQ Frittierter mais

Lorenz’ NicNac als Barbecue-Variante

Carefour Kartoffelchips Barbecue Frankreich

Baked-Halal-Potato-Chips-Snacks-BBQ-Kimchi

Portlebay Popcorn: Obstgartenholz geräucherter Cheddar-Käse

Love Corn Snack smoked bbq

Bites we Love Crunchy Green peas Erbsen Geschmacksrichtung geräucherte paprika smoked Paprica

Party Bugs in den Sorten “Salty Liquorice”, “Mexican BBQ” und “Asian Fusion”.

Eat Grub Insektensnack Smoky BBQ und Sweet Chilli-Lime 12 Gramm

Insnack Geröstete Grillen Chili

Grillido Rind+Kräuter

Grillido Pute+Curry

Grillido Proteinsnack Display Aufsteller

Ungewöhnliche Grillsaucen, Ketchup und Co

Wichtigste Beilage zu Grillgut ist nicht Gemüse, sondern die Grillsauce! Und so wie auch Ketchup im Grunde nichts anderes ist als Tomatenmarmelade, enthalten auch viele dieser Soßen ziemlich Zucker. Oder Fett. Oder beides! Und das macht schließlich den leckeren Geschmack aus!

Nachfolgend zeige ich ein paar aus unterschiedlichen Gründen bemerkenswerte Grillsaucen, etwa weil es ungewöhnliche Geschmacksrichtungen, Sorten oder Editionen sind, weil es Lizenzprodukte sind (Jim Beam, Jack Daniels) oder weil es sich um einzigartige Verpackungsmotive (Einhorn, Flamingo etc.) handelt.

Heinz Grillsauce Street Food Jalapeno Salsa

Heinz Grillsauce Street Food Zwiebeln und Bacon

Heinz Grillsauce Street Food Basilikum-getrocknete Tomaten

Werder Zigeuner Sauce 250ml

Werder Curry Orange Sauce 250ml

Bautzner Tropische Mexicana Salsa-Glitzernder Flamingo-Zauber Ketchup

Bautz’ner Quetch’up Tomatenketchup 35% weniger Zucker u Salz 450ML

Tatsächlich macht das Einhorn auch vor Ketchup nicht halt: Bautz’ner hat Ketchup mit Feenstaub (glänzenden Partikeln) heraus gebracht und natürlich ein Einhorn darauf abgebildet.

Altenburger Original Einhorn Senf

Altenburger Original Sweet und Hot Flamingo Senf

Hela Curry Ketchup mit Werbung für Spiderman Kinofilm

Grillsaucen mit Jack Daniels-Aroma.

Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce Hot Chilli+Barbecue Glaze Smokey Sweet

Vom Whiskey Jim Beam gibt es einen ganz scharfen Senf.

Thomy American Honey Mustard Sauce mit Yucatan-Honig Inspired my Streetfood

Der schottische Senf kommt mit 17% schottischem Whiskey daher, der mexikanische Senf ist leicht scharf und der Habanero ist schon richtig schön scharf. Aber es gibt noch einen schärferen, der zu den drei schärfsten in Deutschland gehört. Mir hat dieser Habanero vollkommen ausgereicht. Im ersten Moment spürt man nichts und dann brennt er richtig schön auf der Zunge und das geht so schnell auch nicht mehr weg!

Foodie Finds Hot Sauce Sampler Street Food Truck Motiv Gewürzsaucen

Food Truck Foodie Finds BBQ Rub Gewürze

Übrigens habe ich schon allgemein über Insektensnacks geschrieben, über den Berliner Senfsalon und die Marketingmasche “Street Food Truck” geschrieben. Und über die vielen verschiedenen Geschmacksrichtungen der Pop-Tarts für den Toaster übrigens auch!

Jetzt direkt bei Amazon kaufen (Affiliate Links)

Grillsaucen und Smores: Deftiges und Süßes rund ums Grillen Es ist soweit, die Grillsaison hat begonnen! Doch zum Grillen gehört mehr als nur Würstchen und Schweinebauch!

