#different vegan restaurants and literally everyone in the scene knows them

[luvdsc]

tag games ;

tagging :: @eggyukhei ; @jaemericano ; @aqiaquas ; @forehead-enthusiast ; @choerrypuffs ; @latetaektalk ; @winetae ; @taeyongtime ; @nochanchu 🌼

—

TAG GAME ONE

tagged by :: @njmin thank you, lovebug! ✨

— tell me the first song that made you stan your current fave group and why did your faves attract you so much?

omg ok it was april 2014, and I was procrastinating on homework and scrolling through youtube. shinee’s lucifer mv was recommended for some reason, and I was intrigued, so I clicked on it. From there, it just spiraled out of control. I was blown away like there’s this one dance move where they all lined up and taemin does this hand motion so fluidly and I was like “this is it.” More shinee mvs were recommended after I clicked that one, so I kept going and watching all the other ones until I watched them all. Their music is just so different and unique, like even after all this time, I can’t find another kpop group who mimics the music style of shinee. and all their solos are absolutely god tier, too!!! they really are gonna be my first and last kpop group. shinee withstood through my stan eras for other groups. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being their fan.

I also found snsd through shinee because their mvs were recommended after I clicked lucifer too. the first one I saw is the iconic gee. taeyeon stood out to me in those mvs. her voice is so distinct, and I’ve been a fan of her ever since. She didn’t have a solo then, but I searched up all her drama osts, song features, everything because I loved her voice so much even back then. so yeah, taeyeon and shinee will forever be my faves, and I love them a lot 💓

TAG GAME TWO

tagged by :: @latetaektalk thank you, linh !! 💖

rule :: answer the ten questions and write your own!

— how are you today?

I’m doing really good! I’m enjoying my summer, and my day is pretty lax. I’ve been facetiming friends, watching chopped, making banh bao with my mom, and doing my daily cardio ✨

— what book has had the biggest impact on your life?

the princess knight by cornelia funke. my elementary school did this thing where your parents can buy a book to donate to the school library under your name for your birthday. this was the book my sister chose for me when I was in kindergarten. I loved that book; I borrowed it so many times and kept rereading it. It’s a children’s picture book about a princess who secretly learns how to joust. the king tries to give her hand in marriage to the knight who wins the competition, but she defeats them all and chooses to marry the gardener’s son who she loves 💕

— what is something you think everybody should have done once in their life?

Travel. There’s just something so wonderful about going to a new place, whether that’s halfway across the world or just the town a few states over. It’s a lovely feeling embarking on an adventure to a place unknown to you where you can meet new people, try new foods even if it’s just a random dish at a restaurant you’ve never been to, and make memories with strangers that no one back home ever has to know about. There’s just something intriguing about being able to go somewhere else and be someone else for an hour or a day or a week before you return back home.

— what story are you the most proud of and why?

on my previous blog, I wrote a fic called the universe of us, and it’s 21k+ wc. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into that fic, and although I can’t read it now without cringing, I really am super proud of myself for pulling through and writing that. The concept of it was unique, in my opinion, and I would love to rewrite it someday! 💫

on this blog, I am most proud of the dumbing down of love. that fic is personal to me because it is literally comprised of my college experiences in written format and the characters embody my friends. I wrote that over the span of 3-4 nights, and that’s the fastest I’ve ever written a fic of that length. the words just flowed so easily for that fic, and the quesadilla scene was the first thing I wrote, and I’m quite proud of that scene!! 💓

— what has made you really happy recently?

I graduated uni!!!!! 💛💛

— what is the first thing you want to do after this whole pandemic is over and it’s safe to go out again?

I want to eat sushi LOL I haven’t had it in four months, and I’m craving it so badly.... I also want to go out with my friends again! I miss being able to see them everyday and our late night shenanigans ):

— if you had to make a soundtrack/playlist based on your life, how would you call it and which songs would you include?

honestly, these are just a bunch of my favorite songs throughout my entire life. some of them don’t relate to me personally, but I remember listening them on repeat, and I still know all the lyrics to them 💘

title: cue the soundtrack of my life

songs: complicated ⋆ avril lavigne ⋮ check yes, juliet ⋆ we the kings ⋮ the way i loved you ⋆ taylor swift ⋮ a daydream away ⋆ all time low ⋮ that’s what you get ⋆ paramore ⋮ i won’t give up ⋆ jason mraz ⋮ holy ground ⋆ taylor swift ⋮ lucifer ⋆ shinee ⋮ don’t go ⋆ exo m ⋮ 1000 years ⋆ shinee ⋮ breathe ⋆ taeyeon & jonghyun ⋮ coffee ⋆ bts ⋮ you are in love ⋆ taylor swift ⋮ walk you home ⋆ nct dream ⋮ i ⋆ taeyeon ⋮ tell me what to do ⋆ shinee ⋮ mad city ⋆ nct 127 ⋮ gravity ⋆ taeyeon ⋮ blueprint ⋆ stray kids

— what is your favourite breakfast food?

omg it’s this one dish that I order every time I go to the diner near my university, and it’s a smoked salmon eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce and hash browns 🤩🤩

— how did you get into writing and is it something you would like to do as your job?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, and my teachers sent me to the young authors’ faire every year from kindergarten to 8th grade. You don’t really get to write creative stories in class when you’re older though, and I stumbled upon fanfiction, and here we are. It’s not something I want to do as my job though. Writing is simply a fun pastime and hobby for me!! If I was forced to write or profit off of it, then that’d take fun out of it ):

— did you remember to drink enough water today?

yes, I did!! I make sure to drink 6-8 large cups of water a day :’) stay hydrated!!! 🤍

my questions for you:

what’s your favorite jelly bean flavor?

if you hated your child, what name would you give them?

do you pour cereal first or milk first?

do you like pineapple on your pizza?

if you could be a celebrity for the day, who would you be and why?

what are three dealbreakers for you in a relationship?

what’s your favorite word and why?

would you rather punch your ult bias in the face full force or lick the porta potty that hasn’t been cleaned after Coachella weekend?

which song(s) would you cut out from nct’s discography?

what’s the most unique/interesting food you’ve ever eaten?

TAG GAME THREE

tagged by :: @pwarkhans ty, sweetpea! 🌸

rule :: bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, then tag nine people.

AIR ༉⋆͙̈

i have small hands / i love the night sky / i watch animals and birds when i pass them by / i drink herbal tea / i wake to see the dawn / the smell of dust is comforting / i’m valued for being wise / i prefer books to music / i meditate / i find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

FIRE ༉⋆͙̈

i don’t have straight hair / i like to wear ripped jeans and overalls / i play an organized sport / i love dogs / i am not afraid of adventure / i love to talk to strangers / i always try new foods / i enjoy road trips / summer is my favorite season / my radio is always playing

WATER ༉⋆͙̈

i wear bracelets on my wrists / i love the bustle of the city / i have more than one set of piercings / i read poetry / i love the sound of a thunderstorm / i want to travel the world / i sleep past midday most days / i love simply lit dinners and fluorescent signs / i rewatch kids shows out of nostalgia / i see emotions in colors not words

EARTH ༉⋆͙̈

i wear glasses or contacts / i enjoy doing the laundry / i am a vegetarian or vegan / i have an excellent sense of time / my humor is very cheerful / i am a valued advisor to my friends / i believe in true love / i love this chill of mountain air / i’m always listening to music / i am highly trusted by the people in my life

AETHER ༉⋆͙̈

i go without makeup in my daily life / i make my own artwork / i keep on track of my tasks and time / i always know true north / i see beauty in everything / i can always smell flowers / i smile at everyone i pass by / i always fear history repeating itself / i have recovered from a mental disorder / i can love unconditionally

#tag games

[katherinelhughes]

Ireland Impressions

I just returned yesterday from a five-day trip to Ireland with my daughter, Isabelle.  She is applying to grad schools, and this last summer I let her know that I had AAdvantage miles that needed to be used.  I thought she might use them to travel to interviews, but it turns out that in the world of Biology, the schools pay for prospective students to come interview.  I realized yet again that I chose a difficult field--as a free-lance professional violinist, I’ve gotten used to paying to play, so to speak...  Anyway, she suggested that we take a trip to Ireland.  She works in a lab with someone who had gone there on his honeymoon, and he had very enthusiastically recommended that she go.

Without going into a lot of detail, Isabelle had a run-in with a virulent virus (I know that’s redundant) in September.  The virus caused some frightening seizures which resulted in two hospitalizations.  We weren’t sure that we would be able to go on our trip, scheduled for the end of November.  So when Isabelle got the okay from her doctors, it was excellent news, in many ways.

We had held off making hotel reservations, but fortunately the end of November is off-season in Ireland.  Ordinarily I would have done a lot of research to decide where to visit and where to stay, but the last-minute nature of our planning made that impossible.  Maybe the more spontaneous approach to this adventure made it more satisfying.  Also, thanks to crowd-sourced reviews of everything on the internet, gone are the days of toting guidebooks around.  Our last big trip was to Munich and environs--eight years ago--and we definitely did that the old-fashioned way. 

Okay, I’ll get on with it.  We actually had five full days in Ireland, bookended by two days of travel.  The airline travel was unremarkable, which might be remarkable, now that I think of it.  Our plan was to spend one night in Dublin, two nights in Galway, one night in Cork, and the last night back in Dublin.

Day One: Dublin

Our hotel was just south of the River Liffey in the City Centre.  We took a cab there from the airport and dropped off our suitcases so we could immediately start exploring.  On our way to see the library at Trinity College, we ran across a cool exhibit of art books at a gallery.  A good start.  At the library we learned that only a facsimile of the Book of Kells (the famous medieval manuscript) would be on display that week.  Not a big deal, especially since the library itself was awe-inspiring.  I overheard someone saying something about Harry Potter, and we learned that they had shot a library scene there.  It was also featured in one of the later Star Wars movies.  Did that make it more meaningful to me?  I’m almost ashamed to admit that it may have...  We also visited the Guinness Storehouse in the early evening.  It’s described as a “brewery experience”.  A bit too theme-parkish for my taste, but I definitely know more about the process of brewing beer in huge quantities!  The top floor bar where we had our complimentary pint has a 360 degree view of the city.  We had two great meals that day, both at pubs.  I have a much different impression of what pub food is now--many vegetarian and even vegan options.

Day Two: Dublin to Galway

A few days before our trip, I literally awoke in a cold sweat about driving on the left side of the road.  My colleague Catherine had given this advice, to be used as a mantra: drive on the left and look to the right.  We were picking up the rental car, and I would be the only driver--Isabelle isn’t able to drive for six months from the time of the last seizure.  The weather was pretty intense--driving rain and wind.  I thought it was charming that so many people apologized for the weather.  We had escaped just before a big snow in Chicago, so I kept assuring folks that we had seen worse!  The driving challenge turned out to be my position on the right side of the car.  It took me an entire day of Isabelle saying “Mom, you’re over the line!” to get used to centering the car in my lane.  Driving on the left side wasn’t as weird as I had thought it would be.  And I think the roundabouts are brilliant.  They keep traffic flowing, and cause fewer accidents than traffic lights.

We had breakfast/early lunch at Tyrrellspass Castle, and continued on to another castle at Tullamore--Charleville.  Evidently, they have an annual music festival there called Castlepalooza.  They were shooting a rock video when we arrived, and we weren’t able to go in, but the drive up to it was downright magical.  That was a word that kept popping into my head over and over.  The rain and temperate climate cause the vegetation to be green, even in late November.  That, along with the mist and ancient trees, conjured up images of fairy tale enchanted forests.

We decided that we would go directly to the Cliffs of Moher since it looked like it would be rainy the following day.  The drive up there was pretty harrowing.  We were on rural roads that narrowed without much notice, and I was still trying to hone my new driving skills.  What a reward when we arrived though!  The cliffs at the edge of the Atlantic are ruggedly breathtaking.  Because it was off-season and relatively late in the day, there were very few tourists.  And there were sheep grazing right next to the trails--even a proverbial black sheep.  They are the “Shaun the Sheep” type with the black faces, and both Isabelle and I are big fans.  It’s too bad that today I started thinking about the fact that they are livestock and not pets...

When I started the car at the Cliffs, two warning lights came on.  We looked them up--Electronic Stabilization Control and Emission Control.  I figured we could make it to Galway, but we knew we would have to address the issue the next day.  Thankfully, we did get there with no trouble.  Our hotel was once again in the City Centre.  About a block away was a Christmas market with food stalls and some carnival rides.  Before we left home, I had wondered how commercial Christmas would be in Ireland.  We learned that decorations generally go up a day after Halloween, so I guess that the US isn’t the only place that extends the holiday to last over two months.  But to us, everything looked so quaint suspended over cobblestone streets.  There is also an upscale Irish department store, Brown Thomas, that does some wackily inventive holiday windows.  In Galway, one featured a male mannequin with an owl’s head.  We had another great dinner--excellent farm to table food and a vegan local beer.

Day Three: Galway

We finally had a chance to sleep in!  Then, unfortunately, we had to drop the car at an Enterprise-approved car repair facility for diagnosis.  It was very close to the City Centre, so we walked to the Fisheries Watchtower (museum) and the Galway Museum.  The wind was fierce--equal to anything I’ve experienced in Chicago, but that weather was over by 2 PM or so.  At the museum, we learned about the ancient and more recent history of the city, including the Irish uprising against the British.  I know through 23andMe that my DNA makeup is 41% British and Irish, the largest percentage in the mix.  23andMe doesn’t specify English, Scottish, Welsh, or Irish--I’m probably all of the above.  We're pretty sure that the Hughes name comes from Wales, and our background is pretty thoroughly Protestant.  I grew up with the impression that the Reformation was a positive thing, and that the Protestants held the moral high ground.  But in this phase of my political thinking, my belief is that religious differences have most often been used to justify` the lust for power and the control of natural resources and goods.  I also just finished an amazing book on the trip--”Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire” by Kurt Andersen.  The US was founded by some pretty crazy Protestants, and I can’t take much pride in the ways that they behaved.  Anyway, the visit to Ireland has led me to wonder what my ancestors’ political roles were in these struggles for independence.

We had savory pie for lunch--mine was kale and wild mushroom, locally sourced again, with spelt flour crust.  Isabelle and I agreed that it was our favorite meal of the trip.  We had to go back to the car repair place, and they informed us that we needed to get a replacement vehicle.  This gave us the opportunity to talk with the lovely young woman from the Enterprise facility in Galway, the longest conversation we had with any local on the trip.  The replacement car was newer and better, and they gave us a free day’s rental, so it was a win-win-win situation!  We briefly visited the gorgeous Galway Cathedral where a nice man let us in even though they had just officially closed.  We also heard some Irish traditional music, and ate at yet another farm to table restaurant.  Incidentally, the prices were really reasonable compared to Chicago prices for similar food.

Day Four: Galway to Cork

Isabelle figured that Limerick would be a great place to stop on our way to Cork.  We ended up spending much more time there than we had planned.  After a great mocha (my first time trying oat milk) and breakfast, we went exploring.  There was a mostly ruined castle, King John’s Castle, that had an excellent museum component that inspired more rumination on the conflicts between the different factions in the British Isles.  And very nearby was the 850 year old Cathedral of St. Mary.  Very impressive to us Americans when we’re inside a building with that kind of history...

We decided to visit Blarney Castle on our way to Cork, and it was much more captivating, and much less touristy than I had imagined.  As we approached the castle on foot, we passed signs that read “90 minutes to the Blarney Stone”, “60 minutes to the Blarney Stone” etc.  We were once again grateful that we were there in the off-season.  Our wait to kiss the Blarney Stone was...0 minutes!  Yes, we did it.  There are many stories about the Stone, but the most common is that it gives you the gift of gab, and not in a good way.  But I figure I can use the gift of gab--everyone always tells me that I’m too quiet and very private.  Wow--it may already be working, since I’m writing this long involved post about our vacation!  Surrounding the castle is a gorgeous park that is truly a botanical garden, including a poison garden.  That traditionally would have had medicinal plants that “will either kill you or cure you.”  There were huge redwoods, oversized rhubarb plants, a spectacular fern garden with waterfall--magical, you might say!

We went on to Cork, found our B & B, and went into the City Centre for another excellent meal.  We wandered around, figuring out what we wanted to do there the next morning.  There was a large courtyard with a light display called “Glow” that was set to open the next day.  Also a ferris wheel that seems to be a standard part of a Christmas market--who knew?  Our B & B was pretty cool, but the woman who ran it seemed disappointed that we hadn’t opted for the breakfast part of the equation.  We had our sights set on a coffee place we had seen on our reconnaissance mission...

Day Five: Cork to Dublin

We did go to the Bean and Leaf, and it was very near to the English Market that we planned to visit.  The English Market is a covered food market that houses a huge variety of fresh grocery items.  We wondered about the origins of the name, and found out that the English or Protestant Corporation that ran Cork untl the mid 1800′s founded it.  It catered to a wealthy clientele while the Irish Market catered to the working class folk.  Now, everyone goes there, and they have all of the super-trendy foods that you would find in an upscale grocery store in the states.  We bought a few things there, walked around a bit more, and got in the car to head to our last big adventure. 

Almost as ubiquitous as the sheep on the hillsides were the rainbows.  We saw a few every day that we were driving, including a couple of double rainbows.  The conditions were perfect--light rain, followed by the sun breaking through the clouds.  Now I understand the whole leprechaun and pot of gold at the end of the rainbow image.  They seem so...magical!

I think it was the vinyl record store we checked out in Cork that got us onto the subject of rock operas.  On our next car ride we listened to Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”.  It was one of the few times we listened to music in the car.  Most of the time the British-accented Google Maps lady was telling us where to go--”take the slip-road on the left.”  Thank goodness for Google Maps!  It would have been difficult to navigate all of those one-way streets with me driving on the left, using an old-fashioned map...  Anyway, it was a pretty long stretch on a main road to get us to our next destination: the Wicklow Mountains at Glendalough.  The same mountain range extends into Dublin where they’re called the Dublin Mountains.  It was astoundingly beautiful there--and the smells were so fresh and fragrant.  We hiked a very short trail that took about 50 minutes, but it gave us the flavor of the park.  We had lunch at the Glendalough Hotel.  And that reminds me--many of our servers, especially in the Dublin area, were young Eastern Europeans.  Evidently, Ireland is a very popular place to look for better job opportunities, and a better life in general.  We did remark on the fact that we saw very few people of color though.  I want to find out why that is the case.  It does make me wonder about ethnic and religious homogeneity.  Would I have felt such an affinity for Ireland if I weren’t white and culturally Christian?  