#Grillsauce #Grillsaucen #Grillsoßen #Ketchup #S&039;mores

0 notes

gabemon · 7 years

Text

2017 MMA Junkie Gathering Trip Report

The previous Junkie Gathering in 2015, I broke my thumb by slamming an SUV door shut on it after exiting the car. I was carrying a bag of groceries in that hand, and managed to leave the thumb in the door while using my other hand to shut it. I definitely thought that the sane thing to do would be to cancel my trip, but I just couldn’t do it. I remember thinking to myself, “gotta be a soldier!” I kept my finger in a cup of ice and hopped on a bus the following morning.

I kept my finger in a cup of ice the entire week; asking bartenders for a cup of ice water everywhere I went. People kept wondering why I wasn’t talking too much. I guess they couldn’t tell that I was dying in pain and crying on the inside. (Plus, I was the new guy and hadn’t gotten to know everybody yet.)

Looking back, I was definitely crazy for going to Vegas for seven nights with a newly-broken thumb to meet a bunch of people for the first time. Zero regrets, though. I knew the memories would be worth it, and it ended up making a pretty cool story, too.

After spending some time on the east coast (mostly Long Island, NY), I flew into L.A. to spend a couple weeks with my family before going to Vegas for The Gathering. On Monday, May 22nd, I caught a flight from L.A. into Vegas and arrived around 4:30 p.m.

I checked-in to the Oasis Gold Spike in Downtown Vegas, right by the Fremont Experience. It was my second time staying there and I had a good time while hangin’ there. Bit of a party scene.

I did my thing for a bit, then it was time to connect with the Junkies. They were at the Mandalay Bay Sportsbook, and I was on my way.

Lackey was the first to greet me when I arrived, then I went around saying hello to everyone else. Buffalo Blue was already eight shots of Jager deep into an eventual 26 shots. I loved how happy and excited he was about it. Seeing Lackey and Blue already having a blast, I was filled with giddy ‘cos I knew we were in for one helluva week.

There were only a few of us at the sportsbook on Monday night. I remember arriving there, but the rest of the night is a blur to me. I don’t remember it. Smart money says we got wasted, then I went to my room and crashed.

Tuesday morning, I arrived at the sportsbook with a bottle of Wild Turkey American Honey Whiskey. I shared it with John Hooper Raynes, as he had told me that he does not like honey whiskey. He liked this one, however, and agreed that it’s better than the rest, i.e. Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. The reason for that is Wild Turkey uses real honey, while the others use honey liqueur.

At one point, Lackey, myself, Spider Rico, rookies Ryan Dunlay, Mike Noles and Jon Huerta rolled to the parking lot to get our smoke on. Lackey said it was the biggest smoke sesh in Junkie Gathering history. I think Doncho may have been with us, as well.

Before the radio show started, we surprised Goze with Danny the producer, who Jason Lackey had arranged to fly out to the Gathering as a surprise for George and Goze. Goze was happy to finally meet Danny in person for the first time, but wasn’t too thrilled that we “got” him.

MMA Junkie Radio ended at noon, and the Flag Football game was supposed to start at 6 p.m. I assumed I would have some time to get back to my room and get changed, but never got the chance. I can’t remember what I did exactly between those hours, which probably means I had a pretty good time.

It was around 100 degrees out and we were about to go to the park for a football game and BBQ. I was wearing black jeans. There was no time to go get changed, so I tried to look for shorts in the casino shops. “At the end of the day” I decided not to spend $70 on some shorts and instead made my own by rolling up my jeans.

During the football game is when I made Michael Sanchez do his first set of 10 of 100 push-ups he owes me for losing a bet. I bet him 100 push-ups (10 at a time) that Germaine De Randamie would defeat Holly Holm, with the winner getting to request the pushups whenever he pleases.

I didn’t play in the game, but it looked like everyone had a blast. I helped Sam the Chef set up the BBQ and he killed it on the grill. We had some good food and good laughs; it was a good night all around. An excellent way to kick off the 2017 Junkie Gathering.

Tuesday night is a blur. All I can remember are the Jell-O shots. I only had one; I spat my second one back out. Tasted disgustingly like medicine to me. I don’t do Jell-O shots, especially if they’re made with low-grade booze, which this batch clearly was.

I missed the radio show Wednesday morning and got to the sportsbook during the Manchester United game. There were a lot less people there watching it than I anticipated. I hung there for a bit after the game ended, then went off to do my own thing.

The events that day were Escape Room and Beer Park. I was performing on a comedy show that night, which took place at the same time as Beer Park, so I had planned to skip the Escape Room to get some rest before the show.