On the way down the mountain and back to Dublin, we listened to “Thick as a Brick” by Jethro Tull.  Isabelle had never heard it before.  I thought it had an appropriately Celtic feel, and was loosely in the rock opera genre.  We listened to a few Irish artists as we were making our way back into Dublin in Friday evening traffic.  We checked into our last hotel, did a bit of last-minute souvenir shopping, and ate at a pub with live music.  The two musicians played mostly traditional Irish music, but also included a few American tunes.  It was kind of a fitting transition since we would be heading to the airport in the morning.

I am so grateful that Isabelle was well enough that we could make this trip.  She was a great traveling companion, and our energy levels were very well matched.  We shared a similar idea of the optimum balance between planning and spontaneity.  I’m not sure how to wrap this up except to say: Travel with your adult children!  Go to Ireland in the off-season!  Enjoy the rainbows!

[promothecode99]

5 Famous Restaurants You Should Visit In London

The tempting aroma, the sizzling noise, and the ambrosial dishes in front of you! Just a perfect scene for every food lover out there! If the thought of good food excites you every time, you can proudly label yourself as a foodie like me! I am always open to experiencing new places to eat. That is why I was very curious and excited to try out the different restaurants when I visited London last year.

Based on my experience, I present the top 5 restaurants that you should definitely visit in London. They are a selection of different cuisines around the world at a flexible range of prices.

Disclaimer: Thoughts of delicious, piping hot food might emerge in your mind after reading this. You might even feel hungry instantly!

Chiquito

This restaurant should definitely be on top of your list if you are a fan of Mexican cuisine. They serve a wide range of Tex-Mex dishes, a perfect fusion of Mexican and South American flavors.I used the Chiquito Code there, which made my experience even better! Everyone likes such a budget-friendly meal, after all. The thing I loved the most about them is that they have a separate gluten-free and vegan menu too. Even though I am not a vegan and do not have a gluten allergy, I understand that the people in these categories have very few dining-out options.

Hoppers

‘Hoppers’ is the ultimate stop for Sri Lankan and South Indian cuisine in London. Named after the delectable dish of egg-topped pancakes ,this restaurant is really worth every penny.

Their Dosas, Kothus, and Roasts spice up your taste buds on a whole new level. Mouth-watering food, complemented by a tropical drinks list, Hoppers has quickly become the talk of the SoHo town!

You can enjoy the food at Hoppers at a price range of £30 to £49. I would totally recommend you to give this unique cuisine a try!

Pizza Pilgrims

Pizza may sound typical to you but believe me; this pizza place is way too different from the others.   It is safe to say that after months of tasting and observing everything about pizzas in the country of its origin, Pizza Pilgrim has brought Italy's real flavors to London.

Pizza Pilgrim makes the best Neapolitan pizza in the city. They are the perfect level of bready and chewy, filled with delectable flavors.

Their most demanded flavor is Nduja, a spicy sausage from Calabria. It’s a must-try item on their menus. Do you know the best part? They even offer frying Pan Pizza Kits that you can enjoy at home!

In addition to that, they have also introduced Pizza Box Art. This initiative aims to appreciate the blooming artists with a free pizza.

Hide

Established in 2018, this lavish restaurant made its way into people’s hearts in a very short span of time. It has also received a Michelin star for its exceptional cuisine.

Also, the view of this 3-story restaurant is literally mesmerizing as it overlooks Green Park.

A common misconception about skyscraper-topping restaurants is that they are only known for their view, not their food. But the excellent food at Hide entirely negates this misconception.

If you are in the mood of splurging on a highly-fancy meal within a luxurious setting, this is your place to go!

Bright

With its cool, casual, and confident atmosphere, Bright is one of London's highest-rated restaurants and wine bars.

Located in Hackney, they serve contemporary global dishes like Katsu Sandu, Pizza Fritta, Beef tongue in blackcurrant, Shellfish, etc.

The place has an aura of comfort and sophistication. They offer an informal set menu at £50 per head consisting of sharing snacks and individual plates.

Even though it is on the pricey side, this restaurant’s food, ambiance, and service, everything is worth it. They even cater to a menu for vegetarians. Try them out, and you won’t be disappointed at all!

#discount #coupon code #promo code #offers #london #restaurant

[abiteofnat]

GOD FORBID I WANT A MASON JAR WEARING A COWBOY HAT FULL OF ANYTHING...

Because guess what? Turns out my significant love for that bayou-slash-open-road-country life makes me a big ole weenie. As someone who’s incredibly open about their love for country music, bandanas, tall boys, and the seafood ways of the South, I have quickly discovered that only select people will understand and respect this part of my life. My parents? Heck nOPE. My coworkers? Heckled me to death after they found out I went to the Country Lake Shake Festival (which will be discussed more later, so leave now if you’re already like noooo thanks goodbye bon soir)! 

Ever since my mom, my sister and I went to New Orleans and Alabama for a family wedding last year, I have fallen head over heels in love with spicy cajun food, butter pickles, driving with the windows down and playing Dylan Scott, and Corona Lite with a lime popped in. I dream of shrimp & grits and I’ll be damned if a weekend night doesn’t end with something crisp and at least 4% alcohol, even if it’s a beer & bath affair. But in Chicago? Keep your country side a secret unless you want your ass whooped. That’s why I am so excited for this post: my top three favorite ways to feel like it’s a down-South summer day year round in Chitown. 

Quick explanation of WHY I love this emerging side of me before I get a whole lotta sass: Country music tells a story like no other genre does. While rap is celebrated for over-sexualizing women and probably leading to most of the sex happening in this country because who doesn’t feel frisky when they listen to fucking Fetty Wap, country is seen as disgusting and stupid even if it tells a narrative of falling in love and getting married and living a WONDERFUL LIFE TOGETHER. SO WHAT IF PICKUP TRUCKS ARE INVOLVED. IS YOUR MOM’S MINI VAN THAT MUCH BETTER??? Also, the food in the South is made with so much more attention, history, flair, and f l a v o r. In every bite there are a hundred spices, and in every spice there’s a piece of history. The recipes, the heritage, the attention to how textures compliment each other. The way people openly enjoy messy food and want to share and there is no other option than just be happy for that meal. You may all disagree, that’s fine. I just know that despite all of this country’s flaws, all of the past years of splitting hairs and choosing sides, grits are still good. Sometimes, y’all, life really is that simple. And that’s ok for as long as it takes to eat some fucking cornbread. 

1. The Fish Bar! 

As said on their Insta page, “New Orleans meets New England style restaurant in Lakeview” and that could not be more accurate! My foodie groupies Erin, Chelsea, & Luzi have a taste for anything and everything so we often try to hit somewhere new & different when we meet for dinner so that hopefully one day we can cross EVERY DARN RESTAURANT OFF our Chicago bucket list, and this last soiree was at The Fish Bar in Lakeview. Located right off the Wellington Brown Line stop, this cozy bar-meets-cookout vibe offers a huge selection of specialized cocktails served in mason jars and decently priced wine as well as tacos, “angry” tots, and a whole lotta seafood. Erin’s choice was the Satchmo Po’boy, a mix of crawfish and shrimp slathered in butter pickles and thrown on a thick n’ buttery bun, kettle chips on the side and eaten by mostly me. She also ordered the “Angry Tots”, a version of tater tots involving spicy aioli and some spices that will not make you angry but will certainly make your tastebuds say WHAT TO HECK?! They are a great compliment to all of the items on the menu, and a bite of tot with a sip of the refreshing (and pink!) cocktail I got? Fan-freakin-tastic. This cocktail not only looked like me in drink form, but also offered a delicious taste of vodka mixed with bubbles, strawberries, freshly picked basil, and a wee bit of cucumber. 

For my entree I got the Shrimp Tacos, a solid choice for my pescatarian ways whenever I’m overwhelmed by how many things I want and 9/10 end up being a lovely choice wherever I order them. These ones really took the cake, so much so I took the description right off the site: “served with red & green salsa, roast peppers, cauliflower, jalapeno crema, cilantro, guacamole, arugula.” Um, jalapeno crema? Need ANYONE SAY MORE?! 

This place is perfect for happy hour and apps as well as date night with friends or ya lover, as the inside is adorable and intimate but the outside offers views on the passersby and allows you to sit at a picnic table! Not to mention the baby blue brick wall with an epic fish design on it, perfect for photo ops. 

2. Low Country!

Ok, this place is beyond epic. Let me set the scene: you walk in and you’re greeted with a wall of garlic so strong you’re salivating but also aware that you’re going to smell like this until the next time you’re under a boiling hot shower. There are rows on rows of checkerboard-clad picnic tables and a giant vintage trough in the middle complete with beautiful faucets for washing hands (very important later), and a long bar that offers happy hour deals that Erin and I took great pleasure in. We got peach beer (!!!) and ordered, as you do at Low Country, a pound of seafood mixed with corn on the cob, potatoes, and a stew of cajun + garlic seasoning. They bring it to you in a giant boil bag still tied, wait for you to put on your bib (which you DEFINITELY WANT TO PUT ON), and then slam it down and cut off the top, releasing a force field of steam and smells so good your tongue literally rolls out of your mouth and lays on your lap until you put seafood on it. I got a pound of shrimp, Erin got a pound of snow crab, and sleeves were rolled up to our armpits to allow the messiest meal ever to commence. 

Is there anything as satisfying as eating a full meal with your hands? No worries, no holding back, just absolutely covered in sauce and drinking beer when you can without dropping it and then suddenly you sit back and realize you ate 1-2 pounds of food without really stopping? You can’t do this everyday because it will lose the magic, but the boil bag experience is one to definitely put on your list. It’s fun, it’s freeing, it’s freaking delicious. Between the succulent corn and the meaty, steamy shrimp that you bite right on out of the tail, it will fill you to the brim but leave you dreaming of more. I can honestly say this meal goes into my Top Ten Best Meals Ever, which is kindaaa impressive!   

*EDIT: Since this post was created and put int he queue, I have since gone back with Luzi and it still stands to be one of the best meals ever ever ever. And I tried the cajun fries, which are CERTAINLY worth it esp. when you swirl them in that boil bag sauce. 

3. Lake Shake!

No, this is not a restaurant, or even a real foodie experience. I just had to delve into the small things that made this such a perfect summer day; for one, there were a million food options at this three-day music festival on Northerly Island in Chicago including a whole vegan tent (!!!) and a million little nibbles that looked amazing, which is kind of rare for music festivals! It wasn’t just ice cream or french fries if you were vegetarian there- which to be honest shocked me, since it’s a country festival and meat is the way of the world down there. But between the vegan nachos, the walking taco, the mac & cheese INSIDE a BREAD CONE... options for days. My goodness. 

The drinks were fab as well! For an ungodly fee you could get their “signature” drink, a vodka lemonade with some blue raspberry flavoring and lemon inside this sick Live Nation cowboy-hat cup, and it was an easy choice for us to commit to that. Bonus? THE CUP DOUBLES AS A PIGGY BANK WHEN YOU’RE DONE. Brilliant. Even though it was pricey, it got me daytime lit so that when Luzi and I saw Dylan Scott perform I was in my dancing and singing-out-loud-very-loudly prime which is the other best part of country music: EVERYONE JUST WANTS TO DANCE. AND SMILE. AND FALL IN LOVE A LITTLE. It was such a feel-good environment that when Luzi suggested we get a couple tall boys before Rascal Flatts went on I did not fight back and we ended up sitting on the lawn just taking in the day for a while with some Bud Lights. 

Even if country music isn’t your thing, you still have to admit any day with festive drinks is a good one. Already can’t wait to go back next year! 

That rounds up a few of my favorite ways to embrace the shade, and I hope you go try a boil bag and ruin all of your clothes in the process because it is sooo worth it. If you hated this whole post, I get it, you hate fun. Stay tuned for what’s coming soon!

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

#foodblog #chicago #foodie #blogger #chicagofoodblogger #dylan scott #country #countrymusic #musicfestivals #boil bags #po'boy #food #alcohol #beer

[marcellicide]

7/26/19

I have so much to do. 

I want to finish my album by my birthday. I don’t know if I can manage it, but it’d be nice. The thing is, when I think about making my album, I also make myself sad by reminding myself that nobody knows who I am. I haven’t posted anywhere in a while, when I post on twitter, it’s like shouting into the void. I don’t know how to get people’s attention. Which is weird bc all my life, I’ve been this weird outcast that everyone couldn’t help but notice. Now I’m lucky if I can get anyone’s attention on the internet. Everything is so oversaturated. I remember when I posted my shitty covers on YouTube when I was 14, I’d get thousands of views without even trying. Now I post better quality covers with a more matured voice and they get 10. If that. It’s discouraging. Everyone likes the things I like now. It’s not new or different, and nobody cares what I have to say. 

I have to make people care. 

I have to stop caring. 

I’m a firm believer that if you think about something all the time and cling to the thoughts with desperation, you’ll never get it. All my life, literally every day of my childhood, I remember thinking about my soulmate. Finding someone to be with was my top priority. It wasn’t until I relaxed to have a good night with some friends that I finally met someone I matched with. After he left me, it wasn’t until I stopped caring if I was alone that I felt happy. Again, I need to reach that apathy again. 

What I want is to be famous. I want to create every form of art I possibly can, living art. I love fashion, tattoos, makeup, interior design, music, etc. The art you experience on the daily. I don’t want to have to think about how much I have in my bank account before making a purchase. I want to influence the way people think about others and the world around them. I want them to listen to me. 

So what if that doesn’t happen?

I make art anyway. I waste all my time and money on it and nobody really buys it. Or maybe some do, but not a lot. Enough to break even. That’d be nice. 

I just can’t worry about that stuff. I have to focus on what’s going on in front of me. Focus on what I want right now. Right now I want to make this album the best it can be. I desperately want to save money for our yearly trip to Colorado. I might even try to convince Matt to consider moving to Denver. He’s expressed interest in it before, but he’s said before that he’d need some incentive. A fanbase, family, a job, you know, something. Well, his grandma and uncle already live out there and his family visits every year, that’s why we’re going. The music scene definitely isn’t as saturated as California, but it’s close to the coast so we don’t miss out on the fun. There’s tons of vegan restaurants in Colorado, and oh yeah, WEED IS LEGAL. We’d have to explore the rent rates but damn...I would love to live in Denver. Just smoking weed, wearing pink, working a vegan restaurant making bank in tips, playing music on the side, making videos in my free time. I’d love it. California was always my dream, but I think I could meet in the middle for Colorado. 

I think I’m going to try and keep these journals going. There’s always so much noise in my head. Typing it all out kind of contains it. It’s nice. So I’ll see you tomorrow y’all

#text

[martadwatson]

Real Housewives Of Atlanta Season 11 Premiere Recap

Last night’s season premiere of Real Housewives of Atlanta was all about Porsha Williams turning right instead of left and finding Prince Charming – aka The Hot Dog King Of Atlanta, and hopefully getting a big ol diamond ring out of it. HINT, MEGA-HINT, HINT.

As we alll know Porsha is dating Dennis, who owns several clubs in addition to The Original Hotdog Factory. “Everybody loves hot dogs!” Porsha cheers, “Especially me!” And Dennis’s wienie in particular. Porsha met Dennis at one of his clubs, then went home with him. Porsha and Dennis’s one-night stand has now turned into ring shopping. He apparently told her he loved her the first night they met. “It just feels natural and we just went with it,” she gushes.

Porsha drags Dennis to her jeweler – the same one who provided her rings to Kordell, because, “Different man, different right, right?!” And bigger girl, bigger diamonds too! She’s a grown up now, no more playing housewives with a man who acts like her father. Also, it’s not like the jeweler cursed their marriage – RHOA did.

After diamond browsing, Porsha swings by Swagg Boutique to check in on NeNe Leakes. And NeNe is not doing well. Gregg has been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer – which I didn’t know his cancer was so advanced! – and most of his colon was removed. NeNe is taking care of him, and trying to be strong, but in her car and at night she cries. Gregg is determined to fight – if only to have more time with his wife – so they host a revitalizing prayer circle of family and friends to boost his spirit and keep him strong.  NeNe gets Porsha for her spirit boosting! Gregg looks so ill and depleted, I am heartbroken for this family. And alas I just cannot make fun of NeNe’s confessional hat at a time like this. So she gets a pass, because of Gregg.

Porsha came to Swagg because she just had to see NeNe’s face to truly understand where she is. They speak on the phone regularly, but Porsha knows NeNe is hiding her true feelings and has decided to make it her sole mission (other than getting a ring) to make NeNe laugh to cheer her up. And Porsha, bless her heart, she is ride or die about shaking her booty for a friend in need.

Dennis is taking Porsha to Miami to celebrate her birthday and guess what – NeNe is also headed there for a comedy gig. NeNe somehow talks Porsha into trying on this tie-dyed two-piece number which looked like a Crayola box exploded on Porsha’s ass, or maybe like one of those Jackson Pollak paintings that sell for millions.

NeNe wants to see what’s cooking with Porsha and her Swagg outfit. The answer is stir-fried crazy. Crazier than a tye-dyed spandex outfit.

What’s also cooking is that Porsha has a brilliant idea. Well, at least for her it’s brilliant. She – ahem, the producers – decide this is the perfect opportunity for Porsha to plan a girl’s trip to surprise NeNe in Miami to cheer her up. Yes, I’m so sure Porsha came up with this all on her own. Just like I’m so sure Porsha and NeNe just so happened to be traveling to Miami at the exact same time…

Next, let’s check in on Cynthia Bailey. Fifty Cynt turned out to be a bad year, but Fifty Cynt & Change is doing OK. Cynthia is now dating – and quite serious with – Mike Hill, a sportscaster who lives in LA, but visits Lake Bailey regularly to dive into its cool, swampy waters. Mike calls for some Skype-Sex and Cynthia is all prepared with a glass of wine swimming with frozen green grapes so it looks like she’s drinking a witch’s brew filled with eyeballs. Then in the middle of Mike telling her how he likes to be in control, Noelle walks in unannounced. Noelle and Mike have met, and like each other – so much so that Mike and Cynthia almost continue their raunchy talk while she’s sitting on the sofa taking a selfie. Classy!

For Kandi Burrrus her personal life is problematic while her professional one is hitting the highest notes ever. Starting with Xscape being honored with an aascap Golden Note Award. The award is all fine and good, but the really important matter for these Ol Girls of the 90’s music scene is what craft services will be serving backstage. Um, aascap isn’t using OLG as their caterers? Aunt Bertha won’t be personally presiding over the koolaid kocktails while terrorizing the other esteemed attendees? Apparently not because it doesn’t even appear that Mama Joyce attended.