The show went really well. They rebooked me for July 5th, so I plan to be back in Vegas for International Fight Week. I’ll also pick up some spots at the LA Comedy Club, where Adam Hunter will be headlining that week. Should be good times, hope some of you will be in town!

Thursday morning at the sportsbook, I got my second set of 10 (of 100) pushups from Mike Sanchez. After the show, we went to have lunch at Toque Del Sabor Peruvian Restaurant, which is where “The Time is Junkie Press Conference” was being held. The food was solid and Burt Watson came out as a surprise, which was great. The press conference went on and was hilarious. Everybody crushed.

Mike Waluk presented a video that his wife Kindra, Billy MacDonald and Jason Ford helped him put together. It featured footage of fighters, MMA personalities and even GG and Goze’s parents congratulating them on a successful 10 years with the show. I got to see Mike get some of the footage while I was in Vegas for the MMA Awards earlier this year. It took a lot of work and was an excellent gift.

Sam All Jam asked me if I would be able to do 10mins of stand-up if he got me the mic and I said yes, but then he came back and said that he was told there wouldn’t be time. We all ended up just standing around and shooting the shit for over an hour, so that left me a little puzzled, because there appeared to be plenty of time to kill.

Next was a surprise Goze had in store for us, which was a special visit to The Ultimate Fighter Gym. We hung out there for a while and got to see every part of the gym, which was a real treat for any hardcore fight fan/MMA Junkie. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

We all went our separate ways following the visit to the TUF Gym. I went back to my room to get some rest for the evening ahead. The majority of the gang was going to the Purple Reign show, while some were going to a Jennifer Lopez concert and a couple of us to a “foodie” event at the Palazzo.

Duane Maness told me about the foodie event, called the Las Vegas Epicurean Affair. It’s a once a year event where 80 of the best chefs in Vegas serve up dishes.

I really wish this event was part of the Gathering, because it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Wish you guys could have enjoyed it with me. The food was amazing, and there was so much of it at every corner. The booze, too! All kinds of great, original cocktails everywhere. Including craft, draft beers, wine, gin, whiskey and pretty much anything your heart desired. I had a really great time and wish there were a group of Junkies there to enjoy it with me. I can’t imagine how much more fun it would have been.

The plan was to meet the rest of the Junkies for karaoke at Ellis Island later that night, but I had to check out of my room early the following morning, so I decided it was best to skip the karaoke and instead pack up and get a good night’s sleep.

Friday morning, I got ready to check out of my hotel early so I can get to the sportsbook ahead of time for the radio show. The plan was to present a framed Rick Budo t-shirt to Gorgeous George and Goze, for them to hang in their studio. (Copperheart, Billy MacDonald and Carla Duran collectively had the idea for it.) I did not want to miss this for the world. I had to make sure I was there for it.

The plan was to check out of my hotel and go check into my AirBnB, but I did not have time to do that. I checked out of my room and went straight to the studio, carrying my suitcase with me. When I got to the studio, Billy informed me that the plan had been canceled/changed because he was told by someone (Danny, if I recall correctly) that there wouldn’t be time for it. The new plan was to present it at lunch at Texas de Brazil.

By now I had realized that I left my suit hanging in the closet of the hotel room I just checked out of. I decided to go check into my AirBnB, go back to the hotel to grab my suit, take the suit back to my AirBnB, then head to Texas de Brazil to meet everyone for lunch and the presentation of the framed Budo shirt. But before I left the studio, I asked Billy to confirm that they were 100% for sure not going to be presenting it at the studio. He confirmed, and I left.

When I got to Texas de Brazil, first thing I did is find Billy to make sure they had not presented it. He told me that they in fact did end up up presenting it at the studio.

That hurt, because I really wanted to be there for it. I’m one of the few Junkies lucky enough to meet Budo. I had some really good times with him and he ended up being my best friend on the east coast. It meant a lot to me to be there during the presentation of the gift, and I was really bummed for missing it.

We had a great meal. I sat between Gus from Chicago and Jersey Mike, the Rookie of the Year. Afterwards, I caught a ride back to my hotel to get some rest before the wild night ahead.

The Royal Rumble/10th Anniversary party was scheduled for 10 p.m. and I arrived at the sportsbook at around 9:45. George and Goze’s dad arrived after me; we both thought we were going to be late, but were surprised to find a gang of Junkies hangin’ outside the studio.