Instead, Kandi brought her toddler and Riley, neither of whom want to be there. Kandi is shocked that Ace is cranky and crying – she doesn’t even seem to realize what time he goes to bed. Probably because, as Riley points out, Kandi is constantly working and never home. Todd is essentially running “Daddy Daycare,” but while he’s at the bar getting a much needed drink after finally escaping the kids, Don Jaun Daycare had to take over while Kandi grimaced from the red carpet. Girl time to hire a NANNY.

We also need to take a moment to truly honor the star of that show: Kandi’s weave. It must have been supplied by Porsha’s Go Naked Hair!

Of course, while Kandi is missing school meetings she forgot were even scheduled (OK I’ve done that too) and being publicly called out by her teenager for ignoring home responsibilities, she’s contemplating another baby because duh – she has two frozen embryos left which she’s not sure what to do with. Yes – another stupid embryo storyline! Really Bravo… you have got to cook up some new recipes. Let Porsha get into that kitchen and open the oven and stuff a hotdog bun in there or something.

Eva Marcille had Michael Jr, and is now engaged to regular-old Michael. Basically, everything is great except that her wedding is in about 6 minutes but she has no wedding planner or anything else done. However, she does have professional family photographs with everyone wearing denim-on-denim like this is 1992. So priorities. After taking a couple photos with the kids, Eva quickly shoos them away, kicks off her Louboutins and turns this into The Eva Show to relaunch her modeling career. Does ANTM do a senior series? Wasn’t LeeAnne Locken on something like that way back when?

Porsha comes home carrying a Chick-Fil-A cup the size of her head and announces that she’s going to call all the girls to invite them to Miami on a mission trip to recharge NeNe’s batteries. She’s scared though because she’s well aware that none of her s0-called friends even like her! She starts with Cynthia, who is too busy sucking on frozen grapes to be mean and having nothing to do, is an easy yes. Next Porsha downs a shot of Hennessy to give Kandi a call. Kandi was just telling us how much she loves to work, so she had no problem jetting off to Miami at a moment’s notice and ditching her kids (again) to fulfill her Bravo contractual obligations. Everyone else, obviously, can go because these trips are sooo authentic!

Porsha pats herself on the back for being brave enough to work the telephone and surprisingly everyone was nice. Even Kandi. Good things happen when you project your happiness to the world in the form of constant hair flips and high pitched shrieking giggles. Porsha in love is worse than five 8th grader girls.

Porsha prepared for Miami by packing all white, because she’s having a very bridal moment – hopefully – and then adding a bring red wig to signify love. Also red is the color of ketchup – which pairs perfectly with hot dogs! I assume Porsha is no longer vegan? If Dennis doesn’t propose in the next 5 minutes she’s gonna explode like a hotdog cooked too long in the microwave! When he arrives to pick her up and fly her in a private plane, Porsha is literally bursting with glee and practically levitating at the thought of being proposed to during the trip. Did I mention that they’ve only been together five months?

Meanwhile, NeNe is calling Cynthia hourly to beg her to come to Miami where she’ll be doing her first comedy show since Gregg’s diagnosis. Cynthia is the worst liar ever and stumbles over pretending she has to get off the phone for conference calls and phone sex and any other reason, oh my! Then she’s so flustered she packs the wardrobe equivalent of Porsha’s personality.

Driving to their hotel, Porsha prattles on about how she has so much to do in Miami like wear WHITE. A LOT. And make NeNe feel better by showing off her GIANT ENGAGEMENT RING, but there are no plans to introduce Dennis to the girls. Porsha wants to protect him from them eating him alive. Dennis actually already knows Kandi… from around. No details given. Also, he used to frequent OLG Restaurant on the regular, being that he lives right across the street, but since meeting Porsha he hasn’t partaken in their fried chicken. Hmmm… so do we think Dennis is a famewhore? Or something else? Porsha is choosing to remain unbothered by this revelation because she is much more focused on the fact that Dennis could be proposing this weekend. HINT HINT.

Dennis has the room all prepared with a private chef to make gourmet food, and WHITE (hint hint!) rose petals on the bed and we all know what white rose petals mean… THERE IS A RING HIDING IN PORSHA’S SALMON STEAK. Like a bad sitcom, Porsha runs into the bathroom to frantically call her sister, whispering about how she knows this is the night. She’s in there so long Dennis finally asks if everything is OK. Cause nothing says sexy like your man thinking you have explosive diarrhea!

Finally, Porsha sits down on the bed and Dennis whips out a giant jewelry box and … TO BE CONTINUED.

Also, of course, Dennis knows Kandi. And of course, Kandi will know something nasty about him.

TELL US – DO YOU THINK DENNIS WILL PROPOSE? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CYNTHIA’S MAN? ARE YOU EXCITED EVA HAS JOINED THE CAST FULL-TIME?

[Photo Credits: Bravo]

Source link

from Diamonds & Jewelry Consignment Shop https://sellringsonconsignment.com/top-posts/real-housewives-of-atlanta-season-11-premiere-recap/ from Sell Rings On Consignment https://sellringsonconsignment.tumblr.com/post/179791513568

[romancevsreality-blog]

vanderpump rules, season six, episode fourteen: caution - feminism ahead

Every single episode I wonder how they’re going to top the generic musical intros they use on this show, but here we are - this week, it’s simply “na, na, na, nah, nah.” Also known as, my approach to writing this blog lately!

Apologies. I’ve gone through a lot in the last few months. I’m back, I promise. Just in time for the finale, of course!

OF COURSE.

We start in West Hollywood in Tom and Ariana’s apartment, where Ariana is dreading going to hair removal. Ariana is teaching Tom the basic essentials to hair removal, and Sandoval is straight up shocked you don’t roll up there with a full bush and they just buzz through it like some kind of laser lawn mower. No, you have to be fully shaved, closely shaved, so they can access the hair follicle more easily. If they could superimpose an NBC “The More You Know” rainbow over this entire scene, that would be fantastic.

Ariana’s working on body positivity and #embracinghervagina, but it’s a slow process of both undoing that hatred and gaining some sense of self-love there. Hopefully one day she’ll love her vagina as much as she should. Sandoval loved their trip to Vegas because it was like, an adult trip - he wasn’t black out drunk the entire time, just like, 75% of the time. Who cares if Lisa had to kick Tom and Tom out of a meeting because they were out of control and being annoying? Not Sandoval! He showed up, and that’s what matters. I wonder how Tom pays his rent with the brownie points he’s getting.

Over at Sexy Unique Restaurant, the Generic Music cue is “Oh, Superstitilous”.

Can someone. Tell me. What “Superstitilous” means.

I cannot think of a sentence where I would need to combine “superstitious” and “delicious” into one word. I literally have tried to for the last hour. Like, maybe if it’s the Boston Marathon or something and you’re eating pasta? “This pasta is so superstitilous, I hope it brings me good luck tomorrow.”

I’m trying, y’all.

DJ James Kennedy, CBE, and Raquel, his squeak-toy-turned-girlfriend, are over at Sexy Unique Restaurant. James is putting on a jacket because his father is coming by and he wants to give off the vibe of being Very Smart. James, a jacket can only do so much for you. It’s his dad’s first time coming to visit after getting divorced frrom his mother, and his father is just as much of a British stereotype as you can think of. His dad is a less attractive Robbie Coltrane1 with worse teeth. He’s wearing sunglasses that can only be described as Creepy Manager Chic, and a baseball cap and a black polo.

It’s like they yanked him straight out of 24 Hour Party People2. We’re reminded that James was surrounded by music growing up - not only did his dad manage George Michael, but he was a DJ himself. He is also a grown man wearing an ear cuff.

James’ dad has no idea what his son’s drink of choice is, or that James cannot drink while on the job. James said his dad isn’t a bad influence, he just doesn’t understand why James can’t work and drink at the same time. Raquel continues to be like “if Lisa catches you with a drink, you’re donzo.” Speaking of, Lisa arrives for this week’s contracted meddling. She talks with Billie Lee, and then talks to James and his dad. Ken’s known Andreas (James’s dad), forever, but Lisa only knows him through George Michael, she’s keen to remind us.

Scheana and Lala3 meet with Brittany at Hooters, where they’re celebrating Jax’s 83rd birthday. He claims it’s his 38th, but we all know the truth. He’s not fooling anyone. Brittany knows she’s better than doing anything for Jax, let alone throw him a birthday party, but you know what? She’s all in on this relationship with this philanderer. Stassi, Schwartz, and Katie all arrive, shocked they’re downtown... but Hooters might be the only reason they’ll ever go downtown. Fuck Jax.

Stassi reminds us that when she broke up with Jax, she all but dug her key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive and carved her name into his leather seats, but she can’t judge Brittany for coping in her own way. Jax calls this the perfect birthday party for his inner child, because there’s nothing better than going to Hooters. My only experiences with Hooters have been this show and that episode of The Office, so I can’t confirm or deny this.

Stassi’s complaining about having big boobs, and how girls with small boobs will never know the pain of underboob sweat. As someone who’s new to the entire concept of having boobs, this is very true. It’s actually awful, and kind of gross. Katie can hold a pencil under her boobs, Stassi can hold an entire pack of rats. I can’t, and as someone who was thrilled she couldn’t hold a pencil case between her thighs, I’ll just go along with their entire thing here.

RealDoll Scheana takes Jax aside and confronts him about what Kristen told her Jax said about her and Rob. Rob says he loves RealDoll Scheana, but he’s not in love with her yet - even though she is, and she’s planning their entire life together down to the pillow shams they’ll have in the lake house. Rob may tell Scheana he loves her, but Jax was told something different. Scheana can’t imagine that this is true. There’s so much meaning behind not telling your significant other you love them every time you say goodbye.

Delusion, by Scheana Shay.

She knows they’re going to get married - sure, it’s not as quickly as she’d like it to be, but they’re going to. How does she know this? Does Rob know this? For once, Jax is in the right, and y’all know how much I hate it when that happens. He’s just trying to bring Scheana back down to Earth because she’s looking at her entire life through her Instagram feed. If she can project perfection4 to everyone else, eventually that’ll become true. She’s trying to The Secret her entire life. As someone who tries not to fuck with the universe and tries not to put things out there that can come back to me later5, even I know at a certain point it’s out of my control. Scheana hasn’t, clearly.

Peter asks Brittany how it feels to be back at Hooters, and she’s happy to be there. Ariana, with a mouth full of chicken, is like, “it’s so nice of Jax to take us to church on his birthday.” Ariana remains my favorite.Sandoval and Tom have gotten Jax a gift - a male romper. I’m guessing this was that time last summer that romphims were shocking the world, and honestly, there’s nothing wrong with it? I never understood why it was such a big deal. I mean, guys don’t even have to get naked to pee in their rompers. They should be much more of a staple in men’s attire than women’s.

Oh god, am I defending rompers?

The next day, Stassi and Billie Lee are headed to Kristen and Carter’s apartment, and Billie swears she’s not an alcoholic. Billie Lee immediately greets them with gluten-free vegan brownies and bread and she was doing so good up until this moment. Do not walk into my house with gluten-free vegan anything. Stassi loves Billie Lee. I did too, at one time. Apparently, Jeremy, Ariana’s brother, asked Billie Lee out on a date. Kristen and Stassi are skeptical and want to make sure it’s in public because Jeremy’s a creep.

Or so they think.

Jeremy’s kind of a creep and a lingerer, and at Schwartz and Katie’s wedding got a little too drunk and handsy, making Stassi uncomfortable. Kristen hopes he’s not just trying to fuck Jeremy, and Billie Lee’s like “Uh, that’s what I want.” As soon as she says that, they’re like, “oh, well, that’s okay.” It’s fine if a dude creeps you out if you want to fuck him, I guess? Billie Lee’s nervous now, however. I don’t blame her.

Scheana and Brittany6 are at BBCM for brunch, and Brittany’s refusing to drink. Brittany’s happy that she cleared the air with Jax, and Scheana’s like “yeah, there’s no way what he said was true, so it’s fine.” Scheana wants Brittany to be as happy with Jax as Scheana is with Rob because Scheana is determined to make sure that Brittany stays the hell away from Jax. Scheana knows a lot of people, which has never been said without an air of malice around it. Brittany’s hoping Jax will turn into the person she fell in love with, which is hilarious.

If you’re hoping your boyfriend will just… squash part of his personality that you don’t like, Brittany, you might as well be wafting in Delusion, by Scheana Shay. Jax is abusive. End of story. Scheana texted Adam, the hot new guy at Sexy Unique Restaurant7, because he asked about Brittany. Honestly, Scheana really thinks she’s Cher Horowitz and Brittany is Tai. She wants Brittany away from Travis Birkenstock (Jax) and in the pants of literally anyone else, but hopefully Elton (Adam). I see you, Scheana.

You will never be Cher Horowitz. The closest you’ll come is American Woman, Kyle Richards’s show about her life starring Alicia Silverstone.

We’re at the site for TomTom, and Schwartz wants nothing more than to be shoveling dirt with the construction site. Schwartz, clearly not knowing where he was going, is wearing fucking sandals. Katie married a grown man who wears sandals. All the time. Who doesn’t know to wear closed-toed shoes to a construction site? Does Tom Schwartz realize that a ton of health codes require closed-toes shoes in restaurants? He’s gonna die.

Sandoval is still trying to direct the set up of the bar area, and Lisa shuts that the fuck down. Again, Sandoval thinks he’s a true partner in all of this, but what Lisa wants him to do is what she wanted him to do at Sexy Unique Restaurants - craft a cocktail menu. That’s it. Nothing else. She doesn’t want your design input or any tips on what kind of food you’d like. She literally wants Tom to go to all his favorite bars in Los Angeles, choose his favorite cocktails from there, and assemble a list.

Oh, Sandoval. You only own 5% of the restaurant. Have you been wearing Delusion, by Scheana Shay?

Queen Lala arrives at Scheana’s apartment literally dressed like a goddess, in a white two-piece outfit. She looks like a California princess and clearly, she’s just touched up her lips because they are PLUMP, girl8. Following behind is Billie Lee, and then we get some shady shots of all the photos of Rob and Scheana in Scheana’s glam room.

The producers hate Scheana so much, I love it. Billie Lee needs a drink immediately upon arrival, and the girls are all happy to comply. Scheana’s pulled a few outfits for Billie to wear on her date, and Billie tells the details of her conversation with Kristen and Stassi. Billie Lee’s skeptical because Stassi gave the implication that Jeremy will just bounce from girl to girl to girl, hoping for some kind of positive interactions. Lala and Scheana are like, “well, he’s never tried anything with us, so.”

I do want to touch base on the “Well, he never did anything to make me uncomfortable, so,” response. A broken clock is right twice a day. Sometimes people we think are good are capable of doing bad things. Sometimes people’s behavior can be interpreted differently. A part of how the #metoo movement came into being was the collective idea that these people couldn’t have done this, they were good because of [xyz]. Did we learn nothing from Spotlight? The Catholic Church protected its own, we will forever protect our own instead of listening to victims. Listen. You’ll learn something. Reexamine people and their impact. Just because someone hasn’t hurt you, doesn’t mean they’re not capable of it.

Lala is immediately riled up because Kristen and Stassi tend to say things that not only hurt feelings but affect others’ lives in the long run. Billie was excited about her date until they brought up all of those thoughts.

Everyone loves and adores Billie. Especially Lala, who loves her tits. Billie chooses a green printed romper, and she looks cute. I won’t even hate. It’s a great date outfit.

Billie and Lala go to get a drink, and Lala’s getting buzzed before going into work because she’s the fucking best. She is all of us. Lala’s there to calm Billie down before her date because Lala understands the nerves and butterflies and jitters that accompany the first date. Jeremy arrives, and Billie immediately sets her sights on setting the mood. Guys are hesitant to date her because she is trans and people talk, and Jeremy’s like, “Whatever dude, you’re a girl and you should be acknowledged as such, who cares.”

This is the correct response.

Because this show can’t introduce anyone without bringing them up again, we’re meeting DJ James Kennedy, KCMG, and his fucking dad again9. James is ordering alcoholic slushies, Andres claims that George Michael christened him and spat on him, passing along his musical powers. Is that how powers are spread? Through spit? Like a cold? Having George Michael as a godfather has made James determined to be Something. Him and Lala together. James’ dad lost everything when George Michael and he had a falling out, and now James is getting over his struggle. He cries when thinking about his dad. Somehow, I find it within me not to feel bad for him. Maybe it’s my own personal daddy shit that prevents this.10

Back at Sexy Unique Restaurant, the cast is still pretending they work there, and Lisa’s doing her obligated table greeting. Max Vanderpump-Todd got a $2,000 tip the night before, and that’s worth celebrating. Ariana’s leaving early because they’ve got a girls’ outing, and Lisa can sense that Ariana’s pissed11 about something. Ariana’s caught a whiff of what Kristen and Stassi were saying about Jeremy, and she’s upset. Scheana told this to Ariana, and Ariana can’t believe it, because he’s her brother, of course. I mean, Jeremy saved Sexy Unique Restaurant from burning down, and Lisa is endlessly thankful. She even gives him some money.

In case you didn’t know, the musical cue is “I came to get down,” so you know we’re headed to The Lion Tavern for a wild girls’ night out. Scheana and Ariana are greeted by Brittany and the rest of the girls. There are two factions - Ariana/Scheana/Lala, and Stassi & The Pussycats, but they’ve both come together because of their mutual love for Brittany. Stassi immediately asks how Ariana’s vagina was because thankfully we’re basically spared an entire scene of Ariana undergoing laser hair removal, and get like, ten seconds. Scheana immediately makes everyone uncomfortable when they’re all complimenting their own vaginas by being like “well, my boyfriend likes it, so.” Girl. Read the room. No one cares about Rob’s opinion of your vagina, they only care about yours.

Ugh, the patriarchy.

Lala brings up the Jeremy-shaped elephant in the room and calls Stassi out for trying to scare Billie Lee. Stassi claims she was being supportive, and Scheana’s like, “That’s definitely not how she took it.”

You know how I hate when Jax is right? I hate when Scheana’s right just as much.

Ariana tries to get them to bring up the wedding, and Stassi’s like, “I don’t want to hurt anyone!!!” It’s okay if she hurts people unintentionally, she just doesn’t want to do it on purpose. Scheana leaves because she’s got a curfew to return to her RealDoll box, and Katie immediately is like “IT’S MY TURN FOR CAMERA TIME.” She says that she got a lot of complaints at her wedding regarding Jeremy’s behavior, that he was even predatory. Ariana wants to snatch Katie’s wig as soon as she uses that word, and immediately defends her brother. Katie, being the ultimate in hypocrisy, tells Ariana she needs to advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves right now. Katie is such trash because this is so pointed and so purposeful and so intended to make Ariana feel like a hypocrite. We get it, Katie, you hate Ariana and you really hate that she’s a better person than you are. Ariana reads between Katie’s lines, and Katie tries doing the plausible deniability thing and claiming Ariana misheard her. Lala comes and sits next to Ariana and tries to soothe her, but Ariana is so upset at this point that she’s seeing red.