I was freshly shaved, suited up and was not wearing a hat, so I caught some Junkies off guard. “Gabe, is that you?!” Carla yelled out. Shaving my beard (along with suiting up) was my weird way of paying respects to GG, Goze and the show for the 10th anniversary.

After shooting the shit for a bit, we made our way to the 1923 Bourbon Bar, where the party was taking place. Everybody was there, except Sam the Chef, who got fully dressed for the party but decided to take a nap before leaving and ended up missing the whole thing.

Drink in hand, I made my way around the party, talking to old friends and getting to know new ones. Pretty soon, the “Royal Rumble” started and MMA personalities started joining the action, one after another. Duane Maness was sharing his box of cigars in the cigar room, with Junkies like Dante Morgan and Lerone “L-Train” Gainey taking part. (“L-Train” is the nickname I gave Lerone during this year’s Gathering. He didn’t like it at first, but he warmed up to it.)

I had a good chat with comedian Richard Hunter, who invited me to be a guest on his Phone Booth Fighting podcast when he and Frank Mir come to Los Angeles for UFC 214 in July. I’m looking forward to that.

At one point, I left the Bourbon Bar with rookie Junkies Geoffrey and Kyle. Kyle was in search of miniature alcohol bottles, and thinking it was a good idea to get some, Geoffrey and I tagged along. Each casino shop we stopped at had their prices higher than we’d hoped, so after wasting half an hour, we called the mission a fail, tucked our tails and headed back to the party.

The drinks kept pouring and the fun kept going. Buffalo Blue started dancing and grinding with a random girl at the party. Her friend was sitting there, so I took her by the hand and started dancing with her. After a bit, she started grinding on my junk. I was completely flaccid (thanks, whiskey!) and she wasn’t changing that, so she got upset and went to sit back down.

Rookie Ryan from Sacramento asked me if I would smoke him out. Like a gentleman, I said of course. We left the party, went to the parking lot, had ourselves a smoke and headed right back. When we got back to the Bourbon Bar, we could not find the entrance. We were puzzled for a moment, but then I grabbed the wall and pulled a door right open. It was bizarre. Maybe you had to be there.

The party came to a close and the lot headed our separate ways. I went straight back to my room and crashed.

After striking out with ladies at the Bourbon Bar, I woke up Saturday morning and decided to get together with a Tinder match. She turned out to be a stripper who works at the Crazy Horse Gentlemen’s Club, so needless to say, I had quite a fun start to my Saturday; my last day in town.

I headed down to the Mandalay Bay sportsbook in the afternoon and met up with the crew before going up to Slice of Vegas for Trivia Night, which was the final 2017 MMA Junkie Gathering event I would personally be attending. (The official final event would be a Gabriel Iglesias/“Fluffy” comedy show that night, which I opted not to attend for several reasons, mainly because I needed to be packed, ready and rested for my early 7 a.m. flight.)

The Trivia was fun; my team consisted of Sam All Jam, DJ Zoo, BillyMac, L-Train, Spider Rico and four newbies whose names I don’t recall, mainly because this was the only event they attended all week. A couple of them left pretty early on, taking our team from nine people down to seven. Even with a disadvantage, we ended up in third place. I didn’t feel bad about losing, though, because I don’t think the winners received a prize. As far as I was concerned, we won!

Sam All Jam reminded me that Sanchez still owes me 80 push-ups, so I called Mike to the center of the room, where he proceeded to give me my 10, as a crowd watched on and counted. He gave me 30 (of 100) this Gathering and owes me 70 more going into the next...

When the event wrapped up, I headed back to my AirBnB, got some sleep and then started packing. Once I was packed, I went to meet up with the Junkies at Centre Bar (or is it Center Bar?) in the Luxor, which was our late night headquarters. The majority of them had just gotten back from the Fluffy comedy show.

We had some drinks, and enjoyed each others company and conversation. One by one, those who were catching early flights said their goodbye’s and headed to their rooms. Eventually, it was my turn. I said goodbye to the few who were still left, who themselves were getting ready to leave. I went back to my AirBnB to grab my luggage, and from there, straight to the airport.

Another fun, instant-classic Junkie Gathering in the books. We can’t thank the Garcia brothers enough for what they have created. I surely look forward to seeing you all at the next one... And if you’re ever in L.A. or N.Y., don’t be afraid to hit up your Cousin Gabe!

0 notes