I get why Ariana’s upset. She’s defending her family and Katie’s essentially saying she’s a bad feminist for doing so. I’m not saying Ariana’s right, and I’m definitely not saying Katie’s right. There’s a better way to handle this, but they should have known that with family involved, the emotions are heightened. Katie, you defend Schwartz’s shitty behavior constantly. Shut up. Ariana dismisses herself from the table and all the girls are like “Wait, sit down, calm down, what?” Stassi makes a false equivalency by saying Ariana can criticize Stassi all she wants under “hard truths”, yet Stassi can’t criticize Jeremy.

Because Ariana is not responsible for her brother’s behavior, and since she doesn’t know the entire story, she can only defend him. She’s not right for this. She could have listened more. But their issue is with Jeremy, not Ariana. The most feminist thing to do is to demand they hold Jeremy accountable instead of getting angry at Ariana for her brother’s bad behavior.

Over at Jax and Brittany’s apartment, Jax has a drum kit he’s showing to Tom Sandoval. Even Sandoval is like, “Man, you got spoiled for a guy who just cheated on his girlfriend.” Brittany is reinforcing bad behaviors by treating Jax like this. He’ll definitely cheat again if she continues to reward it. Tom decides to head over to Schwartz and Katie’s apartment because he needs to talk to Katie about what happened with Ariana. He calls it “complete and total bullshit”, because he’s Tom Sandoval. He’s never found a man he won’t blindly defend to the death.

Over at Katie and Tom’s, Stassi and Kristen have arrived and they’re going to make their own perfumes.

Are they making Delusion, by Scheana Shay?

Sandoval comes over and Schwartz immediately tells him to proceed with caution. Sandoval starts out and denies all of Jeremy’s behavior. Stassi and Kristen are continuing to maintain that Jeremy made them uncomfortable and Sandoval just... denies it. He literally says no, that didn't happen. He wasn't there, how would he know?

You don’t get to tell someone how they feel, Sandoval. You can’t just shoot down the way someone else feels. If multiple people are claiming to feel some kind of way about something, it might be worth inspecting. What do I know, though?

The most important part is when Stassi asks, “why would I lie about this?” When it comes to a lie, you always have to look at the side of the person who benefits from the lie. Stassi doesn’t benefit from lying about this, and neither do the millions of women who come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct. There is more to lose by coming forward, and literally nothing to gain. If you think they’re looking for a payoff, wonder who benefits from being paid to keep silent. Not the women. I once heard a story of a woman who came forward with accusations of sexual assault, signed an NDA and took the money, and then came to find out her NDA was so strict she couldn’t even talk about her experience with a therapist.

She attempted suicide because of it. Fuck NDAs, and fuck anyone who thinks that women who come forward about sexual harassment are looking to get paid off. There is no money that can erase that experience. And no amount of money is worth more than actual punishment. Sandoval doesn’t know what he’s talking about because he wasn’t there. Stassi’s tired of protecting men and Tom Sandoval tells her to watch herself. A man telling a woman to watch herself when she’s telling the truth is some Crucible bullshit. Tom claiming he’ll start telling truths about them if they continue to talk is just… sad, petty behavior.

Then again, Tom will protect every single move Jax makes if he can. It’s shocking Ariana, who is proudly pro-women, will put up with Tom, who is definitely pro-men in every single way.

Back at Jax and Brittany’s apartment, Brittany gets a call from her dad. Oh, and Brittany hasn’t told her dad about Jax’s cheating, even though she’s told her mother. She’s afraid to tell her dad because he’s gonna be upset. We get shots of Jax sensing something ominous in the air and listening in on Brittany’s conversation when she tells her dad Jax cheated on her.

Brittany’s dad is unsurprised. He can’t help himself. He has no control. Brittany’s heard this before from him, and that’s why she’s put distance between them. She doesn’t want her dad to “I told you so” her, but… he told her so. Brittany’s dad is a lot less unforgiving than Brittany’s mom, who is on her third marriage and continually tells Brittany to just put her head down and deal with it because she’s on TV now. Brittany’s dad wants him to grow up and get serious, and he doesn’t think that now that Jax is 485 years old if that’s really possible. If he wanted to grow up, he’d be grown up. Brittany’s dad is most definitely not on Team Jax.

Jax is like, “oh man, I’m doing so good at the drums now! What did your dad say? What did he say?” Jax isn’t upset about Brittany’s dad not liking him - he couldn’t give a fuck - he’s again, more upset that she’s “airing out their dirty laundry”. Talking to your parent about your relationship is not airing out dirty laundry. The fact that Jax was Brittany to isolate any conversation about him and his behavior is textbook abuser behavior. He only wants to talk about it with her so he can tell her how she feels. None of these other people have his side, only hers, so what do they know?

God, Brittany. Stop. This man thinks you talking to your parents about your problems is “dirty laundry”. No. That’s what they’re there for.

Brittany doesn’t want to deal with the pain and strife this would put on her family ever again. They’re already predisposed not to like him and she’s not trying to pile on. Jax promises he won’t do anything like that again (LIAR), but she’s not perfect, either.

Why. Are. Men. Like. This.

One of the reasons my ex and I broke up was his almost blatant refusal to see my side in things. Literally, one time we were talking, and I mentioned that the fact that does that bothers me. He apologized, and then immediately was like “well, you do that too.” And I burst into tears. I was already on edge, already frustrated at not being heard and not listened to, and here he was, making that my problem. It’s this stubborn need to always be not only right but right and justified in every situation. “It’s fine for me to do this because you do it too.” I’m not saying I’m right in my actions. But if I’m asking you not to hurt me, what’s so wrong with just apologizing?

Why do you need to say, “I’m sorry, but this isn’t only my fault”?

Brittany admits to her bad behavior and owns up to her imperfections, but Jax won’t. He’s like, “own up to it,” and she will. He tells her if she’s not happy, maybe she needs to move on. I don’t disagree, but this is just him trying to get out from under bad behavior. I do the same thing. “You chose to be with me, you can leave at any point.”

Jax just always needs to be the good guy. That’s Brittany’s problem. His need to be the good guy in his mind will always trump any of her feelings. Good Guys are just as bad as Nice Guys.

Lala, Ariana12 and Scheana head to the bar, where people are meeting them, namely Daddy Adam, who is my new bae. They’re all there to basically show Brittany that she doesn’t need Jax and that she’s swimming in a sea of hot dudes who want to bang her. Scheana knows that Jax is never going to change and the love of a good woman won’t do shit - he doesn’t deserve Brittany. Hottie Adam shows up and orders seven shots of tequila upon arrival. Brittany’s Out To Flirt and piss off Jax, and Adam is prime real estate.

Lala mentions her conversation with Stassi, and that she doesn’t think she’s out to get anyone. Scheana and Ariana are pissed at Stassi and Brittany’s defending Stassi. It’s charming, but only a tiny bit. Scheana’s drunk and takes Brittany aside for a drunken truth-telling. She tells Brittany the truth - you will never be able to change Jax, you don’t deserve to be treated like this, and you can do better. And Brittany’s main problem? She loves Jax. And she can’t just like, stop loving him. Scheana can’t understand her thought process on this, and Brittany can’t explain to people that she knows he’s wrong but she still loves him. Scheana doesn’t want Brittany to be where she is - 32, divorced and starting over from scratch.

Scheana knows what it’s like to lie to yourself and convince yourself it’s all going to work out in the end. It’s hilarious because she’s acting like she used to do this when she’s doing it right now. God damn, I love the producers of this show.

Next Time: Lisa doesn’t understand why Brittany’s still celebrating Jax, let alone taking him to Mexico for his birthday. Lala is “ready for Mexico” in that she’s… way too tan. Scary tan. We’re going to Playa del Carmen! Lala ain’t taking any of Jax’s shit. Sandoval needs to fuck off.

Random Assessments from the Desk of Amanda:

Y’all know I love Ariana and shit, but god damn, that red dress in the talking head? With the corset front? No. Ariana, take it off. Immediately. Trust me.

Meanwhile, Tom Sandoval’s talking head with the polka dot bowtie and the plaid pants? I love it. It’s so extra. He looks like a sexy butler.

Scheana thinks Billie Lee and Jeremy are fated because they both smoke weed.

Is Billie Lee the first trans person on Bravo? Bravo, Bravo, then.

I mean, Stassi and Kristen have a point to be afraid of being around Jeremy.

Okay, really - Brittany is losing sympathy for staying with Jax, and fast. The only way she can redeem herself is to dump him. She can’t keep putting herself in these scenarios and expecting a different response.

Hagrid from Harry Potter, for you Yanks. ↩︎

What part of England are the Kennedys from? Are they from Manchester? ↩︎

Who has taken to pronouncing “baby” like it’s two letters - “BB” ↩︎

Scheana is such a fucking Taurus. ↩︎

I won’t even tell people if I’ve applied for something exciting just in case it backfired. The minute you put something into words and say them aloud to someone else, they’re real. I don’t know where I got this superstition from. ↩︎

I love Brittany’s 2005 glasses so much. ↩︎

OH MY GOD HE ACTUALLY IS THE HOT NEW GUY AT SEXY UNIQUE RESTAURANT. Hellooooo, Adam. Adam, come to mama. ↩︎

In the words of Beverly Johnson, if you don’t have a top lip, get one. Have you guys heard my podcast yet? ↩︎

I’m choosing to think of him as Robbie Coltrane from National Treasure (Not the Nicolas Cage fantasy films, the British series about Operation Yewtree) and less Hagrid. Makes him easier to hate. ↩︎

Same reason I’ve never seen Finding Nemo all the way through but I can handle The Lion King. ↩︎

Read: a producer told her to ask. ↩︎

Dressed in only what can be described as “Beetlejuice for Pretty Little Thing.com” ↩︎

#vanderpump rules #vanderpump rules recap #lisa vanderpump #reality tv #reality tv recap #jesus chris this season is intense #jax is the worst and brittany is the best

[dlwngadventures]

02/26/18, BALI!!!!

click to view the BALI PHOTOS :))

Let me tell you about Bali though...

A lot of people (at least I definitely did) think Bali is this beautiful oasis. First thing that comes to mind is yoga retreat, vegan heaven, crystal blue water, zen type vibes, but our experience was very different. There were 10 of us so if that doesn’t already set the scene for how crazy it was... traveling with that many people just makes it a mission to make any decisions or get anything done. 

On Friday we flew into Denpasar (Brittney and I were on a separate flight bc we of our spontaneous booking lol) and we went from the airport to our Airbnb. The roads are wild!!! There are basically no traffic laws and everyone rides their scooters and just goes. We drove through so many different areas to get to our Airbnb. It was so interesting to see the mix of the very poor, developing areas contrasted with the modern, hip shops you see on Instagram etc. Even just the contrast of our very cute Airbnb to the housing around it. Our Airbnb was hostel style kind of with multiple rooms. Our room was 2 double beds and a bathroom. It was super cute with the owner’s house right by it -- filled with loud roosters and dogs. From the Airbnb we walked to Batu Bolong beach to meet the others. First impressions: It was so so hot and the water was a nasty brown. The sun is crazy bright there. The sand was literally too hot to walk on barefoot. I don’t ever burn tbh but my shoulder burned a little this trip and that was crazy to me. I experienced peeling skin from a sunburn for the first time and for sure lathering on the sunscreen from now on!!!!!! Always!!!! We paid for a couple lounge chairs and umbrellas in front of a restaurant on the beach because there was no way we would be able to just lay out on the sand. This beach is a prime surfing location, aka the waves will knock you flat on your back (which admittedly happened to me multiple times). For some reason all of us still loved it. It was fun just to run into the water and being KO’ed by the wave idk. This first day was our chill day. We spent majority of the day by the beach and then we chilled at our group’s villa. The villa was wild. It had an incredible pool, open concept roof business, right by all the shops and restaurants, about 5 min walk from the beach. We showered and went out for food. We ate at a ‘warung’ as it’s called in Indonesia. It’s basically a small, family style restaurant. I got so much food and I can’t remember that last time I’ve been that full. I could barely stand up straight. Yet, we walked by a vegan ice cream place and of course I had to get one. I got tumeric ice cream and it was so good. Worth every inch of bloated belly lol. We spent the night chilling in the villa -- drinking, catching up, in the pool etc. 

Saturday was our busy, busy day. We hired a private driver who took us around to all our different locations. We visited the Ubud Monkey Forest (Sacred Monkey Sanctuary) and it was our first close experience with monkeys in South East Asia (at the tree top walk I only really saw them from afar). These monkeys were so clever and quick!!! If you had food they would just snag them from you. The sanctuary had a bunch of rules to follow to help prevent monkey attacks -- ex. don’t look them in the eyes!! We saw the monkeys pick out bugs from each others fur (including around the butt area) and eat it. You could pay to feed them bananas and they absolutely devoured them. The monkeys just roam freely around the park so if you’re not careful they’ll just snatch things from you. At one point we were in this open area and we were all taking turns feeding the monkeys. This girl just got peed on by a monkey and I had just fed another monkey. I was backing out of the circle of monkeys eating when I accidentally stepped on a baby monkey’s tail and lemme tell ya, commotion ensued. There was an AWFUL awful scream from the baby monkey and then literally everyone else who was in the area backed away until it was just me and the monkey, and the big daddy monkey. He looked so pissed I was so scared. He started punching my leg, of course it didn’t hurt, but I really was terrified he was about to bite my leg off. I apologized but of course it didn’t understand...it was so scary alright. 

After the monkey forest we went to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace. We had lunch along the rice terrace and hiked in after. The restaurant had this super cute swing that you could take a photo with and then when we walked in it was so cool to see how far the rice terraces extended. Honestly, so beautiful. We visited the Tegenungan Waterfall after. It wasn’t the waterfall that we wanted to visit, but our driver took us to the wrong one (lol ty driver). It was really brown because it was winter so there was a ton of water and took a lot of mud with it. We didn’t end up swimming in the big waterfall because of time, and because the water was just flowing too fast, it was kind of dangerous. There was a baby version before you reached the big one and we spent some time in that. It was so refreshing!!! But I also think this is where I got my worst mosquito bite /: (which I am convinced is how I got mild dengue fever bc I had a mild fever that made me skip all my classes and sleep for a day two days after we got back. Prian scared us all about dengue and that was all I could think about for a lot of the trip tbh)

We wanted to catch sunset at the Tanah Lot temple so we were rushed for time from the waterfall. We ended up getting there a little early and snagging some food. I tried this sticky coconut rice snack that was so delicious. The temple itself was honestly not that impressive. There were way too many people, it made it really hard to enjoy our time. There were too many clouds so the sunset was eh as well. The temple is supposed to be really cool because you walk on this sort of natural bridge path to the actual temple that is surrounded by water, but we couldn’t reach it because water levels were too high (aka not really ideal time to visit Bali tbh). That night we were beat but I will say I had a dank meal that night. Mi goreng!! Mi goreng is an Indonesian fried noodle dish that we got for nearly every meal and was so good. 

The next day a couple of us wanted to rent scooters and ride around. The area that we were staying in was pretty mellow so we figured it wouldn’t be too dangerous to ride them around. However, the rental guy wouldn’t even let us get them. It was actually really sweet of him. He said that if he rented them to us he would make a bunch of money and if we got injured or ruined the bike he would make even more, but he didn’t care about the monkey, he didn’t want us to get hurt. In the end we tried the scooters in an alley way but didn’t get to rent them /: probably smart though...definitely smart actually.

We hired a driver that the other part of the group (everyone minus me and brittney) had from the airport for the rest of the day. Apparently he was really cool and would Facebook live their journey (kinda weird tbh), let them hotspot his wifi in the car, and was just a cool guy??? We didn’t spend that much time with him this day so I don’t really know. We were leaving this day but we wanted to spend the morning seeing a beautiful temple and experiencing some actual clear blue water. We drove to Uluwatu Temple which was so beautiful. It was a temple on this rocky cliff with amazing blue water below. One of the most stunning views I’ve experienced if I’m being honest. Before we walked into the temple though, there were these SAVAGE monkeys on the outside parking lot. I’m telling you, these monkeys are so feisty and conniving!!! The monkey came and snatched this women’s glasses out of her hands and then proceeded to snap them in half. Two people in my group also had glasses and immediately became super cautious, but even still, one of the monkey’s jumped on Prian’s back and swiped his glasses off his face. He was just biting and playing with the glasses for awhile and we were all praying that he wouldn’t snap them in half. Eventually, our driver called over one of the local temple workers and she gave the monkey a banana bunch and he finally dropped the glasses, unharmed (minus a couple bite marks). Strong start to the day ya know. For the rest of the time at the temple, we all clutched on to our stuff to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Also, random fact but the temples have weird rules like if you’re pregnant or on your period you can’t go in...

After the temple, we ventured to Dreamland Beach. All we wanted was a beautiful clear blue water beach like we saw from the temple. Dreamland was a resort, private beach and we decided to splurge (when I say splurge I mean it was $3 entrance fee instead of free basically lol) on this private beach. From the outside it really did look incredible, but once you looked closer there was trash everywhere. We didn’t even spend time in the water because we ended up just swimming in trash. It was really sad actually. There was a river type deal that the ocean ran into and it was FILLED with trash. The sustainability side of me was really torn up by it, I almost got a bag to help clean up, no lie. It was heartbreaking. The worst part was people at the resort who were just tanning in the sun, taking these Insta photos with no regard to the trash around. Insta vs real life has never been more real. Post beach we drove to the airport, blasting some Canadian jams (Drake and “Out for a rip”) and listened to Prian belt some Jackson 5. 

Bali, man. Definitely not what I expected, but also as always no regrets. 

There were just a lot of annoying admission fees. The people weren’t the nicest. Dengue fever paranoia. I was just overall on edge because it was my first trip out in the real Southeast Asian area and people kept freaking me out about getting hit by a scooter or getting cholera from the water or dengue from the mosquitoes (mossies!!!), it made it hard to enjoy the trip. But Bali was still very beautiful. We didn’t have time to see Heaven’s gates or climb Mount Agung but I would for sure come back to do a more retreat type trip and do those things :-)

an eye opening experience to say the least. first trip done and I am STOKED for more

#bali #dlwng